The 1984, 1985, and 1987 NBA Finals: How a Clothesline, a Broken Hand, and a Junior Skyhook Changed Basketball History

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry is one of the most iconic in sports history, and their clashes in the 1984, 1985, and 1987 NBA Finals helped define the NBA’s golden era.

The 1984 Finals was a brutal, physical war where the Celtics baited the Lakers into playing their game. A single moment—Kevin McHale’s clothesline on Kurt Rambis—completely changed the trajectory of the series. One year later, the Lakers got their revenge in the 1985 Finals, but only after an unexpected turn of events: Larry Bird breaking his shooting hand in a bar fight before the series, which severely limited his effectiveness.

In 1987, Magic Johnson sealed the Lakers' dominance with his legendary “junior skyhook”, delivering a dagger to Boston’s hopes.

These three moments—one fueled by calculated aggression, another by self-inflicted recklessness, and the last by pure brilliance—dramatically altered NBA history.

The 1984 NBA Finals: "The Clothesline That Changed the Series"

Coming into Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, the Lakers led the series 2-1 and were in complete control. They had outplayed the Celtics in nearly every game, but Boston knew one thing: if they turned the series into a street fight, they could get into the Lakers’ heads.

Kevin McHale’s Clothesline on Kurt Rambis (Game 4)

With a chance to take control of the series, the Lakers got baited. It’s not a stretch or hyperbole to say Kevin McHale’s clothesline changed the series. It made things personal, which Boston wanted, and the Lakers played into it.

Instead of closing out a game they led by double digits to take a commanding 3-1 lead, their focus shifted to revenge. The Celtics continued baiting them into it, as Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy later described:

“You could feel the whole thing turn,” McHale said. Minutes after the takedown, Bird tangled with Cooper as Bird tried to inbound after a Lakers basket... There was no whistle. Seconds later, Bird and Abdul-Jabbar went jaw-to-jaw in the same spot where Rambis was upended. “Kareem said, ‘I will f--- you up, white boy,” Maxwell recalled. “I was two feet away, and that is exactly what he said.”

The Lakers, rattled and distracted, allowed Boston to mount a comeback. Larry Bird buried a game-winner over Magic, tying the series at 2-2. The Lakers, who very realistically could have swept the series at this point, let it slip away.

Pat Riley’s Furious Response

After the game, Pat Riley was livid. He believed the Celtics had forced the Lakers into a battle they hadn’t prepared for, shifting the momentum of the series:

“What Boston did was the equivalent of two gang warlords meeting the night before a rumble and deciding the weapons. They both agree on bare fists, and one of them shows up with zip guns. We’re not going to lower ourselves to the level of a Kevin McHale and his tactics. But I’ll tell you what we’re going to do. We’ll be ready for anything.”

From that moment, the tone of the Finals changed completely. The Lakers lost Game 5 in Boston, won Game 6 at home, and then collapsed in Game 7, allowing Boston to claim the championship. The Celtics’ mental warfare and physicality had broken the Lakers.

The 1985 NBA Finals: Bird’s Broken Hand and the Lakers’ Revenge

The 1985 NBA Finals was supposed to be the Celtics’ chance to repeat as champions. Instead, Larry Bird entered the series with a secret injury that he never publicly disclosed—a broken right (shooting) hand suffered in a bar fight.

In May 1985, just before the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, Larry Bird was involved in a bar fight in Boston. This incident added to the intensity of the Celtics' playoff run and became a legendary, if lesser-known, moment in Bird’s career.

What Happened?

• Bird was at a Boston bar (some sources say it was a tavern or a private club).
• An altercation broke out, reportedly involving Bird’s brother, Eddie.
• Larry Bird, never one to back down from a fight, got physically involved.
• During the fight, Bird injured his shooting hand. Some reports describe it as a cut or swollen knuckles.

Bird’s Stats Before and After the Injury

Before the Injury (1984-85 Regular Season):

• 28.7 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 52.2% FG, 42.7% 3PT

• Won his second straight MVP

• Led the Celtics to an NBA-best 63-19 record

After the Injury (1985 NBA Finals):

• 23.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 5.0 APG, 44.9% FG, 19.0% 3PT

• Three-point shooting collapsed from 42.7% to just 19.0%

• Turnovers increased, and his usual smooth shooting was noticeably off

Boston, heavily reliant on Bird’s scoring and leadership, never looked right in the 1985 Finals. The Lakers took full advantage.

Impact on the NBA Finals

• The injury was downplayed at the time, but it may have affected Bird’s performance.
• Bird struggled in certain games of the 1985 Finals against the Lakers.
• The Celtics lost the series in six games, with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leading the Lakers to their first-ever Finals win over Boston.
• Bird still had strong performances in the series, but his shooting was somewhat inconsistent.

Legacy of the Incident

• Bird was known for his toughness, and this bar fight added to his gritty reputation.
• It became one of those mythical NBA stories, often overshadowed by his legendary on-court battles.
• While the injury may not have been the sole reason for the Celtics' Finals loss, it certainly didn't help.

Bird himself never made a big deal about the incident, but it remains a wild story from an era where NBA legends were as tough off the court as they were on it.

Game 6: The Lakers Break the Garden Curse

On June 9, 1985, the Lakers closed out the Celtics in Boston Garden, winning 111-100. It was the first time in NBA history that the Lakers had defeated Boston in a Finals series—and they did it on the Celtics’ home floor.The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry is one of the most iconic in sports history, and their clashes in the 1984, 1985, and 1987 NBA Finals helped define the NBA’s golden era.

The 1984 Finals was a brutal, physical war where the Celtics baited the Lakers into playing their game. A single moment—Kevin McHale’s clothesline on Kurt Rambis—completely changed the trajectory of the series. One year later, the Lakers got their revenge in the 1985 Finals, but only after an unexpected turn of events: Larry Bird breaking his shooting hand in a bar fight before the series, which severely limited his effectiveness.

In 1987, Magic Johnson sealed the Lakers' dominance with his legendary “junior skyhook”, delivering a dagger to Boston’s hopes.

These three moments—one fueled by calculated aggression, another by self-inflicted recklessness, and the last by pure brilliance—dramatically altered NBA history.

The 1984 NBA Finals: "The Clothesline That Changed the Series"

Coming into Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals, the Lakers led the series 2-1 and were in complete control. They had outplayed the Celtics in nearly every game, but Boston knew one thing: if they turned the series into a street fight, they could get into the Lakers’ heads.

Kevin McHale’s Clothesline on Kurt Rambis (Game 4)

With a chance to take control of the series, the Lakers got baited. It’s not a stretch or hyperbole to say Kevin McHale’s clothesline changed the series. It made things personal, which Boston wanted, and the Lakers played into it.

Instead of closing out a game they led by double digits to take a commanding 3-1 lead, their focus shifted to revenge. The Celtics continued baiting them into it, as Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy later described:

“You could feel the whole thing turn,” McHale said. Minutes after the takedown, Bird tangled with Cooper as Bird tried to inbound after a Lakers basket... There was no whistle. Seconds later, Bird and Abdul-Jabbar went jaw-to-jaw in the same spot where Rambis was upended. “Kareem said, ‘I will f--- you up, white boy,” Maxwell recalled. “I was two feet away, and that is exactly what he said.”

The Lakers, rattled and distracted, allowed Boston to mount a comeback. Larry Bird buried a game-winner over Magic, tying the series at 2-2. The Lakers, who very realistically could have swept the series at this point, let it slip away.

Pat Riley’s Furious Response

After the game, Pat Riley was livid. He believed the Celtics had forced the Lakers into a battle they hadn’t prepared for, shifting the momentum of the series:

“What Boston did was the equivalent of two gang warlords meeting the night before a rumble and deciding the weapons. They both agree on bare fists, and one of them shows up with zip guns. We’re not going to lower ourselves to the level of a Kevin McHale and his tactics. But I’ll tell you what we’re going to do. We’ll be ready for anything.”

From that moment, the tone of the Finals changed completely. The Lakers lost Game 5 in Boston, won Game 6 at home, and then collapsed in Game 7, allowing Boston to claim the championship. The Celtics’ mental warfare and physicality had broken the Lakers.

The 1985 NBA Finals: Bird’s Broken Hand and the Lakers’ Revenge

The 1985 NBA Finals was supposed to be the Celtics’ chance to repeat as champions. Instead, Larry Bird entered the series with a secret injury that he never publicly disclosed—a broken right (shooting) hand suffered in a bar fight.

How Bird Broke His Hand

In the summer of 1985, shortly before the Finals, Bird was playing in a pickup game in Bloomington, Indiana. During the game, he punched a guy in the face, severely injuring his right hand. The details remain murky, but Bird later admitted the injury was his own fault—a reckless moment of frustration that would come back to haunt him.

Bird’s Stats Before and After the Injury

Before the Injury (1984-85 Regular Season):

• 28.7 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 52.2% FG, 42.7% 3PT

• Won his second straight MVP

• Led the Celtics to an NBA-best 63-19 record

After the Injury (1985 NBA Finals):

• 23.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 5.0 APG, 44.9% FG, 19.0% 3PT

• Three-point shooting collapsed from 42.7% to just 19.0%

• Turnovers increased, and his usual smooth shooting was noticeably off

Boston, heavily reliant on Bird’s scoring and leadership, never looked right in the 1985 Finals. The Lakers took full advantage.

Game 6: The Lakers Break the Garden Curse

On June 9, 1985, the Lakers closed out the Celtics in Boston Garden, winning 111-100. It was the first time in NBA history that the Lakers had defeated Boston in a Finals series—and they did it on the Celtics’ home floor.

The 1987 NBA Finals: Magic’s "Junior Skyhook" Crushes the Celtics

By 1987, the Lakers had fully embraced their dominance, while the Celtics were running on fumes. Boston’s aging roster, combined with injuries to Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, left them vulnerable.

Game 4: Magic Delivers the Final Blow

The defining moment came in Game 4, when Magic Johnson sealed a dramatic victory in Boston Garden. Down by one point with less than 10 seconds left, Magic drove into the lane and launched a one-handed junior skyhook over the outstretched arms of Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and Larry Bird.

The ball floated perfectly through the net, giving the Lakers a 107-106 victory and a 3-1 series lead. Bird had a chance to answer but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.

The Lakers closed out the series in Game 6, cementing their place as the NBA’s premier dynasty of the 1980s.

These three Finals defined the era, showing how mental toughness, physicality, and clutch performances shaped one of the greatest rivalries in sports history.