In his NBA debut, the legendary Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics was eclipsed by a Ford.
Fans of the Boston Celtics had to wait a while. In the 1978 NBA Draft, Larry Bird was chosen as the sixth overall choice, but he didn’t start playing professionally until 1979. Bird decided to go back to school for an additional year after they were unable to reach a contract. On October 12, 1979, he eventually struck a deal and participated in his debut game.
The Boston Garden was rockin’ with a rare sellout. The anticipation of seeing Bird in Green was sky high. When it was all said and done, te storyline of the game revolved around Celtics shooting guard Chris Ford.
Player agent Bob Woolf and Celtics president Red Auerbach engaged in intense negotiations to lure Bird to Boston. Bird and Boston were at odds during the 1978 draft because Auerbach believed the Indiana State standout wasn’t a franchise player and shouldn’t be compensated as such.
According to Sports Illustrated, Auerbach told Woolf, “Larry Bird can help, but he’s not a franchise.” “God, you need to maintain your dignity.” He can’t play by himself, after all.
It all came down to the draft month of June 1979. Bird would return to the draft if no agreement could be reached. After much negotiation, the two parties signed a five-year contract paying $650,000 a season for Bird.
There was a lot of excitement in Boston. 25% more tickets were sold, and the bird watch was underway. For once, there was a glimmer of optimism for Boston basketball.
On October 12, 1979, Bird made his NBA debut at the Boston Garden in front of a crowd that numbered 15,320. The Celtics were hoping for a fast start to the season to improve on their 29-53 record from the previous year as they hosted Moses Malone and the Houston Rockets.
Bird wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t very good either. In a 114-106 triumph, he ended with 14 points and 10 rebounds. In his 28 minutes of action, he shot 6 for 12 from the field and converted both of his free throws.
Even though everyone was focused on the rookie, Chris Ford, the shooting guard, was the subject of a lot of postgame discussion. Ford ended with 17 points in 27 minutes of play. He made 7 of 15 free throws from the floor and 2 of 2 from the line. When Ford made the first 3-pointer in NBA history, it was one of his field goals that created NBA history.
The only other basket the Celtics made during the game was a long-range shot by Ford. In all, they made three efforts, but Dave Cowens and Bird were unsuccessful. Although they shot three points with a little more aggression, the Rockets only made one of their attempts. Houston’s came from Rick Barry, as the club went 0 for 10 from long range.
