Nike, Inc.

Under that bill's terms, Beaverton is specifically barred from forcibly annexing the land that Nike and Columbia Sportswear occupy in unincorporated Washington County for 35 years, while Electro Scientific Industries and Tektronix get that same protection for 30 years. Before the question could be finished, Jordan quickly responded, "Larry Bird."[Sports Illustrated, June 21, 2005]. That led to a lawsuit by Nike, and lobbying by the company that ultimately ended in Oregon Senate Bill 887. Michael Jordan, who may have supplanted Bird as the league's most feared clutch player through his heroics with the Chicago Bulls, once was asked who he would want to take a shot with the game on the line, other than himself. The annexation standoff soon led Beaverton to attempt a forcible annexation. An Indiana farm boy who made it to the pros - he never flinched, and he was always clutch. After a year, which included a threat by Nike to move 5,000 jobs out of the state, Beaverton backed down from the requirement for housing, but the lack of accommodation was something that Nike did not forget. Larry Bird embodied discipline in the NBA.

Beaverton's request was mostly consistent with Metro's transit-oriented development plans for the region. The following is merely a sample of the notable clutch efforts of Bird's career:. When Nike proposed expanding their headquarters in that direction, Beaverton at first wanted them to build housing near the MAX station and criss-cross the property with two public roads, expectations defined by the zoning already in place with Nike bought the land. Few players before or since Bird have performed as brilliantly in critical moments of games. The Oregonian dates the bad blood between the two back to the Nike purchase of 74 acres of nearby Beaverton land which soon fronted the MAX Blue Line. Above all, Bird is remembered as one of the foremost clutch performers in the history of the NBA. A nearby Costco store, one of that company's earliest, was annexed into Beaverton years ago without incident, and Beaverton's focus on additional annexation during the 21st century reflects a desire to streamline both city and county government by having metropolitan-area services handled by cities instead of counties. Unspectactular but effective defensive moves, such as jumping into a passing lane to make a steal or allowing his man to step past and drive to the hoop, then blocking the opponent's shot from behind, were staples of Bird's defensive game.

From Beaverton's perspective, the company's expectation for special treatment is counter to the city's desire to have zoning and other laws apply equally to all businesses, big and small. He was not fast or quick-footed, and rarely could shut down an individual player one-on-one, but Bird consistently displayed a knack for anticipating the moves of his opponent, thereby reacting to passes and creating turnovers. Intel, another large employer in the state, routinely receives special tax breaks on various capital investments it makes in the county. Bird is also remembered as an excellent defender, as evidenced by his career 1,556 steals. Annexation would cost the company $700,000 per year in increased taxes for services it already receives from the county and various special-purpose districts. Of the players of his era, only Johnson, and perhaps John Stockton, could execute the no-look or touch pass to a teammate as craftily and creatively as Bird. Nike prefers to work with county government as it develops and expands its headquarters. In addition to his offensive proficiency, Bird made the simple task of passing the ball an artistic feat.

From Nike's perspective, the company, the only Fortune 500 employer still headquartered in the Portland metropolitan area, has such a large payroll in the area that it shouldn't be forced to be annexed into Beaverton without its consent. Former teammates of Bird frequently said that through his selfless play and leadership, Bird elevated their level of play. This technicality reflects a dispute that The Oregonian characterized as an increasingly personal disagreement between Phil Knight and Beaverton mayor Rob Drake. Throughout his career, Bird was a fierce competitor and outstanding team leader. Nike's world headquarters are surrounded by Beaverton, Oregon but are technically within unincorporated Washington County. His talent for recognizing the moves of opponents and teammates prompted his first coach with the Celtics, Bill Fitch, to nickname him "Kodak," because he seemed to formulate mental pictures of every play that took place on the court. With Minor Threat being emblematic of underground punk rock culture, and their former frontman Ian MacKaye (of Fugazi and Dischord Records) being an outspoken champion of true independent music and the DIY ethic, Nike's move to use this image struck many as a cynical attempt by a large, money hungry corporation to target an untapped demographic, undermining what Minor Threat stood for, and what Dischord continues to represent.
On June 27th, Nike skateboarding's website issued an apology to Dischord, Minor Threat, and anyone else who was offended by their act, and announced that all uses of the image would be removed. Despite having relatively few athletic advantages (other than his height, at 6'9"), Bird possessed an uncanny and unparalleled ability to anticipate and react to the strategies of his opponents.

In late June 2005, Nike came under fire from independent music fans for their use of an easily identifiable Minor Threat album cover slightly modified into a promotional tool for their line of skateboarding shoes. Bird's humble roots led to his most frequently used moniker, "The Hick From French Lick." More cynical or facetious observers called him "The Great White Hope." As a Caucasian superstar in a league dominated by African-American athletes, Bird undoubtedly stood out because of his race, but his skin color has little to do with his place in NBA history. Such use is considered by some to demean the author's intent in writing the song. In 2003, he returned as the Pacers' President of Basketball Operations, where he oversees team personnel and coaching moves, as well as the team's draft selections. Nike has been a focus of criticism for their use of the Beatles song "Revolution" in a commercial, against the wishes of John Lennon's widow and Paul McCartney. Bird resigned as Pacers coach shortly after the end of the 2000 season. Kasky, but was sent back to California courts without a substantive ruling and subsequently was settled out of court. He was named the NBA Coach of the Year for the 1997-1998 season.

Supreme Court Nike v. Despite having no previous coaching experience, Bird led the Pacers to three straight Eastern Conference finals appearances and one trip to the NBA Finals in 2000. The dispute proceeded all the way to the U.S. In 1997, Bird accepted the position of coach of the Indiana Pacers. The company faced criticism when it claimed immunity from a false advertising lawsuit filed by Marc Kasky in California based on the claim that it enjoyed First Amendment rights, as if the corporation were a human being. The Celtics employed Bird as a special assistant in the team's front office from 1992 until 1997. while engaging in practices in East Asian factories which some felt disempowered women ([3]). Following Bird's departure, the Celtics promptly retired his number, '33'.

Nike was criticized about ads which referred to empowering women in the U.S. For his career, Bird shot 49.6 percent from the field, 88.6 percent from the free throw line and 37.6 percent from three-point range. The forced labor camp like conditions in some overseas production plants led to several called-for boycotts ([1]), together with coining the alternative name "swooshtika" for the company's swoosh logo ([2]). He finished his career with averages of more than 24 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists per game. This criticism is reflected in the novel Jennifer Government, in which an amoral Nike executive is the story's villain. Following his Olympic experience, on August 18, 1992, Bird announced his retirement as an NBA player. Sources of this criticism include Naomi Klein's book No Logo and Michael Moore's documentaries. The "Dream Team" easily won the men's basketball gold medal.

The company has been subject to much critical coverage of the often poor working conditions and exploitation of cheap overseas labor employed in the free trade zones where their goods are typically manufactured. It was the first time in America's Olympic history that the country sent professional basketball players to compete. Nike has been criticised by some for using sweatshop labor in countries like Indonesia and Mexico. In the summer of 1992, Bird joined Johnson, Michael Jordan and other NBA stars to play for the United States basketball team in that year's Olympics. Nike received a 100% rating on the Corporate Equality Index released by the Human Rights Campaign in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Bird led the Celtics to playoff appearances in each of those three seasons. . He averaged over 20 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists a game in his last three seasons with the Celtics, and shot better than 45 percent from the field in each.

The company takes its name from the Greek goddess of victory, Nike. Nonetheless, through the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. Nike's mailing address is in Beaverton, Oregon, part of the Portland metropolitan area; the company's headquarters are in unincorporated Washington County. He returned to the Celtics in 1989, but debilitating back problems and an aging Celtic roster prevented him from regaining his mid-1980's form. Nike produces the kit for many of the world's Football clubs and national sides, including Brazil, Portugal and Manchester United. Bird started the 1988-89 season with Boston, but ended his season after six games to have bone spurs surgically removed from both of his heels. Nike, Inc. NYSE: NKE (pronounced - 'Nigh-Key' in America but usually pronounced to rhyme with "Mike" in the UK) is a major manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment, marketing its products under its own brand as well as Air Jordan, Nike Golf, Team Starter (among others), and under brands from wholly-owned subsidiaries including Bauer, Cole Haan, Converse, and Hurley International. In 1988, the Celtics failed to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in four years, losing to the Pistons in six games during the Eastern Conference Finals.

2005 Nike introducses the Nike Free shoe. Johnson appeared at Bird's retirement ceremony in 1992 and emotionally described Bird as a "friend forever.". 2005 Nike launches the Air Jordan XX, the 20th edition of the Air Jordan basketball shoe series. Somewhat ironically, their relationship blossomed when the two players worked together to film the 1984 Converse commercial, which depicted them as archenemies. Zhu eventually wins the lawsuit, and Nike is sentenced to pay $36,000 to the cartoonist. Despite the intensity of their rivalry, Bird and Johnson became friends off the court. Nike representatives deny the accusations, claiming that the stickman figure lacks originality, and is public domain. In fact, their playing styles were not that dissimilar; both relied on knowledge of the game more than pure athletic ability.

2004 In June, Chinese animator Zhu Zhiqianq, of Xiao Xiao fame, files a lawsuit against Nike for plagiarizing his cartoon stickmen in their commercials. In the commercial, Bird is practicing alone on a rural basketball court when Johnson pulls up in a sleek limousine and challenges him to a one-on-one match. 2004 Annual revenues exceed $13 billion. A 1984 Converse commercial for its "Weapon" line of basketball shoes (endorsed by both Bird and Johnson) reflected the perceived dichotomy between the two players. Brands include Starter, Team Starter, Asphalt, Shaq and Dunkman. The apparent contrast between the two players and their respective teams seemed scripted for television: Bird, the introverted small-town hero with the blue-collar work ethic, fit perfectly with the throwback, hard-nosed style of the Celtics, while the stylish, gregarious Johnson ran the Lakers' fast-paced "Showtime" offense amidst the bright lights and celebrities of Los Angeles. 2004 Nike creates the Exeter Brands Group, a wholly owned subsidiary for athletic footwear and apparel brands for lower price points. Not since Boston's Bill Russell squared off against the Lakers' Wilt Chamberlain had professional basketball enjoyed such a marquee matchup.

28. The historical rift between the teams, who faced each other several times in championship series of the 1960s, fueled fan interest in the rivalry. Perez as CEO of Nike, effective Dec. Throughout the 1980s, contests between the Celtics and the Lakers--both during the regular season and in the Finals--attracted enormous television audiences. Knight is replaced by William D. During the 1980s, either Boston or Los Angeles appeared in every NBA Finals. 2004 Phil Knight steps down as CEO and President of Nike, but continues as chairman. Between themselves, Bird and Johnson captured eight NBA championships during the 1980s, with Magic getting five and Bird three.

2003 High school basketball star LeBron James signs with Nike; James went on to be the rookie-of-the-year. Johnson's Lakers would ultimately win the Finals again in 1988. 2003 Nike is named "Advertiser of the Year" by the Cannes Advertising Festival, the first company to earn that honor twice (also 1994) in the festival's 50-year history. In 1987, the Celtics made their last Finals appearance of Bird's career, fighting through difficult series against the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons before losing to the Lakers in six games. 2003 For the first time in the company's history, international sales exceed USA sales, as Nike continues to develop into a truly global company. He also won his third consecutive league MVP award. 2003 Nike acquires bankrupt rival Converse for $305 million. Bird again was named the Finals' MVP for that year, averaging 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists per game for the series.

2002 Rap star Nelly releases a chart topping song about Air Force Ones, a brand of Nike shoes. The 1986 Celtic team, which finished the regular season 67-15 and defeated the Rockets in six games, is generally considered to be the best of Bird's career. 2000 Shox is introduced. Boston would return to the Finals in 1986, albeit not against Johnson and the Lakers, who lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Houston Rockets. 24 at age 88. That year, the NBA again named Bird the league MVP. 1999 Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike, dies on Dec. In 1985, however, the Lakers avenged the loss, defeating the Celtics in game 6 of the Finals in Boston Garden.

1998 Phil Knight formally commits Nike to strict standards for manufacturing facilities used by Nike, including: minimum age; air quality; mandatory education programs; expansion of microloan program; factory monitoring; and enhanced transparency of Nike's corporate social responsibility practices. Bird was also named the league regular season MVP for that year. 1996 Nike causes controversy with advertising campaign at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta which features the slogan, "You Don't Win Silver — You Lose Gold." Nike's use of this slogan draws harsh criticism from many sources, including several former Olympic silver and bronze medalists. Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the award of Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). Woods becomes the standard bearer for Nike Golf as that division gains market share. In 1984, the Celtics defeated the Lakers in a seven-game Finals, winning game seven 111-102. 1996 Nike signs Tiger Woods soon after the young golfing phenom gives up his amateur status. Magic, quickly became one of the greatest rivalries in the history of professional sports.

1994 Nike signs a long-term partnership with the Brazilian national football (soccer) team, launching a company-wide effort to become the world's leading football brand. Celtics, and specifically Bird vs. which is used in the making of athletic courts, tracks and fields. Lakers vs. 1993 Nike introduces an innovative sustainability program, Reuse-A-Shoe, which collects athletic shoes, separates and grinds them up into Nike Grind. Bird and Johnson first dueled in the 1979 NCAA title game; as professional basketball players, they would face off numerous times during the 1980's, including the NBA Finals of 1984, 1985 and 1987. 1990 Nike opens its world headquarters in unincorporated Washington County, just west of Portland, on 74 acres of land. Immediately upon their entry into the league, the two players became virtually annual presences in the NBA Finals; Bird's Celtics won the NBA title in 1981, while Johnson's Lakers captured the championship in 1980 and 1982.

Over the next ten years, Nike will open 14 more Niketown stores across the USA and in England and Germany. The additions of Bird and Johnson rejuvenated the NBA, which had suffered from low attendance and minimal television interest through much of the 1970s. 1990 Nike opens the first Niketown store in downtown Portland, and the store quickly earns numerous retail design and business awards. It would be the first of three championships for Bird's career, as well as the first of his five Finals appearances. 1989 Nike introduces a new type of footwear designed specifically for cross-training, and features two-sport athlete Bo Jackson in a series of memorable ads called "Bo Knows.". In the 1980-81 season, Bird led the Celtics past the 76ers to the NBA Finals, where they defeated the Houston Rockets in six games. 1988 Nike introduces its "Just Do It" slogan. In Bird's first few seasons with the Celtics, his and their immediate rivals were Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers, with whom they would battle each year in the Eastern Conference finals.

A television ad featuring the Beatles' song "Revolution" was the first and only time that a song performed by the Beatles was used in a TV ad. The three would anchor the Celtics throughout Bird's career. This was the first of many generations of Air Max-branded technologies. With Bird at small forward, the additions of Parish and McHale gave Boston one of the more formidable frontcourts in the game. 1987 The Nike Air Max shoe is introduced, which uses a much larger Air cushioning unit, and for the first time is visible at the side of the midsole. Following the 1979-80 season, the Celtics acquired center Robert Parish and the draft rights to power forward Kevin McHale via a trade with the Golden State Warriors. 1986 Nike revenues surpass $1 billion for the first time. For the 1979 season, Bird led the Celtics in scoring (21.3 points/game), rebounding (10.4 rebounds/game), steals (143), and minutes played (2,955) and was second in assists (4.5 assists/game) and three-pointers (58).

The introduction of the Air Jordan shoe was a key event in Nike's successful development. Despite a strong rookie season from Johnson, Bird was named the league's 1979 Rookie of the Year and was voted onto the Eastern Conference All-Star team (an honor he would receive for each of his 12 full seasons in the NBA). The first model of his signature shoe, the Air Jordan, originally is banned by the NBA, drawing a tremendous amount of publicity. Bird's collegiate rival, Magic Johnson, also had entered the NBA in 1979, joining the Los Angeles Lakers. 1984 Nike signs Michael Jordan to an endorsement contract. The Celtics were 32-50 during the 1978-79 season, but with Bird the team improved to 61-21 in 1979-80, winning the league's Atlantic Division. 1982 The Air Force 1 basketball shoe becomes the first Nike court shoe to make use of the Air technology. Bird's impact on the Celtics was immediate.

In October, Nike airs its first national television ad during the New York Marathon. Shortly before that deadline, Bird agreed to sign with Boston for a USD$650,000 a year contract, making him the highest-paid rookie in the history of the NBA. 1982 Dan Wieden and Dave Kennedy start their own advertising agency, taking with them the Nike account on April 1. Bird ultimately decided to stay another year at Indiana State, but the Celtics retained their exclusive right to sign him until the 1979 NBA Draft. on December 31, and the company officially becomes known as Nike, Inc. The Boston Celtics selected Bird as their first-round draft pick in 1978, even though they were uncertain whether he would play his senior season at Indiana State or enter the NBA. merges into Nike, Inc. After playing only three years at Indiana State, he left as the fifth-highest scorer in NCAA history.

1981 BRS, Inc. That year, Bird won the Naismith and Wooden Awards, given to the year's top male college basketball player. 1980 Nike completes an initial public offering of 2,377,000 shares of Class B common stock on December 2. He carried the ISU Sycamores to the NCAA championship game in 1979, his senior season, only to lose to the Michigan State University Spartans, who were led by his future NBA rival, Magic Johnson. Gas-filled plastic membranes are inserted into the sole of running shoes to provide cushioning. After briefly attending a local community college and working numerous odd jobs around the town (including a stint as a garbage man), Bird enrolled at Indiana State University, where he was coached by Bob King. Frank Rudy is introduced in the Tailwind running shoe. However, Bird--homesick, short on money and overwhelmed by the size and population of the university--left the school after one month and returned to French Lick.

1979 Nike's Air technology patented by inventor M. At the time, Indiana was one of the premier college basketball programs in the country, coached by esteemed head coach Bobby Knight. 1978 Tennis 'bad boy' John McEnroe is signed by Nike to an endorsement contract. Bird received a basketball scholarship with Indiana University in 1975. 1977 Nike print ad with the tag "There is no finish line" is introduced, and is so popular that poster versions are created to meet consumer demand. He starred for the area high school team, Springs Valley High School, where he left as the school's all-time scoring leader. 1974 The Waffle Trainer is introduced, quickly becoming the best-selling training shoe in the U.S. In spite of his domestic woes, by the time he was a high-school sophomore, Bird had become one of the better basketball players in French Lick.

1973 American record-holder Steve Prefontaine becomes the first major track athlete to wear Nike shoes, and converts many of his fellow competitors to Nike until his death on May 30, 1975. In 1975, after Bird's parents divorced, his father committed suicide. 1972 The first Nike products, adorned with the Swoosh, are delivered to athletes competing in Eugene, Oregon for the US Olympic Track & Field trials. The Bird family's struggle with poverty was compounded by the alcoholism and personal difficulties of Joe Bird. Dozens of suggestions, including Knight's favorite "Dimension Six," are rejected until Jeff Johnson dreams up the name Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. Being poor as a child, Bird told Sports Illustrated, "motivates me to this day."[2]. needs a name for its new line of footwear. I don't mean she wouldn't pay the bank, but the children always came first."[1] Bird sometimes was sent to live with his grandmother due to the family's struggles.

1971 Along with the new brand, BRS, Inc. In a 1988 interview with Sports Illustrated, Bird recalled how his mother would make do on the family's meager earnings: "If there was a payment to the bank due, and we needed shoes, she'd get the shoes, and then deal with them guys at the bank. Davidson receives a gold Swoosh ring with an embedded diamond at a luncheon honoring her, along with a certificate and an undisclosed amount of Nike stock, in recognition of the Swoosh design logo. Financial troubles would plague the Bird family for most of Larry's childhood. Twelve years later, in 1983, Ms. He grew up in both West Baden and the adjacent town French Lick. She is paid $35 (US), and works for Nike for a few years until they need a full ad agency. Bird was born in West Baden Springs, Indiana, the son of Georgia and Joe Bird.

A graphic design student at Portland State University named Carolyn Davidson is hired by Knight to design the new brand to put on the side of his company's shoes. . and Onitsuka Tiger deteriorates, causing Knight to begin development of a new athletic footwear brand. In 2003, he assumed the role of president of basketball operations for the Pacers, a position he still holds. 1971 The relationship between BRS, Inc. After working as an assistant in the Celtics front office from 1992 to 1997, Bird was the head coach of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000. 1970 Bowerman experiments with rubber spikes, pouring a liquid rubber compound into his wife's waffle iron, which led to the creation of the 'waffle' sole. He retired as a player from the NBA in 1992.

1969 With annual sales approaching $300,000, Knight resigns as a professor at Portland State University to devote himself full-time to BRS, Inc. Drafted sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird played small forward for the team for his entire 13-year career. 1967 Knight and Bowerman incorporate Blue Ribbon Sports, creating BRS, Inc. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998, and was voted to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996. Knight and Bowerman convert their handshake agreement into a formal, written agreement. Bird is generally considered to be one of the best players in NBA history. 1966 Johnson opens the company's first retail outlet in Santa Monica, California. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is a former NBA basketball player.

He sells shoes out of the back of his van to high schoolers at track meets. The shot went in, winning the competition 17-15 and capturing Bird's third-straight shootout title. Bird raises his arm in anticipation after firing the winning shot of the 1988 Three Point Contest . 1965 Jeff Johnson, a former track rival of Knight's, joins as the company's first full-time salesman. After Bird shot the last ball in the rack, he raised his arm and index finger as the ball was halfway to the rim, and walked away. The two shake hands and each pledge $500 to start the new venture. He did so. Bowerman suggests that he and Knight become partners, with Bowerman to provide endorsement clout as well as footwear design ideas. Bird started slowly, then ran off a series of makes, needing to hit his final three shots to beat Ellis.

1964 Knight sends samples of Tiger footwear to legendary University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman, for whom Knight ran middle distances while an undergraduate. Ellis went first and scored 15 points. After earning his MBA, Knight travels to Japan, where he meets with executives from Onitsuka Tiger and persuades them to make Knight's company, 'Blue Ribbon Sports,' the distributor of Tiger brand footwear for the western United States. In the 1988 All-Star Game Three Point Contest, Bird--the winner of the event in both years since its creation in 1986--faced Seattle Supersonics guard Dale Ellis in the final round of the competition. 1962 Phil Knight drafts a thesis paper at Stanford University in which he asserts that low-priced athletic shoes made in Japan could compete with more expensive footwear made in Germany. Despite a concussion and a resultant severe headache, Bird scored 32 points on 12 for 19 shooting, leading Boston to victory for the game and the series. A hushed Garden crowd watched as Bird was escorted to the locker room, then erupted in the third quarter as Bird dramatically came up the ramp to the court and rejoined his teammates.

In the second quarter of game 5 of the Celtics' 1991 first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, Bird slipped and fell, crashing face-first onto the Boston Garden floor. Bird had previously guaranteed to reporters that Boston would not lose the game; his fourth-quarter performance delivered his promise. Bird outdueled the Hawks' Dominique Wilkins, who scored 47 points in that game. In game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, Bird shot 9 of 10 in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 points in that quarter alone and lifting the Celtics to a narrow series-clinching victory over Atlanta.

The shot was on line, but glanced off the rim and missed as time expired. With only a few seconds remaining, he recieved the ball behind the three-point line and fired again. Magic Johnson would regain the lead for the Lakers with a clutch shot of his own, but Bird had one final chance to win the game. In game 4 of the 1987 Finals against the Lakers, Bird fought off defender James Worthy, got the ball, turned and hit a three-point shot with less than a minute remaining to give the Celtics the lead.

Instead, after losing in Detroit, Boston won game 7 and advanced to the Finals. The dramatic play--known simply to Boston fans as "The Steal"--saved the series for the Celtics, who, had they lost game 5, would have had to win game 6 in Detroit (where they were winless in the series) to force a decisive seventh game. With the clock ticking down and with his momentum carrying him out of bounds, Bird turned and fired the ball to teammate Dennis Johnson, who converted a layup with 2 seconds left to win the game for Boston. In game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons, with five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Boston trailing the Pistons 107-106, Bird stole an inbound pass from Isiah Thomas intended for Bill Laimbeer.

In the clinching game 6 of the 1986 Finals, Bird recorded a triple-double (the basketball term for double-digit numbers in three categories) of 29 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. In the late stages of this game 7 Bird also had two key steals, two free throws made, a rebound, and blocked a shot. That basket won Boston the game and the series and they would go on to win the NBA championship in the Finals. In game 7 of the 1981 Eastern Conference finals against the rival Philadelphia 76ers, Boston was behind by one in the last minute when Bird sank a fast-break mid-range pull-up bank shot, a very difficult shot to execute under intense pressure.