Celtics/Lakers 30 for 30

[Omaha Cy]

Served as a reminder for just how deadly Bird was in the final moments of a game with the ball in his hands.

The NBA universe was really short changed when LA didn't reach the finals in 1986. Score wise LA got rolled by Houston losing 3 games by 10 pts(ish) each. I'll have to look into that series to see exactly wheat went wrong. LA won I think 62 games that year, but perhaps complacency had set in. Regardless its a shame that series didn't happen.

Found it interesting that the Lakers went through about 3 different transformations in the decade to stay at the top. Once the Pistons pushed through the Celts in the 88 playoffs, they were done as a contender. The end in sports a lot of the time isn't apparent at the time, but hindsight shows its quick.

 

[jay moe]

Great documentary. I remember a lot of that like it was yesterday, NBA was king then, very entertaining!

 

[cycloner29]

Great documentary. I loved what Magic said at the end, "I still hate the Celtics". Showtime vs the blue collars. Didn't realize that McHale played the one series with a broken foot.

 

[Clark]

Great documentary. I loved what Magic said at the end, "I still hate the Celtics". Showtime vs the blue collars. Didn't realize that McHale played the one series with a broken foot.

ruined his career if I remember right. That and Larry's back ended the Celtics run

 

[CycloneErik]

If I remember right about the 86 Lakers, they said later in interviews that they just believed they could flip the switch on and play their best, and then couldn't make that happen against the Rockets.

So they got a little complacent, and came back extremely fired up.

 

[Omaha Cy]

Great documentary. I loved what Magic said at the end, "I still hate the Celtics". Showtime vs the blue collars. Didn't realize that McHale played the one series with a broken foot.

This documentary reminded me that McHale was incredibly slippery in the low post. Watching rhe techniques of these guys has me sold they would play well in today's NBA.

 

[cmjh10]

Any replay of this? Haven't been around cable all week and really wanted to see it

 

[pulse]

This documentary reminded me that McHale was incredibly slippery in the low post. Watching rhe techniques of these guys has me sold they would play well in today's NBA.

I'd take em in a fight, they certainly weren't afraid to throw down.

 

[SCyclone]

I was a big NBA fan back then. That rivalry, plus the 76ers, Rockets, Bucks, a few other teams made the game so enjoyable. Some real star-loaded teams.

I had forgotten how physical that 1984 Finals was - saw the clothesline McHale put on Rambis, and thought to myself, guys would probably get suspended for that nowadays. And pretty amazing that M. L. Carr didn't get punched by somebody. He and Cornbread Maxwell were real pot-stirrers........

 

[Bret44]

Any replay of this? Haven't been around cable all week and really wanted to see it

They have all 5 hours on Watch ESPN.

 

[theshadow]

The scoring clinic they put on was crazy, considering there was basically no outside shooting.

1984 finals (7 games): 1,628 total pts (232.6 combined ppg); 15 total three-pointers
1985 finals (6 games): 1,374 total pts (229.0 combined ppg); 21 total three-pointers
1987 finals (6 games): 1,357 total pts (226.2 combined ppg); 30 total three-pointers

So, 66 three-pointers in 19 finals games (3.5 per).

Meanwhile, Cavs/Warriors combined for 236.4 ppg and 137 total treys just in this year's series.

 

[Cycsk]

They have all 5 hours on Watch ESPN.

5 hours? Ugh. I hope it is broken into segments that can be watched one-at-a-time.

 

[theshadow]

5 hours? Ugh. I hope it is broken into segments that can be watched one-at-a-time.

Three-part series. 2-1-2.

 

[RotatingColumn]

I've always felt every team should have a good "mucker" on it.

A guy that can jack up opposing players and change the psychology of the game. ISU had 2 on the same team with Hogue and Kane. But the Celtics are the only team I know of that was built entirely of muckers!

 

[Cyballzz]

ruined his career if I remember right. That and Larry's back ended the Celtics run

Add in the death of Len Bias in '86.

 

[Clark]

I've always felt every team should have a good "mucker" on it.

A guy that can jack up opposing players and change the psychology of the game. ISU had 2 on the same team with Hogue and Kane. But the Celtics are the only team I know of that was built entirely of muckers!

Pistons?

 

[RotatingColumn]

Pistons?

Correction: Celtics and Pistons.
Laimbeer would have picked up the slack for any deficiencies Isiah had in mucking.

 

[mywayorcyway]

Thanks for letting me know this is out there. I'm not an NBA fan, but the NBA was a ton of fun when the Celtics and Lakers were going at it.

I read "When the Game Was Ours" last year - it's a book about Magic and Larry's paths to the NBA and their rivalry. A really fun read that explains the dynamic between the two players, and how they led such different lives. I'm guessing anyone who enjoyed this 30 for 30 would like this book.

 

[cyclones500]

I want to see this 30-30, didn't get a chance when it initially aired. Is ESPN replaying it, and when?

 

[cyclones500]

Started watching this the other day, didn't get through it all, want to re-watch from beginning.

From what I saw so far, it's outtasite, man.

Especially intrigued by the '50s & '60s stuff, wasn't as familiar with that period, specific to each franchise.

I was a Celtics fan in late-70s ad 80s, although if my current self time-traveled to the early '80s, I might have chosen Lakers instead. Either way, both teams were loaded during that decade.