Editing Magic Johnson (section)

=== Ups and downs (1980–1983) ===
Early in the [[1980–81 NBA season|1980–81 season]], Johnson was sidelined after he suffered torn [[cartilage]] in his left knee. He missed 45&nbsp;games,<ref name="stats" /> and said that his [[Physical therapy|rehabilitation]] was the "most down" he had ever felt.<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=135 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> Johnson returned before the start of the [[1981 NBA Playoffs|1981 playoffs]], but the Lakers' then-assistant and future head coach [[Pat Riley]] later said Johnson's much-anticipated return made the Lakers a "divided team".<ref>{{Cite book |first=Pat |last=Riley |url=http://archive.org/details/winnerwithinlife00rile_0/page/48 |title=The Winner Within |year=1994 |publisher=Berkley Books |page=48 |isbn=978-0-425-14175-5}}</ref> The 54-win Lakers faced the 40–42 [[1980–81 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]] in the first round of playoffs,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/ |title=Houston Rockets |website=Basketball-Reference |access-date=May 24, 2008 |archive-date=June 26, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040626085012/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/ |title=Los Angeles Lakers |website=Basketball-Reference |access-date=May 14, 2009 |archive-date=June 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612234102/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/ |url-status=live}}</ref> where Houston upset the Lakers 2–1 after Johnson [[Air ball|airballed]] a last-second shot in Game 3.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/08/sports/sports-of-the-times-magic-johnson-s-legacy.html |title=Sports of The Times; Magic Johnson's Legacy |last=Berkow |first=Ira |date=November 8, 1991 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-date=February 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210140855/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/08/sports/sports-of-the-times-magic-johnson-s-legacy.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1981, after the 1980–81 season, Johnson signed a 25-year, $25&nbsp;million contract with the Lakers ({{inflation|US|25000000|1981|fmt=eq|r=-6}}), which was the highest-paying contract in sports history up to that point.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Hs9RAAAAIBAJ&pg=2762,5761965 |title=Johnson rubs LA's Magic lantern for 25 million bucks |date=June 27, 1981 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |page=10|access-date=April 24, 2022|archive-date=April 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424224811/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Hs9RAAAAIBAJ&pg=2762,5761965|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount – 1790 to Present |publisher=MeasuringWorth |url=https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/|access-date=October 20, 2020|archive-date=April 8, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070408052700/http://measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/|url-status=live}}</ref> Early in the [[1981–82 NBA season|1981–82 season]], Johnson had a heated dispute with Westhead, who Johnson said made the Lakers "slow" and "predictable".<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=141 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> After Johnson demanded to be traded, Lakers owner [[Jerry Buss]] fired Westhead and replaced him with Riley. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |author2=Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=143 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> he was booed across the league, even by Laker fans.<ref name="nbafullbio" /> Buss was also unhappy with the Lakers' offense and had intended on firing Westhead days before the Westhead–Johnson altercation, but assistant GM [[Jerry West]] and GM [[Bill Sharman]] had convinced Buss to delay his decision.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ostler |first1=Scott |last2=Springer |first2=Steve |title=Winnin' Times: The Magical Journey of the Los Angeles Lakers |year=1988 |pages=154–156, 159–160, 169 |publisher=Collier Books |isbn=0-02-029591-X}}</ref> Despite his off-court troubles, Johnson averaged 18.6&nbsp;points, 9.6&nbsp;rebounds, 9.5&nbsp;assists, and a league-high 2.7&nbsp;steals per game, and was voted a member of the [[All-NBA]] Second Team.<ref name="stats" /> He also joined [[Wilt Chamberlain]] and [[Oscar Robertson]] as the only NBA players to tally at least 700&nbsp;points, 700&nbsp;rebounds, and 700&nbsp;assists in the same season.<ref name="espnshowtime" /> The Lakers advanced through the [[1982 NBA Playoffs|1982 playoffs]] and faced [[1981–82 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]] for the second time in three years in the [[1982 NBA Finals]]. After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 4–2, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award.<ref>{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Lakers' Arduous Season Ends in Victory |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19811982.html|access-date=May 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512100412/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19811982.html|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the championship series against the Sixers, Johnson averaged 16.2&nbsp;points on .533&nbsp;shooting, 10.8&nbsp;rebounds, 8.0&nbsp;assists, and 2.5&nbsp;steals per game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1982_finals.html |title=1982 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=November 3, 2008|archive-date=October 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014095032/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1982_finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson later said that his third season was when the Lakers first became a great team,<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=148 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> and he credited their success to Riley.<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=149 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref>

During the [[1982–83 NBA season]], Johnson's first of nine consecutive [[double-double]] seasons, he averaged 16.8&nbsp;points, 10.5&nbsp;assists, and 8.6&nbsp;rebounds per game, and earned his first All-NBA First Team nomination.<ref name="stats" /> The Lakers again reached the [[1983 NBA Finals|Finals]], and for a third time faced the [[1982–83 Philadelphia 76ers season|Sixers]], who featured [[Center (basketball)|center]] [[Moses Malone]] as well as Erving.<ref name="1983finals">{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Moses Helps Dr. J, Sixers Reach Promised Land |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19821983.html|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303032025/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19821983.html|archive-date=March 3, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> With Johnson's teammates Nixon, [[James Worthy]], and [[Bob McAdoo]] all hobbled by injuries, the Lakers were swept by the Sixers, and Malone was crowned the Finals MVP.<ref name="1983finals" /> In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Johnson averaged 19.0&nbsp;points on .403&nbsp;shooting, 12.5&nbsp;assists, and 7.8&nbsp;rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1983_finals.html |title=1983 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=February 19, 2008|archive-date=December 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223115548/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1983_finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref>