December 5, 2008
Dennis Johnson: 1954-2007
Key player on Celtics and Sonics title teams
Ex-All-Star collapses after coaching D-League practice
AUSTIN, Texas - Dennis Johnson, the star NBA guard who was part of three championship teams and combined with Larry Bird on one of the greatest postseason plays in league history, died yesterday after collapsing at the end of practice while coaching an NBA Development League team. He was 52.
Johnson, coach of the Austin Toros, was unconscious and in cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived at Austin Convention Center, said Warren Hassinger of the Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. Paramedics tried to resuscitate Johnson for 23 minutes before he was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead, Hassinger said. Mayra Freeman of the medical examiner's office said there will be an autopsy.
Johnson, a five-time All-Star and a top defensive guard, was part of the last Boston Celtics dynasty. He played 14 seasons and retired in 1990. He played on title teams with the Celtics in 1984 and 1986 and with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979, when he was the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
During Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference finals, Bird stole Isiah Thomas' inbounds pass under Boston's basket and fed Johnson, who drove in for the winning layup.
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