Lebron james would've ate a 🐦 sandwich & ate a 🐦 sandwich & score 50s points playing against Larry bird, Nikola jokic & luka doncic each would've ate a 🐦 sandwich
NOBODY on the Pistons could guard Bird, McHale or Parish back then, especially Bird. WITHOUT A DOUBT the Best frontline to EVER play in the NBA. Had it not been for the death of Len Bias, they probably win the 87 NBA finals as well. What a series that would have been with the 87 Lakers. The 86 Celtics were virtually unstoppable, then add 6'9" Len Bias to that lineup. WOW, Might have been the best team ever!! When I heard of his death I was SO stunned, I almost wrecked. RIP Len, you were AWESOME!
@Mark L Stop it. If Isiah didn't throw the ball away The Pistons would have sent them home. Lucky to even make The Finals. Pistons were better and destroyed them a year later ending The Celtics dynasty.
@@mikekillagreen9432 Nothing he said was outrageous. Bias was one of the most talented college players of the 80's, it's not unrealistic to think that adding him to the Celtics would have added tremendous depth. Even with McHale's foot injury the Celtics took the Lakers to 6 games in 87', with Bias, it's definitely possible they would have won.
@@purplemonkeydishwasher4241 Another thing that did the Celtics in was Bill Walton being injured that year. Had he not been, Bias or no Bias, I think the Celtics would have stood a better chance of repeating.
Rodman and Mahorn are two of the best low post defenders in the history of the NBA yet Bird made them look like rookies. People who say Bird won’t be able to play in today’s NBA don’t know what they’re talking about.
4:16 Bird pick-pockets Rodman on after a defensive rebound. It never gets old watching 6'9" Bird made quick-hands defensive plays you normally only expect from 6'2" guards. And frequently against some of the most sure-handed players in the NBA.
True, plus the pass(around the hip fake) and all kinds of 'decoys' - and what is amazing is the rhythm and speed of execution, like billie the kid... He used every fake known to man at lightning speed of execution.
Watching Bird operate in the low block against these Pistons who were considered an extremely good defensive team is like Watching an artist at work. They were as Shaq puts it "barbeque chicken ".
bird's greatest skill was in unorthodox shots out of nowhere, ability to adjust arc of the ball at will in a fraction of a second, when players thought they could block him he'd change the shot's trajectory. This is unparalleled shooting skill. Steph Curry is likely the greatest 3 pt shooter of all time, but no the greatest shooter period. Bird has the greatest array of shots from everywhere on the floor, and mid shot adaptability that few players have ever shown. Skill with his off hand (left) made it impossible to guard him as he could go straight, left or right. All the more amazing for his near 6'10 height. Durant is like him in some ways, with greater athleticism and speed, but not greater shot variety or inside skills. And durant is probably the greatest offensive player of the modern era.
John Craftenworth - Most of Bird’s hoop experience was absent the concept of a three point shot. If Bird had grown up with the three point rule then Curry would have immense competition.
Bird is supremely athletic. How many players can shoot with either hand, dribble with either, finger roll with either, fake passes and shoot off balance, his hands are as good as anyone’s. Great footwork, and don’t forget a hell of a rebounder. The man truly was one of a kind.
yeah, he was so skilled and methodical ... but unfortunately, his three highest point averages were in seasons when he didn't win a ring - 1988, 1985, 1987. The team needed to be balanced more - like in 1981, 1984, 1986, instead of the top heavy teams with a weak bench. But 87 Bird was awesome. after three straight MVPs he placed 3rd and 2nd in the next two years, and it took Magic's best career season and one of Jordan's two best seasons to win MVPs.
After the first 4 games of the series the media speculated Larry was dead tired and his shooting touch was gone. Following his epic game 5, Bird found his perimeter game in this loss, and in the series finale willed the damaged but courageous Celtics over the finish line. This, in my opinion, was the most heroic 3 game stretch of his incredible postseason career.
i disagree with people saying larry bird not being athletic. he might not be fast or jump high but he is very very coordinated, and when he needs to move quick he usually delivers. and more importantly this guy reaction to defense is definitely at the top 3 all time. it makes him hard to defense.
What people seem to miss is the fundamental aspect of Basketball. Everyone now is like "oh they are as athletic, Bird isn't as athletic.. People, it's fundamentals. Go down to your local gym with some of your young athletic only players and find a group of slower, older men that have played for years. They will typically outsmart you with the ball and create opportunity better than you can run or jump. The 80's into the early 90's had the funds' To much one-on-one now. I'm not old either, I'm 29
As everyone knows, the pistons were a very tough, defensive oriented team, and yet bird makes it look easy. He would probably average 40 a game or more in today's NBA
An ABSOLUTE basketball genius !! Pump fake here, head fake there , fade away there, fake right go left, turn around, left handed, hook shot, drain it in your face !!! All Larry needed was 1" maybe less. I've necer seen anyone consistently nail shots with the defender all on him. He didn't feel there pressure. He knew he was gonna make em. Gosh you forget how great he was at his peak before the back and Achilles really hurt his mobility. He got so many clutch steals he was everywhere ! And gosh darn he was MONEY in the clutch !!! What a LEGEND !!! HE WAS DOING THIS ON DENNIS RODMAN AND THE BAD BOYS ! One of the greatest defensive teams ever !!$
I realize going “one on one” is the antithesis of Larry’s game. However I truly loved watching him get his own shot. You never knew what kind of weapon he was going to use to score!
Larry Bird was a legit 6'9". NBA heights in the 70s and 80s were crazy inaccurate. Bill Walton was over 7'1", Magic Johnson was at least 2 inches shorter than Bird. They'd list Bird as 6'10" or 6'11" today (LeBron is really about 6'7", but for some reasons the NBA lists 'in shoes' height. Check predraft measurables. Durant predraft was measured at 6'9"). If he were playing today, he'd be the best PF in the NBA. He can do everything Dirk can do, but is a far better passer, rebounder, ball handler and defender.
@@AntonioVazquez33 No. Magic claims 6'9 but any photo you see of Bird and Magic standing next to each other Larry is at least an inch taller. I would say Larry was a true 6'9, maybe 6'9.5. Magic was no more than 6'8.
@@AntonioVazquez33 I've read magic is 6'7 3/4. He was listed at 6'8 until a yr or 2 into tge NBA. I believe Magic started saying he was 6'9 just to hype the rivalry with Bird. Make em sound even more similar
Danny Ainge missed the first three games of the series with an injury he suffered in game 7 against the Bucks. Parish missed this game with an ankle injury thanks to Lambeer and others who kept sliding under him when he went up. Parish was very important for this team. McHale played on a broken foot through the playoffs - he was 1987 All NBA 1st team and All NBA Defensive 1st team. Bird averaged 44.1 minutes a game in the playoffs. He played 47, 47, and 48 minutes the last three games vs the Pistons. he averaged 47.1 minutes per game in 7 games vs. the Bucks in the previous round.
Parish was injured, but he missed this game because he was suspended for decking Laimbeer in game 5. I believe it was the first playoff suspension ever.
You need to put down the crack pipe dude. The guys you mentioned did not have 10% of Birds ability. They were ALL just average players. Bird could do EVERYTHING. Score, rebound, pass and did them well. You ask ANY NBA player of the 70s, 80s 90s about the best OVERALL players in that league. Most will mention Magic, Larry Bird & MJ. Hell if it were not for Magic & Larry, the NBA would have probably folded. They resurrected a dying league, paving the way for MJ to take it to the next level.
@mikenotnumberone1 Magic tore his ACL in 81, a serious injury and probably the reason he had such a poor playoffs. Pretty sure he wouldn't fake any injuries.There's no doubt LA doesn't get swept in 83 with Worthy and 89 if Magic doesn't go down and if Worthy isn't hurt, they win more than 1 against Bulls in 91. While I think LA was lucky to face an injured BOS in 85 and 87, I give credit where do. I think DET were a little overrated because they looked good against an injured, old BOS & LA team.
Definitely some good points. Detroit was pretty damn good though. Thomas and Dumars was a lethal backcourt. They should have beat LA in 88.. Detroit was kind of a freak show of a team, but they were for real. That 1990 blazer team was excellent and Detroit smoked them.
Lakers mightve been old, yet they had a literal cakewalk through the WCF every single year. While boston and detroit had to play the bulls the bucks the 76rs. The east in the 80s had all the talent its just the truth.
lol bird shitted on thomas& co. in every way possible,no wonder rodman and thomas disrespected him later...it must have been bad to get humiliated like that.
@mikenotnumberone1 Yeah, Worthy broke his leg and McAdoo missed 7 games of the playoffs. I'm not saying they beat Philly, because that Philly team was a monster, but they put up a better fight. I don't even bring Bias up any more, I've wiped that from my memory. Bad player moves after 88 didn't give BOS much of a chance, but they would have had a great team in 91 if not for Bird & McHale being injured. Brad Lohaus, Mark Acres, Michael Smith, Fred Roberts, need I say more?
MerkinMuffly ---- in 89 Celtics had a high or higher than usual draft pick due to a 42-40 ( I think) record. They took the immortal Michael Smith from BYU. Imagine if they got Tim Hardaway or Shawn Kemp instead of Smith. Brian Shaw went to ITALY in 89-90; could've really helped BOSTON that year.
@FavreianVengeance Maybe 6 games, Kareem was basically decrepit by that time, Michael Thompson isn't exactly a spring chicken. I think the Pistons beat LA 1st game before Magic's injury so it's not like they couldn't do it with Magic in there. I'm not even sure Bulls get past 91 Pistons if Isiah and Edwards are not injured.
@FavreianVengeance I think a 87 LA beat Pistons, but Pistons should have won 88 if not for some ticky tack fouls called with the clock running down. A healthy 87 BOS would have easily beaten 87 DET. If you watch the 91 BOS DET series, you can see Bird is hobbled, slow, didn't even play in the 1st game. I don't think I saw Bird make 1 drive to the basket, all he does is try to keep rodman off the boards. 91 celts were a good team, but Bird & McHale were to far gone by playoffs.
@Mick A Paxson had his own back problems. A couple of solid white players in the 1980's lost their prime due to back problems... Kiki Vandeweghe, Larry Bird, Bill Hanzlik, Jim Paxson. Even the notorious Bill Laimbeer developed back problems at the end of his career.
@MerkinMuffly 91 like most of the Bulls championships was a gift. A healthy C's and Pistons were better than the Bulls. In the West there were 3 or 4 teams better than the Bulls. It sucked that the Lakers caught fire and reached the Finals.
@mikenotnumberone1 87 I won't even count Walton. But even if McHale and Parish weren't playing on hurt ankles I think it'd have been different. If Bias was in the mix, the C's would have three peated 86 to 88 and I think they would have even competed in 89 with Bird out. He was that good. 85 - NBA politics gave it to the Lakers. Game 5 was in LA and not Boston like it should have been and that was the diff. 87 - I give the Lakers credit but the company men had their effect.
@FavreianVengeance I was pissed off they lost at the time, but looking back, I can see why, Bird looks horrible, he's passing up shots and slow as hell. McHale was still coming off the bench with his injuries. Pistons had Dumars to back up Isiah, but there's no one to back up Bird, he was there point guard, really wasn't a good point guard on Boston, Shaw was more of a shooting guard.
@mikenotnumberone1 Oh I agree with all of that. The C's of the 80s were the best team ever and people don't know it b/c of injuries and the fact that they had to play tougher competish in the east than the Lakers and then Bias died. But my point is that the Pistons were a better team than the Lakers from 87 to 91.
well i am not so sure about this man...don't forget bird face many athletic players and most of themalso play in 90's like pippen,larry johnson,rodman,kemp,robinson,hakeem,ewing,harper,kemp,barkley,drexler,k.malone...not to mention great athlets of 80's like drj,dominique,worthy,marques johnosn,gervin,moses,sampson,thompson,griffith...larry would dominate any era cause he was amazing player with great skills!dirk also is n't athletic and is n't as great as laryy but also dominate.
Dirk is a great comparison, because Dirk was very similar to Bird in terms of mid-range and post moves. And yet -- Bird was a superior passer to dirk, a superior 3pt shooter to Dirk, a superior rebounder to Dirk, and a better defender than Dirk. Let that sink in: Bird was verifiably better than Dirk in every statistical category. And Dirk was probably the best all-around player in the NBA from 2001 to 2010.
@3:01 - Dumars cant handle the fact Ainge played great defense and almost took the ball out of his hands so Dumars does what Dumars always does tries to retaliate. Thug life. Just like Isiah. Trash.
@chiladin. True but going against MJ's Bulls Dynasty teams and the teams they faced to win those Rings he would struggle because those teams could match his fundamentals (at least be in the ballpark of them maybe not better) and were much more athletic than him. Todays game (2010s) has athleticism as well but some stupid players and lack of fundamentals.
Actually, two of the most efficient shooters from more places on the floor were Steve Nash and Ray Allen. Nash 50-40-90 guy 4× and missed a fifth by one made FT..Career 49-43-90.
@MerkinMuffly Nah. 91 the Celts were better. The Pistons had a sharp drop off from 90 to 91. All of that rough play in the 80s had made its toll. I really think it came down to injuries and even still poor officiating. I mean watch all the crap the Pistons are getting away with. Stern wanted the Pistons and Celts to beat each other up in the hopes of getting Jordan in a Finals.
@MerkinMuffly To me. I was shocked when the C's lost this series in 91. The Pistons really had lost their athletic edge and the skills of the C's should have prevailed. I think the combination of injuries and the refs not calling brutal fouls allowed the Pistons to win this series. 87 I'd take a healthy Pisons over the Lakers but it couldve went either way esp. since the Lakers had more exp. But 88 went to closing seconds in LA even with Thomas's ankle f'd up.
No one was going to beat the Lakers in 87. Boston was still better than Detroit though. Salley and Rodman were rookies. Bird played spectacularly in this his last healthy season (well healthy enough to play).
@MerkinMuffly I disagree. I think the Pistons are over-rated in history b/c of their back to back championships. But I think the Lakers were on their downhill by 88 and they would have lost that series if Thomas didn't injure his ankle. In 89, the Pistons just wooped on the Lakers big time. If the Lakers were at full strength they still don't take that series more than 5 or 6 games.
See the difference between the Boston and Chicago's defense. They played every one physically but straight up. With the bulls was WWE defense. To everyone not just MJ. Ship shot after ship shot. And still got to game 6 and 7 on those respective series. And even when they got eliminated in 1991 lambeer and Rodman almost end up pippen career. But to Isaiah and his teammates that was playing within the rules.Whatever you say Isaiah.
Bird made Salley look so bad,he was playing hurt and still dominated,i bet if Bird would have been healthy the Celtics would have won at least 7 championships.
@mikenotnumberone1 I'm not sure what you're getting at but the Pistons were definitely better than the Lakers 87-91. And injuries to Thomas in 88 definitely gave the Lakers that series in 7. And you really buy that Magic being injured jazz? He was always pretending his hammy was soar. Magic never had one major injury his entire career.
@stewiedog01 i think the celtics were just as capable of pulling cheap shit,like bird pushing cooper in 1984 or picking a fight with jabbar. boston player m.l carr was a thug-i think i remember him fouling julius erving very hard. but these are some exceptions,they did not do that on a regular basis,detroit did-as the poster above pointed out. physical play does not equal being dirty. when you have thomas,mahorn and rodman on your roster...you know you are a dirty team.
Yeah, but Pistons were robbed in the 1st yr they were in finals. Called that BS foul on Laimbeer so Kareem got 2 FT's. League didn't want Detroit to win. Really didn't want them beating Boston or LA. Stern went wild when Bulls dethroned them.
7 game series between these 2 teams AGAIN. Meanwhile the Lakers are all sitting out in LA healthy and rested after their usual “tuff tuff” western conference bracket. I think that year LA played that team the Globetrotters always beat. The Clarksdale Clomtrompers or something like that. Seriously though, no wonder LA always won so much. Even if the Hawks and Bucks were in the West LA has at least one less ring in the 80s. They lost to Houston 1-4 🤣
steve novak and matt bonner would outshoot any of the guys you listed.. does it matter? NO cus they aren't nearly as good.. that's why you should have kept yo mouth shut in the first place instead of rattling off a bunch of inferior ballers.
Mahmoud Abdul Rauf would out shoot Birds ass any day of the week so would George Gervin, Downtown Freddie Brown, Walter Davis, Calvin Murphy and so on & so forth!
Bird scored every which possible, absolute beast. He even took his man off the dribble a few times!
Absolutely phenomenal. Larry Bird is a generational talent. No one better.
Lebron james would've ate a 🐦 sandwich & ate a 🐦 sandwich & score 50s points playing against Larry bird, Nikola jokic & luka doncic each would've ate a 🐦 sandwich
@@Loydstardeli2017 You still sucking on llama balls?
Larry Bird was a scientist in the low post, or for that matter anywhere on the court
Bird is a GOAT at the Forward Positions..both SF and PF.
there are no positions
Freaking Bird makes it look so easy........best in history of the game.
Larry healthy is the best basketball player i've ever seen
No question. In his prime, Bird was the best ever.
@@martinanderson1497
Larry Bird was the best basketball player in NBA history.
Bird in his prime then was the best player in the galaxy.
@@martinanderson1497 I have been watching since 1969 and I gotta agree
He was amazing
@@martinanderson1497 could not agree with you more. He did everything. If only focused on scoring he would have set records.
NOBODY on the Pistons could guard Bird, McHale or Parish back then, especially Bird. WITHOUT A DOUBT the Best frontline to EVER play in the NBA. Had it not been for the death of Len Bias, they probably win the 87 NBA finals as well. What a series that would have been with the 87 Lakers. The 86 Celtics were virtually unstoppable, then add 6'9" Len Bias to that lineup. WOW, Might have been the best team ever!! When I heard of his death I was SO stunned, I almost wrecked. RIP Len, you were AWESOME!
@Mark L Stop it. If Isiah didn't throw the ball away The Pistons would have sent them home. Lucky to even make The Finals. Pistons were better and destroyed them a year later ending The Celtics dynasty.
@@mikekillagreen9432 Nothing he said was outrageous. Bias was one of the most talented college players of the 80's, it's not unrealistic to think that adding him to the Celtics would have added tremendous depth. Even with McHale's foot injury the Celtics took the Lakers to 6 games in 87', with Bias, it's definitely possible they would have won.
@@purplemonkeydishwasher4241 Another thing that did the Celtics in was Bill Walton being injured that year. Had he not been, Bias or no Bias, I think the Celtics would have stood a better chance of repeating.
Rodman and Mahorn are two of the best low post defenders in the history of the NBA yet Bird made them look like rookies. People who say Bird won’t be able to play in today’s NBA don’t know what they’re talking about.
@@mikekillagreen9432You stop it chump, Bias dying hurt the Celtics badly, so STFU
4:16 Bird pick-pockets Rodman on after a defensive rebound. It never gets old watching 6'9" Bird made quick-hands defensive plays you normally only expect from 6'2" guards. And frequently against some of the most sure-handed players in the NBA.
Every pump fake, every fake pass, every hesitation cemented his defenders feet, and lollibied thrm even more....awesome
True, plus the pass(around the hip fake) and all kinds of 'decoys' - and what is amazing is the rhythm and speed of execution, like billie the kid... He used every fake known to man at lightning speed of execution.
@@Erroll21Oscar25 Also amazing was that the rip shots mostly rolled way.
Bird made the brothers look foolish
Watching Bird operate in the low block against these Pistons who were considered an extremely good defensive team is like Watching an artist at work. They were as Shaq puts it "barbeque chicken ".
bird's greatest skill was in unorthodox shots out of nowhere, ability to adjust arc of the ball at will in a fraction of a second, when players thought they could block him he'd change the shot's trajectory. This is unparalleled shooting skill. Steph Curry is likely the greatest 3 pt shooter of all time, but no the greatest shooter period. Bird has the greatest array of shots from everywhere on the floor, and mid shot adaptability that few players have ever shown. Skill with his off hand (left) made it impossible to guard him as he could go straight, left or right. All the more amazing for his near 6'10 height. Durant is like him in some ways, with greater athleticism and speed, but not greater shot variety or inside skills. And durant is probably the greatest offensive player of the modern era.
John Craftenworth - Most of Bird’s hoop experience was absent the concept of a three point shot. If Bird had grown up with the three point rule then Curry would have immense competition.
@@jjs777fzr yes and not just Bird & Curry. Pistol Pete, Jerry West, Fred Brown as well.
Bird is supremely athletic. How many players can shoot with either hand, dribble with either, finger roll with either, fake passes and shoot off balance, his hands are as good as anyone’s. Great footwork, and don’t forget a hell of a rebounder. The man truly was one of a kind.
Nobody shot as good as Bird did back then left-handed and nobody since then or today has or shoots better than the Legend left handed, noooooooooobody
1986-1987 Larry Bird was my favorite version of Larry
yeah, he was so skilled and methodical ... but unfortunately, his three highest point averages were in seasons when he didn't win a ring - 1988, 1985, 1987. The team needed to be balanced more - like in 1981, 1984, 1986, instead of the top heavy teams with a weak bench. But 87 Bird was awesome. after three straight MVPs he placed 3rd and 2nd in the next two years, and it took Magic's best career season and one of Jordan's two best seasons to win MVPs.
After the first 4 games of the series the media speculated Larry was dead tired and his shooting touch was gone. Following his epic game 5, Bird found his perimeter game in this loss, and in the series finale willed the damaged but courageous Celtics over the finish line. This, in my opinion, was the most heroic 3 game stretch of his incredible postseason career.
No wonder Mahorn and Laimbeer were fouling the hell out of him, he was abusing them and they couldn't take it.
What the hell was Thomas and Rodman talking about him being 'just another good player' if he was white. He torched them this series.
You are ignorant as fuck on the actual fact.
None of those guys as great as they were had quite the mystique of Larry Bird
i disagree with people saying larry bird not being athletic. he might not be fast or jump high but he is very very coordinated, and when he needs to move quick he usually delivers. and more importantly this guy reaction to defense is definitely at the top 3 all time. it makes him hard to defense.
Bird had extremely quick hands.
What people seem to miss is the fundamental aspect of Basketball. Everyone now is like "oh they are as athletic, Bird isn't as athletic.. People, it's fundamentals. Go down to your local gym with some of your young athletic only players and find a group of slower, older men that have played for years. They will typically outsmart you with the ball and create opportunity better than you can run or jump. The 80's into the early 90's had the funds' To much one-on-one now. I'm not old either, I'm 29
Ahh, I was about to do this one, but you beat me to it, good one. Bird had an amazing game.
As everyone knows, the pistons were a very tough, defensive oriented team, and yet bird makes it look easy. He would probably average 40 a game or more in today's NBA
Yes
An ABSOLUTE basketball genius !! Pump fake here, head fake there , fade away there, fake right go left, turn around, left handed, hook shot, drain it in your face !!! All Larry needed was 1" maybe less. I've necer seen anyone consistently nail shots with the defender all on him. He didn't feel there pressure. He knew he was gonna make em. Gosh you forget how great he was at his peak before the back and Achilles really hurt his mobility. He got so many clutch steals he was everywhere ! And gosh darn he was MONEY in the clutch !!! What a LEGEND !!! HE WAS DOING THIS ON DENNIS RODMAN AND THE BAD BOYS ! One of the greatest defensive teams ever !!$
well isaiah thomas did say eveytime Bird touched the ball we got scared!!!
Bird in his prime then was the best player in NBA history.
Great game! Thanks a lot. Bird may lack the elegance of Mchale when he posts up but boy does he get the job done!
A healthy Bird was the league's unstoppable nightmare, but he especially haunted the Pistons.
unstoppable...hahaha
Everybody who played him said he was frustrating to guard...
No compliance James Worthy said, he would rather guard Jordan than Larry Bird.
Bird was such a smart player and definitely had one of the smoothest strokes
The court and crowd feels like a college final four game.
I wish the league played like this today
I realize going “one on one” is the antithesis of Larry’s game. However I truly loved watching him get his own shot. You never knew what kind of weapon he was going to use to score!
Amazing player-Larry Bird.
Larry Bird was a legit 6'9". NBA heights in the 70s and 80s were crazy inaccurate. Bill Walton was over 7'1", Magic Johnson was at least 2 inches shorter than Bird. They'd list Bird as 6'10" or 6'11" today (LeBron is really about 6'7", but for some reasons the NBA lists 'in shoes' height. Check predraft measurables. Durant predraft was measured at 6'9"). If he were playing today, he'd be the best PF in the NBA. He can do everything Dirk can do, but is a far better passer, rebounder, ball handler and defender.
Magic was also 6´9´´...
@@AntonioVazquez33 No. Magic claims 6'9 but any photo you see of Bird and Magic standing next to each other Larry is at least an inch taller. I would say Larry was a true 6'9, maybe 6'9.5. Magic was no more than 6'8.
@@AntonioVazquez33 I've read magic is 6'7 3/4. He was listed at 6'8 until a yr or 2 into tge NBA. I believe Magic started saying he was 6'9 just to hype the rivalry with Bird. Make em sound even more similar
Larry Bird not athletic. Psh. Post broke back and still wearing out the greatest defensive team of all time.
Danny Ainge missed the first three games of the series with an injury he suffered in game 7 against the Bucks. Parish missed this game with an ankle injury thanks to Lambeer and others who kept sliding under him when he went up. Parish was very important for this team. McHale played on a broken foot through the playoffs - he was 1987 All NBA 1st team and All NBA Defensive 1st team. Bird averaged 44.1 minutes a game in the playoffs. He played 47, 47, and 48 minutes the last three games vs the Pistons. he averaged 47.1 minutes per game in 7 games vs. the Bucks in the previous round.
Parish was injured, but he missed this game because he was suspended for decking Laimbeer in game 5. I believe it was the first playoff suspension ever.
Nice 1 on 4 break for Bird 4:45
You need to put down the crack pipe dude. The guys you mentioned did not have 10% of Birds ability. They were ALL just average players. Bird could do EVERYTHING. Score, rebound, pass and did them well. You ask ANY NBA player of the 70s, 80s 90s about the best OVERALL players in that league. Most will mention Magic, Larry Bird & MJ. Hell if it were not for Magic & Larry, the NBA would have probably folded. They resurrected a dying league, paving the way for MJ to take it to the next level.
@mikenotnumberone1 Magic tore his ACL in 81, a serious injury and probably the reason he had such a poor playoffs. Pretty sure he wouldn't fake any injuries.There's no doubt LA doesn't get swept in 83 with Worthy and 89 if Magic doesn't go down and if Worthy isn't hurt, they win more than 1 against Bulls in 91. While I think LA was lucky to face an injured BOS in 85 and 87, I give credit where do. I think DET were a little overrated because they looked good against an injured, old BOS & LA team.
Definitely some good points. Detroit was pretty damn good though. Thomas and Dumars was a lethal backcourt. They should have beat LA in 88..
Detroit was kind of a freak show of a team, but they were for real. That 1990 blazer team was excellent and Detroit smoked them.
Lakers mightve been old, yet they had a literal cakewalk through the WCF every single year. While boston and detroit had to play the bulls the bucks the 76rs. The east in the 80s had all the talent its just the truth.
lol bird shitted on thomas& co. in every way possible,no wonder rodman and thomas disrespected him later...it must have been bad to get humiliated like that.
Dantley and Kiki Vandeweghe were true offensive technicians. Neither did much but score, but scored efficiently like few others.
Schooling 7`0 plus Salley in the Post
Kobe is not inferior he might be more athletic but Bird is one of their rare players as is Kobe
@mikenotnumberone1 Yeah, Worthy broke his leg and McAdoo missed 7 games of the playoffs. I'm not saying they beat Philly, because that Philly team was a monster, but they put up a better fight. I don't even bring Bias up any more, I've wiped that from my memory. Bad player moves after 88 didn't give BOS much of a chance, but they would have had a great team in 91 if not for Bird & McHale being injured. Brad Lohaus, Mark Acres, Michael Smith, Fred Roberts, need I say more?
MerkinMuffly ---- in 89 Celtics had a high or higher than usual draft pick due to a 42-40 ( I think) record. They took the immortal Michael Smith from BYU. Imagine if they got Tim Hardaway or Shawn Kemp instead of Smith. Brian Shaw went to ITALY in 89-90; could've really helped BOSTON that year.
@FavreianVengeance Maybe 6 games, Kareem was basically decrepit by that time, Michael Thompson isn't exactly a spring chicken. I think the Pistons beat LA 1st game before Magic's injury so it's not like they couldn't do it with Magic in there. I'm not even sure Bulls get past 91 Pistons if Isiah and Edwards are not injured.
@FavreianVengeance I think a 87 LA beat Pistons, but Pistons should have won 88 if not for some ticky tack fouls called with the clock running down. A healthy 87 BOS would have easily beaten 87 DET. If you watch the 91 BOS DET series, you can see Bird is hobbled, slow, didn't even play in the 1st game. I don't think I saw Bird make 1 drive to the basket, all he does is try to keep rodman off the boards. 91 celts were a good team, but Bird & McHale were to far gone by playoffs.
Jim Paxson had been a 20 + scorer and all star previously at Portland. Had lost a bit by time Celts acquired him.
@Mick A Paxson had his own back problems. A couple of solid white players in the 1980's lost their prime due to back problems... Kiki Vandeweghe, Larry Bird, Bill Hanzlik, Jim Paxson. Even the notorious Bill Laimbeer developed back problems at the end of his career.
@@mr.sinjin-smyth and later a couple of notable black players, Doc Rivers & Charles Barkley.
@MerkinMuffly 91 like most of the Bulls championships was a gift. A healthy C's and Pistons were better than the Bulls. In the West there were 3 or 4 teams better than the Bulls. It sucked that the Lakers caught fire and reached the Finals.
Only player ton the 96 bulls that would have started on the 86 Celtics would be Jordan. Celts in 6
The best defensive team in the league at that time with loads of tall defenders couldn't guard Bird
@mikenotnumberone1 87 I won't even count Walton. But even if McHale and Parish weren't playing on hurt ankles I think it'd have been different. If Bias was in the mix, the C's would have three peated 86 to 88 and I think they would have even competed in 89 with Bird out. He was that good. 85 - NBA politics gave it to the Lakers. Game 5 was in LA and not Boston like it should have been and that was the diff. 87 - I give the Lakers credit but the company men had their effect.
Oh man. Did you have to mention that (Boston) bench? Ughhh. Just showed how good the starting 5 was.
@FavreianVengeance I was pissed off they lost at the time, but looking back, I can see why, Bird looks horrible, he's passing up shots and slow as hell. McHale was still coming off the bench with his injuries. Pistons had Dumars to back up Isiah, but there's no one to back up Bird, he was there point guard, really wasn't a good point guard on Boston, Shaw was more of a shooting guard.
Ainge was such a punk! 🤣
kout31 Sissy ass lmao
I love Danny
Great point...he played unhealthy a lot....when healthy he was the best
No wonder there was a Game 7; Stern had Joey Crawford on the case.
We all know how the 7th game ended!
@mikenotnumberone1 Oh I agree with all of that. The C's of the 80s were the best team ever and people don't know it b/c of injuries and the fact that they had to play tougher competish in the east than the Lakers and then Bias died. But my point is that the Pistons were a better team than the Lakers from 87 to 91.
Anyone know where I can find full Larry bird games?
4:44 - And one not called.
Good point. Same with Steve Kerr and Trent Tucker. Shooters .... but little else.
Too bad Bird lived in the ERA of 80's video tape, instead of today's HD Digital Cameras.
well i am not so sure about this man...don't forget bird face many athletic players and most of themalso play in 90's like pippen,larry johnson,rodman,kemp,robinson,hakeem,ewing,harper,kemp,barkley,drexler,k.malone...not to mention great athlets of 80's like drj,dominique,worthy,marques johnosn,gervin,moses,sampson,thompson,griffith...larry would dominate any era cause he was amazing player with great skills!dirk also is n't athletic and is n't as great as laryy but also dominate.
Dirk is a great comparison, because Dirk was very similar to Bird in terms of mid-range and post moves. And yet -- Bird was a superior passer to dirk, a superior 3pt shooter to Dirk, a superior rebounder to Dirk, and a better defender than Dirk.
Let that sink in: Bird was verifiably better than Dirk in every statistical category. And Dirk was probably the best all-around player in the NBA from 2001 to 2010.
Bird just killing John Salley. DAMN!!!
@3:01 - Dumars cant handle the fact Ainge played great defense and almost took the ball out of his hands so Dumars does what Dumars always does tries to retaliate. Thug life. Just like Isiah. Trash.
@chiladin. True but going against MJ's Bulls Dynasty teams and the teams they faced to win those Rings he would struggle because those teams could match his fundamentals (at least be in the ballpark of them maybe not better) and were much more athletic than him. Todays game (2010s) has athleticism as well but some stupid players and lack of fundamentals.
Davis, Gervin and Mark Price are the best flat out shooters I've seen. BUT, bird was a better all around scorer as well as an excellent shooter.
@trha2222 Walter Davis of Phoenix, then Denver.
Actually, two of the most efficient shooters from more places on the floor were Steve Nash and Ray Allen. Nash 50-40-90 guy 4× and missed a fifth by one made FT..Career 49-43-90.
@MerkinMuffly Nah. 91 the Celts were better. The Pistons had a sharp drop off from 90 to 91. All of that rough play in the 80s had made its toll. I really think it came down to injuries and even still poor officiating. I mean watch all the crap the Pistons are getting away with. Stern wanted the Pistons and Celts to beat each other up in the hopes of getting Jordan in a Finals.
@MerkinMuffly To me. I was shocked when the C's lost this series in 91. The Pistons really had lost their athletic edge and the skills of the C's should have prevailed. I think the combination of injuries and the refs not calling brutal fouls allowed the Pistons to win this series. 87 I'd take a healthy Pisons over the Lakers but it couldve went either way esp. since the Lakers had more exp. But 88 went to closing seconds in LA even with Thomas's ankle f'd up.
This doesn't include a ton of and ones that should've been called either.
Salley was a horrible defender. MOVE YOUR FEET. Good shit by Bird, though.
Of course, but he didn't move his feet and make it harder for him to score. Awful on defense.
he was actaulyl awesome and should have started
No one was going to beat the Lakers in 87. Boston was still better than Detroit though. Salley and Rodman were rookies. Bird played spectacularly in this his last healthy season (well healthy enough to play).
@MerkinMuffly I disagree. I think the Pistons are over-rated in history b/c of their back to back championships. But I think the Lakers were on their downhill by 88 and they would have lost that series if Thomas didn't injure his ankle. In 89, the Pistons just wooped on the Lakers big time. If the Lakers were at full strength they still don't take that series more than 5 or 6 games.
See the difference between the Boston and Chicago's defense. They played every one physically but straight up. With the bulls was WWE defense. To everyone not just MJ. Ship shot after ship shot. And still got to game 6 and 7 on those respective series. And even when they got eliminated in 1991 lambeer and Rodman almost end up pippen career. But to Isaiah and his teammates that was playing within the rules.Whatever you say Isaiah.
Celts were playing without Robert Parish because he had been suspended for rearranging Laimbeer's nose in the last game.
I can see 5 fouls on every play, by today’s standards
When Joey Crawford still had hair
FRiKiJDM And before he had his nose up Lebron's ass.
Travis McDonald You mean Leflop?
Bird made Salley look so bad,he was playing hurt and still dominated,i bet if Bird would have been healthy the Celtics would have won at least 7 championships.
Yes (Pistons) they were. League didn't want it, but....
Dock Stockton the best NBA
John Paxson?
Jim his brother
@mikenotnumberone1 I'm not sure what you're getting at but the Pistons were definitely better than the Lakers 87-91. And injuries to Thomas in 88 definitely gave the Lakers that series in 7. And you really buy that Magic being injured jazz? He was always pretending his hammy was soar. Magic never had one major injury his entire career.
@stewiedog01 i think the celtics were just as capable of pulling cheap shit,like bird pushing cooper in 1984 or picking a fight with jabbar. boston player m.l carr was a thug-i think i remember him fouling julius erving very hard. but these are some exceptions,they did not do that on a regular basis,detroit did-as the poster above pointed out. physical play does not equal being dirty. when you have thomas,mahorn and rodman on your roster...you know you are a dirty team.
Yeah, but Pistons were robbed in the 1st yr they were in finals. Called that BS foul on Laimbeer so Kareem got 2 FT's. League didn't want Detroit to win. Really didn't want them beating Boston or LA. Stern went wild when Bulls dethroned them.
7 game series between these 2 teams AGAIN.
Meanwhile the Lakers are all sitting out in LA healthy and rested after their usual “tuff tuff” western conference bracket.
I think that year LA played that team the Globetrotters always beat. The Clarksdale Clomtrompers or something like that.
Seriously though, no wonder LA always won so much. Even if the Hawks and Bucks were in the West LA has at least one less ring in the 80s. They lost to Houston 1-4 🤣
Okay half those 80s players were no where athletic. But Larry still great no arguement here.
Larry Bird can't be that slow, right?
steve novak and matt bonner would outshoot any of the guys you listed.. does it matter? NO cus they aren't nearly as good.. that's why you should have kept yo mouth shut in the first place instead of rattling off a bunch of inferior ballers.
I HATE Larry Birds back!! It’s the only thing about him I dislike
Mahmoud Abdul Rauf would out shoot Birds ass any day of the week so would George Gervin, Downtown Freddie Brown, Walter Davis, Calvin Murphy and so on & so forth!
Yeah, too bad he got washed out of the league. Couldn't keep up that level I guess
you are on crack haha
They'd have one at least one more title maybe 2.