On March 3rd, 1985, Kevin McHale set the Boston Celtics record for most points scored in a single game, notching 56 against the Detroit Pistons, breaking the previous record of 53 achieved by his teammate, Larry Bird. After the game, Bird showered praise on McHale, but left these parting words: “He should have gone for 60”. According to McHale, that’s not all Bird said.
A few years back, McHale — then working as an analyst for NBA TV and TNT — guested on Inside The NBA and told Ernie & Co. that, upon exiting the game with just under two minutes to play, Bird approached him and said “if I get that hot, I’m not stopping”. Just nine days later — nine days later — Bird got “that hot” and unloaded a 60-point barrage on the Atlanta Hawks, causing Hawks’ players to fall over each other in awe of The Legend.
Yep. Larry Bird was pretty great.
About John Ferensen