I post this, one, because I liked Larry Bird, thought he had talent, but when you're watching players play in your era you kind of take them for granted unless they earn a name and accolades for themselves the way Bird did, the way Kareem did, the way Jamaal Wilkes did, the way Magic Johnson did, and the way that Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlin, Gail Goodrich, Happy Hairston, Earl Monroe, James Worthy, Doctor Julius Erving did. I especially liked Norm Nixon of the early 80s and late 70s. Such a great field commander as point guard. The Lakers and Celtic went at it in 3 consecutive championship playoffs.
The Lakers and Celtic went at it in 2 consecutive championship playoffs, 1984, 1985,
The 1983 NBA playoffs ended with the Philadelphia 76ers defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 4–0 in the NBA Finals, with Moses Malone named Finals MVP. The 1984 NBA playoffs concluded with the Boston Celtics defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 4–3 in the NBA Finals, with Larry Bird named Finals MVP. The 1985 NBA playoffs ended with the Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Boston Celtics 4–2 in the NBA Finals.
In 1982, the Lakers went to battle against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Magic Johnson was named Finals MVP in 1982 when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 4–2.
But for the 1985 series, I went to Game 3 at the Forum in the Lakers vs. Celtics. It was magical. I was invited to the game by a UPS coworker, Rick, who lived in Diamond Bar, lived in a nice townhome with his wife. It's odd. I recall one time during that season, he invited me over to his house to watch a Laker game, drink a few beer, and snack on chips and dip. I said, sure, I'll join you. It was fun. Just the two of us. Not much conversation, but we were both avid Laker, Magic, Kareen, and Worthy fans that we couldn't have been happier watching the game with a coworker. It was a few weeks later that Rick asked me to a playoff game at the Forum, Game 3. Hard to say no to that, so I went. It was a thrill of a lifetime. The Forum crowd was absolutely nuts. Lakers won and took a 2-1 lead in the championship. But a few months later, I was gathering my things in the lockers at UPS, and I saw two plain clothes detectives come in and handcuff Rick, and they took him away. Apparently, he was selling cocaine.
