Legends Larry Bird And Julius Erving Got Into A Legendary Fistfight 39 Years Ago

Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Julius Erving brawled at Boston Garden Nov. 9, 1984 in one of the best fights in NBA history

Here's how heated things were between NBA legends Julius Erving and Larry Bird Nov. 9, 1984: Charles Barkley actually had to walk away. 

That's how epic the Erving-Bird fistfight was at the Boston Garden. Erving and Bird were both ejected after brawling following an altercation on the court. 

It began in the third quarter when Bird was getting the best of Erving. 

"I was up 38 [points]to 6," Bird said during his ESPN documentary. "That's how I summarize it. I don't want to get into the details but I wasn't happy with the way things were going on." 

During one trip down the court, the Hall of Famers got entangled. The contact left Bird on the ground. Bird then confront Erving on the other end, which led to both players choking each other. 

It ended with Erving landing two punches on Bird, who was being held from behind Charles Barkley and Moses Malone. It appeared Barkley and Malone were trying to bring peace but it was too late for Erving. 

All players were ejected for their roles. 

November 9, 1984: The Larry Bird/Julius Erving fight.

Each was ejected & fined $7,500. Philadelphia's Moses Malone & Charles Barkley were fined $3,500 & $1,000 for their roles in the fight. Bird scored 42 PTS (17-23 FG) in a 130-119 Celtics win. Barkley scored 27 for the 76ers. pic.twitter.com/UYEoLsBmXe

— NBA Cobwebs (@NBACobwebs) November 9, 2023

Barkley said he was unsure why he was ejected. He claimed during a TNT broadcast he was trying to break things up. 

"The NBA said I was holding him," Barkley said. "I just I tried to break up a fight. I did try to break up a fight. I was just trying to break up the fight. I would never hold a guy and let another guy hit him. I was standing behind Larry Bird, and I tried to grab him. I didn't know Doc was hitting him until that fine came in the mail."

Boston Celtics Great Larry Bird Even Trash-Talked Opposing Coaches

Shandel Richardson is the Publisher of Back In The Day NBA. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

TWITTER: @ShandelRich

Follow all of our Miami Heat/NBA coverage on Facebook here

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here

For any Heat or NBA questions, please email shandelrich@gmail.com