During the 1984-85 season, Larry was 28 years old and was playing at peak levels. Larry averaged 28.7 points and 10.5 rebounds that season.
He hit 42.7 percent of his 3-pointers, 52.2 percent of his field goal attempts, and 88.2 percent of his free throws.
No one in the NBA played more minutes. No one in the NBA played better minutes.
He won his second of three straight NBA Most Valuable Player awards, receiving 73 of 78 first-place votes.
On March 12, 1985, he cemented his place in league history with an epic scoring performance against the Atlanta Hawks.
It was played in New Orleans, a supposed home-away-from-home for the Hawks, but in reality, a fine place for Celtics fans to take a holiday and watch their stellar team.
Larry erupted for a career-best 60 points in a 126-115 win against the Hawks.
He was unstoppable for most of the Game, finishing 22-for-36 from the floor.
Bird’s performance was so electrifying — he scored 32 points in slightly more than 14 minutes of court time during a second-half scoring barrage — that even the Atlanta bench got swept up in the wonder of it all.
With 14 seconds left, Bird catches a pass in front of the Hawks bench, takes one dribble to his left, and launches a step-back jumper with Rickey Brown draped all over him.
The shot falls through the net just as Larry, nudged by Brown, falls into the lap of Hawks trainer Joe O’Toole. The shot did not count — a foul was called on the floor – but that makes it no less remarkable.
As Hawks announcer John Sterling shouts, ‘Larry Bird! Larry Bird!’ while proclaiming it the greatest shooting performance he has ever seen, the players at the end of the Hawks’ bench – particularly Levingston – can’t contain themselves as they are falling all over each other in giddy amazement.
Only later did we find out the real reason for the reaction: Larry Bird called his shot.
Larry said, “in the trainer’s lap,” as he came down the court. Rickey Brown ran after him, and Larry shot this high rainbow. It went in as Rickey bumped into him, knocking him onto the trainer’s lap.
It was precisely what he said. Larry called the shot!
Nine days earlier, teammate Kevin McHale had set the franchise record with a 56-point showing against the Detroit Pistons.
Larry was inspired to go for 60 after McHale hit his mark, famously saying after the Detroit game, “He should have stayed in there. Should have gone for 60.”
After the Game, Hawks star Dominique Wilkins said, “The way he was shooting the ball was like living in a video game. It couldn’t be real. But it was.”
