Neat trip down memory lane: '85-'86 Blazers (40-42) beat Celtics (67-15, 40-1 at home) in Boston for Celts only home loss.

Current article from NBA.com. They talk to Bird and Walton (Boston). They remember that game like it was yesterday, because the loss was so painful. Take a look at the box score for the game at the end of the article. You'll see some names that were on the team 5 years later (Finals), coming off the bench. Kind of gives some perspective how young our '08-'09 team is, and how well they are doing this year.

almost 3 years ago G_dubs 7 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Heh! Walton quote

From the article:

Bird ended up making only nine of his 26 shots while the Celtics, who shot 51 percent from the field that season, hit only 46 percent. “That’s why we lost,” said Bird. “My inability to hit a shot. I didn’t shoot well.”

Walton — who won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award that season — was even worse. He had two points, three rebounds and five turnovers in 18 minutes for the Celtics. When Bird was reminded of that, he immediately shifted the blame.

“That’s really why we lost,” said Bird. “Blame Walton.”

Walton, who played his best basketball with the Blazers — leading Portland to the NBA title in ’77 while earning Finals MVP honors — acknowledged he was pressing against his former team and coach.

“I was a disgrace to the sport of basketball,” said Walton, who also won the 1978 NBA MVP with Portland. "It was one of those games when you’re trying so hard — you always do that against one of your former teams — particularly with Jack Ramsay being the coach that made me the best player that I ever was.

“I was just running on empty: Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again.”

"The match in Los Angeles is a good opportunity to begin to demonstrate that we want to make war." Rudy Fernández (translated)

by G_dubs on Apr 1, 2009 4:49 AM PDT reply actions

Quite a game - and look at Bowie's stats!

30 minutes, 18pts (on 8-15), 13 reb, 5 assists (against 1 TO) and 3 blocks. Against Parish in his prime. If only he had stayed healthy…

Porter certainly struggled in his 9 minutes. Obviously a bust

"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy

by Honka Playboy on Apr 1, 2009 11:31 AM PDT reply actions

Porter as a rookie played behind Valentine and Colter

I remember on draft night questioning why Portland needed “another point guard”?

then in his second year Terry “took over”

Could Bayless’ career path see the same “bump” next year?

Stay tuned…

by two4larue on Apr 1, 2009 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions

wow, looking at the box score

the Blazers as a team were 0-3 from 3 point land, and still scored 121 points.

by usmcr3049 on Apr 1, 2009 11:43 AM PDT reply actions

and!!!

they got up 102 shots in a regular game!

by usmcr3049 on Apr 1, 2009 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions

I remember that game very fondly

It was two days before my 20th birthday and the night of the game, my friends threw me a surprise birthday party. We all watched the game together and celebrated the great win. Amazing game.

by Storyteller on Apr 1, 2009 12:20 PM PDT reply actions

The stat I remember

Without even looking at the boxscore…Jerome Kersey had 22 points in 22 minutes, I think it was his rookie year and no one was expecting this kind of output (he didn’t have a reliable jumper, etc)

I’m not sure who wrote the Oregonian article, but it had an ending that talked about Kersey who was planning to head out on the town with some young ladies after the game, and he had a gleam in his eyes like “after what we just did to Boston, anything’s possible”

by two4larue on Apr 1, 2009 2:43 PM PDT reply actions