Former Celtics player Dennis Johnson Dead at 52.

[Smber]

The '86 Celtics were the best team in the history of the NBA. Don't give me any hooey about the Bulls of the '90s or the Lakers; that team was a smart, veteran team which, in addition to being the best, had some great personalities (not the ass-clowns seen today but good people). IMHO, the league went downhill quickly after those guys retired. DJ was a great teammate who did whatever it took to compete and win. He was one of the best one-on-one defenders in the history of the game, a great clutch shooter and took it up in big games. Prayers and condolances to his family.

[llevrok]

DJ - from the era the B in NBA stood for basket ball, not business.

[My Favorite Headache]

WTF?!?!? What would make you say such a thing? It was more like a pulmonary embolism or something of that nature.

Shame on you.

[My Favorite Headache]

RIP

[misterrob]

An aging team with no back up center and their 1st round pick having died from doing blow in the off season. Bias would have made a huge difference in that series.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Sad - remember those days and games so well.

[PISANO]

"Now there's a steal by Bird, underneath to DJ who lays it in."

RIP DJ!!

[misterrob]

And the Celts got him from Phoenix for Rick Robey of all people.

One of Red's best trades ever. Right behind the 1st round pick to Golden State for Robert Parrish and the #3 overall that turned out to be Kevin McHale.

[speedy]

If memory serves, that pick was Joe Barry Carroll. I'll take that trade any day. Another good one was getting Don Nelson from Chicago for someone long lost to my memory.

[Norman Arbuthnot]

Back when I couldn't wait for the NBA playoffs to begin.

Yeah, the 80's was actually a golden era in the NBA. Celtics Vs. Sixers and Celtics vs. Lakers were epic battles.

RIP DJ.

[fkabuckeyesrule]

****Agreed! I stayed up late for every game, (It was late back then...)That was an exciting series against the Bullets.****

I remember watching that series too it was the week after I graduated from High School. Great games and I hated the Bullets.

[SoCal Pubbie]

If you saw the '84 series, you'd know what I was talking about.

[fieldmarshaldj]

May he rest in peace. Prayers for the family.

[Roberts]

Rest in peace, D.J.

[Christian4Bush]

I think the Celtics are in Los Angeles, to play the Lakers tomorrow night. I got to see him play in person and up close, as well as Ainge, Bird, McHale, Parrish and the Chief. Man, those were the days.

Condolences to and prayers for his family, and for the Celtics organization.

[Christian4Bush]

Yep, DJ caught the pass from Bird & made the basket....Great moment in sport.

And a classic call by the great Johnny Most.

[LukeL]

I am guessing he died from Marfan's.

[eyedigress]

I was in the 9th grade and remembering them bring out (THE BIG "E") Elvin Hayes and Jack Sikma for the Sonics. And who could forget "Downtown Freddy Brown", It was awesome. DJ had the heart and soul of that team. He was a good man and you could tell just by watching. RIP DJ

[PallMal]

In recent years, DJ gained a lot of weight. I was surprised, no, shocked, the last time I saw him on TV (around a year ago).

More than likely, the huge weight gain played a part in his death.