After last night's neck-and-neck battle, the 2013 NBA Finals will come down to a decisive Game 7 in Miami tomorrow night. In 1988, the match-up between the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Lakers took a similar turn. With the Lakers facing elimination and the Pistons looking to secure their first NBA Championship, Game 6 of the '88 Finals took place on June 19.
Isiah Thomas fueled the Pistons with 43 points, setting a Finals record with 25 points in the third quarter alone. Thomas sprained his ankle early in the game, but his late rally was enough to put LA's championship hopes at risk. With just fourteen second left in the game, Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was sent to the free throw-line. In a truly clutch situation, Abdul-Jabbar netted both free throws, giving the Lakers a 103-102 edge. Los Angeles was able to hold off the Pistons as the play clock expired, tying up the series and forcing a Game 7. They would go on to win the championship, making Los Angeles the first team in 20 years to win consecutive titles.
Sneaker-wise,Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is mostly known for his relationship with adidas. Although Kareem switched brands few times during this period of his career, his allegiance with the Three Stripes was always strong. During the '88 postseason, he wore this vintage low-top model, which was auctioned off in a collection of sneakers worn by the team during their championship run.
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