Watch Young Bill Simmons Wave to an Injured Michael Cooper at the Boston Garden in 1985
By Jason McIntyre
Game six of the 1985 NBA Finals. Boston’s attempting to repeat as NBA champs a year after defeating the Lakers. After the Memorial Day Massacre (Boston 148, LA 114) in game one, everyone thought it was over. But LA fought back behind the phenomenal play of 37-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who would go on to win MVP honors. In the decisive 6th game, one of the league’s best defenders, Michael Cooper, was carried off the court and yes, that’s Bill Simmons waving to Coop on his way off the floor.
Historical note: Boston beat Houston for the title in 1986, and then the Lakers beat the Celtics in the Finals in 1987. As old people – or anyone over 32 – like to say, “those were the days.” For a decade, either the Lakers or Celtics were in the NBA Finals. [video via Drew Unga]