Since the last clip I uploaded was about the 1985 NBA Finals (I've already profiled that series), today's profile is about a key player from that series. He starred with Larry Bird and Robert Parish on the Boston Celtics' three title teams of the 1980s, was a seven-time All-Star, was All-NBA 1st Team in 1987, and won two Sixth Man awards. He is Kevin McHale.

Kevin McHale was born December 19, 1957 in Hibbing, Minnesota. McHale was named "Mr. Basketball" as a senior at Hibbing High School, then stayed home to attend the University of Minnesota, where he averaged 15.2 PPG and 8.5 RPG over his four years there (his best year came as a junior, with averages of 17.9 PPG and 9.6 RPG) and was a two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection. After trading down from the first overall pick in the 1980 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected McHale third overall. Also acquired in the trade was center Robert Parish. Together with Larry Bird, the trio became the finest frontcourt in the NBA in the 1980s.

As a rookie, McHale was solid as a reserve, averaging 10 PPG and 4.4 RPG while playing mainly as a defensive force. The Celtics won the NBA title in McHale's rookie season, and the highlight came in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals, when he blocked an Andrew Toney shot that would have won the game for the Philadelphia 76ers and got the rebound to seal Boston's win. McHale played solidly for the next two seasons, but the Celtics never got past the conference finals either year, and McHale (among others) grew weary of coach Bill Fitch's hard hand.

McHale came close to bolting for the New York Knicks in 1983, signing an offer sheet, but when the Celtics signed three Knicks to offer sheets, New York pulled away. Fitch was fired and replaced by K.C. Jones, whose easy hand was a welcome site for the Celtics. McHale played his best ball to date in 1983-84, winning the Sixth Man award with averages of 18.4 PPG and 7.4 RPG, helping the Celtics reach the NBA Finals. There, he made more headlines, but this time, it was for a defining physical moment. In game four of the 1984 NBA Finals, with Boston trailing the Los Angeles Lakers 2-1 in games, and also trailing in the game, McHale clotheslined Kurt Rambis on the way to an easy basket, nearly igniting a brawl. The play rejuvenated the team, and Boston used the physical edge gained to beat the Lakers in seven games for another NBA title.

In 1984-85, McHale repeated as Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 19.8 PPG and 9.0 RPG. But in February, he was forced to become a starter when regular starter Cedric Maxwell injured a knee. No problem; on, March 3, McHale set a franchise record (which, ironically, was broken nine days later by Bird!) for points in a game with 56 against the Detroit Pistons, then scored 42 two night later against the Knicks; the 98 points in two straight games remains a team record. Boston reached the Finals again, but lost to the Lakers in six games, even as McHale led the Celtics in scoring (26 per game) and rebounding (10.7 RPG) in the series. After the season, Maxwell was traded, making McHale the permanent starter.

In 1985-86, McHale made his second All-Star team (he made the team prior to this in 1984, and also made it in 1987-91), averaging 21.3 PPG and 8.1 RPG as Boston rolled to the best record in the NBA and won their third title of the decade over Houston in six games. When the 1986-87 season began, McHale was playing the best ball of his career; his final season averages were 26.1 PPG (a career best) and 9.9 RPG (also a best). But in a win at Chicago on March 27, McHale broke the navicular bone in his foot. While he continued to play (and play well), it proved to be the beginning of the end of his career.

McHale's role fluctuated between 1988-89 to 1990-91, as he went from starter back to reserve, and his injuries affected his play. By the 1992-93 season came along, McHale was ready to retire. The end came in an unexpected setting; McHale announced his retirement on the court of the Charlotte Coliseum after the Celtics were eliminated by the Hornets in the first round in 1993. In a fitting end, McHale led the Celtics in scoring (19.6 PPG) in the series. FOr his career, he scored 17.335 points (17.9 PPG career) and grabbed 7,122 rebounds (7.3 RPG). He was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999. He joined the Minnesota Timberwolves as an executive after he retired as a player, and worked as executive VP from 1994-2008, and is currently serving as the team's head coach.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1980-81: 82 GP, 10.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 0.7 APG, 53.3 FG%, 67.9 FT%
1981-82: 82 GP, 33 GS, 13.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.1 APG, 53.1 FG%, 75.4 FT%
1982-83: 82 GP, 13 GS, 14.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.3 APG, 54.1 FG%, 71.7 FT%
1983-84: 82 GP, 10 GS, 18.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.3 APG, 55.6 FG%, 76.5 FT%
1984-85: 79 GP, 31 GS, 19.8 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 57.0 FG%, 76.0 FT%
1985-86: 68 GP, 62 GS, 21.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 57.4 FG%, 77.6 FT%
1986-87: 77 GP, 77 GS, 26.1 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 60.4 FG%, 83.6 FT%
1987-88: 64 GP, 63 GS, 22.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 60.4 FG%, 79.7 FT%
1988-89: 78 GP, 74 GS, 22.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.2 APG, 54.6 FG%, 81.8 FT%
1989-90: 82 GP, 25 GS, 20.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 54.9 FG%, 89.3 FT%
1990-91: 68 GP, 10 GS, 18.4 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.9 APG, 55.3 FG%, 82.9 FT%
1991-92: 56 GP, 1 GS, 13.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 50.9 FG%, 82.2 FT%
1992-93: 71 GP, 0 GS, 10.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.0 APG, 45.9 FG%, 84.1 FT%

 

Profiles are back, as I promised. Today's profilee was the original playmaker in the NBA, a man who pioneered fancy passing and crowd-pleasing ball. He is a former league MVP and six-time NBA champion. He is Bob Cousy.

Bob Cousy was born August 9, 1928 in New York, New York. He was cut from his freshman team at Andrew Jackson High School in St. Albans, New York. As a senior, he led the school to the Queens division championship, and after not originally intending to go to college, he changed his mind and attended the College of the Holy Cross, where he was a member of an NCAA championship team as a freshman and a second-place finish in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). In addition, he was a three-time All-American despite not initially getting along with coach Alvin Julian. After graduating in 1950, Cousy was available in the 1950 NBA Draft. But the road to the Boston Celtics wasn't a straight path.

The Celtics were pressured by locals to take Cousy, but coach Red Auerbach refused and drafted Charlie Share, saying "I'm supposed to win. not draft local yokels!". Cousy was taken in the first round by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now the Atlanta Hawks), but didn't want to play so far away from home. His salary demands eventually forced the Blackhawks to trade him to the Chicago Stags. The Stags folded before the 1950-51 season, however, and Cousy was one of three Stag players available in a dispersal draft. Boston, choosing third, ended up with Cousy, upsetting Auerbach and owner Walter Brown, showing once again that those who should know, sometimes don't. Auerbach and Brown weren't upset for long.

Cousy had a solid rookie season, averaging 15.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 4.9 APG, helping the Celtics to their first winning season in franchise history (39-30) and earning the first of thirteen All-Star births (1951-63, with MVP awards in 1954 and 1957). Cousy proved to be the perfect guard for Auerbach's up-tempo attack. Cousy earned his first selection to the All-NBA 1st Team in his second season (he made nine other 1st Teams from 1953-61), and by 1952-53, he won the first of eight straight assists titles (7.7 APG that year). Cousy averaged over 20 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 7 APG each year from 1952-53 to 1955-56, and had one of the greatest scoring games in NBA playoff history in game 2 of the 1953 Eastern Division Semifinals against the Syracuse Nationals (today's Philadelphia 76ers) where he scored 50 points, including a NBA record 30 free throw attempts in a 111-105 in quadruple-overtime victory. Despite this, the Celtics never made the NBA Finals.

Then, in 1956, the Celtics landed three future Hall of Famers in the draft, including Bill Russell. In that 1956-57 season, Cousy won league MVP honors with averages of 20.6 PPG and 7.5 APG, piloting the Celtics to their first NBA title in a tense seven-game series over the St. Louis Hawks. Cousy had his two best assists seasons in 1958-59 and 1959-60, where his 715 assists were a league record until Oscar Robertson broke it in 1961-62. Cousy helped Boston win the league title in each of his final five seasons, and in 1962-63, he retired from the game at age 35. In his last home game, he was the guest of honor as the Boston Garden was packed with his fans. Cousy was speechless after an expected seven minute speech stretched to twenty minutes, before a fan screamed out "We love ya, Cooz!", prompting the crowd to erupt into cheers. He even received a call from President John F. Kennedy complimenting him.

Cousy retired into college coaching, leading Boston College to three NIT tournaments (including the 1969 title game) and three NCAA berths before returning to the NBA as coach of the Cincinnati Royals (Sacramento Kings) in 1969-70. Cousy feuded with Oscar Robertson during his first season, which saw Cousy even make a brief playing comeback, playing in seven late-season games. Cousy coached the team until he stepped down early in the 1973-74 season. Today, he is a marketing consultant with the Celtics, and does occasional appearences as a commentator on home games. Cousy finished with career marks of 16,960 points (18.4 PPG career) and 6,955 assists (7.5 APG; 13th all-time) and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1950-51: 69 GP, 15.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 4.9 APG, 35.2 FG%, 75.6 FT%
1951-52: 66 GP, 21.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.7 APG, 36.9 FG%, 80.8 FT%
1952-53: 71 GP, 19.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 7.7 APG, 35.2 FG%, 81.6 FT%
1953-54: 72 GP, 19.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 38.5 FG%, 78.7 FT%
1954-55: 71 GP, 21.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 7.8 APG, 39.7 FG%, 80.7 FT%
1955-56: 72 GP, 18.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 8.9 APG, 36.0 FG%, 84.4 FT%
1956-57: 64 GP, 20.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 7.5 APG, 37.8 FG%, 82.1 FT%
1957-58: 65 GP, 18.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 7.1 APG, 35.3 FG%, 85.0 FT%
1958-59: 65 GP, 20.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 8.6 APG, 38.4 FG%, 85.5 FT%
1959-60: 75 GP, 19.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 9.5 APG, 38.4 FG%, 79.2 FT%
1960-61: 76 GP, 18.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 7.7 APG, 37.1 FG%, 77.9 FT%
1961-62: 75 GP, 15.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 7.8 APG, 39.1 FG%, 75.4 FT%
1962-63: 76 GP, 13.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 6.8 APG, 39.7 FG%, 73.5 FT%
1963-64 to 1968-69: did not play (retired)
1969-70: 7 GP, 0.7 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 1.4 APG, 33.3 FG%, 1.000 FT%

To thrive in the NBA, being a gifted athlete is usually the norm for success. Today's profilee wasn't a gifted athlete physically, but few players were mpre talented metally, or were more dedicated to their craft. He led the Boston Celtics to three NBA titles in the 1980s and won three straight league MVPs. He is Larry Bird.

Larry Bird was born Decemeber 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana. He grew up in West Baden and nearby French Lick, Indiana, in extreme poverty. His family scraped by with the little income the could muster, and his father committed suicide in 1975. Despite this, Bird was a standout player on West Baden/French Lick's high school team, becoming a hot college prospect. He eventually went to the University of Indiana in 1974, but he dropped out and worked in French Lick for a year before enrolling at Indiana State University. There, Bird led the Sycamores to an undefeated regular season as a senior in 1978-79, winning the Naismith, Wooden and USBWA awards for college player of the year and leading Indiana State to the championship game, were they lost to Michigan State in what remains the highest-rated NCAA game in history. Bird left college as the fifth all-time leading scorer (30.3 PPG career, along with 13.3 RPG). But his NBA future was decided before that magical season.

The year before his senior year at Indiana State, the Boston Celtics selected Bird sixth overall in the 1978 NBA Draft. They were able to do this because the rules at the time allowed a team to draft a player four years removed from high school and hold their rights for a year before he was eligible to re-enter the draft. Bird signed for $650,000 a year, a record for a NBA rookie, and the rule was changed to prevent that from happening in the future. The Celtics were in desperate need for a savior; they finished 29-53 in 1978-79, and dissention ruled the day.

Bird immediately made an impact in Boston; he won Rookie of the Year and made the All-Star team for the first time (he was selected twelve times and played in ten games (1981-88, 1990, with a game MVP in 1982) missing the game with injury in 1991-92) with averages of 21.3 PPG and 10.4 RPG, leading the Celtics to the then-biggest turnaround in league history (from 29 wins to 61 wins). In his second year, management surrounded Bird with two new teammates, center Robert Parish and forward Kevin McHale via trade with the Golden State Warriors. This frontcourt was considered the best in the NBA in the 1980s, and they lived up to the promise in their first year together, as the Celtics finished 62-20 and beat Chicago and Philadelphia (the latter in a dramatic seven game series after being down 3-1) before dispatching the Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 for their first title since 1976.

Bird reached his career peak during the mid-1980s, after being beaten in he conference finals in 1982 and being swept in 1983. In 1983-84, Bird won his first league MVP with averages of 24.2 PPG, 10.1 RPG and 6.6 APG, en route to Boston securing the league's best record at 62-20. After beating Washington, New York and Milwaukee to reach the Finals, the Celtics faced the Los Angeles Lakers, where they trailed 2 games to 1 after a 137-104 blowout loss in game 3. After the game, Bird claimed that he and his team "played like sissies", and the Celtics responded with a 129-125 overtime win in game 4, and eventually won the series in seven games. Bird was named Finals MVP and avenged his NCAA title game loss to Lakers guard Magic Johnson, who led Michigan State in that game. Bird repeated as league MVP the next season, but the Celtics lost to the Lakers in the Finals for the first time ever, and it was clear that Bird needed more help to win another title.

In 1985-86, Bird had won of the greatest statistical seasons of all time; he finished the season in five categories; scoring (25.8 PPG, fourth), rebounding (9.8 RPG, seventh), steals (2.02 per game, ninth), free throw shooting (89.6%, first) and three-point shooting (42.3%, fourth) as Boston rolled to the best record in the league at 67-15, including a staggering 40-1 home record. They then went 15-3 in the playoffs, finishing their run with a 4 games to 2 triumph over the Rockets for the title. For the decade, Bird led Boston to three NBA titles, five conference titles and eight division titles.

Eventually, age and injury forced Bird into retirement. In 1989, he missed 76 games when he had surgery to remove bone spurs from his heels, but his more serious troubles came with his back. He missed 22 games with a compressed nerve root in his back, and then missed 37 games in 1991-92 with more back problems. The Celtics lost in the playoffs to Cleveland, and after playing for the original "Dream Team" in that summer's Olympic Games (winning a gold medal), he announced his retirement on August 18, 1992. He was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1979-80: 82 GP, 21.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, 47.4 FG%, 83.6 FT%, 40.6 3P%
1980-81: 82 GP, 21.2 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 5.5 APG, 47.8 FG%, 86.3 FT%, 27.0 3P%
1981-82: 77 GP, 58 GS, 22.9 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 5.8 APG, 50.3 FG%, 86.3 FT%, 21.2 3P%
1982-83: 79 GP, 79 GS, 23.6 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 5.8 APG, 50.4 FG%, 84.0 FT%, 28.6 3P%
1983-84: 79 GP, 77 GS, 24.2 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 6.6 APG, 49.2 FG%, 88.8 FT%, 24.7 3P%
1984-85: 80 GP, 77 GS, 28.7 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 52.2 FG%, 88.2 FT%, 42.7 3P%
1985-86: 82 GP, 81 GS, 25.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 6.8 APG, 49.6 FG%, 89.6 FT%, 42.3 3P%
1986-87: 74 GP, 73 GS, 28.1 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 7.6 APG, 52.5 FG%, 91.0 FT%, 40.0 3P%
1987-88: 76 GP, 75 GS, 29.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 6.1 APG, 52.7 FG%, 91.6 FT%, 41.4 3P%
1988-89: 6 GP, 6 GS, 19.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.8 APG, 47.1 FG%, 94.7 FT%, 0 3P
1989-90: 75 GP, 75 GS, 24.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 7.5 APG, 47.3 FG%, 93.0 FT%, 33.3 3P%
1990-91: 60 GP, 60 GS, 19.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 45.4 FG%, 89.1 FT%, 38.9 3P%
1991-92: 45 GP, 45 GS, 20.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, 46.6 FG%, 92.6 FT%, 40.6 3P%

Today's profile is of the 1976 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns. The Celtics were gunning for their 13th NBA title, while Phoenix was seeking their first. Little did anybody realize that a game for the ages would occur.

The Boston Celtics were the NBA's gold standard for excellence; they had won twelve NBA titles, including eight straight during the 1960s. By 1975-76, however, cracks began appearing in their veneer. John Havlicek turned 36 during the season, Don Nelson was about to retire, and the team lost during the conference finals in 1975. Could they bounce back one more time?

While the Celtics were wondering about regaining their form, the Phoenix Suns were simply seeking to be among the elite. The Suns had made the playoffs just once since entering the league in 1968, despite having two seasons with more than 48 wins. They had just missed drafting Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) to the Bucks in 1969 and, while Alcindor led the Bucks to an NBA title in his second season, the Suns had never won a playoff series. Could things change in 1976?

The Celtics showed their age at times during the regular season, but when the season was over, they still finished 54-28, the best record in the Eastern Conference. Havlicek and Dave Cowens made the All-NBA 2nd team, and it appeared that the Celtics were still near the top of their game. The Suns struggled for most of the season, but got hot late and finished 42-40, good for third in the West behind the Seattle Supersonics and the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Not much was expected of them.

In the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Celtics beat the Buffalo Braves 4 games to 2 in their first playoff series, then dispatched the East's Cinderella team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, 4 games to 2 to earn another trip to the Finals. The Suns beat the Sonics 4 games to 2 in their opening round series, then stunned the Warriors in a tough seven game series to win the West, with the clincher coming on the road. So, for Boston to win a 13th title, they had to beat another Cinderella.

Game 1 was played at the famed Boston Garden, and the Celtics used a balanced attack (four players scored at least 15 points, led by Cowens' 25) to counter the Suns' attack led by Paul Westphal (who had been traded by the Celtics that offseason for Charlie Scott) and Rookie of the Year Alvan Adams. Havlicek overcame a painful heel injury to play 40 minutes and score 16 points and grab six rebounds and six assists. Adams scored 26 to lead the Suns, but other than him, no one else scored more than 13, as defense ruled the day, with Boston emerging on top 98-87. Game 2 wasn't close for very long; after the Suns led 25-24 through one quarter, the Celtics outscored them 56-32 to take a 23 point lead into the fourth and eventually won 105-90. Havlicek, rushed into the game again, scored 23 points to lead the team, while Westphal led Phoenix with 28. Adams had 19 points and 15 rebounds, but with no help other than Westphal, most experts believed the Celtics would sweep the series.

Game 3 saw Adams explode for 12 points in the first five minutes of action; the ROY finished with 33 points for the game. The Suns led 26-17 after one, and behind Adams and Westphal, led 52-39 at halftime, which saw the ejection of Ricky Sobers and Kevin Stacom for fighting. The Celtics rallied behind Jo Jo White's 24 points and a 13-point, 17 rebound effort from Cowens before he fouled out. The Celtics came within two before Westphal and Adams scored six straight points to seal a 105-98 win. Game 4 was close throughout, with the biggest lead being five points. Again, Westphal and Adams led the way; Westphal scored 28 points, and Adams had 20 points, six boards and seven assists. Cowens (22 points, 12 rebounds) and White (25 points) led the Celtics attack, as the game came down to a wild finish. With Phoenix leading 109-107, Don Nelson was called for a player-control foul, giving Phoenix a chance to milk some more clock. When Keith Erickson missed a shot, Boston had a chance to win, but White missed an off-balance jumper, giving Phoenix a 109-107. The series was now tied at 2, setting the stage for what is considered "the Greatest Game Ever Played".

Game 5 saw the scene shift back to Boston, and the early indicator was that this would be a blowout; with Havlicek starting for the first time in the series, Boston raced out to a 36-18 first quarter lead, and led by as many as 22, as Phoenix coach John MacLeod called a bunch of timeouts. However, the Suns didn't quit, and by the end of regulation, they were tied at 95. There was controversy at the end; the Celtics were not called for a technical foul when Paul Silas called for time without having one, and regulation ended tied. The first overtime yielded no winner, setting the stage for a second overtime. There, with Boston ahead 109-106, a legendary sequence occured; Dick Van Arsdale and Curtis Perry scored consequtive field goals to take a 110-109 lead with five seconds left. In the Boston huddle, coach Tom Heinsohn called a play for his former teammate, Havlicek. "Hondo" delivered, scoring an apparent game-winner; the clock showed zero seconds. But, as the Celtics celebrated in their locker room, chaos developed; referee Richie Powers and Sun Curtis Perry fought with fans, and there was actually one second left. Westphal called a timeout despite not having one, causing a technical foul, but allowing the ball to be advanced to mid-court (the rule has since been changed). White made the freebie, giving Boston a two-point lead, but on the Suns' inbound, Garfield Heard sank a jumper to force a third overtime. In the end, little-used Celtic reserve Glenn McDonald became a hero, scoring several huge baskets down the stretch, as Boston hung on to win 128-126 in triple overtime. The weary team headed back to Phoenix for game 6 on two days rest.

Game 6 was ragged after such a taxing affair in game 5; Boston led 38-33 at the half. Boston led by eleven during the third before Phoenix took a 67-66 lead with 7:25 left in the game. But Scott, who had been ineffective during the series, scored nine points in the quarter and finished with a game-high 25 points, and Boston won 87-80 to win the series 4 games to 2. White, who averaged 21.7 PPG to earn Finals MVP honors. The Celtics wouldn't return to the Finals for five years, while Phoenix remains without an NBA title.

1976 NBA Finals leaders: Points per game
Boston: White, 21.7 PPG; Cowens, 20.5 PPG; Havlicek, 15.5 PPG
Phoenix: Adams, 23.0 PPG; Westphal, 20.8 PPG; Sobers, 14.2 PPG

1976 NBA Finals leaders: Rebounds per game
Boston: Cowens, 16.3 RPG; Silas, 13.8 RPG; Scott, 6.0 RPG
Phoenix: Adams, 10.2 RPG; Heard, 9.3 RPG; Perry, 7.7 RPG

1976 NBA Finals leaders: Assist per game
Boston: White, 5.8 APG; Havlicek, 4.5 APG; Cowens and Scott, 3.3 APG
Phoenix: Westphal, 4.8 APG; Adams, 4.7 APG; Sobers, 3.3 APG

Sometimes in life, injuries can cause the most gifted of us to not be able to live up to the expectations people have with us. Today's profilee was able to get into the Basketball Hall of Fame despite missing three full seasons and chunks of other seasons with chronic foot problems. He was considered one of the most versitile big men to ever play the game, and despite his health problems, he won a regular season MVP, Finals MVP, a Sixth Man award, and two NBA titles. He is Bill Walton.

Bill Walton was born November 5, 1952 in La Mesa, California. He was a star for Helix High School in his hometown, and at age 17, he played for the United States in the 1970 FIBA World Championships. From there, he attended UCLA, where he succeeded Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the centerpiece of the greatest dynasty in college basketball history. Walton led the Bruins to two NCAA titles during his three seasons there, with his best performance coming in the second title game against Memphis State, when he scored 44 points on an incredible 21 of 22 field goal attempts, in what is considered one of the best performances in NCAA basketball history. Walton averaged 20.3 PPG and 15.7 RPG during his college days, and won three Naismith awards and three USBWA College POY awards, as well as the Sullivan award in 1973 as the nation's top athlete, and played on the 1972 U.S. Olympic team.

Despite having problems with injuries during his high school and college days, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Walton as the #1 overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft. Walton got off to a blazing (no pun intended) start, averaging 16 PPG, 19 RPG, 4.4 APG and 4 blocks a game in his first seven games, before the first of a series of injuries happened, as he suffered from foot injuries, limiting him to only 35 games and averages of 12.8 PPG and 12.6 RPG. Walton missed 31 games the following year, as the Blazers continued to underachieve. But by the 1976-77 season, the Blazers hired Jack Ramsay to replace Lenny Wilkens as coach, and Ramsay's philosophy meshed well with Walton's. Although he missed another 17 games that season, Walton led the Blazers to 49 wins and their first NBA playoff berth, leading the NBA in rebounds per game and blocked shots per game. The Blazers rolled to the NBA title that season, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 to claim the title. Things looked promising for the young Blazers.

The following year, Portland was streaking through 60 games, and Walton was rolling, averaging 18.9 PPG, 13.2 RPG and 5 APG in 58 games (he also played in his only All-Star game, although he was selected to the West squad in 1977) before being forced to the sidelines with another foot injury. Although he missed the rest of the season, he was still named regular season MVP, and Portland finished with the best record in the league at 58-24. When their first playoff series against Seattle rolled around, Walton injected a painkiller into his foot prior to game 1, and played well despite losing the game and looking hobbled. Then, during game 2, X-rays revealed a broken navicular bone in his left ankle. Walton was lost for the series, and the Blazers lost to the Sonics. The rift that developed between Walton and the Blazers never healed; Walton eventually sued (the case was settled out of court) the team for poor medical treatment, and after missing the entire 1978-79 season, he was traded to the San Diego Clippers.

The Clippers paid a heavy price for Walton; they were forced to trade Kermit Washington, Kevin Kunnert, a 1st round pick and cash. Walton himself didn't want Washington to be traded, and star guard World B. Free compared the trade to a death in the family. Clippers management banked on Walton's star power to make the newly transplanted team more profitable. However, injuries popped up again; Walton reinjured the navicular bone, and played just 14 games that year, and then he missed the next two seasons entirely with the injury. Teammates called him a malingerer.

Walton, however, wasn't about to quit yet. He had radical surgery to repair the foot, and by 1982-83, he was back on a limited basis, playing one game per week. He then played 55 and 67 games over the next two years, but the Clippers eventually moved to Los Angeles (Walton would blame himself for the move), and were nowhere near being a competitive team. That's when Walton requested a trade to either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Boston Celtics. The Lakers were hesistent to take the risk of reinjury, but Boston was very willing to do so. Clippers owner Donald Sterling delayed the deal for weeks, trying to get more out of the deal. Eventually, the Clippers got Cedric Maxwell and a 1st round pick for Walton (Sterling was out of the country at the time). It was the start of a dream season for Walton and the Celtics.

In his first season with the team, Walton was spectacular as a reserve for Robert Parish and Kevin McHale, averaging 7.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 2.1 APG in only 19 minutes of action per game. Walton played a career-high 80 games, and was rewarded with the Sixth Man of the Year award as the Celtics won a league best 67 games (including a staggering 40-1 home record) and won the NBA title for the 16th time. While Walton's foot injuries eventually forced him off the court for good after only ten games in 1986-87 (he retired offically in February 1990),  he left such an impact on basketball observers that he was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. He has since become a broadcaster, working for NBC (1990-2002), the Clippers, and ABC/ESPN (since 2002).

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1974-75: 35 GP, 12.8 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 4.8 APG, 51.3 FG%, 68.6 FT%
1975-76: 51 GP, 16.1 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 47.1 FG%, 58.3 FT%
1976-77: 65 GP, 18.6 PPG, 14.4 RPG, 3.8 APG, 52.8 FG%, 69.7 FT%
1977-78: 58 GP, 18.9 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 5.0 APG, 52.2 FG%, 72.0 FT%
1978-79: did not play (injury and protest of team)
1979-80: 14 GP, 13.9 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.4 APG, 50.3 FG%, 59.3 FT%
1980-81: did not play (injury)
1981-82: did not play (injury)
1982-83: 33 GP, 32 GS, 14.1 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.6 APG, 52.8 FG%, 55.6 FT%
1983-84: 55 GP, 46 GS, 12.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 3.3 APG, 55.6 FG%, 59.7 FT%
1984-85: 67 GP, 37 GS, 10.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 52.1 FG%, 68.0 FT%
1985-86: 80 GP, 2 GS, 7.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 56.2 FG%, 71.3 FT%
1986-87: 10 GP, 0 GS, 2.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 38.5 FG%, 53.3 FT%
1987-88: did not play (injury)

Today's profilee is proof that there are second acts in life. This man exploded out of the gates, winning Rookie of the Year, three scoring titles, and a league MVP. Then, he was left practically for dead, as he was considered too accustomed to losing. Then, he finished his NBA career with two NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers. He is Bob McAdoo.

Bob McAdoo was born September 25, 1951 in Greensboro, North Carolina. He attended Ben Smith High School in Greensboro, which he led to the state semifinals. McAdoo then attended Vincennes Junior College because he wasn't a great student. After two years there, McAdoo finally made the grade and joined the University of North Carolina, where he average 19.5 PPG and 10.1 RPG in his lone season there, earning 1st Team All-America honors. Declaring early for the NBA, he was selected #2 overall (behind LaRue Martin) in the 1972 NBA Draft by the Buffalo Braves, a team in desperate need of a spark.

McAdoo flourished in new coach Jack Ramsay's system, even as the Braves continued to struggle on the court. He averaged 18 PPG and 9.1 RPG, winning Rookie of the Year honors. The next season, he was even better; McAdoo led the league in scoring for the first time with a 30.6 PPG average, and made the first of four All-Star teams (the other years were 1975-77) and led the Braves to their first ever playoff berth. His third season was the best of his career; he won another scoring title with a career-best 34.5 PPG and was selected as the NBA's regular season MVP (the only man ever to win the award with the Braves/Clippers) and took Buffalo to a still team record 49-33 record. It seemed that McAdoo and the Braves would have nowhere to go but up.

However, McAdoo's career soon took a southernly turn. During the 1975-76 season, he and Braves owner Paul Synder feuded (Synder even suspended McAdoo for a game when he refused a second opinion on a back injury) and despite winning a third straight scoring title (31.1 PPG), the relationship never healed. By the middle of the next season, he had been traded to the New York Knicks with Tom McMillen for John Gianelli and cash. McAdoo's tenure in New York lasted only two years before he was traded in 1978-79 to the Boston Celtics. The move was done secretly by Celtics owner John Brown, which nearly made Red Auerbach resign as general manager and take the Knicks' GM job. McAdoo was used sparingly by the Celtics before being happily dumped onto the Detroit Pistons as compensation for signing M.L. Carr in 1979.

By the 1980-81 season, McAdoo's reputation was in tatters; the Pistons waived him after one season and six games of the next, and after he and the New Jersey Nets couldn't agree on a contract for the 1981-82 season, it appeared that his career was over, and people considered him a troublemaker and unable to play for a championship team. However, fate intervened; when Los Angeles Lakers PF Mitch Kupchak suffered a devestating knee injury after 26 games in 1981-82, Lakers management gambled and acquired McAdoo's rights from the Nets for a second round draft pick. While many questioned the move, it proved to be a brilliant move; McAdoo averaged 9.6 PPG during the regular season, then averaged a sizzling 16.7 PPG as L.A. went 12-2 and won their second NBA title of the 1980s. In his four seasons with the Lakers, he averaged over 10 PPG three times, and his 13.1 PPG in 1983-84 led all non-starters in the NBA. McAdoo contributed to another Lakers title in 1984-85 before being cast aside for younger players.

McAdoo closed out his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1985-86, but his basketball career wasn't over quite yet. He signed with Tracer Milan in 1986, and led the team to two FIBA European Champions Cups; his first season showed he still had game, with averages of 26.1 PPG and 10.2 RPG. He then played for Filanto Forli (1990-92) and Teamsystem Fabriano (1992-93) before retiring at age 42. McAdoo was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000, and currently is in his eleventh season as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat. His career stat line is 18,787 points (22.1 PPG) and 8,048 rebounds (9.4 RPG).

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1972-73: 80 GP, 18.0 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, 45.2 FG%, 77.4 FT%
1973-74: 74 GP, 30.6 PPG, 15.1 RPG, 2.3 APG, 54.7 FG%, 79.3 FT%
1974-75: 82 GP, 34.5 PPG, 14.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 51.2 FG%, 80.5 FT%
1975-76: 78 GP, 31.1 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 4.0 APG, 48.7 FG%, 76.2 FT%
1976-77: 72 GP, 25.8 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, 51.2 FG%, 73.8 FT%
1977-78: 79 GP, 26.5 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 52.0 FG%, 72.7 FT%
1978-79: 60 GP, 24.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 52.9 FG%, 65.6 FT%
1979-80: 58 GP, 21.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 48.0 FG%, 73.0 FT%
1980-81: 16 GP, 10.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.9 APG, 43.3 FG%, 70.7 FT%
1981-82: 41 GP, 0 GS, 9.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.8 APG, 45.8 FG%, 71.4 FT%
1982-83: 47 GP, 1 GS, 15.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, 52.0 FG%, 73.0 FT%
1983-84: 70 GP, 0 GS, 13.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, 47.1 FG%, 80.3 FT%
1984-85: 66 GP, 0 GS, 10.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 52.0 FG%, 75.3 FT%
1985-86: 29 GP, 0 GS, 10.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 46.2 FG%, 76.5 FT%

Well, I still don't have my new high-speed up yet (that will come on Friday), but I'll still do my player profile tonight. Throughout the Boston Celtics' rich history, they've had great centers, from Bill Russell to Robert Parish. The middle man (no pun intended) between Russell and Parish had a stellar career as well. He is "Big Red", Dave Cowens.

Dave Cowens was born October 25, 1948 in Newport, Kentucky. He attended Newport Central Catholic High School in his hometown, but quit after his freshman year because of a conflict with his coach. He eventually returned as a junior, and after averaging 13 PPG and 20 RPG as a senior, he was highly sought after by Ohio Valley Conference schools. Cowens would have preferred to go to Kentucky, but when the Wildcats didn't recruit him, he chose Florida State University despite the fact that the Seminoles were on probation and would not be on TV or in the NCAA tournament. Cowens thrived at Florida State, averaging 19 PPG and 17.2 RPG, earning second-team All-America honors as a senior in 1970. Although many people felt he'd be too small to play center in the NBA, the Boston Celtics chose him fourth overall in the 1970 NBA Draft.

Cowens had an excellent rookie season, averaging 17 PPG and 15 RPG, leading the Celtics to a ten win improvement over the previous season, and earning co-Rookie of the Year honors with Portland's Geoff Petrie. He led the Celtics to a division title the following year, and in 1972-73, he had his best pro season, with averages of 20.5 PPG and 16.2 RPG (both would be career highs) and helping Boston win a still-franchise record 68 games. For this, Cowens was named league MVP, the first Celtic to do so since Bill Russell in 1965. Cowens eventually led the Celtics to two NBA titles in 1974 and 1976, with his best work coming during the first title, when he defended Kareem Abdul-Jabbar solidly and was big in the clinching game 7 with 28 points as the Celtics won 102-87.

Cowens made his reputation in the NBA for being one of the fiercest competitors the league has ever seen; the scene that displays this trait comes from the 1974 NBA Finals, when he dived on the floor to snatch the ball away from Oscar Robertson. Cowens also had a flaky side, as well; he slept on a park bench in Boston after winning his first NBA title, and during the 1976-77 season, he left the team for a sabbatical to drive a taxi cab because he was feeling burnout. But Cowens produced even as the Celtics declined as a team in the late 1970s; he averaged a double-double in eight of his ten seasons, and was an All-Star seven times (1972-78, with an All-Star MVP in 1973). During the 1977-78 season, when the Celtics won only 32 games, he led the team in scoring (18.6 PPG), rebounds (14.0 RPG), assists (4.6 APG), steals (102 steals) and blocks (67 blocks), which has only been done by two players since (Scottie Pippen and Kevin Garnett). It showed just how versitile Cowens was, and why Boston fans loved him.

Cowens played for the Celtics through the 1979-80 season (playing with rookie Larry Bird) before he retired. After two seasons in retirement, he was lured back into the league by the Milwaukee Bucks, who gave up Quinn Buckner as compensation (the Celtics still owned his rights, so compensation was required). Cowens played the season with the Bucks before retiring. Cowens would eventually coach the Charlotte Hornets and the Golden State Warriors, with some success in Charlotte (54 wins in 1996-97) before settling into an assistant job with the Detroit Pistons. When he called it quits as a player, he had scored 13.516 points (17.6 PPG career) and had 10,444 rebounds (13.6 RPG career), and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990. Dave Cowens is proof that, in the NBA, sometimes, size doesn't matter.

Season-by-Season Statistical Review:
1970-71: 81 GP, 17.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, 42.2 FG%, 73.2 FT%
1971-72: 79 GP, 18.8 PPG, 15.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, 48.4 FG%, 72.0 FT%
1972-73: 82 GP, 20.5 PPG, 16.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 45.2 FG%, 77.9 FT%
1973-74: 80 GP, 19.0 PPG, 15.7 RPG, 4.4 APG, 43.7 FG%, 83.2 FT%
1974-75: 65 GP, 20.4 PPG, 14.7 RPG, 4.6 APG, 47.5 FG%, 78.3 FT%
1975-76: 78 GP, 19.0 PPG, 16.0 RPG, 4.2 APG, 46.8 FG%, 75.6 FT%
1976-77: 50 GP, 16.4 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, 43.4 FG%, 81.8 FT%
1977-78: 77 GP, 18.6 PPG, 14.0 RPG, 4.6 APG, 49.0 FG%, 84.2 FT%
1978-79: 68 GP, 16.6 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 48.3 FG%, 80.7 FT%
1979-80: 66 GP, 14.2 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 45.3 FG%, 77.9 FT%
1980-81: did not play (retired)
1981-82: did not play (retired)
1982-83: 40 GP, 34 GS, 8.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 44.4 FG%, 82.5 FT%

Today's Finals review comes from the 1985 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics in what was their ninth Finals matchup. Could the Lakers finally break through and beat their most persistent foil? Read ahead to find out.

Many people considered the Los Angeles Lakers/Boston Celtics rivalry the best the NBA had to offer. If it was, it was, as Brent Musburger once said, the most one-sided rivalry in all of sports. The Celtics had beaten the Lakers in all eight NBA Finals matchups. The 1984 Finals might have been the most painful for Lakers fans; L.A. blew games 2 and 4 on late-game mistakes and, instead of celebrating a possible sweep, the Lakers lost in seven games. Many people questioned the Lakers' mental and physical toughness after the series. Those questions wouldn't be answered unless the Lakers returned to the Finals in 1985 against the Celtics.

The Celtics rolled to a league-best 63-19 record during the 1984-85 season, and Larry Bird won his second striaght league MVP. His personal highlight came against the Hawks in January 1985 when he scored a career best 60 points. But cracks in the champions' veneer appeared during the season when Cedric Maxwell suffered a sever knee injury that required surgery. Maxwell's departure severly weakened an already thin bench, forcing coach K.C. Jones to play his regulars over 2,500 minutes apiece. Still, the Celtics hoped Maxwell would be ready come playoff time.

Meanwhile, the Lakers went 62-20 to claim the Western Conference's best record. All of their focus, however, was on returning to the Finals. The Lakers went 11-2 in the Western Conference playoffs, sweeping the Phoenix Suns 3-0, ousting the Portland Trail Blazers 4-1 and dominated the Denver Nuggets 4-1 to make the Finals for the fourth straight year. The Celtics' road to the Finals was not as smooth; they beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 3-1 despite the Cavs scoring as many points as they did, then beat the Detroit Pistons 4 game to 2 before beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4-1 to advance back to the Finals. The Celtics sought to become the first repeat champion since 1969 and to continue being perfect against L.A.

Game 1 was dubbed "the Memorial Day Massacre", and for good reason; the Celtics completely destroyed the Lakers. Robert Parish held Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to 12 points and 3 rebounds, which made the Lakers captain apoligize to his team afterwards. Scott Wedman hit all 11 of his shots to set a Finals record for shooting, as he and Danny Ainge combined for 45 points. The Celtics set another record by scoring 79 first half points, and ended up winning 148-114 (the 148 points was another record). All signs pointed to another Celtics championship. The Lakers, however, weren't listening to the doubters, and they came out inspired for game 2. Abdul-Jabbar came out firing and had a marvelous performance with 30 points, 17 rebounds and 8 assists as he ran Parish ragged in the game. L.A. led by as many as 18 points during the first half, and while the Celtics made several attempts to come back, a late Michael Cooper jumper shut the door on the champs, as the Lakers won 109-102 to even the series. The Lakers even gave the Celtics a taste of their own medicine by getting physical, led by reserve Mitch Kupchak, who emerged from two knee injuries to give the Lakers needed toughness. The Celtics even complained about the roughhouse tatics after the game. The series now shifted to L.A., and for the first time since the 1950s, there would be three games played instead of two, which the Celtics (and some analysts) felt took away the homecourt advantage.

Game 3 mirrored the previous years' game 3 in the final score. In the beginning, though, the game was close, and the Celtics actually had a ten-point lead late in the 1st half before the Showtime Lakers came out flying with a 27-11 run to close the half in front. Early in the third quarter, Abdul-Jabbar added another record to his ledger when he passed Jerry West as the all-time leading playoff scorer, and the Lakers outscored the Celtics by nine to take a 15-point lead into the 4th. The rest of the game was garbage time as the Lakers routed the Celtics 136-111 for a 2-1 lead. It was becoming clear that the Celtics' lack of depth was affecting their chances of winning, but the champions weren't done yet, as game 4 turned into a classic back-and-fourth battle. Led by Bird, Dennis Johnson and Kevin McHale, the Celtics battled to take to lead 99-96 late in the game, with Bird scoring 11 in the 4th quarter. The Lakers evetually tied the game up at 105 on a Magic basket, but the Celtics had the final shot in regulation. Bird gained possession of the ball, and drew the defense in, before passing to Dennis Johnson, who hit the game-winning jumper to even the series at 2. Now, it was a best-of-three series.

In game 5, Abdul-Jabbar not only had another big offensive game (36 points), but he had a great defensive game, as he drew the important defensive assignment on McHale. After a 13-point 1st quarter, McHale scored only 11 more the rest of the game. After the game was knotted at 44 late in the first half before L.A. closed with a 20-7 run to take a 13-point lead. The Lakers led 76-59 when K.C. Jones was ejected with two quick technicals; many people felt Jones did that to motivate his team the way his old coach, Red Auerbach, did during the 1960s. And it did inspire the Celtics, who narrowed the margin to four points in the 4th, but came no further as L.A. won 120-111. The Lakers now needed only one more win for a title, but no team had ever won a title against the Celtics at Boston Garden, and that's where the Lakers had to go to exorcize their demons.

Game 6 was played tight to the vest, as L.A. led only by two after one period despite Kareem scoring 11 points. Neither team had much of a lead during the first half as the game was tied at 55 after two. But L.A. had a 8-0 run during the third to take a 82-73 lead after 3 periods. The Celtics made a run early in the fourth, but with only seven players playing in this game, the worn-out champs had nothing left to give. Dennis Johnson and Ainge missed 25 of their 31 combined attempts, and when McHale fouled out, the Celtics lost their key offensive player after he scored 32 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. The Lakers got five baskets from Magic and Kareem (including a memorable sky-hook when the game was out of reach) to clinch a 111-100 victory. The Lakers had finally won an NBA title against the Celtics, and not only did the current team celebrate the win, but all the former Lakers who had suffered from the eight previous losses celebrated the most emotional victory in franchise history. Kareem won Finals MVP (the oldest player ever to win the award) and the NBA's most one-sided rivalry now drew more even.

1985 NBA Finals Leaders: Points per game
L.A. Lakers: Abdul-Jabbar, 25.7 PPG; Worthy, 23.7 PPG; E. Johnson, 18.3 PPG
Boston: McHale, 26.0 PPG; Bird, 23.8 PPG; Parish, 17.2 PPG

1985 NBA Finals leaders: Rebounds per game
L.A. Lakers: Abdul-Jabbar, 9.0 RPG; Kurt Rambis, 8.5 RPG; E. Johnson, 6.8 RPG
Boston: McHale, 10.7 RPG; Parish, 9.0 RPG; Bird, 8.8 RPG

1985 NBA Finals leaders: Assists per game
L.A. Lakers: E. Johnson, 14.0 APG; Abdul-Jabbar, 5.2 APG; Cooper, 3.7 APG
Boston: D. Johnson, 9.5 APG; Ainge, 7.0 APG; Bird, 5.0 APG

Today in the Zone, I decided to unveil a new feature to the Player Profiles section. Now, the profiles will include recaps of past NBA Finals! The first one is a profile of one of the best NBA Finals of all time. It is the 1984 Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

In the NBA, one of the greatest team rivalries is between the L.A. Lakers and the Boston Celtics. The two legendary teams met seven times in the Finals between 1959 and 1969. However, it was one of the most onesided rivalries; Boston won all seven Finals, three times in the deciding game 7. After the drafting of superstars Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the anticipation of a renewed Lakers/Celtics rivalry increased. But the matchup never happened in their first four years; though the teams won three of the titles awarded during that span, none were won against each other. Then, during the 1983-84 season, things were changed.

The Celtics, coming off getting swept in 1983 by the Milwaukee Bucks, thrived after K.C. Jones replaced Bill Fitch as coach. They won 62 games, outpacing the defending champion 76ers by ten games in the Atlantic Division. Larry Bird enjoyed his first MVP season, averaging 24.2 PPG, 10.1 RPG and 6.6 APG. Meanwhile, the Lakers went 54-28 to claim the West's best record, as Johnson averaged 17.6 PPG and 13.1 APG (leading the league in assists) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar passed Wilt Chamberlain as the NBA's all-time leading scorer. The road to the Finals wouldn't be easy for either team; the playoffs were expanded from ten teams to sixteen, and even the division champs would play the first round. The winning team would have to win 15 games for the first time in NBA history, but that wouldn't stop L.A. or Boston.

The Lakers roared through the Western Conference playoffs, sweeping the Kansas City Kings 3-0, whipping the Dallas Mavericks 4-1, and outlasting the Phoenix Suns 4-2 to win their third straight Western Conference final. The Celtics beat the Washington Bullets 3-1, survived a grueling seven game series with the New York Knicks (each team won their games on the home floor), and gained a measure of revenge by stomping the Bucks 4-1 to regain the Eastern Conference throne. Finally, the league had a Lakers/Celtics, Magic/Bird Final, and anticipation ran high.

Before game 1 of the series, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar complained of migraine headaches, but when gametime rolled around, he gave Boston fits, scoring 23 points in the first half and helping L.A. to a 64-52 lead. Though Boston closed the gap to 92-88 by the fourth quarter, L.A. never let up, eventually winning 115-109. Abdul-Jabbar scored 32 points to lead all scorers, while Kevin McHale scored 25 to lead Boston. Game two started with the Celtics getting off to a 37-26 1st quarter lead, but behind strong performances by James Worthy (who finished with a game high 29 points) and Jamaal Wilkes, the Lakers closed it to 62-59 at the half. The Lakers eventually took the lead late in the game 113-111, and after McHale missed two free throws, the Lakers called time. Needing only to dribble out the clock, Worthy instead threw the ball away to Gerald Henderson, whose layup tied the game. Then, Magic forgot the time on the clock, and the Lakers never got a chance to win in regulation. Boston took the lead for good on a Scott Wedman jumper, and won 124-121 to even the series.

Game 3 never was as close as game 2; after Boston took a brief 40-35 lead in the second quarter, L.A. took the lead by eleven at the half, then scored a Finals record 47 points in the third, leading by 25 after the period, and rolling 137-104 to take a 2-1 lead. Abdul-Jabbar led a balanced attack with 24 points, and Johnson set a Finals record with 21 assists. Although Bird scored 30 to lead the Celtics, he fumed afterwards, saying to reporters that "we (the Celtics) played like a bunch of women tonight" and calling himself and his team "sissies". The message was sent, and game 4 bore the fruit of his diatribe. Initially, the game was similar to game 3; L.A. led 68-58 after two periods, and were ahead 76-70 when the turning point (in many people's minds) occured; McHale clothselined Kurt Rambis, nearly inciting a brawl, and shortly thereafter, Bird and Abdul-Jabbar had bitter words. The team exchanged the lead until L.A. led 113-108 with less than a minute remaining. It was at that point that Abdul-Jabbar fouled out. The Lakers lost the lead, and nearly the game in regulation, when Robert Parish stole a bad pass from Magic, but the Celtics didn't convert, forcing another overtime game. In the late moments, Magic made another mistake, missing two free throws. Worthy then missed another pair with ten seconds remaining. A Bird jumper, two Dennis Johnson free throws, and an M.L. Carr dunk helped Boston win 129-125. The series had now turned in the Celtics' favor.

Game 5 saw both team feel the heat... literally. The temperature at courtside was 97 degrees at tipoff. Bird shook it off, hitting 15 of 20 attempts, scoring 34 points, and grabbing 17 rebounds, and the Lakers never were in the game, as many of their players were succumbing to the heat by using oxygen tanks. The Celtics rolled past the Lakers 121-103 for a 3-2 series lead. With their season on the line, L.A. bounced back in game 6, as Abdul-Jabbar recovered from another migraine to lead all scorer with 30 points and also had 10 boards. The Lakers even decided to retaliate with the physical Celtics; Worthy pushed Cedric Maxwell into the basket support, causing another near fight. The Lakers won the game 119-108, but even their coach, Pat Riley, thought they weren't in the right frame of mind as the Finals went seven game for the first time since 1978.

Game 7 was defined by Maxwell, who told his team before the game "Get on my back fellas, and I'll take us home". Maxwell scored 11 points from the free throw line as he attacked the lane frequently. Boston led by as much as 11 points before taking a 58-52 halftime lead. L.A. led briefly 72-71 before Boston responded with a 20-6 run to lead 90-78 after three. L.A. made one last run late in the fourth; with Boston ahead 105-97, L.A. scored five straight to cut the lead to three. When they stopped the Celtics the next possession, Magic made one more critical mistake, losing the ball to Dennis Johnson, who made two free throws that put the game out of reach. The Celtics won 111-102 to win the series 4-3 and remain undefeated against the Lakers in the Finals. Bird was named Finals MVP, and he finally got his revenge against Magic, though he said in the postgame celebration that he had already gotten over that. It was the Celtics' fifteenth NBA title.

Series Leaders: Points per game
Lakers: Abdul-Jabbar, 26.6 PPG; Worthy, 22.1 PPG; E. Johnson, 18.1 PPG
Celtics: Bird, 27.4 PPG; D. Johnson, 17.6 PPG; Parish, 15.4 PPG

Series Leaders: Rebound per game
Lakers: E. Johnson, 7.7 RPG; Abdul-Jabbar, 7.4 RPG; Rambis, 6.4 RPG
Celtics: Bird, 14.0 RPG; Parish, 11.4 RPG; McHale, 5.9 RPG

Series Leaders: Assists per game
Lakers: E. Johnson, 13.6 APG; Michael Cooper, 5.3 APG; Abdul-Jabbar, 4.4 APG
Celtics: D. Johnson, 4.7 APG; Henderson, 4.0 APG; Bird, 3.6 APG