This board is usually pretty lilght on the NBA, with good reason, but today’s news of the sudden passing of 52 year old Dennis Johnson reminds me of the Golden Age of the NBA:  the 1980s.

Larry Bird once called DJ, “The greatest player he’d ever played with.”

High praise considering Bird played with Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Dave Cowens, Danny Ainge, Reggie Lewis, and Bill Walton.  Not to mention the 1992 Dream Team.

I’ll never forget the playoff win against the Pistons when the Cs were down 1 with like 6 seconds left, Isiah Thomas inbounded, Bird stole it out of mid-air along the baselline, and passed it to DJ who had miraculously cut to the hoop for a lay-in with 1 second left to give the Cs the lead and the win.

RIP DJ, and thanks for everything . . .