Why Larry Bird is UNDERRATED
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
- A breakdown of some of the more under-appreciated aspects of Larry Bird's game.
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#NBA #LarryBird #Celtics
Who's a player that basically everyone thinks is great, but you STILL think is underrated??
CORRECTION: In the video, I said that Larry Bird was 3/4 in 3 point contests. Some pages online say that he participated in the 1990 contest, but he actually ended up being a scratch because he was injured that year. So in reality, he was UNDEFEATED in the 3 point contest, while Hodges was 3/8. Even more impressive after all.
wilt, kg
Shaq
Alex English from Nuggets imo
Duncan, Hakeem
Kareem, Baylor, Petrovic, Oscar Smith, Sabonis
Bird's rebounding is even more impressive when you consider he was sharing the front court with McHale and Parrish. Parrish averaged as many as 12.5 rebounds and Mchale averaged 8-9 rebounds during his prime.
Excellent point that I've never heard anyone else say
This is heavily overlooked by most! Facts
Nah brother ill do you one better I'll tell you why he was a great rebounder the league back then was a much more shallow game than it is now meaning that all the rebounds are above the rim meaning you have to peel off people to go get the ball above the rim with body contact on you in close quarters..... you don't have any of this Russell Westbrook chase the ball down like a little munchkin at the Willy Wonka factory and getting it off the ground crap and call yourself one of the best rebounders ever LOL you had to go up against grown ass men and then come down with it that's what made him great. That's what made them all great from Moses to rodman to Russell to Wilt when they did it rebounding was a man's job not a game of Easter egg hunt like it is is today
Good point
@@REXX399 Found a jerker
His defence is definitely super underrated, and his rebounding was incredible. He has a higher rebounding average than most centres.
I guess the right comparison for him on defense is current Draymond (not as athletic but high IQ and consistently makes right decisions) and his rebounding to Kevin Love (good at boxing out and anticipation despite being undersized compared to usual bigs and not nearly as athletic too).
He grabbed more rebounds per game than Patrick Ewing for example
“centres” my favorite basketball position
@@spaghettisauce445 believe it or not, "centre" is also a correct spelling
maybe people confused magics bad defense with birds
As someone who has had a similar back injury to Bird, I can honestly say I have no idea how he played at all, let alone to the incredible level he did. That injury massively impacted both his longevity and ability to play to his full potential in the games he did play. It's one of the great "what ifs?" in NBA history. Larry's toughness is off the charts.
Had quite a few friends think Larry was underrated and they used similar points as you did. Good video, there are a lot of people that agree with this
For me, there are 2 things that put Bird in front of Magic on my all time list.
1. Bird played in a thougher conference during his career, having to face teams like the 76ers of Erving, Malone and Barkley, the Bucks of Moncrief, Cummings and Marques Johnson, the Bad Boys, Jordan’s Bulls (before their peak, but they were a very good team anyway) or the Hawks of Wilkins. The fact that the Celtics had to face two or even three of these teams every year and still made 5 finals is astounding.
2. Bird’s ability to perform and deliver in the clutch was incredible. The amount of people that faced him and tell stoires of him saying where he was gonna get the ball at the buzzer and score is amazing, and even Pat Riley saying the Lakers got lucky when he missed a game winner in game 4 of the 1987 finals is a testament of his calibre as a clutch performer.
It’s a shame his back and ankles slowed him down a lot in his final years. He was a treat to watch.
@@mezzb I love this! I've always thought Magic and Bird should actually be tied or together on list because league wise it was an incredible dual impact and the ultimate team players. I also think they're top 3 with Jordan ahead of both, and I always alternate between Bird and Magic as number 2. Currently I gave Bird the edge ironically in defense after watching Thinking Basketball and Bballbreakdown. Lebron mentally to me is not as tough as Jordan and Bird.
Thanks for that
I could be wrong it I think Pat Reily also said he’d let MJ take any game winning shot for him but if it’s for his life he’d pick Larry. I thought it was cool
Remember though that Magic also made the game-winner in that Finals series. He seems to give his best clutch performances against Bird, except in 1984.
@@mezzb Bird was always better than Magic and Magic would be first in line to tell you that.
and his fingers before his debut in the league and his heart since he was born.It´s a miracle he played as he did
As a massive magic Johnson fan growing up in SoCal in the 80s, I cannot for the life of me understand how Bird became so underrated. What an absolute baller. So happy to see this video. Well done!
Larry’s career averages are so unique . Legit can’t name one player ever that could put up 25/10/6 on 50/40/90 . Not one player
Well to be fair, there are only 8 players who've done a 50/40/90, sooooo ;)
Eye test alone, Bird is one of the greatest. He was all over the floor. He made shots no one else could make. And he was clutch.
- My two favorite players of all time? Hakeem and Bird.
And I didn't start watching until 1998 during the era of Kobe-AI-Shaq. Thanks to YT, the trash talking is le-gen-dary. I can't get enough of Bird.
And the passes... Only Magic could make those passes
Larry Legend from from 'my era'. Outstanding player, my favourite of all time.
Larry Bird is criminally underrated I have him at #5 on my list people be saying Curry is better than him that is an interesting statistic the man averaged 28 ppg 10 boards 7 dimes on 50/40/90 for a 5y stretch talk about efficiency
He averaged 24/10/6 on 50/38/89 for his career, on top of everything else, including his off ball presence
I also have him # 5
And No way Curry is higher than #12 on the list
Larry Legends Defense Durability and skills are Criminally Underrated by waay too many people
@@KrispyKleenex365 exactly at #12
@@whartonarseino8849 i got him # 12 on my list and dont see how he can go higher than that RN
Larry legend best SF ever.
I am from Australia. As an 8 year old I watched my first NBA game in April 1983 Celtics v Bulls. Although I don't remember anything about the game except for who won I am glad my first game involved Larry Bird
Great points Jonny. I havent updated my lists, but i have Larry over Magic too. To say Larry was a not a good defender is just ignorance. Anyone could watch an entire Celtics game and watch how good was Bird positiong to make the player with the ball extremely uncomfortable, and reading the passes just to steal the ball was amazing. As an on ball defender, he was regular-good, but as a auxiliar defender, he was a great, maybe an all time great i would say. I feel like is just the misconception about what a great defender is. A player could be a great defender without being an intensive lockdown defender or a great shotblocker or stealer. Playing in a time like the 80's when the player have to fouled as hard as he could in order to be consider a good defender is just make Bird's defense get dissmissed as a great defense.
I've gone back and forth on Bird and Magic and after this video and looking up statistics on defense, I know have Bird most certainly above Magic. IMO, the only case for Magic over Bird is the longevity. They both started the same season but Bird's last healthy season was 87/88 when he had his statically best year. After that, he only played one season over 60 games in 4 seasons. He spent much of that on the floor when on the bench.
I also didn't realize how great Bird shot True Shooting in an era with limited 3pt shots.
@@Homer-OJ-Simpsonthe longevity thing. I don't know. Today for example it's the easiest time to stay in the league. The softer rules plus medical science. Longevity would put Vince Carter over a whole lot of players..but not to me. Quality over quantity I say.
Bird has always been in my Top Ten. When it came time to buy shoes when i was a kid, I opted for the Weapons like he wore instead of Magic. The Lakers might have been SHOWTIME, but when the Celtics played I always felt like I was taken to basketball school, and Bird was the professor for the masterclass.
Really like your videos. I had no clue you were out there. Subscribed after you and @atroubledgreen were on Pour Choices the other day.
I already had him in my top 5/10 and I did not know some of these facts, honestly they had me shaking my head in disbelief and admiration man. Larry Legend indeed.
One of the best defensive anticipators and he knew where he needed to put himself in to put himself in a better position to make a play defensively kind of like Jordan
Bird really didn't guard his man , in the strictest sense.. Lary guarded the BALL. Filled passing lanes & 1 of the greatest all time anticipators.
Isn't defense REALLY about keeping THE BALL from going through the opposing hoop?
@@cindyknudson2715 LOL , yep sounds logical to me =)
...The point i was try'n to make is just that Bird's defense is VERY underrated ! From the opening tip & on ..... Bird wood watch & see the pattern emerge of who like to pass to who & where they like to be when get'n the ball...all those lil habits few pay attn to , Bird's defense was as brilliant as his offense , if you consider all the intangibles he brings to the table and the very real steals & swipes & jumpballs & a master anticipator. He blew me away every time i watched him & @ some certain things , he was the best I'ver seen... & those things are....1: Getting an offensive board & getting it bacxk up & in...fast! When a ball is shot, many come for the rebound and the big-guys , ( Back then we actually HAD tall basketball players....so weird) , are ALWAYS at the rim yet Bird wood get the ball back up so fast , no one had time to re-act to it & the other thing Bird is the best @ , is ....2: knowing where the rebound will most likely come down by seeing how it hit the rim & even B4 that , just by looking at it's trajectory , if ya have a decent angle.
.......... Larry , if ya EVER read this..... Know that you loved by so many & respected by ALL ( YOU made sure of that Larry.) .... Thank you so much for some amazing memories ! God-Bless ya
@@vingthor13 Amen 🙂
@@cindyknudson2715 Leave it to Jonny to get us all fired up , ya strategic bastard !
It can also be argued that Larry Bird has the strongest all-time competition, well it's either him or Duncan/Kobe.
Their battlefields through the conferences so often face elite all-time teams. This has to be one point worth noting. Especially Bird, who can even stake a better claim than Duncan/Kobe due to his consistent FINALS rival ala Lakers, compare to an underwhelming (worthy of its own video) 2000s Eastern conference in the case of the 2000s Western Conference reps.
The Conferences and their strength deserves a video on its own at this stage.
These are great points but you also have to remember that Kobe and bird had some of the most stacked teams of all time
Ignored Jordan? And so He took it personally…
@@jasonmoukala8909 yes, but Bird played in an era of 2 -3 stacked teams. The lakers in the west and then the Pistons in the East.
What about Russell/Wilt/West/Baylor/Robertson?
Well, how about the journey to the finals? Remember he played DrJ sixers, then the base boys... All champs... Put him in the 2010s and he would reach 10 straight finals. Just saying
I have Bird over Magic as well, and I think a peak version of Bird is about as good as a peak version of anyone else who played the game. His longevity is lacking compared to a lot of the other to guys, but he was insanely good. Where he ranks all time depends whether you lean towards liking a stronger peak or more longevity.
Just remember he didn’t last as long because of his injuries.
well said.
He's the only player in NBA history to retire with a 20+/10+/5+ stat line. I've got him no lower than 5 all-time and as high as 3.
He's also arguably the greatest "what if?" ever too. Had he not been so seriously injured and played a full career, he'd be in the goat discussion.
Already is
Bird is my favorite player. Career wise, for me all-time he's 6-8. I wouldn't take anyone over Peak Larry. The 50/40/90 Larry over 5 years with 3 consecutive MVPs and top 3 finishes in the other 2 is the best all-around player in the Modern Era.
MJ might be a better scorer and Magic a better assist person, but nobody had that type of all around game. LBJ is the closest, but LBJ was never a 90% FT shooter or a double-digit rebounder.
Larry had an insane 4 year prime where he averaged 50/40/90. Steph averaged 50/40/90 for his entire CAREER (and that's including his first three season where he wasn't really 'Steph' yet).
Bird is great, but the all time great lists are only going to see players go down the rankings as current players like Steph, Durant and Giannis come knocking on the door of the top 20 and top 10 lists.
@@magicmerl7749 Steph doesn't have anywhere near the impact that Bird had on the defensive end or on the boards. Durant is a better volume scorer than Bird but he is legitimately worse at every other aspect of the game. Giannis has a long ways to go before he starts knocking on the door of anything, but he certainly has a greater chance than Durant's sorry ass.
@@magicmerl7749 I’d have the year before and after the 3-Peat as his prime. That 5-year stretch matches up with anybody in NBA History.
@@juliothom2408 For sure, but when you're comparing him with players who had similar peaks but also far greater longevity, I think it's pretty reasonable to rank other players over him.
@@magicmerl7749 Fake news his career fg% is 47.3
Bird so complete who was great teammate and was all about winning. Passing skills second to none and toughness and clutch ability make him my GOAT.
I see a Jonny Arnett video I click. Great video. Been binge watching all your videos recently. Such a great channel 💪👏
I seriously appreciate that! Thank you, because people like you, help keep my channel afloat :)
It’s all love man. You can tell you spend alot of time on your content. Please keep the content coming
@@jonnyarnett You still make money off the older videos, right? Because I'm watching a lot of your older stuff too as a binge through your videos.
@HomerOJSimpson I do! Appreciate you watching my older vids :)
Yes he is underrated! I recently published in a video on my channel analyzing if Larry Bird deserved to win the 1982 NBA MVP. He and the Boston Celtics had a great season that year and there is a STRONG argument that he got robbed the MVP that year.
he was a contender in 80 and should have won the MVP in 81 as well.
I thought he was underrated even before this video but this has me reconsidering my top 5 ever. The 50/40/90 is crazy on top of the fact he was pretty much born to be in the modern era. It’s actually insane how little ppl acknowledge his skillset compared to Magic. In reality he was superior in many facets of his game. Just not as flashy and fewer titles. Very informative video
Durant is one of my favorite all time players, but I always say that Larry Legend is the player that Durant wishes he was. There was nobody like him in his era. A 6'10" shooter with unreal passing ability, could guard anybody and was a great rebounder. Above all that, dude had that killer's mentality. He went out there to destroy people every night. Not too many likes like that today, let alone ever.
Did you see the Bleacher Report's upload of Bird vs Durant? They actually portrayed the latter as the one who could play defense while the former could not.
@@jp3813 Only thing Bird was better at is playmaking/passing, KD is better than him and im not even a KD fan
@@Anthonydu01630 Bird averages double-digits in rebounds for his career, Durant never reached 8.5 rebounds per game for a season. Bird only failed to reach 100 steals in a season twice due to injuries, Durant only reached 100 steals in a season thrice. Bird reached 10 triple-doubles in a season twice and has one year where he had 0 TD's due to playing only six games, Durant has 17 triple-doubles for his career and has 0 TD's in seven separate seasons so far. I don't care which player you think is better overall, but claiming that Bird was better than Durant at only one thing pretty much destroys your credibility.
I agree 100% I use to rage when people say he was a bad defender but Im glad someone gives him the respect he deserves
I don’t get why people said he was a bad defender. Not enough blocked shots I guess?
I've seen people take him out of the top 10 all-time and it baffled me. How quickly they forget... Threepeat as a MVP, rings, one of the best teams of all-time, super clutch. The only thing making him out of the top 5 is his black of durability. I have him 6th or 7th too depending on the day.
Unpopular opinion but I rank Bird 2nd behind MJ. Number 3 is a toss up for me and just depends on how I feel that day between Magic, Kareem, Olajuwon, Russell and maybe one or two more. Either way, Jordan and Bird are my 2 best.
Jonny Arnett loves history it seems, the way his channel is probably the only youtube channel that defends the older generation. Keep up the good work
He was born in 1989 so it makes kinda sense.
Also dreamers pro also defends the old era as well. Or mostly Jordan and Kobe tho.
Video about that Bird man himself🔥🔥🔥
I was a pistons fan growing up. Many times pounded the floor saying “ no! Not dirty bird again. Larry is undoubtedly underrated. He was a killer. Unfortunate injuries really took the a toll. He played smart but reckless with his body. If some of the older guys had the sports science we do today they would’ve had more prime years.
The people that believe this nonsense think Bird's era is weak even though it might have been the most talented.
I would say mid 2000s was the most talented. Maybe today’s NBA.
Bird did not play against the most talented competition. 😂😂 If you want to say physically toughest then we can have that conversation. Today's kids are the most talented they've ever been. I don't even think it's really an argument.
A good Era definitely but no means the most talented 😂😂 everyone acts like rough defense is "better" and it's just dumb 🤷♂️ it's way way way easier to just bully someone around compared to having to defend them without smacking the fuck outta then. Try to get thro Shaq back in the day, good luck cuz he can be a brick wall with size alone. Now in today's game size doesn't mean much because you actually have to have a high defense iq. Not discrediting older players but ball is always easier with street ball rules
@@dominickbadial5980 today's era is pretty insane talent-wise. So many young superstars. Some ultra talented guards and forwards on top of probably the most talented Big Men in NBA history. This past season's MVP race was really a testament to that.
@@derpmcgerp8062 absolutely
Makes Me Proud To Wear My Larry Legend M&N Jersey 👍🏿
Watching this video and playing with Larry the Legend in 2k13 create a legend. Trying to carry bobcats to playoffs with him
Thank You for making this video. Birds lack of athleticism has been soooo exaggerated, going back and watching games of him in his prime blew me away with how quick he actually was. I have Bird at 3 behind MJ and Kareem on my top 10
I'd say after Jordan & Russell (perhaps). But i hear you.
Bird beat Hodges three out of the four times that they were in the 3-point contest against each other, and also dropped this kill shot:
Hodges: "Larry Bird knows where to find me."
Bird: "Yeah, at the end of the Bulls bench."
Larry was in three 3 pt contests. Won each time. In the comments of this video the creator of the video corrects that bit of information.
His passing has always been extremely underrated to me. Growing up his trash talking, scoring and obviously 3 point ability were always talked up. It isn’t til you go looking at all time greats’ highlights for yourself that you realize his passing was immaculate and almost just as far ahead of his time as Magic’s. That bounce pass behind his head through a defender’s legs? Lol come on.
unless you were not alive then I dont believe you can say his passing was underrated... anyone who watched then knew he was very much magics equal in the ability to pass... but he wasnt a pg.. but even his assists numbers... given that he was never the primary ball handler like lebron of pippen yet averaged 6 or 7 a game is pretty good.. but even better when you consider the team as a whole was typically one of the best passing teams in the league... and if you scored assists in the NBA as they do on the NHL you would see a ton more hockey assists for larry
One thing that holds me back from ranking Steph in the top 10 like many casuals do is that he benefitted greatly from the 3pt line inflating scoring numbers and guys like Bird, Mark Price, Kerr, Hodges, wouldve mostly averaged 6+ more points if they had more volume of 3s
Thats a stupid reasoning he is the reason for the high volume
@@globaldy8264 and how is that? Fanboy
@@globaldy8264 how's he the reason for it? The Warriors system is what let him take so many 3s, there were always 3 great pointers that existed but due to the Era they were in they didn't attempt 3s nearly as much, but guys like Harden, Dame, were already taking high vol of 3s before the Warriors went 3pt crazy
@@sydguitar99 Eh no. Watch Jimmy high rollers video on curry changing the game
@@globaldy8264 fax
He has one of the best nicknames in basketball as “The Hick from French Lick”. Dude was a bad man, and could trash talk amongst the best of them and was ice cold. One of the greatest to ever play.
Care to explain that nickname ? I've never understood it
@@jadentesai Bird comes from French Lick, Indiana. A small town of maybe 2000. He dubbed himself as a hick from French Lick. He was/is a small town boy who loved and was proud of where he'd come from.
Don't worry about having to correct yourself regarding Bird's three-point contest participations. There are at least three articles about his 13 first round points in 1990 that support your initial findings: "Remembering Larry Legend's three-point shootout three-peat" by Celticsblog, "Hodges Gets Respect with 3-Point Victory" by Orlando Sentinel, & "Hodges, Wilkins win on All-Star Saturday" by UPI.
It was especially annoying when the Bleacher Report channel made a video titled "Prime Kevin Durant vs. Prime Larry Bird 1-on-1 | THE PORTAL EPISODE 1". At the conclusion, they had KD saying "We're more evenly matched than I thought, but I've got a secret... I can play defense if it's absolutely necessary" before winning the matchup.
THANK YOU! I've known all of these facts for a long time, so it drives me nuts when I hear people call him a bad defender or simply look at him as a shooter and scorer. And up until his back injury he wasn't a bad athlete. Prior to his back injury Larry Bird was the greatest all around basketball player the game had ever seen, and he still has a good case as the greatest all around basketball player the game has ever seen, right alongside Lebron and MJ.
I mean for heavens sake, his most signature highlight is literally stealing the ball from Isaiah Thomas in the playoffs, one of the clutchest defensive plays of all time
I'm still waitingbfor the highlights of Kobes great defensive play or Kobe diving on the floor for a loose ball...or Kobe making a great pass or a key rebound.
@@donshults7772 Must’ve forgot about the 2010 finals game 7 he did much better defensively than offensively that game.
FACTS
@@AdolfShitler69420 and...are we seeing any of those defensive highlights? The Bird steal of Isiah was in 1987. Thirty five years later...still talking about it.
and a steaö to go to the finals the 1st time ever not that popular but still a similiar play
You legit argue he has the greatest peek of all time.
One of the few greatest that dominated from the jump and didn’t slow down.
Personnaly, I put Larry Bird in my top 5, in front of Lebron. Ther 80's and 90's era defense were tough. Plus if you consider that he played most of his time injurred, and still puting up those numbers. :)
Agreed
FACTS
I love bird in top 5 but lebron is undisputedly top 2. You must be an old head who reminisces about a time where there was no spacing or not understanding the impact of a man who can dominate for 19 years
@@toogud7918 Larry has five less finals' appearances, and still has a better win % than LBJ in the finals, despite having one less ring as well.
It's not outlandish for some to still rank LJB>LbJ. Personally would take Lebron too for the very same reason you brought up (Longevity), the only player that comes close to this rare stretch of peak longevity (and can be argued to be better) is literally Karl Malone whom also was able to average 20+PPG, 8+RPG, 1.5+ SPG etc on decent enough efficiency for 19 years straight, missing a total of *nine* games, and playing no less than 30+ MPG in this entire stretch is also pretty damn insane lol.
Until of course his stunt with the 04 Lakers.
I love that you did this video. Thinking Basketball generally agrees with you on Bird, they had him 5th best 'peak' of all-time. They had 3rd on the list another player that is in the top 10 all-time lists but often under-appreciated -- Shaq.
I never got to see Larry play, since I was born in 89, but even I know how great he was. You can easily still make a case for him being the best SF of all time… though that argument is getting harder to make as LeBron keeps improving his career achievements and stats.
i think it’s clearly lebron at this point, but most of the time he isn’t even playing at SF
It was my understanding that everybody had heard about the word
Facts he really is 👏🏿
Bird has always been in my top 10 list, closer to 5 than 10. An absolute beast.
I'm a big fan of Bird, he's my second favorite player of all time after Jordan. As for myself I rank him higher than Magic, as he is a better scorer, rebounder and defender. And also he didn't have most of his career a player that was considered as the GOAT at that time as a teammate, though he had an absolute stacked team with McHale, Parrish, a late Bill Walton and a lot of other great players.
But the thing that ultimately make me rank Bird higher than Magic are the stories about him. The main story about Magic is the 80's Finals and how he supplied KAJ as a center.
Bird has so many great stories, the left handed game, the steal against the Pistons, the game where he told his defenders where and when he will score, and so on.
he is my favorite player in nba history, and one of the most underrated players in nba history. my friends at school say he's barely in the top 10, and Magic in the top 3. It's no longer a level of underrated, it's a level of disdain for the player and what he did. I have Larry rated 4. Now I have to send it to them and see how much they raise it hahaha
Where Larry Bird is ranked on my all time lis #1 without a doubt.
My Mother was a cheerleader for the San Antonio Spurs sometime in the 80's, can't remember exactly when. I asked her how good Larry Bird was one day. She proceeded to glance at me with wide eyes, huff, and rapidly shake her head as if she'd just seen a ghost. "He was SCARY good." XD
I genuinely believe that if he didn't injure his back he would have been the 🐐
Fr. Him and Magic both could've been much closer to MJ in the GOAT debate had their careers not been cut short.
@@derpmcgerp8062 More like MJ might not be considered the goat. He would have had a harder time winning.
and came into the league before he almost turned 24
@@derpmcgerp8062 Larry bird retired at 35. His career was not cut short. Magic is talked about in GOAT discussions and maybe be closer if he didn't "retire" at 31, but MJ is king in all advanced stats, 6-0 in finals, and his last finals run, he basically carried them to a ring.
@@jonathansykes4986 Larry Bird may have retired at a reasonable age, but also consider how much he dealt with injury during the ladder half of his career. He most certainly could've had a much better second act and could've played at least a few more seasons than he did.
And yeah, I definitely believe Magic too could've been in the convo, and even now I consider him a top 5 player all-time, personally. Greatest PG of all time. (Steph probably surpasses Magic when all said and done, but I put Magic above him for now)
Obviously MJ is MJ. There is no comparison. Michael Jordan is the GOAT. Dominated statistically, racked up insane amount of accolades, lead his team to two 3-peats, and basically had as perfect of a career as you could get.
That being said, I do believe Larry and Magic could've at least built a very solid case had they've been healthy and played longer. Bird was an insanely good sharpshooter, one of the best passers ever, had a great rebounding average, super clutch moments, solid defense, and could drop a 50-bomb on you if needed. Not to mention his accolades and Championship runs were impressive during his peak. Literally won 3 MVPs in a row. Magic too was an incredibly good passer, capable rebounder, capable defender, has awesome MVP seasons and Championship runs, and he could be a dominant scorer if it's needed.
Absolutely agree. And I think he's underrated as a scorer too, which you didn't touch upon in this video. His game wasn't flashy, he didn't play above the rim or fill the highlight reels
But two points are two points (and three points are three points)
The man. Just. Made. Buckets.
I have bird at number 3 all time on my list, I also have him in front of magic. If he wasn't so stubborn and do his own yard work and len bias never died they probably would of gave mj and those piston teams a run for their money!
What makes him a top 3 player?
Your delusional
@@AdolfShitler69420 yes I personally think its more of a 3a and 3b ranking for them
your list is a joke. he is not better than magic, or kareem, or duncan.
@@jonathansykes4986 just my opinion man, im sure your opinion is the only right one though
Totally agree Larry Legend is underrated and under appreciated.The league was his in the 80’s!
Exactly.
Love it! I hate how much the younger generation think Bird wouldn’t even be a top 20 player in the current nba lol when he would be easily top 5 lmfao. Bird with todays medicine and known medical knowledge would be so absurd
Bird would dominate today!!! Look at Luna and Jokic, they wont clean his shows lol
Yeah, Bird would be a better version of Doncic in the modern NBA. I think at his best he would probably be the best player in the NBA today.
Nobody says he wouldn’t be top 20, stop with the strawman
@@magicmerl7749 as he was then.
Bravo Johnny Arnett! Backing up this sound reasoning with numbers is sooo satisfying and quite a relief.
The primary leader of the Larry's-defense-is-poor movement is Maxwell. He always mentions it, which is why he is mainly seen as resentful of Bird's fame and success.
Bird for me is a top 5 player of all time. Accolades, stats and the eye test helped me put him there
Your video is on point, but one thing you didn’t mention was Larry Birds willingness to sacrifice. Not only did he sacrifice his scoring to allow McHale/Parish and the other guys to shine, he sacrificed his body as well. He was also a phenomenal leader with the highest IQ I’ve ever seen in basketball.
When considering how players rank all-time, I think about peak value (how good were they at their best?) and career value (how much value did they add over their whole career?). Because the outstanding part of Bird's career was only nine years (his last four were hampered by injury), he would rank lower on my list by career value.
But by peak value, he's damn near the top. I mean, in those nine healthy years, he finished in the top two in the MVP voting SEVEN times, and never finished lower than fourth! He was the best player in the NBA in the mid-1980s, which was probably the strongest era in league history. That alone gives him a compelling argument for being the GOAT.
Ultimately, I would rank Bird third all-time by peak value, behind only Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Obviously, it's VERY close, and there are many other worthy candidates, including Magic. But seeing Bird and Magic playing concurrently with both at their peak, it's clear to me that Bird was just a bit better. And I say that as a Lakers fan, who loved Magic, and hated Bird's guts back in the day! 🙂
Great argument, I have It in my top 3 top too
Hate to be that guy but how do u not have lebron in top3
@@luke8837 Because I don't think LeBron was as quite as valuable at his peak as Jordan, Abdul-Jabbar, or Bird were at theirs. I would probably put LeBron sixth, also behind Magic Johnson and Wilt Chamberlain.
@@mezzb I think those "team chemistry" intangibles *_do_* affect the ranking, at least a little bit. It's why I would rank LeBron behind Magic, and it's why Chamberlain isn't #1.
u the best NBA youtuber. dont wanna beef or disrespect but your videos are even better than jimmyhighroller's
Magic had a much better team, MUCH better, but Larry still managed 3 rings in a stacked era-dude had 1 other (real) HOFer and Magic had a dude everyone says is top 5, another HOFer (and first pick) along with a dpoy-there’s no contest, Larry was the better overall player-undoubtedly
Great video as always man
Frankly Bird has some Jordan-esque seasons that are better than Jordan himself, minus the artistry of Jordan to an extent. My top 3 (based on pure individual skill set) is MJ, Bird, Kobe. All 3 are unsurpassed when it comes to that killer instinct
Bird's vision and passing ability was next level artistry
@@-ac-8296 100% I find Bird extremely artful to watch myself. It's just compared to say Jordan, he wasn't quite as graceful looking in his dominance.
@@noelvillegas8189 Well said brother! I think you're the first I've come across with that precise top 3 also haha. There have been some other really fierce competitors, but I feel like those three are far away in their own league when it comes to that "assassin" quality and all of the skill to back it up.
@@noelvillegas8189 yes he does. I know I'm going back quite a ways here, but I cannot leave out Baylor, West or Robertson. They were all highly, skilled and potent superstars with a complete game as well.
Just saying their in the pantheon with the more recent great 3.
Kobe too inconsistent way overrated!! Shot 44.7 career! Missed more shots than any player in history !
My absolute fav from that era. Amazing basketball IQ, great teammate/leader, ice cold killer (dsnt really get much colder than him), one of the guys who truly played every second of every game like it was his last. Only "negative" u could throw his way is that he wasnt athletic, which lets be honest, while helpful, isnt the end all be all that some ppl like to make it out to be.
The fact that his nickname is Larry Legend should tell u how badass he was on the court. Like who gets the word "legend" in their nickname?
Larry Bird would be the second if not the best 3 point shooter if he played in today's era.
This was already debunked in a video by a popular basketball youtuber but I forgot which one unfortunately.
One stat you didn't mention was that he has the 3rd highest win percentage among players with a minimum of 500 games in NBA history, only behind Tom Heinsohn & Sam Jones. And in his day the Eastern Conference was the stronger conference.
Ummm no cause in another video they said Bird has the second highest winning % only half a % percent behind Magic Johnson
Jokic and Larry Bird are similar if u think about it
I just find it hard to believe you can all someone underrated when they’re a top 10 player on almost everyone’s list of all time greats. The only people that may underrate him are young heads that haven’t seen him play or haven’t been schooled on how great he was.
One could argue the case that having him at maybe #5 as an example, IS underrating him because he deserves to have a much higher rating. ☘️ Larry Legend
I think it really comes down to how you rank greatest of all time. If you value team success over all else it's likely you have Magic over Bird and Duncan over Kobe. If you value individual skill - who was the most talented player - then it makes sense to swap those rankings. Imo anyone in the top 10 all time is really splitting hairs between who is better. Larry being on that list inherently makes him properly rated imo
Larry routinely gave up easy shots and passed the ball so that all his teammates were involved. As he said, “It doesn’t matter who scores the points, it’s who can get the ball to the scorer.” “On this team, if you move to get open, you’re going to get the ball. Here the goal is winning, and it doesn’t matter who scored the points. Just win the game.”
Well.... Kobe has Shaq (top 10) Magic had Kareem (GOAT?), So... Bird must be ranked higher
I cant take people seriously when they say Larry Bird is not in their top 10. And people say he was not athletic and all that, Dirk Nowitzki played 20 years in the NBA without being athletic. Luka Doncic is dominating without being athletic. And Larry's shooting, passing, rebounding and IQ was incomparable. Like people forget he took a 29 win Celtics team to an instant 61 win season in 1980 without even getting Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish.
Larry is better than Magic
Agreed
I have a friend named Larry at work who is also a basketball fan. I told him one day: "You know they used to call Larry Bird 'Larry Legend', I guess you'd be ' Larry Non-Fiction'!". It's a wonder nobody at work has killed me yet.
Everybody talks about Larry Bird and Magic Johnson you wanna know who's really underrated Julius Erving because he played 5 years in the ABA
He already has a video on this
Erving is not top 10
Julius Erving is severely underrated and it infuriates me.
And to have the rebounding ability with Kevin McHale in the middle ....impressive
Mj never got revenge on bird
It's true. He would probably never tell anyone, but I bet that eats at MJ
your comment about the inflated rebounding of the pre merger era is true which is why larry is CLEARLY the best rebounding small forward EVER.. especially if you take into account the time he spent shooting outside as well as sharing the boards with 2 other 9 to 10 pg rebounders
Is he underrated? I watched him play and got him in my top 10 all time easy, top 3 SF all time up there with elgin baylor and dr j... maybe youngins dont recognize
LeBron and kd are the top 3 sf
@@d.00.m.s_d4y I agree give me Lebron and Durant over Elgin and Julius and then include Bird as well.
@@d.00.m.s_d4y considering how much easier officiating has made it to score in todays game vs the 60s-70s eras I got my guys higher, I'd prob also still put rick barry and james worthy or even pippen over Durant but we all have our preferences/biases
@@kris9145 BARRY lead a team with almost no stars to a title and he could have won 1 more if his teammates didnt hate him.
I put him ahead of KD.
Worthy nope...
But BAYLOR to me is on the same level as LEBRON.
@@onlyfacts3178 I think worthy is pretty underrated mostly because he was outshone by his 2 HOF teammates (magic/jabbar and rightly so) kind of like pippen aswell being outshone by mike, I think people dont realize how really good those 2(pippen/worthy) were because they played with guys literally in the GOAT conversation(during their eras at least) and I agree on Baylor he is probably the most underrated player ever
This might be controversial opinion but I agree and would have Bird slightly ahead of Magic as an individual all around player.
1-Shooting/scoring- Bird is a far better shooter, so all around I would give the edge to him
2-Rebounding- Bird
3-Defense- Bird
4-Assists/Playmaking- Magic but bird is still damn good
Magic had the better career overall but I think part of this was the availability of Kareem/Worthy and the rest of the 80s Lakers.
It isn't that Bird didn't have help, he did. But the Celtics fell apart a bit earlier for Bird due to injuries(McHale, Maxwell specifically) than the Lakers did for Magic.
Magic has the better legacy, Bird was the better individual player.
Greatest SF and 5th in my all time list AND yeah, he is above LBJ.
He had (maybe besides Magic) the greatest BB-IQ.
Season before Bird, +20 team - after his 1st season, +60 team without Parish & McHale
I understand it’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it but he is absolutely not better than Lebron just stop it.
@@AdolfShitler69420 Bird is the better shooter, clutch, bb-iq, rebounder, foul-shooter, leader, etc, etc. The only two categories were LBJ is better is 1 on 1 defending and athleticism, thats it. Bird achieved in his 9 healthy seasons more than LBJ in his career.
3 MVPs straight and he is probably the only dude who beat everybody in the playoffs: showtime, dr. J, bad boys, mj, twin towers
Well, you can not say that about LBJ 🤷♂️
Great discussion. I grew up watching Larry Bird. He was a all around player. Sure, he could have scored more, but he was a team player and worked as a team player. He didn't have to always shoot, he passed the ball to his teammates, who had a better shot. The game was much more physical. He played with tough hall of fame players. He was a rebounder, passer, defender, all-around shooter, top IQ for cour awareness, that's what makes a player even hurt he performed. Each Era has great players, but how can you discount what he and Majic Johnson did for the NBA. They didn't have the 3 point shoot used like they do now but Larry had it when needed. Watch making the video Making the case for Larry Bird, or Larry Bird word is the Bird. Great job guys...
Some of your points while great and Bird do get underrated in some aspects but still make no sense on other points. Bird is a consesus TOP 10 players of all time by so many people even those who never watch him play. Dude has 3 All defense team so how the heck people considered him a weak defender?? It was Magic, who was a bad defender. Furthermore, Bird is seen to be one of the highest BBIQ ever and he is underrated?? C'mon
Super jealous of my dad, when he was in Indiana for a basketball tournament when he was like 13 he met larry bird got him to sign his shoes and dropped 23 on larry’s son
Greatest SF of all time!
of his era
Lebron kd
@@jonathanharvey7940 Durant has literally nothing on Bird, nothing. And yes, Bird is still higher on the all time greatest list than LeBron.
@@Zamppa86 kd a better basketball player than bird I won’t change my opinion so if you think bird better it’s fine
@@Zamppa86 the majority of people disagree, don’t know why you phrased it like there’s an official top 10 all time list lol even most NBA players would probably put Lebron above Bird
I personally think he’s 4th all time behind Jordan, wilt and Kareem.
Got him at 14 behind Curry.
Bird was efficient from every spot on the floor, but not that efficient overall. His low FT rate & 3pt volume held his overall efficiency or TS+ from being anything more than Kobe level and his slow foot speed made him have to concede air space to ball handlers when trying to guard them. Every other aspect of his defense was just solid though. Defensive win shares always inflate steal/block heavy dudes that happen to play on elite defenses, he was just a clear positive. His peak was pretty short too.
Bird was more efficient than Kobe but not by much. Actually agree with most of this
@@Giganticonion Kobe was getting triple teamed and played with trash players. Bird played with 3 all stars.
@@Giganticonion Are you fucking kidding? Kobe shot like 44% for his career and could never sniff a 50/40/90 season in his dreams.
This is the dumbest take I've ever seen.
@@raveouscarlias4479 which take?
If I was starting a new teem, and had the first pick of' 'all time' players, it would be Larry.
"Why Larry Bird is underrated" - said no one, ever.
Says Jonny Arnett
Watch it, then tell me if I'm crazy.
@@jonnyarnett He's in the top 10 of all time, in every single reputable top 10 list. How can you be underrated at that point? is he top 5? no. hes right where he should be in the 6-10 range. I watched the video, everything you mentioned, I watched, as it was happening. I know how great he was.
I don't think he's underrated on TH-cam. He gets a lot of love from people old enough to remember him. I think he's underrated by the under 35 year olds. They have no idea though.
I can't imagine Bird not outdoing his career stats with how many three pointers are shot today and the looser defense during the regular season and less physical game.
Yes today's players lift weights more and are more sophisticated about nutrition and all that but he could easily adapt to that.
He played against very athletic players himself and lit them up. It's not like he played in the 50s and 60s. He also was unselfish and a great passer and let McHale, Parish and company get their points too. He was basically very good or great in every single category.
Rebounding, passing, leadership, free throw shooting, 3 point shooting, midrange game, defense, and clutch play. Not to mention basketball IQ and great decision making. He was great right out of the gate too like Jordan. He's top ten all time no question.
He even averaged 20, 10 and 6 in his last season with a bad enough back where he had to lay on the floor during games.
you cant prop up two white players in a row! might get susss
The two guys before them were black, and I didn't hear anyone say anything. I'm just over here talking Basketball, and if an underrated guy has freakin blue skin, I'll sing his praises too. lol
Stop making things about race come on just appreciate the video. Nobody normal cares about a person's race
just being facetious yall!
Here’s an idea make a video on the best nba player drafted by every team.
I think he has become underrated as a player over time, but in his prime at one point he was the best player in the 🎮. Man played in the greatest era of small forwards in NBA history. Founder of the 50/40/90 club. There is a reason he is nicknamed "Larry Legend". His defense to me has always been underrated. He averaged 10 rebounds for his career at the 3 position, that's mind boggling.
Bird was arguably THE most valuable player of the 80s. His impact on the league was amazing.
Larry bird was the one that made me fall in love with basketball
I go back and forth on this one but he’s always in my TOP THREE!
so much better than the other vids that just reads off the wikipeida page
Bird is the ultimate off-ball player (Shaq and Curry might be better in the right system, but Bird is the ultimate plug-and-play guy). Because of that, I think he should be the only unanimous player in any all-time starting 5. Incredible team and help defense, goat shooting, and goat quick decision making. He was like Jokic but even faster, he barely needed the ball in his hands to make the right pass or play. He could do it all.
I have Bird and Magic ranked at #1 on my list. I personally think you could’ve swapped the two get similar results as the other. Magic I could see winning 3 rings and Bird getting 5.