Recently, ESPN released a documentary revisiting the Boston Celtics – Los Angeles Lakers rivalry. However, it doesn't stop there. The film also shifts to a later rivalry, the Celtics' battles with the Detroit Pistons . And it doesn't leave out one particularly infamous moment.
After a grueling seven-game Eastern Conference Finals in 1987, Isiah Thomas made racial remarks about Larry Bird. The association and much of the media leaned hard into the controversy. As the documentary notes , "for the first time in a long time, race was front page news in the NBA."
If anyone had reason to make a big deal of it, it was Bird . He, however, did the complete opposite. That comes through clearly in the film.
Back after Detroit dropped Game 7 in Boston, emotions were still raw inside their locker room. So raw that Dennis Rodman began questioning Bird's reputation. The volatile Pistons forward suggested Larry's acclaim had actually something to do with race.
Rodman's teammate Thomas stood nearby. Still processing the loss, he picked up the same thread. Sure, Isiah said, Larry was very good. However, if the Celtics star were black, he would be "just another guy."
Within hours, the comment took off. The media, especially, picked it up immediately. And while doing so, they didn't exactly go easy on Zeke.
Take, for instance, a Los Angeles Times article.
It was headlined "Those unfortunate remarks about Larry Bird just don't fly."
In it, columnist Scott Ostler called it embarrassing when Thomas accused "Bird of whiteism." He also wrote that what the Pistons point guard had said was flat-out "stupid."
When the backlash hit, Thomas backpedaled. He said the remarks were sarcasm. Zeke also called Larry Legend directly to apologize. That call opened the door for the Indiana native to join him at a press conference ahead of the NBA Finals. It was a chance to "clear the air," as the documentary puts it.
Right there, the Hick from French Lick did just that.
"I'm a basketball player. I work very hard to become a good basketball player," he said. "I'm very proud of the fact that I'm able to compete… being slow and can't jump."
Rather than push back, the three-time MVP leaned into the perception. Bird even mixed in some humor. It draws laughs in the room, including from himself.
It definitely helped ease the tension. Once it did, Bird made it clear he held nothing against Thomas. He said his rival must have still been "in the heat of the battle" when making his remarks.
Then, turning directly to the reporters, Bird added, "And if it don't bother me, it shouldn't bother you."
Before stepping away from the podium and moving on to what he probably felt deserved his attention more, the forward icon closed with, "I don't think we should have had to sit here and talk about it all day."
With a simple "So I'm leaving," and more laughter from the room, he walked off. Not before shaking Isaiah's hand, though.
Zeke thanked Larry Legend in that moment and wished him "good luck" for the upcoming Finals series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the end, it was a clear example of how to handle public scrutiny at a time when media training wasn't part of the job — at least not the way it is today.
As for Thomas, that brief "thank you" wasn't a one-off. Decades later, in 2024, he thanked his fellow Hall of Famer again for how he handled it all.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
