YouTube Gold: Dr. J Dunks On Kareem - Twice
If he got style points, these would have been five point plays.
For the first part of his brilliant career, Julius Erving, universally known as Dr. J, was not on TV.
He played in the ABA from 1971 to 1976 when the ABA and NBA merged, and the ABA didn’t have a national TV contract. And obviously there was no Sports Center or ESPN, so people didn’t know that he was revolutionizing the game.
Well, people knew. Word got out. They just couldn't see it.
When the leagues merged, he was a big part of the reason why: he was a huge draw.
After the merger, he was soon traded to the Philadelphia 76ers and the Sixers quickly became a title contender.
In 1980, Erving and Philly made the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Led by rookie phenom Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, still in the late years of his prime, L.A. was a huge obstacle and would ultimately win the title.
However, we got some good glimpses as Erving’s athletic brilliance, including two dunks over Jabbar who, remember, is 7-2.
What’s really striking is how the ball is just an extension of his arm. Erving was as fluid as player as the game has ever seen.