Photo Credit: Walter Iooss Jr./Sports Illustrated
55 Years Ago, Havlicek Stole The Ball And Made NBA History
55 years ago today, one of the most famous plays, including one of the most famous broadcasting quotes, took place.
April 15, 1965 – Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics at Boston Garden. After Wilt Chamberlain had cut Boston’s lead down to one point, with five seconds to go in the fourth, Bill Russell committed a, for him very unusual, turnover from the inbound, giving the ball back to Philadelphia.
As Philadelphia’s Hal Greer got set to inbound the ball himself, John Havlicek anticipated the lob pass, tipped the ball to teammate Sam Jones, who dribbled out the clock sending the entire Boston Garden crowd into a frenzy.
As the steal occurred, Celtics broadcaster Johnny Most made history himself with one of the most famous broadcasting quotes in sports history:
“Havlicek stole the ball! It’s all over! It’s all over!”
The Boston would then beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, with four games to one, winning their seventh of eight consecutive NBA titles.
