Former NBA star Dennis Johnson dies at 52

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Apologies if this has already been posted here or elsewhere...

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Dennis Johnson, the star NBA guard who was part of three championship teams, died Thursday after collapsing at the end of practice. He was 52.

Johnson, coach of the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, died at a hospital, D-League spokesman Kent Partridge said. Mayra Freeman, a spokeswoman for the Travis County medical examiner's office, said there will be autopsy.

Johnson, a five-time All-Star and one of the great defensive guards, played 14 seasons and retired after the 1989-90 season. He played on title teams with the Boston Celtics in 1984 and 1986 and with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979 when he was the NBA finals MVP.

Johnson, a leader on the court, was a favorite teammate of Larry Bird. The two combined on one of the most memorable plays in Celtics history.

During the fifth game of the 1987 Eastern Conference finals against Detroit, Bird stole Isiah Thomas' inbounds pass under Boston's basket and fed Johnson, who drove in for the winning layup. Boston won the series in seven games but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals.

Whole story linked here

[Racquetball_Ninja]

I hated the Celtics but loved the way DJ played. 

[WilliamTheWildcat]

I really liked DJ when he played with (the original) Downtown Freddy Brown and Marvin (the Human Eraser) Webster with those Seattle squads.  They also had a great guard name Gus Johnson.   They were such a good team.

Was very glad they knocked off the Washington Bullets.  Washington was going for the repeat and had some serious stars like Elvin Hayes, Wes Unseld, Bobby Dandridge.

NBA Bball was a different game at that time.

[Racquetball_Ninja]

NBA Bball was a different game at that time.

That's the truth.  I was watching the 85 playoffs the other night on Classic and I couldn't get over how differently the game was played.  I'd still put MJ up against anybody that ever has or ever will play the game.  "Sometimes I dream, that he is me..."