Cedric Maxwell

Cedric Maxwell
Player information
Full name	Cedric Bryan Maxwell
Nickname	Cornbread
birthday	November 21, 1955
place of birth	Kinston , North Carolina , United States
size	203 cm
position	Power Forward / Small Forward
NBA draft	1977 , 12th pick, Boston Celtics
Clubs as active
1977–1985 Boston Celtics 1985–1986 Los Angeles Clippers 1986–1988 Houston Rockets

Cedric Bryan Maxwell (born November 21, 1955 in Kinston , North Carolina , United States) is a retired American basketball player for the Boston Celtics , Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets in the NBA . The 2.03 meter tall Maxwell played the position of power forward and occasionally small forward . Maxwell called "Cornbread" was a member of the Celtics teams that became NBA champions in 1981 and 1984, and in 1981 was elected Most Valuable Player of the Finals .

Career

Maxwell was drawn 12th in the 1977 NBA Draft by the Celtics. He was named Cornbread because of his resemblance to the character Cornbread in the 1975 film Cornbread, Earl, and Me . The then-weak Celtics had a miserable season, winning only 29 of their 82 games of the season, and Maxwell came off the bench with 7 points and 5 rebounds per game. The 1978-79 season was also unspectacular for Boston, but the filigree Maxwell established himself as a regular player and now scored 19 points and 10 rebounds per game. When Boston superstar winger Larry Bird signed in 1979, the Celtics renaissance began. With Maxwell close to the basket, the legendary Bird from the middle distance and veteran Tiny Archibald on construction, the Celtics reached the NBA final round in 1981 against the Houston Rockets from center Moses Malone . Before the important 5th game it was 2-2, and Bird had played moderately until then. Maxwell stepped in for him, led Boston to wins in Games 5 and 6 and was named the " NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award " of the finals series.

In the following years Maxwell had to deal with the fact that his substitute Kevin McHale pushed him into the reserve. Even so, Maxwell became a hero in the 1984 NBA Finals. In the 7th game against arch-rivals Los Angeles Lakers , he encouraged his doubting teammates to "hop on his shoulders" and laid the foundation for the all-important victory with a strong game.

But then Maxwell's career took a sudden turn when he fell out with Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach and was deported to the weak Los Angeles Clippers in 1985. There he played well (15 points and 8 rebounds per game), but never came close to the playoffs again. He let his career end with the Houston Rockets. After the reconciliation with Auerbach in the 90s, the Celtics withdrew Maxwell's jersey number 31 forever.

He is one of four players who took more than 800 NBA games to reach the first Triple Double : Karl Malone (860), Patrick Ewing (834), Tony Parker (826) and Cedric Maxwell (824).

Private life

Maxwell had two siblings. They came from a sheltered home: his father was a soldier and his mother was a housewife. He spent part of his childhood in Hawaii . Today Maxwell works as a radio commentator.

Web links

• Cedric Maxwell - player profile on basketball-reference.com
• Long interview with Maxwell (English)