Boston’s Greatest Playoff Memories: The 1984 NBA Finals 4
In the 70’s, the NBA was a floundering league.
McHale's takedown of Rambis was the turning point of the series.
Rampant drug use.
No lucrative sponsorship deals.
No big TV contracts.
No real superstars.
That all changed in 1979, when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson entered the NBA.
They faced each other in the 1979 NCAA National Championship game with Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans prevailing.
Both Bird and Johnson were collegiate stars and there was no reason to believe they wouldn’t flourish in the NBA.
And flourish they did.
Magic and the Lakers captured the 1980 championship against Dr. J and the Sixers. Johnson posted 42 points in the deciding sixth game with team captain Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out.
But it wasn’t over the Celtics.
Larry who hated to be outdone by Johnson led his Celtics to a championship versus the Houston Rockets in 1981.
But it wasn’t over the Lakers.
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