When it was all said and done, the 1980s proved to be the rebirth of the National Basketball Association as we know it. It was during this decade where Magic Johnson of the Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics became the global ambassadors of the game.
As the years went on, both teams went back-and-forth between championships, attempting to gain the upper hand on the other dynasty. Leading into the 1987-88 season, the Lakers stood on top of the NBA, coming off their 1986-87 NBA Finals victory over the Celtics.
With their core intact, the Lakers went full steam ahead into the following season, protecting their claim as the defending champions.