Why Robert Parish Let Dr. J and Moses Malone ‘whup’ Bird: “Larry earned that a** whopping”
During the infamous fight in 1984 where Julius Erving and Moses Malone aggressively attacked Larry Bird, many questioned why Robert Parish, a towering 7’1” presence, didn’t step in to aid his teammate.
Not only did the ‘The Chief’ strongly believe that his three-time MVP teammate deserved the physical beatdown, but further explained why he chose not to intervene when the two Sixers assailed Bird.
“Larry earned that a** whopping Jackie, he earned it from his words. No question about it. And that’s one of the reasons why I didn’t do anything about it, even though Moses was holding Larry back ’cause some things Jackie you just don’t say to the other person in the heat of the moment and I felt like Larry crossed the line,” Parish recalled on ‘The Icons Club.’ “And then when Moses did not throw a punch, that’s why I did not intervene.”
Larry earned that a** whopping Jackie, he earned it from his words. No question about it. And that’s one of the reasons why I didn’t do anything about it, even though Moses was holding Larry back ’cause some things Jackie you just don’t say to the other person in the heat of the moment and I felt like Larry crossed the line,” Parish recalled on ‘The Icons Club.’ “And then when Moses did not throw a punch, that’s why I did not intervene.”
Robert Parish on Bird instigating Erving
In that particular game between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers, Bird showcased his superiority in a one-on-one matchup against Dr. J, amassing 42 points to Erving’s 6. On top of that, Bird’s sharp tongue and intense trash-talk affected Erving, unsettling not just him but each player on the court, including Parish, who claimed he would have reacted similarly to Larry if he were in Dr. J’s shoes.