Mjcpr
2/22/2007, 06:28 PM
Dang.
AUSTIN, Tx — Dennis Johnson (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:siteSearch%28%27Dennis%20Johnson%27%29;), the star NBA guard who was part of three championship teams, died Thursday after collapsing at the end of practice. He was 52.
Johnson, coach of the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, died at a hospital, D-League spokesman Kent Partridge said. Mayra Freeman, a spokeswoman for the Travis County medical examiner's office, said there will be autopsy.
Johnson, a five-time All-Star and one of the great defensive guards, played 14 seasons and retired after the 1989-90 season. He played on title teams with the Boston Celtics (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:siteSearch%28%27Boston%20Celtics%27%29;) in 1984 and 1986 and with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979 when he was the NBA finals MVP.
Johnson, a leader on the court, was a favorite teammate of Larry Bird. The two combined on one of the most memorable plays in Celtics history.
During the fifth game of the 1987 Eastern Conference finals against Detroit, Bird stole Isiah Thomas' inbounds pass under Boston's basket and fed Johnson, who drove in for the winning layup. Boston won the series in seven games but lost to the Los Angeles (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,253880,00.html#) Lakers in the NBA finals.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,253880,00.html
AUSTIN, Tx — Dennis Johnson (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:siteSearch%28%27Dennis%20Johnson%27%29;), the star NBA guard who was part of three championship teams, died Thursday after collapsing at the end of practice. He was 52.
Johnson, coach of the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League, died at a hospital, D-League spokesman Kent Partridge said. Mayra Freeman, a spokeswoman for the Travis County medical examiner's office, said there will be autopsy.
Johnson, a five-time All-Star and one of the great defensive guards, played 14 seasons and retired after the 1989-90 season. He played on title teams with the Boston Celtics (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:siteSearch%28%27Boston%20Celtics%27%29;) in 1984 and 1986 and with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979 when he was the NBA finals MVP.
Johnson, a leader on the court, was a favorite teammate of Larry Bird. The two combined on one of the most memorable plays in Celtics history.
During the fifth game of the 1987 Eastern Conference finals against Detroit, Bird stole Isiah Thomas' inbounds pass under Boston's basket and fed Johnson, who drove in for the winning layup. Boston won the series in seven games but lost to the Los Angeles (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,253880,00.html#) Lakers in the NBA finals.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,253880,00.html