Larry Bird believed legendary 1984 NBA Finals were rigged and that David Stern forced Celtics to play Game 7 vs Magic Johnson’s Lakers for money
Larry Bird is one of the greatest basketball players and an undisputed Boston legend.
But while the NBA is a global sport in 2024, things were much different for the league in the early 1980s.
Michael Jordan hadn't entered The Association.
Major League Baseball was still America's most popular sport.
The NFL was on the rise.
Then there was the fact that the NBA was desperate for increased TV ratings and fan relevance.
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Enter Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, Bird and a fierce Los Angeles Lakers vs Celtics rivalry that still inspires passion 40 years later.
"The trophies and the rings and all that didn't matter. It was all about beating the Lakers and beating Earvin," Bird said. "That's all that mattered."
Johnson's Lakers won it all against Philadelphia in 1982, then fell to Moses Malone, Julius Erving and the 76ers in the Finals a year later.
In 1984, the NBA's first big stage was set.
"I don't think he (Stern) would ever say anything like that. It was a throw-away line if it was said."
Either way, the NBA got its wish with a must-watch rivalry.
For the next six years, either the Celtics or Lakers were in the Finals.
And MJ -- who once was outscored by the forgotten Orlando Woolridge -- was on his way to lift the league to an even higher platform.
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Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics beat Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and the Mavericks 4-1 in the 2024 NBA Finals.
Boston previously won the title in 2008, but the Big Four from that cherished Celtics team fractured and split apart in the aftermath.