This year's Celtics-Lakers matchup brings back visions of their fierce battles throughout several decades. Many great players come to mind. Russell, West, Bird, Magic, Kobe, Pierce and many many more.
My favorite memory between these 2 teams centers around Kevin McHale putting an old school hard playoff foul on Kurt Rambis on a breakaway layup in game 3 of the 1984 finals.
The Celtics had given up home court advantage and were down 76-70 and 2-1 in the series. Rambis, a power forward in black horn rimmed glasses on the Showtime Lakers, broke out on a fast break heading for an easy basket. McHale prevented the layup by clotheslining Rambis.
Rambis got up and started after McHale before tripping over a cameraman. He was helped up and calmed down by Larry Bird. The benches cleared but no punches were thrown.
The call? Technical foul on McHale.
That's it.
No flagrant, no ejection, no suspension for McHale or those who left the bench.
Ahh the good ol days of physical basketball.
The play turned the momentum of the game and series. The Celtics went on to win both.
I don't want to see anyone get hurt. But wouldn't it be funny if Big Baby put a hit like this on Sasha Vujacic in these finals?
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