People who say that LeBron would school Bird because he's too athletic don't know Larry Bird. Bird shit on guys like Dominique Wilkins, Dennis Rodman, and Scottie Pippen all three are more or less as athletic as LeBron and good defenders too. Not an insult to LeBron James because I think he's one of the very best basketball players of all time, but I still consider Larry Bird the best SF in NBA history. Larry's intangibles and incredible clutch ability put him over LeBron who is also crafty, but really hit or miss in the clutch.
Magic Johnson: "My black friends ask me, 'Was Larry Bird really that good?' Man, Larry Bird was so good it was scary. He was the only player I feared on the court."
lasoogneypubes bird is a killer through and through,cant believe people compare lebron to him, bird doesnt flop nor travel nor passes the ball when points are needed and unlike lebron, bird is liked even by opponents fans
In 1974 Larry Bird was my P.E assistant when I was in the 8th grade and he was a senior at Springs Valley High School. At the beginning of each P.E. class we always ran 10 warmup laps around the gym. One day, a trampoline was set up on the basketball court and there was Larry Bird bouncing on it. As the whistle blew and we reluctantly lined up to run our laps, our teacher (who was also Larry's basketball coach) blew his whistle, and said "Larry is going to take 10 shots while jumping on the trampoline. If Larry makes any shots, each one made will delete a lap that you must run." Coach threw the ball to Larry and right there in front of me and the entire boys Jr. High P.E. class, Larry proceeded to hit 7 out of 10 shots while bouncing up and down on the trampoline, 40 feet away from the goal. Larry set an incredible example for me as a young boy in French Lick, Indiana that helped me through my entire adult career. If you are willing to work very hard and never give up, your dreams can and will come true. Thank you Larry.
Priceless... Bird's determination and swagger knew no boundaries, and he actually could do everything on the basketball court in order to back it up, no wonder he was so confident. Also ridiculous that he was still doing this at 35 years old, playing under conditions that would make most players retire.
BasketballJones48021 bird at his best is a top 10 all-time player easily .. NBA fans today don't even realize how great the 80s Celtics and Lakers teams was.
This is the highest level to me. People like to talk about what a killer Jordan was and how every game was like war. Bird would beat you, and then you would give him a high five because he was so awesome.
Yeah, and there's a TH-cam video showing his dominance of MJ in head-to-head competition that ends with MJ saying he's glad that he won't have to play against him anymore.
Facts are FacTs Jordon in Bird and Magic and All those OTHER GreaT Stars Prime Would Never Win thetitles he was in on' 23-11 WAS THESCORE when there teams played each other the Birds NesT team Ruled Jordons teams including 2 donuts in the playoff's (6-0) CelTic's Pride 4Ever Bird was theBesT player I Ever Bare Witness to in BasKeTball .
Larry is one of the best to ever do it. Jordan is the greatest of all time. Don't ever forget Larry's adulation for Jordan early on. Bird knew Jordan was next up, but could not have predicted Jordan would go on to win six rings, never losing in the finals, and never even requiring a game 7. "I think it's just God disguised as Michael Jordan." -Larry Bird, 4/20/1986, after MJ dropped 63 points in an overtime loss in game 2 of Chicago's first round series with the eventual champion Celtics. Do not forget this Celtics team is regarded as one of the best Celtics teams of all time.
Bird went down the court after that shot like . . . "wooooooooooooooooooo . . you see that?" Then held out his hand for some dap " old school term for a high or low 5". . and the Clipper player gave him some. Classic clip.
Great footage - I never saw this before . Thanks for sharing! Only Bird could get the other team to high-five him after a big three. He once gave Patrick Ewing a high five after Patrick blocked a Celtic's shot. Bird truly loved to play and had an unreal feel for the game. Even at this stage of his career you can see his instincts for the game with his steals and a block and great hands and court awareness.
There is nothing more pure than Bird shooting the basketball... he was born to do it... a freakish natural. Once in a generation... even battered and broken down he found a way to elevate to greatness. Thank you for the memories...
John Craftenworth lol no sir. That is Bird talkin' shit, and Bannister not recognizing that Bird is talkin' shit lol. He was one of the greatest trash talkers in NBA history.
@@republikadugave420 bunch of idiots...you NEVER high five the opposition. If bannisted gave high five said good shot yeah maybe out of respect but this the guy making the play the shot giving high five thats like rubbing salt into wound... More like Saying "how you like that?" Bird is on another level of mind games
@Ulysses432 yes. Great era of NBA... throughout the battles of the 80s.. Jordon and his bulls became what they were in the 90s. Even if the bulls were as you put it properly utilized in the 80s they still couldn't have beaten the Lakers. Cs ... Pistons.. I do believe it all came together for the bulls in the 90s.
As a Celts fan respect right back to ya bro... when these two teams were in their Prime in the 80s there may not have never been a more talented overall matchup
Pistons fan here. Mad respect for the Celitcs and Lakers in that era. Two of the best teams of all time. I enjoyed the bad boys doing what they do, but I always hated when they did it to the celtics, lakers, or the rockets for some reason. It felt like they were damaging artists. I didn't mind at all when they did it to the Bulls though. Hard to explain.
Larry the legend was the only player I've ever seen to get high fives and opposing benches rolling back in their home seats! Show me another example in real live games.
There's a few examples of opposing benches getting into it over crazy dunks or shots by opposing players, but yeah Bird was one of a kind and other players truly respected him.
@@bgilley8199 True but mostly observed on single dunks or blocks, especially in the most recent years of endless fraternizing among NBA players. How that Hawks bench was reacting in Larry's 60pt game in 1985 I haven't seen anywhere else, absolutely hilarious yet indicative they were witnessing history in the making.
@@prop4g The Hawks game was definitely something special. Back then scoring outbursts like Bird's in that game weren't nearly as common due to the slower play style and more physical defense.
True winners. Bird and Magic not only played great but made thier teamates better. All they cared about was winning. When I teach my kids about hoops I dont show them todays NBA, I show Larry and Magic highlights.
Thanks for posting this and great PQ! For younger folks not in the loop at this point in time, Bird was maybe 30-40% here due to his shredded back injury vs. the 3 time consecutive MVP early/mid 80s LB prime version. Cheers.
Sure, Isiah had a couple of good games while injured, especially the ankle game which was one of the best performances in all of sports history but Bird played under constant excruciating back pain for years. And still dominated.
And you can't forget that stretch of games that Kobe Bryant played with a dislocated shoulder and basically try to develop a left hand during the season
Michael Jordan Kobe Bryant Larry Bird the three best one-on-one players in NBA history nobody can guard them they can do every offensive move known to man and can score from any distance within 30 feet of the basket
this is LARRY JOE BIRD , after spending the day in traction , for his bad back , about 4 years after most players would have retired .........He is one of a kind ! I am very proud to have been a CELTICS FAN since 1959 .
Not really a "high five" but it's still pretty funny that he nails a big-time 3 and then puts his hand out to the opponent like "give me some skin" lol
Unbelievable. During the last few seasons that he was in the league, he played through pain that would have had most people bedridden. Somehow, he was still able to play at an incredibly high level. Legendary competitor.
man... I can't process bird's basketball IQ, his court awareness, his confidence. Even in the worst health throughout his career, can barely run, jump, anything really... yet he knows where every single teammate is on the court at all times. Easily flicks his shots at the basket without much more to it then a tiny hop and a wrist flick. He knows when it's nothing but net... he looks at the ball's trajectory sees it lined up perfect starts heading back on defense while folks are all boxing out for a rebound. Bird was such an influential player and teammate... it looked like every team he's played for day in day out all possess a little bit of Bird's intellect as well. All the celtics are reacting quicker... reading the fast breaks off defense and rebounds... it almost looks choreographed but the opponents weren't apart of it. Jordan's bulls' second 3-peat also displayed these same factors. But most of the time Jordan didn't trust no one but himself so his confidence looked selfish. Bird was more like a father figure than a teammate. Jordan was a great white shark... always hungry.
The Golden Era of basketball. The best stars and the best game's. Bird actually saved a league that was about to go bust. Larry brought fans like my mom and dad to the game and millions more. Like Karl Malone said about Larry " He can't run or jump but Larry is the best their is. Larry wasn't given a lot of physical abilities except physical toughness. But he had the best natural instinct and basketball mind that ever played. The whole starting five of that Celtics looked like they couldn't beat a good High School Team when they walked on the floor. Parish looked so awkward and McHale looked like death warmed over(My mom said that). Johnson looked like he never slept a night in his life and he was slightly portly. Anaige looked like he was on a High School Team. And Bird's legs looked like Bird legs and never did a push up in his life. But between them they we're one of the best three teams to ever play in the NBA.
@ShadowAngel yeah...ppl hated to see Julius Erving. Michael Jordan was a pariah to fans in the 80's...smh. The 80's showtime Lakers, a predominantly black team led by Magic Johnson, was a BIG draw with all fans of all colors.
@ShadowAngelDr. J later went to the NBA...and became one of the greats in the game. I'm saying that talent draws interest, regardless of the color of the athlete. The NBA is predominantly African American players, but white America continues to attend games in large numbers. Jordan came into the league a few years after Bird, and was a major star from the get go, popular among all races. You're not American, and based on your political insults, I'm guessing you're a Russian troll. What happened...did your bot ass get booted from FB?
The audio in this clip is absolutely superb. What a mix where the next play was starting, but the previous play's audio was still finishing up so you got Cousy and/or Heinsohn's complete thought. A really amazing job.
Thank you, kind Sir! I once reached a point where I started doing this for every video. Just like you said, it's just so much enjoyable this way. Thrilled that there are people who notice it.
LMAO. Only Bird would think of doing that. And you can't blame the Bannister for high-fiving either - when someone catches you off guard like that, you just react. And some people think LBJ could play on the same court with Bird. Forget the gameplay. Even the mental game alone that Bird plays would destroy LBJ.
Near perfection! Anyone else catch that Larry made that great full-court pass to Brown lefty? :) Ah, and it was fun to be the 1000th viewer here. Thanks!
Seriously, every man on that court is scared shitless of Larry. It's like watching a pro vs high schoolers. He did this to EVERYONE, including Jordan's Bulls.
LA had a love/hate relationship with Bird. The fans knew he was something special and that this could be the last time they would see him on the court.
Of all the great teams of the 80s I loved watching the celtics the most because of the GOAT LARRY BIRD.He made the game so fun to watch and like he said to a reporter one time .I PLAYED FOR THE GAME AND THE MOMENT NOT THE MONEY.How fucking cool is that to beat a opposing player badly 'drive a spike into his heart with a clutch 3 and still have him give ya a little skin while smiling.If that had been me I woulda high fived him too and if the coach woulda said one word i woulda said HERES MY UNIFORM COACH YOU GO SEE IF YOU COULD DO ANY BETTER. DAMN LARRY BIRD WAS THE MAN
Bird was the real deal. I love those guys from the 80s and 90s. Bird played with a broken back. If I remember correctly, Isiah played on a broken leg or some crazy shit. Basketball back then was played with passion. Those guys were tough as hell and so damn competitive. Anymore, everyone just wants a championship so bad they'd sell their soul. It's hardly enjoyable now.
Bird could dominate in any era. Give it to ya every way possible. Pick and roll, fast break, post game, give and go, from deep, midrange, fade aways, step back, GOAT shit talking, both hands, KILLER on the boards, GOAT passing, GOAT hands, GREAT team defender, Etc, etc, on and on.
Bird was actually 34 here, not 35 (born Dec 7, 1956, so in March of '91, he was still 9 months shy of 35 - and still incredible for a player of his age/physical condition.)
Bird was pure heart and pure hustle. He was not the most athletic but he was fairly tall and pretty quick with his hands. Great court awareness and had eyes on the side of his head.
I remember Jordan made a public announcement thanking Bird for retiring from the NBA (which was around this time period). I was like, that's the best player acknowledging one of the greats that came before him. By the way the Celtics owned the Bulls in the 80's.
It MJ before he learned to include his team. Bird came into the league the best in the world at making his team better. MJ had a team at NC that was stacked with talent, he had no clue how to take a bunch of Division one bottom feeders to the NCAA finals.
They couldnt be further from homecourt and still the opposing crowd cheers everytime he scores. No legend can do that. Should be in the goat discussion
This game was broadcasted on Fox 25 from Boston, when the road games could be seen on regular non-cable tv. The broadcasters were 2 HOF Celtics legends, Tom Heinsohn and Bob Cousy. Michael Smith, a benchwarmer for the Celtics, is a current analyst for Clippers games.
Except Bob Cousy was born and raised in New York City and Tommy Heinson was born and raised in New Jersey. Both attended college in Worcester, Ma though.
Bird is the man! It’s highlights like these that people need to see to know not to easily put guys like Bron and Kevin Durant over Larry Bird. A healthy Bird is top 5 NBA all time easily...clutch and a winner✌🏾
Larry Bird can be in a Dos Equis commercial. "His opponents give him Five after burying them with a three. He's The Most Interesting Man In The World. Stay thirsty my friends."
That was a great game in a bitter-sweet season. I really wish LB had taken better care of himself. I don’t know how many times I’m going to say this: if Larry Bird had LBJ’s workout regime he could have easily gone for a few more seasons and maybe would have been a bit stronger in those game 7’s. Oh well. You have to love a guy who will throw up a high-five to an opponent… and that the guy has no other option but to give it back!
His physical condition in that year if that happens to today's players, probably they all sit out. Bird mental toughness n determination to win is miles higher than sissy today.
Larry Bird is probably the only guy that could have pulled that off. High Five your opponent! The Bird is the Word that you Heard!
*Larry Bird - Trolling the NBA before 'trolling' was even a term.*
_L E G E N D_
No doubt
That separates from other greats.
People who say that LeBron would school Bird because he's too athletic don't know Larry Bird. Bird shit on guys like Dominique Wilkins, Dennis Rodman, and Scottie Pippen all three are more or less as athletic as LeBron and good defenders too. Not an insult to LeBron James because I think he's one of the very best basketball players of all time, but I still consider Larry Bird the best SF in NBA history. Larry's intangibles and incredible clutch ability put him over LeBron who is also crafty, but really hit or miss in the clutch.
Magic Johnson: "My black friends ask me, 'Was Larry Bird really that good?' Man, Larry Bird was so good it was scary. He was the only player I feared on the court."
lasoogneypubes bird is a killer through and through,cant believe people compare lebron to him, bird doesnt flop nor travel nor passes the ball when points are needed and unlike lebron, bird is liked even by opponents fans
Youre full of shit... rodman
Jay well Rodman is every bit as strong as Lebron.
LeBron is "pass" in the clutch. There will never, ever, ever be another Larry Bird. I'm so happy to have been a kid when Larry Bird was playing.
In 1974 Larry Bird was my P.E assistant when I was in the 8th grade and he was a senior at Springs Valley High School. At the beginning of each P.E. class we always ran 10 warmup laps around the gym. One day, a trampoline was set up on the basketball court and there was Larry Bird bouncing on it. As the whistle blew and we reluctantly lined up to run our laps, our teacher (who was also Larry's basketball coach) blew his whistle, and said "Larry is going to take 10 shots while jumping on the trampoline. If Larry makes any shots, each one made will delete a lap that you must run." Coach threw the ball to Larry and right there in front of me and the entire boys Jr. High P.E. class, Larry proceeded to hit 7 out of 10 shots while bouncing up and down on the trampoline, 40 feet away from the goal. Larry set an incredible example for me as a young boy in French Lick, Indiana that helped me through my entire adult career. If you are willing to work very hard and never give up, your dreams can and will come true. Thank you Larry.
Great story!!
Didnt read your bullshittery. But please continue to try harder than ever to be accepted
That was an amazing story mr. Tom Roach. Would you like a cookie?
@@Jay-wj5hd, the fuck? Listen, if it's bullshit, it's even more impressive.
@@gunnerysergeanthartman4963 go ahead and share your basketball story...
Its sad seeing him in that condition...but even a broken down Bird is better than 90% of the NBA at that time.
Actually he was fun to watch as he got older and slower. He made bball looked simple but spectacular.
@@mcgo2836 yes, he relied on his experience and wisdom as he was getting older with the back injury
Bird could be in a wheelchair and still come up with huge plays.
Even hurt he was better than 90% of NBA players EVER
@@mtklaric Another year and he would have been playing in a wheelchair and still averaging 20/9/7.
The scary thing about watching this video is this is Larry Bird at like 50% LOL
Exactly lol
@@alexgalarza6908 i'll take a 50% Bird over most of the current nba .
@@Karll541 lol
Maurice St.Pierre probably not even 50. Watching make me wanna lay down on stomach to help his back.
Nagolbud that sounds really messed up but I’m definitely looking it up later
Priceless... Bird's determination and swagger knew no boundaries, and he actually could do everything on the basketball court in order to back it up, no wonder he was so confident. Also ridiculous that he was still doing this at 35 years old, playing under conditions that would make most players retire.
BasketballJones48021 bird at his best is a top 10 all-time player easily .. NBA fans today don't even realize how great the 80s Celtics and Lakers teams was.
well, he did retire soon afterwards. wasnt exactly moving quickly in these clips
@@joshuahaynes7128 top 5
@@SniffyPoo And still the best player on the court!
lol... Bird cant even move by this year and he's still dominating the game.
larry was truly great
rayleigh8 Are you a hater?... I don't get it...
grigsolve larry was the greatest
***** for sure.
Lu he said he could barely move in 91 and he still dominated that's a hell of a complement! So who r you barking at?
That was hilarious! Bird - best all around player in the history of basketball, IMO.
NOT a douth in my mind'
No one played the full game like Larry. Most cerebral player ever. No one had swagger like Larry. He never lost his edge of everyone
Absolutely.
Yes until LeBron came along…
@@omaramer846 lebron's good, but he's not Larry bird.
This is the highest level to me. People like to talk about what a killer Jordan was and how every game was like war. Bird would beat you, and then you would give him a high five because he was so awesome.
Yeah, and there's a TH-cam video showing his dominance of MJ in head-to-head competition that ends with MJ saying he's glad that he won't have to play against him anymore.
Facts are FacTs Jordon in Bird and Magic and All those OTHER GreaT Stars Prime Would Never Win thetitles he was in on' 23-11 WAS THESCORE when there teams played each other the Birds NesT team Ruled Jordons teams including 2 donuts in the playoff's (6-0) CelTic's Pride 4Ever Bird was theBesT player I Ever Bare Witness to in BasKeTball .
Lol I believe bird would beat you to death and then spit on your grave. He was a bad man and I still like to watch his old games
Bird had that presence. Larry Legend.
Larry is one of the best to ever do it. Jordan is the greatest of all time.
Don't ever forget Larry's adulation for Jordan early on. Bird knew Jordan was next up, but could not have predicted Jordan would go on to win six rings, never losing in the finals, and never even requiring a game 7.
"I think it's just God disguised as Michael Jordan."
-Larry Bird, 4/20/1986, after MJ dropped 63 points in an overtime loss in game 2 of Chicago's first round series with the eventual champion Celtics. Do not forget this Celtics team is regarded as one of the best Celtics teams of all time.
Bird went down the court after that shot like . . . "wooooooooooooooooooo . . you see that?"
Then held out his hand for some dap " old school term for a high or low 5". . and the Clipper player gave him some. Classic clip.
Out there having fun 🙂
Great footage - I never saw this before . Thanks for sharing! Only Bird could get the other team to high-five him after a big three. He once gave Patrick Ewing a high five after Patrick blocked a Celtic's shot. Bird truly loved to play and had an unreal feel for the game. Even at this stage of his career you can see his instincts for the game with his steals and a block and great hands and court awareness.
There is nothing more pure than Bird shooting the basketball... he was born to do it... a freakish natural. Once in a generation... even battered and broken down he found a way to elevate to greatness. Thank you for the memories...
that's just great sportsmanship between bird and bannister. respect for excellent play!
John Craftenworth lol no sir. That is Bird talkin' shit, and Bannister not recognizing that Bird is talkin' shit lol. He was one of the greatest trash talkers in NBA history.
@@85geoffm this one is from pure respect...
@@republikadugave420 bunch of idiots...you NEVER high five the opposition. If bannisted gave high five said good shot yeah maybe out of respect but this the guy making the play the shot giving high five thats like rubbing salt into wound... More like Saying "how you like that?" Bird is on another level of mind games
Yep, that was respect from Bird to Bannister and Bannister giving respect back.
They should have mentioned that Bird and Bannister are both Indiana State guys
Bird, Parrish & McHale. I was a Lakers fan and couldn't stand them, but I have to admit. They were greatness personified.
As we're magic,kareem and worthy. As much as I loved this email three I liked to see my Celtics whip it on them
@Ulysses432 yes. Great era of NBA... throughout the battles of the 80s.. Jordon and his bulls became what they were in the 90s.
Even if the bulls were as you put it properly utilized in the 80s they still couldn't have beaten the Lakers.
Cs ... Pistons..
I do believe it all came together for the bulls in the 90s.
As a Celts fan respect right back to ya bro... when these two teams were in their Prime in the 80s there may not have never been a more talented overall matchup
Pistons fan here. Mad respect for the Celitcs and Lakers in that era. Two of the best teams of all time. I enjoyed the bad boys doing what they do, but I always hated when they did it to the celtics, lakers, or the rockets for some reason. It felt like they were damaging artists. I didn't mind at all when they did it to the Bulls though. Hard to explain.
the look on his face says everything he like "you know that was good"
Larry the legend was the only player I've ever seen to get high fives and opposing benches rolling back in their home seats! Show me another example in real live games.
There's a few examples of opposing benches getting into it over crazy dunks or shots by opposing players, but yeah Bird was one of a kind and other players truly respected him.
@@bgilley8199 True but mostly observed on single dunks or blocks, especially in the most recent years of endless fraternizing among NBA players. How that Hawks bench was reacting in Larry's 60pt game in 1985 I haven't seen anywhere else, absolutely hilarious yet indicative they were witnessing history in the making.
@@prop4g The Hawks game was definitely something special. Back then scoring outbursts like Bird's in that game weren't nearly as common due to the slower play style and more physical defense.
m.th-cam.com/video/MyfkZSdY8xs/w-d-xo.html Here is one , watch the opposing bench
Bird has a good sense of humor.. lol.. Gotta love it!
Magic and Bird were winners. However you needed it done, they'd do it. That's true greatness.
True winners. Bird and Magic not only played great but made thier teamates better. All they cared about was winning. When I teach my kids about hoops I dont show them todays NBA, I show Larry and Magic highlights.
Bird and Magic were great because they made their teammates better
@@brianmcglynn8767 you sound like a terrible coach 😂
💯FACTS!
That's what I always say. Which is why I would always pick them to be in my team.
Thanks for posting this and great PQ! For younger folks not in the loop at this point in time, Bird was maybe 30-40% here due to his shredded back injury vs. the 3 time consecutive MVP early/mid 80s LB prime version. Cheers.
No player under Bird´s condition would or could have played at this level!
Sure, Isiah had a couple of good games while injured, especially the ankle game which was one of the best performances in all of sports history but Bird played under constant excruciating back pain for years. And still dominated.
benjie414 bird played with a broken back...game over.
The only thing that come close to this is Michael Jordan with the Wizards when he was playing on one leg and scoring 50 points
And you can't forget that stretch of games that Kobe Bryant played with a dislocated shoulder and basically try to develop a left hand during the season
Michael Jordan Kobe Bryant Larry Bird the three best one-on-one players in NBA history nobody can guard them they can do every offensive move known to man and can score from any distance within 30 feet of the basket
HOW COOL WAS BIRD
VERY cool.
The coolest. I am so glad I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s.
ICE COLD!
this is LARRY JOE BIRD , after spending the day in traction , for his bad back , about 4 years after most players would have retired .........He is one of a kind ! I am very proud to have been a CELTICS FAN since 1959 .
Listen to the ovation in Los Angeles for Larry Bird!
Not really a "high five" but it's still pretty funny that he nails a big-time 3 and then puts his hand out to the opponent like "give me some skin" lol
"Admit that was nice." "Well, yeah."
Like Billy Murray says in Space Jam Bird isn't white he's clear
I was looking for this, this is classic Larry LEGEND!
Unbelievable. During the last few seasons that he was in the league, he played through pain that would have had most people bedridden. Somehow, he was still able to play at an incredibly high level. Legendary competitor.
It wasn't the last few seasons it was from 85 until retirement, initially hurt his back summer of 85 installing driveway for his mom
man... I can't process bird's basketball IQ, his court awareness, his confidence. Even in the worst health throughout his career, can barely run, jump, anything really... yet he knows where every single teammate is on the court at all times. Easily flicks his shots at the basket without much more to it then a tiny hop and a wrist flick. He knows when it's nothing but net... he looks at the ball's trajectory sees it lined up perfect starts heading back on defense while folks are all boxing out for a rebound. Bird was such an influential player and teammate... it looked like every team he's played for day in day out all possess a little bit of Bird's intellect as well. All the celtics are reacting quicker... reading the fast breaks off defense and rebounds... it almost looks choreographed but the opponents weren't apart of it. Jordan's bulls' second 3-peat also displayed these same factors. But most of the time Jordan didn't trust no one but himself so his confidence looked selfish. Bird was more like a father figure than a teammate. Jordan was a great white shark... always hungry.
3:14 for the three and the high-five
Thank you!
Lamar, you still smoking crack?
chris ward
With your mother !😂😁😁🤣😃
Respect
actually it's a lo' five for respect! ! !
Too smart, skilled and tough.
Growing up in the 80’s Larry Bird was larger than life. Boy times were good in the 80’s
Great upload, as always. Vintage Bird, re gamesmanship vs Bannister. Love it.
The Golden Era of basketball. The best stars and the best game's. Bird actually saved a league that was about to go bust. Larry brought fans like my mom and dad to the game and millions more. Like Karl Malone said about Larry " He can't run or jump but Larry is the best their is. Larry wasn't given a lot of physical abilities except physical toughness. But he had the best natural instinct and basketball mind that ever played. The whole starting five of that Celtics looked like they couldn't beat a good High School Team when they walked on the floor. Parish looked so awkward and McHale looked like death warmed over(My mom said that). Johnson looked like he never slept a night in his life and he was slightly portly. Anaige looked like he was on a High School Team. And Bird's legs looked like Bird legs and never did a push up in his life. But between them they we're one of the best three teams to ever play in the NBA.
Kurt Sherrick I love Bird...but Magic was just as big a factor in bringing basketball back in 80s
Ervi Goode I agree. Magic brought millions of fans into the NBA. Bird and Magic saved the league.
Ervi Goode right. It was BOTH.
@ShadowAngel yeah...ppl hated to see Julius Erving. Michael Jordan was a pariah to fans in the 80's...smh. The 80's showtime Lakers, a predominantly black team led by Magic Johnson, was a BIG draw with all fans of all colors.
@ShadowAngelDr. J later went to the NBA...and became one of the greats in the game. I'm saying that talent draws interest, regardless of the color of the athlete. The NBA is predominantly African American players, but white America continues to attend games in large numbers. Jordan came into the league a few years after Bird, and was a major star from the get go, popular among all races. You're not American, and based on your political insults, I'm guessing you're a Russian troll. What happened...did your bot ass get booted from FB?
Larry Bird, the most complet basketball player ever. A Legend!!!
Bannister just recognised it was his chance to immortalise himself in the NBA by recognising the legendary greatness of Bird.
For real!!
Bird's jumper was wet. mid-range game especially...which is gone in today's game
And, the look on Larry's face: "whoo, d'ya SEE that, kid? Shit, better get somebody in here who can guard me!"
The audio in this clip is absolutely superb. What a mix where the next play was starting, but the previous play's audio was still finishing up so you got Cousy and/or Heinsohn's complete thought. A really amazing job.
Thank you, kind Sir! I once reached a point where I started doing this for every video. Just like you said, it's just so much enjoyable this way. Thrilled that there are people who notice it.
@@LamarMatic 👋👌🤌✌🙌🤝🙏👍
How anyone could watch Bird play and not concede that he was the GOAT is beyond me.
Because there have been so many other incredible players throughout history who can also stake that claim.
@@posysdogovych2065 you are a moron Birds game was different as is Ronny o'sullivan's
@@posysdogovych2065 not if you are a graduate student of the game. The pre-schoolers get mesmerized by the athleticism of the one's they coronate
LMAO. Only Bird would think of doing that. And you can't blame the Bannister for high-fiving either - when someone catches you off guard like that, you just react. And some people think LBJ could play on the same court with Bird. Forget the gameplay. Even the mental game alone that Bird plays would destroy LBJ.
K
Near perfection! Anyone else catch that Larry made that great full-court pass to Brown lefty? :) Ah, and it was fun to be the 1000th viewer here. Thanks!
Can't believe this is 1991. Amazing killer 3s and hustle plays while his back is already resting in peace long time ago. 😁
Bird-Mchale-Parrish-Celtic green! Thanks for the hustle guys! Cousy and Heinrich thanks for the commentary!
Seriously, every man on that court is scared shitless of Larry. It's like watching a pro vs high schoolers. He did this to EVERYONE, including Jordan's Bulls.
I watched this game on Prime Ticket out of Los Angeles. Clipper announcers described the high five by Kenny Bannister as a gesture of respect.
Exactly. Why some make it out to be a sin.
LA fans goin' nuts for Bird!
i noticed that too. sounded like the game was being played in boston garden LOL.
Have you seen the Lakers in 2019? *Sigh* we're so disfunctional ...
LA had a love/hate relationship with Bird. The fans knew he was something special and that this could be the last time they would see him on the court.
The Clippers sucked so bad in those days that the crowd was probably made up of LA area Celtics fans.
Of all the great teams of the 80s I loved watching the celtics the most because of the GOAT LARRY BIRD.He made the game so fun to watch and like he said to a reporter one time .I PLAYED FOR THE GAME AND THE MOMENT NOT THE MONEY.How fucking cool is that to beat a opposing player badly 'drive a spike into his heart with a clutch 3 and still have him give ya a little skin while smiling.If that had been me I woulda high fived him too and if the coach woulda said one word i woulda said HERES MY UNIFORM COACH YOU GO SEE IF YOU COULD DO ANY BETTER. DAMN LARRY BIRD WAS THE MAN
He was a bad man
yes! a very, very, very BAD MAN!
No.
he was the Bird Man
ok, I'll show myself out and delete my account.
0:50 take a close at Bird, off the ball, looking around him and reading the offense and anticipating the pass 😮
Some say Bird was the greatest ever. Some argue the point. All I know is no one was more fun to watch.
he was the best player when he needed to be. he always knew when it was time too.
Confidence personified. Thank you Larry Bird.
Larry Legend
And this is "Old Bird" loll. This man was a straight up menace. Give this man his props. Beast in a n y era.
Exactly,this was old bird with a shot back.
Bird was the real deal. I love those guys from the 80s and 90s. Bird played with a broken back. If I remember correctly, Isiah played on a broken leg or some crazy shit. Basketball back then was played with passion. Those guys were tough as hell and so damn competitive. Anymore, everyone just wants a championship so bad they'd sell their soul. It's hardly enjoyable now.
Love how Bird coming out of the pick gives Banister a jab step with his right leg and jab dribble to get the separation for the three.
Bird could dominate in any era. Give it to ya every way possible. Pick and roll, fast break, post game, give and go, from deep, midrange, fade aways, step back, GOAT shit talking, both hands, KILLER on the boards, GOAT passing, GOAT hands, GREAT team defender, Etc, etc, on and on.
Bird was actually 34 here, not 35 (born Dec 7, 1956, so in March of '91, he was still 9 months shy of 35 - and still incredible for a player of his age/physical condition.)
Bird and Jordan probably the best clutch shooters all time
You know you’re good when the opposing fans cheer every time you hit a shot.
Something very overlooked is how well Bird could get to the basket when he was in his prime.
Yep! He was never exceptionally quick, but still quicker than most give him credit for.
No debate for me. Bird is the goat
Mr bird is amazing
Notice the Clipper's home crowd. From the noise of the crowd, it seems like there are more Celtic fans, or at least Bird fans then Clipper fans.
Larry Joe is a freaking badass!!!
so alpha ..damn
Left-handed 3 qtr court pass.
Ain't gonna see that to-day.
Dude, that was a stepback. Damn, Bird did it first.
Bird one of the greats,if not the greatest.
great player. his ability to anticipate was amazing, of all that the left handed half court pass was what stands out.
Bird getting low five from Banister is freaking funny stuff.
There were great elite players in the NBA and there is Bird.
How great was that?! He's the best to ever play the game in my opinion!
Bird was pure heart and pure hustle. He was not the most athletic but he was fairly tall and pretty quick with his hands. Great court awareness and had eyes on the side of his head.
At his peek he was 6'10" and 260 pounds.
Larry Bird was the basketball become a man.
*The best small forward in NBA history.*
3:39 the original step back three... Never heard the opposition crowd cheer for somebody this loud
I remember Jordan made a public announcement thanking Bird for retiring from the NBA (which was around this time period). I was like, that's the best player acknowledging one of the greats that came before him. By the way the Celtics owned the Bulls in the 80's.
It MJ before he learned to include his team. Bird came into the league the best in the world at making his team better. MJ had a team at NC that was stacked with talent, he had no clue how to take a bunch of Division one bottom feeders to the NCAA finals.
They couldnt be further from homecourt and still the opposing crowd cheers everytime he scores. No legend can do that. Should be in the goat discussion
He is to those that watched him play back then
Unbelievable only Birrrrrrd!!!!
In defense of that other player, that was an act of good sportsmanship....giving an older, legendary player a high five.....
respect for a great play. he was defended well and still made a clutch play.
Crazy seeing so many long 2s being taken right in front of the 3 pt line. You don't see that much anymore.
damn...bird stepback at 3:20! rad.
This game was broadcasted on Fox 25 from Boston, when the road games could be seen on regular non-cable tv. The broadcasters were 2 HOF Celtics legends, Tom Heinsohn and Bob Cousy. Michael Smith, a benchwarmer for the Celtics, is a current analyst for Clippers games.
About when my love affair with Celtics began. I learned a lot about basketball just listening to Cousy and Heinson.
The Bird was a sight to behold N the game of B-BALL!!!
Those announcers are hilarious. Boston born and raised.
Yankees don't know how to pronounce the letter "ah" when it isn't the 1st letter of a word, do they? Larry Buhd, Ron Hoppah, LOL!
Except Bob Cousy was born and raised in New York City and Tommy Heinson was born and raised in New Jersey. Both attended college in Worcester, Ma though.
Bird is the man! It’s highlights like these that people need to see to know not to easily put guys like Bron and Kevin Durant over Larry Bird. A healthy Bird is top 5 NBA all time easily...clutch and a winner✌🏾
It's amazing to see how high his basketball IQ is. He's reading the offence so well on defence
@2:09 as a Knick fan, I remember that Charles Smith.
Shame that a player like Bird could not play a few more years.
Well you have to give respect when respect is due.
I miss basketball. The players, style & true city rivalries. 80’s & early 90’s the best.
He was the best ever
2x the man Lebron will ever be.
Can't you just like someone without hating on another one?
no
jay w nah he was ten of lebron!!!
Larry Bird can be in a Dos Equis commercial. "His opponents give him Five after burying them with a three. He's The Most Interesting Man In The World. Stay thirsty my friends."
That was a great game in a bitter-sweet season. I really wish LB had taken better care of himself. I don’t know how many times I’m going to say this: if Larry Bird had LBJ’s workout regime he could have easily gone for a few more seasons and maybe would have been a bit stronger in those game 7’s. Oh well. You have to love a guy who will throw up a high-five to an opponent… and that the guy has no other option but to give it back!
Look at the bright side. Had Larry played more games, there'd be that much more to miss~!
Bird and Bannister: a couple of Indiana State guys.
that just shows you the kind of respect he had back in the day.
Bird gives Animal a high five. You can't make this up.
I so miss watching him play. He was the BEST !!!
His physical condition in that year if that happens to today's players, probably they all sit out.
Bird mental toughness n determination to win is miles higher than sissy today.
The sequence between :50-:57 shows another under appreciated side of Bird. A step ahead defensively, disrupting one play after another.