Observations from watching Game 4 of the 1987 NBA finals

The Game Room
1

Watching a rerun from 35 years ago…

  1. (and most amazingly) there was a play where the refs disagreed on which team knocked the ball out of bounds, so they called a jump ball.
  2. Very few 3 point attempts. At one point Ainge passes up a 3 pointer to move in closer and sink a 2 pointer.
  3. How the hell did a team with Magic, Kareem, and James Worthy ever lose a game?
  4. Actual traveling calls. Though the refs missed a palming call (does that even exist anymore?)
  5. I thought I saw Bill Walton on the Celts bench, but he doesn’t get in the game.
  6. It was a different world.
2

Basketball-Reference.com says that, in 1986-87, NBA teams only averaged 4.7 three-point shots per game. This past season, they averaged 35.2 three-point tries per game.

You likely did; 1986-87 was his final season playing, though he only appeared in 10 games for the Celtics in the regular season. He played in five out of the six games in those finals, but only for 24 total minutes. (Stats here also courtesy of Basketball Reference.)