**”Why Did Larry Bird Say He Had No Problem Being the Sixth Man for the Boston Celtics in 1982?”**
In 1982, Larry Bird declared he was totally cool with being the Boston Celtics’ sixth man. Bird was the team’s sixth man, coming off the bench for 19 games in the 1981–82 campaign. Harvey Catchings of the Milwaukee Bucks made it happen, and Bird had no issues playing reserve. In a flash, Larry Bird helped the Boston Celtics turn things around.
The squad finished 29-53 the year before Larry Bird made his Boston Celtics debut. The Celtics had a 32-50 record the year before that. Bird was picked as the basketball team’s salvation because Boston desperately needed a winner. He did not let us down. Bird participated in all 82 games as a rookie in 1979–80, averaging 21.3 points and 10.4 rebounds. In addition to winning Rookie of the Year, he led the Celtics to a 61-21 season. The Celtics struck a franchise-altering agreement with the Golden State Warriors the next season. Thanks to a prior deal with the Detroit Pistons, the Celtics were in possession of the #1 pick in the 1980 NBA Draft. In return for the third overall pick, Boston packaged that pick plus the No. 13 selection.
Bird, McHale, and Parish won the first of three titles in the decade in their inaugural season together. In the 1981 NBA Finals, the Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets in six games. They proceeded to capture titles in 1986 and 1984. From 1984 to 1987, the Celtics participated in four consecutive championship rounds. 12 times, Bird was an NBA All-Star. From 1984 to 1986, he was the MVP three times in a row. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrined him in 1998. In 1982, Bird had no problem being Boston’s sixth man.
