19:26 What’s even crazier about this ending series of shots is that it’s also a popular story of Larry’s legendary trash talk. I forget who’s defending him, but they tell this story, in vivid detail, including the one-footed “kick-in”s. He told this defender exactly what he was going to do, then did it, successfully. After the called-off tie, he told him “I’m gonna go right there, and kick it in,” referring to the center of the three-point line above the free throw. Then, in double overtime, just before the game winner, he said “I’m gonna go back to the same spot and do it again,” referring to where the original shot got called off, and kicking it in. Don’t taunt Bird, he will use your taunts to wreck you.
Larry Bird Made three all defense teams. He led the league in defensive win shares four times he averaged 10 rebounds per game over the course of his entire career. Larry Bird had no weaknesses in his game.
Agreed, Bird had no weaknesses-- not even on defense. If you think he is weak on defense, then you are just a hater and don't care about Larry's stats on defense. Stats mean nothing to you . Even if the stats verify his effectiveness as a defend sive player.
@@realhurrikaneisaac No weaknesses whatsoever. That's why so many people called him the best all around player of all time. Michael Jordan publicly acknowledged and agreed with this as well.
That’s simply not true. He was a serviceable defender. Slighty above average. He made the defensive teams in part because of how weak the defenders at the forward position were at that time, but also because he had a really good defensive team that allowed him to free roam instead of guarding other primary offensive players. When he was on an island, he was slow footed and not quite a great on ball guy. He wasn’t a liability but he was not elite.
Larry Bird - Top tier jump shooter. Top tier hustle. Top tier rebounder. Top tier free throw shooter. Top tier IQ. Top tier clutch. Top tier 3 pt shooter. Top tier playmaker. Top tier team leader. Top tier passer. Top tier toughness. Great defender and no weaknesses to his game. His opponents feared him, and they have gone on the record in multiple instances to share that.
@realhurrikaneisaac numbers don't lie. You can't compare goats really ,styles are so different. Maybe clutch and passing Larry was the best, excellent in everything else. Both LeBron and Larry age 30 stats Larry is better in everyone of them. So many greats though.
@@realhurrikaneisaac Please be objective. We aren't just making this stuff up. Check out "Larry Bird is the Word". It has a lot of defensive plays in it.
In the SOFT league that is the NBA today, Larry would have a 40 15 13 average. Rule changes, lack of player commitment, a much friendlier competition level and selfish play reflect the weak style of play today. I'm in my 60s I've seen them all play in real time. Larry's defense is shamefully and vastly underrated!
Well, the league really isn't soft today. It's just not a focus on the big men anymore. The game was played in the low post still. Most teams had big money spent on the big men. The list of 7' players is endless thought Larry's career. Almost every team was putting a 7 foot backline on the court. Now the offense is focused on the shooters. The Warriors still run a version of the Triangle Kerr ran with the Bulls. He has just flipped the triangle and the two scoring options are on the perimeter now. Curry and Thompson firing when open. Back on the Bulls, it was run between MJ and Pippen through the low post where the big men were. Warriors center sets up high post with the Warriors today. Same triangle.
You're really underrating Bird on defense. He was a good defender, even though he wasn't super athletic, because his anticipation was so good. He got rebounds and steals, and got strong contests, by seeing the play develop and getting to the right place early. He wasn't a world-beater on defense, but he still made the All-Defensive team 3 times, even though he was only the third-best defender on his own team (behind Johnson and McHale, who *_were_* truly elite defenders).
Bird played with phenomenal defenders, which meant that he didn't have to be Rodman on defense. He wasn't a bad defender, but he wasn't on the level of a Jordan, Pippin, Payton, Dominique, Dumars, etc. I would love to know who the rest of the players on those all defense teams were!
@@realhurrikaneisaac Agreed 100% (though I definitely wouldn't put Dominique in a group with Jordan, Pippen, Payton, and Dumars). Bird and McHale have both commented that McHale usually took on the toughest defensive frontcourt assignment. But still, Bird was a good defender. It's not like he was a liability and his teammates had to carry him. Hey, he was a better defender than Magic! And I say that as a Laker fan who hated Bird and loved Magic back in the day... 😆 1981/82 All-Defense: *_1st Team_* Michael Cooper Dennis Johnson Bobby Jones Caldwell Jones Dan Roundfield *_2nd Team_* Larry Bird Quinn Buckner Sidney Moncrief Lonnie Shelton Jack Sikma 1982/83 All-Defense: *_1st Team_* Maurice Cheeks Dennis Johnson Bobby Jones Moses Malone Sidney Moncrief Dan Roundfield *_2nd Team_* Larry Bird Michael Cooper T.R. Dunn Kevin McHale Tree Rollins 1983/84 All-Defense: *_1st Team_* Maurice Cheeks Michael Cooper Bobby Jones Sidney Moncrief Tree Rollins *_2nd Team_* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Larry Bird T.R. Dunn Dennis Johnson Dan Roundfield It is worth noting that Bird's three All-Defense selections were before McHale became a starter, when Bird was still primarily playing power forward instead of small forward. Also note that Bird was the only Celtics player on the 1981/82 All-Defensive team (1983/84 was Dennis Johnson's first year with Boston).
@@realhurrikaneisaac He doesn't have to be on the same level to be able to have "no weaknesses" in his game. He was a great defender. That's enough, because he also had everything else going for him.
Bird had no holes in his game. Even made All-Defensive teams. Arguably the greatest all around player ever. H's in my top three. If Bird played in today's soft cupcake league with all the lax rules, no defense, all the spacing, all the three's taken, and all these one-and-done no IQ college guys, Bird would average a thirty point triple double. While playing only the first three quarters.
@@TheIcemanthomas lol I'm 6 months late, but I just happened to notice you in almost every single comment praising Bird. Is there a reason it seems to be frustrating you so much?
the thing with Magic is maybe he is not considered the GOAT because he got more help... but he looked like the kind of guy that could carry a team and be a GOAT, just like Larry, enhancing the players around him... buy we will never know...
LARRY AND MAGIC saved the NBA from everything I've seen.. The dynamic duo for the NBA.. to me. What I love is that they became friends.. Respect is something I feel this world lacks now.. we need more respect.
Yes a complete player as in an all around player (passing, shooting, defensive blocking,steals, IQ, rebounding etc) I agree with you there. You can give whoever you want GOAT status but LEGEND is a whole different animal.
@@realhurrikaneisaac lol you’re my all time favorite so far. Don’t get a big head 🤣🤣🤣😂. I’m just kidding. You were also spot on when talking about Magic and then talking about Magic and Bird
Larry and Magic saved the NBA together. On defense I get what you are saying as about one on one defense but there is more than that when you are considering defense.now everyone considers Dennis Rodman as one of the best defenders right. Larry bird had 1556 steals for his career . Rodman had 611. Larry bird had 755 blocks for his career Rodman had 531. Larry bird had 5695 assists Rodman had 1600. Rodman played 911 games and Larry played only 897.Coach knight said Larry bird had the best hand eye coordination of any player he ever saw. There is a video out there that breaks down birds defense. Now I'm not saying that Bird was the best defensive player out there but that his defense is often underrated. Larry is one of the best all around players to ever play the game. His it would lend itself to any era. I enjoy watching your reactions ❤keep up the good work
Definitely!!! Curry JUST shoots 3's well,& in the playoffs,Bird has a higher % than Curry from 3! Curry ain't shooting no floaters,no 20 footers with 2 6'8,6'9 guys IN HIS FACE! Lil Steph is just Pistol Pete with a 3 point line! Bird & Jordan are easily the most clutch shooter of all time! Curry often disappears in big games;Bird & Jordan shone brighter when there was more pressure!
Bird's prime era was more of inside scoring vs today's, but Bird also adapted to sharpshooter later. If not for Bird's injuries he certainly would be an all around goat. There IS no ONE goat.....just top candidates.
I don't 'pick' a goat. Whe you get to that level, there are too mamy intangibles to say 'he' is the goat. Goats will find a way to be geat in any era. My favorite player is Larry Bird. He was so much fun to watch. You never knew what he would pull off. Even his off ball skills were fun to watch. He didn't have to score a lot of points to positively affect the game.
He was 3rd overall for DPOY in 1983 lol. Which still landed him in 2nd team all-defence. Nah pre-injuries, Larry was a problem at both ends. Put a 1984 Larry Bird into todays league he'd adapt fast.
Larry was 6'10 and he played the passing lane very well. Being a great defender, is not just playing the passing lane. Can you stay in front of somebody and cause havoc, that's what I mean. I also agree that he would do well in this era!
@realhurrikaneisaac defensive rebounds (8 per game over his career) into outlets, 0.87 blocks p/g over his career, that's more than LeBron btw, 1.8 steals... He was one steal shy of a quadruple double in 3 quarters, the record at time was 11, he had 9 in 3 quarters. You don't get into the position of easily having time to break a record in steals without being a great defender. I'm not saying he's a 1v1 monster like Rodman or MJ would be, but he was a very good to great defender on top of his obvious offensive presence. A true complete 2 way player, sure he was a bit better offensively but was no slouch on defense, certainly not the liability most these days seem to think.
@@TheIcemanthomas Nobody claimed perfection. Everyone has flaws, some more than others. And some of these people, despite their flaws, rise to the top among their peers.
You are unbelievable wrong about him as a defender. He averaged 10 boards and 1.8 steals per game for his entire career. He was a menace on defense and he made three all NBA Defensive Teams. Everyone thinks they know certain parts of his game. He's also one of the greatest post players to ever stand on the block. There's a vid out there on his post play and it's insane. No one could stop him in the post one on one. They all got embarrased. John Salley has been out there lately talking about what it was like to try and guard Larry in the post. When these older greats say it, people should believe them.
This is true. His defensive play was very good. Just look above. He wasn't like Rodman on a 1 to 1 play, but he did so many different things on defense that made him a good defensive player. Look at his defensive stats.
@@realhurrikaneisaac Yes. And he did (not Shaq, because they didn't play together). He also won a jump ball against Olajuwon. It's not because of his speed or jumping ability, but because of his brain. He knew where to be and what to do ahead of time, all of the time.
@@PixelPro-4000 Facts. He should react to Larry Bird's Greatest Game. Where he was embarrassing Hakeem and the entire Houston team in game 6 of the 1986 finals when Bird sealed the win, and took home series MVP. . And Olajuwon is in my top 10.
@@realhurrikaneisaacNot Hakeem and Shaq, but a fadeaway is still unguardable unless you’re shooting against some 7’7” demigod, and hell yes he made Ewing look like a joke.
My dads a die hard basketball fan still watches today and was in his 20s when Larry was in his prime,never missed a game, and whenever I’d say something about him being to slow for todays game he’d always point out “You can’t move faster then the ball.”
Larry Bird made me a Celtics fan in 1980 and I live in Missouri. I watched Bird play from his first game in the league till his last. Larry was the BEST all-round player the league has ever known. He was dangerous on offence, defense, passing, re-bounds, even behind the glass, everything. Larry did things routinely that other players could only dream of doing or having nightmares about. Larry played hurt with injuries that would sideline today's player for half a season. I loved watching him and Magic play. They were such competitors they brought out the best in the other and they loved it. These two became the fiercest of friends to this day. Once Larry and Magic were gone, I stopped following the NBA, what was the use everyone worth watching was gone, but that's just me. There are goats, but there is only ONE legend, and his name is Larry Bird. I give you Magics own words, "To the greatest basketball player ever, but more important, a friend forever".
8:22 Larry led the NBA in Defensive Win Shares 4 times ! and second twice ! DWS is a stat dominated by legendary Centers and Power Forwards. Yes, Bird was an elite defender.
As I understand it, defense is about preventing the opposing team from scoring. Offense is about scoring more than them. *Opposing teams scored **_less_** when Bird was on the court.* 1v1 Defense affects the one player that is being guarded by a player. Team defense affects the entire opposing team, not just one opponent. DWS (Defensive Win Share) statistics compute the effect that an individual player has on the opposing team's ability to score while he was on the court. Bird *led* the league 4 seasons. In Top 10 in each of his first 8 seasons. [1980-1987] Second place twice. (1st, 1st, 2nd, 5th, 1st, 2nd, 1st, 6th) ☘️ Larry Legend 🙂 (1987 - 1990 seasons Olajuwon led the league)
when you said who is that at 1:30 that is Pistol Pete , one of the greatest College players ever who's Pro career by bad luck & injury just did not produce the kind of Career you would of exspected based on his time in college.
Bird would dominate today's game! There is NO D now! "Ppl are taller;Pt.guards are taller"??? Not even! Height of Americans peaked in the 80s & 90s & leveled off since 2000.
A complete player is one that doesn't really have a weak area in any part of the game. Concerning Larry, Jordan said he didn't have any weaknesses in his game. Wilt said Larry was the "most correct" player, speaking of his playing. Dominique Wilkins said, "In a half court scenario Larry was evil. You couldn't beat him." I take that to mean Larry wasn't the fastest running the full court but otherwise he didn't have any part of his game that could be exploited. Meaning, no weak spot.
The reason he says most difficult is because back then making it out of the Eastern conference was what was so hard. You had the 76ers, the nicks the Hawks, the Pistons the bulls. And by the way, Jordan never won a single playoff game against the Celtics when Bird was there.
Did Bird and Jordan meet when they were both in their primes? Or was it during MJ's first couple of years. Did Bird outplay Jordan in their 1 on 1 match ups and did Bird have a much better team than Jordan in the early years?
@@realhurrikaneisaac Not only that, Bird faced Jordan and Pippen IN THEIR PRIMES, while Bird had a broken back, and after two achilles surgeries... and consistently beat them.
@@PixelPro-4000 Jordan's prime years were in the 90s. You know as well as I know that Bird wasn't beating Jordan in the playoffs during his prime. I'm not talking about the regular season, I'm talking about the playoffs in both of their primes. Jordan was not in his prime when he lost to Bird in the playoffs. What's the point of getting on here and lying just because you identify with someone and you love them above everyone else. The last time Bird made the finals was in 1987 and the last time he got to the conference finals was in 88 smh. Jordan ran the 1990s.
@@realhurrikaneisaac I didn't lie. Neither of them played each other in the playoffs during their prime. You asked about their match ups. You did not say playoffs. However, what I said was true. When Bird played Jordan in Jordan's prime, he consistently won. This is not bias. You're making my statements into something you perceive to be something that they are not. You really don't need to do that.
I believe Bird would have adapted to this era. With players hanging around the perimeter waiting for a three pointer, Bird would have have been dangerous. The three was introduced in his rookie year. If he had been practicing threes right out of diapers, like they do today, and his ability to drive to the basket and with his mid range shot, he'd be hard to stop.
The commentator mentioned Bird and Magic saved the league. Like you said and Bird and Magic said, you can't mention one without the other. Like Peanut Butter and Jelly.
@@realhurrikaneisaac Yes. It was the rivalry between the two, and both of their immense talents that captured the attention of everybody and drew a lot of sponsorships to the NBA.
Here is a list of 11 categories. Bird is the only player in NBA history in the top 250 players in each category and is in the top 60 of all time in 7 of the 11 categories. Overall FG% 2 Pt. FG% 3 Pt. FG% Pointers per game Assists per game Free Throw % Rebounds per game Steals per game Blocks per game Minutes per game Percent of games won that they played in. That is why Bird is the BEST all-around player in NBA history. Other players have holes in their games, whether it's 3 pt shooting, foul shooting, rebounds, assists. Bird had no holes.
Apparently you’ve missed a most important statistic about Bird. Find and watch Larry’s passing video. Then you’ll know why he’s the GOAT. I’m from Chicago and love Michael and the 90’s Bulls, but Jordan never beat Bird.
If you haven't already done so, you need to watch the documentary "A Courtship of Rivals". In that it is acknowledged that both Larry and Magic saved the NBA.
The thing is, if Magic isn't the goat, then Bird has to be better than magic to be the goat. Magic has already said many times why Larry gets the edge and that's his shooting ability. Magic's MVP of the finals and Bird's worst to 1st performance as rookies proved their leadership ability right from the start. The grit and determination of the '81 ECF to knock off Dr J and the powerhouse 76ers. The shootout vs Nique, the steal vs Pistons, the countless regular season games he took over in the 4th quarter and there was nothing anyone in the league could do about it. These are the things that make Bird the goat, not stats. 1 missed shot changes everything?
That ball fake at the line was the original showman "Pistol" Pete Maravich. The moves and techniques he created in the 70's have been borrowed by the best players in later generations. There are plenty of youtube videos on the Pistol, the most talented and imaginative guard ever.
wilt told jordan they changed they changed the rules so i could not dominate, they changed the league so so could. magic called him the best player ever..
I believe Bird would have it easier in this era. Less defense against him, less physical contact, and the benefit of modern medicine and physical training.
Someone made a comparison of heights and weights of players from the 1980’s to the players of today 6’7” and 208 was avg size of 1980’s players today 6’7” 218lbs. Players of today have better Nutrition and workout with personal trainers. 1980’s had lots of players who were just a built physically as any players of today. Kevin Durant is a phenomenal player but Dominique Wilkins of the 80’s was as ripped as anyone on the present NBA
Magic didn't need to score to the degree Bird did. LA had guys who could score, just get them the ball, which is what Magic did. Kareem, Worthy and Scott could shoot.
When You Say Larry Couldn't Do Well In "Defense" In The Game Now,,,ha ha ha ha ha. There Is No Defense In Todays Game. All I See Is Flopping & You Sure Can't Touch Anyone Today. I Seen Bird In a Interview And This Was Before He Became A Coach. He Was Asked Would He Like To Coach When He Is Done Playing & He Said; No Not Really BUT If He Ever Did He Would Only Sign Up To Do It For 3-Years BECAUSE He Believes If A Coach Can Really Do Anything With A Team It Should Only Take 3-Years. And True To His Word He Only Signed & Coached For 3-Years. And As For The Malice Palace Thing, No He Was Not Coaching Then & He Did Comment That He Was Not Happy With How They All Acted. The Video Guy Did Talk About Magic & Bird Making BB What It Is Today, Maybe You Missed That Part.?. Jordan Is Great BUT It Took Jordan 7-Years To Win His 1st Ring & It Only Took Larry His 2nd Year. Also You Have To Look At All The Stacked Teams Larry Played Against In The 80's & Then Look At What Jordan Played Against. Also Jordan Was Finally Able To Beat A Lot Of The 80's Players EXCEPT 1, Yep Bird. It Was Harder For Bird In The 80's & Other Top Players To Win Because Pretty Much Every Team Had A Few Great Players On It. Remember Jordan Came In 1984-85. Jordan's Problem Was That He Didn't Learn How To Be A "TEAM" Player Until The 90's. Bird Walked Into NBA As Team Player & Leader. Bird Could Have Had Bigger Scoring #'s But He Would Set Up Plays/Pass To His Team-Players. If You Ever Notice Bird Had "Point Guard" Skills Because Of His IQ & Passing.
About the most unreal statistic is number one and number two in all-time winning percentage is Magic and Larry Larry's in second by less than half of 100th of a percent
@@realhurrikaneisaac And yeah magic was a point guard too big difference. But man, if you looked at my comments I was praising you on how much I enjoyed your very first video I've seen you post. I know basketball inside and out. In fact, I know a lot of the backstories about bird that you won't hear from anybody else. I really liked your reaction on that video. It was fair and pretty much agreed with everything you said, But I'm the furthest thing from a racist there ever was and I know basketball as well as anybody. That's just my opinion and you got to admit it was pretty easy being a point guard with the crew that magic had running up and down the floor
Magic Johnson has the highest winning percentage in the LEAGUE‼️ Bird is behind him by a half of a percent .5%. Thus, Magic definitely belongs in the conversation of GOAT.
Larry Bird is the complete player … the greatest all around player in NBA history ! Bird was named all defense three times and averaged more defensive rebounds and blocks than lebron james does now ! And , you can’t name one Player better than Bird in 2 out of 5 categories, shooting, passing , rebounding , free throws and 3 pointers ! Bird is better than lebron James in all five !
I hate to say it but I used to love LeBron. He's pretty much turned into a bum a whining flopping a crybaby that is not 1/5 as good as bird was in the clutch
Larry is my all-time favorite player hands down. He came up with something new every night. Other players didn't do that. They played the same game. Bird did something unique every time he played
@@TheIcemanthomas I agree. Jordan and Bird were not on equal footing. Their primes did not coincide. Jordan faced Bird in the playoffs while Bird was in his prime, and Bird won. Bird faced Jordan in regular seasons while Jordan was in his prime, but Bird was past his prime with a broken back and post-foot surgeries, and Bird consistently won in those match-ups. It would have been amazing to see them both in their prime simultaneously. But in context, Bird generally won regardless of which player was in their prime at the time they played against each other.
Agreed totally about bird and magic sharing props for saving the league. I've actually used the Biggie/Tupac comparison myself before, it's a ying/yang thing really. When it comes to the who's better of the two, I always go to what Elgin Baylor said. I mean you'd forgive him for a laker bias lol but he actually gave Larry the edge. He basically said they were the same player but Larry had a 3 ball. Seems fair enough to me 🤷♂️ When it comes to the goat I don't even bother. I reckon most of us could agree a top ten and tbh it depends on how I'm feeling the day you ask me who's the greatest. Although MJ probably gets it more of the time than the others 😂😂😂
The one thing that distinguishes Bird from other players is he had the confidence to trash-talk his opponent and tell him exactly what he was going to do and Bird still couldn't be stopped. I don't think even Michael Jordan did that.
Larry Bird could steal, block, rebound, cut off passing lanes and box people out in the post. He wasn't fast enough to keep up with pg's like Kevin Johnson or John Stockton. But he could guard every other position player on the court. He could make a guy like Manute Bol (Rip), Bol Bol's father who played that era (7'7, I think still the tallest in NBA history) look silly, he could rebound against guys like Olajawon, Ewing, Rodman, Kareem,. Laimbeer, Oakley. No holes means he could do everything asked of him. Even if he wasn't as fast as another player, he would still put in every last bit of effort to make them earn a basket. He didn't take plays off. You wouldn't see him standing still at half court 5-6 times a game waiting for the team to get back on offense while not helping on defense. Something that honestly plagues the NBA today. Too many prima donnas who think they can coast by on 50% effort and 50% of games until the playoffs. It is the one frustrating thing I think a lot of us older fans see and it drives us nuts. The All Star game this past season was a perfect example of it being non-competitive and these guys insulting the fans with a lack of effort to actually play the game. It was one long warm up drill. Too many guys are afraid of being dunked on now. That it will ruin their brand and legacy if someone gets a dunk on them. Nobody is going to say Jordan or Bryant or Magic or Bird have a tarnished legacy because someone got a dunk on them. It is one play. Yes, his offensive game was even more unstoppable because he could pass and shoot from anywhere and hit nearly 90% of his free throws. That is what it means to have no holes in someone's game. There is no lack of effort. There is no giving up. It is being able to play smart, work hard and be willing to do more than the other guy to win.
Just a point to something you said, they said he helped save basketball not he saved basketball. Great video thanks for sharing I'll be looking for your next video
Jokic is slow and plays just like Bird so yes Larry would be huge even in today’s game plus the league is so soft today fowls would just kill people trying to guard him. Bird shut Jordan down 3-0 in back to back years in the playoffs. Founding member of 50/40/90 club and was 50/40/90 for I believe 4 or 5 straight years.
You are correct with what you say about Bird in today’s era but think about how Luka and Dirk have done in this era and both are as slow or slower than Bird and nether one can hold a candle stick to how good Bird was. Just saying
My Top 10 includes some variation of MJ, Russell, Bird, Magic, Wilt, Dr. J, Kareem, Lebron, Kobe, Duncan I agree that Larry and Magic saved the NBA together, but I think he just said in this video because it's a video making the case for Bird. But you are a 100 percent correct that neither of them alone could have done it.
to me it's like all sports evolve. You can't compare sports from 35 years ago to sports today.. The level of competition changes.. The Olympics are coming up... Michael Phelps.. the true GOAT of the pool with like 22 gold medals and so on.. his records are being destroyed now. Simone Biles.. her level of talent winning gold is completely different than any woman in the history of gymnastics winning gold.. Every sport changes and as good as they were back in the day... That was the level of competition.. the level has changed. Not taking anything away from the greats .. nothing but respect .. but it's just different now in all sports..
I am old dude, i watch all of them live. Here is my score about GOAT conversation. For me The GOAT is Jordan, follow by Kobe, and Bird and Magic i put both in 3th place. Don't forget that Lari and Magic saved NBA, but that was domestic, Jordan make the sport worldwide famous. About Lari, he left NBA because his friend Magic had to stop play. Was not the same without Magic. Those two really love and respect each other like brothers. Magic always cry when he talk about how Lari call him first to check how he is. Consider this, Lari call Magic before even his teammates.
Luka scored 73,& he's not only nearly 4 inches shorter than Bird,he's slower! If Luka scores 73,Bird would score 90! He also didn't shoot a 3 til his rookie season! He didn't grow up shooting 3's in Jr.High,High School & college,so that muscle memory wasn't programmed in until his 4th or 5th season,when he shot 41.7% over 5 yrs!
At the beginning it showed a one step layup, you asked how was that? It was “Pistol” Pete Maravich, not many good pro highlights, but his LSU College Mix Tape is worth watching.
Don't know about bigger faster players giving him that much of a problem never gave he went against players. Who fit that description when he played and there are several players less athletic than Bird doing very well in the. League today
i'm a celtics fan but i always include magic with bird when it comes to saving the nba. the nba wouldn't be where it is now if bird and magic hadn't come along when they did.
I absolutely agree with your point that Michael Jordan possesses the best resume of any player in NBA history. He accomplished incredible feats! I would point out, there is one gaping hole in that resume. His lack of team achievement early in his career. Simultaneously, those early lack of success coincides with a dominant Larry Bird prime. Thus, those of us that witnessed not only consecutive sweeps in the first round of the playoffs, at the hands of Birds Celtics. But even into Birds later years, when Jordan had Pippen, Bird always seemed to better Jordan head to head . That blemish on Jordan's resume opens the door for the discussion of who was truly the more impactful overall player. One other quick point. Your reason Bird would have difficulty in today's NBA. And your statement the game would be "too quick for Bird". I agree that today's game is much faster. I don't care how fast it becomes! Just as no player will ever be as fast as a pass, no pass or player can exceed the speed of the mind! With Bird, we are talking about a player that was thinking three steps ahead of EVERYONE else on the court. I argue even today's game would struggle to keep up with Bird!
It’s so hard to have a top 5 clutch but I am going to throw some names at you. Reggie Miller, MJ, Jerry West and Robert Horry. Now I know Horry is far from being a great but when it came to clutch he was always in the game. Of If I didn’t mention the ones you already had.
Also, if you take into account who Larry Bird is, and him having the training of today, the medical technology of today, dietitians of today and him having video of players to study their moves and have learned them from the time he was a Kid until being an adult because of TH-cam, with his mentality, desire to be the best and everything he already could do...yeah he could play today. Look at Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. Two of the best in the league right now. Also both have games way more close to Larry Bird's type of game, not like Lebron's type of game. They aren't the muscle bound athletes the way LeBron or KD are. Aren't super fast like Steph, Fox and Kyrie. But they play a very smart game and have the mentality of never give up and always make an effort. Yeah, Larry Bird can not only play today, he would dominate today.
It sounds like you missed it, but James Worthy said (right before Thomas said his piece) that he would much rather guard Michael Jordan than Larry Bird.
@@PixelPro-4000 No. I noticed it was skipped. I've watched a couple dozen reactions to this video. I was just making a comment to Hurrikane when he mentioned Isaiah's dislike of Jordan.
@@PixelPro-4000 I thought that might have been the case. Also, alot of my replies seem to disappear on TH-cam for some reason. My comments don't but replies do.
Isiah wasn't always a good friend to Magic. I lost all respect for Thomas after the way he talked about Earvin after his HIV diagnosis. Johnson had the grace to forgive him years later. That's the major reason he was left off the Dream Team. No one wanted to play with him.
The unathletic statement is stupid because how can you be unathletic and beat everybody in basketball which is an athletic contest. He had a super human motor yet not athletic what the hell does that mean
Athletic physically active and strong; good at athletics or sports: an athletic child. of, like, or befitting an athlete. of or relating to athletes; involving the use of physical skills or capabilities, as strength, agility, or stamina: athletic training.
The idea that Bird couldn’t play defense is a myth perpetuated by people desperate to find something, anything wrong with his game. The idea that he wouldn’t dominate in today’s league is just laughable.
19:26 What’s even crazier about this ending series of shots is that it’s also a popular story of Larry’s legendary trash talk. I forget who’s defending him, but they tell this story, in vivid detail, including the one-footed “kick-in”s. He told this defender exactly what he was going to do, then did it, successfully. After the called-off tie, he told him “I’m gonna go right there, and kick it in,” referring to the center of the three-point line above the free throw. Then, in double overtime, just before the game winner, he said “I’m gonna go back to the same spot and do it again,” referring to where the original shot got called off, and kicking it in. Don’t taunt Bird, he will use your taunts to wreck you.
Larry Bird Made three all defense teams. He led the league in defensive win shares four times he averaged 10 rebounds per game over the course of his entire career. Larry Bird had no weaknesses in his game.
Larry was a 6'10 small forward, I would hope he or anyone for that matter would be able to average 10 rebounds a game. Smh, he had no weaknesses?
Agreed, Bird had no weaknesses-- not even on defense. If you think he is weak on defense, then you are just a hater and don't care about Larry's stats on defense. Stats mean nothing to you . Even if the stats verify his effectiveness as a defend sive player.
@@realhurrikaneisaac No weaknesses whatsoever. That's why so many people called him the best all around player of all time. Michael Jordan publicly acknowledged and agreed with this as well.
That’s simply not true. He was a serviceable defender. Slighty above average. He made the defensive teams in part because of how weak the defenders at the forward position were at that time, but also because he had a really good defensive team that allowed him to free roam instead of guarding other primary offensive players. When he was on an island, he was slow footed and not quite a great on ball guy. He wasn’t a liability but he was not elite.
Right. No weaknesses. Being a “serviceable defender” is not a weakness.
Agree Larry and Magic will always be the two who saved the league.
His passing ability was crazy good
Larry Bird - Top tier jump shooter. Top tier hustle. Top tier rebounder. Top tier free throw shooter. Top tier IQ. Top tier clutch. Top tier 3 pt shooter. Top tier playmaker. Top tier team leader. Top tier passer. Top tier toughness. Great defender and no weaknesses to his game. His opponents feared him, and they have gone on the record in multiple instances to share that.
Bird made all Defense THREE times!!!
Larry's defense was exceptional
Smh, you guys are unbelievable!
@realhurrikaneisaac numbers don't lie. You can't compare goats really ,styles are so different. Maybe clutch and passing Larry was the best, excellent in everything else. Both LeBron and Larry age 30 stats Larry is better in everyone of them. So many greats though.
@@realhurrikaneisaac Please be objective. We aren't just making this stuff up. Check out "Larry Bird is the Word". It has a lot of defensive plays in it.
*servicable
@@kardeef33317numbers lie all the time. Especially when the formula is flawed.
In the SOFT league that is the NBA today, Larry would have a 40 15 13 average. Rule changes, lack of player commitment, a much friendlier competition level and selfish play reflect the weak style of play today. I'm in my 60s I've seen them all play in real time.
Larry's defense is shamefully and vastly underrated!
Well, the league really isn't soft today. It's just not a focus on the big men anymore. The game was played in the low post still. Most teams had big money spent on the big men. The list of 7' players is endless thought Larry's career. Almost every team was putting a 7 foot backline on the court. Now the offense is focused on the shooters. The Warriors still run a version of the Triangle Kerr ran with the Bulls. He has just flipped the triangle and the two scoring options are on the perimeter now. Curry and Thompson firing when open. Back on the Bulls, it was run between MJ and Pippen through the low post where the big men were. Warriors center sets up high post with the Warriors today. Same triangle.
Bird would dominate in today's NBA
He's Jokic light
Larry Bird lead the NBA in defensive win shares three times. I'm shocked he didn't bring that up.
Great reaction again..
Larry Legend..
Larry was legit 6'10...
You're really underrating Bird on defense. He was a good defender, even though he wasn't super athletic, because his anticipation was so good. He got rebounds and steals, and got strong contests, by seeing the play develop and getting to the right place early. He wasn't a world-beater on defense, but he still made the All-Defensive team 3 times, even though he was only the third-best defender on his own team (behind Johnson and McHale, who *_were_* truly elite defenders).
Bird played with phenomenal defenders, which meant that he didn't have to be Rodman on defense. He wasn't a bad defender, but he wasn't on the level of a Jordan, Pippin, Payton, Dominique, Dumars, etc. I would love to know who the rest of the players on those all defense teams were!
@@realhurrikaneisaac Agreed 100% (though I definitely wouldn't put Dominique in a group with Jordan, Pippen, Payton, and Dumars). Bird and McHale have both commented that McHale usually took on the toughest defensive frontcourt assignment. But still, Bird was a good defender. It's not like he was a liability and his teammates had to carry him. Hey, he was a better defender than Magic! And I say that as a Laker fan who hated Bird and loved Magic back in the day... 😆
1981/82 All-Defense:
*_1st Team_*
Michael Cooper
Dennis Johnson
Bobby Jones
Caldwell Jones
Dan Roundfield
*_2nd Team_*
Larry Bird
Quinn Buckner
Sidney Moncrief
Lonnie Shelton
Jack Sikma
1982/83 All-Defense:
*_1st Team_*
Maurice Cheeks
Dennis Johnson
Bobby Jones
Moses Malone
Sidney Moncrief
Dan Roundfield
*_2nd Team_*
Larry Bird
Michael Cooper
T.R. Dunn
Kevin McHale
Tree Rollins
1983/84 All-Defense:
*_1st Team_*
Maurice Cheeks
Michael Cooper
Bobby Jones
Sidney Moncrief
Tree Rollins
*_2nd Team_*
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Larry Bird
T.R. Dunn
Dennis Johnson
Dan Roundfield
It is worth noting that Bird's three All-Defense selections were before McHale became a starter, when Bird was still primarily playing power forward instead of small forward. Also note that Bird was the only Celtics player on the 1981/82 All-Defensive team (1983/84 was Dennis Johnson's first year with Boston).
@@realhurrikaneisaac He doesn't have to be on the same level to be able to have "no weaknesses" in his game. He was a great defender. That's enough, because he also had everything else going for him.
@@realhurrikaneisaac Bird was a much better defender than Dominique. Averaged more blocks and steals.
@@aramhamparian9641blocks and steals don’t make u a great defender. Not a great measuring point.
Bird had no holes in his game. Even made All-Defensive teams. Arguably the greatest all around player ever. H's in my top three. If Bird played in today's soft cupcake league with all the lax rules, no defense, all the spacing, all the three's taken, and all these one-and-done no IQ college guys, Bird would average a thirty point triple double. While playing only the first three quarters.
He had plenty of holes. Small holes but still holes.
@@TheIcemanthomas lol I'm 6 months late, but I just happened to notice you in almost every single comment praising Bird. Is there a reason it seems to be frustrating you so much?
the thing with Magic is maybe he is not considered the GOAT because he got more help... but he looked like the kind of guy that could carry a team and be a GOAT, just like Larry, enhancing the players around him... buy we will never know...
LARRY AND MAGIC saved the NBA from everything I've seen.. The dynamic duo for the NBA.. to me. What I love is that they became friends.. Respect is something I feel this world lacks now.. we need more respect.
Well said!
Yes a complete player as in an all around player (passing, shooting, defensive blocking,steals, IQ, rebounding etc) I agree with you there. You can give whoever you want GOAT status but LEGEND is a whole different animal.
Thank you so much for not being delusional!
Delusional?? Wow. @@realhurrikaneisaac
I’ve got to tell you this was a great reaction video. It was so because of your knowledge of players and the game. I very much enjoyed this. Thank you
I appreciate you, thank you!
@@realhurrikaneisaac lol you’re my all time favorite so far. Don’t get a big head 🤣🤣🤣😂. I’m just kidding. You were also spot on when talking about Magic and then talking about Magic and Bird
Larry and Magic saved the NBA together. On defense I get what you are saying as about one on one defense but there is more than that when you are considering defense.now everyone considers Dennis Rodman as one of the best defenders right. Larry bird had 1556 steals for his career . Rodman had 611. Larry bird had 755 blocks for his career Rodman had 531. Larry bird had 5695 assists Rodman had 1600. Rodman played 911 games and Larry played only 897.Coach knight said Larry bird had the best hand eye coordination of any player he ever saw. There is a video out there that breaks down birds defense. Now I'm not saying that Bird was the best defensive player out there but that his defense is often underrated. Larry is one of the best all around players to ever play the game. His it would lend itself to any era. I enjoy watching your reactions ❤keep up the good work
Larry Bird is the most clutch, followed closely by Jordan. Then a whole lot of space. And then everybody else.
So if your life was on the line, you would pick Larry bird to take the last shot over Steph Curry?
@@realhurrikaneisaac Yes. So would a lot of NBA players, coaches, and commentators.
Definitely!!! Curry JUST shoots 3's well,& in the playoffs,Bird has a higher % than Curry from 3! Curry ain't shooting no floaters,no 20 footers with 2 6'8,6'9 guys IN HIS FACE! Lil Steph is just Pistol Pete with a 3 point line! Bird & Jordan are easily the most clutch shooter of all time! Curry often disappears in big games;Bird & Jordan shone brighter when there was more pressure!
Bird's prime era was more of inside scoring vs today's, but Bird also adapted to sharpshooter later.
If not for Bird's injuries he certainly would be an all around goat.
There IS no ONE goat.....just top candidates.
I don't 'pick' a goat. Whe you get to that level, there are too mamy intangibles to say 'he' is the goat. Goats will find a way to be geat in any era. My favorite player is Larry Bird. He was so much fun to watch. You never knew what he would pull off. Even his off ball skills were fun to watch. He didn't have to score a lot of points to positively affect the game.
It was unbelievable the way Bird could hit shots at the end of games to win or tie a game. It was amazing to behold.
Pat Riley said “ if I had to pick a player score to win the game, I’d pick Jordan. If I had to pick a player to score to save my life, it be Larry.”
Absolute truth !
Both Magic and
Bird saved the
NBA together !
Greatest rivalry
in Sports !
Just like Caitlin Clark is making every girl more money in the WNBA. They ought to be kissing her shoes
He was 3rd overall for DPOY in 1983 lol. Which still landed him in 2nd team all-defence. Nah pre-injuries, Larry was a problem at both ends. Put a 1984 Larry Bird into todays league he'd adapt fast.
Larry was 6'10 and he played the passing lane very well. Being a great defender, is not just playing the passing lane. Can you stay in front of somebody and cause havoc, that's what I mean. I also agree that he would do well in this era!
@realhurrikaneisaac defensive rebounds (8 per game over his career) into outlets, 0.87 blocks p/g over his career, that's more than LeBron btw, 1.8 steals...
He was one steal shy of a quadruple double in 3 quarters, the record at time was 11, he had 9 in 3 quarters. You don't get into the position of easily having time to break a record in steals without being a great defender. I'm not saying he's a 1v1 monster like Rodman or MJ would be, but he was a very good to great defender on top of his obvious offensive presence. A true complete 2 way player, sure he was a bit better offensively but was no slouch on defense, certainly not the liability most these days seem to think.
@@realhurrikaneisaac Larry Bird was a great defender for a number of reasons. Playing the passing lane was just one of them.
@@PixelPro-4000that’s simply not true. He was not as perfect as y’all love to claim. He had flaws just like anyone else.
@@TheIcemanthomas Nobody claimed perfection. Everyone has flaws, some more than others. And some of these people, despite their flaws, rise to the top among their peers.
LARRY LEGEND IS A UNICORN AND THE *TRUE* GOAT!!! 🐐 ☘️
You are unbelievable wrong about him as a defender. He averaged 10 boards and 1.8 steals per game for his entire career. He was a menace on defense and he made three all NBA Defensive Teams. Everyone thinks they know certain parts of his game. He's also one of the greatest post players to ever stand on the block. There's a vid out there on his post play and it's insane. No one could stop him in the post one on one. They all got embarrased. John Salley has been out there lately talking about what it was like to try and guard Larry in the post. When these older greats say it, people should believe them.
This is true. His defensive play was very good. Just look above. He wasn't like Rodman on a 1 to 1 play, but he did so many different things on defense that made him a good defensive player. Look at his defensive stats.
Nobody could stop Bird in the post really huh! So he could post up Olajuwon, Ewing, Shaq? I know you love the guy, but come on.
@@realhurrikaneisaac Yes. And he did (not Shaq, because they didn't play together). He also won a jump ball against Olajuwon. It's not because of his speed or jumping ability, but because of his brain. He knew where to be and what to do ahead of time, all of the time.
@@PixelPro-4000 Facts. He should react to Larry Bird's Greatest Game. Where he was embarrassing Hakeem and the entire Houston team in game 6 of the 1986 finals when Bird sealed the win, and took home series MVP. . And Olajuwon is in my top 10.
@@realhurrikaneisaacNot Hakeem and Shaq, but a fadeaway is still unguardable unless you’re shooting against some 7’7” demigod, and hell yes he made Ewing look like a joke.
Larry made three all defense teams
My dads a die hard basketball fan still watches today and was in his 20s when Larry was in his prime,never missed a game, and whenever I’d say something about him being to slow for todays game he’d always point out “You can’t move faster then the ball.”
Agreed, and they usually do say it was Larry AND Magic that saved the league back then, and I agree with it - and now the two are best of friends
There's a good video - The Best Larry Bird Versus Luka Doncic Story Ever Told.
Still the only person inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame as a player, a coach, and an executive...
Larry Bird made me a Celtics fan in 1980 and I live in Missouri. I watched Bird play from his first game in the league till his last. Larry was the BEST all-round player the league has ever known. He was dangerous on offence, defense, passing, re-bounds, even behind the glass, everything. Larry did things routinely that other players could only dream of doing or having nightmares about. Larry played hurt with injuries that would sideline today's player for half a season. I loved watching him and Magic play. They were such competitors they brought out the best in the other and they loved it. These two became the fiercest of friends to this day. Once Larry and Magic were gone, I stopped following the NBA, what was the use everyone worth watching was gone, but that's just me. There are goats, but there is only ONE legend, and his name is Larry Bird. I give you Magics own words, "To the greatest basketball player ever, but more important, a friend forever".
2 of the championships were against the Lakers, the other was against the Rockets
8:22 Larry led the NBA in Defensive Win Shares 4 times !
and second twice !
DWS is a stat dominated by legendary Centers and Power Forwards.
Yes, Bird was an elite defender.
As I understand it, defense is about preventing the opposing team from scoring.
Offense is about scoring more than them.
*Opposing teams scored **_less_** when Bird was on the court.*
1v1 Defense affects the one player that is being guarded by a player. Team defense affects the entire opposing team, not just one opponent.
DWS (Defensive Win Share) statistics compute the effect that an individual player has on the opposing team's ability to score while he was on the court.
Bird *led* the league 4 seasons. In Top 10 in each of his first 8 seasons. [1980-1987] Second place twice.
(1st, 1st, 2nd, 5th, 1st, 2nd, 1st, 6th)
☘️ Larry Legend 🙂
(1987 - 1990 seasons Olajuwon led the league)
when you said who is that at 1:30 that is Pistol Pete , one of the greatest College players ever who's Pro career by bad luck & injury just did not produce the kind of Career you would of exspected based on his time in college.
Averaged 44.2 points in college before the 3 point line
Bird would dominate today's game! There is NO D now! "Ppl are taller;Pt.guards are taller"??? Not even! Height of Americans peaked in the 80s & 90s & leveled off since 2000.
A complete player is one that doesn't really have a weak area in any part of the game. Concerning Larry, Jordan said he didn't have any weaknesses in his game. Wilt said Larry was the "most correct" player, speaking of his playing.
Dominique Wilkins said, "In a half court scenario Larry was evil. You couldn't beat him." I take that to mean Larry wasn't the fastest running the full court but otherwise he didn't have any part of his game that could be exploited. Meaning, no weak spot.
Problem is he DID have some weak points. Just none that made him a liability.
The reason he says most difficult is because back then making it out of the Eastern conference was what was so hard. You had the 76ers, the nicks the Hawks, the Pistons the bulls. And by the way, Jordan never won a single playoff game against the Celtics when Bird was there.
Did Bird and Jordan meet when they were both in their primes? Or was it during MJ's first couple of years. Did Bird outplay Jordan in their 1 on 1 match ups and did Bird have a much better team than Jordan in the early years?
@@realhurrikaneisaac Not only that, Bird faced Jordan and Pippen IN THEIR PRIMES, while Bird had a broken back, and after two achilles surgeries... and consistently beat them.
@@PixelPro-4000 Jordan's prime years were in the 90s. You know as well as I know that Bird wasn't beating Jordan in the playoffs during his prime. I'm not talking about the regular season, I'm talking about the playoffs in both of their primes. Jordan was not in his prime when he lost to Bird in the playoffs. What's the point of getting on here and lying just because you identify with someone and you love them above everyone else. The last time Bird made the finals was in 1987 and the last time he got to the conference finals was in 88 smh. Jordan ran the 1990s.
@@realhurrikaneisaac I didn't lie. Neither of them played each other in the playoffs during their prime. You asked about their match ups. You did not say playoffs. However, what I said was true. When Bird played Jordan in Jordan's prime, he consistently won. This is not bias. You're making my statements into something you perceive to be something that they are not. You really don't need to do that.
Seems like Luka and Jokic do well enough guarding people in today's NBA and NEITHER is half the overall defender Bird was
the guys that ran the nba used magic and bird to save the nba they put them back to back playing ball
I believe Bird would have adapted to this era. With players hanging around the perimeter waiting for a three pointer, Bird would have have been dangerous. The three was introduced in his rookie year. If he had been practicing threes right out of diapers, like they do today, and his ability to drive to the basket and with his mid range shot, he'd be hard to stop.
I can agree!
The commentator mentioned Bird and Magic saved the league. Like you said and Bird and Magic said, you can't mention one without the other. Like Peanut Butter and Jelly.
Facts!
@@realhurrikaneisaac Yes. It was the rivalry between the two, and both of their immense talents that captured the attention of everybody and drew a lot of sponsorships to the NBA.
Here is a list of 11 categories.
Bird is the only player in NBA history in the top 250 players in each category and is in the top 60 of all time in 7 of the 11 categories.
Overall FG%
2 Pt. FG%
3 Pt. FG%
Pointers per game
Assists per game
Free Throw %
Rebounds per game
Steals per game
Blocks per game
Minutes per game
Percent of games won that they played in.
That is why Bird is the BEST all-around player in NBA history.
Other players have holes in their games, whether it's 3 pt shooting, foul shooting, rebounds, assists.
Bird had no holes.
Apparently you’ve missed a most important statistic about Bird. Find and watch Larry’s passing video. Then you’ll know why he’s the GOAT. I’m from Chicago and love Michael and the 90’s Bulls, but Jordan never beat Bird.
If you haven't already done so, you need to watch the documentary "A Courtship of Rivals". In that it is acknowledged that both Larry and Magic saved the NBA.
Part 1 - th-cam.com/video/bj7gVxLCxfc/w-d-xo.html
Part 2 - th-cam.com/video/kgm5Bax80xY/w-d-xo.html
@@realhurrikaneisaac When are you putting out part 3 and/or 4?
@@judyhuurman1237 Very soon
Legend and Magic! They brought the east the west coast, and the world to the NBA!
He was good at defense as well. He had been named 1st or 2nd team all defensive player several times.
The thing is, if Magic isn't the goat, then Bird has to be better than magic to be the goat. Magic has already said many times why Larry gets the edge and that's his shooting ability. Magic's MVP of the finals and Bird's worst to 1st performance as rookies proved their leadership ability right from the start. The grit and determination of the '81 ECF to knock off Dr J and the powerhouse 76ers. The shootout vs Nique, the steal vs Pistons, the countless regular season games he took over in the 4th quarter and there was nothing anyone in the league could do about it. These are the things that make Bird the goat, not stats. 1 missed shot changes everything?
Magic and Larry did say the NBA. They made each other better and their teams.❤
That ball fake at the line was the original showman "Pistol" Pete Maravich. The moves and techniques he created in the 70's have been borrowed by the best players in later generations. There are plenty of youtube videos on the Pistol, the most talented and imaginative guard ever.
Y’all really just act like Bob Cousy didn’t exist huh? There would be no Cousy if not for the Houdini of the hardwood.
Might want to look up Larry Birds career defense rating.... it's better than the top defensive rating so far this year 😂😂😂
wilt told jordan they changed they changed the rules so i could not dominate, they changed the league so so could. magic called him the best player ever..
Larry and Magic built each other and together they rebuilt the NBA..
Player’s seem only faster because today they Don’t play defense
Lmao, I love you guys!
I believe Bird would have it easier in this era. Less defense against him, less physical contact, and the benefit of modern medicine and physical training.
Jordan #1,Bird #2,Hakeem #3
Someone made a comparison of heights and weights of players from the 1980’s to the players of today 6’7” and 208 was avg size of 1980’s players today 6’7” 218lbs. Players of today have better Nutrition and workout with personal trainers. 1980’s had lots of players who were just a built physically as any players of today. Kevin Durant is a phenomenal player but Dominique Wilkins of the 80’s was as ripped as anyone on the present NBA
Bird/Jordan 1a/1b best basketball players of all time.
The foootwork @ 19:05 is phenomenal.
Magic didn't need to score to the degree Bird did. LA had guys who could score, just get them the ball, which is what Magic did. Kareem, Worthy and Scott could shoot.
I respect it!
When You Say Larry Couldn't Do Well In "Defense" In The Game Now,,,ha ha ha ha ha. There Is No Defense In Todays Game. All I See Is Flopping & You Sure Can't Touch Anyone Today. I Seen Bird In a Interview And This Was Before He Became A Coach. He Was Asked Would He Like To Coach When He Is Done Playing & He Said; No Not Really BUT If He Ever Did He Would Only Sign Up To Do It For 3-Years BECAUSE He Believes If A Coach Can Really Do Anything With A Team It Should Only Take 3-Years. And True To His Word He Only Signed & Coached For 3-Years. And As For The Malice Palace Thing, No He Was Not Coaching Then & He Did Comment That He Was Not Happy With How They All Acted. The Video Guy Did Talk About Magic & Bird Making BB What It Is Today, Maybe You Missed That Part.?. Jordan Is Great BUT It Took Jordan 7-Years To Win His 1st Ring & It Only Took Larry His 2nd Year. Also You Have To Look At All The Stacked Teams Larry Played Against In The 80's & Then Look At What Jordan Played Against. Also Jordan Was Finally Able To Beat A Lot Of The 80's Players EXCEPT 1, Yep Bird. It Was Harder For Bird In The 80's & Other Top Players To Win Because Pretty Much Every Team Had A Few Great Players On It. Remember Jordan Came In 1984-85. Jordan's Problem Was That He Didn't Learn How To Be A "TEAM" Player Until The 90's. Bird Walked Into NBA As Team Player & Leader. Bird Could Have Had Bigger Scoring #'s But He Would Set Up Plays/Pass To His Team-Players. If You Ever Notice Bird Had "Point Guard" Skills Because Of His IQ & Passing.
Career numbers,Larry leads Magic by about 4000 points.😊
About the most unreal statistic is number one and number two in all-time winning percentage is Magic and Larry Larry's in second by less than half of 100th of a percent
@@tonyduncan7710 Check for yourself.
Career numbers, Magic leads Bird by about 4,446 assists. 😅
@@realhurrikaneisaac And yeah magic was a point guard too big difference. But man, if you looked at my comments I was praising you on how much I enjoyed your very first video I've seen you post. I know basketball inside and out. In fact, I know a lot of the backstories about bird that you won't hear from anybody else. I really liked your reaction on that video. It was fair and pretty much agreed with everything you said, But I'm the furthest thing from a racist there ever was and I know basketball as well as anybody. That's just my opinion and you got to admit it was pretty easy being a point guard with the crew that magic had running up and down the floor
@@realhurrikaneisaac Better check again.
Magic Johnson has the highest winning percentage in the LEAGUE‼️ Bird is behind him by a half of a percent .5%. Thus, Magic definitely belongs in the conversation of GOAT.
Top five most clutch, in my opinion (alphabetical order, not ranked):
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Larry Bird
Kobe Bryant
Michael Jordan
Jerry West
that was Pistol Pete!
Thank you!
Larry Bird is the complete
player … the greatest all
around player in NBA history !
Bird was named all defense
three times and averaged
more defensive rebounds
and blocks than lebron james
does now !
And , you can’t name one
Player better than Bird in 2
out of 5 categories, shooting,
passing , rebounding , free
throws and 3 pointers ! Bird
is better than lebron James
in all five !
I hate to say it but I used to love LeBron. He's pretty much turned into a bum a whining flopping a crybaby that is not 1/5 as good as bird was in the clutch
Larry is my all-time favorite player hands down. He came up with something new every night. Other players didn't do that. They played the same game. Bird did something unique every time he played
If Luca can do it, Larry can do it
Larry would find a way
Rick Carlisle was coaching when miles to the palace happened
Jordan never beat Larry. Again, Larry made three All Defense team honors. He was a good defender.
I hate when y’all say that with no context as if their teams were on equal footing.
@@TheIcemanthomas I agree. Jordan and Bird were not on equal footing. Their primes did not coincide. Jordan faced Bird in the playoffs while Bird was in his prime, and Bird won. Bird faced Jordan in regular seasons while Jordan was in his prime, but Bird was past his prime with a broken back and post-foot surgeries, and Bird consistently won in those match-ups. It would have been amazing to see them both in their prime simultaneously. But in context, Bird generally won regardless of which player was in their prime at the time they played against each other.
That was Pistol Pete Maravich.
Agreed totally about bird and magic sharing props for saving the league. I've actually used the Biggie/Tupac comparison myself before, it's a ying/yang thing really.
When it comes to the who's better of the two, I always go to what Elgin Baylor said. I mean you'd forgive him for a laker bias lol but he actually gave Larry the edge. He basically said they were the same player but Larry had a 3 ball. Seems fair enough to me 🤷♂️
When it comes to the goat I don't even bother. I reckon most of us could agree a top ten and tbh it depends on how I'm feeling the day you ask me who's the greatest. Although MJ probably gets it more of the time than the others 😂😂😂
Beautifully said!
The one thing that distinguishes Bird from other players is he had the confidence to trash-talk his opponent and tell him exactly what he was going to do and Bird still couldn't be stopped. I don't think even Michael Jordan did that.
If you talk to the goats. They have goats. We need to say there have been a lot of great players, and the game needed them all.
Larry Bird could steal, block, rebound, cut off passing lanes and box people out in the post.
He wasn't fast enough to keep up with pg's like Kevin Johnson or John Stockton.
But he could guard every other position player on the court.
He could make a guy like Manute Bol (Rip), Bol Bol's father who played that era (7'7, I think still the tallest in NBA history) look silly, he could rebound against guys like Olajawon, Ewing, Rodman, Kareem,. Laimbeer, Oakley.
No holes means he could do everything asked of him. Even if he wasn't as fast as another player, he would still put in every last bit of effort to make them earn a basket. He didn't take plays off. You wouldn't see him standing still at half court 5-6 times a game waiting for the team to get back on offense while not helping on defense. Something that honestly plagues the NBA today. Too many prima donnas who think they can coast by on 50% effort and 50% of games until the playoffs.
It is the one frustrating thing I think a lot of us older fans see and it drives us nuts. The All Star game this past season was a perfect example of it being non-competitive and these guys insulting the fans with a lack of effort to actually play the game. It was one long warm up drill.
Too many guys are afraid of being dunked on now. That it will ruin their brand and legacy if someone gets a dunk on them.
Nobody is going to say Jordan or Bryant or Magic or Bird have a tarnished legacy because someone got a dunk on them. It is one play.
Yes, his offensive game was even more unstoppable because he could pass and shoot from anywhere and hit nearly 90% of his free throws.
That is what it means to have no holes in someone's game. There is no lack of effort. There is no giving up. It is being able to play smart, work hard and be willing to do more than the other guy to win.
Just a point to something you said, they said he helped save basketball not he saved basketball. Great video thanks for sharing I'll be looking for your next video
Jokic is slow and plays just like Bird so yes Larry would be huge even in today’s game plus the league is so soft today fowls would just kill people trying to guard him. Bird shut Jordan down 3-0 in back to back years in the playoffs. Founding member of 50/40/90 club and was 50/40/90 for I believe 4 or 5 straight years.
You are correct with what you say about Bird in today’s era but think about how Luka and Dirk have done in this era and both are as slow or slower than Bird and nether one can hold a candle stick to how good Bird was. Just saying
My Top 10 includes some variation of MJ, Russell, Bird, Magic, Wilt, Dr. J, Kareem, Lebron, Kobe, Duncan
I agree that Larry and Magic saved the NBA together, but I think he just said in this video because it's a video making the case for Bird. But you are a 100 percent correct that neither of them alone could have done it.
to me it's like all sports evolve. You can't compare sports from 35 years ago to sports today.. The level of competition changes.. The Olympics are coming up... Michael Phelps.. the true GOAT of the pool with like 22 gold medals and so on.. his records are being destroyed now. Simone Biles.. her level of talent winning gold is completely different than any woman in the history of gymnastics winning gold.. Every sport changes and as good as they were back in the day... That was the level of competition.. the level has changed. Not taking anything away from the greats .. nothing but respect .. but it's just different now in all sports..
I am old dude, i watch all of them live. Here is my score about GOAT conversation. For me The GOAT is Jordan, follow by Kobe, and Bird and Magic i put both in 3th place.
Don't forget that Lari and Magic saved NBA, but that was domestic, Jordan make the sport worldwide famous. About Lari, he left NBA because his friend Magic had to stop play. Was not the same without Magic. Those two really love and respect each other like brothers. Magic always cry when he talk about how Lari call him first to check how he is. Consider this, Lari call Magic before even his teammates.
Larry a demon like Kobe .
Lots of goats, only one legend!
Luka scored 73,& he's not only nearly 4 inches shorter than Bird,he's slower! If Luka scores 73,Bird would score 90! He also didn't shoot a 3 til his rookie season! He didn't grow up shooting 3's in Jr.High,High School & college,so that muscle memory wasn't programmed in until his 4th or 5th season,when he shot 41.7% over 5 yrs!
Larry Bird was one of the best on defense! He out rebounded Ewing. They are including defense in the claim.
At the beginning it showed a one step layup, you asked how was that? It was “Pistol” Pete Maravich, not many good pro highlights, but his LSU College Mix Tape is worth watching.
Don't know about bigger faster players giving him that much of a problem never gave he went against players. Who fit that description when he played and there are several players less athletic than Bird doing very well in the. League today
The only way to compare Labron to Larry is at Labron's 13th season as that's how long Larry played, Labron has longevity
Larry was like a bolio pitbull .
He could quick think fast .
MJ never beat Larry. The Legend swept MJ in two playoffs.
i'm a celtics fan but i always include magic with bird when it comes to saving the nba. the nba wouldn't be where it is now if bird and magic hadn't come along when they did.
That's all I'm trying to say!
I absolutely agree with your point that Michael Jordan possesses the best resume of any player in NBA history. He accomplished incredible feats! I would point out, there is one gaping hole in that resume. His lack of team achievement early in his career. Simultaneously, those early lack of success coincides with a dominant Larry Bird prime. Thus, those of us that witnessed not only consecutive sweeps in the first round of the playoffs, at the hands of Birds Celtics. But even into Birds later years, when Jordan had Pippen, Bird always seemed to better Jordan head to head . That blemish on Jordan's resume opens the door for the discussion of who was truly the more impactful overall player.
One other quick point. Your reason Bird would have difficulty in today's NBA. And your statement the game would be "too quick for Bird". I agree that today's game is much faster. I don't care how fast it becomes! Just as no player will ever be as fast as a pass, no pass or player can exceed the speed of the mind! With Bird, we are talking about a player that was thinking three steps ahead of EVERYONE else on the court. I argue even today's game would struggle to keep up with Bird!
It’s so hard to have a top 5 clutch but I am going to throw some names at you. Reggie Miller, MJ, Jerry West and Robert Horry. Now I know Horry is far from being a great but when it came to clutch he was always in the game. Of If I didn’t mention the ones you already had.
Robert Horry being named was a shocker, but I understand that he hit alot of big shots!
Magic is top 3. Bird, MJ and Magic the order is debatable.
Also, if you take into account who Larry Bird is, and him having the training of today, the medical technology of today, dietitians of today and him having video of players to study their moves and have learned them from the time he was a Kid until being an adult because of TH-cam, with his mentality, desire to be the best and everything he already could do...yeah he could play today.
Look at Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. Two of the best in the league right now. Also both have games way more close to Larry Bird's type of game, not like Lebron's type of game. They aren't the muscle bound athletes the way LeBron or KD are. Aren't super fast like Steph, Fox and Kyrie.
But they play a very smart game and have the mentality of never give up and always make an effort.
Yeah, Larry Bird can not only play today, he would dominate today.
he made first team all defensive team
Thomas didn't like Jordan, but he was good friends with Magic.
It sounds like you missed it, but James Worthy said (right before Thomas said his piece) that he would much rather guard Michael Jordan than Larry Bird.
@@PixelPro-4000 No. I noticed it was skipped. I've watched a couple dozen reactions to this video. I was just making a comment to Hurrikane when he mentioned Isaiah's dislike of Jordan.
@@johnmckinnon420 Sorry for the confusion. I didn't mean you. It was in response to Kane, but I don't see the message here anymore.
@@PixelPro-4000 I thought that might have been the case. Also, alot of my replies seem to disappear on TH-cam for some reason. My comments don't but replies do.
Isiah wasn't always a good friend to Magic. I lost all respect for Thomas after the way he talked about Earvin after his HIV diagnosis. Johnson had the grace to forgive him years later. That's the major reason he was left off the Dream Team. No one wanted to play with him.
They needed a great white player, for the white fans.
Exactly!
The player you asked about was none other than Pistol Pete Maravitch
The unathletic statement is stupid because how can you be unathletic and beat everybody in basketball which is an athletic contest. He had a super human motor yet not athletic what the hell does that mean
Athletic physically active and strong; good at athletics or sports: an athletic child. of, like, or befitting an athlete. of or relating to athletes; involving the use of physical skills or capabilities, as strength, agility, or stamina: athletic training.
The idea that Bird couldn’t play defense is a myth perpetuated by people desperate to find something, anything wrong with his game. The idea that he wouldn’t dominate in today’s league is just laughable.
Larry would be better today than back than the defense of the NBA is way to soft the golden years of the NBA is 80's and 90's decades where brutal