The Cedric Maxwell Interview
By:
Michael D. McClellan
|
Thursday, June 12th, 2002
Game 7 of the 1984 Finals; Celtics vs. Lakers, Bird vs.
Magic. East coast vs. west coast. From a media
standpoint it was probably the biggest NBA Finals in
league history. Just how big was that game for you?
It was huge. It was the kind of moment I live for, and
I knew that I had to step up. Primetime players play
big in primetime games – I know that’s become a cliché
in this league, but I always looked at myself as that
type of player.
Just before that game you told your teammates to jump on
your back, that you were going to carry them to the
title. Then you went out and played an incredible
game. You shut down James Worthy, drew fouls and
dominated the boards. What is it about you that lives
for these types of situations?
I wish I knew – I also wish I could bottle it up and
sell it [laughs]. My mother is a very competitive
person, so I think that’s where I got it. Her
competitive spirit was passed on to me. I think that
helped me rise to the occasion. So my drive – and the
ability to elevate my game – comes to me honestly
[laughs].
I think my Game 7 performance against the Lakers was so noticeable because I was more laid back than Larry. By that I mean Larry only knew one way to play – he gave 110% all the time. This could occasionally work against him, because when you give 110% there isn’t anything else to give when you need it. He played every moment of every game as if it were his last, and I was more laid back in that respect. I had a little extra to give in that game.
Robert Parish will be inducted into the Naismith
Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this summer. You’re
the one responsible for the nickname “Chief”. Please
tell me a little about Robert from your perspective, and
do you plan on attending his induction ceremony?
I would certainly hope to be there [laughs]. I have a
tremendous amount of respect for Robert, and I’m looking
forward to his induction into the Hall of Fame. He’s
very deserving of the honor, as is Dennis Johnson. In
my mind DJ is worthy of inclusion – his accomplishments
speak for themselves.
Robert is an extraordinary individual, a unique person who will go down as one of the greatest centers to ever play the game of basketball. He was maligned at Golden State in the ‘70s, but there were a lot of factors responsible for that. He had a bad agent at the time and he was viewed by many as an underachiever. Then Red pulls off the trade with the Warriors, which brought Robert and Kevin to the Celtics. That was one of the greatest trades in the history of sports – or one of the worst, depending on which end you were on [laughs].
Robert was one of the first running centers to come into this league, and certainly one of the first seven-footers to run the court. Dave Cowens was a true running center, but Dave was only 6’-9”. Robert came into the league and showed that players his size could play like thoroughbreds.
When most people think of Robert, they see the quiet, stoic player who didn’t say much and who didn’t change his expression all that often. He was quiet to be sure, but he was also a very confident player who played this game longer than anyone else. His longevity is unbelievable. And he could tell a joke [laughs]. A lot of people don’t realize that about Robert. He was a really funny guy with a very good sense of humor.
I know you’ve been asked this question a million times,
but I’ll ask again. How did Robert get his nickname
“Chief”?
I pinned that one on him. I saw the Jack Nicholson
movie ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ and I instantly
thought of Robert as Chief Bromden [laughs]. Bromden
was this silent, dignified, towering and huge patient
committed to the ward visited by Nicholson’s character.
McMurphy?
That’s right. There’s the classic scene where McMurphy
is teaching the Chief ‘that old Indian game’ –basketball
on a fenced-in court. And he has that great line, ‘It’s
called, uh, put the ball in the hole’ [laughs].
