[Mr. JewboyParticipant]

Well I just saw a 30 on 30 of Len Bias, and first of all -what a sad story. I never knew his death was that tragic and made such a big deal around the country. His mom said that President Reagan and his wife called her and sent her their regaurds! They also said that the case made the world more aware of Cocaine and drugs altogether, and that many young deaths have been prevented because of it.

It also got me thinking again- how did Boston even get the second pick fresh off of a championship?
Anyways, imagine nothing ever happened to him, what a team Boston would have been?! A championhsip team that got to the finals the year after this case, with a 30 year old Larry Bird, 29 year old Mchale and young (considering the age he retired) 33 year old Robert Parish.
After the Larry Bird era, he would have been entering his prime along with Michael Jordan, imagine what a rivalry.

How could these greats legacy been affected if he would not have passed away?
Magic and Kareem- had two championships after this, one of ’em coming against the Celtics who probly woulda won if they had him.
Isaih Thomas- Had both of his championships 2 and 3 years after this- Boston still would have been with Bird and might have changed that..
Hakeem- Took advantage of the years Jordan was out of the league. Maybe Bias would have something to say about that.
Bird- Never took a ‘ship after this year. Could have added another few with this guy.
Jordan- Would have had a rival from the East that he would have to pass every time.

and lastly…
Maybe Jordan would never have retired if he had this rival who he had to PROVE he was better than.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DGVlXxG2Pk

[hotrod_matthews]

Good points. I think he would have made it possible for Bird and Mchale to play and extra 2-3 years being that he would have taken a load off of their back. I also agree with the championship situations but I think MJ would have still be the greatest.

[hbomb3300Participant]

I think the Celtics got the pick from Seattle… there were a lot of terrible trades during the 80s that allowed super powers like the Lakers and Celtics to get top 5 picks.

[hbomb3300Participant]

I think the Celtics got the pick from Seattle… there were a lot of terrible trades during the 80s that allowed super powers like the Lakers and Celtics to get top 5 picks.

[hotrod_matthews]

Good points. I think he would have made it possible for Bird and Mchale to play and extra 2-3 years being that he would have taken a load off of their back. I also agree with the championship situations but I think MJ would have still be the greatest.

[HitsterParticipant]

Red Auerbach the legendary Boston Coach and then their GM had pulled a trade a few years earlier which generated this pick rather like how a powerful team in Detroit in 2003 ended up with 2nd pick ( least said about Darko the better). Red had , had dealt guard Gerald Henderson and cash to the Seattle SuperSonics for the pick in 1984.

The general opinion has always been that with Len Bias the Celtics would have certainly won the 1987 title and I agree that with McHale and Bird sharing minutes with Bias they would have been able to extend their careers further and Boston would have probably won at least a couple of titles in Bias’s career.

What would have happened post Bird era we can all guess about of course.

Another thing that came up reading back about Len Bias just was that MJ missed 64 games in 1985-86 that perhaps cost MJ 2,000 career points also.

[HitsterParticipant]

Red Auerbach the legendary Boston Coach and then their GM had pulled a trade a few years earlier which generated this pick rather like how a powerful team in Detroit in 2003 ended up with 2nd pick ( least said about Darko the better). Red had , had dealt guard Gerald Henderson and cash to the Seattle SuperSonics for the pick in 1984.

The general opinion has always been that with Len Bias the Celtics would have certainly won the 1987 title and I agree that with McHale and Bird sharing minutes with Bias they would have been able to extend their careers further and Boston would have probably won at least a couple of titles in Bias’s career.

What would have happened post Bird era we can all guess about of course.

Another thing that came up reading back about Len Bias just was that MJ missed 64 games in 1985-86 that perhaps cost MJ 2,000 career points also.

[KidIcarus35Participant]

In an interview with Bill Simmons Larry said he would have retired if Len Bias had lived. He was already having a lot of health issues at that age.

[XYRYXParticipant]

Thanks for his info!

Welcome to the board

[KidIcarus35Participant]

Ive been lurking on you guys for a really long time, so i thought id get in on the action!

[KidIcarus35Participant]

Ive been lurking on you guys for a really long time, so i thought id get in on the action!

[XYRYXParticipant]

Thanks for his info!

Welcome to the board

[KidIcarus35Participant]

In an interview with Bill Simmons Larry said he would have retired if Len Bias had lived. He was already having a lot of health issues at that age.

[BasketballJunkie224Participant]

i used to feel so bad for him but then came the ben wilson story. now THAT is a sad story, Bias killed himself and as sad as it is he killed himself. Wilson was murdered. However my sorrows go out to both families

[BasketballJunkie224Participant]

i used to feel so bad for him but then came the ben wilson story. now THAT is a sad story, Bias killed himself and as sad as it is he killed himself. Wilson was murdered. However my sorrows go out to both families

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

They would have had a better shot in ’87.

The Celtics’ years in the wilderness coincided with Larry Bird and the rest of the Big Three leaving along with the tragic deaths of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis.

Reggie Lewis looked good in the early Nineties. If Jordan stayed retired, I think the Celtics could have made a run in 1994 with Bias, Lewis, Dee Brown, and those younger Celtics. Either that year or when Dino Radja came over.

Dee Brown, Rick Fox, Reggie Lewis, Len Bias, and Dino Radja would have been a good team. Then put Ed Pickney in there as a reserve banger. Those guys could have played with anyone in the East in 1994.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

They would have had a better shot in ’87.

The Celtics’ years in the wilderness coincided with Larry Bird and the rest of the Big Three leaving along with the tragic deaths of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis.

Reggie Lewis looked good in the early Nineties. If Jordan stayed retired, I think the Celtics could have made a run in 1994 with Bias, Lewis, Dee Brown, and those younger Celtics. Either that year or when Dino Radja came over.

Dee Brown, Rick Fox, Reggie Lewis, Len Bias, and Dino Radja would have been a good team. Then put Ed Pickney in there as a reserve banger. Those guys could have played with anyone in the East in 1994.

[goldie92689Participant]

You guys are making all these assertions based on Len Bias being a GREAT NBA Player. No one knows how he would have developed. He could have been a bust, All these hypothetical Championships and Rivalries make him sound like he was a shoe in to be a Top 10 all time NBA Player. How did Ralph Sampson develop as an NBA player?

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

Michael Jordan said the player he was pushed by the most and felt the most competition with was Len Bias. That’s a pretty good reference to how good he might of been.

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

Michael Jordan said the player he was pushed by the most and felt the most competition with was Len Bias. That’s a pretty good reference to how good he might of been.

[goldie92689Participant]

You guys are making all these assertions based on Len Bias being a GREAT NBA Player. No one knows how he would have developed. He could have been a bust, All these hypothetical Championships and Rivalries make him sound like he was a shoe in to be a Top 10 all time NBA Player. How did Ralph Sampson develop as an NBA player?

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