1981 NBA Finals
Encyclopedia
The 1981 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1980-81 NBA season
, pitting the Boston Celtics
against the Houston Rockets
.
(head coached by Del Harris
), Moses Malone
practically carried the Rockets to the NBA finals. Meanwhile, Calvin Murphy, the shortest player in the league, set two NBA records, sinking 78 consecutive free throws to break Rick Barry
's mark of 60 set in 1976
and achieving a free-throw percentage of .958, breaking Rick Barry's record set with the Rockets in 1979
. Other members of the 80-81 team were Rudy Tomjanovich
, Robert Reid
, Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
, Allen Leavell
, Billy Paultz
, Bill Willoughby
, Calvin Garrett
, Tom Henderson
, and Major Jones
. Houston tied with Kansas City for second place in the Midwest behind San Antonio
with a regular season record of 40-42.
Houston's playoff run began by drawing the defending NBA-champion Los Angeles Lakers
and Magic Johnson
in the first round. The Rockets upset Los Angeles, two games to one, then got past the San Antonio Spurs
and George Gervin
, four games to three, in the Western Conference Semifinals. This set up an unlikely Conference Finals matchup with Kansas City
. The Kings, led by Otis Birdsong
, Scott Wedman
, and Phil Ford fell to the Rockets in five games.
. The Celtics were not quite the same team as five years ago, as they had added the likes of Larry Bird
, Robert Parish
, and Kevin McHale
, a trio that would come to be known as "The Big Three." M.L. Carr, Cedric Maxwell
, and Nate Archibald
were also capable players off the bench, and key cogs in Boston's balanced offensive attack.
The Celtics's playoff road started with a first-round bye, straight into the conference semifinals. Despite the layoff, the Celtics easily swept the Chicago Bulls
, and then faced the defending Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers
for the right to advance to The Finals. After a hard-fought and physical series, the Celtics eventually came back from a three-games-to-one deficit to defeat the Sixers, repeating a feat they accomplished in 1968. Five of the games in the series ended with the winning team on top by two points or less.
. So, the Celtics were understandably flat.
Houston led 57-51 at the half and kept that intensity through the game. Late in the fourth period, with the Celtics trailing 87-84, Bird put up an 18-footer from the right side. As soon as he turned it loose, he immediately rushed in for the rebound. He caught the ball in midair as his momentum was carrying him out of bounds on the baseline just right of the lane. In an instant, he switched the ball to his left hand (a right-handed shot would have hit the side of the backboard) and flipped it in the basket. Bird would finish with 18 points, 21 rebounds, and nine assists. Moses Malone
would grab 15 rebounds, but was held to 13 points.
The crowd went nuts over Bird's shot, with general manager Red Auerbach
leading the cheers. Bill Russell
, who was broadcasting the game for CBS, looked on in disbelief.
"Larry was able to make the play," said Russell, "because he not only knew where the ball was going to land, he knew that he knew."
The shot carried Boston to a 98-95 win and Auerbach proclaimed, "It was the one best shots I've ever seen a player make."
would add 14 off the bench to make up for poor shooting by Robert Reid
(0 for 7) and Calvin Murphy (4 for 13). Reserve guard Allen Leavell
's late basket would give the Rockets the 92-90 victory. Bird would lead the Celtics once again with 19 points and 21 rebounds. The victory was Houston's eighth road win of the playoffs, a record that stood until being broken by the 1995 Houston Rockets won nine playoff games en route to winning the championship.
, matched up with Larry Bird
, would begin to garner attention for his defense on the Celtics star, holding him to three baskets and eight points. But, the Celtics would not need Bird's scoring in this one. The Rockets shot a paltry 3 for 17 in the second quarter, fell behind by 17, and never recovered.
Cedric Maxwell
led six Celtics in double figures with 19 points. His teammates, meanwhile, played some pretty good defense of their own, holding the Rockets to 71 points, the lowest output for an NBA team in a Finals game since the Syracuse Nationals
scored 71 in the 1955 NBA Finals (which was, incidentally, the year the shot clock
was introduced).
, who had 28 points. Malone would add 24 points and 22 rebounds as the Rockets tied the series. Another key was the Rockets' relentless offensive rebounding and second shots; they grabbed 28 offensive rebounds(Reid had 10 and Malone 9 with 4 put-back dunks) on the way to out-shooting Boston in attempts, 103 to 74.
for doing some trash-talking. Earlier, he had simply declared, "Boston ain't that good." Before Game 5, though, Malone went a little too far, saying, "I could get four guys off the street in Petersburg (Virgnia, Malone's hometown) and beat them." This was all coach Bill Fitch would need to motivate his troops.
With Bird still struggling offensively, Cedric Maxwell
shouldered the load, scoring 28 points and pulling down 15 rebounds and sparking several fast breaks to a Celtics rout, 109-80.
This would be the final game in which Rick Barry
would broadcast for CBS
for racist remarks made towards fellow broadcaster Bill Russell
.
then broke out of his shooting doldrums to hit a 15-foot jumper, feed series MVP Maxwell for a basket, and hit a back-breaking, 24-foot, three point shot to put the Rockets away for good and send Boston to its 14th NBA Championship.
in the conference semifinals. Bird was named the league's Most Valuable Player three times in the decade, Parish became one of the NBA's most dominant centers and Kevin McHale
moved from bench player to All-Star at power forward. Maxwell was the sixth man on the 1984 championship team, but was traded before the 1985-86 season to the Los Angeles Clippers
for Bill Walton
. Archibald was replaced at point guard in 1983 by Dennis Johnson
, who arrived in a trade with the Phoenix Suns
. Following the 1981 season, the Celtics drafted Danny Ainge
of BYU
, who became the team's starting shooting guard after a brief career in baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays
.
The Rockets reached the playoffs in the 1981-82 season, but then experienced a precipitous decline which coincided with Malone's trade to Philadelphia
, where he joined with Julius Erving
to lead the 76ers to the 1982-83 NBA championship. Houston posted the NBA's worst record in the 1982-83 season and the second-worst, three games ahead of the Indiana Pacers
, in the 1983-84 season, and earned the number one pick in the draft each time. Those were the last two drafts when the number one pick was determined by a coin flip between the worst team in each conference; the lottery
was instituted in 1985 in response to rumors of the Rockets throwing games late in both season in order to secure a higher draft pick.
The Rockets selected Ralph Sampson
and Hakeem Olajuwon
with those picks and hired Fitch as coach after he was fired by the Celtics following the 1982-83 season. Houston returned to the NBA Finals in 1986, where they would once again lose to Boston in six games. Robert Reid and Allen Leavell were the only remaining members of the 1981 team to play in the 1986 Finals (Reid wore No. 50 in the 1981 Finals, but upon his return in 1983, Sampson already had No. 50, forcing Reid to wear No. 33).
1980-81 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers*Rookie of the Year: Darrell Griffith, Utah Jazz*Coach of the Year: Jack McKinney, Indiana Pacers*All-NBA First Team:**Larry Bird, Boston Celtics...
, pitting the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
against the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
.
Houston Rockets
For the 1980-81 season Houston RocketsHouston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
(head coached by Del Harris
Del Harris
Delmer William Harris is a basketball coach, currently the head coach for the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League. He was an assistant coach for the NBA's New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, and Dallas Mavericks...
), Moses Malone
Moses Malone
Moses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
practically carried the Rockets to the NBA finals. Meanwhile, Calvin Murphy, the shortest player in the league, set two NBA records, sinking 78 consecutive free throws to break Rick Barry
Rick Barry
Richard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
's mark of 60 set in 1976
1976 in sports
1976 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Rosi Mittermaier, West Germany-American football:...
and achieving a free-throw percentage of .958, breaking Rick Barry's record set with the Rockets in 1979
1979 in sports
1979 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Peter Lüscher, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Moser-Pröll, Austria-American football:...
. Other members of the 80-81 team were Rudy Tomjanovich
Rudy Tomjanovich
Rudolph Tomjanovich, Jr. , nicknamed Rudy T., is an American retired basketball player and coach who coached the Houston Rockets to two consecutive NBA championships. He is currently a scout for the Los Angeles Lakers.-Early life:...
, Robert Reid
Robert Reid (basketball)
Robert Keith Reid is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'8" forward from St. Mary's University, Texas, Reid played thirteen seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Philadelphia 76ers...
, Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
Michael Joseph Dunleavy is a retired American professional basketball player, former head coach, and former general manager of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers. He is the father of Indiana Pacers player Mike Dunleavy, Jr.-Early life:...
, Allen Leavell
Allen Leavell
Allen Frazier 'Chuck' Leavell is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'1" , 170 lb point guard from Oklahoma City University, Leavell was selected in the fifth round of the 1979 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, going on to play ten seasons in the National Basketball...
, Billy Paultz
Billy Paultz
William Edward "Bill" Paultz is a retired American professional basketball player.Paultz played college basketball at Saint John's University and was selected in the seventh round of the 1970 NBA Draft by the San Diego Rockets and by the Virginia Squires in the 1970 ABA Draft. Paultz opted to...
, Bill Willoughby
Bill Willoughby
William 'Poodle' Wesley Willoughby is a retired American professional basketball player. After graduating from Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, he was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1975 NBA Draft as the first pick in the second round , bypassing college for a chance to play...
, Calvin Garrett
Calvin Garrett
Calvin Eugene Garrett is an American retired National Basketball Association basketball player. He played 3 seasons with the Houston Rockets and one with the Los Angeles Lakers . He played in college at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK.-External links:...
, Tom Henderson
Tom Henderson
Thomas Edward "Tom" Henderson is an American former professional basketball player.A tough-minded 6'4" guard from the University of Hawaii, Henderson was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 1974 National Basketball Association Draft...
, and Major Jones
Major Jones
Major James Brooks Jones is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He attended and played collegiately at Albany State University....
. Houston tied with Kansas City for second place in the Midwest behind San Antonio
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
with a regular season record of 40-42.
Houston's playoff run began by drawing the defending NBA-champion Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
in the first round. The Rockets upset Los Angeles, two games to one, then got past the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and George Gervin
George Gervin
George "The Iceman" Gervin is a retired American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls...
, four games to three, in the Western Conference Semifinals. This set up an unlikely Conference Finals matchup with Kansas City
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. The Kings, led by Otis Birdsong
Otis Birdsong
Otis Lee Birdsong is an American former professional basketball player. He spent twelve seasons in the NBA and appeared in four NBA All-Star Games....
, Scott Wedman
Scott Wedman
Scott Dean Wedman is a former NBA basketball player. He was drafted by Kansas City-Omaha Kings in the first round in the 1974 NBA Draft.-Kansas City Kings:...
, and Phil Ford fell to the Rockets in five games.
Boston Celtics
This was the Celtics' first appearance in The Finals since their 1976 championship winning team against the Phoenix SunsPhoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. The Celtics were not quite the same team as five years ago, as they had added the likes of Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
, Robert Parish
Robert Parish
Robert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
, and Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
, a trio that would come to be known as "The Big Three." M.L. Carr, Cedric Maxwell
Cedric Maxwell
Cedric Bryan Maxwell is a retired American professional basketball player now in radio broadcasting. Nicknamed "Cornbread", he played 11 seasons in the NBA, and played a key role in two championships with the Boston Celtics.-College career:Maxwell was a star forward/center for the Charlotte 49ers...
, and Nate Archibald
Nate Archibald
Nathaniel "Nate" Archibald is a former American professional basketball player. He spent 14 years playing in the NBA, most notably with the Kansas City Kings and Boston Celtics....
were also capable players off the bench, and key cogs in Boston's balanced offensive attack.
The Celtics's playoff road started with a first-round bye, straight into the conference semifinals. Despite the layoff, the Celtics easily swept the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, and then faced the defending Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
for the right to advance to The Finals. After a hard-fought and physical series, the Celtics eventually came back from a three-games-to-one deficit to defeat the Sixers, repeating a feat they accomplished in 1968. Five of the games in the series ended with the winning team on top by two points or less.
Series summary
| Game | Date | Home Team | Result | Road Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Tuesday, May 5 | Boston Celtics | 98-95 (1-0) | Houston Rockets |
| Game 2 | Thursday, May 7 | Boston Celtics | 90-92 (1-1) | Houston Rockets |
| Game 3 | Saturday, May 9 | Houston Rockets | 71-94 (1-2) | Boston Celtics |
| Game 4 | Sunday, May 10 | Houston Rockets | 91-86 (2-2) | Boston Celtics |
| Game 5 | Tuesday, May 12 | Boston Celtics | 109-80 (3-2) | Houston Rockets |
| Game 6 | Thursday, May 14 | Houston Rockets | 91-102 (2-4) | Boston Celtics |
Game 1
No one figured this series to be much of a Finals. Houston, in fact, had lost its previous dozen games to the Celtics. But Malone, who had averaged nearly 28 points and 15 rebounds over the season, would have none of it. He came into the series fired up, going so far as to call the Celtics "chumps." The Celtics, meanwhile, were coming off three close games in the Eastern Conference Finals in upsetting the heavily-favored Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. So, the Celtics were understandably flat.
Houston led 57-51 at the half and kept that intensity through the game. Late in the fourth period, with the Celtics trailing 87-84, Bird put up an 18-footer from the right side. As soon as he turned it loose, he immediately rushed in for the rebound. He caught the ball in midair as his momentum was carrying him out of bounds on the baseline just right of the lane. In an instant, he switched the ball to his left hand (a right-handed shot would have hit the side of the backboard) and flipped it in the basket. Bird would finish with 18 points, 21 rebounds, and nine assists. Moses Malone
Moses Malone
Moses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
would grab 15 rebounds, but was held to 13 points.
The crowd went nuts over Bird's shot, with general manager Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
leading the cheers. Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
, who was broadcasting the game for CBS, looked on in disbelief.
"Larry was able to make the play," said Russell, "because he not only knew where the ball was going to land, he knew that he knew."
The shot carried Boston to a 98-95 win and Auerbach proclaimed, "It was the one best shots I've ever seen a player make."
Game 2
Malone would come up big in this game, scoring 31 points and pulling down another 15 boards. Bill WilloughbyBill Willoughby
William 'Poodle' Wesley Willoughby is a retired American professional basketball player. After graduating from Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, he was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1975 NBA Draft as the first pick in the second round , bypassing college for a chance to play...
would add 14 off the bench to make up for poor shooting by Robert Reid
Robert Reid
Robert Reid may refer to:*Robert Reid , Scottish architect*Robert Reid , merchant and member of the Victorian Legislative Council*Robert Reid , American basketball player...
(0 for 7) and Calvin Murphy (4 for 13). Reserve guard Allen Leavell
Allen Leavell
Allen Frazier 'Chuck' Leavell is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'1" , 170 lb point guard from Oklahoma City University, Leavell was selected in the fifth round of the 1979 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, going on to play ten seasons in the National Basketball...
's late basket would give the Rockets the 92-90 victory. Bird would lead the Celtics once again with 19 points and 21 rebounds. The victory was Houston's eighth road win of the playoffs, a record that stood until being broken by the 1995 Houston Rockets won nine playoff games en route to winning the championship.
Game 3
With the series back in Houston, Robert ReidRobert Reid
Robert Reid may refer to:*Robert Reid , Scottish architect*Robert Reid , merchant and member of the Victorian Legislative Council*Robert Reid , American basketball player...
, matched up with Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
, would begin to garner attention for his defense on the Celtics star, holding him to three baskets and eight points. But, the Celtics would not need Bird's scoring in this one. The Rockets shot a paltry 3 for 17 in the second quarter, fell behind by 17, and never recovered.
Cedric Maxwell
Cedric Maxwell
Cedric Bryan Maxwell is a retired American professional basketball player now in radio broadcasting. Nicknamed "Cornbread", he played 11 seasons in the NBA, and played a key role in two championships with the Boston Celtics.-College career:Maxwell was a star forward/center for the Charlotte 49ers...
led six Celtics in double figures with 19 points. His teammates, meanwhile, played some pretty good defense of their own, holding the Rockets to 71 points, the lowest output for an NBA team in a Finals game since the Syracuse Nationals
Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...
scored 71 in the 1955 NBA Finals (which was, incidentally, the year the shot clock
Shot clock
A shot clock is used in some sports to quicken the pace of the game. It is normally associated with basketball, but has also found use in sports such as snooker, professional lacrosse, water polo, and korfball....
was introduced).
Game 4
Reid continued his air-tight defense on Bird, holding him to another eight points, while scoring 19 himself. The star of this game was Mike DunleavyMike Dunleavy
Mike Dunleavy is the name of:*Mike Dunleavy, Sr. , former NBA coach and former NBA player*Mike Dunleavy, Jr. , NBA forward and former Duke Blue Devil; son of Mike Dunleavy Sr....
, who had 28 points. Malone would add 24 points and 22 rebounds as the Rockets tied the series. Another key was the Rockets' relentless offensive rebounding and second shots; they grabbed 28 offensive rebounds(Reid had 10 and Malone 9 with 4 put-back dunks) on the way to out-shooting Boston in attempts, 103 to 74.
Game 5
The Rockets had a losing regular season record at 40-42, but, up to Game 5, they showed they definitely belonged in the finals with the Celtics. So, no one could blame Moses MaloneMoses Malone
Moses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
for doing some trash-talking. Earlier, he had simply declared, "Boston ain't that good." Before Game 5, though, Malone went a little too far, saying, "I could get four guys off the street in Petersburg (Virgnia, Malone's hometown) and beat them." This was all coach Bill Fitch would need to motivate his troops.
With Bird still struggling offensively, Cedric Maxwell
Cedric Maxwell
Cedric Bryan Maxwell is a retired American professional basketball player now in radio broadcasting. Nicknamed "Cornbread", he played 11 seasons in the NBA, and played a key role in two championships with the Boston Celtics.-College career:Maxwell was a star forward/center for the Charlotte 49ers...
shouldered the load, scoring 28 points and pulling down 15 rebounds and sparking several fast breaks to a Celtics rout, 109-80.
This would be the final game in which Rick Barry
Rick Barry
Richard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
would broadcast for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
for racist remarks made towards fellow broadcaster Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
.
Game 6
Still reeling from Malone's previous barbs, the Celtics took it right to the Rockets back at The Summit, leading 84-67 in the final period. However, as coach Fitch looked on in disgust, the Celtics went five minutes without a basket as the Rockets, led by Calvin Murphy, reeled off 13 unanswered points to cut the lead to four. Larry BirdLarry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
then broke out of his shooting doldrums to hit a 15-foot jumper, feed series MVP Maxwell for a basket, and hit a back-breaking, 24-foot, three point shot to put the Rockets away for good and send Boston to its 14th NBA Championship.
Aftermath
The Celtics, who suffered through a down period in the late 1970s after winning the 1976 NBA title, reasserted themselves as a powerhouse throughout most of the 1980s. Boston won the NBA championship in 1984 and 1986 and reached the Finals in 1985 and 1987, although Fitch was replaced by K.C. Jones as coach after the Celtics were swept in the 1983 playoffs by the Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
in the conference semifinals. Bird was named the league's Most Valuable Player three times in the decade, Parish became one of the NBA's most dominant centers and Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
moved from bench player to All-Star at power forward. Maxwell was the sixth man on the 1984 championship team, but was traded before the 1985-86 season to the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
for Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
. Archibald was replaced at point guard in 1983 by Dennis Johnson
Dennis Johnson
Dennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
, who arrived in a trade with the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
. Following the 1981 season, the Celtics drafted Danny Ainge
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
of BYU
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, who became the team's starting shooting guard after a brief career in baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
.
The Rockets reached the playoffs in the 1981-82 season, but then experienced a precipitous decline which coincided with Malone's trade to Philadelphia
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
, where he joined with Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
to lead the 76ers to the 1982-83 NBA championship. Houston posted the NBA's worst record in the 1982-83 season and the second-worst, three games ahead of the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, in the 1983-84 season, and earned the number one pick in the draft each time. Those were the last two drafts when the number one pick was determined by a coin flip between the worst team in each conference; the lottery
NBA Draft Lottery
The NBA Draft Lottery is an annual event held by the National Basketball Association in which the teams who had missed the playoffs in the previous season, or teams who hold the draft rights of another team that missed the playoffs in the previous season, participate in a lottery process to...
was instituted in 1985 in response to rumors of the Rockets throwing games late in both season in order to secure a higher draft pick.
The Rockets selected Ralph Sampson
Ralph Sampson
Ralph Lee Sampson, Jr. is a retired American college and professional basketball player.A 7-foot-4 phenom, three-time College Player of the Year, and No...
and Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
with those picks and hired Fitch as coach after he was fired by the Celtics following the 1982-83 season. Houston returned to the NBA Finals in 1986, where they would once again lose to Boston in six games. Robert Reid and Allen Leavell were the only remaining members of the 1981 team to play in the 1986 Finals (Reid wore No. 50 in the 1981 Finals, but upon his return in 1983, Sampson already had No. 50, forcing Reid to wear No. 33).
Television coverage
- Before 20032003 NBA FinalsThe 2003 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2002–03 NBA season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference took on the New Jersey Nets of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format. The Spurs...
, the 1981 NBA Finals received the lowest television ratingNielsen RatingsNielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
of all-time. The 1981 Finals drew a 6.7 rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. Meanwhile, the 2003 Finals between the San Antonio SpursSan Antonio SpursThe San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and New Jersey NetsNew Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
drew a 6.5 rating. The 1981 finals were the last to be broadcast on tape-delay, with weeknight games airing after the late local news in most cities. Games 3 and 4 were played back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday, May 9 and 10, to give CBS two live Finals games. Following the Finals, Gary BenderGary BenderGary Bender is a retired American sportscaster and 2008 inductee in to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. He officially retired, April 13, 2011, from Fox Sports Arizona network after 18 years calling the NBA Phoenix Suns games.-Early career:...
was relegated to tertiary play-by-play for the rest of his tenure in CBS, while Rick BarryRick BarryRichard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
's contract, following his questionable racial comments about Bill RussellBill RussellWilliam Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
during the Finals, was not renewed. Russell would remain the main color analyst for the next two years alongside newly promoted main play-by-play commentator Dick StocktonDick StocktonDick Stockton is an American sportscaster. He is currently employed by Fox Sports and Turner Sports as a football, baseball, and basketball play-by-play announcer.-Early life and career:...
. Curiously, Barry and Russell would reunite, this time on the NBA on TBSNBA on TBSThe NBA on TBS debuted in the 1984-1985 season under a four year contract, where they shared the NBA package along with CBS.-Coverage:...
during the mid-1980s. Russell was replaced as CBS' lead analyst following the 1983 Finals by former Celtics teammate Tom Heinsohn. - Brent MusburgerBrent MusburgerBrent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
narrated the duration of the 1981 NBA Playoffs on film, known as "The Dynasty Renewed".