1984 NBA Finals, Game 4

By Brendon Rosenau
Love of Sports Correspondent

There are games that are so meaningful, so historic, so legendary that they transcend generations.

Bobby Thompson’s pennant winning home run can still be discussed today with the same passion it was 50 years ago. With the advent of technology, fans of all ages can marvel at way the U.S. Basketball team lost to the Russians in 1972 or the series of events that led to Carlton Fisk’s dramatic World Series homer in ‘75.

Although they happened before many of our times, we can speak emphatically and intelligently about their place in sports history. One game that’s done that for me is Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals.

Any Boston fan from the age of 80 to 20, worth his weight will tell you that Game 4 is one of the finest moments in Celtics history. With tonight’s Game 4 on the horizon, I invite all NBA fans, especially those who haven’t really studied the history of this game, to back track in time to one of the NBA’s greatest contests.

The Back Story

This would be the eighth time these two teams squared off in the Finals and the first of three series in the ‘80s. The talent on the floor was unfathomable. The game featured seven Hall of Famers: Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish of the Celtics, along with Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and Bob McAdoo of the Lakers. K.C. Jones, who is in the Hall as a player, and Pat Riley, HOF coach, led the respective teams.

The Lakers took an early lead in the series with a 115-109 win at the Garden. The next night, they nearly did the unthinkable. With just 13 seconds left, the Lakers had a 113-111 lead and the ball and a chance to take Game 2 at the hallowed Garden.

Gerald Henderson, in a move Boston fans have seen before, picked off Worthy’s inbounds pass and tied the game. The Celtics would win in overtime 124-121.

However, the good feelings wouldn’t survive the cross country trip. “Showtime” took center stage and Magic dished out a Finals-record 21 assists as the Celtics were run out of L.A., 137-104.

The game prompted Bird to proclaim that his team played like a bunch of women and “like sissies.”

Absolutely classic. A line that would’ve sparked controversy today ignited the Celtics to one of the greatest wins in team history.

The Game – Part I

The most indelible image of this game, and the series for that matter, occurred with 6:53 remaining in the third quarter. The Lakers held a 76-70 lead and were once again killing the Celtics on the fast break. At the half, the Lakers had 20 fast break points to Boston’s six.

The play started when Dennis Johnson came up woefully short on a jumper. Abdul-Jabbar grabbed the ball and fired an outlet pass past half court to Worthy, who switched the ball to a streaking Kurt Rambis. McHale was not about to let the Lakers create another dazzling opportunity and laid Rambis out with a vicious foul.

Rambis hit the deck, but immediately sprang to his feet. Michael Cooper, who was trailing on the play, went after McHale, but was held back by two Celtics players. One of them was Quinn Buckner, who jumped on Cooper’s back.

In the span of three seconds everyone involved in the game had clogged up one corner of the court. Cooper was still livid and trying to get a piece of anyone in green.

The best part about the situation was that Rambis, though not pleased with McHale’s WWF imitation, understood what had happened. This was championship basketball. There were no easy buckets. McHale didn’t get hit with any flagrant foul, and no one who left the bench was suspended.

Rambis hit one of two from the line, and the game continued with everyone who watched realizing this would be a game they’d never forget.

A minute later, the intensity was raised another level when Abdul-Jabbar and Bird went nose to nose. Bird took exception to an elbow by “The Captain,” who in turn objected to Bird’s language. The game, which started at a 10 on the intensity scale, had launched into a new stratosphere of emotions.

Part II

In spite of their best attempts, the Celtics were in danger of falling behind 3-1 in the series. With 56 seconds left in the game, Magic hit a pair of free throws to give the Lakers a 113-108 lead. The Celtics needed a score, but D.J. missed a contested reverse in traffic. Parrish got the rebound but missed the put back. The Chief, who was not in awe of Abdul-Jabbar, was determined to score. He rebounded his own miss, over Abdul-Jabbar, and got the hoop with the harm. Parrish nailed the freebie and got the C’s within two with just 39 seconds left.

Cooper tried to make it a two possession game, but missed a jumper with 17 seconds to go. Abdul-Jabbar amazingly followed Bird on the rebound. It was his sixth foul and gave the reigning MVP a chance to tie. Bird naturally nailed both shots.

The Lakers’ chance to win in regulation ended when Magic’s entry pass to Worthy was picked by Parrish, giving the Celtics the ball with just four ticks left. Bird’s runner was off the mark, and McHale’s put back rolled out of the rim sending the game to OT.

Part III

Worthy, who finished with 30, put the Lakers ahead 123-121 with 1:31 to go on a fantastic three-point play that was one of several plays that eventually earned him the moniker “Big Game James.”

Bird, however, was not to be outdone and promptly tied the game. With 35 seconds remaining, Magic, who would finish with 20 points, 17 assists and 11 rebounds, missed two free throws. Bird then sank a fall away jumper over his bitter rival for a 125-123 lead. Worthy had a chance to tie at the line, but missed the first of two free throws. After watching Worthy’s brick, M.L. Carr walked across the paint with arms raised in victory and made a choking gesture to add a bit more fuel to the rivalry.

Cooper alertly fouled Dennis Johnson with 10 seconds to go, but Johnson made the pair for a four-point lead. Carr, after a timeout, then stole the inbounds pass and dunked it to a punctuate the epic win. He ran down court with his arms raised in victory as a hushed Hollywood crowd sat in deafening silence. An inconsequential free throw made the dramatic final score 129-125.

The Aftermath

The Celtics would win the series in seven games. Quite an accomplishment considering they came within inches of being swept. The Lakers had squandered late leads in two of the first four games.

In Game 5, the Celtics won 121-103 at the Garden. The temperature was over 90 in Boston on the outside and inside temps approached 100 degrees. The Lakers would even the series at home (this was the old 2-2-1-1-1 format) 119-108 in a game that was highlighted by even more physical play.

In Game 7, the Celtics got 24 points from Cedric Maxwell en route to a 111-103 win.

Bird was named MVP for averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds. The series was the most watched in NBA history and touched off a great span of basketball that spawned a Celtics-Pistons and Pistons-Lakers rivalry.

The Michael Jordan era was soon to come, but the early and mid-‘80s was the time for the Celtics and Lakers, and we offer them both some Old School Love today.