Some of the best games of Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics career came against Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks, and one of the most memorable happened on this day 40 years ago.
On March 12, 1985, the Celtics played the Hawks at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans in a regular season game.
Bird put on a shooting display unlike anything the sport had ever seen. He scored a career-high 60 points on 22-for-36 shooting as the Celtics earned a 126-115 victory. Bird hit only one 3-pointer, but he did make 15 of his 16 free throw attempts.
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The most memorable shot from the game was an off-balance baseline jumper Bird made in the second half over a Hawks player that was so crazy even players on Atlanta’s bench couldn’t believe what they were seeing. Bird hit the 60-point mark on the last shot of the game as time expired. His teammates immediately ran over to congratulate him.
Bird’s 60 points set a new Celtics record for scoring in a single game. That record still stands, but Bird now shares it with Jayson Tatum, who scored 60 points versus the San Antonio Spurs on April 30, 2021.
The previous record holder was Kevin McHale, who scored 56 points against the Detroit Pistons nine days before Bird hit 60.
Relive Bird’s historic performance in the video above, presented by VA New England.