“If I had to pick a player to make a shot that saves a game, I’d pick Jordan. If I had to pick a player to make a shot that saves my life, I’d pick Larry Bird”. Pat Riley.😎
@@brianboynton4678of all time. I am a New York Knicks fan, and I got to watch Larry Bird completely own the Eastern Conference when it was the most dominant conference in the NBA
@@debrakron9049 Facts! If they tried to double team him he'd just knock down a jumper in their face or drop off sick dimes to his teammates. He was literally unstoppable and that's facts!
Yep. Loved watching the Celtics n Bulls play. I'm old now n I can't watch any sporting event Well maybe some Formula One or some outdoor Motocross or desert dirt bike racing
Seeing those Boston 33 / L.A. 32 jerseys meant the world to me growing up. Although I loved Jordan aswell, the 90s were different, felt like the path was open for him. By the mid of it I was honestly cheering for the Sonics and Kemp - the greatest showman ever.
@@natamyer1500 Elgin Baylor & then later Magic & Bird Saved the NBA ... There would be no Jordan if not for them ... he benefited from that and helped spread the game globally ...
@@rockyroad7345, Amen. Larry Bird played against Michael Jordan before he was even in the NBA and Michael Jordan beat him in the first game. Larry Bird decided that Michael Jordan would never beat him again and succeeded in his goal. Mind you Michael Jordan won a game while in the NBA against Larry Bird, but in that set he lost three games to Larry Bird and so Larry Bird with a hurt back and legs while still in the NBA. I agree that in the NBA Jordan never beat Bird despite all the messed up body even for Bird on his way out he still kicked his ass every time.
@@MichaelHenkleC, I didn't say Larry was GOAT. M.J. is probably second to LeBron James, but the fact remains Larry Bird is often left out of many top ten player lists and I think that is wrong.
Something to note is the fact that at Larry’s retirement ceremony, Magic was wearing a Celtic jersey under his jacket. He flashed it to Larry prior to giving his signed jersey. The reason Magic signed it "A Friend Forever" is because Larry stood by him when others didn’t. The two even played golf together.
Magic was wearing a Celtics jersey because earlier something had been spilled on to his shirt. Bird had a little fun with him about wearing the shirt during the ceremony.
Larry is the GOAT! The stories of his trash talking and the way he backed it up combined with the respect great players give him and his rival called him the best.
Larry Legend .. Celts won 40 of 41 home games one year & 39 of 41 the next season. This is 79 Ws versus 2 Ls >> a 97% WINNING RECORD IN HOME GAMES… MJ SET A PLAYOFF RECORD OF SCORING 63 POUNTS IN ONE GAME IN THE PLAYOFFS VS BIRD’S CELTICS -> & got not just beat, MJ & the Bulls GOT SWEPT in the Playoffs EVERY TIME vs Bird’s Celtics. Michael Jordan’s Bulls. Jordan is a GOAT OF ATHLETICISM & PERSONAL SCORING. SLOW NON ATHLETIC LARRY LEGEND ELEVATED A DECENT GROUP TEAMMATES INTO A DYNASTY. SAD HE WAS INJURED TOO BADLY TO HAVE A LONGER CAREER AS A PLAYER. HE WON 3 MVPS AS A PLAYER, 1 MVP AS A COACH & 1 MVP AS AN NBA TEAM PRESIDENT. LARRY BIRD IS THE ALL NBA GOAT AT EVERY LEVEL !!! 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🫵🫵🫵🫵🫵💥💥💥💥💥
I grew up in the sixties, watched Chamberlin, Robertson and Havlicek. The era of Bird,Johnson and Jordan who came a little later. The rivalry and respect Bird and Johnson had for each other was out of this world. Their era was the golden age of Basketball. What Bird and Johnson had in common was that they made their teammates better. The GOAT for me is Larry.
Larry Bird: College Player of the Year, NBA Rookie of the Year, 3X NBA MVP, 2X Finals MVP, Coach of the Year, Executive of the Year. "There will never be another Larry Bird." - Magic Johnson
#33 Kareem Abdul Jabbar won three(3) straight high school championships and three(3) straight college championships within eight(8) years, while setting records that 'will never’ be broken. Afterwards, Kareem won Rookie of the Year, six(6) NBA championships, six(6) MVPs, two(2) time NBA Finals MVP, nineteen(19) time All-Star, two(2) scoring championship while at the 'center’ position, and won a NBA Championship as a coach. Kareem is a member of the NBA 35th and 50th Anniversary All Time Team. Kareem owned eight(8) playoff records and seven(7) All-Star records. Most of all, Kareem held the scoring title for thirty nine(39) years before being broken by Lebron James. Who had a four(4) year ‘head start,’ coming straight out of high school. Not one high school or college or NBA player has achieved as much 'individual and team success' as #33 Kareem Abdul Jabbar aka 'Skyhook,' virtually an unstoppable shot. Alongside, players ten(10) years his junior who 'couldn't keep up' with Kareem. I do admire Wilt, Russell, Oscar, West, Havlicek, Maravich, Magic, Bird, Jordan, Hakeem, Shaq, Duncan, Kobe, LeBron, and the likes. Despite of, #33 Kareem Abdul Jabbar aka 'Skyhook' IS the Greatest Basketball 🏀 Player 🏃🏾♂️Ever. Whether it be over-all, pound-for-pound, or all-round. Edit: My top five starters: PG - Magic, SG - Jordan, SF - Bird, PF - Rodman, and C - Kareem.
@@IAMUNUAMI Kareem is a true legend. Not my best but he has an incredible resume. Bird had similar success to Jabbar in his playing career and far more success after the end of his basketball playing career. Being a HC and President of Basketball are completely different than being an assistant coach on a championship team. IMO Jabbar is the current elder statesman of basketball since Bill Russell's passing.
@@ThePuttercross Bird is a true legend as well, coupled with an incredible basketball resume. Yet, not my greatest player which is Kareem. On the other hand, there is more to life than basketball. Kareem has also been an actor, a best-selling author, and a martial artist, having trained in Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee and appeared in his film Game of Death in 1972. In addition to writing, Kareem serves as the chairman of his Skyhook Foundation, whose mission is to bring educational STEM opportunities to underserved communities. In 2016, Kareem was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. Furthermore, during the 1968 Olympics who went on to win the gold medal, Kareem decided not to play. Instead, Kareem stayed home to fight against injustice. Kareem's life accomplishments and basketball accomplishments is perhaps the most awesome amongst any athlete. Once again, my top five(5) basketball players are PG - Magic, SG - Jordan, SF - Bird, PF - Rodman, and C - Kareem.
@@ThePuttercross Bird is a true legend as well, coupled with an incredible basketball resume. Yet, not my greatest player which is Kareem. On the other hand, there is more to life than basketball. Kareem has also been an actor, a best-selling author, and a martial artist, having trained in Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee and appeared in his film Game of Death in 1972. In addition to writing, Kareem serves as the chairman of his Skyhook Foundation, whose mission is to bring educational STEM opportunities to underserved communities. In 2016, Kareem was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. Furthermore, during the 1968 Olympics who went on to win the gold medal, Kareem decided not to play. Instead, Kareem stayed home to fight against injustice. Kareem's life accomplishments and basketball accomplishments is perhaps the most awesome amongst any athlete. Once again, my top five(5) basketball players are PG - Magic, SG - Jordan, SF - Bird, PF - Rodman, and C - Kareem.
The near quadruple double? He was one steal short of that milestone after just THREE quarters then checked himself out of the game because they were destroying the other team. When his coach asked if he wanted to go back in to get the last steal he said "Nah, I've already done enough damage." He didn't care about stats or his legacy. He just wanted his team to win.
If quadruple doubles are the measure of a GOAT, then Hakeem Olajuwon is HIM. Out of the 5 all-time quadruple doubles in NBA history, Hakeem has two of them.
I'm an old man that watched these games live on tv back in the 80's and 90's. Choosing my GOAT has not been an easy process for me because I'm more of a player fan than a team fan. It's true that the NBA was failing. They couldn't put butts in the seats, so teams were bleeding money. They didn't have television sponsorships on the major networks, which there were only three at the time. The NBA was hurting bad, and about to go bankrupt. Then came Magic and Bird to, quite literally, save the League. Then there's Jordon. Jordon's first Championship Three-Peat was historic, but I didn't even consider him for GOAT status until after his second run, following his father's murder. Mike had to go make peace with himself before he could play basketball again. He had to find a way to deal with his anger and turn it into a motivation he could express and let go of. You could see it in his eyes. They were different. There's only one player I know of that was motivated in much the same way, and that was Larry Bird after his father committed suicide. You could see it in his eyes too. Magic, Bird, and Michael are my three-headed hydra of a GOAT because I can never decide between the three. Some people might think that's a cheap way out, but I don't care. Ties are part of sports too. Mine's a three-way tie.
My top 3 has been the same for many years. I grew up watching and playing basketball in the 80s and at that time Magic was my #1 player. As a Magic and Lakers fan I had to hate Bird and the Celtics, but Larry, Magic, and Jordan are my top 3 all time. I would maybe round out the top 5 with Olajuwon and (I'm going for a hot take here) Jokic. That may be a premature take but he's pretty consistent with his high output numbers ,and it doesn't matter who you face him against. That could change, of course, but right now I'm imagining that top 5 playing, with either Olajuwon or Jokic as power forward and the other as center. Or if not Jokic then give me Kobe. And with either team I'm winning everything.
I have to agree but the edge has to go to Jordan. These kids now days say lebron his not top 10. I’ll take someone showing up for work everyday and heart and love for the game over lebron anyday.
I'm honestly not sure Jordon ever surpassed Larry since Larry's win/loss record over the course of his career was better against Jordon. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. Jordon is great and worthy of the GOAT mantle, but so is Larry. Even when Jordon was in his prime and had Pippen, Jordon still struggled against Bird when Bird was old and even slower than in his prime. That speaks to Larry's intellect. He was the smartest player I ever saw. Jordon was more athletic, and Bird was smarter. their skill levels were comparable, so it just comes down to what you would rather have. An edge in athleticism or an edge in intellect. On any given night each could beat the other, but Larry proved he could do it more.
As a chubby short Hispanic kid growing up in a Arizona border town, my pops and I watched bball every Saturday afternoon after he got off from work at noon. He was a tough old man and not into the huggy squeezy thing, but when it came to the bird magic games along with Celtics and or his fave Lakers we connected in ways that made me feel his love. Half time we go out and shoot shots for 15 minutes. Haha he might have only stood 5'4" or so but he stood tall with me. It was our time
You are someone who gets it. Ultimately, basketball is a game. It is a thing that can bring a team of people together, a city and even a son and father.
Larry Legend: the best all-around player EVER. His court vision, basketball IQ, clutchness, and the ability to carry the team on his back for the win was unmatched. He willed his team to win with sheer determination. And don’t forget the trash talk that HE BACKED UP, used to get into his opponent’s heads, AND made everyone who played with/against him BETTER. And he played better hurt than a lot played perfectly healthy!!
Larry was the absolute smartest player and clutch ever!Skill wise it would have to be Pistol Pete unbelievable talent! Goat I don't think it fair to all the great players Bird Magic Kareem Jordan Pistol Pete They were all Freaky Great!
Bird was the ultimate player to do it all, not like today's NBA where we have people that just shot the ball. Bird did it ALL, passed, rebounded, Free throws, scored in the paint and behind the arch. Bird and Magic single handedly saved the NBA.
Absolutely ... After Elgin Baylor & Jerry West Saved it Before ... but that was 'for my time ... I'm nearly 60 and Bird vs Magic was the Greatest thing I've seen in Sports History ... Unmatched. Greatest Rivalry Ever. Saved the NBA. Racial Unity. Still Highest Ranked / Most Watched Game in Basketball History.
His greatest asset was how well he understood the game. He knew he couldn't "do it all", so he made sure everyone on the floor was involved. He got his points, but he also distributed the ball to whoever had the best advantage. When it got close, he would step up and go clutch, and NOBODY did that better. I think one of the most compelling statements on the subject came from LeBron and Magic. Add to that, Kareem called him probably the smartest, toughest player he ever played against. You only need to watch the scores of players who's eagerly attested to "The time Larry scorched me...", and look at the smiles on their faces as they tell you.
As a young boy hanging out Dr.J invited me and two of my friend in to the practice while they were involved in the eastern conference final..after the sixers finished there practice In walks the Celtics the sixers were down 3 to 2 and I said to Larry Bird " You are wasting your time practicing the sixers are gonna come back and win and go to the championship....L.Bird stopped turned around walk back and put his hand on shoulder leaned down and said..." Son you got a better chance at seeing GOD!" 📣 Yoooo I had to 🤣🤣🤣
The 80's were the best ever! What fun it was to watch the Larry Legend Celtics battle Kareem Magic, Jordan, Julius, Charles, Dominique, Stockton, and Isaih. The Best ever!!!
You must be young you picked like four awful players. good for their time but …. Julius was garbage by them. Charles has always been mid tier … maybe phoenix Charles. Kareem was garbage after 85-86 maybe 87. Wilkins always sucked. Dominique Wilkins is the most overrated player to ever play in the NBA … Close second to Shawn Kemp.
@@jonhansen5124Stockton is my Point Guard in my starting 5. John could have averaged 35 a game if he played to score. John wasn't designed like that. He was a pain to every one that had to Guard him. He never stopped moving and he was like Bird in that sense making screens and stealing the ball. He was fantastic!
When Bird won his first MVP and after winning the championship when asked what he was going to do in the offseason he instantly replied I’m going to work on my left hand. I need to be better than what I was this year. Now just think about that. The very best player in the league felt like he wasn’t good enough. That what made Bird so great and a legend
Larry is my GOAT. He is the most complete player...ability, iq, resilience, selfless, determined, toughness, ice water in his veins... And in team leadership, which is why Larry gets the nod over MJ.
I was born in 77 so when I was little living in southern VA and my mom living in Northern NC I saw Jordan coming up because my family were huge UNC fans. My dad was a different beast, he always preached fundamentals. It never mattered what we were doing, keep it simple and practice with my dad. He always told me when Larry and Magic played it was special. Watch how they move, watch how they react. Of course I didn't understand, I was 7. I go back now and watch and see the magic ( no pun intended) those two showed. That's why I fell in love with the NBA, nowadays I just cant get into it.
Here’s something to remember. The night of Larry Bird’s retirement at the Garden was sold out with people waiting outside the arena…and there wasn’t even a game scheduled. That’s how much he was loved in Boston and all of New England.😎😁
Yeah it was nuts but you don't call Boston a sports town for nothing. New England is definitely known for its gritty and working toughness along with the High Intellectual side. And Larry "Legend" Bird had that in spades. Even to today he is still spoken about with respect.
Bird in the conversation bro as the GOAT. The dude had no holes in his game. Played every game as if it was his last game of his career. Made All defensive teams. His passing was elite. And averaged double digit rebounds for his career. Took a 29 win team into a 61 win team in his rookie year.Great commentary as always my brother. 😎💯
Bird was the single greatest player of the game. He played every aspect of the game at the highest level. Not the singular highest, someone may be better at one thing or the other but no one was better than him at everything. On the court he lived a full second in the future. He played the mental game better than anyone. No one talked trash like Bird. And worse, he backed it up.
I graduated in 78 also. To me Michael jordan is class. Larry Bird had the moves. Like a Globetrotter he had you looking somewhere else for the ball. That is something else to stay on the court a full season. It had to be painfull. At the same time he was always out of sight. You didn't see him in public very much. I didn't realize that he played against so many of the greats teamed up against him. I do remember watching the Olimpics. The Dream team. He stood out then over all them. Even the rest of the world at that time. People would be jumping while he stood there holding the ball like what are you guys doing. I guess they call it juking. Very good at making you commit. Over the back of the board i didn't think was possible. But i seen it. Against Rodman was probably the only time Rodman was beat.
Please take under advisement. Larry racked up all his records in a short period of time he didn’t play near as long as a lot of other players, who have broken his records, and half that time he was playing with injuries that were so severe he had to lay down because he could not even sit up. . A lot of people say it was his knowledge of the game and his skills but I believe Larry played with his heart. That’s what made him so great.
Bird had a congenital issue with his back Its the narrowing of the spinal cord! Him shoveling the gravel for the driveway just speeded up an issue that usually hits when you get older. That issue on top of him Fracturing a vertebrae in his back! Sped up the severity of this issue & of course caused a great deal of pain!
The other thing to remember is that Bird was incredibly unselfish. He played with other greats and he was really a point forward long before anyone started calling Scottie Pippen a point forward. Bird could easily have racked up 30pt season averages on a regular basis but he spent as much time feeding Parish and McHale as he did scoring himself.
Larry is the GOAT for the simple fact he's a Slow, Unathletic White boy who for 13 years showed up any an all put in front of him. He didn't see colour, he just torched everyone in front of him. It's why all NBA Legends talk so highly of him...
this is the dumbest comment he was white was only description of him you got right. To call him unathletic was just a diss on white players. You never saw him play if you call him that.
@@Tolandruthhahaha, so true! Larry's reflexes were razor sharp and on point... It'd be like saying all those things about Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. Everybody thinks athleticism is only measure in how fast you are and how high you can jump... or how hard you can throw... What's more important is leverage and finesse.
The best of the best oldschool players said that Larry was not as athletic as the best players but he was so good because he played the game like chess and he was two plays ahead of you at any given point. He talked mad game and he could back it up. Much respect.
Larry Bird is the greatest all-around player of all time. He, practically, single handedly helped push the sport into the popularity that it enjoys today. He excelled in EVERY aspect of the game, and had a mental IQ for basketball that has never been and will never be matched. His only misstep was saying that there will be another Larry Bird. Mr. Bird, Magic was right, there will never ever, ever be another Larry Bird. As a fellow Hoosier, I salute you - the unquestionable G.O.A.T.
@@artemusackerman72That's not what Magic said...or Jordan. Highlight reels of both side to side and there is NO way you can EVER say Irvin was a better player. Didn't have ½ 8:54 the shot nor the basketball IQ Legend had
Being from the UK. It's certainly the only rivalry I knew of in American sports outside of boxing. I don't think a lot of people could name a lot more than Magic and Jordan though over here. Maybe like 1% of people follow the NBA and that might be a stretch but I would bet most people know those two players.
When they were saying he was one steal away from a quadruple double, that was after just 3 quarters. Shattered his finger during college years and it was shaped like a boomerang. Played half his career with a broken back and the game against the Pacers when his head hit the floor it fractured his right cheek and he came back in the game when they started falling behind. Crazier still was the night before that game he spent in the hospital in traction.
@pjbeaty4482It is actually more correct to call that particular injury a fracture of the right orbital (eye socket). People have gotten used to saying cheek because it doesn't sound as bad.
Yep, one steal from a quadruple double and he checked himself out for the 4th quarter, saying "I've done enough." Can you imagine any other player, ever, doing that?
Larry Bird was so much fun to watch, not just him but the entire team, that when he retired I quit watching Basketball just like I quit watching Football when Joe Gibbs retired… both times. Some people could just make an entire team fun to watch and kept a team in the game no matter how tough the game got. That’s why Bird and Johnson were my 1 and 2 favorites.
Whenever you listen to how ALL the other OG LEGENDS talk that played with or against him, its crazy how much respect he gets and how he is talked about in such a high regard as if they were kids talking about their favorite player. I have seen a ton of players that played in that era, point to Bird as the hardest to play against. I guess it shouldn't be that surprising given how good he was but whenever the legends of a sport talk about a fellow peer like that, I think that carries more weight than anything else.
Just so you know, the whole left hand game, he's right handed. He told everyone that he was going to shoot all left handed because he was saving his right hand for the Lakers which was his next game. He joked that the blazers couldn't touch him.
04/03/1992 was lucky enough to see Mr Bird play at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Mr Bird being from my home state was always my favorite player, he could do it all, some how he always managed to get himself in the correct position to do whatever it took to win, I can't imagine today's players back when Mr Bird played every game he could, today players have days off from playing in games just to rest, Mr Bird would feel an obligation to play because he knew people had spent their hard earned money to see him and other players play. Mr Bird was my GOAT.
My favourite sportsman of all time! ROTY and 4th in the MVP that season, 3 MVP's in a row, in the top 2 MVP voting from 1981-1988, Coach of the Year, Exec of the Year, 50-40-90 club x 2. This man did it all. Imagine if he stayed healthy for his career! Larry hurt his finger playing softball prior to joining the NBA. The Celtics nearly didn't pick him up because of that injury. Larry said he never shot the same after that injury. Debilitating back injury doing his mother's drive :( The 80's was the greatest era in basketball.
I believe Larry is the G.O.A.T. simply because he has beaten EVERY Hall of Famer he had ever played against. The founder of the 50/40/90 club and the last player to win the MVP for 3 consecutive years
@@wreckim Magic was pretty much Bird's equal so that doesn't surprise me. And lesser teams have been known to beat better teams at least once in a while, especially if that lesser team has the supposed GOAT
Besides winning 3 consecutive MVP's, he was also runner up MVP in 4 seasons. He was one of the top two players in the league for over half of his career. GREATNESS!!!
I saw several games in the '80s in person. Saw the Bulls 3 times and the Celtics 4 times. As fabulous as those games were, I'll never forget seeing the Utah Jazz play the Milwaukee Bucks in Milwaukee. We had seats on a low riser behind the backboard and I saw Karl "the mailman" Malone play. I was speechless, he was the most beautiful specimen of a man I'd ever seen. As a woman, those uniforms of the 80's were a lot more fun to watch that the baggy pajamas they've worn the last couple of decades. Just waxing nostalgic.
When they did the background stories of the original Dream Team in the Olympics, which included Bird, they told Bird's story and when they showed his house where he grew up, they showed the basketball net on the garage where he played. You could see that the backboard was so over-used that it was unreal. You took one look at that and you knew whoever lived there played a lot of basketball.... A LOT. The level of wear on that backboard was insane. I saw it and just imagined Larry shooting countless balls every day for years in there. That's how he crafted that sharpshooter ability and touch.
Larry Bird will always be the goat as far as I’m concerned. Didn’t just put up points he was consistently getting 10 plus rebounds a night it was crazy. It was like watching something out of a circus to see him pass the ball cross court behind his back while running full speed. For someone so ‘unathletic’ as they say he made everything look so easy. One thing not mentioned in this video that speaks volumes of just how amazing he was, and how much of a difference maker he alone was. His rookie season he took the Celtics from a 26 win team previous to him arriving, to a 63 win team as a rookie, and that’s without any help.. that’s before McHale and Parish showed up the next year.
I Didn't NØ Know "Bird" Had Wons So Many Distinctive Awards. All I Know, Is, I Loved, L❤VED To Watch The Celtics Play During Those Celtic "Bird" Days. The Seamless 3 Pointers, His Playmaking, Assists, The Way He Moves, Shooting, Steals. Clutch Player! His Love For The Game, Those Passes❗️ "Bird" Was Clean. He Was Poetry In Every Motion! Color Was NØT a Factor... "Bird" Came To Play!The Celtics Were In Sync! Give Him His "PROPS"❤🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀👍👍👏👏👏
I am from NJ. Definetly the goat because he won, period. He played everyday and beat you everyday. Jordan scored 63 on him, but lost. Bird put 60 on Atlanta and won. Google on Jordans team W-L when he took over a game and scored 40 or more. Then do the same for Bird. Today players put up stats but do they win BECAUSE they put up the stats or despite them? Its the difference between a guy who hits 40hrs and rarely effects the games outcome and the guy who hits 25, with 20 of them being from the 7th inning on in a tight game
Larry was great, definitely a clutch player. GOAT is such a tough term because of it being all-time. I'm from Boston, obviously biased towards Bird. The thing that amazes me and keeps bird in top 5 is that all those NBA superstars he played against give him so much respect and have the best stories about him. Larry Legend! Great video
It was Bird. The NCAA championship game against Magic and Michigan State was the best basketball game I ever saw. It was Magic and the great Spartans against Larry Bird and 4 barely average players. His unequaled incredibly clutch shooting was equaled by his unbelievable passing. He shot, rebounded, passed like the best point guard, and MOST importantly made every teammate better like no one else. All from a white guy who wasn't fast and couldn't jump. The left-handed shot you saw him make was actually because he told someone (I've forgotten who) that he was going to score 30 points against him all left-handed, and that's exactly what he did. Not 1 or 2 baskets, but every basket.
That's not completely accurate. Larry Bird's teammates at Indian State included more like 3 "barely average players", but it also had one other player who was pretty good. Carl Nicks went on to to spend 3 years in the NBA, appearing in 156 games, averaging 6.8 points a game. In general, you are correct, though. Indiana State, other than Bird, was a typical lower tier Division 1 team.
Bird and Magic Johnson were "in the same league". Nicks was "in the same league" as the other four players from Michigan State, probably better than most of them. The other three starters from Indiana State, and their bench, were not of the same caliber as the players from a lower tier Big Ten team, much less the players from Michigan State. Even with those players, Indiana State managed to go 33-0 before losing to Michigan State, which is truly remarkable. Few teams make it all the way to the Championship game undefeated, regardless of how much talent they have, so for a team with one "good" player and one "great" player to do so is amazing. Still, it is just wrong to say that Bird had no competent help at all. Here is Bird, on Nicks. "You want him on your team for sure. If it weren't for Carl, we wouldn't have had the success we did" th-cam.com/video/0BXAic7Vaz8/w-d-xo.html
@@Vastspartan How much better than your opposition do you have to be to feel so bored you need to put yourself at a disadvantage just for the challenge of keeping it interesting? In the NBA. Prime Larry was a baller.
I watched all through the late 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 00s, There were so many great great players, from Bob Cousey Wilt Chamberlain Jerry West, and Bill Russell Dr J to Clyde the Glide and 100 others who were absolute legends. Until you watch Larry Bird dismantle each of those players, you cannot comprehend his greatness. Magic Johnson ,a superb player, Coby Bryant LeBron James, unbelievable. Jordan wheew eee . Where he differed from most other great players was that he made every other player on his team ,play their best. Someone will always have to be the best but the main thing is that all of the players mentioned , took the game to higher levels than probably anyone thought it could be and made that period of time amazing for the fans.
Larry Bird was the greatest of all time... highest basketball IQ I ever seen... greatest clutch player in the history of the sport... when the games on the line Birds your guy..He won when it truly mattered the most...
Your the first reactor to say that Larry must have had a hard time because he was a minority in the NBA. People forget about that. The things he had to go thru to get respect was tough. Have you a like for that one.
Larry Bird came into the NBA with an attitude of You can't beat me, You can't guard me, and please don't disrespect me by putting a white player on me. AND he backed it up, so it was not much for the black players to say because he was good.
Bird had Bron's passing, KD's midrange shooting touch, Curry's long range and free throw accuracy, Jokers rebounding skills, Kobe and MJ's killer will, and more clutch than any player in history!
And there is absolutely nobody that has his grit (playing with a messed up back his last seasons) or his hustle. There is nobody telling opponents I'm going over here and bust this shot and you can't stop me, then consistently does exactly what he said. Bird makes a game winning three, but KC calls time out. Bird says I'll be right back and does it again shooting off one leg. My favorite is him telling Barkley, why are you all disrespecting me? You're putting a white guy on me, that's disrespectful. Barkley says, I had no come back. Bird not only played the best, he wanted to be guarded by the best. His no look touch passes, come on nobody can even come close.
the 1 steal from a quadruple double was in 3 quarters and he took himself out of the game I believe because he already did enough damage in that game dude is a legend
If Bird was as concerned about numbers the way other players are then there simply would be no question on who the greatest ever is. Sat out the entire fourth quarter while being one steal shy of a quadruple double. And when asked why he said, "I've done enough damage." He was a team player. He knew that in a game where people only want to be known as the best, he followed a different path and did his best. Not to elevate himself only, but his team. When you played against the Bulls you played against Jordan. When you played against the Celtics you played the entire team enhanced by Bird. Today's players could learn from his example. He played hurt. Like legitimately hurt, busted cheek bone. Who else would do that? These reasons are why I believe he is the goat. Others may have higher numbers but they will never hold that title in my eyes.
Larry bird was the best basketball player I ever saw in person and otherwise. Just an amazing basketball IQ and you could not measure the size of his heart. He was the most unselfish player I ever saw.
One steal away from the quadruple double....he sat out the 4th quarter... coach asked if he wanted to go back in and get the steal.... Larry Legend said... I've done enough damage already 🐐💯🏀
Jordan to become the goat, they had to kick his ass in the entire 80s, and the greatest of em all to do that was Larry Bird, that’s how I look at it. All Jordan’s toughness and competitiveness doesn’t come from his character only, but also from the fact that he survived the toughest deacade with the most elite talent filled periods in the NBA history
Thanks for the reaction. Larry is my Goat because he not only shot the ball from anywhere while telling them where he was going to do it, he passed when he could have shot. Saying that his passing was so skilled and not only getting points and passes he defended as well with incredible rebounds and defense. Thats why he was so dangerous... he could pass or shoot made them look every time when he faked it because he was so good at passing or shooting they had to.
A genius at his game,but a trash talker who backed his shit up with out a doubt. Thought brought intensity and excitement on the court . But like he said it's part of the game. But as humble and respectful as hell off the court.👏👏👏👏
Bird, in his thirties, with a back so screwed up that he couldnt sit on a plane but had to travel lying on the plane floor just to get around. That Bird swept Prime Jordan twice. Unless whoever you claim as GOAT could enter the court with THAT type of handicap against Jordan in his prime, can do that at least once…then that person does not belong in this conversation.
I remember Larry missing THAT shot. WE all thought it was going in. Left STUNNED. . . . and still love our Byrd. Simply reminded US he was mortal, after all; not the demi-god we saw him, as Celtic fans ~
Someone else you may want to check out is "Pistol" Pete Maravich. He played at LSU in the late '60s when a freshman couldn't play varsity basketball, there was no shot clock and no 3 point line. He still holds the career scoring record with 3,667 points... averaged 43 points per game and had 4 60+ point games in 3 seasons. His NBA career was cut short by multiple knee injuries and he only played 10 seasons with a number of teams. He did score 68 points in a game against the Knicks... again without the 3 point line and probably would have scored more had he not fouled out. He never had the benefit of being on a championship team, so he tends to be overlooked. Unfortunately, after his retirement, he died of a heart attack during a pick up game at the age of 40. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson have both stated that they learned a lot from watching him.
Thanks...I didn't know that you had already done that... I'm old enough to remember seeing him play on TV when he was still at LSU... doing things that were absolutely unheard of in those days, but it's been my experience that most younger people these days have never heard of him.
Someone got a hold of a bunch of the LSU film and with the computer put in a three-point line and they said pistol Pete would’ve averaged something like 53 or 56 points a game
Pete was the best college player ever. Once while playing for the Celtics he told Larry "You don't need to take all those tough shots vs. double-teams." Larry said "If you played better I wouldn't always get double-teamed!" 😂 CLASSIC!!!!
I'm 56 so I gotta go with the '80s for the greatest hoops era and Bird as the GOAT. MVP as player; Coach of the year; AND Executive of the year is insane.
Larry is my GOAT, I look at it this way he was an all around player, clutch player, played every minute of the game with pure heart. Jordan which has a great claim as a GOAT never beat Bird so if the so called GOAT never beat Larry then Larry has to be the GOAT.
My words exactly. Even in Jordan's best year. Do you think anyone else would be in traction then play the game. No one but Larry had that mental toughness. Notice. No mention of Lebron in the comments. Thank God that fiasco is over with.😊
Bird, Jordan and Magic are my top 3, mainly because I was able to watch them from their rookie days until retirement, and they brought enthusiasm and excitement to the game. But many say that Bill Russell is the GOAT because he has 11 rings, and that is a very good point that’s hard to disagree with. Unfortunately I never got to see him play on tv, but from what I read, the documentaries and videos I’ve seen, he had a very big impact on the game.
Bill Russel also got 3 consecutive mvps as well as Wilt Chamberlain. But one thing we can say about Larry, is that he played at a time that was the most team competitive and at a time with the most all time greatest players on the opposing teams. And they will all tell you they learned something from Larry.
I watched all of these guys play - live. Spent thousands of hours in basket ball venues all over the country. Can't take a thing away from Bill Russell. When compared to what Larry did for the league, his team and everything else, there is no way I can say he isn't the greatest of all time. Bill's teams didn't have competition. All of Larry's accomplishments came because of the skill of the other teams that he dominated. The other teams got better because Larry set the standards for all that followed. Enjoy the games you watch.
You ever see when a transgender athlete goes and destroys all of the women in a sport, setting records left and right? Well thats what it was like for Bill Russell.
With all due respect to the legends of basketball during Larry Bird's time, every one of them was afraid of Larry but Larry feared no one. He will always be the GOAT.
When Larry Bird first got to the NBA I didn't like him, but after watching him play I couldn't help but fall in love with his game. He's definitely a top 5 player
Larry is my GOAT. He came into a team that was losing, elevated each player to another level and made it a championship team. He wasn't a ball hog, his passing was just as phenomenal as his shooting. Don't forget that the 3 point shot didn't come into being until 1979, so he perfected his 3 point shot as a rookie. Add to that his surgeries on both feet for achilles tendon damage and spinal damage in the mid 80's that ultimately caused his early retirement. If Larry had played for 15+ years like the other high ranking players, his stats would have been BEYOND phenomenal. Everyone who is talking GOAT always wants to talk about numbers, but numbers don't tell the whole story.
Before you give all the credit to Bird for perfecting the 3 point shot, you might want to look back at"Pistol" Pete Maravich. If Maravich had stayed healthy enough to have a long career he would be in the running for GOAT
I 100% believe that if it had not been for the back problems there would be ZERO debate. The only real arguments against Larry are his lack of speed and that he wasn't the greatest at dunking. His back had a lot to do with both of those. If he had been in top possible condition, it would have been over. Jordan may have never even gotten the shoe deal. Everyone would be rocking the Nike Bird's rn. That's how one sided the debate would have been. Regardless of any of that speculation, the one undeniable thing is that Larry Bird knew the game better than anyone who ever stepped foot on the court. His basketball IQ has never been matched.
@@longhaul61 loved the pistol. Could do everything also as a guard. Knowone! Will ever break his N.C.A.A!! College. Scoring records. Without! The three point shot,!!! ((( Ever!!))). Could do everything bird could do.ñ except win..championships. n hit..game winning shots..
First, Larry Bird was 6-0 against Jordan in the playoffs. That means he was more mentally tough than Jordan was, every time. Second, Larry Bird was on another level in every category, except athleticism. Even then he wasn't a stiff. Third, his competitive fire and trash-talking were legendary. The confidence and skill are simply the best there ever was and could back it up time after time after time... Lastly, but there's many more reasons, but to get the idea of the effect of Larry Bird on his teams... Larry Bird's arrival changed the Celtics from a 29-53 team to a 61-21 team!! Here are the yearly records. Notice the years he misses more games and how much of a variety of teammates and coaches he had. They still never were less than 57-25 games, until his back injury years. In fact, his teams won 61+ games in 5 seasons! That's insane! --------------------------------- No Bird: --------------------------------- 1978-79 Roster went 29-53, Tiny Archibald (11p,1.5r,4.7a), Awtrey, Barker, Barnes, Chaney, Cowens, Ford, Judkins, Knight, Maxwell, McAdoo (year 6), Robey, Rowe, Sanders, Stacom, Tatum, White, Williams. ----------------------------------- With Bird: ----------------------------------- 1979-80 Roster went 61-21, Coach Red Auerbach Bird (82 games), Tiny Archibald (14.1p,2.5r,8.4a), Carr, Chaney, Cowens, Fernsten, Ford, Henderson, Judkins, Maravic (11.5p,1.5r,1.1a), Maxwell, Robey. 1980-81 Roster went 62-20, Coach Red Auerbach Bird (77 games), Tiny Archibald, Carr, Duerod, Fernsten, Ford, Henderson, Kreklow, Maxwell, McHale, Parish, Robey. 1981-82 Roster went 63-19, Coach Red Auerbach Bird (79 games), Ainge, Archibald, Bradley, Carr, Duerod, Fernsten, Ford, Henderson, Jackson, Maxwell, McHale, Parish, Robey. 1982-83 Roster went 56-26 Coach Red Auerbach Bird (79 games), Ainge, Archibald, Bradley, Buckner, Carr, Henderson, Maxwell, McHale, Parish, Robey, Tillis, Wedman. 1983-84 Roster went 62-20, Coach K.C. Jones Bird (79 games), Ainge, Buckner, Carr, Clark, Henderson, Johnson, Kite, Maxwell, McHale, Parish, Wedman. 1984-85 Roster went 63-19, Coach K.C. Jones Bird (80 games), Ainge, Buckner, Carlisle, Carr, Clark, Johnson, Kite, Maxwell, McHale, Parish, Wedman, Williams. 1985-86 Roster went 67-15, Coach K.C. Jones Bird (82 games), Ainge, Carlisle, Johnson, Kite, McHale, Parish, Sichting, Thirdkill, Vincent, Walton (7.6p), Wedman, Williams. 1986-87 Roster went 59-23, Coach K.C. Jones Bird (74 games), Ainge, Carlisle, Daye, Henry, Johnson, Kite, McHale, Parish, Roberts, Sichting, Thirdkill, Turner, Vincent, Walton, Wedman. 1987-88 Roster went 57-25, Coach K.C. Jones Bird (76 games), Acres, Ainge, Daye, Gilmore, Henry, Johnson, Kite, Lewis, Lohaus, McHale, Minniefield, Parish, Paxson, Roberts, Sichting. 1988-89 Roster went 42-40, Coach Jimmy Rodgers Bird (6 games), Acres, Ainge, Birdsong, Gamble, Grandison, Johnson, Kleine, Lewis, Lohaus, McHale, Parish, Paxson, Pinckney, Rivas, Shaw, Upshaw. 1989-90 Roster went 52-30, Coach Jimmy Rodgers Bird (75 games), Bagley, Gamble, Johnson, Kleine, Lewis, McHale, Parish, Paxson, Pinckney, Charles Smith, Michael Smith, Upshaw. 1990-91 Roster went 56-26, Coach Chris Ford Bird (60 games), Bagley, Gamble, Johnson, Kleine, Lewis, McHale, Parish, Paxson, Pinckney, Charles Smith, Michael Smith, Upshaw. 1991-92 Roster went 51-31, Coach Chris Ford Bird (45 games), Bagley, Battle, Brown, Douglas, Fox, Gamble, Green, Kleine, Lewis, Massenburg, McHale, Parish, Pinckney, Robinson, Shaw, Vrankovic. ---------------------- P.S. Bird suffered a hand injury before he ever played a game for Boston. He had to alter his shooting form and never had the same feel for the ball after the injury but still put together one of the greatest careers in history. “Bird laughs a little bit and holds up his right index finger,” John Papanek recounted in a 1981 Sports Illustrated story. “‘This,’ he says. The finger is shaped much like a boomerang, permanently bent toward his thumb at a 45-degree angle. Two operations have failed to straighten it; he can bend it only halfway to his palm. ‘I didn’t have this in college,’ he says.”
Words just can't describe the emotions......the only player that gave me goosebumps....at all the things he did....and all the games he scored the game winning shots.... just unbelievable......I don't believe their is one goat......but... Larry's heart....was unable to be measured.....🇺🇸😇
Worth noting: When Russell and Chamberlain were interviewed together and asked for their all-time starting roster (excluding themselves), each put Bird in the small forward slot.
The best thing about 80s basketball is that it was before all of the players from opposing teams were buddies. There may have been a few exceptions but the heavy majority truly disliked their opponents. Especially when it was a rivalry. It made the games very intense and fun to watch. It wasn’t until late in their careers that Magic and Larry got a chance to know each other through the Converse commercial and became friends. You still had a good bit of that same feel in the 90s too but now these players meet each other at a young age through AAU tournaments and other national events.
The Best all around player in NBA history was Larry Legend. That’s THE fact. No player could do EVERYTHING as good as him. He had no weaknesses. Thats why he’s the GOAT.
@@ultragator724 Magic Johnson could do everything as good as him. Magic didn't have to shoot as much. Michael Jordan did everything better than him except long range shot. So did Kobe, so did Grant Hill ,So did Charles Barkley .I liked Bird but people are making him into some sort of God. He wasn't
@@d.d.sarason8749 Man you REALLY don’t know what you’re talking about. When I asked for a weakness I THOUGHT you understood what that meant. It means all the things you see on a stat sheet bro. “Can’t jump high”. Funny, I’ve never seen a jump height stat on the back of a basketball card. Furthermore, what do basketball players need to jump to do? Shoot, dunk, block shots, and grab rebounds. He could do ALL that. Everything you see on a stat sheet, he was good to elite at. No other player was as all around good as him. Jordan is the closest but he was average to below average at 3’s.
I was at all the home games and all the big dance games for the 1978-79 season. What a great ride! He never seemed to be fast but he was always where he needed to be at the right time. It was crazy. To me Larry was like the master chess player of basketball. By the way Larry thank you for one of the greatest times of my life. Go Sycamores!
I remember Bill Walton said Larry was gonna play the one game left handed. I'm not sure but I think this is the only game he played entirely left handed. However very impressive to be able to shoot with both hands.
Larry Bird in my opinion is the greatest. I watched his whole career. It was tough being a Celtics fan growing up in Brooklyn. But I wore my Larry Bird Jersey with pride. Larry is Number 1 & Magic is a close second.
larry may not be the most athletic player of all time but his basketball IQ was on another level and he really changed the game how popular it is and how its played professionally today his dna is part of the nba now and that is undeniable. Larry was the first man to call Magic when he heard he had HIV and tell him that he'd be there no matter what despite the rivalry and everything he is a good man to
All of those other contender for the GOAT had physical attributes and abilities that Larry didn't. He was slow. He couldn't jump. YET he used every bit of the ability he had to do EVERYTHING better than almost anyone. Maybe another is the GOAT, but he had a much easier path to getting there. On pure heart, drive, confidence, and magical greatness...I give it to Larry.
Here’s what Michael Jordan said when Larry Bird retired: "Larry, I hear that you're retiring. Thank goodness. I'm glad. I'm tired of seeing your face. You brought a lot of sad memories for me. I enjoyed it, and I wish you a lot of luck, and I think you had a great and wonderful career. You ruined a lot of my successful games against the Boston Celtics,"
When the narrator said Larry Bird saved basketball, he was right. When he came into the league the NBA was not the money making machine that it is today. Despite having a few legitimate superstars, the NBA was stale and in dire straights. Larry Bird was the right guy at the right time in the right place. You would have to search long and hard to find any NBA stars from his era that would not have the utmost respect for Larry Bird as a competitor, and a dominating player.
@@pokerpat6470 I agree with you. Magic realized what huge talent Bird was (and vice versa) and accepted it in good humor. I think their respect for each other, while they tried their best to to win against each other, was a factor that got non-fans interested in the NBA at a time when the league was losing popularity.
Red Auerbach, the famous Celtics coach who won 16 NBA championships said he would always choose Bill Russell as his first player, until Larry Bird came along. Then Bird was his number one. Bill Russell said Bird made him proud to be a Celtic. A Michael Jordan team never defeated a Larry Bird team. The goat isn’t the one who scores the most and is athletically flashy; it’s the one who wins. Top five all time: Point- Magic Johnson Shooting Guard- Michael Jordan Small Forward- Larry Bird Strong forward- I’m undecided Center- Bill Russell
Birds a top ten player ,80s hoops was incredible! His career was short and the last several he was beat down bad. even though it’s old school you can’t argue 11 titles in 13 years for Russell
“If I had to pick a player to make a shot that saves a game, I’d pick Jordan. If I had to pick a player to make a shot that saves my life, I’d pick Larry Bird”. Pat Riley.😎
So True!
Riley has used this quote many times over the years, substituting different names.
@@Boblw56 doesn't change my answer to this quote!
@@Boblw56 your point being……?
Pat Reilly never coached bill Russell 11 rings
No matter who is considered the GOAT Larry Bird left a huge mark on the NBA that will never be forgotten or taken away. Respect.
You don't carry a nickname like Larry Legend that well without being the goods. Larry Bird, as the kids apparently say these days, is That Dude.
He's my GOAT. Nobody had his hustle, heart, fun, and talent- all rolled into one player.
At his time and up until now
@@brianboynton4678of all time. I am a New York Knicks fan, and I got to watch Larry Bird completely own the Eastern Conference when it was the most dominant conference in the NBA
And nobody did more to make sure his whole team was better! He could have a huge impact without scoring a ton of points!
@@debrakron9049 Facts! If they tried to double team him he'd just knock down a jumper in their face or drop off sick dimes to his teammates. He was literally unstoppable and that's facts!
Jordan did Kobe did.
"Hey Larry, why did you play the whole gane left handed?" Larry said "I'm saving my right for the Lakers"
And we took that shii in 87 so pipe down 😂
Larry Bird was my introduction to basketball. Him and Jorden will always be my favorites.
Yep. Loved watching the Celtics n Bulls play. I'm old now n I can't watch any sporting event
Well maybe some Formula One or some outdoor Motocross or desert dirt bike racing
And Magic. To me those are the three players that saved the NBA.
Seeing those Boston 33 / L.A. 32 jerseys meant the world to me growing up. Although I loved Jordan aswell, the 90s were different, felt like the path was open for him. By the mid of it I was honestly cheering for the Sonics and Kemp - the greatest showman ever.
@@natamyer1500 Elgin Baylor & then later Magic & Bird Saved the NBA ... There would be no Jordan if not for them ... he benefited from that and helped spread the game globally ...
"Larry was a F'ing problem" ~ Michael Jordan
And he never beat Bird.
@@rockyroad7345, Amen.
Larry Bird played against Michael Jordan before he was even in the NBA and Michael Jordan beat him in the first game. Larry Bird decided that Michael Jordan would never beat him again and succeeded in his goal. Mind you Michael Jordan won a game while in the NBA against Larry Bird, but in that set he lost three games to Larry Bird and so Larry Bird with a hurt back and legs while still in the NBA.
I agree that in the NBA Jordan never beat Bird despite all the messed up body even for Bird on his way out he still kicked his ass every time.
Him n his team was for you Michael ! You never beat him in a series
@@ReligionOfSacrifice yes leave out that Larry had 4 HOFers on that team and MJ had nobody at that time on his roster.
@@MichaelHenkleC, I didn't say Larry was GOAT. M.J. is probably second to LeBron James, but the fact remains Larry Bird is often left out of many top ten player lists and I think that is wrong.
Something to note is the fact that at Larry’s retirement ceremony, Magic was wearing a Celtic jersey under his jacket. He flashed it to Larry prior to giving his signed jersey. The reason Magic signed it "A Friend Forever" is because Larry stood by him when others didn’t. The two even played golf together.
They are still great friends today.
Magic was wearing a Celtics jersey because earlier something had been spilled on to his shirt. Bird had a little fun with him about wearing the shirt during the ceremony.
That’s just beautiful
Even better- the Garden was FULL TO CAPACITY and there wasn’t even a game.
Can you not see the Gilded Golden Age of the 80's. 5 all time Bird, Magic, Kareem, Jordan, Akeem in the 80's
Larry is the GOAT! The stories of his trash talking and the way he backed it up combined with the respect great players give him and his rival called him the best.
Larry Legend .. Celts won 40 of 41 home games one year & 39 of 41 the next season. This is 79 Ws versus 2 Ls >> a 97% WINNING RECORD IN HOME GAMES… MJ SET A PLAYOFF RECORD OF SCORING 63 POUNTS IN ONE GAME IN THE PLAYOFFS VS BIRD’S CELTICS -> & got not just beat, MJ & the Bulls GOT SWEPT in the Playoffs EVERY TIME vs Bird’s Celtics. Michael Jordan’s Bulls. Jordan is a GOAT OF ATHLETICISM & PERSONAL SCORING. SLOW NON ATHLETIC LARRY LEGEND ELEVATED A DECENT GROUP TEAMMATES INTO A DYNASTY.
SAD HE WAS INJURED TOO BADLY TO HAVE A LONGER CAREER AS A PLAYER. HE WON 3 MVPS AS A PLAYER, 1 MVP AS A COACH & 1 MVP AS AN NBA TEAM PRESIDENT. LARRY BIRD IS THE ALL NBA GOAT AT EVERY LEVEL !!! 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🫵🫵🫵🫵🫵💥💥💥💥💥
I grew up in the sixties, watched Chamberlin, Robertson and Havlicek. The era of Bird,Johnson and Jordan who came a little later. The rivalry and respect Bird and Johnson had for each other was out of this world. Their era was the golden age of Basketball. What Bird and Johnson had in common was that they made their teammates better. The GOAT for me is Larry.
Larry Bird: College Player of the Year, NBA Rookie of the Year, 3X NBA MVP, 2X Finals MVP, Coach of the Year, Executive of the Year. "There will never be another Larry Bird." - Magic Johnson
#33 Kareem Abdul Jabbar won three(3) straight high school championships and three(3) straight college championships within eight(8) years, while setting records that 'will never’ be broken. Afterwards, Kareem won Rookie of the Year, six(6) NBA championships, six(6) MVPs, two(2) time NBA Finals MVP, nineteen(19) time All-Star, two(2) scoring championship while at the 'center’ position, and won a NBA Championship as a coach. Kareem is a member of the NBA 35th and 50th Anniversary All Time Team. Kareem owned eight(8) playoff records and seven(7) All-Star records. Most of all, Kareem held the scoring title for thirty nine(39) years before being broken by Lebron James. Who had a four(4) year ‘head start,’ coming straight out of high school. Not one high school or college or NBA player has achieved as much 'individual and team success' as #33 Kareem Abdul Jabbar aka 'Skyhook,' virtually an unstoppable shot. Alongside, players ten(10) years his junior who 'couldn't keep up' with Kareem. I do admire Wilt, Russell, Oscar, West, Havlicek, Maravich, Magic, Bird, Jordan, Hakeem, Shaq, Duncan, Kobe, LeBron, and the likes. Despite of, #33 Kareem Abdul Jabbar aka 'Skyhook' IS the Greatest Basketball 🏀 Player 🏃🏾♂️Ever. Whether it be over-all, pound-for-pound, or all-round.
Edit: My top five starters: PG - Magic, SG - Jordan, SF - Bird, PF - Rodman, and C - Kareem.
@@IAMUNUAMI Kareem is a true legend. Not my best but he has an incredible resume. Bird had similar success to Jabbar in his playing career and far more success after the end of his basketball playing career. Being a HC and President of Basketball are completely different than being an assistant coach on a championship team. IMO Jabbar is the current elder statesman of basketball since Bill Russell's passing.
@@ThePuttercross
Bird is a true legend as well, coupled with an incredible basketball resume. Yet, not my greatest player which is Kareem. On the other hand, there is more to life than basketball. Kareem has also been an actor, a best-selling author, and a martial artist, having trained in Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee and appeared in his film Game of Death in 1972.
In addition to writing, Kareem serves as the chairman of his Skyhook Foundation, whose mission is to bring educational STEM opportunities to underserved communities. In 2016, Kareem was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. Furthermore, during the 1968 Olympics who went on to win the gold medal, Kareem decided not to play. Instead, Kareem stayed home to fight against injustice. Kareem's life accomplishments and basketball accomplishments is perhaps the most awesome amongst any athlete. Once again, my top five(5) basketball players are PG - Magic, SG - Jordan, SF - Bird, PF - Rodman, and C - Kareem.
@@ThePuttercross
Bird is a true legend as well, coupled with an incredible basketball resume. Yet, not my greatest player which is Kareem. On the other hand, there is more to life than basketball. Kareem has also been an actor, a best-selling author, and a martial artist, having trained in Jeet Kune Do under Bruce Lee and appeared in his film Game of Death in 1972.
In addition to writing, Kareem serves as the chairman of his Skyhook Foundation, whose mission is to bring educational STEM opportunities to underserved communities. In 2016, Kareem was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. Furthermore, during the 1968 Olympics who went on to win the gold medal, Kareem decided not to play. Instead, Kareem stayed home to fight against injustice. Kareem's life accomplishments and basketball accomplishments is perhaps the most awesome amongst any athlete. Once again, my top five(5) basketball players are PG - Magic, SG - Jordan, SF - Bird, PF - Rodman, and C - Kareem.
@@IAMUNUAMI Rodmen LMAO that a joke correct... lmao Hakeem The Admiral. Moses, The Joker all much better than that Jabar guy he was so lazy...
The near quadruple double? He was one steal short of that milestone after just THREE quarters then checked himself out of the game because they were destroying the other team. When his coach asked if he wanted to go back in to get the last steal he said "Nah, I've already done enough damage." He didn't care about stats or his legacy. He just wanted his team to win.
That’s insane and hilarious omg!😂
How many quadruple doubles have there been in NBA history?
@@TheNewAmericanMedia I believe 4 in all of nba history
If quadruple doubles are the measure of a GOAT, then Hakeem Olajuwon is HIM. Out of the 5 all-time quadruple doubles in NBA history, Hakeem has two of them.
@@TheNewAmericanMediathere have been 5, of which Hakeem the Dream has 2 of them.
GOAT. Russell. When watching Bird you had to pay attention because you never knew what was about to happen. Bird would definitely be in my Dream Team.
I'm an old man that watched these games live on tv back in the 80's and 90's. Choosing my GOAT has not been an easy process for me because I'm more of a player fan than a team fan.
It's true that the NBA was failing. They couldn't put butts in the seats, so teams were bleeding money. They didn't have television sponsorships on the major networks, which there were only three at the time.
The NBA was hurting bad, and about to go bankrupt.
Then came Magic and Bird to, quite literally, save the League.
Then there's Jordon.
Jordon's first Championship Three-Peat was historic, but I didn't even consider him for GOAT status until after his second run, following his father's murder. Mike had to go make peace with himself before he could play basketball again. He had to find a way to deal with his anger and turn it into a motivation he could express and let go of.
You could see it in his eyes.
They were different.
There's only one player I know of that was motivated in much the same way, and that was Larry Bird after his father committed suicide.
You could see it in his eyes too.
Magic, Bird, and Michael are my three-headed hydra of a GOAT because I can never decide between the three.
Some people might think that's a cheap way out, but I don't care.
Ties are part of sports too.
Mine's a three-way tie.
My top 3 has been the same for many years. I grew up watching and playing basketball in the 80s and at that time Magic was my #1 player. As a Magic and Lakers fan I had to hate Bird and the Celtics, but Larry, Magic, and Jordan are my top 3 all time. I would maybe round out the top 5 with Olajuwon and (I'm going for a hot take here) Jokic. That may be a premature take but he's pretty consistent with his high output numbers ,and it doesn't matter who you face him against. That could change, of course, but right now I'm imagining that top 5 playing, with either Olajuwon or Jokic as power forward and the other as center.
Or if not Jokic then give me Kobe.
And with either team I'm winning everything.
Yep, me too, and I grew up during that turn around that Larry and Magic created, as well as watching Jordan.
I have to agree but the edge has to go to Jordan. These kids now days say lebron his not top 10. I’ll take someone showing up for work everyday and heart and love for the game over lebron anyday.
I'm honestly not sure Jordon ever surpassed Larry since Larry's win/loss record over the course of his career was better against Jordon. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. Jordon is great and worthy of the GOAT mantle, but so is Larry. Even when Jordon was in his prime and had Pippen, Jordon still struggled against Bird when Bird was old and even slower than in his prime.
That speaks to Larry's intellect. He was the smartest player I ever saw. Jordon was more athletic, and Bird was smarter. their skill levels were comparable, so it just comes down to what you would rather have. An edge in athleticism or an edge in intellect.
On any given night each could beat the other, but Larry proved he could do it more.
Well said !!
As a chubby short Hispanic kid growing up in a Arizona border town, my pops and I watched bball every Saturday afternoon after he got off from work at noon. He was a tough old man and not into the huggy squeezy thing, but when it came to the bird magic games along with Celtics and or his fave Lakers we connected in ways that made me feel his love. Half time we go out and shoot shots for 15 minutes. Haha he might have only stood 5'4" or so but he stood tall with me.
It was our time
Beautiful.
That's cool 👍
Awesome story, thanks for sharing.
You are someone who gets it. Ultimately, basketball is a game. It is a thing that can bring a team of people together, a city and even a son and father.
My dad and me watched Larry and the Celts many many times...it didn't get better. We were both heartbroken when Indiana St. couldn't beat Michigan St.
80s basketball will never be topped!
You've got that right, Brother.
I also miss as MJ playing
@@craigregan1930 Who said anything about the marketed one. I mean the 5th beast MJ
I cant pick a favorite between the 80s and 90s. They were both perfect in every way.
Haven't watched since, except when OKC made the finals vs Golden State. Then I stopped watching again.
Larry Legend: the best all-around player EVER. His court vision, basketball IQ, clutchness, and the ability to carry the team on his back for the win was unmatched. He willed his team to win with sheer determination. And don’t forget the trash talk that HE BACKED UP, used to get into his opponent’s heads, AND made everyone who played with/against him BETTER. And he played better hurt than a lot played perfectly healthy!!
Larry Bird Was easily the
greatest all around player
I ever saw play basketball !
He’s got my vote for GOAT !
I like the visual structure.
Bird is not often mentioned in the GOAT question, but all the top players talk about his game. If I needed a 2nd in a game of 2 o 2, I’d pick him..
@@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344 He typed it on T9 Nokia or all the letters in his name got in the way.
Goat= Getting Old And Tiresome
@@linjicakonikon7666
Maybe Old to you …
Magic and Larry saved pro basketball. Watching him live was like watching a basketball God. If Bird was in the league today, he would DOMINATE IT!
Their battles on the court was legendary.
Nah, Larry would be tossed out all the time with could from candy play rules.
Nah, Larry would be tossed out all the time with could from candy play rules.
Nah, Larry would be tossed out all the time with could from candy play rules.
Nah, Larry would be tossed out all the time with could from candy play rules.
I’m 70 years old and as far as I am. Co,ncerned. Larry Bird is the best that has ever been and ever will be. Hands down. Bird…
Everyone knows it, but some guys will never admit.....bahahaha
I agree to a certain extent, but he was definitely top 3 in the world. I'd have to go with Jordan Chamberlain. Then bird.
@@Fuxerz Funny, even Jordan picks Bird.
Larry was the absolute smartest player and clutch ever!Skill wise it would have to be Pistol Pete unbelievable talent! Goat I don't think it fair to all the great players Bird Magic Kareem Jordan Pistol Pete They were all Freaky Great!
Truth, Brother.... no grey cells even involved...... No.1
Bird was the ultimate player to do it all, not like today's NBA where we have people that just shot the ball. Bird did it ALL, passed, rebounded, Free throws, scored in the paint and behind the arch. Bird and Magic single handedly saved the NBA.
Absolutely ... After Elgin Baylor & Jerry West Saved it Before ... but that was 'for my time ... I'm nearly 60 and Bird vs Magic was the Greatest thing I've seen in Sports History ... Unmatched. Greatest Rivalry Ever. Saved the NBA. Racial Unity. Still Highest Ranked / Most Watched Game in Basketball History.
His greatest asset was how well he understood the game. He knew he couldn't "do it all", so he made sure everyone on the floor was involved. He got his points, but he also distributed the ball to whoever had the best advantage. When it got close, he would step up and go clutch, and NOBODY did that better. I think one of the most compelling statements on the subject came from LeBron and Magic. Add to that, Kareem called him probably the smartest, toughest player he ever played against. You only need to watch the scores of players who's eagerly attested to "The time Larry scorched me...", and look at the smiles on their faces as they tell you.
As a young boy hanging out Dr.J invited me and two of my friend in to the practice while they were involved in the eastern conference final..after the sixers finished there practice In walks the Celtics the sixers were down 3 to 2 and I said to Larry Bird " You are wasting your time practicing the sixers are gonna come back and win and go to the championship....L.Bird stopped turned around walk back and put his hand on shoulder leaned down and said..." Son you got a better chance at seeing GOD!" 📣 Yoooo I had to 🤣🤣🤣
The 80's were the best ever! What fun it was to watch the Larry Legend Celtics battle Kareem Magic, Jordan, Julius, Charles, Dominique, Stockton, and Isaih. The Best ever!!!
80’s where the eras of Mike.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jackson
Mike Tyson
You must be young you picked like four awful players. good for their time but …. Julius was garbage by them. Charles has always been mid tier … maybe phoenix Charles. Kareem was garbage after 85-86 maybe 87. Wilkins always sucked. Dominique Wilkins is the most overrated player to ever play in the NBA … Close second to Shawn Kemp.
Not many people even mention Stockton.
Don't forget Laimbeer - used to love him & Larry duke it out - such a dirty MOFO, but made for great drama
@@jonhansen5124Stockton is my Point Guard in my starting 5. John could have averaged 35 a game if he played to score. John wasn't designed like that. He was a pain to every one that had to Guard him. He never stopped moving and he was like Bird in that sense making screens and stealing the ball. He was fantastic!
When Bird won his first MVP and after winning the championship when asked what he was going to do in the offseason he instantly replied I’m going to work on my left hand. I need to be better than what I was this year. Now just think about that. The very best player in the league felt like he wasn’t good enough. That what made Bird so great and a legend
I'm a Sixer's fan. Gotta Admit, Larry Bird is the GOAT
Larry is my GOAT.
He is the most complete player...ability, iq, resilience, selfless, determined, toughness, ice water in his veins...
And in team leadership, which is why Larry gets the nod over MJ.
I was born in 77 so when I was little living in southern VA and my mom living in Northern NC I saw Jordan coming up because my family were huge UNC fans. My dad was a different beast, he always preached fundamentals. It never mattered what we were doing, keep it simple and practice with my dad. He always told me when Larry and Magic played it was special. Watch how they move, watch how they react. Of course I didn't understand, I was 7. I go back now and watch and see the magic ( no pun intended) those two showed. That's why I fell in love with the NBA, nowadays I just cant get into it.
Here’s something to remember. The night of Larry Bird’s retirement at the Garden was sold out with people waiting outside the arena…and there wasn’t even a game scheduled. That’s how much he was loved in Boston and all of New England.😎😁
Watch his Hof induction.. they wouldn't stop cheering for bird. Place was goin insane .
Yeah it was nuts but you don't call Boston a sports town for nothing.
New England is definitely known for its gritty and working toughness along with the High Intellectual side.
And Larry "Legend" Bird had that in spades. Even to today he is still spoken about with respect.
@@VTX00128 I live in Providence, so…yeah.😎
@@WiseGuy5674 Yeah I'm just on the north side of Boston.🤓
Bird in the conversation bro as the GOAT. The dude had no holes in his game. Played every game as if it was his last game of his career. Made All defensive teams. His passing was elite. And averaged double digit rebounds for his career. Took a 29 win team into a 61 win team in his rookie year.Great commentary as always my brother. 😎💯
Bird was the single greatest player of the game. He played every aspect of the game at the highest level. Not the singular highest, someone may be better at one thing or the other but no one was better than him at everything. On the court he lived a full second in the future. He played the mental game better than anyone. No one talked trash like Bird. And worse, he backed it up.
I agree - in terms of being a complete player, it really was Larry.
I graduated in 78 also. To me Michael jordan is class. Larry Bird had the moves. Like a Globetrotter he had you looking somewhere else for the ball. That is something else to stay on the court a full season. It had to be painfull. At the same time he was always out of sight. You didn't see him in public very much. I didn't realize that he played against so many of the greats teamed up against him. I do remember watching the Olimpics. The Dream team. He stood out then over all them. Even the rest of the world at that time. People would be jumping while he stood there holding the ball like what are you guys doing. I guess they call it juking. Very good at making you commit. Over the back of the board i didn't think was possible. But i seen it. Against Rodman was probably the only time Rodman was beat.
Please take under advisement. Larry racked up all his records in a short period of time he didn’t play near as long as a lot of other players, who have broken his records, and half that time he was playing with injuries that were so severe he had to lay down because he could not even sit up. . A lot of people say it was his knowledge of the game and his skills but I believe Larry played with his heart. That’s what made him so great.
Retired early due to a back injury paving his mom's driveway.
Bird had a congenital issue with his back Its the narrowing of the spinal cord! Him shoveling the gravel for the driveway just speeded up an issue that usually hits when you get older. That issue on top of him Fracturing a vertebrae in his back! Sped up the severity of this issue & of course caused a great deal of pain!
The other thing to remember is that Bird was incredibly unselfish. He played with other greats and he was really a point forward long before anyone started calling Scottie Pippen a point forward. Bird could easily have racked up 30pt season averages on a regular basis but he spent as much time feeding Parish and McHale as he did scoring himself.
His trash talk was hysterical
His basketball IQ was completely off the charts ! He was unstoppable
Goat i.q. if you ask me. Clutch too
@@brandondrew4914 absolutely the other team knew at the end of the game in a close game who was getting it and they still couldn’t stop him
Lary LOVED to tell them what he was going to do ! Also, c'mon, his passing was sublime.@@VincentManiscalco
Larry is the GOAT for the simple fact he's a Slow, Unathletic White boy who for 13 years showed up any an all put in front of him. He didn't see colour, he just torched everyone in front of him.
It's why all NBA Legends talk so highly of him...
this is the dumbest comment he was white was only description of him you got right. To call him unathletic was just a diss on white players. You never saw him play if you call him that.
@@Tolandruthhahaha, so true! Larry's reflexes were razor sharp and on point... It'd be like saying all those things about Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. Everybody thinks athleticism is only measure in how fast you are and how high you can jump... or how hard you can throw... What's more important is leverage and finesse.
The best of the best oldschool players said that Larry was not as athletic as the best players but he was so good because he played the game like chess and he was two plays ahead of you at any given point. He talked mad game and he could back it up. Much respect.
Larry Bird is the greatest all-around player of all time. He, practically, single handedly helped push the sport into the popularity that it enjoys today. He excelled in EVERY aspect of the game, and had a mental IQ for basketball that has never been and will never be matched. His only misstep was saying that there will be another Larry Bird. Mr. Bird, Magic was right, there will never ever, ever be another Larry Bird. As a fellow Hoosier, I salute you - the unquestionable G.O.A.T.
Magic was better. And single handedly?? omg
@@artemusackerman72That's not what Magic said...or Jordan. Highlight reels of both side to side and there is NO way you can EVER say Irvin was a better player. Didn't have ½ 8:54 the shot nor the basketball IQ Legend had
@garrisonic you're a clown. only thing Bird had was a better outside shot.
@@artemusackerman72your a clown. His passing, toughness, IQ, shooting, clutch. All better. Im guessing it's because Byrd is white you can't accept it
@@artemusackerman72 Literally no one, including Magic would agree with you.
Every time I watch that speech Magic made...get a little choked up. The clashes those guys had are epic! Each made the other great.
2 more letters; er. Each man made the other one GREATER..
1980s Celtics-Lakers might just be the very best championship rivalry in any American sport. When giants walked the earth among mortal men.
Being from the UK. It's certainly the only rivalry I knew of in American sports outside of boxing.
I don't think a lot of people could name a lot more than Magic and Jordan though over here. Maybe like 1% of people follow the NBA and that might be a stretch but I would bet most people know those two players.
Exactly!
Same. Larry’s face..
When they were saying he was one steal away from a quadruple double, that was after just 3 quarters. Shattered his finger during college years and it was shaped like a boomerang. Played half his career with a broken back and the game against the Pacers when his head hit the floor it fractured his right cheek and he came back in the game when they started falling behind. Crazier still was the night before that game he spent in the hospital in traction.
He slipped out of the locker room while the team doc went to grab some stuff. :D
@pjbeaty4482It is actually more correct to call that particular injury a fracture of the right orbital (eye socket). People have gotten used to saying cheek because it doesn't sound as bad.
Yep, one steal from a quadruple double and he checked himself out for the 4th quarter, saying "I've done enough." Can you imagine any other player, ever, doing that?
Larry Bird was so much fun to watch, not just him but the entire team, that when he retired I quit watching Basketball just like I quit watching Football when Joe Gibbs retired… both times. Some people could just make an entire team fun to watch and kept a team in the game no matter how tough the game got. That’s why Bird and Johnson were my 1 and 2 favorites.
Whenever you listen to how ALL the other OG LEGENDS talk that played with or against him, its crazy how much respect he gets and how he is talked about in such a high regard as if they were kids talking about their favorite player. I have seen a ton of players that played in that era, point to Bird as the hardest to play against. I guess it shouldn't be that surprising given how good he was but whenever the legends of a sport talk about a fellow peer like that, I think that carries more weight than anything else.
I saw a clip where Red Auerbach said he thought he'd never see a player better than Bill Russell... until Larry Bird came along.
Absolutely 💯
Just so you know, the whole left hand game, he's right handed. He told everyone that he was going to shoot all left handed because he was saving his right hand for the Lakers which was his next game. He joked that the blazers couldn't touch him.
Ego. But he could back it up.
04/03/1992 was lucky enough to see Mr Bird play at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Mr Bird being from my home state was always my favorite player, he could do it all, some how he always managed to get himself in the correct position to do whatever it took to win, I can't imagine today's players back when Mr Bird played every game he could, today players have days off from playing in games just to rest, Mr Bird would feel an obligation to play because he knew people had spent their hard earned money to see him and other players play. Mr Bird was my GOAT.
My favourite sportsman of all time! ROTY and 4th in the MVP that season, 3 MVP's in a row, in the top 2 MVP voting from 1981-1988, Coach of the Year, Exec of the Year, 50-40-90 club x 2. This man did it all. Imagine if he stayed healthy for his career! Larry hurt his finger playing softball prior to joining the NBA. The Celtics nearly didn't pick him up because of that injury. Larry said he never shot the same after that injury. Debilitating back injury doing his mother's drive :( The 80's was the greatest era in basketball.
I believe Larry is the G.O.A.T. simply because he has beaten EVERY Hall of Famer he had ever played against. The founder of the 50/40/90 club and the last player to win the MVP for 3 consecutive years
Jordan was 0-6 against Bird in the playoffs
@@kenjohnston1257 Magic was 11-8 against Bird. These things are meaningless at this level. It's a team, not an individual.
@@wreckimyou mean Larry lost to Kareem. Magic didn't win any NBA championships without him.
@@wreckim Magic was pretty much Bird's equal so that doesn't surprise me. And lesser teams have been known to beat better teams at least once in a while, especially if that lesser team has the supposed GOAT
@@hec53 Larry didn't win any NBA Championships without Mchale or Parish.
80’s basketball was a whole different animal than it is now. And Larry Bird was the king of it all 🏀🤙🏼☘️
Ahhhhn NO NO ... Bird can not SKY JUMP 😂
@@fcguam3939 That means nothing... NOTHING....
@@DrewHop325 that means he is NOT COMPLETED ROUNDED BASKETBALL PLAYER ... well that's if you know anything about basketball 🏀
@@fcguam3939 Define sky jump kid, like kenny sky walker the clown that couldn't carry Birds Jock with a dump truck???
Besides winning 3 consecutive MVP's, he was also runner up MVP in 4 seasons. He was one of the top two players in the league for over half of his career. GREATNESS!!!
Great point 👍👍
I saw several games in the '80s in person. Saw the Bulls 3 times and the Celtics 4 times. As fabulous as those games were, I'll never forget seeing the Utah Jazz play the Milwaukee Bucks in Milwaukee. We had seats on a low riser behind the backboard and I saw Karl "the mailman" Malone play. I was speechless, he was the most beautiful specimen of a man I'd ever seen. As a woman, those uniforms of the 80's were a lot more fun to watch that the baggy pajamas they've worn the last couple of decades. Just waxing nostalgic.
Larry Bird was the complete package. He could do it all ,and did.
Really so he guarded the best forward every night???????
When they did the background stories of the original Dream Team in the Olympics, which included Bird, they told Bird's story and when they showed his house where he grew up, they showed the basketball net on the garage where he played. You could see that the backboard was so over-used that it was unreal. You took one look at that and you knew whoever lived there played a lot of basketball.... A LOT. The level of wear on that backboard was insane. I saw it and just imagined Larry shooting countless balls every day for years in there. That's how he crafted that sharpshooter ability and touch.
Larry Bird will always be the goat as far as I’m concerned. Didn’t just put up points he was consistently getting 10 plus rebounds a night it was crazy. It was like watching something out of a circus to see him pass the ball cross court behind his back while running full speed. For someone so ‘unathletic’ as they say he made everything look so easy. One thing not mentioned in this video that speaks volumes of just how amazing he was, and how much of a difference maker he alone was. His rookie season he took the Celtics from a 26 win team previous to him arriving, to a 63 win team as a rookie, and that’s without any help.. that’s before McHale and Parish showed up the next year.
I Didn't NØ Know "Bird" Had Wons So Many Distinctive Awards. All I Know, Is, I Loved,
L❤VED To Watch The Celtics Play During Those Celtic "Bird" Days. The Seamless 3 Pointers, His Playmaking, Assists, The Way He Moves, Shooting, Steals. Clutch Player! His Love For The Game, Those Passes❗️ "Bird" Was Clean. He Was Poetry In Every Motion! Color Was NØT a Factor... "Bird" Came To Play!The Celtics Were In Sync!
Give Him His "PROPS"❤🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀👍👍👏👏👏
Bird is the GOAT... ask to Jordan...
Larry Bird is, without a doubt, the GOAT!
No question.
No doubt huh?????
Lol tell me you're from Boston without telling me you're from Boston
I am from NJ.
Definetly the goat because he won, period.
He played everyday and beat you everyday.
Jordan scored 63 on him, but lost.
Bird put 60 on Atlanta and won.
Google on Jordans team W-L when he took over a game and scored 40 or more.
Then do the same for Bird.
Today players put up stats but do they win BECAUSE they put up the stats or despite them?
Its the difference between a guy who hits 40hrs and rarely effects the games outcome and the guy who hits 25, with 20 of them being from the 7th inning on in a tight game
He's not even the best player from his draft class.
Larry was great, definitely a clutch player. GOAT is such a tough term because of it being all-time.
I'm from Boston, obviously biased towards Bird. The thing that amazes me and keeps bird in top 5 is that all those NBA superstars he played against give him so much respect and have the best stories about him.
Larry Legend!
Great video
It was Bird. The NCAA championship game against Magic and Michigan State was the best basketball game I ever saw. It was Magic and the great Spartans against Larry Bird and 4 barely average players. His unequaled incredibly clutch shooting was equaled by his unbelievable passing. He shot, rebounded, passed like the best point guard, and MOST importantly made every teammate better like no one else. All from a white guy who wasn't fast and couldn't jump. The left-handed shot you saw him make was actually because he told someone (I've forgotten who) that he was going to score 30 points against him all left-handed, and that's exactly what he did. Not 1 or 2 baskets, but every basket.
That's not completely accurate. Larry Bird's teammates at Indian State included more like 3 "barely average players", but it also had one other player who was pretty good. Carl Nicks went on to to spend 3 years in the NBA, appearing in 156 games, averaging 6.8 points a game. In general, you are correct, though. Indiana State, other than Bird, was a typical lower tier Division 1 team.
@@carlr2837Not exactly in the same league even if they were in the literally the same league, were they? Be honest.
Bird and Magic Johnson were "in the same league". Nicks was "in the same league" as the other four players from Michigan State, probably better than most of them. The other three starters from Indiana State, and their bench, were not of the same caliber as the players from a lower tier Big Ten team, much less the players from Michigan State. Even with those players, Indiana State managed to go 33-0 before losing to Michigan State, which is truly remarkable. Few teams make it all the way to the Championship game undefeated, regardless of how much talent they have, so for a team with one "good" player and one "great" player to do so is amazing. Still, it is just wrong to say that Bird had no competent help at all.
Here is Bird, on Nicks. "You want him on your team for sure. If it weren't for Carl, we wouldn't have had the success we did"
th-cam.com/video/0BXAic7Vaz8/w-d-xo.html
He shot left handed because of boredom
@@Vastspartan How much better than your opposition do you have to be to feel so bored you need to put yourself at a disadvantage just for the challenge of keeping it interesting? In the NBA. Prime Larry was a baller.
I watched all through the late 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 00s, There were so many great great players, from Bob Cousey Wilt Chamberlain Jerry West, and Bill Russell Dr J to Clyde the Glide and 100 others who were absolute legends. Until you watch Larry Bird dismantle each of those players, you cannot comprehend his greatness. Magic Johnson ,a superb player, Coby Bryant LeBron James, unbelievable. Jordan wheew eee .
Where he differed from most other great players was that he made every other player on his team ,play their best.
Someone will always have to be the best but the main thing is that all of the players mentioned , took the game to higher levels than probably anyone thought it could be and made that period of time amazing for the fans.
John Havlicek.
That steal of inbounds pass, best play ever! Played with a broken cheekbone. Bird , Bird , Bird
Larry Bird was the greatest of all time... highest basketball IQ I ever seen... greatest clutch player in the history of the sport... when the games on the line Birds your guy..He won when it truly mattered the most...
Your the first reactor to say that Larry must have had a hard time because he was a minority in the NBA. People forget about that. The things he had to go thru to get respect was tough. Have you a like for that one.
I can agree with that bro and thanks for watching
Larry Bird came into the NBA with an attitude of You can't beat me, You can't guard me, and please don't disrespect me by putting a white player on me. AND he backed it up, so it was not much for the black players to say because he was good.
@@richhousereviews I subscribed because of your review, good job my friend!
Bird had Bron's passing, KD's midrange shooting touch, Curry's long range and free throw accuracy, Jokers rebounding skills, Kobe and MJ's killer will, and more clutch than any player in history!
Sorry, you worded your comment wrong, BRON, CURRY, JOKER, KOBE, and MJ all had a touch of the BIRD FLU, yea?................................
And there is absolutely nobody that has his grit (playing with a messed up back his last seasons) or his hustle. There is nobody telling opponents I'm going over here and bust this shot and you can't stop me, then consistently does exactly what he said.
Bird makes a game winning three, but KC calls time out. Bird says I'll be right back and does it again shooting off one leg.
My favorite is him telling Barkley, why are you all disrespecting me? You're putting a white guy on me, that's disrespectful. Barkley says, I had no come back. Bird not only played the best, he wanted to be guarded by the best. His no look touch passes, come on nobody can even come close.
Too many goats to determine who was second to Bird😊.
Larry played ball day in and day out ,no matter what, he loved the game and respected players with his humor, taunts, and sarcastic play .
I was a Jordan fan and my dad loved Larry so I watched them both. As I’ve gotten older I feel lucky to have witnessed basketball back then.
the 1 steal from a quadruple double was in 3 quarters and he took himself out of the game I believe because he already did enough damage in that game dude is a legend
The players of the 80s are what got me hooked on basketball. Larry Bird has to be my favorite. This Texas girl became a Celtic fan
If Bird was as concerned about numbers the way other players are then there simply would be no question on who the greatest ever is. Sat out the entire fourth quarter while being one steal shy of a quadruple double. And when asked why he said, "I've done enough damage." He was a team player. He knew that in a game where people only want to be known as the best, he followed a different path and did his best. Not to elevate himself only, but his team. When you played against the Bulls you played against Jordan. When you played against the Celtics you played the entire team enhanced by Bird. Today's players could learn from his example. He played hurt. Like legitimately hurt, busted cheek bone. Who else would do that? These reasons are why I believe he is the goat. Others may have higher numbers but they will never hold that title in my eyes.
He was the man the GOAT never beat in the playoffs!
Larry Bird was feared and dominated during his time playing, nobody was more clutch and talked smack while doing it
There’s no doubt in my mind that Larry “Legend” Bird is the 🐐.
Larry Bird, without a doubt, the greatest clutch player, no question.
Larry bird was the best basketball player I ever saw in person and otherwise. Just an amazing basketball IQ and you could not measure the size of his heart. He was the most unselfish player I ever saw.
One steal away from the quadruple double....he sat out the 4th quarter... coach asked if he wanted to go back in and get the steal.... Larry Legend said... I've done enough damage already 🐐💯🏀
The passing of Larry is just ridiculous. As a 50+ man it's hard to quantify how Larry was a killer on the floor.
Larry, cause only God could guard him. Larry Bird. Ultimate trash talker of all time. He could back it up.
Jordan to become the goat, they had to kick his ass in the entire 80s, and the greatest of em all to do that was Larry Bird, that’s how I look at it. All Jordan’s toughness and competitiveness doesn’t come from his character only, but also from the fact that he survived the toughest deacade with the most elite talent filled periods in the NBA history
AGREED
Best are the Larry Bird Trash Talking videos - hilarious!
Thanks for the reaction. Larry is my Goat because he not only shot the ball from anywhere while telling them where he was going to do it, he passed when he could have shot. Saying that his passing was so skilled and not only getting points and passes he defended as well with incredible rebounds and defense. Thats why he was so dangerous... he could pass or shoot made them look every time when he faked it because he was so good at passing or shooting they had to.
A genius at his game,but a trash talker who backed his shit up with out a doubt. Thought brought intensity and excitement on the court . But like he said it's part of the game. But as humble and respectful as hell off the court.👏👏👏👏
Bird, in his thirties, with a back so screwed up that he couldnt sit on a plane but had to travel lying on the plane floor just to get around. That Bird swept Prime Jordan twice.
Unless whoever you claim as GOAT could enter the court with THAT type of handicap against Jordan in his prime, can do that at least once…then that person does not belong in this conversation.
I remember Larry missing THAT shot.
WE all thought it was going in.
Left STUNNED.
. . . and still love our Byrd. Simply reminded US he was mortal, after all; not the demi-god we saw him, as Celtic fans ~
It was the only buzzer beater I ever saw him miss. It still haunts him!
Someone else you may want to check out is "Pistol" Pete Maravich. He played at LSU in the late '60s when a freshman couldn't play varsity basketball, there was no shot clock and no 3 point line. He still holds the career scoring record with 3,667 points... averaged 43 points per game and had 4 60+ point games in 3 seasons. His NBA career was cut short by multiple knee injuries and he only played 10 seasons with a number of teams. He did score 68 points in a game against the Knicks... again without the 3 point line and probably would have scored more had he not fouled out. He never had the benefit of being on a championship team, so he tends to be overlooked. Unfortunately, after his retirement, he died of a heart attack during a pick up game at the age of 40. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson have both stated that they learned a lot from watching him.
I DROPPED A PISTOL PET VIDEO CHECK IT OUT WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE AND THANKS FOR WATHING
Thanks...I didn't know that you had already done that... I'm old enough to remember seeing him play on TV when he was still at LSU... doing things that were absolutely unheard of in those days, but it's been my experience that most younger people these days have never heard of him.
Someone got a hold of a bunch of the LSU film and with the computer put in a three-point line and they said pistol Pete would’ve averaged something like 53 or 56 points a game
Pete was the best college player ever. Once while playing for the Celtics he told Larry "You don't need to take all those tough shots vs. double-teams." Larry said "If you played better I wouldn't always get double-teamed!" 😂 CLASSIC!!!!
Larry Bird was tough enough to be a hockey player.
I'm 56 so I gotta go with the '80s for the greatest hoops era and Bird as the GOAT. MVP as player; Coach of the year; AND Executive of the year is insane.
Larry is my GOAT, I look at it this way he was an all around player, clutch player, played every minute of the game with pure heart. Jordan which has a great claim as a GOAT never beat Bird so if the so called GOAT never beat Larry then Larry has to be the GOAT.
ITS STARTING TO GET SPICY LOL BUT I RESPECT YOUR RESPONSE THANKS FOR EVEN WATCHING
My words exactly. Even in Jordan's best year. Do you think anyone else would be in traction then play the game. No one but Larry had that mental toughness. Notice. No mention of Lebron in the comments. Thank God that fiasco is over with.😊
@@charlottewood8964 LeChoke, LeJoke
Bird, Jordan and Magic are my top 3, mainly because I was able to watch them from their rookie days until retirement, and they brought enthusiasm and excitement to the game. But many say that Bill Russell is the GOAT because he has 11 rings, and that is a very good point that’s hard to disagree with. Unfortunately I never got to see him play on tv, but from what I read, the documentaries and videos I’ve seen, he had a very big impact on the game.
Bill Russel also got 3 consecutive mvps as well as Wilt Chamberlain. But one thing we can say about Larry, is that he played at a time that was the most team competitive and at a time with the most all time greatest players on the opposing teams. And they will all tell you they learned something from Larry.
I watched all of these guys play - live. Spent thousands of hours in basket ball venues all over the country. Can't take a thing away from Bill Russell. When compared to what Larry did for the league, his team and everything else, there is no way I can say he isn't the greatest of all time. Bill's teams didn't have competition. All of Larry's accomplishments came because of the skill of the other teams that he dominated. The other teams got better because Larry set the standards for all that followed. Enjoy the games you watch.
You ever see when a transgender athlete goes and destroys all of the women in a sport, setting records left and right? Well thats what it was like for Bill Russell.
Even Red Auerbach ranked Larry ahead of Russell. I defer to his authority on that particular 1v1 debate
With all due respect to the legends of basketball during Larry Bird's time, every one of them was afraid of Larry but Larry feared no one. He will always be the GOAT.
When Larry Bird first got to the NBA I didn't like him, but after watching him play I couldn't help but fall in love with his game. He's definitely a top 5 player
Larry is my GOAT. He came into a team that was losing, elevated each player to another level and made it a championship team. He wasn't a ball hog, his passing was just as phenomenal as his shooting. Don't forget that the 3 point shot didn't come into being until 1979, so he perfected his 3 point shot as a rookie. Add to that his surgeries on both feet for achilles tendon damage and spinal damage in the mid 80's that ultimately caused his early retirement. If Larry had played for 15+ years like the other high ranking players, his stats would have been BEYOND phenomenal. Everyone who is talking GOAT always wants to talk about numbers, but numbers don't tell the whole story.
Before you give all the credit to Bird for perfecting the 3 point shot, you might want to look back at"Pistol" Pete Maravich. If Maravich had stayed healthy enough to have a long career he would be in the running for GOAT
I 100% believe that if it had not been for the back problems there would be ZERO debate. The only real arguments against Larry are his lack of speed and that he wasn't the greatest at dunking. His back had a lot to do with both of those. If he had been in top possible condition, it would have been over. Jordan may have never even gotten the shoe deal. Everyone would be rocking the Nike Bird's rn. That's how one sided the debate would have been.
Regardless of any of that speculation, the one undeniable thing is that Larry Bird knew the game better than anyone who ever stepped foot on the court. His basketball IQ has never been matched.
@@longhaul61 loved the pistol. Could do everything also as a guard. Knowone! Will ever break his N.C.A.A!! College. Scoring records. Without! The three point shot,!!! ((( Ever!!))). Could do everything bird could do.ñ except win..championships. n hit..game winning shots..
@@PApro His basketball IQ has absolutely been matched...just not on the court.
@@davidrosensin7985 Thats what I said/meant ..."better than anyone who ever stepped foot on the court"
First, Larry Bird was 6-0 against Jordan in the playoffs. That means he was more mentally tough than Jordan was, every time.
Second, Larry Bird was on another level in every category, except athleticism. Even then he wasn't a stiff.
Third, his competitive fire and trash-talking were legendary. The confidence and skill are simply the best there ever was and could back it up time after time after time...
Lastly, but there's many more reasons, but to get the idea of the effect of Larry Bird on his teams...
Larry Bird's arrival changed the Celtics from a 29-53 team to a 61-21 team!!
Here are the yearly records. Notice the years he misses more games and how much of a variety of teammates and coaches he had. They still never were less than 57-25 games, until his back injury years. In fact, his teams won 61+ games in 5 seasons! That's insane!
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No Bird:
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1978-79 Roster went 29-53,
Tiny Archibald (11p,1.5r,4.7a), Awtrey, Barker, Barnes, Chaney, Cowens, Ford, Judkins, Knight, Maxwell, McAdoo (year 6), Robey, Rowe, Sanders, Stacom, Tatum, White, Williams.
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With Bird:
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1979-80 Roster went 61-21, Coach Red Auerbach
Bird (82 games), Tiny Archibald (14.1p,2.5r,8.4a), Carr, Chaney, Cowens, Fernsten, Ford, Henderson, Judkins, Maravic (11.5p,1.5r,1.1a), Maxwell, Robey.
1980-81 Roster went 62-20, Coach Red Auerbach
Bird (77 games), Tiny Archibald, Carr, Duerod, Fernsten, Ford, Henderson, Kreklow, Maxwell, McHale, Parish, Robey.
1981-82 Roster went 63-19, Coach Red Auerbach
Bird (79 games), Ainge, Archibald, Bradley, Carr, Duerod, Fernsten, Ford, Henderson, Jackson, Maxwell, McHale, Parish, Robey.
1982-83 Roster went 56-26 Coach Red Auerbach
Bird (79 games), Ainge, Archibald, Bradley, Buckner, Carr, Henderson, Maxwell, McHale, Parish, Robey, Tillis, Wedman.
1983-84 Roster went 62-20, Coach K.C. Jones
Bird (79 games), Ainge, Buckner, Carr, Clark, Henderson, Johnson, Kite, Maxwell, McHale, Parish, Wedman.
1984-85 Roster went 63-19, Coach K.C. Jones
Bird (80 games), Ainge, Buckner, Carlisle, Carr, Clark, Johnson, Kite, Maxwell, McHale, Parish, Wedman, Williams.
1985-86 Roster went 67-15, Coach K.C. Jones
Bird (82 games), Ainge, Carlisle, Johnson, Kite, McHale, Parish, Sichting, Thirdkill, Vincent, Walton (7.6p), Wedman, Williams.
1986-87 Roster went 59-23, Coach K.C. Jones
Bird (74 games), Ainge, Carlisle, Daye, Henry, Johnson, Kite, McHale, Parish, Roberts, Sichting, Thirdkill, Turner, Vincent, Walton, Wedman.
1987-88 Roster went 57-25, Coach K.C. Jones
Bird (76 games), Acres, Ainge, Daye, Gilmore, Henry, Johnson, Kite, Lewis, Lohaus, McHale, Minniefield, Parish, Paxson, Roberts, Sichting.
1988-89 Roster went 42-40, Coach Jimmy Rodgers
Bird (6 games), Acres, Ainge, Birdsong, Gamble, Grandison, Johnson, Kleine, Lewis, Lohaus, McHale, Parish, Paxson, Pinckney, Rivas, Shaw, Upshaw.
1989-90 Roster went 52-30, Coach Jimmy Rodgers
Bird (75 games), Bagley, Gamble, Johnson, Kleine, Lewis, McHale, Parish, Paxson, Pinckney, Charles Smith, Michael Smith, Upshaw.
1990-91 Roster went 56-26, Coach Chris Ford
Bird (60 games), Bagley, Gamble, Johnson, Kleine, Lewis, McHale, Parish, Paxson, Pinckney, Charles Smith, Michael Smith, Upshaw.
1991-92 Roster went 51-31, Coach Chris Ford
Bird (45 games), Bagley, Battle, Brown, Douglas, Fox, Gamble, Green, Kleine, Lewis, Massenburg, McHale, Parish, Pinckney, Robinson, Shaw, Vrankovic.
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P.S. Bird suffered a hand injury before he ever played a game for Boston. He had to alter his shooting form and never had the same feel for the ball after the injury but still put together one of the greatest careers in history.
“Bird laughs a little bit and holds up his right index finger,” John Papanek recounted in a 1981 Sports Illustrated story. “‘This,’ he says. The finger is shaped much like a boomerang, permanently bent toward his thumb at a 45-degree angle. Two operations have failed to straighten it; he can bend it only halfway to his palm. ‘I didn’t have this in college,’ he says.”
Words just can't describe the emotions......the only player that gave me goosebumps....at all the things he did....and all the games he scored the game winning shots.... just unbelievable......I don't believe their is one goat......but... Larry's heart....was unable to be measured.....🇺🇸😇
Nice job. Dislocated the finger playing softball. He was a better shooter in college.
Worth noting: When Russell and Chamberlain were interviewed together and asked for their all-time starting roster (excluding themselves), each put Bird in the small forward slot.
The best thing about 80s basketball is that it was before all of the players from opposing teams were buddies. There may have been a few exceptions but the heavy majority truly disliked their opponents. Especially when it was a rivalry. It made the games very intense and fun to watch. It wasn’t until late in their careers that Magic and Larry got a chance to know each other through the Converse commercial and became friends. You still had a good bit of that same feel in the 90s too but now these players meet each other at a young age through AAU tournaments and other national events.
100%!! Drives me nuts. So many of the NBA stars today are BFFs and you rarely feel any real edge in games anymore. Even the playoffs.
Bill Lambiere was probably the most hated player of that era. But oh lord, was basketball exciting back then!!!!
The Best all around player in NBA history was Larry Legend. That’s THE fact. No player could do EVERYTHING as good as him. He had no weaknesses. Thats why he’s the GOAT.
He absolutely had weaknesses. Him and Magic Johnson's talent mirrored each other.. Jordan and James are better than both of them
@@d.d.sarason8749 What pray tell was ONE weakness? This should be good.
@@ultragator724 one weakness? Man c'mon. Number one he didn't jump very high, He didn't run very fast. His back gave out,
@@ultragator724 Magic Johnson could do everything as good as him. Magic didn't have to shoot as much. Michael Jordan did everything better than him except long range shot. So did Kobe, so did Grant Hill ,So did Charles Barkley .I liked Bird but people are making him into some sort of God. He wasn't
@@d.d.sarason8749 Man you REALLY don’t know what you’re talking about. When I asked for a weakness I THOUGHT you understood what that meant. It means all the things you see on a stat sheet bro. “Can’t jump high”. Funny, I’ve never seen a jump height stat on the back of a basketball card. Furthermore, what do basketball players need to jump to do? Shoot, dunk, block shots, and grab rebounds. He could do ALL that. Everything you see on a stat sheet, he was good to elite at. No other player was as all around good as him. Jordan is the closest but he was average to below average at 3’s.
I was at all the home games and all the big dance games for the 1978-79 season. What a great ride! He never seemed to be fast but he was always where he needed to be at the right time. It was crazy. To me Larry was like the master chess player of basketball. By the way Larry thank you for one of the greatest times of my life. Go Sycamores!
Thanks for watching brother and I appreciate the story ✅
I remember Bill Walton said Larry was gonna play the one game left handed. I'm not sure but I think this is the only game he played entirely left handed. However very impressive to be able to shoot with both hands.
Larry Bird in my opinion is the greatest. I watched his whole career. It was tough being a Celtics fan growing up in Brooklyn. But I wore my Larry Bird Jersey with pride. Larry is Number 1 & Magic is a close second.
5-3. You have their positions reversed.
@@rapid13 You can't go wrong with either one. I should have put them even. I miss the Days of Bird & Magic.
Did you step on Bugging Out's sneakers?
larry may not be the most athletic player of all time but his basketball IQ was on another level and he really changed the game how popular it is and how its played professionally today his dna is part of the nba now and that is undeniable. Larry was the first man to call Magic when he heard he had HIV and tell him that he'd be there no matter what despite the rivalry and everything he is a good man to
I'm a lifelong Sixers fan. To me, Bird Is the GOAT 🐐 And my favorite Era was definable the 80s
All of those other contender for the GOAT had physical attributes and abilities that Larry didn't. He was slow. He couldn't jump. YET he used every bit of the ability he had to do EVERYTHING better than almost anyone. Maybe another is the GOAT, but he had a much easier path to getting there. On pure heart, drive, confidence, and magical greatness...I give it to Larry.
Here’s what Michael Jordan said when Larry Bird retired:
"Larry, I hear that you're retiring. Thank goodness. I'm glad. I'm tired of seeing your face. You brought a lot of sad memories for me. I enjoyed it, and I wish you a lot of luck, and I think you had a great and wonderful career. You ruined a lot of my successful games against the Boston Celtics,"
When the narrator said Larry Bird saved basketball, he was right. When he came into the league the NBA was not the money making machine that it is today. Despite having a few legitimate superstars, the NBA was stale and in dire straights. Larry Bird was the right guy at the right time in the right place. You would have to search long and hard to find any NBA stars from his era that would not have the utmost respect for Larry Bird as a competitor, and a dominating player.
Bird & Magic together saved the league.
@@pokerpat6470 I agree with you. Magic realized what huge talent Bird was (and vice versa) and accepted it in good humor. I think their respect for each other, while they tried their best to to win against each other, was a factor that got non-fans interested in the NBA at a time when the league was losing popularity.
Red Auerbach, the famous Celtics coach who won 16 NBA championships said he would always choose Bill Russell as his first player, until Larry Bird came along. Then Bird was his number one.
Bill Russell said Bird made him proud to be a Celtic.
A Michael Jordan team never defeated a Larry Bird team.
The goat isn’t the one who scores the most and is athletically flashy; it’s the one who wins.
Top five all time:
Point- Magic Johnson
Shooting Guard- Michael Jordan
Small Forward- Larry Bird
Strong forward- I’m undecided
Center- Bill Russell
McHale for power forward...and The Big O at the point!
I'd have to go with Magic at PG simply because of size..but you lower that PG requirement to 6'3" and under there is no question it's Isiah Thomas.
Birds a top ten player ,80s hoops was incredible! His career was short and the last several he was beat down bad. even though it’s old school you can’t argue 11 titles in 13 years for Russell