“As soon as I got Magic Johnson in the post, I knew I could shoot over him”: When Larry Bird led the Celtics to a title, after trailing the Lakers 2-1, in 1984

Celtics’ legend Larry Bird recalls the moment when he knew he could win the game, and subsequently, the Championship over the Lakers

When thinking of the best athletes in the NBA, the Celtics legend might not come into a lot of people’s minds but while talking about all-time greats, he’s up there, on Mount Rushmore.

He could take the game or even a series over from a team that was on the cusp of winning. One such match-up was when Boston Celtics were playing LA Lakers in the 1984 NBA Finals.

Also Read: “Larry Bird made 23, and that too without taking his top off!”: When Michael Jordan acknowledged following the Celtics’ legend in a 3-point shooting contest was a tough task

It was Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, Boston Celtics against the Los Angeles Lakers. Lakers were leading 2-1, dominating all 3 of those games, but thanks to Celtics point guard Gerald Henderson Boston stole the crucial Game 2.

Larry Bird saw Magic Johnson and decided to shoot over him

It was a massacre in Game-3 where the Lakers won 137-104. After that game, Larry Legend took over. Bird had been frustrated by the resilient defense of Michael Cooper throughout the series.

However, with 16 seconds left in overtime during the crucial Game 4 in LA, it was Magic Johnson guarding Larry. Bird saw the matchup and knew victory was his. He drilled a jumper, guiding the Celtics to a 129-125 victory to get the series even.

“Michael Cooper fell down in the lane,” Bird said, “then it got a little helter-skelter. But as soon as I got Magic (Johnson) in the post, I knew I could shoot over him.”

Bird’s basket led to the Celtics’ four-point win, reclaiming homecourt advantage for Boston. He then led Boston to a 4-3 series victory to claim the title and the Finals MVP, averaging 27.5 points, 11 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.2 blocks.

Also Read: “Scottie Pippen gave me a lot of problems”: Larry Bird elucidates how the Michael Jordan mentee became a demon and the NBA’s best perimeter defender

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

Read More