Epic Jordan vs Bird Game - Larry Bird gets BULLIED & Michael Jordan DOMINATES!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.พ. 2025
- Jordan vs Bird, 1 on 1, the dream match-up. They even made an old school video game about it. From a team comparison standpoint, the match-up did not happen under fair & even conditions in the playoffs. It could have, if lady luck wasn't on Larry's side with avoiding MJ in the playoffs from 1988 until he retired. Bird had an All-Star cast of teammates, and by the time Jordan was able to develop his young sidekicks (Pippen & Grant), Larry could no longer make deep runs in the playoffs. Larry wasn't there to pass the torch, he was gone fishing.
This notion that Larry magically made his teams "better" than Michael made his teams, was and is still absolute nonsense. It's fairytale talk, that's welcomed from Larry Bird fans, because that's their guy. In reality though, Michael was the better athlete, defender, could create a wider variety of passes, and a better scorer. There really wasn't anything Larry Bird could do, that Michael couldn't do better, other than shoot 3's... and they didn't shoot many 3's in that era, so take that advantage with a grain of context. Jordan was always better.
For further context on our stance with the greatest small forward of all time, Larry Bird: Larry was better than Magic because Larry was a better defender & Larry could hit a wider variety of shots from virtually anywhere on the court. Which means, if you remove Larry from his team, and remove Magic from his team, Larry would see more success because he can accomplish more on his own. Passers like Magic naturally rely more on the talent around them... but we added this legends comparison for context. We don't hate Larry Bird here, and respect his greatness...
But he was NEVER on Jordan's level, he just brought the bigger tougher gang to the school yard for the throwdown after school. It was an unfair fight, and everyone knows it. Jordan might have won 72 games, in the 80's, with Larry Bird's supporting cast. We never saw MJ with a quality front line. How do you possibly beat that?
Some might say MJ's 80's teammates had more success at handing him losses than his 1990's opponents.
This Jordan vs Bird contest from 1988 would have been a frequent scene, in the playoffs, had Larry Bird not so luckily avoided MJ from '88 and on. Enjoy!
(1987-88 Season)
TIMESTAMPS:
5:48 - Game begins
5:57 - Robert Parish dunk
6:26 - MJ works through traffic for the bucket
8:07 - MJ post-up hang time turnaround jumper
9:38 - Dennis Johnson jumper (wet)
10:05 - MJ crossover on DJ & layup around Bird
10:19 - MJ deep post-up on DJ
10:58 - MJ jumper
11:35 - Kevin McHale running 1 hander
11:50 - MJ bail out jumper
12:03 - MJ blocks McHale
12:55 - Parish turnaround jumper over Charles Oakley
13:12 - Jim Paxson jumper
13:35 - Brad Lohaus fadeaway jumper over Dave Corzine
14:11 - Horace Grant jumper over Lohaus
16:05 - Scottie Pippen air ball free throw
17:39 - Bird fadeaway over Pippen
17:54 - Pippen clamps Bird
18:41 - Michael Jordan fadeaway over 2 defenders
18:52 - Bird jumper over Pippen
19:00 - Pippen layup and 1
19:38 - Grant turnaround fadeaway jumper over McHale
19:55 - Bird jumper over Pippen
20:05 - MJ inside out dribble past DJ & layup past Bird
20:30 - Bird baseline jumper
21:50 - MJ crossover & jumper over Bird
23:41 - McHale post jump hook
26:01 - Bird blocks Grant from behind
28:11 - Danny Ainge transition jumper
28:54 - Dennis Johnson jumper
29:00 - Jordan baseline layup over Bird
29:26 - Ainge 3 point jumper
30:01 - Ainge baseline jumper
30:17 - McHale post-up hook over Oakley
30:28 - Jordan drives past McHale & layup over Parish
32:28 - Ainge 3 point jumper (wet)
35:25 - Pippen transition pull up jumper
35:35 - McHale post up scoop shot around Grant
35:42 - Artis Gilmore thwarts Pippen's dunk attempt
36:48 - Gilmore dunks on Corzine
37:03 - McHale blocks Grant's fadeaway attempt
37:24 - Jim Paxson and 1 floater over John Paxson
38:30 - Michael Jordan reverse pivot & great escape layup (From Michael Jordan Come Fly With Me)
38:42 - Jim Paxson baseline jumper
38:49 - Michael Jordan secures the loose ball & hits baseline jumper over Larry Bird
39:14 - Larry Bird layup
39:21 - Michael Jordan layup in traffic
39:31 - Bird lefty hook around Sellers
39:56 - Bird hits the floor hard & loses his temper on the ref
41:04 - Michael Jordan crossover on McHale & finger roll layup (Long crowd pop)
42:07 - Larry Bird jumper (wet)
42:16 - MJ utilizes the give & go to beat the double team & facial dunk on Mark Acres (crowd pop)
42:32 - Michael Jordan dunk in traffic
43:07 - Larry Bird contested jumper
43:15 - Danny Ainge for 3
43:35 - Kevin McHale hook over 2 defenders
44:18 - Michael Jordan 3 point jumper to close the show
Michael Jordan greatest games series playlist (games in chronological order here): • Michael Jordan's Great...
For those of you who say MJ did not win until Pippen joined the team, this one game destroys that argument.
WOW! I appreciate you so much for uploading and sharing these rare 80's MJ games. I never previously saw any games before 1990.
Mj in 88 would average 47 ppg today
Pippen took at least 3 years to become the Scottie we love. Jordan was always amazing with or with out Scottie. Grant was better then Pippen when they came out
TIMESTAMPS:
5:48 - Game begins
5:57 - Robert Parish dunk
6:26 - MJ works through traffic for the bucket
8:07 - MJ post-up hang time turnaround jumper
9:38 - Dennis Johnson jumper (wet)
10:05 - MJ crossover on DJ & layup around Bird
10:19 - MJ deep post-up on DJ
10:58 - MJ jumper
11:35 - Kevin McHale running 1 hander
11:50 - MJ bail out jumper
12:03 - MJ blocks McHale
12:55 - Parish turnaround jumper over Charles Oakley
13:12 - Jim Paxson jumper
13:35 - Brad Lohaus fadeaway jumper over Dave Corzine
14:11 - Horace Grant jumper over Lohaus
16:05 - Scottie Pippen air ball free throw
17:39 - Bird fadeaway over Pippen
17:54 - Pippen clamps Bird
18:41 - Michael Jordan fadeaway over 2 defenders
18:52 - Bird jumper over Pippen
19:00 - Pippen layup and 1
19:38 - Grant turnaround fadeaway jumper over McHale
19:55 - Bird jumper over Pippen
20:05 - MJ inside out dribble past DJ & layup past Bird
20:30 - Bird baseline jumper
21:50 - MJ crossover & jumper over Bird
23:41 - McHale post jump hook
26:01 - Bird blocks Grant from behind
28:11 - Danny Ainge transition jumper
28:54 - Dennis Johnson jumper
29:00 - Jordan baseline layup over Bird
29:26 - Ainge 3 point jumper
30:01 - Ainge baseline jumper
30:17 - McHale post-up hook over Oakley
30:28 - Jordan drives past McHale & layup over Parish
32:28 - Ainge 3 point jumper (wet)
35:25 - Pippen transition pull up jumper
35:35 - McHale post up scoop shot around Grant
35:42 - Artis Gilmore thwarts Pippen's dunk attempt
36:48 - Gilmore dunks on Corzine
37:03 - McHale blocks Grant's fadeaway attempt
37:24 - Jim Paxson and 1 floater over John Paxson
38:30 - Michael Jordan reverse pivot 7 great escape layup (From Michael Jordan Come Fly With Me)
38:42 - Jim Paxson baseline jumper
38:49 - Michael Jordan secures the loose ball & hits baseline jumper over Larry Bird
39:14 - Larry Bird layup
39:21 - Michael Jordan layup in traffic
39:31 - Bird lefty hook around Sellers
39:56 - Bird hits the floor hard & loses his temper on the ref
41:04 - Michael Jordan crossover on McHale & finger roll layup (Long crowd pop)
42:07 - Larry Bird jumper (wet)
42:16 - MJ utilizes the give & go to beat the double team & facial dunk on Mark Acres (crowd pop)
42:32 - Michael Jordan dunk in traffic
43:07 - Larry Bird contested jumper
43:15 - Danny Ainge for 3
43:35 - Kevin McHale hook over 2 defenders
44:18 - Michael Jordan 3 point jumper to close the show
Legends battle, and 🐐comes out on top. Larry's lucky he avoided MJ from 88 and on, or more ass whoopins like this were waiting for him, in the playoffs.
Jordan was icing his wrist at the end of the game. maybe he hurt his wrist from DUNKING too hard? Anyway, what a game! This is a classic!
Bruce, You are so right about Jordan vs Bird.
I am so greatful for your videos and your amazing knowledge about 80s basketball 😄
I didn’t remember that Pippen struggled so much shooting free throws when he started in the NBA. 🤔
That lets you know that there is no excuse for being a bad free throw shooter…you just have to put in the work.
With all due respect to everyone who is playing, but what you see in this game is a player who is completely different from everyone else.
Much, much higher level.
Your Intro Comment Nails It... The Mike Never Beat Larry in Playoffs Narrative is Such an Ignorant, Space Cadet Statement. Whoever says That, Has No Acumen About The NBA or Basketball Period... Switch Them At That Time Period....See What Happens... Larry Was A Better Passer Though. And IQ was Insane. Better Than Lebron's By Miles. Lebron's IQ? The Mistakes He Made and Makes Are Crazy, IQ? These Kids Talk but don't Know Real Basketball... Mike Took a Team of Rubble, Stuck With it. Made it an Empire. He Made Scottie, Scottie. And That's All He Had. Hello?... And Pippen Still Wasn't An All-Star in '91... To Win The First Chip... LeBron Left To Miami...Umm What Happened? Jordan Will Always Be My Number 1. Bird 2.... Yup.
This is one of the best games Ib have ever seen!!
Love old school competitive games.
Stadium crowd goes crazy as Bulls pummel the great Celtics!
It's difficult seeing Scottie Pippen play horribly in his rookie year. He was nervous but his instincts and raw talent was emerging.
24:15 we got Rick Rolled!
I remember this game. I watched it myself. The Paxson boys and Pippin and Grant, Bird and Dennis Johnson, But Dave Corzenn
Every time I watch these videos. I see mj perform moves I’d never seen before.
@ 39:55 Is one of the WORST FOUL CALLS in NBA history! No wonder Bird was furious and swearing at ref! 😂
This notion where bird helped his team for the better more than another player is A ridiculous argument because even bird will tell you Jordan was better physically gifted player And B, it’s a stupid totally opinionated question to begin with as rings don’t lie but I thought bird was a better passer Which made his team look better.
Today's "nba" players couldn't have handled the physical play of yesteryear
Michael jordan
where are the Celtics fan at!