Before every NBA dynasty begins its reign, there’s always a defining moment – when a franchise stamps its authority and announces, ‘We’ve arrived.’ For the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s, that moment came when they finally swept the Detroit Pistons after they eliminated them in three postseason campaigns. And for the Boston Celtics in the 1980s, according to Cedric Maxwell, it came when his team finally overcame a daunting 3-1 deficit against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Maxwell on the Celtics’ comeback in the ’81 EC Finals
Boston finished the 1980-81 regular season with a joint-best 62-20 record with the Sixers, but they were perceived to be the more dominant force as they ranked in the top five offensively and defensively. Not only did coach Bill Fitch’s team have five players averaging points in double digits, but they also had the same number of players logging one or more steals per game. Moreover, their dominance was clear right out of the gates in the playoffs, as they swept the Bulls in their first series to send a statement across the league.
Advertisement
The Celtics faced the Sixers in the EC Finals — the very team that ended their campaign at the same stage last season — and the stakes couldn’t have been higher. After splitting the first two games, the Celtics lost back-to-back contests despite having the better fourth quarter. Falling into a 3-1 hole, many believed that history was going to repeat itself, as the C’s had little to no chance of making a comeback.
But the Celtics’ grit surfaced when their backs were against the wall. In Game 5, six players scored in double digits to help Boston register a nail-biting 101-99 victory. Game 6 initially looked bleak for Larry Bird & Co., as the Sixers jumped to a 31-18 lead after the first quarter. However, little by little, the away team crawled back in front of a hostile crowd in Philly and closed the game with another two-point victory.
Game 7 was another slugfest. But it looked like the Celtics ran on empty cylinders, shooting 38.2 percent from the field. True to their gritty mindset, they outscored the Sixers 20-15 in the fourth quarter to edge out with a 91-90 victory. It wasn’t pretty, but it was pure heart, and “Cornbread” knew that it was at that very moment that the C’s had showcased their true identity.
“We were down 3-1 and we came back to beat the Sixers. For me, that will always hold a memory about the greatness of our team,” Maxwell said. “To come back and be the team that was a great team and having to beat them at home, you marvel at that feat, to go in and win three games in a row after going down 3-1.”
Advertisement
The Celtics knew they had overcome their biggest challenge
Although coach Fitch’s team would still need six hard-fought games to capture their first Larry O’Brien Trophy of the decade, the Celtics knew they had conquered their most challenging mental hurdle by outlasting a stacked Sixers team that featured Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, and three other double-digit scorers.
It just goes to show that before a champion can rise, they must first pass the test that seems impossible to overcome.