The ’80s era of NBA basketball was dominated by the Lakers and the Celtics, especially given the number of Finals appearances these two teams had and the championships they won. Despite being from different conferences, the two teams developed a rivalry that has spanned generations. Now, almost 25 years after it’s peak, fans saw the Celtics’ Big 4 reunite, with Robert Parish even giving out NSFW statements in style.
The Boston Celtics had a ‘Big Four’ if you will, that played the game of basketball to perfection. Led by none other than Larry Bird, the 80s stars reunited at the opening of Dick’s House Sporting Goods at Prudential Center.
As the four were sitting on a panel, Kevin McHale was giving a statement that was hilariously interrupted midway by his former teammate, Robert Parish. McHale said, “The combination of this force took the court a lot.”
As McHale was about to finish up, Parish boldly interrupted him to state, “Imma say it out loud, we were f**king sh*t up. Hell yeah, that’s right.”
Robert Parish’s comments immediately cracked up Kevin McHale and Cedric Maxwell but neither one of them was in disagreement with what Parish had to say. The Celtics were a force not to be trifled with.
Boston had one of the best frontcourts it’s era in Parish and McHale. The latter of the two was a gifted post player who knew his way around the rim, getting his points not through force but through finesse. As for the latter, his strength and athleticism were a big part of his game, which made his defensive prowess among the greatest ever. While both players could also score in the post, Parish was the better defender out of the two whereas McHale took care of the offense on occasions when the team required points.
Cedric Maxwell was a backup to Dennis Johnson’s persona of locking up players on the perimeter, making him a very important player too. And Larry Bird? Well, he did it all. His offensive IQ on the court is still talked about to this day. And his shooting was something not just fans but even players had never witnessed before.
The combination of these players dominated the game on both ends of the floor. So, Parish’s statement, while something children probably shouldn’t hear, was right on the money.
Why Larry Bird and the rest avoided Parish
While they got to the top of the NBA together, these legends were unfortunately not always on good terms. Having won three NBA championships along with being crowned Conference Champions numerous times, Robert Parish once revealed the animosity between him and his former teammates.
Desperate for money and looking for a job a few years ago, Parish had reached out to Kevin McHale and Larry Bird, who were both in the front offices of separate teams. But to his disappointment, they supposedly never returned his calls, per Slam. The following is what he said on the matter.
“I saw Kevin at an event; he said he was going to call me. He never called. I called Larry twice when he was at the Indiana Pacers; he never returned my call. And not just Larry. Across the board, most NBA teams do not call back. You need a court order just to get a phone call back from these organizations. I’m not a part of their fraternity.”
Though this was something Robert Parish had to endure at the hands of his former teammates, the four Celtics legends did seem pretty comfortable with each other during their reunion. Hopefully, this means that their relationship took a turn for the better, and their relationship has improved once again.
