Former Los Angeles Lakers energy ahead Michael Cooper is now formally a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame, and whereas some could cringe on the considered inducting an actor, it is an excellent honor for one of many Lakers’ most beneficial and underrated gamers. By no means.
Cooper is thought and remembered by Lakers followers as a defensive guard who would stifle a various group of opposing stars starting from 6-foot-9 Larry Chook to 6-foot-1 Isiah Thomas. However he was additionally one of many NBA’s first nice 3-point shooters, and that ability helped flip the Showtime Lakers right into a legit dynasty that gained each recreation 5 occasions within the Eighties.
In Recreation 2 of the 1987 NBA Finals towards the Boston Celtics, Cooper confirmed the world his outdoors taking pictures abilities in phenomenal vogue. Whereas the Celtics protection targeted on stopping Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy, Cooper hit two triples to assist Los Angeles maintain tempo with Boston within the first quarter.
The Lakers then opened the door within the second quarter. Cooper led the best way with two extra 3-pointers, together with eight assists, which tied a league report. They led 75-56 at halftime, however the barrage wasn’t over. Cooper knocked down two extra 3-pointers and Showtime suffered a 141-122 rout, giving the group a 2-0 sequence lead.
For the sport, Cooper scored 21 factors and had 9 assists, and he set a brand new NBA Finals report with six 3-pointers. He additionally had three steals, and though Chook went a wonderful 9 of 17 from the sector, he scored a modest 23 factors.
Whereas the getting older and battered Celtics fought mightily within the subsequent three video games at Boston Backyard, the Lakers prevailed in six video games and captured their fourth NBA title of the last decade. With Cooper’s assist, Chook shot a mediocre 44.5% for the sequence, however the brand new Corridor of Famer additionally went 14 of 23 from downtown and averaged 4.7 assists in 29, 8 minutes per recreation for the sequence.
This text initially appeared on LeBron Wire: Michael Cooper went loopy on 3-pointers within the NBA Finals.
