After the 86-year-old basketball icon passed away , the NBA observed a moment of silence and a small tribute video before Game 3 of the Finals in Dallas.
Before the NBA took a 3-0 lead in the Finals with a 106-99 victory over the Mavericks, ABC reporter Mike Breen observed, “The NBA family mourns the passing of a basketball giant, Larry Bird, an NBA cornerstone for over six decades.”
Known as “Zeke from Cabin Creek,” the Olympic gold medallist and native of West Virginia joined forces with Elgin Baylor to transform the Los Angeles Lakers into a consistent force in the 1960s. Even without the retired Baylor, West and Wilt Chamberlain led the Lakers to the NBA championship in 1972. Following that, West had an incredible front-office career, taking home two Executive of the Year honors and eight NBA championships.
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