Legends tend to be created by magical moments – series-altering dagger shots and clutch steals.
But a legacy is forged through versatile and sustained excellence.
The versatility of Larry Bird’s legendary excellence – in all is subtle genius – was never more fully on display than it was on Monday, February 18, 1985 in Salt Lake City.
The reigning MVP and his defending-champion mates had split their first four outings in a six-game Western swing (just their tenth and eleventh setbacks for the season) and were scheduled for their fourth tilt in five nights … injury and illness made Cedric Maxwell, Robert Parish and Quinn Buckner unavailable, to boot.