Tag: 1981 nba finals

Donnie Wahlberg on Cedric Maxwell’s 1981 NBA Finals MVP with the Boston Celtics

If you are among fans of the Boston Celtics who only remember Celtics broadcaster Cedric Maxwell for his work alongside Sean Grande calling games on the radio waves, you are far from alone.

If you are among fans of the Boston Celtics who only remember Celtics broadcaster Cedric Maxwell for his work alongside Sean Grande calling games on the radio waves, you are far from alone. But Boston superfan Donnie Wahlberg, Maxwell winning Finals Most Valuable Player is the memory that stands out about the North Carolina native the most.

In a recent episode of the CLNS Media “Cedric Maxwell” podcast, Wahlberg praised Maxwell for his outstanding performance during the 1981 NBA Finals. The actor also expressed his admiration for Cornbread (as Maxwell is called for a nickname), highlighting his ability to carry his team to victory.

To hear more of their conversation about Maxwell’s glory days, take a look at the clip we have embedded below as Maxwell, Wahlberg, and co-host Josue Pavon wax nostalgic about those special times.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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On this day: Russell, Jones retire; ’69 banner; 76ers confetti game

On this day, Bill Russell and Sam Jones retired after winning the 1969 NBA championship, and in 2018, Boston beat the 76ers in OT.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, franchise legends Bill Russell and Sam Jones retired as champions, deciding to call it quits after winning the 1969 NBA Championship.

For Russell in particular, it was a sweet ending, defeating longtime rival big man (and good friend) Wilt Chamberlain and his Los Angeles Lakers four games to three in a 108-106 Game 7 triumph that is widely considered one of the biggest upsets in sports history. The Celtics were by then an old team and managed to make the Finals as a four seed, while Los Angeles had Hall-of-Famers Elgin Baylor and Jerry West in addition to Chamberlain, the latter winning the Finals MVP award in a loss, the only time that has happened in the history of the league.

It was Boston’s 11th championship, and that in a span of just 13 years.

Revisit Chris Ford’s big Game 3 performance with the Boston Celtics from the 1981 NBA Finals

On a night where Larry Bird scored just 8 points, Cedric Maxwell and Chris Ford led the way for the Boston Celtics during Game 3 of the 1981 NBA Finals.

The Boston Celtics and the entire NBA community are mourning the loss and celebrating the life of former Boston player and head coach Chris Ford. The New Jersey native won multiple NBA titles as a player and a coach, and famously sank the first 3-point shot in league history.

Ford was drafted by the Detroit Pistons 17th overall in the 1972 NBA draft. He was traded to the Celtics in 1978. He won a championship with Boston in 1981 before retiring the following year. Ford won two more titles with the Celtics as an assistant coach and eventually served as head coach in the early 1990s.

Though Ford wasn’t the flashiest of players or the biggest of stars, he was a critical role player for the ’80-81 Celtics. As a starter, he averaged 8.9 points and 2 rebounds per contest. Ford stepped up when his club needed him, however.

Ford helped power the Celtics to victory during Game 3 of the NBA Finals in 1981. On a night Larry Bird managed just 8 points, Ford scored 17 points and grabbed 4 rebounds. He and Cedric Maxwell led the charge for Boston, helping the team grab a crucial win on the road.

You can check out Chris Ford’s Game 3 highlights from the 1981 Finals here:

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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WATCH: Every play by Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird in the 1981 NBA Finals vs. the Houston Rockets

See every play made by Larry Legend vs. Houston on the way to his first title.

The Houston Rockets have long been a sneakily dangerous team even when they were losing, dating from when the Rockets faced the Boston Celtics in the 1981 NBA Finals with a losing record. Houston had gone 40-42 in the 1980-81 regular season compared to Boston’s 62-20 season under second-year Celtics sensation Larry Bird — you may have heard of him.

And while Bird, series MVP Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and company clearly outmatched Moses Malone and the Rockets on paper, it took six games to put away Houston.

If you want to see how that second-year phenomenon hailing from French Lick, Indiana was an instrumental part of the team’s 14th title, check out the clip embedded below with every play made by Bird in the series, courtesy of CLNS Media’s “NBA History & Legends on CLNS” YouTube channel.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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