In the NBA of 81 the Boston Celtics were proclaimed champions after beating the Houston Rockets 4-2 in the final. Moses Malone was the leader of the Texans, but the Rockets succumbed to the great work of Bird, well seconded by Maxwell

Boston Celtics
*Archibald – 10.3p, 5.5a, 1.2r
*Ford – 10.5p, 2.7r, 2.5a
*Maxwell – 17.7p, 9.5r, 2.8a
*Bird – 15.3p, 15.3r, 7.0a
*Parish – 15.0p, 7.7r, 2.0t
Robey – 7.8p, 3.7r
Henderson – 7.2p, 1.7r, 1.7a
Carr – 6.7p, 1.7r, 1.0a
McHale – 4.7p, 3.3r
Duerod – 1.5p. (4)
Fernsten – 0.5p. (4)

Houston Rockets
*Dunleavy – 9.8p, 3.2a, 2.3r
*Reid – 14.7p, 7.5r, 3.2a
*Willoughby – 7.5p, 4.5r, 1.2a
*Paultz – 11.2p, 6.0r, 1.3a
*M. Malone – 22.3p, 15.7r, 2.2t
Henderson – 6.7p, 4.2a, 2.2r
Leavell – 5.0p, 3.4a, 1.4r. (5)
Murphy – 9.8p, 1.8a, 1.0r. (4)
Garret – 3.0p, 1.8r. (4)
Jones – 3.0p, 1.6r. (3)
Tomjanovich – 0.6p, 1.3r. (3)

In order to reach the final they beat…
Boston Celtics – Chicago Bulls (4-2), Philadelphia Sixers (4-3)
Houston Rockets – Angeles Lakers (2-1), San Antonio Spurs (4-3), Kansas City Kings (4-1)