When the Game Was Ours - Larry Bird [105]
Scott Wedman was the next to fall, with a heel injury that all but ended his Celtics career. Overnight the vaunted "Green Team" was reduced to a bunch of big names in expensive street clothes.
Kevin McHale, during a game in Phoenix on March 11, was jockeying for a rebound when he tromped on Larry Nance's foot. Although McHale was unaware of it at the time, he had suffered a stress fracture. He exacerbated the injury by continuing to play on it, and on March 27, when the Celts played Chicago, John Hefferon, the Bulls' team physician, looked at the x-rays and told McHale he had broken the navicular bone in his right foot. By the time the Celtics played the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, McHale was aware that he was risking permanent damage by continuing to play. Even team doctor Thomas Silva conceded that he wasn't sure if McHale should be competing. Bird was not nearly as ambiguous in his opinion.
"Kevin, go home," Bird said.
"I'll be all right, Birdie," McHale answered. "You know you wouldn't go home either."
McHale was right. Bird's back was also a major worry. He needed to receive an hour of painful mobilization therapy from Dan Dyrek daily; otherwise, he couldn't loosen his back enough to play.
The Pistons were not interested in Boston's injury woes. Hungry to displace the Celtics as the best in the East, they adopted the moniker "Bad Boys" to accent their bruising style of play. Detroit's success was predicated on intimidation and defense, and their willingness to physically punish opponents caused them to be universally despised. The primary villains were Bill Laimbeer, a high-post offensive threat with a reputation for delivering blows after the whistle, and the rugged Rick Mahorn. Legendary Celtics radio announcer Johnny Most dubbed this duo "McFilthy and McNasty."
The ringleader of the Bad Boys was Isiah Thomas, the immensely clever point guard with an angelic face and an assassin's heart. Detroit also had crafty Joe Dumars in the backcourt and the combustible Dennis Rodman off the bench, as well as two veteran scorers in Adrian Dantley and Vinnie Johnson, nicknamed "the Microwave" by Danny Ainge because he heated up so quickly when he came into the game. The Pistons were a formidable opponent who proved to be one of the few teams that could match Boston's mental toughness.
The Pistons dropped Games 1 and 2 at Boston Garden, and when the NBA shifted its attention to Auburn Hills, Michigan, the series turned ugly.
In Game 3, Bird was fighting for a loose ball when he was roughly hauled down by Laimbeer. Bird was so incensed that he swung at the Pistons agitator as they both lay sprawled on the floor. When they were finally untangled, Bird fired the ball at Laimbeer's head. He was ejected, and the Celtics lost, 122–104.
"I wanted to fight him," Bird said. "Laimbeer tried to hurt people, and I wanted him to hurt."
As they lined up for introductions before Game 4, Bird refused to shake Laimbeer's hand. Robert Parish, who rarely expressed emotion on the floor, smiled broadly and clapped with approval. The Pistons then went out and evened the series 2–2.
In Game 5, back at the Garden, Laimbeer elbowed Parish in the midsection and the shoulder, and the Celtics big man lost his temper. The next time down the floor, Parish pummeled Laimbeer with a series of punches under the basket that sent the Pistons big man tumbling to the floor. No foul was called, nor was Parish ejected. Detroit general manager Jack McCloskey screamed at referee Jess Kersey, who stood less than a foot away from the Parish attack, to make a call. When he didn't, McCloskey did—to the league office demanding an explanation.
In the final seconds of Game 5, Isiah Thomas drilled a jumper to push his team in