Bill Walton’s arrival, according to Larry Bird, elevated the 1986 Celtics to a new level.
In the 1980s, Larry Bird was a member of three championship Boston Celtics teams. But the great forward claimed that the 1986 C’s were the greatest team he had ever played for.
Larry reportedly added, “I knew we had something going when we got Walton,” according to the Boston Herald. “Everything depended on his ability to maintain his health. He and (Jerry) Sichting greatly strengthened our already strong team, in my opinion.”
The best Celtics squad in history?
When Bill Walton signed with the Celtics, he was “like a kid in a candy store”. Still, if other players hadn’t adjusted to include the Big Red, things wouldn’t have turned out the way they did.
“I think it was significant that Robert Parish accepted Bill Walton for the person he is and the type of player he was. Without a doubt, that is the best squad I have ever been a part of. We were pretty much perfect,” continued Bird.
In the 1985–86 NBA season, Larry Legend won MVP for the third time in a row. Along with Robert Parish and Hall of Famer Kevin McHale, he was the team’s undisputed leader and part of one of the greatest Big Threes in NBA history. They also featured some excellent role players, including Sixth Man of the Year winner Bill Walton, Scott Wedman, Rick Carlisle, Danny Ainge, and Dennis Johnson.
With 40 home victories before the end of the regular season, the Celtics finished with a 67-15 record—a record that the San Antonio Spurs matched in 2016. On their route to the NBA Finals, the team also only lost once.
The significance of Walton
Walton was even labeled the unsung hero of the 1986 Celtics by Danny Ainge. He said that the fact that Parish, McHale, and Bird were all at the top of their game was what really set the club apart. Even though Bill was nearing the end of his career at the time, he was nevertheless a crucial component of the winning team.
