DJ Goes Into The Hall of Fame Friday

by Jeff Clark on Aug 9, 2010 8:55 PM EDT in Boston Celtics News & Links

This won't be the last time we mention this (in fact, we plan on having a chat party during the ceremony Friday night), but since Wojo has an article on DJ, I thought I'd give this some link love.

D.J.'s greatness extended to his final team

When Magic Johnson thinks of the Celtics-Lakers battles in the 1980s, it isn’t just Bird that comes to his mind. "My rivalry was really with D.J.," Magic said. He called him, "one of the best individual defensive players probably to ever play in the league," and has never gotten over the way Johnson systemically took him out of the ’84 Finals. Larry Bird called Johnson the best teammate he ever had.

Johnson had 15,000 points and 5,000 assists with the Sonics, Suns and Celtics, one of just 11 players ever to do so. With the Suns in ’80, he was first-team All-NBA with Kareem, Dr. J and Bird. He was the Finals MVP in 1979 with the Sonics, and an immense part of two Celtics titles in ’84 and ’86.

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My all time favorite Celtic! Maybe because I was too young to recognize Cousy’s greatness at the time (yes, I was too young once…now I am just about right!) but DJ had me oohing and aahing on a regular basis.

by thirstyboots18 on Aug 9, 2010 9:17 PM EDT reply actions

I am so happy for DJ....

Its a well deserved honor.

I have great vivid memories of him as a teen growing up and watching him play for the C’s in the 80"s.

To bad he passed away so young and could not see this day coming.

You can now rest in piece DJ (basketball speaking) now that you finally made it into the NBA hall of fame.

by fordescort on Aug 9, 2010 9:17 PM EDT reply actions

Here is a nice link on youtube .....

that offers a nice tribute for DJ that seems fitting on this day to watch if anybody is interested and has not come across it.

by fordescort on Aug 9, 2010 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Sorry forgot to post the actual you tube link....

here it is below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOTbmx-6zwA&feature=related

by fordescort on Aug 9, 2010 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions

If this were Facebook...

… I’d be stomping all over the “Like” button.

by Big_Easy on Aug 9, 2010 9:59 PM EDT reply actions

+1

by Papatrichs on Aug 10, 2010 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

This is great news honoring a great Celtic

I loved watching him……a true professional and this is highly deserved and too long i coming

God Bless DJ

Is it Soup Yet?

by Master Po on Aug 9, 2010 10:02 PM EDT reply actions

Complete travesty it took this long. Dennis is smiling down from somewhere. MY favorite DJ moment was when he whooped Ralph Samson for him messing with Jerry.

by Celtics4ever on Aug 9, 2010 10:14 PM EDT reply actions

+1

He was so deserving. – Part of the best starting five ever.

by CelticPride on Aug 10, 2010 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions

One of my favorite Celtics of all time

He brought it when it was needed the most. Seemed like he couldn’t hit that 20 footer until then needed a 20 footer. If you beat him off the dribble (pretty rare) he’d poke the ball away from you. He locked up Magic when KC switched him with Ainge. WIth the Celtics he rarely ever dunked in a game, to conserve his energy. In his younger days he was a leaper, but with the Celtics he could still get up. Just ask Jack Sikma when DJ came from the weak side to go up over the top of the square to put a layup back in his face. Or the over the top passes to Bird when his man was fronting him, the best one being when playing Detroit in the playoffs and Rodman played the play perfectly…and DJ passed it off the backboard to Bird.

And of course, Bird made the steal…..DJ was there cutting to the hoop to make a difficult reverse layup with Joe Dumars all over him.

Well deserved and much overdue honor for DJ and his family.

RIP

- JoeB

by joeb on Aug 9, 2010 10:22 PM EDT reply actions

I started following DJ back when he was with the Sonics

and kept up the love all through his career through the Suns and, of course, with the Celtics.

Great player. Great guy. Should have been in the Hall ages ago.

It is truly amazing that a guy who scored 15,000 pts, and dealt out over 5000 assists in his career is actually and rightfully best known as a defensive player!

For those that didn’t get to witness him, THAT irony should speak volumes about just how good his defense was!

by mmmmm on Aug 9, 2010 10:59 PM EDT reply actions

getting beaten>poke away

My damn BIL stole that poke from behind steal and would regularly torment me when I beat him off the dribble if I wasn’t especially careful with the ball.

Met DJ when he was scouting a UT game (Allan Houston, probably). He was even more freckly in person.

A long-overdue honor.

by spinetingler on Aug 9, 2010 11:24 PM EDT reply actions

Too slow. No heart. Can't shoot from outside

Those were the three dumbest criticisms, esp the no heart part, about DJ while the Celtics was struggling in late 80s. He played like an HOF and deserved to be in there.

RIP

by getthat18now on Aug 9, 2010 11:35 PM EDT reply actions

When I played ball I always tried to pattern

myself after DJ, tenacity, energy, smart plays, make your team better, and always come through in the clutch. I loved DJ.

It was just a thrill to watch him as coach of the Clippers. It shouldn’t have taken this long for him to be enshrined. I was shocked when I heard he had passed away. It’s a real shame he won’t be there to witness it.

by eastie Rich on Aug 10, 2010 12:46 AM EDT reply actions

Yea

But he’ll be there in sprit! Dj!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by CBleedsGreeN on Aug 10, 2010 2:30 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

Great article

Dj and bird were always my favorites

RIP DJ

by WarriorWe on Aug 10, 2010 7:02 AM EDT reply actions

Bird said he was the best player he ever played with

and that’s good enough for me. He always played big when the games mattered the most. Besides w/o DJ the steal (Birds from Isiah in ’87) would be just a footnote in Celtics lore.

"Do you know that nonbelievers create the most positive energy?" Davis said

by Birdbrain on Aug 10, 2010 9:12 AM EDT reply actions

Jackie MacMullan

Definitely deserved honor for DJ. He’s the type of player more appreciated by other players and coaches than by the media, for whatever reason, and guys like him are often overlooked. I’m glad he’s being inducted.

Also, Jackie MacMullan deserves being honored. Her writing is among the best and her comments are incise and objective. I always enjoy reading her articles and listening to her when she joins the the Celtic commentators. Her articles get below the surface and really give insight into what the players are really like as people.

"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn

by TrueGreen on Aug 10, 2010 9:51 AM EDT reply actions