When people think 1980s Celtics, the casual fan probably thinks of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, and with good reason. But whenever I would watch those classic 1980s games on TV, Dennis Johnson was always the guy that stuck out to me. Yesterday, the basketball world was hit with a devastating loss, as Johnson died at the young age of 52.
In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s a really a rough time for the Celtics. They’re among the worst teams in the NBA and suffered an 18 game losing streak earlier in the year. Johnson’s loss only adds to what has been an awful year for the Celtics franchise. Johnson won three NBA titles during his career, two of them with Boston, and made five all star teams. Larry Bird’s steal against the Pistons is among the most famous in NBA history. It was Johnson who laid the ball in to give the Celtics the win.
“I hate to lose,” he once said. “I accept it when it comes, but I still hate it. That’s the way I am.”
That quote described the 1980s Celtics in a nutshell. Whether they were trailing to Detroit, Atlanta, Cleveland, or Chicago, they always managed to make the big play at the big moment. Johnson wasn’t the flashiest player on the court. But he was the steadying hand on a Celtics team that knew how to win. Johnson made the NBA All Defensive 1st Team 6 times, a testament to his great play against guys like Isiah Thomas.
RIP Dennis. Your play will live forever. Hopefully soon, you’ll be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
