John Havlicek’s playing style was anything but flamboyant. It was almost robotic–error free, efficient and above all tireless. New York Knick’s coach Red Holzman said of Havlicek, “On stamina alone he’d be among the top players who ever played the game.”
He also appeared to be impervious to pressure. A game that is often forgotten in Celtics lore, their game 6 double overtime loss at home to Kareem Abdul Jabbar and the Milwaukee Bucks in 1974, is a prime example of Havlicek’s response to pressure.
His performance was amazing. He scored 36 points, and no less than three times in the double overtime game he had the courage to take, and the nerves to make, the shot the Celtics had to have. He made the final shot in regulation to send the game into overtime. He duplicated that feat in the first overtime to send the game into the second. Then, with 7 seconds left in the second overtime, he did it yet again to put the Celtics up by a point only to see Jabbar make one of his patented “sky hooks” as the buzzer sounded to steal the game and the hometown fans’ chance for celebration. But Havlicek’s performance simply underscored his legend.
It is difficult to believe that such a performer could suffer from mortal vulnerabilities like nervousness and anxiety before a game.
But his good friend, Dr. Leach, had some first hand experience with Havlicek’s surprisingly human characteristics.
The story unfolds this way.
It is 1974, the year after the Celtics painful loss to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals; a loss due in no small part to Havlicek’s separated shoulder in game 3. In an unfortunate turn of events Leach is required to attend an American Society of Surgeons Conference in San Francisco and is absent from the Celtics bench for game 6 and, he thought, for game 7, should there be one.
Thanks to Jabbar’s last second shot in game 6 in Boston, there would, indeed, be a seventh game two days later in Milwaukee.
Leach recalls, “I was sitting at a dinner meeting in San Francisco wishing I was in Boston, trying to listen to a presentation and the Celtics game at the same time. I was quite upset with the game’s outcome, and headed back to my room for some quiet and alone time. Shortly after I got there my phone rang. I answered and was shocked to hear Beth Havlicek’s (John’s wife) voice. She explained that John wanted me in Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon. She said, ‘I’ve reserved you a flight out of San Francisco. He’ll meet you in Milwaukee. You’re all set.’”
“I know that I’m not all set unless my wife knows of this plan, but Beth assures me that this is all approved.”
I comment on the humor in Beth Havlicek arranging his travel schedule and his role as her husband’s good luck charm.
Leach responded, “This is quite unusual. John was usually calm before even the biggest games. But I was a very willing pawn in all this, and as far as being a good luck charm, I think it was more a case of being a part of his game day routine. He had a routine that he followed, sometimes I was just a part of it and for this game he didn’t want to deviate from any of the routine.”
“I remember that we watched Lawrence of Arabia that night to make the time pass. The next morning he was really edgy. I suggested going to breakfast early. John was abrupt. ‘No. I can’t eat right now.’ I told him, ‘Ok. If that’s the case I’m going out for a run.’”
“After about 5 miles, I returned to our room and John shocked me with, ‘Where the Hell have you been?!’ I said, “I’ve just been out running. You know that.’ He says, ‘I need you here. I want to talk for awhile.’”
Why Havlicek showed nerves before this game is open to speculation. Certainly it was a big game. Leach ventured that perhaps his mental state was related to the game just two nights prior in which his heroic performance was still not enough in the face of the towering Jabbar, possessor of probably the most unstoppable shot in NBA history.
But by contrast some of the other Celtics, according to Leach, were calm and confident at breakfast.
“I asked Jo Jo (White), ‘can you guys get it done?’” He told me Oscar’s (Robertson) fried. That ‘Duck (Don Chaney) and I have him so tired he can’t do anything.’ (That afternoon Robertson had just 6 points on 2 of 13 shooting.) He says David (Cowens) knows exactly what to do with Kareem. He assures me that ‘we’ve got it.’ He was totally confident.”
“As the morning went on (the game was that afternoon) John returned to his routine. We talked a bit, he did his usual collection and distribution of tickets for his teammates, and he was normal. When I saw that, I felt like we were in good shape.”
“The Celtics played a wonderful game that afternoon. John played well (16 points, 6 assists, 9 rebounds), Westfall (Paul) had the game of his life to that point. Everybody played well. Poor old Oscar was tired just as Jo Jo said, couldn’t play his game, and we ran off with it (a 15 point win).”
Leach continues, “We all run into the locker room, and there’s champagne everywhere. I’m wearing a wild sport jacket that gets completely doused. And I’m thinking, ‘oh my goodness. Being in the locker room celebrating a moment like this.’ I’ve never played basketball at all, but I’m sure enjoying the fruits of it.”
On the plane on the way home there is a row with three icons in it. On the aisle is Dr. Leach. On the window is John Havlicek. In the middle is the NBA finals MVP trophy which now belongs to Havlicek.
“At one point,” Leach recalls, “John looked over at me and said, ‘that’s the first one I’ve ever won.’ I’m puzzled. This is John Havlicek. He’s got a lot of experience in winning. I ask him what he means. He says, ‘in college (Ohio State) it was always Lucas (Jerry, his teammate for 4 years there). In the pros it was always Russ’” (the incomparable Bill Russell).
A humble and very human Havlicek then says, “’This is the first time I’ve ever been an MVP.’”