The rest is just noise

May 3, 1981

Boston, Massachusetts, Boston Garden

In the desperate situation of "win or go home", the Celtics won two games in a row, successfully dragging the series to the ultimate showdown-the tiebreaker.

In 2016, before the Cavaliers completed the unprecedented feat of letting two players chase three, James said that G7 is the most beautiful word in the world.

He definitely said this from his heart.

Because he fully believes that his team will win the game.

The same is true for the Celtics at this time. They have a glorious history of counterattacking the 76ers 1-3, have the worst home environment in the league, have a united team, and have the heart to chase victory.

Before the Game7 game, Louis concluded that the success or failure of the tiebreaker depends on the success rate of the positional battle between the two sides. And this is the Celtics' advantage.

Therefore, in addition to the original arrangement remaining unchanged, Louis also added another item to the matchup task arranged for Sampson, in addition to guarding against Bobby Jones's shooting - once Andrew Tony is found to break through with the ball, he will do whatever it takes to do so.

Step forward and apply pressure.

In a pre-match interview, Bird told CBA reporters: "Whoever has the greatest determination and courage will win this game."

Dr. J, the core player of the 76ers, had other words.

"We respect the Celtics more than other teams in the league, and similarly, we hate the Celtics more than other teams." Dr. J paused, and a sharp arc flashed on his elegant face, "

We will not let history repeat itself."

Louie met Sixers super scout Jack McMahon in the Garden.

He did something that future fans would never imagine - smoked in the garden.

This is what happened at NBA games before the 1990s. People in the arena were allowed to smoke before the game started.

"Uncle Jack, are you here to send the 76ers on their last journey?" Louis asked provocatively.

McMahon was choked.

"Kid, we don't know who will win or lose!" He deliberately turned up the volume to increase his momentum, but he was so round that you couldn't tell where his momentum was.

With a jump ball in Game 7, Laimbeer defeated Dawkins again.

He tipped the ball to Bird, and the game began.

Unfortunately, Archibald's lob pass to Laimbeer did not control the force well and went out of bounds.

The 76ers handed their first offense to Doc.

Unlike before, the doctor had a murderous look on his face tonight. When he saw Maxwell, he immediately drove to the basket and hit the pocket.

Maxwell put pressure on him, and Laimbeer definitely made some small moves. Bird blocked his last shot from the side, and his ball was knocked down before he could throw it. His outstanding explosive power allowed him to grab the offensive rebound on the spot.

Again, there was another fierce collision under the basket, and he was blocked again.

He rose up for the third time and caused a defensive foul on Laimbeer.

Dr. J made one of two free throws.

The response from the Celtics was equally strong. Archibald went to the basket and was interfered by Dawkins, but missed. Laimbeer got the rebound and passed it to the outside. Maxwell took the ball and went to the basket again.

still none.

But Bird hit Caldwell Jones in the chest with an elbow. He was about to get to the basket. He almost didn't take off before he collected the rebound. He faked a shot and hit Dawkins past the rebound.

Intense physical contact occurred.

People started to fall to the ground.

Dawkins' physical fitness played a certain role in this kind of brutal hand-to-hand combat. He scored again for the 76ers with a dunk.

Archibald was dribbling and was flanked by two players. Lionel Hollins slipped and fell trying to grab the ball, which also knocked the elf's center of gravity away.

But the Elf is indeed an Elf. He can still control the ball while kneeling on one foot. The other foot is his pivot foot. He refuses to move and does not violate the walking rule. Cheeks was frightened by this scene and the defense did not react.

After Archibald got up and saw that Cheeks had opened up a defensive distance, he took a jumper from the free throw line.

The ball goes in.

4 to 3

"Ralph, pay attention to Larry's card position."

Louis said suddenly.

Sampson looked at the basket. Since Louis assigned Bird a court position of three offenses and four defenses, Bird seemed to have been connected to the second line of Ren and Du.

He himself also woke up and knew that he could fight the opponent's No. 4 under the basket.

Against the 76ers, the hardness of the penalty area is crucial.

Because Dawkins is a beast with strong physical fitness and in his prime. He has a body like Howard at his peak. As long as he is not stupid, no one on the Celtics can compete with him head-on. Bird looks like in front of him.

In one game, he was able to stick to Dawkins' body, use every little move to drive him out of the rebounding position, and then use his bread-like bounce to get the offensive rebound.

again!

The moment Bird got the offensive rebound, he took the initiative to confront Black Jones behind him. That elbow made Sampson's scalp numb.

Bird used elbow strikes as a medium to mobilize his strength, and his ordinary body actually strengthened under the basket.

The 76ers' two big men, Dawkins and Black Jones, couldn't do anything to him.

7 to 6

"Is this still playing basketball?"

When Dawkins grabbed an offensive rebound on the offensive end, Laimbeer hit him hard on the chest, and Bird made small movements on his waist. This powerful and powerful player was lying on the ground unable to even pick up the ball.

, Sampson sighed.

"This is basketball."

Rather, this is the basketball that many old fans remember.

Savage, rough, full of confrontation, and all kinds of violent actions that were not called fouls.

The doctor worked hard tonight. Louis had never seen him work so hard before. Standing in a penalty area with a million people, he saw him leaping past like a fairy, grabbing the basketball with his huge palm and scoring a late dunk.

9 to 7

"Hey, hold on!" Louis stepped forward and shouted, "Larry, control the rhythm! Tiny, don't just look at the penalty area!"

Fitch roared every round, but his roar was the same, but Louis' instructions were deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. The players had unknowingly placed him in a position as important as the head coach.

Archibald listened to Louis' words, and Bird used the back screen on the right elbow area.

Maxwell ran to the short corner on the right to catch the ball. The doctor didn't follow him, so he took the shot directly.

The ball goes in!

It's Dawkins again. Starting from the sixth game, he is like a supercar with a new engine, and his combat effectiveness has been improved by several levels.

Seeing that the 76ers' offense couldn't hit the Celtics' pain point, he got the ball in the low post, faced Laimbeer, turned over and hit a jumper off the board.

"This move is called 'I'll fucking shit you up'!" he shouted bravely.

This point must be guarded against.

Louie and Fitch are on the same page again.

Dawkins has to hold on, but how? If he insists on using the difficult move of turning over and shooting to score points, the pocket formation will be useless to him, so he has to be guarded by someone who is talented enough for him.

The 76ers only have one suitable candidate.

They looked at Sampson together.

Bird once again dominated the paint before Sampson came on to confront Dawkins.

It’s hard to imagine how he used his body to grab rebounds in a confrontation-filled penalty area, and under the attack of Dawkins, Black Jones and Dr. J., in an unprecedented way-back to the basket.

Throwing with an arm high and hitting the board.

Johnny Most loudly uttered Celtics legend Bob Cousy's famous comment about Bird: "Larry came to this world to set new standards for all basketball skills!"

13 to 12

The Celtics took the lead and the 76ers requested a timeout.

The coaching staff of both sides believe that this game needs to change and the lineup must be adjusted.