Larry Bird Reveals the Exhausting Truth About Facing the ‘Showtime’ Lakers: ‘We Slept for Days After Those Games!’

Larry Bird Reflects on Battling the ‘Showtime’ Lakers: ‘We Needed Extra Sleep After Those Games!’

Larry Bird recently shared his memories of facing the legendary “Showtime” Los Angeles Lakers during the 1980s, emphasizing how exhausting it was to keep up with their relentless pace. The rivalry between Bird’s Boston Celtics and Magic Johnson’s Lakers defined the NBA in that era, often credited with revitalizing the league. However, many fans don’t realize how different the two teams’ playing styles were. Bird explained that the Celtics had to expend tremendous energy just to match the Lakers’ speed.

“We got a lot of sleep after the game. That’s a lot of running,” Bird joked on *The Dan Patrick Show*, recalling the challenge of keeping up with the Lakers’ fast breaks. “I remember in the 1984 Finals, they had us on the ropes… Someone told me, ‘You can’t beat what you can’t catch.’ They were running so fast!”

Bird noted that the Celtics had no choice but to adapt to the Lakers’ pace, or they’d be blown out. The “Showtime” Lakers were known for pushing the ball at every opportunity and scoring in transition. While the Celtics were more accustomed to a physical, half-court style, they were one of the few teams capable of adjusting to a faster tempo, which helped them find some success against the Purple and Gold.

During the 1984-85 season, the NBA had only 23 teams, and the style of play was starkly different from today’s three-point-heavy, pick-and-roll-dominated game. As Bird explained, there were essentially two distinct styles of play in the league at the time.

“There were two different styles: the beatdown in the East and the run-and-gun in the West,” Bird said. “To win a championship, you had to be able to play both. That’s what I always loved. In the East, against teams like New York and Philadelphia, it was a physical grind. But the Lakers? They cruised through the West every year, and then you had to face them and score 125 points a game to win.”

Bird highlighted an interesting dynamic: the Eastern Conference was stacked with strong teams, forcing them to battle each other fiercely in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Western Conference rarely had 50-win teams, making it easier for the Lakers to dominate and reach the Finals. Once there, the well-rested Lakers would unleash their fast-paced “Showtime” offense, overwhelming opponents with their speed and precision. This, Bird suggested, was a key reason the Lakers won five championships in the 1980s, while the Celtics, Sixers, and Pistons combined for the other five.

The 1980s are often romanticized as the golden age of basketball, and Bird’s reflections underscore why. The era was defined by iconic stars like Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, and Chris Mullin, as well as legends like Isiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Dominique Wilkins. The depth of talent was unmatched, and the rivalries—especially between the Celtics and Lakers—created unforgettable moments that captivated fans across the league.

Even though the Lakers and Celtics combined for eight championships in the decade, the 1980s were about more than just two teams. The era brought excitement to every NBA city, with thrilling games and larger-than-life personalities making basketball a shared cultural experience. For many, it remains the most exhilarating chapter in the sport’s history.