Aside from selecting Larry Bird sixth overall in the 1978 NBA Draft, John Havlicek’s steal in Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference Finals is arguably the most well-known Boston Celtics steal in history. Five seconds remained, and Boston was up 110-109. Havlicek tipped an inbounds pass from the Philadelphia 76ers to teammate Sam Jones, who ran out the clock. The famous Celtics announcer Johnny Most is equally famous for his “Havlicek stole the ball” call.
In the 1980s, the Celtics also experienced two dramatic steals in the postseason. With five seconds remaining in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 1987, Bird intercepted an inbounds pass from Isiah Thomas and converted it into a game-winning Dennis Johnson basket. In the final seconds of Game 2 of the 1984 NBA Finals, Gerald Henderson intercepted a pass intended for James Worthy, which dramatically changed the flow of the series. Which was the most remarkable of those two steals?
With his steal and assist in Game 5, Larry Bird turned the 1987 series against the Detroit Pistons totally around.
The Pistons should never have let this one get away. Drama already abounds in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons. Bird and Bill Laimbeer of Detroit were sent off the field in Game 3, and in Game 5, Robert Parish had hit Laimbeer. The non-aggressive drama that concluded the fifth game was what changed the series’ trajectory.
It looked like Detroit was going to take a 3-2 series lead home with the series tied at two games apiece, the Pistons leading 107-106, and the Celtics in possession of the ball with five seconds remaining. Rather, Bird assumed leadership.
With five seconds remaining, Thomas attempted to inbound the ball from the side of the Celtics basket. He lofted a pass that was meant for Laimbeer, but Bird outran him and intercepted it. With just a second remaining, he threw a ball to a cutting Dennis Johnson, who made the game-winning layup, just as his momentum almost carried him out of bounds close to the baseline. Boston seized a 3-2 series lead after winning 108-107. After winning seven games, the Celtics moved on to the NBA finals.
