Search Results for
"Larry Bird" - 132 Total Result(s)
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A New Era With Bird and Fitch
After a year of waiting, in 1979 Red Auerbach finally persuaded Larry Bird to sign with the Boston Celtics and new coach Bill Fitch. While some Celtics players didn’t have the best relationship with Fitch, that was never the case with Bird. “Coach Fitch is the best coach in the league,” Bird explained after Fitch […]
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A Nod to Banner No. 14
The Celtics celebrated their latest NBA World Championship title with the 1981-82 media guide. Boston had hopes for another golden season behind All-Stars Robert Parish, Tiny Archibald and Larry Bird, who was also MVP of the All-Star Game. The C’s won 18 in a row in February and March to outpace a division rival in […]
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A Record of a Title
The Celtics dominated the Houston Rockets in Game 6 of the 1986 NBA Finals, winning the franchise’s 16th NBA World Championship title. Boston impressed with a 114-97 victory in front of a full house at Boston Garden, the 270th consecutive sellout at home. A scorer’s report documented the production of the C’s starting five, who […]
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A Tragic Start to a Title Defense
The Celtics barely got to celebrate their 16th NBA World Championship title when Len Bias, the No. 2 overall pick, passed away just two days after the 1986 NBA Draft and 11 days after the end of the NBA Finals. Flush with a veteran roster, the Celtics were still primed for another title run in […]
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A Tribute to Dennis Johnson
Celtics players wore commemorative shirts during Hall-of-Fame guard Dennis Johnson’s number retirement ceremony. At 6-foot-4, “DJ” used strength and smarts to become a great passer and staunch defender, earning five All-Star selections and nine straight seasons on the NBA’s All-Defensive teams. He was the glue that held the 1980s Celtics together, with Larry Bird calling […]
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A Wounded Bird
One sad reality of Larry Bird’s career is how much of it was robbed by injuries. Bird famously played with two injured ankles and a notoriously cranky back that forced him to lay down on the floor during practice breaks. He likely used these crutches after season-ending foot surgery just six games into the 1988-89 […]
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About Don “The Duck”
One of the most unsung players in Celtics history, Don “The Duck” Chaney showed off his defensive skills during the 1970s. A winner of two NBA World Championship titles, Chaney can claim the title as the only player to suit up next to both Bill Russell and Larry Bird. He said of his rookie season: “I […]
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Addition From the Coast
The Celtics set their sights on avenging the loss in the 1985 NBA Finals by addressing one of their biggest needs: another big man to come off the bench. A September 6, 1985, trade with the Los Angeles Clippers brought them former MVP and future Hall-of-Famer Bill Walton. Liberated from the Clippers, Walton would be […]
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All-Star Celtics in ’86
Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Larry Bird and Coaches Jimmy Rodgers, K.C. Jones and Chris Ford all participated in the 1986 All-Star Game in Dallas. Bird was a starter and scored 23 points, McHale contributed eight points and 10 rebounds, and Parish recorded a blocked shot as the East All-Stars won, 139-132.
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An Old Friend Downs the Celtics
The Celtics returned to the NBA Playoffs in 1983, facing a powerful Milwaukee Bucks team in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Coached by former Celtics standout Don Nelson, Milwaukee swept Boston in four games – the first time the Celtics had been swept in a best-of-seven-games playoff series. “This is a very special feeling,” Nelson said. […]