Bird absolutely torched Milwaukee in all 4 games in this series. The Bucks had 0 chance. And they were a pretty good team. The 86 Celtics were the best I have ever seen.

cards1985 Agree 100% !!!

I agree too. But it's amazing how much difference just a year makes. In 87, the Celtics had to come from 8 down with 5 minutes left in Game 7 to beat the same Bucks team. I guess that's what happens when Wedman is replaced by Dorky Fred Roberts, Walton by super clumsy Greg Kite and no Lenny Bias. Still though, the 87 Celts should've beaten Milwaukee much easier than they did.

Keena McHale wasn’t himself by that time as well

DJ, Ainge, Bird, McHale and Parish with Walton as sixth man. What an incredible team in '86.

If only he could pass, he couldve dished off to so many teammates at so many points. They would've gone 78-4

Always gorgeous footwork and mostly unpredictable outside of you the defender knowing the possession ends with him

His contribution that season was not minor!

The league was so talented back in the 80s even the teams that weren't on the same level as Boston Philly LA Detroit or Milwaukee like New Jersey they had a very talented roster with Michael Ray Richardson Otis Birdsong Buck Williams Mike Gminski Darrell Dawkins Mike O'Koren and Albert King

When Bird blew by Cummings was that high IQ basketball?when the Celtics was running the fast break,was that high IQ Basketball

​@@dalegriffin6768yes, high iq takes what's easily given.

@@dpirkl4560 ok,whatever,let's do what we can to stereotype

@dalegriffin6768 how am I stereotyping. You're cherry picking to try and prove a point that is incorrect imo. If you watched Bird at all he played basketball at different level even without superior athletic ability.

@dalegriffin6768 so if he has no athletic agility why is he torching everyone of all colors stop race baiting? He actually took offense if they put a white guy on him. Also if they didn't give whoever on him help.

Who needs to expend tons of energy with a dozen dribble moves, crossovers, and step backs in hopes of breaking ankles? Bird somehow completely freezes his defenders in place with a few well-timed nods and fakes, and then steps by them like traffic cones the instant he sees their weight shift. And he did it to good and great defenders alike, for the better part of a decade.

Exactly 💯 💯

@@JakeStine So True.

Bird is in the top 5 best player,he was such a great ball handler,passer,free throw shooter, clutch shooting,3 point shooter, defender,he had it all,and the crazy thing he was injured alot of his career, Lambeer didn't help things by coming down on Birds back with all his bodyweight,If Bird could have played as long as LeBron he would have broken every record in the books

That's a great comparison,well said my friend

Nothing "quite" about it. They were and still remain the standard barer of all time.

Makes me wonder how the Rockets were able to take them to 6 games in the finals that year.

@@fuinrock8346 True. Boston had lost only one game in their playoff matches before reaching the final. Houston had lost three matches. So both teams were obviously playing good basketball. If I'm not mistaken, I have a faint memory of Larry Bird saying that Boston shouldn't have lost one of those games they lost to Houston (can't remember the reason, but I think he blamed bad execution).

@@fuinrock8346 Can you say Hakeem Olajuwon.

@@tombstone1111 Ya idk about that. They're fantastic but greatest team ever? Not so sure about that.

Lakers don't win in 87 either if Parish, McHale, Bird, and Walton don't all have major injuries.

@@roxydejaneiro5640 Yes, the rivalry between these two teams was so intense that even now the Laker players won't own up to the fact that much of the Celtics team was playing on one good leg. Plus Len Bias died without ever getting a chance to play with this group. As good as they were in "86, there's no telling how good they would've been in '87. Just snake bit that year. Still got to the finals, and took LA to 6 games.

@@ljlawver Truth

@@roxydejaneiro5640 also include Scott Wedman, and if Len bias had not died

Zero doubt about that!

Most complete team. Could play any style basketball.

If healthy would of won 4 in a row

Jordan dropped 63 on these guys!!! Unreal a top 3 teams ever imo

@@TheSands83 you cannot stop a great scorer like Jordan or KD, great players are always gonna have great games no matter who the opposition is, it's all about making sure his performance doesn't lead to a victory, and in Jordan's case it wasn't as we all know.

Hussein Alhadi You are so right! The ball movement was incredible.

The 86 Celtics were like watching the Globetrotters fuck with the Washington Generals. The rest of the NBA had NO chance.

I think they challenged each other to out-do the other guy. Ainge was underrated as well.

2014 Spurs were a great passing team

Ainge not too shabby either.

Ya idk about that there are some damn smart players today too.

96 Bulls

@@leethomas8592 85-86 Celtics with 5 hall of famers. Only lost 1 game at home all season including the playoffs.

​@@chrisbr1969 they were also the best passing team in the history of basketball. Don't care how athletic you are, passing will always beat athleticism. The Bulls would have no answer for Parish, McHale and Walton.

Totally agree. Smart as hell on the court.

An underrated HOF'er. Heee Haw!

LeNard Higgins Those Milwaukee teams of that era were pretty darn good all decade but never made it to the Finals let alone winning a Championship. Curiously they sweep Boston in 83' but run right into s great Philly team ,the fo,fo fo Moses and Doc led team that would sweep the Lakers in the Finals.The Bucks seem to slay one dragon only to encounter another one. The east was tough as hell back then.

Easily. Second best was 87 Lakers who would've lost 4-1 or 4-2 vs. the 86 Celtics.

They did beat everybody...

Such ball movement. Keep your head on a swivel woth this team.

I would have liked to see this ‘86 team go up against the ‘87 Lakers or the ‘95 Bulls. My money is on the ‘86 Celtics.

@@jjs777fzr You mean 96 bulls*

Thank you men for understanding what basketball is all about. The 86 Celtics stand head and shoulders above any other team from any era. Anyone who disagrees or thinks the 96 Bulls were better, go ahead and pass that bong over to me. What a joke! 86 Boston would beat the 96 Bulls in 4 straight. And would have beaten 87 LA in 6.

I agree. I've been watching basketball since '76 and I haven't seen another team come close in passing.

@@tombstone1111 Ok you're crazy with that comment about them sweeping the 72 win bulls team. That Bulls team was arguably the greatest defensive team with the greatest player ever. Relax.

@@diamondspectrum 2013-14 Spurs were incredible too. I'd say they did just about as well, the major difference is that the Spurs didn't have 2 SUPERSTARS in their PRIME.

The Celtics' passing in Game 3 of this series was better than in this game. I think it is absolutely fair to regard them as the best passing team of all time, though this wasn't McHale or Parish's forte.

🤣😂😅🤣😂 They were unstoppable!!! Don't forget Sisting off the bench with clutch shots, passes. He was a sharp shooter!

Patrick Ewing or David Robinson on Kevin McHale pick your rodent poison & track ; Kevin Garrett guard Larry bird machiel Jordan 60s points against Larry bird &boston celtics Danny ainge& Dennis Johnson vs machiel Jordan & magic johnson : showtime offense ; pat riley / track meet / run & 🏃‍♂️ run & gun offense ; pat riley & Jerry tarkanian design the run & gun track meet basketball offense

@@loydkline They DID play against those guys in the league. 1986 Celtics could have gotten it done.

excellent point! Every coach should show this video at every level.

+kentucy9999 ..I don't think Bill Walton was second to anyone in knowing how to play basketball. And everyone who played with him came to understand that.

+Greenwolfe Green You're talking to the choir Wolfe. I still think to this day, had Walton been healthy { a big "if"} he'd have been the best basketball player EVER and that Portland team with him Lionel Hollins, Maurice Lucas, Johnny Davis, Bob Gross coached by Jack Ramsey would have won 4-5-6 Championships in a row. They were 40-8 at the All Star break the year AFTER they beat Philadelphia for the Title.............and then Walton hurt the navicular bone in his foot an that was it. I think if Bill could have somehow played in the play-offs in 1986-87 the Celtics would have won the title that year.

+kentucy9999 ..I agree Kentucky9999. That Portland team was the first great team I ever saw in pro basketball. And it was essentially because of Walton. Bill would not let them lose. It is too bad that Walton was damaged goods throughout most of his life in basketball. Most of the guys who comment on here think someone other that Bill Walton was the GOAT. I just smile and shake my head knowing they just don't understand at all. Jabbar, Russell, Chamberlain, hahahahahahaha!!!!!!!! What a joke!!!!!!!!!!

I to think Bill Walton was one of the greatest centers of all time if not the greatest.But did you just call out Jabbar, Russell and Chamberlain a JOKE ? Any of those three centers could be #1 all time that's a fact!!!Rank1.Rebounding :Russell, Chamberlain,Walton, Kareem2. Blocking : Russell , Chamberlain/Walton,(tie) ,Kareem3. Scoring : Chamberlain/Kareem,(tie) , Walton ,Russell4. Free throws : Kareem, Walton, Russell/Chamberlain ,(tie).5. Assists : Walton , Chamberlain,Kareem, Russell 6. Speed: Russell, Chamberlain, Kareem ,Walton

Bill Russell lead USF to 60 straight wins while in college. As a professional he won 11 World Championships in 13 seasons something which to this day is unrivaled in athletics. I still have him at #1 or #1A on my all time list {with Michael Jordan.} Wilt Chamberlain was my first basketball hero. {Mickey Mantle was my first sports hero.} Chamberlain was the greatest force the game has ever seen and its most dominant player ever. Wilt is in my all time top five along with Russell, Jordan, Wilt, Kareem, Magic and I'd have to say Lebron {that's six.} I laugh when people say Wilt couldn't dominate like he did in his day. Yes he could. Kareem was just an unbelievable player. He was the most unstoppable offensive force to ever play and his sky hook was the single most devastating weapon in the history of sports.............any sport. I remember Kareem's first game {as Lew Alcindor} at UCLA. He scored 56 points against USC {and Paul Westphal.} Kareem's teams lost a total of two games at UCLA. They won three straight NCAA Titles. Kareem was 7'2" and he could jump {all of those guys Russell, Chamberlain and Jabbar could all really jump along with their size. They were all leapers. Russell was a "quick leaper" too.} Kareem was an absolutely phenomenal player. Remarkable.

96' Bulls played in an league diluted by recent expansion teams, people don't realize that. They didn't play against some of the stacked teams in the 80s

trha2222 oh yeah haha, you right

I would put the 70-71 bucks with Kareem and Oscar up there in that company as well.

Think about this...This team, at not even half its health from the year before, still made the Finals the next year and won two games from that great 87 Lakers team. That's how you know the 86 Celtics are the GOAT.

Good point about the 83 Sixers. Stifling defense. Lakers/Celtics is maybe the best rivalry in all of sports but Sixers/Celtics, like Bruins/Flyers, has historically been a nasty, physical rivalry. A turf war.

Then you're not a true basketball fan...

@@lukaz3336 Or maybe - the truest fan. A fan of the very best basketball.

8 White and 4 black. Intellect over athleticism every day of the week.

pmerk36 He did, but it didn't matter.

He was an enforcer and was good at it. He got into the Lakers head bigtime in '84 finals.

They're up there.

Pierce would have been a bench player for the 86 team. THat's how good it was.

richard riccio I don't think so. Paul Pierce is a great player and besides the Celtic bench of that era was pretty damn good.

@@zigomanis18 Ok relax you're overating this era way too much with a comment like that. Pierce was a superstar in his prime. He'd be the 3rd best player on this team.

@@lukaz3336 Maybe. But it still stands. He wouldn't be a starter.

@@roxydejaneiro5640 Yes he would be. They'd find a way to put him in the starting lineup. No way you can put a prime Paul Pierce on the bench.

A thing of beauty.

Exactly. This is the East Finals and the Bucks won 57 games that year. The number 1 seed Miami Heat would have to win all 10 of their remaining games to finish with 57 wins this year in comparison. The Celtics took a damn good team and ran them out 4 straight

+DoubleVisionandco on one of the McHale comments he remarked to Bill - what caliber of people were you playing back then because he was eating Walton alive in practices. That kills me. McHale in his prime was unstoppable. But I always liked Walton and for McHale to say that just floors me. Love it.

+jjs777fzr In the 80's when I was watching these games, I was a solid Lakers fan. But I still respected the Celtics. You can't help but respect a team so good. In the low post Kevin McHale was a monster. He could do it all.

The team of the 1980's was the LA Lakers but the best single season team was no doubt the 86 Boston Celtics. I live in California and am surrounded by Lakers fans and to their credit, most of them admit the 86 Celtics were the greatest ever. What a great decade though. Boston, LA, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Houston and Milwaukee. If not for the Lakers and Celtics, the Bucks and Rockets probably would have titles of their own from the 80's, especially the Bucks.

@@tombstone1111 What a great decade though. Boston, LA, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Houston and Milwaukee. That right there is why you cant compare today's league againt the 80's league...there were so many good teams then. For the Celtics and Lakers to have dominated in an era with so much good competition is all the proof I need to understand how people like Larry, Magic, Dr. J, Dominique, ect... would be even better in this era

Yeah saw that. He does so many things which can easily be overlooked unless you pay such close attention. But that’s how we know he was always a few steps ahead. Top 3 player of all time. No question.

Alright relax there lol.

@@lukaz3336 There's nothing to relax about the Celtics game speaks for itself.

86 Celts in 4.

No three point line

And others injured as well

50 - 1 including the playoffs