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Sports InsiderLarry Bird and Dominque Wilkins Classic 1988 Playoff Duel.
July 17th 2007 09:45
For many the golden age of NBA basketball was in the 1980s when
the league managed to catch lightening in a bottle and have many great talents all playing at the same time – Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Charles Barkley and of course the irrepressible Michael Jordan. It was a wonderful time for hoops lovers and why wouldn’t you dig it sucka?
In the 80s the basketball was free flowing, jive talking and high scoring! In essence the NBA was fan-tastic.
The aforementioned names are the ones who receive the most love from hoops historians and fans because they made the NBA what it is today. As great as this group of guys are, there is often one named that has been constantly overlooked when talking about this period – Dominique Wilkins.
People forget that some of the most memorable moments in the 80s involved ‘The Human Highlight Film’ who not only dunked the ball with style and grace, but was also a skilful basketball player in his own right. ‘Nique was alright, and it is about time he got some NBALOUD love.
There are many moments of posterity involving the dunk-a-licious one from the dirty south, but there is one game which defined his career.
What game are we talking about? Try the Eastern Conference semi-finals, Game 7, against the storied Boston Celtics, led by the badass himself, Larry Bird.
‘Nique and Larry Legend engaged in one of the most remarkable shootouts in NBA history and this is how it all went down.
For all intents and purposes basketball is a team game, but perhaps unlike any other team sport on earth, a talented individual could lift a team on the sheer force of his personality and game. In this Game 7 semi-final it was two superstars who found something else deep within themselves in reaching a level of basketball brilliance that cannot be obtained by mere mortals – both were in the zone.
Boston were heavy favourites and won the first two games with relative ease, but the underdog Atlanta Hawks came roaring back taking the next three to find themselves in the enviable position to knock off the Larry Bird led Celtics. It wasn’t to be, with Game 6 going the
way of the Celts.
The stage was set for a do or die Game 7 where two teams enter, and one team leaves. What better stage than the old Boston Garden? Now, all we needed was the star performers to play the parts of their lives.
Larry Legend and The Human Highlight Film wouldn’t disappoint.
"It was like two gunfighters waiting to blink," recalled Celtics forward Kevin McHale. "There was one stretch that was as pure a form of basketball as you're ever going to see." (NBA.com)
With roughly ten minutes to play in the game both teams were tied at 86-86 when the opposing superstars decided to take the reins of the game and shake the basketball loving world to its core.
Bird started the proceedings with a quick basket, and decided to go on a nine point scoring binge in just under two minutes of basketball. Atlanta stayed close though with Wilkins tying the game at 99-99 with roughly six minutes left.
Both men were not only guarding one another, but bringing out the best in each other as well. It was pure basketball poetry with Wilkins stating: “I was making all kinds of baskets that night. I pulled out everything I had in that game. I was making slam dunks, short-range jumpers, transition baskets, baskets off offensive rebounds, tip-ins, everything. It was just one of those games where I was able to take everything to a higher level.
Unfortunately, so did Bird. The game really reached a fever pitch in the fourth quarter. He ended up scoring 20 in the fourth and I had just about that many. This was the biggest game I had ever played in. Neither one of us wanted to lose.” (O’Donnell, Basketball Digest, 2002)
The level of basketball on display was something to behold, and after Wilkins tying the game at 99-99, Bird went on another rampage, scoring 11 points, including a stunning 3-point basket over Wilkins with a minute and a half left of game time. Guess what? Wilkins matched Bird’s efforts as well, point for point in the same period.
Hot-lanta was down three points with a second left in the game, and ‘Nique was on the free throw line. This situation turned out to be a major problem for the Hawks because even if Wilkins made his second free throw, Atlanta would still be down by one.
After sinking his first free throw, Wilkins intentionally missed the second, while probably praying to the heavens for an Atlanta rebound.
Sadly, for Atlanta and the basketball loving public, the rebound was safely corralled by the Celtics and they went on to fight another day.
Wilkins top scored with an out of this world 19-of-23 shooting performance to end the game with 47 points. Meanwhile, Larry Legend had 34 points for the night, 20 of those points coming in that magical final period.
Do we really need to say what video clip is associated with this post? Didn’t think so.
Dominique Wilkins was the bomb! (Image from nba.com)
In the 80s the basketball was free flowing, jive talking and high scoring! In essence the NBA was fan-tastic.
The aforementioned names are the ones who receive the most love from hoops historians and fans because they made the NBA what it is today. As great as this group of guys are, there is often one named that has been constantly overlooked when talking about this period – Dominique Wilkins.
People forget that some of the most memorable moments in the 80s involved ‘The Human Highlight Film’ who not only dunked the ball with style and grace, but was also a skilful basketball player in his own right. ‘Nique was alright, and it is about time he got some NBALOUD love.
There are many moments of posterity involving the dunk-a-licious one from the dirty south, but there is one game which defined his career.
What game are we talking about? Try the Eastern Conference semi-finals, Game 7, against the storied Boston Celtics, led by the badass himself, Larry Bird.
‘Nique and Larry Legend engaged in one of the most remarkable shootouts in NBA history and this is how it all went down.
For all intents and purposes basketball is a team game, but perhaps unlike any other team sport on earth, a talented individual could lift a team on the sheer force of his personality and game. In this Game 7 semi-final it was two superstars who found something else deep within themselves in reaching a level of basketball brilliance that cannot be obtained by mere mortals – both were in the zone.
Boston were heavy favourites and won the first two games with relative ease, but the underdog Atlanta Hawks came roaring back taking the next three to find themselves in the enviable position to knock off the Larry Bird led Celtics. It wasn’t to be, with Game 6 going the
Never discount the hick from French Lick. (Image from nba.com)
The stage was set for a do or die Game 7 where two teams enter, and one team leaves. What better stage than the old Boston Garden? Now, all we needed was the star performers to play the parts of their lives.
Larry Legend and The Human Highlight Film wouldn’t disappoint.
"It was like two gunfighters waiting to blink," recalled Celtics forward Kevin McHale. "There was one stretch that was as pure a form of basketball as you're ever going to see." (NBA.com)
With roughly ten minutes to play in the game both teams were tied at 86-86 when the opposing superstars decided to take the reins of the game and shake the basketball loving world to its core.
Bird started the proceedings with a quick basket, and decided to go on a nine point scoring binge in just under two minutes of basketball. Atlanta stayed close though with Wilkins tying the game at 99-99 with roughly six minutes left.
Both men were not only guarding one another, but bringing out the best in each other as well. It was pure basketball poetry with Wilkins stating: “I was making all kinds of baskets that night. I pulled out everything I had in that game. I was making slam dunks, short-range jumpers, transition baskets, baskets off offensive rebounds, tip-ins, everything. It was just one of those games where I was able to take everything to a higher level.
Unfortunately, so did Bird. The game really reached a fever pitch in the fourth quarter. He ended up scoring 20 in the fourth and I had just about that many. This was the biggest game I had ever played in. Neither one of us wanted to lose.” (O’Donnell, Basketball Digest, 2002)
The level of basketball on display was something to behold, and after Wilkins tying the game at 99-99, Bird went on another rampage, scoring 11 points, including a stunning 3-point basket over Wilkins with a minute and a half left of game time. Guess what? Wilkins matched Bird’s efforts as well, point for point in the same period.
Hot-lanta was down three points with a second left in the game, and ‘Nique was on the free throw line. This situation turned out to be a major problem for the Hawks because even if Wilkins made his second free throw, Atlanta would still be down by one.
After sinking his first free throw, Wilkins intentionally missed the second, while probably praying to the heavens for an Atlanta rebound.
Sadly, for Atlanta and the basketball loving public, the rebound was safely corralled by the Celtics and they went on to fight another day.
Wilkins top scored with an out of this world 19-of-23 shooting performance to end the game with 47 points. Meanwhile, Larry Legend had 34 points for the night, 20 of those points coming in that magical final period.
Do we really need to say what video clip is associated with this post? Didn’t think so.
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