CBS Sports: NBA 1984-ECSF Game 1- New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics: Highlights

Source:CBS Sports– the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics from 1984.

“Opening game of the legendary 1984 ECSF series between Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. Game 1 was all about the best frontline in basketball history; Bird, McHale and Parish dominated in the first encounter of 7-game war.

Larry Bird: 23 points, 12 assists (amazing passes by prime Bird), 9 rebounds, 10/16 FG.

Kevin McHale: 25 points, 11/14 FG.

Robert Parish: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 9/16 FG.

Celtics won this one 110:92”

From Larry Legend

The Celtics-Knicks, a rivalry with a great history. This was a classic series in one of the best rivalries and two of the best franchises in the NBA, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, where you have four Hall of Famers in it in Bernard King for the Knicks and Larry Bid, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. Dennis Johnson for the Celtics, should also be in the Hall of Fame, but thats a different story.

The Celtics actually had four Hall of Famers if you include their head coach K.C. Jones. And that is really the difference in this series. The Knicks were so dependent on one player in Bernard King, whereas the Celtics had several great players and great role players. People like Cedric Maxwell, Danny Ainge, Scott Wedman.

The Knicks, similar to the Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls of the mid and late 1980s, were very dependent on one great scorer to lead the way. And when that one player was having a good game that would free up scoring opportunities for other players. The Hawks, had Dominique Wilkins and the Bulls of course had Michael Jordan. But neither team had another great scorer they could go to when their best player had an off game.

All great scorers in the NBA have off games, but if they’re playing on very good teams, those teams have other scorers and generally multiple scorers that can pick up the slack when their best scorer has that off game. With the Knicks, it really was Bernard King. And sometimes Bill Cartwright and Ray Williams. But they needed King at his best for most games.

I believe that was the main difference in this series. The great team in the Celtics, vs the great player in Bernard King. If King has one of those great games and scored in the high thirties and forties, the Knicks could play with the Celtics, if they played good defense.

But the Celtics had Larry Bird who by himself was about as great of a scorer as the NBA has ever seen. The reason why he didn’t score as much as the other great scorers was because he didn’t have to. Teams would do a lot to stop him and Legend was such a great passer and playmaker and would free up his teammates for scores. As well as a great rebounder and team defender. He didn’t have to have a great scoring night to beat the Knicks. Because he had a lot of help and did so many other things for the Celtics.

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NBA-TV: NBA 1984-ECSF-Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks Game 6: Larry Bird vs Bernard King

Source:NBA-TV– the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks in one of the best playoff series in NBA history.

“Larry Bird Vs Bernard King: 1984 ECSF Gm 6”

From Crunchy Man Sopa

One of the best NBA playoff games of all-time, in a simple one on one matchup between Larry Bird and Bernard King, it would be a classic shootout. Because Legend was too big for Bernard and Bernard was too quick for Legend.

Larry Bird was a power forward playing small forward (as far as physical size) And he only played small forward offensively. Kevin McHale, generally covered the other team’s really quick scoring small forward, if that team didn’t have great power forward who was an offensive force inside. With Bird in many games would cover the other team’s power forward. Legend covered Kurt Rambis in the first two NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. (To use as one example)

Bird was a huge small forward, who was better at playing passing lanes and picking off passes and even defending the post, then covering a swingman on the baseline and backcourt and preventing that player from driving to the lane.

Bernard King physically was a classic small forward. 6-7, maybe 210 pounds or so and solidly built, but might have been giving up twenty-pound of muscle and 2-3 inches to Larry Bird. King wasn’t accustomed to covering big man like Larry Bird or anyone else. So physically they weren’t matched up to defend each other. So you put them one on one and leave their teammates out of the picture and you get great shootouts like this.

But even if you beat Larry Bird in a shootout, means nothing if you lose to the Celtics. The Celtics, were clearly a better team than the Knicks. Who were a great home team at Madison Square Garden and had enough talent to play with the Celtics at home with their crowd.

Bernard King, was the Superman of New York in the NBA. Bernard was a guy who could average in he high twenties and low thirties in points every night because he was such a versatile scorer, who was too quick to be covered by big men and too strong to be covered by smaller swingmen. And could take players like that in the post. Who was also a good ball handler and could shoot outside. But the Knicks needed him to be Superman for them, because they didn’t have any other big scorer. Unlike the Celtics with Legend, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish.

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