Though they won a championship in 1981, the Boston Celtics truly started dominating the NBA after they beat the LA Lakers in the 1984 finals. Even for Larry Bird, this period marked his ascension as the undisputed best player in the league. His dominance was so evident that opposing coaches instructed his players to focus on outplaying him, disregarding the rest of the Celtics players.
Even when that was the case and an NBA record was in touching distance, the Indiana native chose not to pursue it. Why? Simply because he had no interest in chasing personal glory.
Bird single-handedly dominated the Jazz
On February 18, 1985, the Celtics traveled to Utah, boasting an impressive 43-11 record. As the record suggests, coach KC Jones’ team was on top of their game right from the start of the season, and this game proved to be no different. The reigning champs quickly imposed their superiority by securing a commanding 34-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Interestingly, while the Celtics boasted arguably the best lineup in the league, with Dennis Johnson, Robert Parish, and Bird in the starting five and Kevin McHale coming off the bench, the Jazz, on the other hand, was in a transition phase, with John Stockton’s era just beginning.
With the difference between both teams visible, Larry was leading the charge, having outscored the entire Jazz team single-handedly in the first quarter. This prompted Jazz coach Frank Layden to remind his players who they should focus on.
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