When Larry Bird backed his 1986 Celtics team as the greatest NBA team ever: “The best team I’ve ever seen in this league”
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When people talk about the best teams in NBA history, they often bring up the 1995/96 Chicago Bulls, the 2016/17 Golden State Warriors, and the 1985/86 Boston Celtics.
The Celtics finished with the best record in the league at 67-15, including a monumental 40-1 record at home. The team won the championship and received multiple individual accolades, with Larry Bird winning MVP and Bill Walton winning Sixth Man of the Year. That kind of success has made Larry claim that it was the best team ever.
“I’ve always felt and still feel that’s the best team I’ve ever seen in this league. I’m sure Magic got a team he would like to put against it,” Larry said in an uncut interview from 1991. “To me personally, I thought that’s the best team ever assembled since I’ve been in the league.”
What made the ‘86 Celtics so good?
The ‘86 Celtics’ success should always be linked to Bird’s excellence. He won his third consecutive MVP by averaging 25.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game while playing all 82 games. He was superb during that year, as he dominated every opponent he played against while continuing to maximize the rest of the team.
Remember that Bird was superbly efficient, shooting 49.6% from the field, 42.3% from beyond the arc, and 89.6% from the charity stripe. It was the quintessential Larry campaign that showcased his excellence as one of the best to lace some sneakers.
However, the Hick from French Lick wasn’t alone in his quest, as he had one of the best-supporting casts you could ever ask for. Kevin McHale was a 21.3-point per-game scorer, empowering the team’s offensive potency. Dennis Johnson, Robert Parish, and Danny Ainge completed the starting lineup. Everyone scored in double-digits, which made defenses struggle against them on a nightly basis.
While the Celtics’ bench was not spectacular, former MVP Bill Walton became a superb backup for Parish and McHale. He played his role well, securing the 6MOY award because he was a reliable player.
The ‘86 Celtics are still arguably the best now
Ever since that season, there have been teams that have competed at the highest level and are arguably better than the Celtics. The 1995/96 Bulls come to mind, as they secured a 72-10 record in the regular season and won the championship.
The 73-9 Warriors from the 2015/16 season lost in the NBA Finals, and the 2016/17 Dubs also have a case. The latter didn’t have the highest wins total that year, but in terms of overall talent, they were leagues above everyone else.
Bird pointed out the ‘86 Celtics are the best, but the debate still rages on, and it’s only proof that the NBA is still the highest level of basketball. Teams possibly exceeding that Celtics campaign is an indicator that the league is constantly evolving and improving.