Bird went from scoring a triple-double in the playoffs to a hospital.
The beginning of the ’90s was dominated by the Chicago Bulls dynasty under Michael Jordan, which often overshadowed older stars and their swan dance. One of them was Larry Bird, who showed impressive leadership as he led the Boston Celtics even though injuries slowed him down.
After leading the Celtics to an impressive 26-5 start in the ’90-91 season, Bird was sidelined for 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back. While the three-time MVP was in a lot of pain, he refused to yield. Ultimately, he did something extraordinary in the playoffs, and even coach Chris Ford was amazed by his relentless drive to be a match-winner.
Larry’s heroics against the Indiana Pacers
The Celtics won the Atlantic Division with a 56-26 record that season and were scheduled to play against the young Indiana Pacers in the first-round series. Having missed seven of the last eight games in the playoffs, nobody expected Bird to be so impactful. Yet, the Pacers fans should know that he had the ability to be a match-winner every time he stepped on the hardwood.
In the series opener, the 12-time All-Star shot 6-of-20 from the field but logged 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists after playing 41 minutes to help Boston take the lead with a 127-120 victory.
More importantly, Bird delivered when the Celtics were at their most vulnerable, scoring four points and three assists to help his team level the score 110 apiece, and scored 11 of his points in the fourth quarter. After the game, coach Ford gave the flowers that his star forward truly deserved.
“I don’t know if everyone got the full effect of what Larry Bird did,” Ford said. “That’s some of the gutsiest playing I’ve ever seen.”
Bird went straight to the hospital after that game
As the franchise fans, coaches, and players celebrated the win, Larry was taken straight to the hospital after the game. A team’s spokesperson detailed that the two-time Finals MVP was taken to the hospital for only precautionary purposes.
Even Pacers star Chuck Person admitted that the Indiana native made some big plays but wasn’t surprised by Bird’s match-winning impact, as that is what great players do.
Despite being in his 12th season, Bird gave his all, helping the Celtics top Pacers after averaging 20.8 points and 8.4 rebounds over the five games of that series. Larry and his Celtics would get eliminated next round to another aging team, the “Bad Boy” Pistons, so this Pacers series was last winning series in his career.
