The Boston Celtics lost the 1985 NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers and entered the following season looking for the right player to complement their already loaded roster.
Bill Walton turned out to be the missing piece.
Walton died on May 28 after a long battle with cancer. She was 71 years old. Walton was a two-time NCAA champion at UCLA and led the Portland Trail Blazers to an NBA championship in 1977.
The Celtics appropriately clinched a spot in the 2024 NBA Finals with a 105-102 victory against the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Indiana coach Rick Carlisle was Walton’s teammate on that 1985-86 Celtics team and was one of several members who paid tribute Monday.
“I wanted to mention, with Bill Walton’s passing today, how much he meant to me and so many people close to me.” Carlisle said via Yahoo Sports. “Some of the memories are beyond priceless.”
What teams did Bill Walton play on?
Walton spent four seasons with Portland from 1974 to 1979 and with the San Diego and Los Angeles Clippers from 1979 to 1985. Walton played only 169 games in seven seasons from 1978 to 1984, missing three full seasons due to foot injuries.
However, Boston was looking to take advantage of that opportunity.
The Celtics already had a starting lineup that included four future members of the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame: Larry Bird, Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. Danny Ainge, who later became the Celtics’ general manager, was the fifth starter.
Boston traded Cedric Maxwell to the Los Angeles Clippers for Walton on September 6, a move that was considered risky at the time. Maxwell was the NBA Finals MVP with the Celtics in 1981.
However, Walton turned out to be the right player at the right time for Boston. He developed chemistry with the team and even took several members to a Grateful Dead concert.
“I knew we had a good chance of winning a championship, but he managed to create a kind of camaraderie between everyone that was really fun.” McHale said in “Banner Year: 1986“.
Walton and Bird, two of the most recognized passers at their positions, also developed on-court chemistry in the half-court game.
Larry Bird, Bill Walton and Kevin McHale. Art.
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) November 5, 2023
“It was almost like they were playing their own private game.” Bob Ryan said on “Celtics All-Access.” “They executed the give-and-take better than ever in this league.”
Bird issued a statement Monday after Walton’s death.
Larry Bird has issued a statement regarding the passing of his 1986 champion Celtics teammate and longtime friend, Bill Walton: pic.twitter.com/xF2T7zs9Cj
—Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) May 27, 2024
“I am very sorry for my good friend, Bill Walton. I love him as a friend and teammate. It was exciting for me to play with my childhood idol and together we won an NBA championship in 1986. He is one of the best who has ever played. I am sure all my teammates are as grateful as I was to have been able to meet Bill. It was a great pleasure to know him and he will be deeply missed. My family and I extend our sincere thanks. “Condolences to the Walton family.”
How good were the 1985-86 Boston Celtics?
Boston went 67-15 in the regular season, and that included a 40-1 record at the legendary Boston Garden. Portland beat the Celtics 121-103 on December 6, 1985, in that only home loss.
Bird (25.8 points per game, 9.8 rebounds), McHale (21.3 points per game, 8.1 rebounds) and Parish (16.1 points per game, 9.5 rebounds) were already a front line dominant. Walton (7.6 points per game, 6.8 rebounds) added another inside presence that made the Celtics much better.
Walton, at age 33, played in 80 games (a career-high in a single season) and earned NBA Sixth Man of the Year honors that season. He was also a valuable piece in the playoff race.
That included a 3-0 sweep of Chicago in the first round despite a 63-point performance from Michael Jordan in Game 2. The Celtics beat the Hawks in five games and the Bucks in a sweep before facing the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals. Once again, Walton was an extra center against a front line that included Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. Walton averaged 8.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in the 1986 NBA Finals.
Boston won the series in six games.
How many championships did Bill Walton win?
The 1985-86 season was a magical year with Boston, but it was kind of a wonder year. Walton played only 10 regular season games the following season due to injuries, then averaged 2.4 points in 12 playoff games. He missed the 1987-88 season, then retired and had a second career as an accomplished basketball analyst for both the NBA and college basketball.
Walton finished his career with two NBA championships. He was Finals MVP with Portland in 1977 and a complementary piece with the Celtics in 1986. While Walton spoke at length about both championships, it’s fair to see that both held a special place given the trajectory of his career.
“The fact that the Celtics were willing to take the risk or allow me to come play on their team, a team that was already a championship team, was a big risk for the Celtics, but I’m glad they took it and it completely changed my life,” Walton said in “Banner Year: 1986.”
