Bird vs Iavaroni 1983 pre-season skirmish

[SHAQisGOAT]

Haven't seen this one up on youtube in a long time...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geENkBvhLc0

[Dr.J4ever]

Haven't seen this one up on youtube in a long time...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geENkBvhLc0

:oldlol:

I remember this game, but I don't remember this skirmish between Bird and Iavaroni. Mark was a rookie that season. The 76ers picked him up from Italy, and at 6'10, he was meant to give the 76ers depth and rebounding so they could bring Bobby off the bench.

In other words, he was suppose to play the tough guy role just like Kurt Rambis of the Lakers. In this video, he was obliging Philly.:lol

[SHAQisGOAT]

:oldlol:

I remember this game, but I don't remember this skirmish between Bird and Iavaroni. Mark was a rookie that season. The 76ers picked him up from Italy, and at 6'10, he was meant to give the 76ers depth and rebounding so they could bring Bobby off the bench.

In other words, he was suppose to play the tough guy role just like Kurt Rambis of the Lakers. In this video, he was obliging Philly.:lol

Yea, Marc also provided more spacing than Bobby, even if Jones was EASILY a better player even at that point, better at every facet of the game apart from - like you've said - being physical, and also long(er) range shooting.
It was a better fit for Philly to bring Bobby off the bench though, as proven. And plenty of times they got even better when subbing him in for Iavaroni.

True.
I'd really like to know what Marc said there though :lol Bird was ready to throw a haymaker but just cooled off, then as they were "talking" Iavaroni said some shit that made Larry go crazy again.

The Celtics and the 76ers had a great rivalry going on in the 80's... Lots of terrific games/series, physicality at its highest, competitive spirit firing through, plenty of fights and even hatred... I mean, those dudes were fighting in pre-seasons games and shit :oldlol:
Some people sleep on it though, and only acknowledge Celtics vs Lakers.

[Showtime80']

Sad that pre-season games from that era had more fire and hatred than modern Finals games! LOL!

I actually think the Celtics-Sixers Dr J/Bird rivalry had a larger role in getting the league out of the doldrums early in the decade more so than even the Lakers-Celtics rivalry. You have to remember before internet and 500 channel cable providers there was a very Eastern-centric media focus in all the major sports specially basketball which was a niche sport at that time and added to the fact that the Celtics and Sixers played each other 6 times a year plus the playoffs every almost every year made it must see TV for most of the East coast fan base.

[Rake2204]

From the same game - Cedric Maxwell and Moses Malone got into it as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht0ZP-zr6tA

[SHAQisGOAT]

From the same game - Cedric Maxwell and Moses Malone got into it as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht0ZP-zr6tA

http://www.thecoli.com/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/mjlol.png

Thanks for posting.

Max was such a fool :lol Always talking shit and getting into stuff like that :oldlol:

[Dr.J4ever]

Yea, Marc also provided more spacing than Bobby, even if Jones was EASILY a better player even at that point, better at every facet of the game apart from - like you've said - being physical, and also long(er) range shooting.
It was a better fit for Philly to bring Bobby off the bench though, as proven. And plenty of times they got even better when subbing him in for Iavaroni.

True.
I'd really like to know what Marc said there though :lol Bird was ready to throw a haymaker but just cooled off, then as they were "talking" Iavaroni said some shit that made Larry go crazy again.

The Celtics and the 76ers had a great rivalry going on in the 80's... Lots of terrific games/series, physicality at its highest, competitive spirit firing through, plenty of fights and even hatred... I mean, those dudes were fighting in pre-seasons games and shit :oldlol:
Some people sleep on it though, and only acknowledge Celtics vs Lakers.

TBH I don't remember the "spacing" Iavaroni provided. He did occasionally shoot 17 footers, but that was really few and far between. Bobby was easily a better shooter from anywhere on the court.

The 76ers actually had this big white dude who played SF/PF named Russ Schoene, who was traded mid season, but he came off the 76ers bench and was a pretty good perimeter shooter. People forget that before the trade deadline, the 83 76ers had what many at the time considered a weak bench, filled with inexperienced layers, except of course Bobby and Clint Richardson. I don't remember salary cap rules, but Philly's signing of Moses had something to do with this lesser bench at the beginning of the year.

During the trade deadline, Schoene was traded and Philly picked up Clemon Johnson and Reggie Johnson. Clemon turned out to be a very good pickup who could post up and spell Moses from time to time.

On Bird, we hated him. Grudging respect, but hated the hell out of him. Julius beat him in 2 of 3 playoff series before the 83 season.:applause: