Wow. That's too bad. He was a great player on a great team. RIP.
Oh my, sad indeed, but for all you guys who remember him as a Celtic, you need to back up a few years. He was a star in the backcourt with the Sonics, got us to two NBA Finals against the Bullets, winning in 1979. He was a shut down defender and a great backcourt player along with Gus Williams. Little known trivia, the Sonics in 1980 had Dennis Johnson, John Johnson, and Vinnie Johnson all on the same team. I believe we sent him to Phoenix in exchange for Paul Westphal. RIP DJ.
.
Aw, that sucks. I really liked Dennis Johnson. Man - this is one tough year for Celtics fans.
I was lucky enough to have dinner and drinks after a Bullets game with DJ, Bird and McHale. Dennis was a class act. Humble, entertaining and a great person in the few hours I got to spend with him. Condolences to his family and friends.
Damn. Damn damn damn. DJ was a hell of a player, and I'm happy he got his chance at glory with one of my favorite squads of all time. On a team of (relatively) quiet stars, he stood out for his unselfishness and class. I hate being this age. All the people I watched as a kid are going, and it forces me to face my own impending mortality. Stupid death.
DJ remembered.
I miss DJ already; he was one of my childhood heroes. The Sports Guy comes out of his reality-TV-Santa-Monica coma to deliver a very good remembrance.
It's funny, I NEVER would have thought DJ was a HOF candidate until I read Simmon's piece, thanks for linking it Venicemenance.
A couple of the local talking heads on the late-night sports talk show last night in Boston challenged each other to name something that DJ could not do well on a basketball court. The obvious answer was 'nothing'. DJ may have been the most complete guard I have ever seen. He was a typical player of the days when you were either a forward, guard, or center. Point, shooter, defender didn't matter. You played basketball. That was DJ's game, and we loved it. I guess there's a pickup game going on right now somewhere above us.
Gosh, he and Robert Parrish made me like the Celtics. I loved watching DJ play. R.I.P.
Also -- re-watch one of the great plays of all time. Bird's steal was amazing, but DJ's layup was probably even more amazing. If you have some time on the court in the near future, you might try to duplicate this play. It's damned hard even if Joe Dumars isn't covering you.
Meh, Dumars doesn't get around like he used to. Especially if you set him up with a few hard picks early on.
Just another thing to make me feel older. DJ wasn't the flashiest of players (those celtics weren't the flashiest of teams) but other than bird there wasn't a player that I had more confidence. In regards to the sports guy, not a bad article, but of course he takes it a little too far. Watching the video, DJ has the play right in front of him. His cut to the basket is at the same time bird's steal is unfolding. Heads up play, but not the 'only dennis and god would have reacted so quickly' reaction that simmons claims.
