Larry Bird is in my top 5 greatest of all time. The guy would absolutely kill you with fundamentals, IQ, reflexes, and court vision. He didn’t need to dunk from the foul line. He beat you in so many different ways. Nobody understands the game of basketball better than Larry Bird.
Hey y'all, thankfully I got to live through the '60's & 70's and witness Larry Bird play along with these and other great players during that time! He truly was the best ''white'' player bar none and one of the best players, period! He was a thinker on the court not just a shooter! He probably had as many assists as points! What a great time to live through as far as sports goes! Great reaction!
I think maybe you got your decades a little mixed up? In the '70s he was playing high school and college ball, and didn't start in the NBA until '79. I was watching him in the mid-late 80s and early '90s.
I was born/raised in L.A. So as a Laker fan, I dreaded Boston and Larry Bird. I can now appreciate Larry Bird for his great abilities. Enjoy your videos! 😃
Cool......I was born n raised in mass. n Celtics fan ..saw Larry play magic Johnson at college championship..mmm. magic won Best part of nba ...Bird vs magic during the season and championship games..I love lakers Magic and his players
The stories about Larry talking sh*t and backing it up are, in fact, legendary. Guys like John Salley, Dominique Wilkins, Isiah Thomas, the entire Celtics team all knew it. In his rookie season at Boston, he was getting on the team bus to go to the airport for a stretch of road games. It was customary at that time for rookies to carry bags for the veterans. He got on the bus, looked at the team and told them he was NEVER going to carry bags for any of them.
There was one classic Larry Bird story where he was out the night before a Bulls playoff game in the early 80s (pre-Jordan). There were some of the Bulls cheerleaders there and they kept buying beer for Larry hoping to get him drunk/hungover for the game. Larry proceeded to completely light up the Bulls anyway and when he was leaving the court after the game he walked past the cheerleaders and just said "Thanks for the beers"
"Do you see that grizzly bear over there? DO NOT go up and kick him in the nuts please..." 😅 Damn good advice you don't want to piss off Larry Legend and give him more motivation to destroy you.
Wish they would have told "the rest of the story". How Barkley and Malone held Bird while Dr.J punched him. How Jordan and the college kids beat Bird, Magic, Isaiah and the NBA players.
I'm fortunate enough to be old enough to have seen Larry Bird play! I'm 49 now, so I was barely old enough to remember him but I do remember him! he was my dad's favorite and for a good reason! In my opinion the greatest player easily ever to play basketball!!
Bird said one time that at every level he played, he would shoot baskets after the two+ hour practice. He'd shoot for another two to three hours after everyone had gone home. That's why he had the confidence in his shooting.
If you noticed, every one of the guys, telling their "What Larry did to me" story, he was grinning from esr to ear. That's how you look when you know you're playing your best game against the games best. That's rare air.
That game where the Atlanta Hawks were high fiving was a 60 point night for Bird, he was hitting everything and set the Celtics single game scoring record a few nights after teammate Kevin McHale had set the record with 56 points. As the story goes, McHale set the record...could have had more but took himself out of the game and Larry told him he should have stayed in because he was going to break the record. Even trash talked his own teammates lol
Larry was ridiculous shots from impossible angles as well. They could not believe what they were seeing. It must have felt like anything Larry put in the air in the general direction of their basket was going in
that piston story about him yelling "who's guarding me". what he didn't say was that he was saying that while being guarded by dennis rodman, one of the best defenders in the league. and all the while, he was saying stuff like "i'm open! no one is guarding!" while rodman was in his face. he even went to the coach of the pistons and said "yo, you better get someone out here to guard me."
Fun Fact: Larry Bird is the only human being to not only win an MVP at the highest level (3X NBA MVP), but also winning Coach of the Year AND NBA Executive of the Year, again at the highest professional level.
I have lately been obsessed with videos of him. Pure talent. You can't trash talk if you don't have the chops! I don't even watch basketball. I'm a baseball enthusiast. 😉
I don't even know how I started watching them, lol. I just saw them here on You Tube and dove. I am a 70 something woman. Haven't even thought about basketball since I played it in 9th grade gym. But I know Larry Legend is the real deal!
I’m 55 from Boston and I HATE basketball. I’m a Snow White hockey nut. I always hated playing basketball because I’d inevitably end up jamming my thumb with the ball. But I watched the Celtics in the 80s. Why? Larry Bird was /is a God. That’s how great he was, he made people who hated the game watch.
7:33 i remember the Bird/Jordan commercials back then where they’d 1-up each other on calling ridiculous shots and still making’em. I miss the late 20th century so much.
Grew up in Boston, was in my 20s when Bird came to the Celts. Saw numerous games at the old Boston Garden. And when we couldn’t get tickets, all the games were broadcast on UHF channel WLVI 56 (they got highest ratings!!). Every game Bird brought something to the game that would make you shake your head in disbelief, to the point where it was routine. To highlight the impact he had on the Celtics, the year before his rookie season, the Celtics won only 29 games. He arrived and that season they won 62. It took the next year for his teammates to get in sync with his incredible passing skills. He is one of the greatest ever, and his career was only 13 years, lots of them playing injured.
Back when basketball was fun to watch! Love seeing the old Boston garden! Anyone from Boston remember walking the ramps up to the balcony and praying your seat wasn't blocked by a pole? Good times! Love the reactions.
Amen brother!!! Boston born and raised. Red Sox, BRUINS, Celtics, and Pats... I live in Atlanta now, but always go to see whenever Atlanta plays my teams.
So, i was lucky enough to watch Larry Bird play. Basketball was soooo much better back then. My Milwaukee Bucks always took their exit out of the playoffs by either the Celtics or the 76ers, Life was great back then!!!!
He was good enough to have the nickname Larry legend that's when you know how good you are and how much your competition respected you as a player as many of Hall of Famers he played against have said he's one of the best to ever play the game!!😱😱
What makes the Atlanta Hawks game even more crazy...the one where the Hawks bench is laughing and high-fiving and rolling on the floor.... Is that Larry had told the bench that he was going to hit a fall away three and land on their coach/trainer on the next time he got the ball. ..... Which he did and that is why they go nuts.
Larry Bird was anything but a trash talker. He always put his body, mind and heart where his mouth was. In the early 80's I was a Bulls fan and that Jordan was the best of the best players (in humble opinion), but when they played the Celtics team I was always concerned Larry was going to "destroy" someone. And he often did. Nobody that shared the court (teammate or opponent) can accuse Larry of being a trash talker.
I played some high school basketball in the mid 80s. Healthy trash talk was the way you played the game in the 70s and early 80s. Many of the players on here came into the league that already had Bird. He surprised all of them. He surprised all of us! Every backyard 1 on 1 was 2 boys playing Magic and Bird, or Kareem and Bird (Skyhook!) I didn't really even notice Michael Jordan in the 80s. (favorite of the 90s). I grew up in the Northeast in PA, but on game night, we all seemed to be from Boston.
A great video to react to is the 5 times Larry Bird was injured but refused to quit. Passing video is stellar. Also the 4 times Larry Bird was hurt but showed male toughness.
Muhammad Ali once said "It ain't bragging if you can back it up ". Larry Bird is the personification of this statement. His trash talking got people out of their game meaning of course he was a master of game psychology. Imagine if more people had his self confidence.
I don't really like trash talking but there is an exception to every rule. For me Larry Bird is that exception because he had the ability to back it up.
I love this story about Wilt Chamberlain and Walt Bellamy in the 1961/62 season. The season Wilt scored 50 points a game. Walt Bellamy was a rookie tearing up the league on his way to an amazing rookie season. Bellamy ended up averaging 31.9 points a game that year. He had two 35 point games a 37 point game and a 45 point game before he first faced Wilt. He went up to Wilt before the game and said "Hello Mr. Chamberlain. I'm Walt Bellamy." Wilt shook his hand and said "Hello Walter. You won't get a shot off in the first half." Then Wilt proceeded to block all of Walt Bellamy's 9 shots in the first half. Before the 2nd half started Wilt told him "Okay Walter. Now you can shoot." Walt Bellamy scored 14 points that game.
Wilt was a monster. I love that story. I also like the one about when he was retired and playing a pickup game against some of the current Laker guys and Wilt got mad at them about something during a pickup game and told them the next game they wouldn't get a basket....and he was blocking everything lol. He was like in his 40's or 50's at the time.
@@NameOptional-p9uit was pretty funny I was explaining to my 10-year-old daughter about how Muhammad Ali who she had heard of was going to box Wilt Chamberlain when she ask who that was, I told her he was the greatest basketball player of all time. My daughter looked at me and said " but I thought you said Larry Bird was the greatest basketball player of all time?" ( because I had about a week or two weeks before that LOL) I kind of laughed and I said "well, Larry Bird is the greatest HUMAN basketball player of all time. Wilt Chamberlain was so incredibly athletic that comparing him to anyone else is like comparing an adult to a kid almost. I told her how he was a giant tall guy who could move like a little guy and explained some of his athletic accomplishments outside of basketball The I explained to her how he could jump up and touch the top of the backboard not the net the top of the backboard, how he could take two steps from to the free-throw line and jump and jump and dunk it all the way into the basket, I told her how he scored by himself 100 points in one game.. b-y h-i-m-s-e-l-f. Most teams score 100 to 140 all the players combined he scored 100 by himself and I finished it up with " let me put it this way, Wilt Chamberlain just by himself holds 68 different NBA records. If you include ones like winning most valuable player the most years in a row where he was tied with other people and that one he is tied with Larry Bird and Bill Russell, he he has a total of 72 NBA records. The next person with the most records held... (pause) He has 5 records ...! "😮 Her jaw just dropped at the difference and then she nodded " yeah okay I get it he is like a basketball playing Super Alien 😂"
@@NameOptional-p9uit wasn't just Magic Johnson and Lakers players in that story you're talking about, it was basically the NBA All-Star team. There was some absolute hall of fame legends playing with Magic. Wilt Chamberlain's team was him and some college students. 😂
I was a student at ISU when Larry Bird was playing there. He had played for Bob Knight at Indiana University but felt lost in the Big Ten school and transferred to Indiana State. Larry had been working on a trash truck before college was tough. In his Celtics years he had such severe back pain that he was in traction until game time and also had surgery on both feet for heel spurs. Even with those injuries and pain he played above and beyond other healthy athletes.
Thanks for the reaction. Larry is my GOAT. Just remember Larry did it first before all these great players of today. He taught most people how to trash talk and they will tell you that if you catch more videos of him. All around great video reaction and welcome to seeing Larry Bird that well of his is deep.
Larry Bird was my father's favorite basketball player. They both came from small towns in Indiana, Larry was from French Lick, and my father from Terre Haute.
One of my favorite stories, and there's footage of this was him, I think it was against the Suns, that after blowing a big lead, the Celtics had fought back to be down by two near the buzzer. He told them that he was getting tired, so he was just going to "bust a 3 on their asses" and go home. He did, turned and looked at the bench and said, "Told you."
I was a Celtics season ticket holder from 1976 to 1992 and you can best believe not only could he back up the trash talk, but he was undeniably the best small forward that ever played the game, and quite possibly all-around best player! 👍
I agree with you about the current state of the NBA. They don't call traveling and let the "stars" take about 4 steps without dribbling before they do a dunk. And the foul situation is like watching a wimpy sport where everyone falls down from a touch. The game was much more physical back in the day.
I always wondered what might have happened if he could have started his journey at 19 or 20. He was a great talent. He spent so much time in the gym, practicing over and over.
He promised his mom he would graduate. They grew up so poor a college education didn't seem possible. His dad had passed away, and he kept his promise to his mom. He wouldn't break her heart and not graduate. I respect him for the promise he made to her. ❤
Im 53 and live in So East Mass and i watched this. Bird was incredible. But another Celtics legend that isn't an athlete you have to check out is the old radio broadcaster Johnny Most. One if the best characters in sports. Id watch the games on tv with the sound off listening to it on the radio.
Great reaction, Sam and Phil! Larry was a beast. The NBA has had many changes throughout its existence and the skillset of the players has changed also. There will always be discussion about who is the GOAT and I personally do not believe there is anyone that is better than all others. However, Larry is one of the best.
You can always argue about who was the most dominant the greatest scoring player excetera excetera excetera, generally speaking everyone will agree Larry Bird was the greatest all around player ever. He was the most complete package. That and his mind for the game was just on an absolutely different level than probably anybody before or since. I think it was Charles Barkley who joked " the only reason Larry isn't quick and a great jumper is because God wanted to make sure the guys on the other team at least had some chance😂"
I was just thinking the same thing watching this video,Bird was so GOOD on the court and could do anything he wanted,he talked trash so he wouldn't be bored. Made challenges for himself to not be bored. LOL. In an interview Kareem said the Lakers couldn't stop Bird,that he did everything on the court.I've never,ever heard Kareem praise another nba player like that.EVER. LOL.
Larry Bird had the opportunity to play the best of the best the game has to offer And he beat them ALL Michael Jordan Kareem Abdul-jabbar Karl Malone Ralph Sampson James Worthy Hakeem Olajuwon Moses Malone The list goes on
In a day day when sports are seen on TV live, those games were often not televised till later at night (tape delayed). Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Julius "Dr" Erving, etc. legitimised the game, it was not the powerhouse it is today. They saved an entire league. I'm 71 & rarely saw a game, in those days, that wasn't taped by the networks first.
13:46 Magic telling story about Bird saying he was going to put on a show for him… Magic mimicking Bird making a shot and looking over at him- I replayed that 4 times and laughed so hard I snorted a couple of times! Hilarious!
I lived in Southern New Hampshire during the 70's and 80's, my high school and college years, and I got to see Larry Bird and The Boston Celtics live quite a few times, and it was always a treat, which I always appreciated. The only bad part was, we fans never heard Larry's trash talk, just the rumors of it. But the result was still the same. Celtics Win!!!
At 4:04, we see former Houston Rockets player John Lucas talking about teammate Robert Reid, a 6'8" forward. Reid was frequently matched up against Bird who apparently told him (Reid) that he should have stayed a preacher. Reid was known for being a man of faith. Robert Reid recently passed away February 19, 2024 at age 68 of cancer.
What you said at the end was true, the taunts weren't personal, it was always about the game. Although one game, an opponent was was playing near his hometown. Bird said, your mother's here right? After Bird scored on him, he said how embarrassing!
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson played against each other for the 1979 NCAA championship right before I began high school. I later attended Michigan State. Those two (and a lot of other supremely talented players of the time) kicked off an era of what I consider the best basketball to ever be played.
Larry Bird's ability to pass the ball is why I fell in love with basketball. When you get a chance please see "greatest passer ever with re-edit" . Anyone that loves the game of basketball has got to love Bird's game. Bird was so entertaining and so funny and so good = Bird was must see TV!!!! The game vs Atlanta where the other team is high-fiving each other is priceless!! Imagine Larry interrupting the coach and telling your team = just get me the ball and everyone get out of the way = LOL. Bird was truly one of a kind!!!
HE WAS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS SKILL HE WAS ALWAYS ONE STEP AHEAD OF HIS OPPONENTS EVEN THIUGH HE WAS SO SLOW BUT HE COMPETINESS AND HIS WILL TO WIN WAS INCREDIBLE
16:42 These guys Hated each other. It's just that Bird was so clutch they had to just laugh about it later. Byron Scott said it best "Are you f*ckin kiddin me?"
Great reaction. Should check out Larry Bird greatest passer of all time video re-edit. AMAZING. It really showcases his IQ, court vision, and agility. He was slower than most and couldn't jump high but he was not unathletic. There are different types of athleticism. He was very quick, has great agility, and could contort his body for crazy passes and shots. He also has great hand /eye coordination.
Chuck Person is probably the exception. Maybe he came back later and accepted it. Bill Russell was another one. But yeah, most of the greats respected him and still do.
What Brad neglects to mention in the "Fly Bird" story- Larry hit Dougherty in the @$$ with the ball as Brad flew by, THEN drained the shot. Pure, delicious, disrespect.
Top NBA career combined stats per game (pts, reb, ast, stl, blk) career fg%,tp%,ft% 1. Jordan 44.7 -50-33-84 2. Lebron 44.4 -51-35-73 3. Bird 43.1 -50-38-89 4. Kareem 42.9 -56-06-72 5. Durant 40.8 -50-38-88 Bird has the second highest game winning percentage right behind Magic (10 games off).
Saw his whole career. He would show you something different every game. Only 1 other athlete I can say that about is No. 4 Bobby For of the Boston Bruins.
He was a great player, but probably the GOAT of trash talking. Remember, this is the player who competed in the finals of the three-point contest in his warmup jacket, then punctuated his victory by signaling "I'm #1" while the last shot was still in the air.
I live in Indiana and have watched Bird for his whole career. He could not jump over a phone book. He was not fast. His always got his shot off. I don't remember him geting his shot blocked. The other team put their best defender on him.
A week before "The Bird Night" Larry told the media that he was going to Atlanta and beat Kevin McHale's Celtics scoring record of 56 points set the week before, and he did it by scoring 60 points.
I was blessed to become an NBA fan when Bird & Magic turned pro. I hated the Celtics & Lakers because I always pulled for the underdog. I didn't have a favorite team until MJ turned pro as he was already my favorite player and James Worthy. North Carolina was so good. MJ might not have ever been as great as he was if not for Larry Legend & I think MJ would agree with that statement.
I read somewhere that Larry would go and play basketball with black guys on the other side of the tracks, so to speak. He said that was where the competition was.
Please react to Courtship of Rivals! It's a documentary about how Bird and Magics Rivalry saved the NBA! Most reactors split it up in 2 or 3 parts but believe me its worth it! It leads right into the next documentary which was kind of the last step for both of them ....92' Olympics Dream Team!
Larry Bird is the first player to accomplish the 50-40-90 club, the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, 3 point Champion three straight years, MVP three times straight (When competing against Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Dr. J, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and many more), Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year. Also Hall Of Fame Head Coach Pat Riley once said " If I had to choose a player to make the winning shot of a game. I would pick Michael Jordan, but if I had to pick a player to make a shot to save my life. I would pick Larry Bird."
MJ, Larry Bird, LeBron James are all fantastic players, but here's someone who doesn't get the love he deserves by the name of Allen Iverson. One of my favorites!
![ILLSLICK - KILLSHOT REMIX [FULL VERSION]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RIK8RrqIAzE/mqdefault.jpg)
Larry Bird is in my top 5 greatest of all time. The guy would absolutely kill you with fundamentals, IQ, reflexes, and court vision. He didn’t need to dunk from the foul line. He beat you in so many different ways. Nobody understands the game of basketball better than Larry Bird.
It’s almost hilarious to think Larry Bird could be considered underrated. But he was
He's a respected man among respected men.
Bird is the word.
Hey y'all, thankfully I got to live through the '60's & 70's and witness Larry Bird play along with these and other great players during that time! He truly was the best ''white'' player bar none and one of the best players, period! He was a thinker on the court not just a shooter! He probably had as many assists as points! What a great time to live through as far as sports goes! Great reaction!
I think maybe you got your decades a little mixed up? In the '70s he was playing high school and college ball, and didn't start in the NBA until '79. I was watching him in the mid-late 80s and early '90s.
I was born/raised in L.A. So as a Laker fan, I dreaded Boston and Larry Bird. I can now appreciate Larry Bird for his great abilities. Enjoy your videos! 😃
Cool......I was born n raised in mass. n Celtics fan ..saw Larry play magic Johnson at college championship..mmm. magic won
Best part of nba ...Bird vs magic during the season and championship games..I love lakers
Magic and his players
The thing about Larry is that not only was he a brilliant player, he was also witty and funny as hell. That combination is rare. o
I’m from Boston and grew up never ever missing a Boston Celtics game , Larry was the smartest guy whenever he stepped on any court ! Basketball genius
The stories about Larry talking sh*t and backing it up are, in fact, legendary. Guys like John Salley, Dominique Wilkins, Isiah Thomas, the entire Celtics team all knew it.
In his rookie season at Boston, he was getting on the team bus to go to the airport for a stretch of road games. It was customary at that time for rookies to carry bags for the veterans. He got on the bus, looked at the team and told them he was NEVER going to carry bags for any of them.
There was one classic Larry Bird story where he was out the night before a Bulls playoff game in the early 80s (pre-Jordan). There were some of the Bulls cheerleaders there and they kept buying beer for Larry hoping to get him drunk/hungover for the game. Larry proceeded to completely light up the Bulls anyway and when he was leaving the court after the game he walked past the cheerleaders and just said "Thanks for the beers"
Jordan’s #1 rule to all the bulls players was no one talk to Bird
"Do you see that grizzly bear over there? DO NOT go up and kick him in the nuts please..." 😅
Damn good advice you don't want to piss off Larry Legend and give him more motivation to destroy you.
It was the standing agreement between both of them. Bird said same thing to his teammates.
@@dansgroi1472 Running your mouth disrespectfully to Jordon always goes bad. Some people eat that like a double pre-workout shot.
Next up, Larry Bird - greatest passer ever. Super video!
All these great players respected Larry Legend not because he trash talked, but he backed it up.
Exactly!
The greatest all around forward I have ever seen a cold blooded assassin also the greatest passer for a forward I have ever seen
Wish they would have told "the rest of the story". How Barkley and Malone held Bird while Dr.J punched him. How Jordan and the college kids beat Bird, Magic, Isaiah and the NBA players.
Is it trash talk when he backs it up? I don't think it is
@@ckobo84sounds like some 🐈 💩 to me. Hold you while someone punches you. Real tough guys.
The re-edited passing video on him shows without doubt how good he was!
I'm fortunate enough to be old enough to have seen Larry Bird play! I'm 49 now, so I was barely old enough to remember him but I do remember him! he was my dad's favorite and for a good reason! In my opinion the greatest player easily ever to play basketball!!
I'm 49 and remember well watching the legend play and dominate m
Bird said one time that at every level he played, he would shoot baskets after the two+ hour practice. He'd shoot for another two to three hours after everyone had gone home. That's why he had the confidence in his shooting.
If you noticed, every one of the guys, telling their "What Larry did to me" story, he was grinning from esr to ear. That's how you look when you know you're playing your best game against the games best. That's rare air.
That's why they call him larry legend 👏 🙌
Larry Legend 😊
That game where the Atlanta Hawks were high fiving was a 60 point night for Bird, he was hitting everything and set the Celtics single game scoring record a few nights after teammate Kevin McHale had set the record with 56 points. As the story goes, McHale set the record...could have had more but took himself out of the game and Larry told him he should have stayed in because he was going to break the record. Even trash talked his own teammates lol
Larry was ridiculous shots from impossible angles as well. They could not believe what they were seeing. It must have felt like anything Larry put in the air in the general direction of their basket was going in
that piston story about him yelling "who's guarding me". what he didn't say was that he was saying that while being guarded by dennis rodman, one of the best defenders in the league. and all the while, he was saying stuff like "i'm open! no one is guarding!" while rodman was in his face. he even went to the coach of the pistons and said "yo, you better get someone out here to guard me."
Being a Celtic fan since the mid 60's, Bird was a generational talent.
Generational? Hell no! He's an all-time talent.
Fun Fact: Larry Bird is the only human being to not only win an MVP at the highest level (3X NBA MVP), but also winning Coach of the Year AND NBA Executive of the Year, again at the highest professional level.
I have lately been obsessed with videos of him.
Pure talent. You can't trash talk if you don't have the chops!
I don't even watch basketball. I'm a baseball enthusiast. 😉
Same!!
I don't even know how I started watching them, lol. I just saw them here on You Tube and dove. I am a 70 something woman. Haven't even thought about basketball since I played it in 9th grade gym. But I know Larry Legend is the real deal!
@@gailjohnson5950 That's pretty awesome! Talent respects talent. 😊
I’m 55 from Boston and I HATE basketball. I’m a Snow White hockey nut. I always hated playing basketball because I’d inevitably end up jamming my thumb with the ball.
But I watched the Celtics in the 80s. Why? Larry Bird was /is a God. That’s how great he was, he made people who hated the game watch.
I'm not really a sports fan. But the more I learn about Bird, the more I admire him.
Also you need to watch "Making the case: Larry Bird"...💛
7:33 i remember the Bird/Jordan commercials back then where they’d 1-up each other on calling ridiculous shots and still making’em. I miss the late 20th century so much.
Bird was the word 🤘
Grew up in Boston, was in my 20s when Bird came to the Celts. Saw numerous games at the old Boston Garden. And when we couldn’t get tickets, all the games were broadcast on UHF channel WLVI 56 (they got highest ratings!!). Every game Bird brought something to the game that would make you shake your head in disbelief, to the point where it was routine. To highlight the impact he had on the Celtics, the year before his rookie season, the Celtics won only 29 games. He arrived and that season they won 62. It took the next year for his teammates to get in sync with his incredible passing skills. He is one of the greatest ever, and his career was only 13 years, lots of them playing injured.
I think the Bruins played on ch 38. The good times.
We would turn off the volume on the TV and listen to Johnny Most!
Larry "Clutch" Legend 💚
Back when basketball was fun to watch! Love seeing the old Boston garden! Anyone from Boston remember walking the ramps up to the balcony and praying your seat wasn't blocked by a pole? Good times! Love the reactions.
Amen brother!!! Boston born and raised. Red Sox, BRUINS, Celtics, and Pats... I live in Atlanta now, but always go to see whenever Atlanta plays my teams.
So, i was lucky enough to watch Larry Bird play. Basketball was soooo much better back then. My Milwaukee Bucks always took their exit out of the playoffs by either the Celtics or the 76ers, Life was great back then!!!!
He was good enough to have the nickname Larry legend that's when you know how good you are and how much your competition respected you as a player as many of Hall of Famers he played against have said he's one of the best to ever play the game!!😱😱
What makes the Atlanta Hawks game even more crazy...the one where the Hawks bench is laughing and high-fiving and rolling on the floor....
Is that Larry had told the bench that he was going to hit a fall away three and land on their coach/trainer on the next time he got the ball. ..... Which he did and that is why they go nuts.
I was a kid growing up in Indiana. Watching one of ours playing for one Greatest NBA franchise
Larry Bird was anything but a trash talker. He always put his body, mind and heart where his mouth was. In the early 80's I was a Bulls fan and that Jordan was the best of the best players (in humble opinion), but when they played the Celtics team I was always concerned Larry was going to "destroy" someone. And he often did. Nobody that shared the court (teammate or opponent) can accuse Larry of being a trash talker.
He talked trash but that was just the way he got inside people’s heads. He played the game with intensity and heart, every night.
I played some high school basketball in the mid 80s. Healthy trash talk was the way you played the game in the 70s and early 80s. Many of the players on here came into the league that already had Bird. He surprised all of them. He surprised all of us! Every backyard 1 on 1 was 2 boys playing Magic and Bird, or Kareem and Bird (Skyhook!) I didn't really even notice Michael Jordan in the 80s. (favorite of the 90s). I grew up in the Northeast in PA, but on game night, we all seemed to be from Boston.
You need to watch "A Courtship of Rivals"....Best documentary ever. About the Bird and Magic rivalry
A great video to react to is the 5 times Larry Bird was injured but refused to quit.
Passing video is stellar.
Also the 4 times Larry Bird was hurt but showed male toughness.
This would make you wonder how much better he would have been if he was healthy for his career.
Muhammad Ali once said "It ain't bragging if you can back it up ". Larry Bird is the personification of this statement. His trash talking got people out of their game meaning of course he was a master of game psychology. Imagine if more people had his self confidence.
Larry was a BEAST
I don't really like trash talking but there is an exception to every rule. For me Larry Bird is that exception because he had the ability to back it up.
I love this story about Wilt Chamberlain and Walt Bellamy in the 1961/62 season. The season Wilt scored 50 points a game. Walt Bellamy was a rookie tearing up the league on his way to an amazing rookie season. Bellamy ended up averaging 31.9 points a game that year. He had two 35 point games a 37 point game and a 45 point game before he first faced Wilt. He went up to Wilt before the game and said "Hello Mr. Chamberlain. I'm Walt Bellamy." Wilt shook his hand and said "Hello Walter. You won't get a shot off in the first half." Then Wilt proceeded to block all of Walt Bellamy's 9 shots in the first half. Before the 2nd half started Wilt told him "Okay Walter. Now you can shoot." Walt Bellamy scored 14 points that game.
Wilt was a monster. I love that story. I also like the one about when he was retired and playing a pickup game against some of the current Laker guys and Wilt got mad at them about something during a pickup game and told them the next game they wouldn't get a basket....and he was blocking everything lol. He was like in his 40's or 50's at the time.
@@NameOptional-p9uit was pretty funny I was explaining to my 10-year-old daughter about how Muhammad Ali who she had heard of was going to box Wilt Chamberlain when she ask who that was, I told her he was the greatest basketball player of all time. My daughter looked at me and said " but I thought you said Larry Bird was the greatest basketball player of all time?" ( because I had about a week or two weeks before that LOL)
I kind of laughed and I said "well, Larry Bird is the greatest HUMAN basketball player of all time. Wilt Chamberlain was so incredibly athletic that comparing him to anyone else is like comparing an adult to a kid almost. I told her how he was a giant tall guy who could move like a little guy and explained some of his athletic accomplishments outside of basketball
The I explained to her how he could jump up and touch the top of the backboard not the net the top of the backboard, how he could take two steps from to the free-throw line and jump and jump and dunk it all the way into the basket, I told her how he scored by himself 100 points in one game.. b-y h-i-m-s-e-l-f. Most teams score 100 to 140 all the players combined he scored 100 by himself and I finished it up with
" let me put it this way, Wilt Chamberlain just by himself holds 68 different NBA records. If you include ones like winning most valuable player the most years in a row where he was tied with other people and that one he is tied with Larry Bird and Bill Russell, he he has a total of 72 NBA records. The next person with the most records held... (pause) He has 5 records ...! "😮
Her jaw just dropped at the difference and then she nodded " yeah okay I get it he is like a basketball playing Super Alien 😂"
@@NameOptional-p9uit wasn't just Magic Johnson and Lakers players in that story you're talking about, it was basically the NBA All-Star team. There was some absolute hall of fame legends playing with Magic. Wilt Chamberlain's team was him and some college students. 😂
I was a student at ISU when Larry Bird was playing there. He had played for Bob Knight at Indiana University but felt lost in the Big Ten school and transferred to Indiana State. Larry had been working on a trash truck before college was tough. In his Celtics years he had such severe back pain that he was in traction until game time and also had surgery on both feet for heel spurs. Even with those injuries and pain he played above and beyond other healthy athletes.
Thanks for the reaction. Larry is my GOAT. Just remember Larry did it first before all these great players of today. He taught most people how to trash talk and they will tell you that if you catch more videos of him. All around great video reaction and welcome to seeing Larry Bird that well of his is deep.
Larry Bird was my father's favorite basketball player. They both came from small towns in Indiana, Larry was from French Lick, and my father from Terre Haute.
Best years the NBA ever saw and Bird and Magic lit the fuse.
One of my favorite stories, and there's footage of this was him, I think it was against the Suns, that after blowing a big lead, the Celtics had fought back to be down by two near the buzzer. He told them that he was getting tired, so he was just going to "bust a 3 on their asses" and go home. He did, turned and looked at the bench and said, "Told you."
I was a Celtics season ticket holder from 1976 to 1992 and you can best believe not only could he back up the trash talk, but he was undeniably the best small forward that ever played the game, and quite possibly all-around best player! 👍
IMHO-Bird was the best small forward that ever played the game and the best all-around player too.
Anyone can "trash talk"..... but darn few can back it up! Larry Legend backed his trash talk up!!!
I agree with you about the current state of the NBA. They don't call traveling and let the "stars" take about 4 steps without dribbling before they do a dunk. And the foul situation is like watching a wimpy sport where everyone falls down from a touch. The game was much more physical back in the day.
I always wondered what might have happened if he could have started his journey at 19 or 20. He was a great talent. He spent so much time in the gym, practicing over and over.
He promised his mom he would graduate. They grew up so poor a college education didn't seem possible. His dad had passed away, and he kept his promise to his mom. He wouldn't break her heart and not graduate. I respect him for the promise he made to her. ❤
1st pick of all time, Larry 1st and my captain
Greatness is achieved not given! Larry was just great and wasn’t shy about lettin you know
"BIRD"❤❤❤
Im 53 and live in So East Mass and i watched this. Bird was incredible. But another Celtics legend that isn't an athlete you have to check out is the old radio broadcaster Johnny Most. One if the best characters in sports. Id watch the games on tv with the sound off listening to it on the radio.
Lifelong sixers fan here, Bird used to kill us every time. Loved watching the NBA back then
Great reaction, Sam and Phil! Larry was a beast. The NBA has had many changes throughout its existence and the skillset of the players has changed also. There will always be discussion about who is the GOAT and I personally do not believe there is anyone that is better than all others. However, Larry is one of the best.
You can always argue about who was the most dominant the greatest scoring player excetera excetera excetera, generally speaking everyone will agree Larry Bird was the greatest all around player ever. He was the most complete package. That and his mind for the game was just on an absolutely different level than probably anybody before or since.
I think it was Charles Barkley who joked " the only reason Larry isn't quick and a great jumper is because God wanted to make sure the guys on the other team at least had some chance😂"
Loved Larry
Bird needed a challenge. The left handed game, calling his shots. He needed a challenge.
I was just thinking the same thing watching this video,Bird was so GOOD on the court and could do anything he wanted,he talked trash so he wouldn't be bored. Made challenges for himself to not be bored. LOL. In an interview Kareem said the Lakers couldn't stop Bird,that he did everything on the court.I've never,ever heard Kareem praise another nba player like that.EVER. LOL.
Larry Bird had the opportunity to play the best of the best the game has to offer
And he beat them ALL
Michael Jordan
Kareem Abdul-jabbar
Karl Malone
Ralph Sampson
James Worthy
Hakeem Olajuwon
Moses Malone
The list goes on
❤Larry.
IINDIANA BORN AND RAISED.
Bird was clutch. Period.
In a day day when sports are seen on TV live, those games were often not televised till later at night (tape delayed). Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Julius "Dr" Erving, etc. legitimised the game, it was not the powerhouse it is today. They saved an entire league. I'm 71 & rarely saw a game, in those days, that wasn't taped by the networks first.
13:46 Magic telling story about Bird saying he was going to put on a show for him… Magic mimicking Bird making a shot and looking over at him- I replayed that 4 times and laughed so hard I snorted a couple of times! Hilarious!
I lived in Southern New Hampshire during the 70's and 80's, my high school and college years, and I got to see Larry Bird and The Boston Celtics live quite a few times, and it was always a treat, which I always appreciated. The only bad part was, we fans never heard Larry's trash talk, just the rumors of it. But the result was still the same. Celtics Win!!!
At 4:04, we see former Houston Rockets player John Lucas talking about teammate Robert Reid, a 6'8" forward. Reid was frequently matched up against Bird who apparently told him (Reid) that he should have stayed a preacher. Reid was known for being a man of faith. Robert Reid recently passed away February 19, 2024 at age 68 of cancer.
What you said at the end was true, the taunts weren't personal, it was always about the game. Although one game, an opponent was was playing near his hometown. Bird said, your mother's here right? After Bird scored on him, he said how embarrassing!
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson played against each other for the 1979 NCAA championship right before I began high school. I later attended Michigan State. Those two (and a lot of other supremely talented players of the time) kicked off an era of what I consider the best basketball to ever be played.
Larry Bird's ability to pass the ball is why I fell in love with basketball. When you get a chance please see "greatest passer ever with re-edit" . Anyone that loves the game of basketball has got to love Bird's game. Bird was so entertaining and so funny and so good = Bird was must see TV!!!! The game vs Atlanta where the other team is high-fiving each other is priceless!! Imagine Larry interrupting the coach and telling your team = just get me the ball and everyone get out of the way = LOL. Bird was truly one of a kind!!!
HE WAS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS SKILL HE WAS ALWAYS ONE STEP AHEAD OF HIS OPPONENTS EVEN THIUGH HE WAS SO SLOW BUT HE COMPETINESS AND HIS WILL TO WIN WAS INCREDIBLE
16:42 These guys Hated each other. It's just that Bird was so clutch they had to just laugh about it later. Byron Scott said it best "Are you f*ckin kiddin me?"
Great reaction. Should check out Larry Bird greatest passer of all time video re-edit. AMAZING. It really showcases his IQ, court vision, and agility. He was slower than most and couldn't jump high but he was not unathletic. There are different types of athleticism. He was very quick, has great agility, and could contort his body for crazy passes and shots. He also has great hand /eye coordination.
In the Hawks game,Bird scored 32 points in 14 minutes in the 3rd & 4th quarter!!! Only ONE 3-Ppointer!!!!
Larry Bird, the GOAT! Love you both. ❤
Chuck Person is probably the exception. Maybe he came back later and accepted it. Bill Russell was another one. But yeah, most of the greats respected him and still do.
What Brad neglects to mention in the "Fly Bird" story- Larry hit Dougherty in the @$$ with the ball as Brad flew by, THEN drained the shot. Pure, delicious, disrespect.
Top NBA career combined stats per game (pts, reb, ast, stl, blk) career fg%,tp%,ft%
1. Jordan 44.7 -50-33-84
2. Lebron 44.4 -51-35-73
3. Bird 43.1 -50-38-89
4. Kareem 42.9 -56-06-72
5. Durant 40.8 -50-38-88
Bird has the second highest game winning percentage right behind Magic (10 games off).
Saw his whole career. He would show you something different every game. Only 1 other athlete I can say that about is No. 4 Bobby For of the Boston Bruins.
I used to be at the practices, games & locker room of the Celtics as a teenage professional photographer (ages 17-20 1980-1983). Best of times!
❤
He was a great player, but probably the GOAT of trash talking. Remember, this is the player who competed in the finals of the three-point contest in his warmup jacket, then punctuated his victory by signaling "I'm #1" while the last shot was still in the air.
I live in Indiana and have watched Bird for his whole career. He could not jump over a phone book. He was not fast. His always got his shot off. I don't remember him geting his shot blocked. The other team put their best defender on him.
A week before "The Bird Night" Larry told the media that he was going to Atlanta and beat Kevin McHale's Celtics scoring record of 56 points set the week before, and he did it by scoring 60 points.
Hey you guys I don't think the video's over. You stopped it and started commenting when it wasn't over yet. 👍 Nice work
I was blessed to become an NBA fan when Bird & Magic turned pro. I hated the Celtics & Lakers because I always pulled for the underdog. I didn't have a favorite team until MJ turned pro as he was already my favorite player and James Worthy. North Carolina was so good. MJ might not have ever been as great as he was if not for Larry Legend & I think MJ would agree with that statement.
I read somewhere that Larry would go and play basketball with black guys on the other side of the tracks, so to speak. He said that was where the competition was.
Larry played the game intelligently. He was playing chess when everyone else was playing checkers. The GOAT!
These men speaking brought basketball to the masses b4 them it wasnt that popular on tv anyway
Please react to Courtship of Rivals! It's a documentary about how Bird and Magics Rivalry saved the NBA! Most reactors split it up in 2 or 3 parts but believe me its worth it! It leads right into the next documentary which was kind of the last step for both of them ....92' Olympics Dream Team!
Larry was awesome ! Kobe was awesome 😭
You should check out making the case for Bird and see why he is in the conversation as the Goat❤❤❤❤
Those were the best days of NBA... Bird, Magic, and MJ.
He once told (Pistol) Pete Marovich that "if you were any good, they'd be double teaming YOU !"
When you think you're great you tell everybody. When you are great, everybody tells you. Cheers!
You guys would love A Courtship Of Rivals about Bird and Magic.
I second this. Beautiful documentary.
Larry Bird is the first player to accomplish the 50-40-90 club, the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, 3 point Champion three straight years, MVP three times straight (When competing against Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Dr. J, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and many more), Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year. Also Hall Of Fame Head Coach Pat Riley once said " If I had to choose a player to make the winning shot of a game. I would pick Michael Jordan, but if I had to pick a player to make a shot to save my life. I would pick Larry Bird."
MJ, Larry Bird, LeBron James are all fantastic players, but here's someone who doesn't get the love he deserves by the name of Allen Iverson. One of my favorites!
Don't disrespect those guys by mentioning Lebrons name in the same breath as theirs.
Replace lebums name with AI,it's disrespectful putting lebums name to killers of the game
Lots of goats, only one legend!
Larry Bird practiced shooting baskets more than any other player.