"If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I’d choose Michael Jordan," Pat said. "If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I’d take Larry Bird." Pat Riley
@@skunkdoctor I think that was a diplomatic way of praising Bird without dissing Jordan. I might be inclined to agree with you, but then we wouldn't have this iconic quotation.
Remember this: Magic came into a good team. Bird came to the League and CREATED a great team. Bird could do EVERYTHING Magic could do, but Magic could NOT do everything Bird could do. If you're gonna start an ALL-TIME team, your FIRST pick, is the Hick from French Lick.
No way he is picked over Duncan. Sorry bud, if you are starting a franchise Duncan is 100% the #1 pick and it really isnt even close. NOT EVEN close, and I ama diehard bird fan.
Guys, I love KD but you CANNOT put him ahead of Larry Bird. Larry is the founder of the 50/40/90 club, which he did twice, he was a better shooter than KD, a better passer than KD, a better rebounder than KD, won more championships than KD, and Larry won 3 consecutive league MVP's....consecutive.
I think the stats don't agree that Larry was a better shooter. Kevin has a higher 3pt% and a higher 2pt%. Kevin Durant might have the best mid-range game of all time. Kevin doesn't get to the basket all that much so most of his shots are in the mid range and he has years where he shoots 60% from 2pt range. Larry is a better rebounder, play maker and winner. Obviously Larry is a greater all-time player at this point. But not a better shooter.
@@stylescasino1006 spoken like a guy that never saw him play. Hell he humble jordan . Yes the goat that would put KD,Lebron and Kobe in tears and tell them Larry was better.
@@michaelwaller7365 yes he did ,ty was coming in here to say the same ,gotta put respect on larry birds 🐦 name ,tysm, seeing is believing and I watched it live ,and so sorry but I don't care for how the game is played now (but that's just me ) and don't get me wrong there some real talent out there, but damn refs let em play hoops #realtalk
Bird would walk on the court with any team and would become the team captain. Any team. I was a die hard Lakers Magic fan, and we cringed when we faced Bird, anticipating him dismantling our Lakers. Bird isn’t just a franchise player, in any era, he would be the star of the entire NBA.
FYI, even LeFlopper says that Bird is the standard. Back in that era players were tough. Not like today where the players today are entitled, overindulged divas, who complain about fans being mean to them & fake injuries (James) or quit during a game because they're losing (again James). Growing up in L.A. during the '60s-'80s were the best years for sports and music.
I love when people call professionals cry babies while typing a paragraph out crying like a bitch Lack of self awareness is astonishing. I think if you complain more in TH-cam comments it will reverse time back to “the good ol days”
LOL@LeFlopper. As someone who can't stand LeBron--but admits he's an absolutely fantastic player--I also have Bird as the greatest small forward in NBA history. Bird was the more clutch shooter, FT shooter, rebounder, and better passer than James (James is also a great passer, but Bird was still better, IMO). I also think many ppl tend to forget that Bird not only was just 1 of 3 players in NBA history (the other 2 being no less than Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain) to ever win 3 MVPs in a row ('84-'86), but he won those while Michael Jordan, Magic, etc., were playing in the league. Prior to Bird's horrific bad back and his 2 achilles heel injuries, Bird in his prime was an ABSOLUTE TERROR. Averaging almost 30 PPG, around 10 RPG and over 7 APG, the guy was just money. That is the other thing that can't be emphasized enough about Bird; he was not only VERY clutch when the game was on the line, but he notoriously talked trash to opposing teams' best defenders on what he was about to do on them...and usually there was nothing defenders could do about it. That is killer confidence personified, and that was Larry Bird.
Amen to that! LeBron getting hecklers removed Courtside, (women) to boot... imagine him playing Larry? LeBron would have quit for being bullied by Larry! Then would sue the NBA.
I might be bias cuz I'm from outside of Boston but I've never seen anybody better than Larry Bird. It wasn't just because of his shooting he was an all-around basketball player that made everybody around him better. And to this day I haven't seen a player that is as clutch is him.
100% right.I used to go to Celtic games when I could afford it. Would drive from Newport Rhode Island to the Garden.I Was at the Sixers game in 1984 when Doctor J and Bird fought. Barkley and Malone had Bird in a headlock while Dr.J was punching him.Love Irving but still hate Charles and Malone. Anyway Larry Bird was Mr.Basketball! Players of today could never hang with Bird. They couldn't take the physical abuse of the 60's 70's and 80's!!
Larry is the goat. Played half his career with a broke back and blown Achilles tendon. Had to stationary bike for a hour before each game, to loosen up. Dropped 47 on Portland left handed! Won a 3 point contest, never took off jacket. First ever/50/40/90 player. 3 MVPs when the NBA was the greatest players of all time. 3rd day of rookie...ROOKIEEEEEE! Training camp, he comes out and tells reporters, " this league is nothing, I'ma dominate this league!" Also himself said, if they had gotten Len Bias, he would have retired in 86!😮. I just have to say again, was plagued the last half of his career with a broke back, blown Achilles tendons, and bone spurs in his heels!
Larry is def top 5. I have a hard time putting him ahead of Duncan/kareem/russell/ Duncan is the True Goat, lary is def there with the others, just not Timmy D.
@@Dejusticed the most underappreciated overlooked of all time is olajuwon. The only player in history, who's top five stats went up, across the board, from regular season to playoffs. Changed the offensive and defensive strategies of every team that played against him. Regularly ate the lunch of...Ewing, Duncan, Robinson, Malone, the triangle offense, Shaq, Rollins, Carr, etc. He and drexler dropped 40 and 44 points, in one game against the stacked up Spurs, when they had Duncan and Elliot and Robinson. Ate the Magic, who were undefeated against Chicago. When they had Penny, Shaq, and their 3 point maniacs. When asked multiple times, who Chicago didn't wanna play in the finals, Jackson always said, Rockets. Truly there was zero answer, for olajuwon.
I think he only scored 20 or 27 points with his left hand. One article mentioned he went 7-for-7 at the free throw line in the same sentence that they mentioned he made 10 of his 21 made shots with his left hand.
No, it was 3 quarters against Portland in 1986. When asked why he shot so much with his left hand he answered, "I'm saving my right hand for the Lakers." The Celtics won both games, btw. THAT'S why he's Larry Legend.
Larry Bird Had Larry Bird played in an era as 3-point friendly as today, he might well have topped this entire list. He was so good that he once scored 47 points in a game using only his left-hand, declaring that the Portland Trail Blazers weren't worthy of his dominant side by saying "I'm saving my right hand for the Lakers." After winning the NBA's first two 3-point contests, he walked into the locker room before his third and asked his fellow contestants "who's coming in second?" He proceeded to win the event while wearing his warm-up jacket.
@15:21 "It's hard to get a bucket in today's game." ..... Worst statement ever!!! Dude, today's era is the easiest time to get a bucket. There's no emphasis on defense in today's era...everyone knows that. Guys like Jordan, Wilt, Bird, etc would average between 35 and 40 points a game
He only played 12 seasons. One of his 13 he was out after six games for surgery on both achilles. He made the All-Star team 12 years out of 12 and All NBA 10 out of 12 (9 first team). Also, he was 4th in MVP voting in his rookie year while winning rookie of the year (63 votes to 3, over Magic) then he was 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 3, 2 in the MVP vote for the next 8 years, while garnering 67% of all MVP votes in that 8 year stretch against better players than they have today
Exactly! Coming back after twin achilles surgery is remarkable, then playing 3 or 4 years with a broken back at an all star level. Larry Bird is not of this planet.
How about when he became the head coach of the Pacers - with no coaching exp - and set a franchise record his first season - took the Pacers to the Conference finals his first two years and to the Finals his third year - and then retired
@@jamesrawlins735 and coach of the year in that first season (1998), and lost the conference final to the bulls 88-83 in game 7 (the most trouble the bulls ever had in a conference final)... And eventually, executive of the year (2012, i think) a short time after rejoining the pacers in the front office
Great video guys. Just one thing though. Larry Bird was the best small forward ever. I know people say it's a different era and sure that is right, however the game was way more physical back then. Bird almost always pulled it out when the fit hit the shan. He was a leader too and made his team better. Even if you had a big lead you could not count them out and that was because of Birds will to fight through til the end. He fought through a really injured back and even returned to the game after his face was broken. He was at his best when the chips were down and unlike the guys today he didn't take a few games off for a broken toenail or something. Even the players he tortured and hated him say he was the goat. I know he didn't look like the GOAT, but he did impossible things just the same. He didn't just like playing basketball, he lived and breathed Basketball. Hey, i understand all the arguments against him, but when he came into the Pro game, nobody was watching basketball on tv. He single handedly made it what it is today. If not for Bird, we may still not be watching. Most of all, despite the terror he brought to opponents, he is a good man and lover of the game.
I read somewhere that Bird had Bron's passing, KD's midrange shooting touch, Curry's long range and free throw accuracy, Jokers rebounding skills, Kobe and MJ's killer will, and more clutch than any player in history! It should say they have Birds.
Michael Jordan was once quoted saying that Larry Bird was the best small forward that ever played in the NBA after saying that Larry Bird was in his top five all-time players in the NBA end of story
@finnburke2709 no it's not a question Bird: 3x Champ (all against Magic) 2x FMVP 3x MVP (back to back to back) 12x All-Star 9x All NBA First Team 3x All Defensive Second Team 3x 3pt Champ (back to back to back) 2x member of the 50-40-90 club (first player to do so) Durant: 2x Champ 2x FMVP 1x MVP 12x All-Star 6x All NBA First Team 4x Scoring Title 1x member of the 50-40-90 The only reason Bird doesn't have a scoring title is because Michael Jordan existed
@@TheMissiIe he only won one championship against magic FYI. His other two were against Houston. He was 1-2 against the Lakers in the finals. Just letting you know. Also, the scoring had nothing to do with Jordan. Jordan didn't win one until Larry was already in the league for 6-7 years. Bird just did this crazy thing called passing. Bird just wanted to win. He passed just as much as he shot. He never would have won a scoring title because he didn't see the game that way.
Happy New Year guys! Larry Legend did not play around. He didnt just talk trash, he did it casually and then backed it up which infuriated his opponents. You should also check out Larry Bird - Making the Case when you have a chance.
Hey guys, love your channel. I’m old enough to be your grandfather and I watched Larry play. You cannot compare this man with even the likes of bron. He is mincemeat in Larry’s game. Keep up the good work boys. Lots of fun watching you.
Most of todays players are mincemeat in larry's game if lebron played larry in his prime lebron would have tucked is tail between his legs and cried all the way home.
So true. Young people who grew up watching James just cannot understand because you can't understand Bird's game just by watching highlights. James is physically overpowering, but his overall game is literally a fraction of what Bird's was. Same goes for Magic. They just love Steph Curry, and I have to admit that he is the greatest long-range shooter of all time. But his overall game does not compare to Magic's. It's not even close. The glory days are gone for good. The league gets weaker and weaker year after year. Does anyone believe that Donovan Mitchell could score 71 points in 1988? Could anyone possibly be that delusional?
I’m Granny basketball… Been watching since the late 60s. I can’t watch the NBA today - just isn’t that commitments or that drive that we saw in the 80s. It’s the one-man star game… Not a team effort. I was blessed to have seen Bird play in person a few times. While I was a Knicks fan, I always made a point to get to the arena when Larry was in town. The minute he stepped on the court you knew something special was going to happen, and it always did. He had the highest basketball IQ ever. Also, people say he was not a defensive player, but he averaged more rebounds than Patrick Ewing. I hope you will continue on your Larry Bird journey, because most people who do, realize how special he was.
@@nanook8721 Watching and playing since the late fifties. I hear you. I grew up on Tobacco Road and we ate and slept basketball. My tall brother and friends made me learn to shoot over them until I could beat them. I'm 5'. 😂 Bird was the best (sorry, my man Michael - never tell Dean I said that when you see him again someday). He remains the best.
I was blessed to grow up in this area of the NBA. It was a wonderful experience to grow up watching true greats of the game. True living legends of the game. The game of today has no heart, it's all about the money.
@@heribertosarmiento1265 no blood, no foul. You get paid to pay basketball, and that was the reward. Simple rules everyone can agree to. The technical rules and "me me me" mentally came around with huge contacts. I think Larry, the best college player going to the most prestigious club at the time, had like a single year contract or something. Magic got a huge contract (at the time - multiple years for multiple millions) with LA at the same time, so maybe I'm just jaded. Still, things were great when they were raw and getting paid to play was reasonable without being extortive in either stat boarding, or the opposite as happens with unpaid college players of all sports.
@@ScottLovenberg thats what I meanplay hard ,play clean and give it all for your team. The 80-90’s were 2 decades that if you give up you get blown out and that what made those two decades so great. Now we have the ultimate athletes going to to toe but some just give up because of the contracts . Don’t get me wrong I do agree with you. We disagree but with love sports and that’s what makes it even more fun , having a rival to talk to is fun because we can love our teams ,throw some jabs but still respect the game .
Yep but he’s also too 2 in scoring and top 5 in assists, could play or guard all five positions. Let’s be very serious. Bron is the One. 13yr career is a cop out.
People forget Bird was equally good on defense. And all of his Championships were on his own. Who were his best teammates? McHale? Parish? I grew up a Bulls fan but I’ve never seen anyone do so much with so little as Larry Bird. He was a force even when his back was so bad that he had to lay down beside the bench because he couldn’t sit upright. I’m glad you guys took the time to look into him. He was special.
Growing up in Portland in the 80s & 90s watching Bird was amazing. I was a Blazer fan first and foremost, but loved the Celtics during the late 80s early 90s. Mind you as much as I hated the Lakers watching Lakers vs Celtics was amazing. Bird talked so much trash that he beat players mentally. He's one of the best SF ever-better than Bron because he played INJURED multiple times.
The man walked into the locker room before the 3 point contest and asked, “So who’s gonna finish 2nd?”…..Didn’t even have to take off his joggers to win
Facts Larry played in the era where 7 foot 300 lbs guys could swing their elbows to make space, get into a legit fist fight and other physical things. The numbers show the 80s to mid 90s were the most physical basketball played, its why scoring was so low compared to today, it wasn't because guys were less skilled but because guys would damn near judo throw you around when you'd attempt a layup
Bird is *THE* best SF period. He played over half his career with crippling back pains that forced him to lay on his back with a heating pad during timeouts and when he was benched yet the man still put up absurd numbers and was the most clutch scorer of all time, Bron is a close second but he's been too inconsistent in high stakes games in the 4th quarter and never played with a sever injury while having no noticeable drop in production
Lebron doesn't even belong in the same category as Bird. When did Bird ever sit out a game with cramps? Bird played with pain all of the time. Also the rules today allow for a more wide-open game that creates more points scored. Lebron may be more powerful but Bird was more crafty and inventive.
@@chris93703 LeBron is the ALL TIME leading scorer in league history. Just stop it! You sound silly and bitter. Larry's an all time great, but LeBron is in the greatest of all time conversation. He was in the NBA Finals for a freaking decade straight!
@@armonwilliams4735 LeBron is the all time leading scorer in a league that has rules that make it easier to score. He also accumulated a lot of his points of of players who would not even be considered the top players in the league. Bird did it consistently against teams loaded with talent like the Lakers. There have also been many times where Lebron has not put forward full effort to win a game or even seemed uninterested. I have seen the videos and I have seen the evidence. Bird would give 110% every game. Lebron will probably still get in the Hall but he doesn't belong in the same league as Bird. Unlike you I don't base my opinions on feelings but what I have seen. Did Lebron ever win 3 MVP's in a row? Also what kind of GOAT calls himself the GOAT? That seems rather conceited.
"If I needed a shot to win the game, I'd choose Michael Jordan. If I needed a shot to save my life, I'd choose Larry Bird"... Pat Riley. I'm glad I'm an old fart and this was my generation of basketball!! I'm old enough to remember Magic vs Bird in the 1979 NCAA championship
Also there are a bunch of Bird passing videos as well you can react to. He was an amazing passer as well. Bird, Magic, Jordan, Kobe all had one thing in common: they hated losing more than they loved winning. It drove them to only care about winning and they played hurt. There was none of this game management bull crap.
The best one liner I've heard from Bird is asking a dude he's completely smoking, "is your mom watching you play tonight?" That and Larry hitting defenders on the butt with the ball as he faked them out of their pants before taking the shot. Like, "nice try bro. Got you again." The amount of confidence that takes and the fact that it didn't throw off his rhythm at all.
Love watching you guys. Appreciate your honesty and willingness to watch and learn with an open mind. Wish everyone would do this. In my opinion Larry Legend had the highest basketball I.Q.
Heard another amazing Bird story a few days ago; remarkable how they just keep coming for a guy who's been retired since 1992. The 85/86 season the Celtics are in Utah and they're up 90-63 going into the 4th Q so the plan is to sit the starters the remainder of the game. After 3 quarters Bird had 30 pts, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and 9 steals. There's been one quadruple-double in league history (Nate Thurmond) but that was done with blocked shots rather than steals. So this would've been the first and only. The stats guy in Utah relayed Bird's numbers to the Celtics so KC Jones asked him if he wanted to go back in for one more steal. Bird just told him, "Nah, we got this game. I'm done for the night."
Actually he said, "I've done enough damage." Or was it "Coach take me out, they're not even a challenge tonight". It was hard to keep track of then. It's really hard for some reason to keep track now.
Completely agree! It was so well done! I cannot recommend it enough. Even for people who aren't into basketball or sports, the human factor is more than compelling. Larry Legend and Magic is one of the most legendary modern stories of competition, rivalry and friendship that I'm aware of.
Bird was a better player than Bron and Durant; both LBJ and KD have ASPECTS of Bird's game, but neither of them had ve his killer instinct. Look at Best season Stats ... Bottom line is, Bird is the mold of the modern Small Forward, but none of them are as complete as Bird. Prime Bird was unstoppable
right he saw the court like gretzky saw the rink. Durant is not better than Bird, whose talent was in his viewing the game better than anyone. As Kareem and Wilt both said, his greatest skill was his mind and he was playing chess while others were playing checkers. Only Luka and Le Bron have had similar skills at that size
Fun fact about Danny Ainge: He was 6’5” and was a HS All American in Basketball, Baseball, and Football. He won the Naismith (aka best player in College) his SR year at BYU and he played in the majors for Toronto and hit a home run in the majors before deciding to play in the NBA
Yes, I had a Danny Ainge baseball card when I was a kid. He really didn't do much as a baseball player, but I thought it was cool to have when he joined the Celtics, my favorite team. Still, he had to be pretty good to even be on a MLB roster.
It’s not about “talent”. It’s about results They have a sport called track if you want to win in running. They have power lifting to display your strength. Basketball requires basketball skills and competitiveness to be great at. And Bird had incredible “basketball” abilities. -Shooting skills -Body control -Hand-eye coordination -Total understanding of where he and everyone else was on the court -Laser focus -unparalleled anticipation -superior passing skills
I am surprised that they didn't show the fight between Bird and Dr. J in that segment. Bird not only talked trash along with backing it up with his play but he also got into a good amount of fights during his career. He backed down from no one.
You couldn't stop Bird with two people brawling him, either. I was at a Timberwolves game where they called a flagrant, and you literally couldn't see it in the replays while the refs debated whether it was or not (they decided it was. Apparently I don't understand what "flagrant" means, but I'd say Larry Legend and Dr. J holding each other by the throat would qualify these days). I think the intimidation factor of Bird being known to have no issues with throwing down anywhere against anyone (or multiple people) would give him so much more mental advantage today. I really miss the "no blood, no foul" style play and viscous smack talking; you had to be good and concentrate while navigating the mental and physical obstacles your opponent threw at you. Now you just decide where you feel comfortable shooting from or dunking effectively unopposed it feels like. I definitely feel it in the pacing and lack of energy in today's game. Even the passing game feels weak compared to say, '86 Celtics/Lakers. To be fair, maybe I'm just romanticizing an era of my youth with rose colored glasses, but now that I live in Minneapolis and go to live games, I'm just not feeling it for basketball the way I did watching on TV in the sticks. But hockey and football still do it for me mostly the way they used to (I do miss hockey bench clearing brawls with goalie fights like the Flyers/Caps game that was a melee for 2 full periods until all the players and coaches were ejected and the game ended with almost all eligible players on the ice), so I think it's really a problem with basketball.
Larry Bird made basketball ball look effortlessly. Best small forward ever. Have you guys seen videos of pistol Pete.? He was a great basketball player.
@@ScottLovenbergit started with introducing Flagrant Fouls, and then the Malice at the Palace was the final nail in the coffin for physicality in the NBA
Youngheads...it's not lebron..it's not durant.. It is Larry legend..that played against Dr. J,MJ,magic and kareem,the nasty boys..zeke,lambert,rodman..,barkley,Dominique,Shawn kemp,Patrick Ewing etc. Larry Bird is on my GOAT 5 of all time
this is genuinely absurd, the average level today is so far above what it was back then its hard to even quantify. Larry would be good but to claim todays players have no chance stands in the face of larry himselfs opinion.
Totally different ball game then. Much more bangin and defense back then. Now they spread the floor but then they crashed boards and posted up. Now they are quicker to call fouls to cut down on the fights. They didn’t shoot threes near as much then either. Different game apples and oranges. One thing for sure, Bird would be a mega star today.
Problem with comparing players in different eras is the different rules that affected play. It was more physical and they were brutalizing each other back then and offensive guys had to deal with hand-checking - now you can't touch them.
The only thing that limits how effective past players could be today is that once you go back far enough, athleticism becomes an issue. But there's nothing about today's game that would be HARDER. It's just that the scoring can come from outside now, marginalizing the Hakeems and Kareems, and there weren't as many shooting specialists back in the 80s-90s. Those 12-footers are even more available now, but the coach might bench you for taking those shots instead of kicking it out.
The Celtics were my Dad's favorite team, so we used to watch them play when I was little & IMHO what made the Byrd a phenom, wasn't his ability to shoot but what I witnessed, which was his almost supernatural ability to KNOW EXACTLY where the ball was & ANTICIPATE EXACTLY where the ball would be every second of the game! I wish there was more footage of him playing, bc it was truly incredible to watch; to this day I don't know if he was clairvoyant, or just had some weird super-ability to read body language, or if the man had eyes in the back of his head!
Larry knew how to play the game he didn’t have to jump high or be fast, it was all technical for him and everything was pre-planned in his head and he knew how to adapt.
Bird took his team from worst to first in one year. He made his team immediate contenders and they won championships. He won first or second almost every year in his career in mvp voting.
Bird played like half his career with a broken back and won play-off games with concussions while seeing double vision. Lebron James had to be carried of the court for suffering from heat cramps.
He's right. There's no pressure, defense or smack talking and the shooters are still shitty. It's hard to get buckets when every obstacle has been removed and you're still trash. 😂
Right? Wide open shots, no traffic or contact anywhere... this is the easiest time they've ever had to get buckets, and "greats" like steph are shooting 45% and people marvel at it like it's a great accomplishment
U guys are awesome, fr. But I do have to mention the fact that viewers watch the content u react to as well as attempting to hear what each of u say bc y’all are hilarious. That gets difficult if anyone talks over others or when a conversation, instead of a single comment occurs with no pause. Keep going and improving guys bc y’all have potential to be great
no hands on larry in todays game .. no reaching in ? shit haha Larry is gonna kill em .. the new rules is for todays game to make it more spectator friendly
Pat Riley quote....If I needed a shot to win a game I'd have Michael shoot it. If I needed someone to make a shot to save my life I'd pick Larry Bird...there's your answer to who's the greatest.
Show me all the highlights of people telling stories of how KD told them what he was going to do before he did it and then went out and did it. Birds impact on his team was immediate and unbelievable. The year before Bird joined the Celtics were 29-53. In Birds 1st season the Celtics were 61-21, a 32 win improvement.
I love seeing each new generation witnessing the greatness of Larry Bird. If it weren't for TH-cam, Larry would have been forgotten by young basketball fans. He's a Top 5 player of all time. 1. MJ, 2. Kareem, 3. Bird, 4. Magic, 5. LeBron
I grew up watching and going to games ,bird did something ever game that you were going to talk about all week ,he did it all his IQ was unreal he was playing chess the rest was playing checkers ,very few could hang with him ,and those battles were the best, we love you larry 🐦 ❤, ty for giving us your all and then some #respect
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
Larry Bird is the best SF to ever play the game. Lebron would be in tears trying to play against Larry.
You know your basketball!
So would KD. He couldn't compete with Bird.
@@sherry6825 Larry beat everybody then, And I believe he could beat everyone after himself. He's proven quite the problem solver.
Exactly.
AMEN!!!
"Michael Jordan made you look slow, but Larry bird made you look stupid". Larry legend is the best small forward to date!!
Jordan never won a championship until Bird retired. Jordan went 7 years before he won a championship.
Id rather look slow...than stupid.
😄
And I think James Worthy would agree.
@@rustydaboyrobot 👊
@@wc7480 bird swept Jordan 2x in the playoffs
Homes is 80’s slang for homeboy, someone who lives nearby you.
"If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I’d choose Michael Jordan," Pat said. "If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I’d take Larry Bird." Pat Riley
Yup
I’d take Bird both times, it’s pretty weird he separated the 2.
@@skunkdoctor I think that was a diplomatic way of praising Bird without dissing Jordan. I might be inclined to agree with you, but then we wouldn't have this iconic quotation.
@@skunkdoctor PR response
@@ContrarianCorner Even MJ would agree. He had MAD respect for Legend. he learned a lot from Bird; just ask him. his Love and admiration for Bird
Remember this: Magic came into a good team. Bird came to the League and CREATED a great team. Bird could do EVERYTHING Magic could do, but Magic could NOT do everything Bird could do. If you're gonna start an ALL-TIME team, your FIRST pick, is the Hick from French Lick.
He could not have done it without Parish, McHale and DJ.
@@seattlewa8500 Correction. His first year he did it without Parish Mchale or dj.
Might I suggest finding new sources?🤭
No way he is picked over Duncan. Sorry bud, if you are starting a franchise Duncan is 100% the #1 pick and it really isnt even close. NOT EVEN close, and I ama diehard bird fan.
@@Dejusticed Dunc is on my all-time starting 5.
@@Dejusticed Duncan is atop 10? Yes. Over Bird? Never!
Not only is Bird the best SF every, he is the GOAT.
youre either delusional or straight up racist if you genuinely believe this
Damn straight.
Bill Russell.
Come up for a breath bro😂😂
@@bradleyhamilton8237 whatever!🤣🤣🤣
Guys, I love KD but you CANNOT put him ahead of Larry Bird. Larry is the founder of the 50/40/90 club, which he did twice, he was a better shooter than KD, a better passer than KD, a better rebounder than KD, won more championships than KD, and Larry won 3 consecutive league MVP's....consecutive.
Yessir..preach on...lol
I think the stats don't agree that Larry was a better shooter. Kevin has a higher 3pt% and a higher 2pt%. Kevin Durant might have the best mid-range game of all time. Kevin doesn't get to the basket all that much so most of his shots are in the mid range and he has years where he shoots 60% from 2pt range. Larry is a better rebounder, play maker and winner. Obviously Larry is a greater all-time player at this point. But not a better shooter.
Forget KD, Bird was a far greater player than LeBron.
KD a bus rider.
TRUTH!
You guys talked right through all the good stories.
Talked through every fucking second. Like why even react to a video like this if you are just going to talk over every single word?
they already came to the conclusion before they watched the video
Exactly. That was my main criticism of this video. They missed almost all of the good stuff.
And at the end said KD's defense is nice... what
I was thinking the same thing. They never listen to the comments.
Bird is a better playmaker and rebounder than KD. Bird avg 10 rebs/game against a mess of dominant centers
Also a far better defender
Had back surgery was as advanced as now he wouldn’t had retired and him and pierce would had blown out every team
Larry can’t even shoot off the dribble. KD would shoot his lights out and Larry can shoot but the eye test is real
@@stylescasino1006 Larry cant shoot off the dribble he says.. lol.
🤣😭🤣😭
@@stylescasino1006 spoken like a guy that never saw him play. Hell he humble jordan . Yes the goat that would put KD,Lebron and Kobe in tears and tell them Larry was better.
All of the big stars back then were respectful of Bird. Bird played hurt most of his career with his crooked fingers. He was amazing.
Larry’s defense and passing was amazing . He played like he had eyes in back of his head. And most important was the many CLUTCH “ plays!!
Bird won 3 MVPs in a row !!!!!
Only Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, & Bird have done that.
and Bird founded the 50-40-90 club
And jokic in Tha future.... Go jokic
@@michaelwaller7365 yes he did ,ty was coming in here to say the same ,gotta put respect on larry birds 🐦 name ,tysm, seeing is believing and I watched it live ,and so sorry but I don't care for how the game is played now (but that's just me ) and don't get me wrong there some real talent out there, but damn refs let em play hoops #realtalk
Russel won 5 MVPs and ELEVEN NBA championships.
Bird would walk on the court with any team and would become the team captain. Any team.
I was a die hard Lakers Magic fan, and we cringed when we faced Bird, anticipating him dismantling our Lakers.
Bird isn’t just a franchise player, in any era, he would be the star of the entire NBA.
Facts.
Bird was actually "captain" to his team & the opponent. Just as the Atlanta Hawks🤣
Yessir..I'm a Celtic fan...
Fuckin Magic was too good!!!! Lol
If he had played with Russell, Bird never would have been captain.
FYI, even LeFlopper says that Bird is the standard. Back in that era players were tough. Not like today where the players today are entitled, overindulged divas, who complain about fans being mean to them & fake injuries (James) or quit during a game because they're losing (again James). Growing up in L.A. during the '60s-'80s were the best years for sports and music.
I love when people call professionals cry babies while typing a paragraph out crying like a bitch
Lack of self awareness is astonishing.
I think if you complain more in TH-cam comments it will reverse time back to “the good ol days”
Exactly. In a scuffle fist would fly and throats would be choked and blood was spilled. Today way to much soy and estrogen
LOL@LeFlopper. As someone who can't stand LeBron--but admits he's an absolutely fantastic player--I also have Bird as the greatest small forward in NBA history. Bird was the more clutch shooter, FT shooter, rebounder, and better passer than James (James is also a great passer, but Bird was still better, IMO). I also think many ppl tend to forget that Bird not only was just 1 of 3 players in NBA history (the other 2 being no less than Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain) to ever win 3 MVPs in a row ('84-'86), but he won those while Michael Jordan, Magic, etc., were playing in the league.
Prior to Bird's horrific bad back and his 2 achilles heel injuries, Bird in his prime was an ABSOLUTE TERROR. Averaging almost 30 PPG, around 10 RPG and over 7 APG, the guy was just money. That is the other thing that can't be emphasized enough about Bird; he was not only VERY clutch when the game was on the line, but he notoriously talked trash to opposing teams' best defenders on what he was about to do on them...and usually there was nothing defenders could do about it. That is killer confidence personified, and that was Larry Bird.
Bird broke his cheek, kept 0laying
Amen to that! LeBron getting hecklers removed Courtside, (women) to boot... imagine him playing Larry? LeBron would have quit for being bullied by Larry! Then would sue the NBA.
Can’t compare NBA in the 80s vs now. Most players now would cry if they had to play against actual defense.
OR just 😭CRY😭, if They had to Play any Defense, at all
🐐Larry🏀Legend🐐 would Foul Out, Today, for HURTing Feelings
😭😭😭🐐🏀🐐😭😭😭
I might be bias cuz I'm from outside of Boston but I've never seen anybody better than Larry Bird. It wasn't just because of his shooting he was an all-around basketball player that made everybody around him better. And to this day I haven't seen a player that is as clutch is him.
100% right.I used to go to Celtic games when I could afford it. Would drive
from Newport Rhode Island to the Garden.I Was at the Sixers game in 1984
when Doctor J and Bird fought. Barkley and Malone had Bird in a headlock
while Dr.J was punching him.Love Irving but still hate Charles and Malone.
Anyway Larry Bird was Mr.Basketball! Players of today could never hang
with Bird. They couldn't take the physical abuse of the 60's 70's and 80's!!
Larry is the goat. Played half his career with a broke back and blown Achilles tendon. Had to stationary bike for a hour before each game, to loosen up. Dropped 47 on Portland left handed! Won a 3 point contest, never took off jacket. First ever/50/40/90 player. 3 MVPs when the NBA was the greatest players of all time. 3rd day of rookie...ROOKIEEEEEE! Training camp, he comes out and tells reporters, " this league is nothing, I'ma dominate this league!" Also himself said, if they had gotten Len Bias, he would have retired in 86!😮. I just have to say again, was plagued the last half of his career with a broke back, blown Achilles tendons, and bone spurs in his heels!
And DID!
Larry is def top 5. I have a hard time putting him ahead of Duncan/kareem/russell/ Duncan is the True Goat, lary is def there with the others, just not Timmy D.
@@Dejusticed the most underappreciated overlooked of all time is olajuwon. The only player in history, who's top five stats went up, across the board, from regular season to playoffs. Changed the offensive and defensive strategies of every team that played against him. Regularly ate the lunch of...Ewing, Duncan, Robinson, Malone, the triangle offense, Shaq, Rollins, Carr, etc. He and drexler dropped 40 and 44 points, in one game against the stacked up Spurs, when they had Duncan and Elliot and Robinson. Ate the Magic, who were undefeated against Chicago. When they had Penny, Shaq, and their 3 point maniacs. When asked multiple times, who Chicago didn't wanna play in the finals, Jackson always said, Rockets. Truly there was zero answer, for olajuwon.
And don’t forget 8 straight seasons finishing 1 or 2 in MVP voting…he very well could have won 5 or 6 straight!
I think he only scored 20 or 27 points with his left hand. One article mentioned he went 7-for-7 at the free throw line in the same sentence that they mentioned he made 10 of his 21 made shots with his left hand.
He played a whole game left handed for the challenge and STILL killed it
No, it was 3 quarters against Portland in 1986. When asked why he shot so much with his left hand he answered, "I'm saving my right hand for the Lakers."
The Celtics won both games, btw. THAT'S why he's Larry Legend.
Larry put up 47 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists, a steal, and 2 blocks in that game and didn't miss a single left handed shot!
He played left handed three quarters and wore the other team out!!
@@joshuam4614 In other words, Larry *never* missed a beat.
He had to shoot a few right handed in OT, but it's still quite the feat.
Larry Bird
Had Larry Bird played in an era as 3-point friendly as today, he might well have topped this entire list. He was so good that he once scored 47 points in a game using only his left-hand, declaring that the Portland Trail Blazers weren't worthy of his dominant side by saying "I'm saving my right hand for the Lakers." After winning the NBA's first two 3-point contests, he walked into the locker room before his third and asked his fellow contestants "who's coming in second?" He proceeded to win the event while wearing his warm-up jacket.
It’s funny how the brothers never wanna give Bird credit….until you ask the brothers who played against him
Truth.
larry wouldn't only survive, he would thrive
@15:21 "It's hard to get a bucket in today's game." ..... Worst statement ever!!! Dude, today's era is the easiest time to get a bucket. There's no emphasis on defense in today's era...everyone knows that. Guys like Jordan, Wilt, Bird, etc would average between 35 and 40 points a game
@@FreedomFighter2112 Ya lol that comment was wild
@@ianc3934 but accurate
@@hookedonreactions7649 BWAHAHAHAHAAAA
@@FreedomFighter2112 these guys are too young and no clue about basketball fundamentals
Larry Legend is the G.O.A.T. 🐐
Bird all day!
He only played 12 seasons. One of his 13 he was out after six games for surgery on both achilles. He made the All-Star team 12 years out of 12 and All NBA 10 out of 12 (9 first team). Also, he was 4th in MVP voting in his rookie year while winning rookie of the year (63 votes to 3, over Magic) then he was 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, 3, 2 in the MVP vote for the next 8 years, while garnering 67% of all MVP votes in that 8 year stretch against better players than they have today
Exactly! Coming back after twin achilles surgery is remarkable, then playing 3 or 4 years with a broken back at an all star level. Larry Bird is not of this planet.
How about when he became the head coach of the Pacers - with no coaching exp - and set a franchise record his first season - took the Pacers to the Conference finals his first two years and to the Finals his third year - and then retired
@@jamesrawlins735 and coach of the year in that first season (1998), and lost the conference final to the bulls 88-83 in game 7 (the most trouble the bulls ever had in a conference final)...
And eventually, executive of the year (2012, i think) a short time after rejoining the pacers in the front office
That year he was out was miserable for me as a grade schooler. He was my basketball idol by then (6th grade). When he came back we were so jazzed up!
@@fezzik7619 yep. 88-89 was my junior year in HS
Jordan -Magic-Kareem-Kobe have all said that Larry is the best small forward ever
Bird is a top 5 player of all time .
Great video guys. Just one thing though. Larry Bird was the best small forward ever. I know people say it's a different era and sure that is right, however the game was way more physical back then. Bird almost always pulled it out when the fit hit the shan. He was a leader too and made his team better. Even if you had a big lead you could not count them out and that was because of Birds will to fight through til the end. He fought through a really injured back and even returned to the game after his face was broken. He was at his best when the chips were down and unlike the guys today he didn't take a few games off for a broken toenail or something. Even the players he tortured and hated him say he was the goat. I know he didn't look like the GOAT, but he did impossible things just the same. He didn't just like playing basketball, he lived and breathed Basketball. Hey, i understand all the arguments against him, but when he came into the Pro game, nobody was watching basketball on tv. He single handedly made it what it is today. If not for Bird, we may still not be watching. Most of all, despite the terror he brought to opponents, he is a good man and lover of the game.
Agreed, except Bird did not save the game “ single-handedly”. Magic played an equal role in making the NBA mainstream.
@@johndavis9196This is true. Both of them had to come together to make it happen. It was almost divine intervention I feel
Larry Legend is the G.O.A.T of trash talkers. 🏀
Larry and Mike...relentless.
@@Darth_Lunas Larry taught MJ but both can back it up!!
The GOAT, period.
I read somewhere that Bird had Bron's passing, KD's midrange shooting touch, Curry's long range and free throw accuracy, Jokers rebounding skills, Kobe and MJ's killer will, and more clutch than any player in history! It should say they have Birds.
Michael Jordan was once quoted saying that Larry Bird was the best small forward that ever played in the NBA after saying that Larry Bird was in his top five all-time players in the NBA end of story
Imagine seriously asking if Durant is better than Bird…
It's really embarrassing!
Career wise its a real question in my opinion because Bird had injuries which shortened his career. But at both of their peaks most would take Bird.
@@finnburke2709 The Slim Reaper could play twenty five years and not be close to Bird.
@finnburke2709 no it's not a question
Bird:
3x Champ (all against Magic)
2x FMVP
3x MVP (back to back to back)
12x All-Star
9x All NBA First Team
3x All Defensive Second Team
3x 3pt Champ (back to back to back)
2x member of the 50-40-90 club (first player to do so)
Durant:
2x Champ
2x FMVP
1x MVP
12x All-Star
6x All NBA First Team
4x Scoring Title
1x member of the 50-40-90
The only reason Bird doesn't have a scoring title is because Michael Jordan existed
@@TheMissiIe he only won one championship against magic FYI. His other two were against Houston. He was 1-2 against the Lakers in the finals. Just letting you know. Also, the scoring had nothing to do with Jordan. Jordan didn't win one until Larry was already in the league for 6-7 years. Bird just did this crazy thing called passing. Bird just wanted to win. He passed just as much as he shot. He never would have won a scoring title because he didn't see the game that way.
Happy New Year guys! Larry Legend did not play around. He didnt just talk trash, he did it casually and then backed it up which infuriated his opponents. You should also check out Larry Bird - Making the Case when you have a chance.
Hey guys, love your channel. I’m old enough to be your grandfather and I watched Larry play. You cannot compare this man with even the likes of bron. He is mincemeat in Larry’s game.
Keep up the good work boys. Lots of fun watching you.
Most of todays players are mincemeat in larry's game if lebron played larry in his prime lebron would have tucked is tail between his legs and cried all the way home.
So true. Young people who grew up watching James just cannot understand because you can't understand Bird's game just by watching highlights. James is physically overpowering, but his overall game is literally a fraction of what Bird's was. Same goes for Magic. They just love Steph Curry, and I have to admit that he is the greatest long-range shooter of all time. But his overall game does not compare to Magic's. It's not even close. The glory days are gone for good. The league gets weaker and weaker year after year. Does anyone believe that Donovan Mitchell could score 71 points in 1988? Could anyone possibly be that delusional?
same here living in Massachusetts a huge fan and Larry was a beast that couldn't be stopped. Only his back stopped him
I’m Granny basketball… Been watching since the late 60s. I can’t watch the NBA today - just isn’t that commitments or that drive that we saw in the 80s. It’s the one-man star game… Not a team effort. I was blessed to have seen Bird play in person a few times. While I was a Knicks fan, I always made a point to get to the arena when Larry was in town. The minute he stepped on the court you knew something special was going to happen, and it always did. He had the highest basketball IQ ever. Also, people say he was not a defensive player, but he averaged more rebounds than Patrick Ewing. I hope you will continue on your Larry Bird journey, because most people who do, realize how special he was.
@@nanook8721 Watching and playing since the late fifties. I hear you. I grew up on Tobacco Road and we ate and slept basketball. My tall brother and friends made me learn to shoot over them until I could beat them. I'm 5'. 😂 Bird was the best (sorry, my man Michael - never tell Dean I said that when you see him again someday). He remains the best.
I was blessed to grow up in this area of the NBA. It was a wonderful experience to grow up watching true greats of the game. True living legends of the game. The game of today has no heart, it's all about the money.
Back then you play or you get blown out
@@heribertosarmiento1265 100% FACTS.
my era as well
@@heribertosarmiento1265 no blood, no foul. You get paid to pay basketball, and that was the reward. Simple rules everyone can agree to. The technical rules and "me me me" mentally came around with huge contacts. I think Larry, the best college player going to the most prestigious club at the time, had like a single year contract or something. Magic got a huge contract (at the time - multiple years for multiple millions) with LA at the same time, so maybe I'm just jaded. Still, things were great when they were raw and getting paid to play was reasonable without being extortive in either stat boarding, or the opposite as happens with unpaid college players of all sports.
@@ScottLovenberg thats what I meanplay hard ,play clean and give it all for your team. The 80-90’s were 2 decades that if you give up you get blown out and that what made those two decades so great. Now we have the ultimate athletes going to to toe but some just give up because of the contracts . Don’t get me wrong I do agree with you. We disagree but with love sports and that’s what makes it even more fun , having a rival to talk to is fun because we can love our teams ,throw some jabs but still respect the game .
Birdman backed every word up too Beastmode
Bird did actually beat the Bulls with both Pippin and Jordan.
That was such a great time/era.
He swept them twice
Even Jordan says Bird is the G.O.A.T of small forwards. #TRUTH
NBA Legends And Players Explain Why Larry Bird Would Destroy Today's NBA
Bird is the best small forward ever! And he done it all in a 13-year career. LeBron has the most turn overs in NBA history!
Yep but he’s also too 2 in scoring and top 5 in assists, could play or guard all five positions. Let’s be very serious. Bron is the One. 13yr career is a cop out.
@@OrondeBranch Even the NBA agree that Bird is better than LeBron at the position they share!
lmao bird aint better than lebron. it aint even close tbh. bird is second best sf tho
@@DavinderSingh-zr9fn look at the bron bro soi boi lol Bird is too smart for Lebron. Get over yourself
And what does lebron have to do with this? This is a prime example of some people not knowing how to stay on topic
People forget Bird was equally good on defense. And all of his Championships were on his own. Who were his best teammates? McHale? Parish? I grew up a Bulls fan but I’ve never seen anyone do so much with so little as Larry Bird. He was a force even when his back was so bad that he had to lay down beside the bench because he couldn’t sit upright. I’m glad you guys took the time to look into him. He was special.
Yes he was 😊
Bird. McHale, Parish, Dennis Johnson, Walton, Ainge. Bird didn’t win on his own.
Growing up in Portland in the 80s & 90s watching Bird was amazing. I was a Blazer fan first and foremost, but loved the Celtics during the late 80s early 90s. Mind you as much as I hated the Lakers watching Lakers vs Celtics was amazing. Bird talked so much trash that he beat players mentally. He's one of the best SF ever-better than Bron because he played INJURED multiple times.
The man walked into the locker room before the 3 point contest and asked, “So who’s gonna finish 2nd?”…..Didn’t even have to take off his joggers to win
Dude! Bird is a baaad man!!
Comparing Larry to Dirk is embarrassing
I don't know if it's embarrassing; but it's definitely insulting - to BIRD.
@@kingsbrace3736 obviously to Bird
VERY LAUGHABLE
Totally agree
@@kingsbrace3736 Only if Larry felt it to be insulting. If Larry doesn't care, nobody should. Think Larry would back that up.
...and backin' it ALL THE WAY up...!!!
LeButt would NEVER have stood up to Bird in his prime. NEVER.
Did you say it’s harder to get a bucket now? 😂 Come on guys. Larry is better than Luka and Nikola
Everything is uncontested now. It's way easier to get points now
Facts Larry played in the era where 7 foot 300 lbs guys could swing their elbows to make space, get into a legit fist fight and other physical things. The numbers show the 80s to mid 90s were the most physical basketball played, its why scoring was so low compared to today, it wasn't because guys were less skilled but because guys would damn near judo throw you around when you'd attempt a layup
@@emanuelmartinez7267 preach.
If Larry could carry the ball like Luka and Jokic he'd have been even better. And then on top of that, if 3s were as common back then, even more so
I don’t know if Larry is better but you are definitely right that it’s easier now so many rules cater to the offensive player.
Larry would make a fool out of any current NBA player. He had the skills to back up his boasts. He was a true master of the game.
Bird is *THE* best SF period. He played over half his career with crippling back pains that forced him to lay on his back with a heating pad during timeouts and when he was benched yet the man still put up absurd numbers and was the most clutch scorer of all time, Bron is a close second but he's been too inconsistent in high stakes games in the 4th quarter and never played with a sever injury while having no noticeable drop in production
Bird played half his career with crippling back pain.... and still excelled (liked your comment, just wanted to add those 3 words)
@@alanela6761 AND crippled finger *shooting hand his entire career
Lebron doesn't even belong in the same category as Bird. When did Bird ever sit out a game with cramps? Bird played with pain all of the time. Also the rules today allow for a more wide-open game that creates more points scored. Lebron may be more powerful but Bird was more crafty and inventive.
@@chris93703 LeBron is the ALL TIME leading scorer in league history. Just stop it! You sound silly and bitter. Larry's an all time great, but LeBron is in the greatest of all time conversation. He was in the NBA Finals for a freaking decade straight!
@@armonwilliams4735
LeBron is the all time leading scorer in a league that has rules that make it easier to score. He also accumulated a lot of his points of of players who would not even be considered the top players in the league. Bird did it consistently against teams loaded with talent like the Lakers. There have also been many times where Lebron has not put forward full effort to win a game or even seemed uninterested. I have seen the videos and I have seen the evidence. Bird would give 110% every game. Lebron will probably still get in the Hall but he doesn't belong in the same league as Bird. Unlike you I don't base my opinions on feelings but what I have seen.
Did Lebron ever win 3 MVP's in a row?
Also what kind of GOAT calls himself the GOAT? That seems rather conceited.
"If I needed a shot to win the game, I'd choose Michael Jordan. If I needed a shot to save my life, I'd choose Larry Bird"... Pat Riley. I'm glad I'm an old fart and this was my generation of basketball!! I'm old enough to remember Magic vs Bird in the 1979 NCAA championship
Even Michael Jordan said Bird was the greatest small forward ever.
You need to see Larry Bird’s passing. You haven’t seen enough of him to accurately decide the greatest small forward.
Also there are a bunch of Bird passing videos as well you can react to. He was an amazing passer as well. Bird, Magic, Jordan, Kobe all had one thing in common: they hated losing more than they loved winning. It drove them to only care about winning and they played hurt. There was none of this game management bull crap.
The best one liner I've heard from Bird is asking a dude he's completely smoking, "is your mom watching you play tonight?" That and Larry hitting defenders on the butt with the ball as he faked them out of their pants before taking the shot. Like, "nice try bro. Got you again." The amount of confidence that takes and the fact that it didn't throw off his rhythm at all.
Is your mother watching you play tonight? That was Craig Ehlo with Cleveland.
Love watching you guys. Appreciate your honesty and willingness to watch and learn with an open mind. Wish everyone would do this. In my opinion Larry Legend had the highest basketball I.Q.
Kareem said Larry Bird was the greatest Player ever, end of Story.
Put the top 50 all time on the court, we are choosing up sides, I want to win, I pick Bird first.
Heard another amazing Bird story a few days ago; remarkable how they just keep coming for a guy who's been retired since 1992. The 85/86 season the Celtics are in Utah and they're up 90-63 going into the 4th Q so the plan is to sit the starters the remainder of the game. After 3 quarters Bird had 30 pts, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and 9 steals. There's been one quadruple-double in league history (Nate Thurmond) but that was done with blocked shots rather than steals. So this would've been the first and only. The stats guy in Utah relayed Bird's numbers to the Celtics so KC Jones asked him if he wanted to go back in for one more steal. Bird just told him, "Nah, we got this game. I'm done for the night."
Actually he said, "I've done enough damage." Or was it "Coach take me out, they're not even a challenge tonight".
It was hard to keep track of then. It's really hard for some reason to keep track now.
You guys should consider reacting to the HBO documentary on Magic and Bird. It's up on TH-cam and well worth the watch for any basketball fan
Completely agree! It was so well done! I cannot recommend it enough.
Even for people who aren't into basketball or sports, the human factor is more than compelling. Larry Legend and Magic is one of the most legendary modern stories of competition, rivalry and friendship that I'm aware of.
These youngsters never SAW Bird play live. How would they possibly know how great he was. I never saw Wilt..
I dont know, either.
Bird was a better player than Bron and Durant; both LBJ and KD have ASPECTS of Bird's game, but neither of them had ve his killer instinct. Look at Best season Stats ... Bottom line is, Bird is the mold of the modern Small Forward, but none of them are as complete as Bird. Prime Bird was unstoppable
Larry Bird was crazy skilled.
right he saw the court like gretzky saw the rink. Durant is not better than Bird, whose talent was in his viewing the game better than anyone. As Kareem and Wilt both said, his greatest skill was his mind and he was playing chess while others were playing checkers. Only Luka and Le Bron have had similar skills at that size
Bird is greater than KD
Fun fact about Danny Ainge: He was 6’5” and was a HS All American in Basketball, Baseball, and Football. He won the Naismith (aka best player in College) his SR year at BYU and he played in the majors for Toronto and hit a home run in the majors before deciding to play in the NBA
these young kids just dont know
Yes, I had a Danny Ainge baseball card when I was a kid. He really didn't do much as a baseball player, but I thought it was cool to have when he joined the Celtics, my favorite team. Still, he had to be pretty good to even be on a MLB roster.
Bird was 6' 9 and could perform and pull off all postions . Bad boy BB man.
It’s not about “talent”. It’s about results
They have a sport called track if you want to win in running. They have power lifting to display your strength. Basketball requires basketball skills and competitiveness to be great at. And Bird had incredible “basketball” abilities.
-Shooting skills
-Body control
-Hand-eye coordination
-Total understanding of where he and everyone else was on the court
-Laser focus
-unparalleled anticipation
-superior passing skills
Gotta remember bird broke his back in '86. Before he broke his back he was putting up 28 10 and 7. And the most clutch player ever
I am surprised that they didn't show the fight between Bird and Dr. J in that segment. Bird not only talked trash along with backing it up with his play but he also got into a good amount of fights during his career. He backed down from no one.
So, you couldn't stop Bird with 2 people guarding him. Now with today's rules where they can't touch him, how do you stop him?
teams were better back when Bird played
You couldn't stop Bird with two people brawling him, either. I was at a Timberwolves game where they called a flagrant, and you literally couldn't see it in the replays while the refs debated whether it was or not (they decided it was. Apparently I don't understand what "flagrant" means, but I'd say Larry Legend and Dr. J holding each other by the throat would qualify these days).
I think the intimidation factor of Bird being known to have no issues with throwing down anywhere against anyone (or multiple people) would give him so much more mental advantage today. I really miss the "no blood, no foul" style play and viscous smack talking; you had to be good and concentrate while navigating the mental and physical obstacles your opponent threw at you. Now you just decide where you feel comfortable shooting from or dunking effectively unopposed it feels like. I definitely feel it in the pacing and lack of energy in today's game. Even the passing game feels weak compared to say, '86 Celtics/Lakers.
To be fair, maybe I'm just romanticizing an era of my youth with rose colored glasses, but now that I live in Minneapolis and go to live games, I'm just not feeling it for basketball the way I did watching on TV in the sticks. But hockey and football still do it for me mostly the way they used to (I do miss hockey bench clearing brawls with goalie fights like the Flyers/Caps game that was a melee for 2 full periods until all the players and coaches were ejected and the game ended with almost all eligible players on the ice), so I think it's really a problem with basketball.
Larry Bird made basketball ball look effortlessly. Best small forward ever. Have you guys seen videos of pistol Pete.? He was a great basketball player.
by paying off the refs I guess.... that might work half the time
@@ScottLovenbergit started with introducing Flagrant Fouls, and then the Malice at the Palace was the final nail in the coffin for physicality in the NBA
Youngheads...it's not lebron..it's not durant..
It is Larry legend..that played against Dr. J,MJ,magic and kareem,the nasty boys..zeke,lambert,rodman..,barkley,Dominique,Shawn kemp,Patrick Ewing etc.
Larry Bird is on my GOAT 5 of all time
Brought back a lot of memories - Bird is a legend - one of the smartest bball players ever. Those were great years around Boston!
You need to do a reaction of Bird's passing. It will blow you away.
Always the best time talking about the GOAT.🤩
Larry was a legend in the day. Today's players would have no chance. Hell in his day they had no chance
this is genuinely absurd, the average level today is so far above what it was back then its hard to even quantify. Larry would be good but to claim todays players have no chance stands in the face of larry himselfs opinion.
Totally different ball game then. Much more bangin and defense back then. Now they spread the floor but then they crashed boards and posted up. Now they are quicker to call fouls to cut down on the fights. They didn’t shoot threes near as much then either. Different game apples and oranges. One thing for sure, Bird would be a mega star today.
Man, y'all talked right over a couple of the best parts.
True! I had the feeling like what was the point of even playing the video if they weren't even going to bother watching and listening to it?
Problem with comparing players in different eras is the different rules that affected play. It was more physical and they were brutalizing each other back then and offensive guys had to deal with hand-checking - now you can't touch them.
The only thing that limits how effective past players could be today is that once you go back far enough, athleticism becomes an issue.
But there's nothing about today's game that would be HARDER. It's just that the scoring can come from outside now, marginalizing the Hakeems and Kareems, and there weren't as many shooting specialists back in the 80s-90s. Those 12-footers are even more available now, but the coach might bench you for taking those shots instead of kicking it out.
The Celtics were my Dad's favorite team, so we used to watch them play when I was little & IMHO what made the Byrd a phenom, wasn't his ability to shoot but what I witnessed, which was his almost supernatural ability to KNOW EXACTLY where the ball was & ANTICIPATE EXACTLY where the ball would be every second of the game! I wish there was more footage of him playing, bc it was truly incredible to watch; to this day I don't know if he was clairvoyant, or just had some weird super-ability to read body language, or if the man had eyes in the back of his head!
Excellent comment. 🙂
He is a joy to watch.
I wish there was more full game footage available too.
*Boston Celtic fan here and I know you right!*
Great reviews but remind me never to go to the movie theater with you guys! 😄
No shit. If they'd stop talking over everything, imagine what they'd know.
Yep. They missed half the video.
@@smellygoatacres it’s a reaction video not a sit and watch in the quiet
@@zionyourtherapist3345 that’s why there’s a pause button
Y’all should check out the all star games where magic, Jordan, Bird played together. Frigging awesome
Larry knew how to play the game he didn’t have to jump high or be fast, it was all technical for him and everything was pre-planned in his head and he knew how to adapt.
Bird is the best small forward ever!
That's just the facts! 🔥👊
false. he is behind lebron and it aint close lmao
@@DavinderSingh-zr9fn he's absolutely better than lebron
@@alanela6761 lmao he isnt even close to lebron
@@DavinderSingh-zr9fn ok. If you think he's THAT much better, then he's not close to Lebron
LARRY LEGEND IS A UNICORN & THE TRUE GOAT 🐐 ☘️
Bird took his team from worst to first in one year. He made his team immediate contenders and they won championships. He won first or second almost every year in his career in mvp voting.
Bird played like half his career with a broken back and won play-off games with concussions while seeing double vision. Lebron James had to be carried of the court for suffering from heat cramps.
My man said it's hard to get a bucket in today's game. That must be the funniest ish I've ever heard LMFAO 😂😂😂
He's right. There's no pressure, defense or smack talking and the shooters are still shitty. It's hard to get buckets when every obstacle has been removed and you're still trash. 😂
Right? Wide open shots, no traffic or contact anywhere... this is the easiest time they've ever had to get buckets, and "greats" like steph are shooting 45% and people marvel at it like it's a great accomplishment
U guys are awesome, fr. But I do have to mention the fact that viewers watch the content u react to as well as attempting to hear what each of u say bc y’all are hilarious. That gets difficult if anyone talks over others or when a conversation, instead of a single comment occurs with no pause. Keep going and improving guys bc y’all have potential to be great
Agree they ruin reactions sometimes
no hands on larry in todays game .. no reaching in ? shit haha Larry is gonna kill em .. the new rules is for todays game to make it more spectator friendly
If someone tells you exactly what they will do, then do it right in your face…. That’s next level.
Pat Riley quote....If I needed a shot to win a game I'd have Michael shoot it. If I needed someone to make a shot to save my life I'd pick Larry Bird...there's your answer to who's the greatest.
Bird's better than LeBron and KD.
Show me all the highlights of people telling stories of how KD told them what he was going to do before he did it and then went out and did it.
Birds impact on his team was immediate and unbelievable.
The year before Bird joined the Celtics were 29-53.
In Birds 1st season the Celtics were 61-21, a 32 win improvement.
Gotta go with the numbers....Bird!!
I love seeing each new generation witnessing the greatness of Larry Bird. If it weren't for TH-cam, Larry would have been forgotten by young basketball fans. He's a Top 5 player of all time. 1. MJ, 2. Kareem, 3. Bird, 4. Magic, 5. LeBron
The two hand fivers 😂
Larry "Legend" was CLUTCH!
Guys you really need to react to this, new clips about Larry's stories! NBA LEGENDS EXPLAIN HOW LARRY BIRD MADE EVERYONE LOOK BAD
They don't need stories they need to watch so they can understand. These guys have seen a few videos and they want to already put KD over Larry? Wtf?
The rules was different back in birds day. KD might struggle in that era
Basketball was so fun to watch back then.
I grew up watching and going to games ,bird did something ever game that you were going to talk about all week ,he did it all his IQ was unreal he was playing chess the rest was playing checkers ,very few could hang with him ,and those battles were the best, we love you larry 🐦 ❤, ty for giving us your all and then some #respect
Mr Bird didn't play. He scored
One of the greats. Dude was crazy. He'd tell professional players exactly what he was gonna do, then still do it right in their face and STILL score.
@@SRTBOAT as far as IQ and skill goes. He is one of the best for sure 💯
Big fans of you guys. Love rediscovering old music thru y’all. Keep it up there is so much stuff out there.
Bird is a better shooter, better passer, and better rebounder than Durant and LeBron. Cut it out lads. Go look at the tape.