NBA On TNT - Celtics @ Lakers February 1991 Bird & Magic's Final Meeting!

[@jmarcguy]

I remember the talk was this may be the last chance to see Magic & Bird in the finals. Love the old TNT intro. Each player was so closely associated with their cities. Great memories!

[@MDBBall]

👍

[@chrisuncleahmad789]

It's easy to forget that Boston was the East 1 seed most of 1991 and Chicago didn't clinch homecourt until game 80

[@TRJ2241987]

29-5 before Bird went down with back injury

[@ILoveOldTWC]

Nothing was going to stop Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls from winning it all that year.

[@malakigaminuniverse]

I don't know if Boston would've beat Detroit it would've been epic bird never lost to Jordan in the playoffs!! I got the 88/89 season going in my eras lol

[@ILoveOldTWC]

@@malakigaminuniverse He would have that year. But the Bulls wanted Detroit. Detroit was the standard as they had won back to back championships, knocking Chicago out 3 straight years. But Chicago still would've had homecourt, Bird did lose to Jordan in Chicago, just not in Boston. And 88-89, Detroit was going to win that year no matter what. Cold hard fact, Bird was done with nba titles after 1986.

[@WesleyJones-gx4vo]

@@ILoveOldTWC Celtics started out the season 29-5 with the best record in the Eastern Conference. Had Bird not injured his back shortly before the all-star break the Celtics could've have certainly at least put up a good fight against them if not won the series. Celtics split with the Bulls in the regular season including beating the Bulls at Chicago Stadium. No doubt in my mind with an early 90-91 healthier Bird the Celtics would've put up a better fight against Chicago than the Pistons did

[@robyeone7976]

The current NBA doesn’t understand how cool Warm Up Uniforms truly are.

[@SWALE1984]

I was at this game with my friend Marco from Sears.

[@joegevorkyan7308]

Man, upload after upload- I can’t choose which one is my favorite! What an epic game, a closing to an amazing rivalry!

[@MDBBall]

😁

[@BSmokeyGaming]

Really sad to see how the game of basketball (both college and NBA) has completely devalued, I rather watch this highlights or any 80s, 90s, early 2000s highlights than todays NBA game.

[@JEFFMAN90]

Stop lying 😂😂

[@thomastripp9002]

Took the words right out of my mouth!!! Well said!!!

[@Mark_Knight]

Devalued and destroyed. Modern NBA is unwachable and there is so much wrong. 3 pointers no post games Awful constant stat overlays Female commentators Bad camera angles Players not playing 3 and no D high scoring Players overly friendly Salaries

[@Mark_Knight]

The commentary was way better. Listen to hubie brown...just great and today, nada...

[@jtonneck]

@@Mark_Knightyou just a hater bro

[@coreyrowe4119]

It's a shame the Bird vs Magic rivalry ended as suddenly as it did, it truly deserved a proper send-off.

[@TiltBrook]

Back when the home teams only wore their home uniforms, and the visiting teams only wore their visiting uniforms!!!

[@juanfranciscosantana4793]

Wao all the coach wearing Suits ,i miss That NBA 🥺🥺🥺

[@susanstamboulian646]

Yes, it was nice. Now, every team has so many different uniforms, and you never know what they'll wear. As a Celtics fan, I absolutely hate their black uniforms.

[@jordansoviet23]

This was real fundamental team oriented basketball. Nowadays you only see athletic players and shooters who only show off their range.

[@Chris_Stanley007]

I honestly wish they'd get rid of the 3-point shot. Made sense at the time they implemented it, but the way players use three's nowadays is just wrong. I say, get rid of the 3's and force teams to actually have to beat you playing basketball, not just hucking up 3's.

[@susanstamboulian646]

@@Chris_Stanley007 I say get rid of the 3 until the last 5 minutes of the game. Today's game is a disgrace with teams shooting more three point shots than twos. The Boston Celtics are at the top of that list.

[@Mike-kv5pl]

Reggie Lewis was tough to guard. A quick 6' 7" shooting guard with a great mid-range.

[@jasontibbetts9981]

In another Universe, Reggie Lewis, Len Bias and Larry Bird all played together, what a joy that would have been.

[@Aquamelli]

What a crazy What If scenario. Not so sure Jordan has the legacy that he has if Len Bias and Reggie Lewis were healthy and playing.

[@TRJ2241987]

Is it realistic to think the Celtics ever would have gotten Lewis, if Bias didn't die?

[@Aquamelli]

@@TRJ2241987That's a fair question... answer is, probably not. Len Bias was labeled as a generational talent, but unfortunately, we'll just never know how the East would've turned out. My other favorite what if is... what if Nick Anderson doesnt miss those 4 free throws in the '95 finals. Who knows if that changes the series and perhaps the Magic win, but would that have kept Penny and Shaq together?

[@John-w2w2q]

And Bird retired with five or six rings.

[@TRJ2241987]

@@John-w2w2q I've heard during the Celtics trophy celebration in 1986, that was largely the speculation from the media, that the Lakers run was going to be over at that point, and the question was how many more Larry Bird would have by the end of the decade, with most thinking the Celtics would win the next three without much competition and become the first to win multiple titles in a row since Russell's teams. And then a string of tragic events came one after the other for the team, along with the rebirth of the Lakers and rise of the Pistons, and changed all of that.

[@arlibrarian]

I used to love this TNT NBA theme.

[@capitanfuturo594]

BIRD VS MAGIC WAS THE GREATEST RIVALRY IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN SPORTS.

[@JAWrightonline]

Ali and Frazier have entered the chat...

[@capitanfuturo594]

@@JAWrightonline Stop writing nonsense.

[@JAWrightonline]

@capitanfuturo594 Ali-Frazier captivated the WORLD. Bird-Magic was compelling but it was basically limited to the United States. Back to where you belong, junior.

[@georgestamatakis697]

​@@JAWrightonlineAs a European i can inform you that it wasn't even close. Most European countries didn't know nothing about American boxing in the 60's and 70's

[@ezirulez4eva175]

@@georgestamatakis697Muhammad Ali is known universally his fight with Frazier was viewed by 100 million people in European aswell but many propel here in Ireland know who Ali is

[@chrisuncleahmad789]

Robert Parish in that 1st quarter (21 points!) looked like prime David Robinson

[@timhoward5]

Prime David Robinson looked like Robert Parish in that 3rd quarter.

[@vikmusic1165]

In the book Unfinished Business (about the Celtics 1990-91 season) it talks about Divac talking trash about how old Parish was in an interview before this game. Parish was told about the interview and said “Well, Fu** Vlade Divac!” Then he torched him for 21 in the 1st Qtr.

[@Chris_Stanley007]

@@timhoward5 watching Chief do his work reminds me of how good a player he was.

[@timhoward5]

@@Chris_Stanley007 People forget.

[@JeffWiersma]

Imagine this 1990-91 Celtics team with Len Bias in his 5th NBA season

[@kennethveiga7189]

Bias was better than MJ in college. Imagine the two of them in the league at the same time.

[@Chris_Stanley007]

@@kennethveiga7189 would have changed the whole landscape, for sure.

[@zap_sigma1]

I always have said that Celtics team (not the Knicks) would have been the Bulls' biggest challenge in the East at that time.

[@jaredwright8085]

They would have traded Bird to my Pacers and we would have been off and running earlier than we was

[@JoshBruin77]

Just incredible to imagine what ut would have been like with Bias.

[@edwardoutlawjr8154]

Lakers and C's were must-see TV. This game here with Magic and Legend facing off for the last time was truly the end of an era.

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

4:14 Chief definitely had a quick/tight spin move that he was almost always successful with even late in his career.

[@seeehorn]

Magic and Bird's last meeting in the NBA Finals was in 1987 and a lot of us may have thought that both teams basically got old and fell off soon after but this video here shows that Bird's Celtics and Magic's Lakers were still elite in 1990-91 as they had 2 of the 3 best records (behind Portland) in the NBA pretty deep into the season. It would have been interesting if Magic and Bird met again in the 1991 NBA Finals with a somewhat different cast of co-stars in guys like Reggie Lewis, Dee Brown, Brian Shaw, Sam Perkins and Vlade Divac mixed in with the holdovers like James Worthy, Byron Scott, A.C. Green, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. Some of you in the comments have mentioned that Boston would have had the best record in the East (not Chicago) if Bird didn't miss so many games during the regular season and may have beaten the Bulls in the playoffs. Jordan's Bulls playing Bird's (or Reggie Lewis''!! LOL) Celtics in the 1991 playoffs is actually an interesting hypothetical. Maybe Bird's Celtics would have been the one team who could beat Jordan's Bulls in the playoffs during the Bulls first 3-peat? I think the Bulls would have prevailed because EVERYTHING (Jordan's continued dominance, Pippen becoming elite, Horace Grant's improvement, the collective defense of Jordan-Pippen-Grant-Cartwright, etc.) had come together for them during the 1990-91 season, they weren't going to be denied!! They went 15-2 in the 1991 playoffs and humiliated the defending champion Detroit Pistons! Also, the 1991 Bulls were WAY better than the Bulls teams that lost to the Celtics in the 1986 and 1987 playoffs. I see some of you seem to think Jordan losing to Bird's Celtics early in his career would factor into a hypothetical matchup in 1991. Finally, EVERYONE is right about this brand of basketball in 1991 being WAY better than the GARBAGE nowadays!! Now, everyone just takes three's, misses games when they are healthy, refuses to play real defense and switches teams at the slightest hint of adversity!!

[@fedepel4457]

che bella la intro con i giocatori simbolo e lo sfondo del posto dove giocano! gli anni 90 sono stati un sogno 😍

[@juanfranciscosantana4793]

The only team that can beat thoses mighty celtics and lakers en his prime in 80s ,were the Philadelphia sixers of moses malones ,DJ ,etc in 1983 .

[@Chris_Stanley007]

Great upload, thanks. I miss the Bird/Magic days tbh.

[@MDBBall]

👍

[@elroz1675]

the fast breaks and transition game of both teams is so good. Might be a better looking basketball than today.

[@KarlMalowned32]

It’s easy for me to forget how good the 1991 Celtics were. I don’t know how they choked in the 2nd round to a Pistons team running on fumes from 3 straight Finals appearances.

[@TheSands83]

😂 if Jordan had a season ending injury the pistons 3 peat in 91

[@KingBreeze07]

​@@TheSands83Oh absolutely, instead he swept the defending champions. Which he would've beaten them in 1990 if he had a tad bit more help because he was beating Detroit more than Boston an LA was.

[@TRJ2241987]

1990 Celtics were a worse choke

[@melvynsngltn27]

​@@KingBreeze07Chicago was getting there butts kicked

[@jaxsonsdad79]

@@TheSands83Lakers would’ve beaten that version of Detroit

[@albertferro8563]

Just imagine this team with a Dominique Wilkins type player. That’s who Len Bias would’ve been if not better for the Celtics. Len Bias & Reggie Lewis would’ve made Boston a title contender all throughout the 1990’s.

[@markd.5471]

All those Gen Z’ers who think the NBA is so much better now need to watch this video. .

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

17:30 CHIEF is simply 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 On this night. He’s definitely taking the pain away from McHales absence.

[@kennybegeske8824]

Put This Game On NBA TV Hardwood Classic On TV

[@sdunbar84]

This is Magic and Bird's final "Regular" season game. Magic's Lakers and Bird's Celtics, matched up for 2 preseason games before the 1991-92 season.1 in Boston,1 in L.A.

[@MDBBall]

Nice, thanks for that info!

[@Crunchysopa52]

thx for the post

[@MDBBall]

👍

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

6:52 Chief was a little bit surprised by that no look from Bird so he had to improvise on the spot. He went with a particular move/shot knowd by many around the NE USA as the “Calamity Flap”. Fortunately it went in. Sadly I have witnessed occasions when Chief actually did miss the “Calamity Flap” shot. I believe that Hubert Brown referred to it as a “Dipsee Doo” or some such term. Imagine Kareem is known for his legendary “Sky Hook” while Chief is known for the “Dipsee Doo”😂🥲 I would be genuinely embarrassed for him.

[@DetroitLove4U]

The year before - the first year post Kareem - the Lakers won an NBA best 63 games but were bounced by the Suns. This season they won 58 games. I remember they suffered injuries to their starters in the NBA Finals. This Celtics squad, despite Larry Bird shooting a paltry 45% from the field, shot over 51% as a team and was 5th in the NBA in scoring. That year the Pistons were near the cellar in team scoring. But in the playoffs, despite a meager output in offense in Game 1 ( a Pistons victory with 86 points ) - their other three victories were very convincing offensive outputs exceeding well over 100 points on the 3 game average of those victories. I am sure that Boston would have given the Bulls a run for their money - as the Pistons didn't and were swept. But quite frankly as good as the Celtics were in their prime and even subsequently down the road as much as the touted success the Bulls would accomplish ........ Showtime was and is the best NBA team ever to play on hardwood!

[@Joseph-lz5er]

This season was supposed to be the passing of the torch to Len Bias and Reggie Lewis and birth of the Bulls and Celtics rivalry of the 90s. Tragically they both passed away and Bulls just dominated the 90s without a real rivalry.

[@ShaadsComicsandBeers]

I don't wanna hear nothing else about these teams being old when the Bulls won that year. Both of these teams were still really good basketball teams.

[@jaxsonsdad79]

That doesn’t mean they weren’t old. All those battles take a toll.

[@ShaadsComicsandBeers]

@@jaxsonsdad79 so does that apply across the board or is that just some excuse for the Bulls winning?

[@jaxsonsdad79]

@@ShaadsComicsandBeers Not at all. The Bulls ascended. But it did coincide with the great teams of the 80's aging out. The tragedy is they didn't have equitable rival, which is why people ignorantly disparage the era.

[@ShaadsComicsandBeers]

@@jaxsonsdad79 I love how you said that (and I'm not being sarcastic). It does make a lot of sense when you say it that way. The Celtics drafted well in the mid 80s but we know how those pics unfortunately turned out. Tbf the Knicks were that one team that pushed the Bulls. If the Bulls were any less better than they were the Knicks probably beat them a couple times. I grew up a Bulls fan and loved every minute of that 6 ring era and miss the hell out of it too lol 🤣🤣🤣🤣 so forgive me if I sound a little biased.

[@mckill32]

Doesn’t matter anyway. It wasn’t the Celtics they played in the ECF it was Detroit. Michael’s Bulls never beat Bird and the celts in a playoff series. In fact bird swept Mike in two of the series they played in.

[@SHOW_ME]

This is the Celtics team that started my green love 💚 ☘️

[@edkiely2712]

Parish had such an amazing game in this one! This 56-win '91 Celtics team was superb when they were playing top-tier team basketball. They had depth, versatility, and an excellent blend of youth and explerience. They started the season out 29-5 and were primed to challenge Chicago in the East IF THEY STAYED HEALTHY! That "if" didn't happen! Bird was barely effective come playoff time, and Boston didn't stand a chance without him healthy. They did beat Indiana in the opening round with Larry's legendary Gm.#5 performance and, they did take the champion Pistons to 6-games in the ECSF's but, both teams were a MASH unit by then, with the Pistons getting swept by the eventual champion Bulls in the ECF's. This was Bird's last really good team he played on! As a side note: the Bulls played in Boston on March 31st of this '91season, which was Easter Sunday, with Boston pulling-out a 135-132 2OT win in one of the greatest regular season games I witnessed in the 90's. I believe the full game is still available on YT!

[@susanstamboulian646]

This team was a better road team than most of the 80s Celtic road teams.

[@krlm2280]

Would've been cool to have one more bird vs magic finals especially to start the 90s

[@chaunseybillings5381]

Bird and magic was getting up there around this time It was all about Jordan and the Chicago bulls in the 90s

[@krlm2280]

Magic retired after the '91 season and bird after '92

[@mongoslade277]

They hadn't even won anything yet. If Bird didn't miss 20 something games with his back, Boston would've won the East. They finished 2 games behind Chicago & Bird missed 20. The Pistons were the back2back champs. There was no Chicago yet

[@mongoslade277]

​@@krlm2280I'm being technical but Magic retired in November 1991. That's the 1992 season. Bird & Magic came in the same season & went out together

[@krlm2280]

@mongoslade277 I know you're being technical and I get it but Magic retired after the 90-91 season bird retired right before the 92-93 season magic played a pre season game but didn't want to play cause players we're "nervous" and protest he played the 92 all star game

[@mongoslade277]

@@krlm2280 I remember that preseason game. Magic got cut and started bleeding. The whole arena went silent and most people got scared

[@makgeoff]

I watched this game at that time & it was very different without McHale as the pace was a lot faster. Lewis, Shaw, Gamble were the 3 new young Wings to play a more up-tempo style as the old big 3 ages & retries. Lewis was also regarded as the toughest player guarded Jordan as well. Unfortunately, he passed away. Tragic. RIP.

[@darrendoyle568]

Seems like Boston had this game circled on the calendar cause didn’t the lakers trounce them up at the Garden earlier in the season

[@pomerlain8924]

Yep. The Lakers had blown them out on Super Bowl Sunday.

[@laiztreintaidos6485]

👍Gracias!

[@MDBBall]

👍

[@mickyjackson51]

I love these games!

[@MDBBall]

👍

[@armandop9082]

Had Len Bias lived Bird would probably have 5 rings by 1991.

[@NameCallingIsWeak]

Had Bird hired someone to pave his mothers driveway, he could have had more rings too

[@susanstamboulian646]

@@NameCallingIsWeak Most accurate comment of this entire video.

[@Bret_97]

Miss those days

[@KW-fb4kv]

Wow, it's so interesting to see Mike was barely even featured in the intro graphics (justifiably, since he hadn't won a title yet). He was maybe the 10th player for half a second in the intro sequence.

[@elroz1675]

Bird played that whole season with a bad back (missing a lot of games then and next year), but still had an 11/11/11 triple double that night. Shot poorly, but did other things on this second night of a back to back. Magic had a very very good game. You can find the numbers online.

[@pasadena1992]

The final time Bird vs Magic head to head. Next time when they both will be on the same court, they will be teammates in Barcelona for team USA

[@truthiscensored]

The fact both teams failed to score 100 points shows they were a shell of their past heights

[@jayscribe7547]

Amazing game! Only a handful of threes taken.

[@scottnewton9046]

After Kareem retired, Chief had his way with the Lakers.

[@djdicrenzo3908]

It just goes to show the confidence teams had in themselves when playing w bird on their

[@RoyPage1970]

No one was stopping Michael and the bulls that year no one !!!!!

[@kennybegeske8824]

Upload More And More Chicago Bulls Basketball Games From NBA On NBC And TNT

[@michaelallen8112]

We have enough bulls games on KZbin. Go seek them out

[@kennybegeske8824]

Bird Vs Magic Converse Weapons

[@jasonelliott7977]

Brian shaw was quite the solid player

[@WesleyJones-gx4vo]

Thought the Celtics made a mistake trading Shaw for Sherman Douglas

[@krlm2280]

Shaw was a hooper this was around the time he lost his parents in a auto accident

[@richardyoon4209]

Boston's Four Bullets. Lewis, Gamble, Shaw and Dee Brown. Rejuvenated the Celtics this season

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

Bird looks odd with those black Converse. Back in the 80s - early 90’s Bostons road uniforms often looked more black than green. Or very dark green.

[@willharper7888]

..😢 and that was the last year I watched a FULL basketball game. #magic #bird 🤷‍♂️👏☝️

[@courtneylee-nh4vw]

R.I.P Reggie Lewis

[@dansmith9586]

Actually, the final time Larry Bird and Magic Johnson faced other came on October 11th, 1991, in a preseason game in Boston.

[@localwear1]

i believe Larry’s stat line was 11 11 11.

[@ruminator3570]

Imagine a healthy Bird on this squad. Id say Larry got the last laugh in the rivalry with this win but considering what happened to Earvin I'll call it a draw. Celtics vs Lakers was more than Bird more than Magic or was Music. Tension and release, maestros in the house.

[@TiltBrook]

Technically not their final meeting. They would meet the following season in preseason of the 91/92 season at the Boston Garden… Just stay before Magic had to announce his retirement. This here is their last regular season meeting, and last meeting ever at The Forum

[@ngarci8040]

@ 16:45 we might have just witnessed the 1st ever Fastbreak reverse dunk in NBA History…! sounds like it anyways lOl

[@MK-fl7hb]

Reggie Lewis was bucket

[@FavreianVengeance]

1:51 Celts were going to be in the 91 Finals with good health.

[@swissbeats2k]

Do you have the full game on dvd or the file?

[@changkwangoh]

Hubie Brown in this!

[@Mrd9960]

And still going at it today, 30+ years later!

[@krlm2280]

At 90 years old still calling them

[@G-TV_TheOneManArmy]

Can we get some shaq and kobe laker game highlights 😊

[@MDBBall]

Will look into it!

[@italibello]

Where is Kevin mchale

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

18:36 So what exactly was this screw job on Boston at the end of the 3Q ? Ref blew his whistle yet no goal tending call was made. Was a foul called ? Hubert Evans #1 Laker fan! 😆😂 🤷🏼

[@djdicrenzo3908]

Lewis could also stop Jordan head to head

[@coreyortiz9913]

they trying kill off the 90s NBA im just glad im one of the few Gen Z'ers that appreciates 90s basketball and lets be real 1990s NBA is better than 2020s NBA. they had all time high ratings while the current product is at a all time low

[@Lavarpsu10]

Stooooooop

[@dreamcage1801]

Gen Z’ers are bunch of tik tok lovers

[@JohnDoe-d6j]

1991LAKERS/ MAGIC JOHNSON, BYRON SCOTT, JAMES WORTHY, SAM PERKINS, VLADE DIVAC, TERRY TEAGLE, ELDEN CAMPBELL, AC GREEN, VS 1991 CELTICS/ BRIAN SHAW, REGGIE LEWIS, LARRY BIRD, KEVIN MCHALE, ROBERT PARRISH, BRAD LOHAUS, DEE BROWN, FRED ROBERTS

[@acornsucks2111]

Bird retired in 92.

[@mgb4692]

First time since 1984 that the Forum matchup wasn't following Daytona (of course with NBC replacing CBS that was sort of a given) They did play on Super Sunday a few weeks earlier

[@springfieldbearpatrol2937]

Lakers would make it to the finals and lose to the Bulls. Parrish monster game here 29 I think - bring back Kareem to guard this guy. Worthy showing those great post moves. Reggie Lewis also playing well.

[@djdicrenzo3908]

Reggie was the original Durant

[@walterwidmaieriii7776]

Didn't need to be this long.

[@djdicrenzo3908]

Lewis was an all star, Gamble was knock down shooter & Shaw & D. Brown could create. If Bird McHale & Parish could of held up they could of won it all

[@iamlegend3669]

Divac was a flopper from day 1

[@italibello]

Poor Reggie Lewis I had his sneakers

[@eddybenoit2763]

Give me chills thats nba fri on tnt magic bird back in da the day not thus crap now espn is a joke tnt is ok but early 90's better 😂😊

[@eddybenoit2763]

Nba is crap now back then great look @hubie brown then now 90 going strong ron thurlin still doing it wnba dallas wings both old still doing games!!

[@TheYeti308]

BOOOOO . ! ! ! !

[@Classicbasketballdvds]

nicee upload...icons. changed and elevated the game

[@mikefolknation2851]

I think they played a preseason game in Boston the next season before Magic found out he had HIV

[@aarontrainor9918]

Nov 7th,1991 end of showtime