The 1984 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and LA Lakers stands out as one of the most memorable final series in NBA history, which contained an epic comeback, intense physicality, and players constantly getting into spats. Amidst the intense drama, a pivotal moment unfolded in Game 6, when the Purple and Gold, trailing by 3-2, saw James Worthy venting his frustration by shoving Cedric Maxwell in the back.
Not only did the 7-time All-Star neglect to offer an apology in the heat of the moment, but he maintained the same unapologetic stance for years to come.
Worthy defended his take
During the time ‘Big Game James’ appeared on ‘Showtime with Coop’ podcast, when Worthy reminisced about Game 6 of the ’84 Finals, the three-time NBA Champ defended his move by explaining that he resorted to playing the Celtics’ style of play at that point.
“That wasn’t our style , ” Worthy said . “Our style was getting up and down the court. That’s one of those old Red Auerbach strategies. They knew they couldn’t keep up with us. They’d sent in old fu**ing Greg Kite to use his six fouls – Scott Wedman. It worked because it’s like playing in those old-school yards. If somebody hits you, you’re going to hit back. It took us out of our game. I would never push anybody in the back, but I was new to this.”