In the early 1980s, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers ran the Eastern Conference. One of them represented the East in every NBA Finals between 1980 and 1987, often after ousting the other.
The rivalry was approaching its last leg in 1984, but it still had enough juice to spark a dramatic confrontation between two of the league's marquee talents, Julius Erving and Larry Bird, during a Nov. 9, 1984, matchup.
Erving explained what transpired during a May 2018 interview on ESPN's Get Up! (h/t For The Win's Nick Schwartz):
"So the fight, actually, there was an offensive foul called on Larry. He didn't like the call so he was really mad at the referee. And he came down court and he was kind of like stomping. He was in front of his bench, and it looked like a moment in which he was going to take a swing. It was very uncharacteristic because, you know, we did Converse commercials together, we did Spalding commercials together, so we were kind of cool. But I thought something was going to happen, because he was definitely mad – but he was mad at the referee, he wasn't mad at me.
"I just extended my arm to hold him back, and it ended up sliding up to his neck. Then it was on. So it was really inadvertent. I didn't really mean to grab him by the neck. I pushed him in the chest, hand slid up, got to his neck, he reaches for my neck… Next thing I know, it's a melee."
Bird and Erving threw punches. Moses Malone scuffled with M.L. Carr. The benches emptied, and at one point, there was a pile of players on the floor. Referee Dick Bavetta, who was forced into solo duty after his partner, Jack Madden, left with a knee injury, did what he could to restore order.
In all, 18 people were fined for the fight: 17 players and 76ers coach Billy Cunningham. Erving and Bird were the hardest hit with $7,500 fines, the second-largest in NBA history at the time.
