In late January of 1980, Boston went on its second seven-game win streak of the year and a month later started a nine-game winning streak that was capped with a 111-92 win over Philadelphia in the Garden.
The Celtics soared to 53-15 and ended the season as division champs at 61-21.
They lost a meaningless 116-110 game in Philly, concluding a season series where the home team won each game.
This set the tone in the NBA for the next seven years, in which the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Los Angeles Lakers would dominate the NBA.
Boston’s record was the best in 1980, with Los Angeles winning 60 games and Philadelphia clocking in with 59 as the playoffs began.
1980 was also the last year Houston and San Antonio would be in the East, getting swapped for Milwaukee and Chicago for the 1980 – 1981 season.
Boston swept Houston in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals and, interestingly enough, played them again the following year in the 1981 NBA Finals.
Philadelphia had dispatched Atlanta in the other Eastern Conference Semi-finals and the first of several Bird-Dr. J showdowns were about to begin.
The talent matchup between these teams was outstanding, but the 76ers had something the Celtics couldn’t match—playoff experience.
This group of Boston players had too many players who needed their hearts broken first, something that seemed a prerequisite in the NBA at that time more than in most sports.
And that’s what happened in these Eastern Conference Finals.
Bird’s 27 points in Game 1 couldn’t save the team from a tough 96-93 loss. But Larry again returned in Game 2 with 31 points to lead a 96-90 Celtics victory.
But the damage was done. The Celtics still lost homecourt advantage, and Game 2 was their final win of the year.
Philadelphia won Game 3 99-97 and then could win more comfortably the next two games, finally coming up with an answer for Bird in the Game 5 finale, holding him to 12 points.
It was a disappointing ending, but there was no doubt about one thing—basketball was back in Boston.
And one year later, the Celtics would defeat the 76ers in the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals on their way to winning the 1981 NBA Finals Championship.
