Bird and Maxwell Net Title No. 14

In the inaugural season of the Big Three era, the Celtics were already in championship form. After sweeping the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference First Round, Boston engaged in a seven-game semifinals thriller against the Philadelphia 76ers, which ESPN once ranked the best NBA playoff series of all-time. Boston stormed back from a 3-1 series deficit to win it all in seven, where five of the close-call contests were decided by just one or two points! The 1981 NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets seemed anti-climactic by comparison. Led by sophomore phenom Larry Bird and Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell, the Celtics took home the NBA World Championship title in six games.