Bird Celtics dynasty

Everybody heard about the Bird, as Larry and company picked up three championships in the ’80s, with a freewheeling style that lacked the glitz of “Showtime” but got similar results

FEATURED LISTs

Squad goals: 75 greatest NBA teams

November 11, 2021

Comeback kids: 12 NBA playoff series in which a team overcame a 3-1 series deficit

May 1, 2021

Nothing to show for it: 20 notable players who were teammates with Magic Johnson or Larry Bird but didn’t win a title

May 21, 2024

Bird is the word: Ranking the 21 players who won a championship as Larry Bird’s Celtics teammate

December 11, 2023

Moral support: 26 notable NBA champions who were not on the playoff roster

Not all of them earned (or accepted) a ring for their efforts, but these 26 players contributed to an eventual champion, though only in the regular season.

May 1, 2026August 10, 2026

Player hater’s ball: Eight players who have antagonized an city’s entire fan base

Being beloved by your hometown faithful is the goal of most basketball players, but some took a special pride in the pure hatred they inspired in opposing fan bases.

December 21, 2025September 16, 2026

Tough act to follow: 23 (mostly) forgotten NBA players who replaced departing legends

Everyone remembers the franchise legends but when those great ones departed, either to retire or join a different team, who were the unsung heroes taking their place in the lineup?

November 1, 2025August 17, 2026

Won’t see my picture on the cover: 10 NBA Finals that weren’t featured on a Sports Illustrated cover

For decades, Sports Illustrated was the weekly arbiter of what was notable in the world of sports. Here’s a look back at 10 times when the former paper of record for newsworthy sports milestones opted to de-emphasize the NBA Finals.

June 1, 2025August 10, 2026

You’re the best around: 80 greatest NBA players of the 1980s

We conclude our Totally ’80s series by ranking the 80 greatest players of the decade, based solely on statistics, accolades, and awards compiled between the ’80-’81 and ’88-’89 seasons.

July 21, 2024October 1, 2026

Nothing to show for it: 20 notable players who were teammates with Magic Johnson or Larry Bird but didn’t win a title

We’ve previously ranked the players who earned a championship playing on Magic Johnson’s Lakers and Larry Bird’s Celtics, respectively. But what about the ballers that joined one of those warring dynasties expecting an all-but-guaranteed ring but instead walked away with nothing? Here are 20 notable ones.

May 21, 2024October 2, 2026

Foregone conclusion: 10 playoff series that were considered “virtual” NBA Finals

It’s the NBA Finals that technically decides the league’s champion from year to year but here are 10 times that series seemed like a foregone conclusion and the “true” Finals took place earlier in the postseason.

May 11, 2024September 29, 2026

Slamming the door shut: 19 winner-take-all NBA playoff game blowouts

As the old adage goes, anything can happen in a winner-take-all playoff game, and what transpired in these 19 examples were absolute decimations, leaving the losing team not just eliminated but usually questioning themselves heading into the offseason.

April 21, 2024September 1, 2026

Don’t you forget about me: 80 basketball moments from the ’80s that changed the sport forever

As part of our Totally ’80s series, we explore the 80 most monumental, controversial, influential, unforgettable, and indescribable basketball moments from the 1980s.

January 11, 2024September 30, 2026

Bird is the word: Ranking the 21 players who won a championship as Larry Bird’s Celtics teammate

As part of our Totally ’80s series, we rank the 21 players who won a championship in 1981, 1984, and/or 1986 as a teammate of Larry Bird on the Celtics.

December 11, 2023October 2, 2026

When the game was theirs: Eight crucial games that defined the Bird vs. Magic rivalry

Their rivalry is still the pinnacle of the NBA for many, and their subsequent friendship still inspires. As we approach the 30th anniversary of their final NBA match-up, we take a look back at the eight most unforgettable games involving two of the game’s all-time greatest, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

October 1, 2023September 30, 2026

Squad goals: 75 greatest NBA teams

There’s been many great teams in NBA history, but these are the 75 that stand out above the rest, based on an objective ranking system of statistics, accomplishments, opponent strength, and individual components.

November 11, 2021October 2, 2026

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Basketball, Listed

Bird Celtics dynasty

FEATURED LISTs

Squad goals: 75 greatest NBA teams

Comeback kids: 12 NBA playoff series in which a team overcame a 3-1 series deficit

Nothing to show for it: 20 notable players who were teammates with Magic Johnson or Larry Bird but didn’t win a title

Bird is the word: Ranking the 21 players who won a championship as Larry Bird’s Celtics teammate

related topics

Boston Celtics

Larry Bird

NBA Finals

“Showtime” Lakers dynasty

Red Auerbach

Pistons “Bad Boys” dynasty

Philadelphia 76ers

FULL archive

Moral support: 26 notable NBA champions who were not on the playoff roster

Player hater’s ball: Eight players who have antagonized an city’s entire fan base

Tough act to follow: 23 (mostly) forgotten NBA players who replaced departing legends

Won’t see my picture on the cover: 10 NBA Finals that weren’t featured on a Sports Illustrated cover

You’re the best around: 80 greatest NBA players of the 1980s

Nothing to show for it: 20 notable players who were teammates with Magic Johnson or Larry Bird but didn’t win a title

Foregone conclusion: 10 playoff series that were considered “virtual” NBA Finals

Slamming the door shut: 19 winner-take-all NBA playoff game blowouts

Don’t you forget about me: 80 basketball moments from the ’80s that changed the sport forever

Bird is the word: Ranking the 21 players who won a championship as Larry Bird’s Celtics teammate

When the game was theirs: Eight crucial games that defined the Bird vs. Magic rivalry

Squad goals: 75 greatest NBA teams