Frankly it's an insult to even compare Luka to Larry Legend. He couldn't shine Larry's shoes. People have a lot to learn, period! He was and is the GOAT!
OK, slow down. Breathe. Luka is probably the most Bird-like player in the current NBA. If you send Luka back to the 80's he's still a HOF caliber player.
That is another difference in Bird and most if not all players, no, ALL players…he took a twent nine win team, was the only addition to the team the next season, and made them a championship contending team his rookie yr, also winning rookie of theyear! How long did Lebron? Oh yeah, he had to make a “super team” How about MJ? Kobe? And yes Luca…has he even won one? No one had the single greatest impact on a team and the league than Bird. GOAT without question.
This team's passing skills made them so much fun to watch. You knew they worked on this kind of stuff at practice every single day. They would take the ball from half court to the hoop for a layup without the ball ever touching the floor, just 4-6 sweet passes while running
Correct. They knew they could never match the Lakers foot speed so they perfected those pass only, no dribble drills as you mentioned. NO ONE outruns the 🏀
Dennis Johnson would have been the best player on 24 NBA teams in 1986. He just happened to be on Larry Bird's team. Bird calls DJ the best player he ever played with and Bird does not even hesitate when asked. The "Secret Play" video on youtube is one of my favorites th-cam.com/video/tQYs5rsSud0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=xMeErZqWuS147JZB
Bird was a team player and he fed many balls to other players that did not get a lot of playing time. He was not a ball hog and even when he could, he did not grandstand and rack up points (which he could have) as he thought there was more to go around. Listen to some of his team that played with him and how they scored more, because of his generosity on the court. Ask yourself how the Celtics never lost to the Bulls, even though it seemed that Bird did not score as much as Jordan. He utilized his teammates as any player with class would make sure they did. He even tried to get McHale to keep playing in another game so his scoring would be more than he had. That is the type of teammate Bird was.
Most of those guys wouldn't have had HoF careers without Bird. Bird's leadership, accountability, rebounding, passing, and lack of selfishness (he insisted on including everyone) which elevated everyone so much, they couldn't help but be HoF players. Because of Bird.
You hit the nail on the head!!! They were completely unselfish which made them the best team. Who ever was hot got the ball, everyone pulled for each other. That's what's makes the best teams!
I feel sorry for the younger generation.. This era of basketball is and will always be the greatest ever .. Now you see why us old farts laugh at the modern day cupcake NBA
I know its not real but you could easily say the same for WWF pro-wrestling, back then was chock full of big stars, not its Bob Smith Wrestling Zippy Hernandez. What happened to society?
For real I was lucky enough to see these guys play at the Hartford civic center when I was young. We went to the garden about a year before it was torn down
So glad I grew up in NH just 45 minutes from Boston in the 80's. What a time to be alive. Spend many nights, and have so many wonderful memories at the Garden. Celtics, Bruins, and yea even the WWF. Definitely the golden age of basketball.
No that doesn’t hurt his case for being the 🐐. Because he was that good, he made everyone that played beside him that good, even one that everybody including himself thought that his career had come to an end, but instead Bird made a star that had gone out become a shining star once again. So that actually adds to his case of being the 🐐.
Cant leave Walton out, he brought their passing to a new level as he would have competitions with Bird to see who could one up each other. It was a magical year to be a Celtics fan for sure.
You absolutely can't forget Walton, especially that year. He was so valuable if youre talking about chemistry. Bird always credits Walton as being the most fun player he's played with.
You were dead on describing Walton. He was a glue guy and that old vet who understood what was going on and his role in it. McHale, Bird, Parrish, Ainge, and DJ all loved him.
That last comment about Danny Ainge is pretty damned amazing. He can honestly lay claim to being the 🐐 of high school athletes, first team All American in basketball, football and baseball bruh, that’s pretty damn strong right there brudda!!!
DJ was phenomenal with the SuperSonics too in 1978-79 - a completely different type of player then - a high flyer who changed his game when he became a Celtic in 1984. Both versions were great and both were great defenders. As an old Laker fan myself, both versions also drove me crazy! Great, great player who deserves much respect. Bird was right.
Bird didn't have 4 or 5 HOF'ers when he started with the Celtics. They had finished dead last the year before Larry came. In his second year they won the championship. He had been playing for several years before he got his 'dream team' - the 1986 team. And you cannot underestimate his leadership influence and how he trained his team members and raised their game. An argument can be made that he had so many HOF'ers on his team because he helped elevate their games. Many of them said that this was true.
Ainge was no joke. Every sport wanted him. The chief was something special and McHale Was called the black hole because once he got the ball it was in the hole. But Bird was a killer. This whole team was phenomenal. Give Walton props. Dude loves basketball and was a helluva player.
Bill Walton was fantastic when he was healthy. Finals MVP. MVP the next year. Having an even better season the next year when he injured his foot. He was healthy again in 1986. He knew how to play the game. Fantastic position on defense, amazing passer. He had Bird had a secret play. Similiar to the Bird-Dennis Johnson secret play. Robert Parish was a great defensive player, but when Walton came in the game, the Celtics defense got better. Walton knew he didn't need to play 30 minutes and he would be super active in his 20 minutes per game. You can see both secret plays in this video. The Bird DJ one was more famous because they would ran it over a few years. Bird would act like he was going from one side of the basket to the other or wait like he getting a pick to pop up for a jump shot. Instead he would stop dead under the basket and DJ would rifle a pass to him. He would catch DJ's eye and they would run the play. The Walton Play was even prettier. Walton could pass with both hands and was big enough to see over the defense. He would post up. Bird would throw him the ball and then run right at Walton. Waiting until the last second to break left or right, he would use walton as a pick and walton would just lay it in his hands
Zone defense was illegal back then. I think it was Walton who said, they were the greatest team because, they could beat you any way. If you were a running team, they could run. Their frontline was killer and they got so many offensive rebounds. But if you wanted to clog the paint and stop the big three, they had shooters like Ainge, Sichting and Wedman. Sichting and Wedman seemed to hit a bunch of big shots in the playoffs that year when folks were double teaming Bird. Bird said that final game was his best because he was zoned in on every single play. He had three steals in addition to his triple double
19:55 - That "Beat L.A." chant has a story of it's own. Back in the early 80's the Celtics and Sixers had a super intense rivalry. In the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals the Sixers were up 3-1 but the Celtics came back to win the series and go to the Finals (where they beat the Rockets for Bird's first championship). The next year the Sixers and Celtics met again in the Conference Finals and again the Sixers went up 3-1 and again the Celtics forced a game 7 back at the Boston Garden. But this time the Sixers won and were headed to the Finals to face the Lakers. And in the final minutes, with the game decided, the Boston Garden fans gave the Sixers a proper send off, chanting "Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.!" You can hear them here: th-cam.com/video/RvVN1jIPNps/w-d-xo.html
I'm telling you ... DENNIS. JOHNSON. He is the only PG I have ever seen pass off of a backboard. Bird was double-teamed, as usual, and DJ threw the ball at the backboard with so much spin on it that it practically jumped down and to the right directly into the waiting hands of Larry Legend. Layup. I've never seen anybody else do that in an NBA game.
Danny ainge was a phenomenal tri sport athlete. Dj was the single most underrated point guard ever. Oh, Danny was also drafted by the Toronto blue jays and played a couple of seasons…I have his card
I love Danny Ainge. I hate that he hasn’t been inducted into the HOF. When all of his teammates are already there? Something not right with that picture.
Collectively Bird, McHale and Parrish were the most consistent and complimentary front court I've seen. Their half court and transition games were textbook and a pure joy to watch. That's due to those men and their abilities along with Red Auerbach's influence on the team.
The thing that you cant explain to people who didn't experience Bird live is the X factor. There was no worse feeling than seeing your team up 1-3 points and Boston getting the ball with more than 3 seconds. Bird deflated so many teams with last minute shots, blocks or passes, that you never took a breath until the final buzzer sounded. There is not a player since that made the opposing team fear the last shot like Bird.
As far as Bird's consideration of a GOAT status consider how Bird could elevate the level of play of those other 4 players on his team. This proof of Bird's ability to raise the level of play for his teammates, consider what Bird did at Indiana State! He took a school with zero basketball identity and literally put them on the basketball map while there. He was on the cover of SI as "basketballs secret weapon" and in his 3rd season led ISU to a 33-0 run only losing the final game against Michigan State . MSU had on their roster besides Magic , 3 other players that saw an NBA roster in Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent and Ron Charles ( drafted by the Bulls in 1980). ISU was beating teams that were better than they were simply because they played better as a team, and Bird personified that play style his entire career!
The reason it doesn't particularly hurt Bird's case is that he had to harness this level of talent. McHale, as mentioned, had been a bench player until that season. Walton, as shown, was way past his prime. Dennis Johnson had been great for many years, but was considered a "head case" and the Celtics only needed to trade a mediocre big (Rick Robey) for him. Parish was also not a particularly great player for Golden State in the 70's, his career was reinvented as a Celtic. Ainge was playing baseball for the Blue Jays just 3 years before this season. So they all had massive talent, but had each struggled or been underused previous to playing alongside Bird. The Lakers in 1987 had 4 #1 overall draft choices on their team. The Celtics's only #1 draft choice was Walton. It was a team significantly elevated by Bird's court vision.
@@MarcTheSparcTV Marc = for further proof of Bird's ability to raise the level of play for his teammates, consider what Bird did at Indiana State! He took a school with zero basketball identity and literally put them on the basketball map while there. He was on the cover of SI as "basketballs secret weapon" and in his 3rd season led ISU to a 33-0 run only losing the final game against Michigan State . MSU had on their roster besides Magic , 3 other players that saw an NBA roster in Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent and Ron Charles ( drafted by the Bulls in 1980). ISU was beating teams that were better than they were simply because they played better as a team, and Bird personified that play style his entire career!
And then they drafted Len Bias. The dynasty was going to last another 10 years if he didn't overdose on cochise 2 days later. Bias might of been as good as Jordan.
This helps Bird's case. Bird is basically the equivalent of a general. You have all the good troops and commanders but you need that brilliant strategist who knows how to make everything work as one solid unit. Put all those pieces together and you got one hell of a machine to fight against. That is how they were able to bust down the doors of even the best guys in the league. If Larry had not been injured so much he might have been able to push them even harder thus completely shutting out the lakers as well as the rest of the league. By the time he left larry would be considered a god instead of a man.
The NBA was much more physical during the 80's and modern teams would not be able to keep up with the physical play. The teams of the 80's would eat up modern teams. The Celtics of 1986 were so well rounded in all areas of the game. Hands down they are the best team ever.
When Larrys retirement was done there was no game at the Boston Garden yet it was sold out, let that sink in "no game yet sold out" for one mans retirement. For those that think Larry Bird was not as good as he really was. This comment is for those whom never had the chance to see him play. Little know thing about Larry to those that never saw him play , he could effect the outcome of a game and never take a shot thats how devastating his passing skills were. Here is one thing that most fans (people) either don't know or try to ignore, prior to Larry joining the NBA there was no such thing as a three point line, that came in when Bird was starting his first year off in his NBA career. Just think about what would todays game be without the three point line or if the line was one foot farther out like it was when it was first introduced. Food for thought. At that time it was not about the individuals stats it was about the win. But if you need some stats here you go: Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986); Two-time NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986); Three-time NBA MVP (1984-86); 12-time NBA All-Star (1980-88, 1990-92); Nine-time All-NBA First Team (1980-88); All-NBA Second Team (1990); Three-time All-NBA Defensive Second Team (1982-84); NBA Rookie of the Year (1980); NBA All-Rookie Team (1980); Three-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1986-88); Career-high in points: 60 (March 12, 1985) -- tied for franchise record with Jayson Tatum; Named NBA Coach of the Year (1998); and Named NBA Executive of the Year (2012). Larry Bird, was the first player to accomplish the 50-40-90 achievement, and one of two players to achieve the feat in multiple seasons. Career averages: 24.3 points per game 10.0 rebounds per game 6.3 assists per game 88.6% free throw percentage 49.6% field goal percentage 37.6% 3-point percentage Now we can't forget that Bird famously played with two injured ankles and a notoriously cranky back that forced him to lay down on the floor during practice breaks. After season-ending foot surgery just six games into the 1988-89 season
Bird came into the league as a rookie with a confidence and an ability to make his team better that Luka does not have. Luka is a great player, but he’s just not the same as Bird. Anybody who saw them both play knows it.
Thanks for the reaction. I enjoyed your trip down greatness lane. You didn't disappoint; you gave a maybe at the end. It's a start. Everyone has their views. Just wish more young folks would watch the greats of the 80s and 90s. Peace be with you.
take the time to watch a video on bill walton and you will understand how much better he made the celtics for one year in 86. walton was a guy, first overall pick, who would have dominated the league like jabbar if not for injuries. so adding him to a stacked celtics team and getting his only full season in half a decade out of him, truly made the celtics special that year. to add him to a team that had one of the best three front court players of all time already made them unstoppable.
I can tell your DJ fan, me too, little remembered fact DJ was finals MVP for Sonics in 79, it still gripes me that they waited till he passed away to elect him to HOF !
Bird said that Dennis Johnson was the best player he ever played with. Watch more of the Celtic highlights that had more on Johnson than usual. Him and Bird always knew where each one was on the court. Watch the bouncing off the backboard plays that Johnson and Bird formulated together. McHale and Bird were great together, but Johnson was like Bird's third arm and they shared a brain together.
Danny Ainge was drafted by the Toronto blue Jay's and the Celtics he actually chose baseball and MLB ends up going on strike and the rest is Celtics history not only as a player and as team gm/president
Just when I think you’re too closed minded to see what the rest of us see….you have some lightbulb moments.💡 That’s encouraging. There’s hope for you yet young padawan
@@MarcTheSparcTV When you dive into NBA history you will find it's a whole other world compared to today's game. To me, you are not a basketball fan if you don't have an rich knowledge or desire to learn the history of the game.
It doesn’t hurt his case, because he took a bad team and made them all hall of famers, remember Bird was not selfish with the ball . MJ and LeBron never did that .
I saw them live that year in the semi when they sent Atlanta home. 5 rows back behind the scorekeeper table. The best big 3 is absolutely Bird, McHale and Chief.
They weren't HOF when bird came to the celtics, the celtics were in last place when they drafted bird ,and it was different players in 81 when bird got his first chip and all birds teammates give him credit for bringing thier game to HOF level ,js ,i was there watching in real time
As a Celtics fan growing up watching the lakers rivalry the best 3 were Kareem, worthy and magic but that is what made this celtics team so special. They won so many games with that lineup
The key to McHale's success in the post was his millions of fakes. He would almost literally fake the opposing players out of their jockstraps. As soon as he got them going where they didn't want to go, he would dash through the opening he'd created and put the ball in the hoop. His incredibly long arms certainly helped make that possible, too. And he was a monster shot blocker as well.
During a game, McHale was telling his teammates that he had his defender in the torture chamber; that is while this player was standing next to him 🤣😂🤣
Great reaction mate 👍 Its sad that the older players are not known about spoken of or shown alot , I was watching NBA in the late 80s to late 90s , I was lucky enough to watch legends play in there primes , it was a different time and a different game in those days , much more physical , my favorite players are Karl Malone and John Stockton , no 32 and no 12 for the Utah Jazz ,absolute legends in my opinion, Karl Malone is still to this day 2nd all time in points scored , (Kareem is first I believe) and Stockton is still all time assist leader , but its rare you hear either of them mentioned anywhere
It actually helps him for being the goat. he MADE that team. If it wasn't for Larry Bird, McHale and Parish are not in the hall of fame. he made his team better. That's what makes him the goat.
Danny Played with the Toronto BlueJays before being drafted by Boston... He was truly a 2 sport threat, but Bird made him focus on BasketBall and he did and remains a great, for Celts especially but also for Sacramento, Portland and Phoenix for a couple years ..
Bird was so great that he MADE his teammates Hall of Famers. The only one who would have made it without Bird was Kevin McHale. However it is Bird who is the only one who could have led them to win titles, and without titles, I doubt the rest of them would have made it to the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Famer who hurt someone's reputation the most is Kareem Abdul Jabbar. He was the NBA's leading scorer forever it seems, and he owned an unstoppable shot (his sky hook coming off a 7'2" frame). I think in any comparison with Bird, it was tough to have Magic come out the winner when Kareem outshined Magic in many crucial games. Hardly any of the Celtics outshone Bird, even if they sometimes outscored him.
The Bird-Magic rivalry saved pro hoops, and should be considered one of the all-time greatest gifts to the entire sports world. I was a Celts fan because I was living in Boston, but I had great admiration for the Lakers. But back then, it was a much rougher game, you could mug people all over the court and get away with it, and haymaker fights were not uncommon. Is the 86 Celts team the best of all time? Maybe.. there are only a few others that could make a similar case.
Absolutely. A lot of these younger folks don’t remember the 70s - but the NBA was really at a low point in the late 70s. After Wilt, Jerry, Russell, Reed and others retired the league went into a tail spin in the mid 70s. Players became nonchalant and “cool.” Still - it was still a better game to watch than what we have these days. But yep - Bird and Magic brought back the desire to compete and win.
Bird is the best player. Most skillful, without a doubt. The unathletic, slow, and can't jump talk is all bullshit. He played at his own speed, and MADE everyone else go with it. He was fast when he had to be. He had a 28" vertical.
He had ridiculously fast hands and eye coordination. Shows off his "farmer strength" in those full court bullet passes. There's more to athleticism than running and jumping.
For twosome best pair Hakeem and Ralf Sampson Before the injury to Sampson. He was 7'4" Hakeem was about 6'10-6'11. The Original Twin Towers. It was Rockets vs Celtics that year in the Finals 1986 Rockets Celtics
I will school you. The BIG THREE dominated and still are the best all-time frontline. People who were alive know that Kevin McHale was nicknamed "Mr. Automatic" because of what he did in the post. He had more post moves than anyone, including Olajuwon or any other center or power forward. He had every post move there is. He would break you down with footwork, fakes, up-and-unders, baby hooks with either hand, spins, fadeaways, scoops, or just rising up with that high release over top--you name it. No power forward mastered all the post moves like McHale. He had soft hands receiving the ball in the post and kept his defender at bay, unable to intercept those entry passes. Both he and Parish were underrated defenders. They made BIG PLAYS--big shots in big moments, and they had great chemistry with Bird, which is really easy. Parish had a baseline spin move that was lighting quick which ended in a powerful tomahawk dunk, that help defenders did not like to attempt to block. He had a nice turn-around jumper and little hook, as well, and displayed strong hands that would out-battle those he would fight for rebounds. He wasn't nicknamed 'Chief' for nothing. Both he and McHale, at 7' and 6'11, and long, did a good job rebounding, scoring, and defending in the paint and could get their own shot, and McHale would often even split double-teams with an up-and-under move that I have never seen anyone execute at the frequency he would. And Bird at 6'10''--arguably, ALL-TIME, the best shooter with either hand, best scorer (he had every shot anywhere on the floor and could get whatever he wanted, would even tell the defender), best rebounder (at position--10/game career), best passer (at ANY position--he threw those whole-court inbounds passes with pinpoint accuracy on a nightly basis and made so many passes that I haven't seen people attempt since), top-tier FT shooter at about 90%, most clutch (he would TELL you where he was gonna shoot the game-winner after the TO and then shoot it in your face), and best, funniest, most fearless trash-talker--and he backed it up time after time--that is why he the GOAT. That is why the BIG THREE are the best front-court ever, and they are a big part of why those '86 Celtics are the best all-time team, though I would listen to a case for the Bill Russell Celtics team that won 11 rings before my time, against Wilt's Lakers, who were loaded. Jordan's Bulls never beat Bird in a playoff game--they got swept, back-to-back, and then eliminated by Detroit until 1991, 8 years after Jordan came into league. Magic's Lakers team, and Thomas' Pistons, and Duncan's Spurs are right behind those '86 Celtics. The all-time winningest players for a career are Magic, by a hair, over Bird. School's out..
P.S. There should be 6 HOFers on that team, very good point! I was a huge Bird and Celtics fan (from midwest) in the 1980's and not sure who isn't a HOF player????? It has to be Ainge, and I truly believe he deserves it!
Danny Ainge is the odd man out in that short list of HOF players on the roster. He had a good career and contributed on a lot of great teams, but he was not on the same level of those other guys. However, KC Jones, the Head Coach, was also a HOFer. So if you include him, that’s 6 👍
@@MarcTheSparcTV he was a fan favorite if he was on your team and he’s been heavily involved in basketball operations ever since he retired. So, he has popularity and likability, which can often elevate someone’s status. There’s nothing wrong with that. I think most fans would still admit that he’s not really HOF material. You never know. He might get in someday anyway.
I went to THE Garden back in HS 88 or 89 nothing going on but the doors were unlocked (also was a train station) the team shop was open and got me a #33 practice jersey (was all they had). Then I snuck on to the floor. It was a religious experience, you could feel all those great teams. Special Place shame they killed it, destroyed their home advantage.😢 Time to watch me some Doncic
Something else that wasn't mentioned in 1986 there was only 23 teams meaning the competition is a lot tuffer. Players that were 6 7th and even 8 men would be starters if you have 30 teams. The worst teams were better than what they would be if you had 30 teams because tbecause the starters on the bad teams when they're starting the league would be on the bench or out of the league and the bench players wouldn't be in the league
I didn’t go through and all the comments…..but the “ big 3” was in reference to the Celtics front line. Bird, McHale and Parish. Arguably the best front line in NBA history.
Great react vid! You should check out Larry Bird vs Dr J! Charles Barkley held down Larry's arms while Julius took 2 or 3 straight shots to Larry's face. Larry scored 36 to Dr J's 6 and Larry told J to retire and then what incurred next was probably the biggest all out fist fight in basketball history!
@@MarcTheSparcTV just to let you know, the game has always been getting softer. In the 1890's it was played with a chain link fence around it. After a game you could go look at the court and their would be blood all over the place. Trust me on this one, it was very violent. Eventually they removed the fence and that stopped a lot of the blood on the court problems. It's really worth looking into the early history of most U.S. sports just to see how violent they were. Even football, where no pads were used. think about that, fully grown men at a full run plowing into each other with no pads and a fabric or leather cap.
When Larry, Robert, & Kevin started making these crazy passing combinations; at first we thought it was just luck. But they made them so often it couldn't be luck.
no one on the Celtics was HOF material without BIRD. He is the best ever at elevating his team mates to levels they would not have known. BIRD is the only player EVER to achieve these career stats at least 24pts at least 10 reb at least 6 assist for a career. He also had a 4 season average of a 50/40/90 Only BIRD
'85 Lakers/86 Celtics would snuff ANY team in the last 20 years. THATS right! In the last 20 years INCLUDING the Laker teams with Shaq and Kobe. No way could any team run with the Lakers and the Celtics were just a hard team to compete against--pick your poison. Those days defenses resembled old school NFL/NHL. There was no such thing as an "easy lay up." You took it to the hoop you were going to get clobbered to the head and/or checked to the body. It was expected and it was part of the game. Look at any star player wrong in today's league and they'll get you for a "T".
Yeah... this team had no weaknesses. Their season started off poorly. They easily could'v won 73 games that year if they didn't fool around so much at the onset. Having the league's MVP that year didn't hurt them either. Great reaction bro.
19:00 .. this team was so good, I would not be surprised if we were correct back then thinking they lost game 4 just to have an extra home game. There's alot of money to be had with an extra day of 14,000 ticket sales +concession sales ...
Having all those Hall of famers hurt his case? No. Because Bird (like Magic) elevated his teammates. In fact, he was so good at that that you might say, they are hall of famers because of Bird!
@@Boomslang55 Yup, Walton admitted long after that he insisted he get listed at 6'11 just so he wouldn't have to be made to play so much "under the basket" like other 7'+ centers. And I did a ton of image comparisons of him playing against other centers and him standing beside Bird and Parish and Kareem and concluded he's got maybe an inch on Parish (7'1") and looks like he's about the same height as Kareem (but a little shorter wingspan) - who was listed at 7'2". A great thing to watch is when Walton was playing vs. Ewing - I think in Ewing's 2nd year in 86 before Walton's injuries finally got the better of him, and Walton has a clear size advantage. Almost makes Ewing look like an undersized center. And Ewing was a big dude. I mean, he played like he was small, but he was actually big.
Those three were known as “the Big Three” back in the 80s. Danny Ainge is the only high school athlete named 1st team All American in three sports, and was actually playing baseball for the Toronto blue jays when the Celtics picked him up. Dennis Johnson was actually the NBA Finals MVP in 1979 playing for Seattle. And Walton was the Finals MVP in 1977 with Portland, the league MVP in 78, lead UVLA to two national championships and was the #1 overall selection in the 74 draft. And watch some highlights of Jerry Sichting and Scott Wedman if you want to see some “deadeye” shooting. That team was special.
I find it interesting that, in my mental picture of Ainge on-screen, on the court, he is this "scrappy" *_little_* guy, (as is DJ) BUT, put Ainge on the baseball field and he sort of *morphs* and *elongates.* From _just_ 6'4" to *6'4"!* 😄
@@cindyknudson2715 - I remember seeing a team photo of him with the Celtics and also with the Blue Jays. He was the little guy on the basketball team and back row / center with baseball. 😂
Bird took the team from 29 wins 1 yr before he was a rookie to 61 wins in 1 yr-he made those guys better AND IF HE THOUGHT LIKE THIS GENERATION WOULDVE SMOKED INDIVIDUAL RECORDS BUT MADE HIS TEAM A WINNER WHEN BALL WAS BALL
The only reason they were the big 3 is because of the big one. He fed them so much it made them look great. LOL, you're not getting it, Bird MADE those HoHers except Walton. That's what makes him the goat.
Without Bird that team wins 50 games maybe. The year before bird joined the team they won 29 games. Birds rookie year they won 62. And that was pre Parish, DJ, and McHale.
I REACT TO NBA FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS EVERY DAY HERE:
*2nd Channel: th-cam.com/channels/RWftMnuEICN8xWy-uAT6Jw.html
I remember the first time I watched McHale play. I thought why the hell would they get this goofy looking dude? Oh,damn. This guy can play.
@@stevesmith2171 😂😂
That “goofy” guy you call is one of the best damn players to ever play! Part of the elite all time front court players!
I agree Bird is not the goat because the team was that good. Jordan is the goat.
@@josephmccleary5759 well respectfully I disagree. The facts and head to head matchups say otherwise. No one ever did more across the board than Bird.
Everyone on Bird's team admits Bird made them better. Bird didn't care about his stats he cared about winning.
And that's a winner
Bird also admitted that his teammates, and especially DJ, made him better.
Yeah, Bird was one of those dudes who hated to lose even more than he wanted to win.
Frankly it's an insult to even compare Luka to Larry Legend. He couldn't shine Larry's shoes. People have a lot to learn, period! He was and is the GOAT!
Well, you know... Luka could not play in Larry's era... Larry could play in any era.
@@jonlanier_ Luka is absolutely nothing compared to Larry legend! The point is there is no comparison, not even close!
@@jonlanier_ Luka could definitely play in the 80's.
OK, slow down. Breathe. Luka is probably the most Bird-like player in the current NBA. If you send Luka back to the 80's he's still a HOF caliber player.
@@kurtjohnson3917 yeah I don’t know about that. He’s nothing compared to Larry legend!
Witnessed many of the
1986 Boston Celtic games !
Bird was in his prime and
they were spanking everyone !
That is another difference in Bird and most if not all players, no, ALL players…he took a twent nine win team, was the only addition to the team the next season, and made them a championship contending team his rookie yr, also winning rookie of theyear! How long did Lebron? Oh yeah, he had to make a “super team” How about MJ? Kobe? And yes Luca…has he even won one? No one had the single greatest impact on a team and the league than Bird. GOAT without question.
This team's passing skills made them so much fun to watch. You knew they worked on this kind of stuff at practice every single day. They would take the ball from half court to the hoop for a layup without the ball ever touching the floor, just 4-6 sweet passes while running
Correct. They knew they could never match the Lakers foot speed so they perfected those pass only, no dribble drills as you mentioned.
NO ONE outruns the 🏀
Your “I dunno about Dennis Johnson” showed me you have a loooooooot to learn 😂
Sounds like he’s willing to learn.
Dennis Johnson would have been the best player on 24 NBA teams in 1986. He just happened to be on Larry Bird's team. Bird calls DJ the best player he ever played with and Bird does not even hesitate when asked. The "Secret Play" video on youtube is one of my favorites th-cam.com/video/tQYs5rsSud0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=xMeErZqWuS147JZB
The addition of Walton meant that another phenomenal passer was on the court for the Celtics and made them my all time favorite team to watch.
I can see why
Bird was a team player and he fed many balls to other players that did not get a lot of playing time. He was not a ball hog and even when he could, he did not grandstand and rack up points (which he could have) as he thought there was more to go around. Listen to some of his team that played with him and how they scored more, because of his generosity on the court. Ask yourself how the Celtics never lost to the Bulls, even though it seemed that Bird did not score as much as Jordan. He utilized his teammates as any player with class would make sure they did. He even tried to get McHale to keep playing in another game so his scoring would be more than he had. That is the type of teammate Bird was.
Yea when McHale left the game mid 4Q with 56 pts
Most of those guys wouldn't have had HoF careers without Bird. Bird's leadership, accountability, rebounding, passing, and lack of selfishness (he insisted on including everyone) which elevated everyone so much, they couldn't help but be HoF players. Because of Bird.
You hit the nail on the head!!! They were completely unselfish which made them the best team. Who ever was hot got the ball, everyone pulled for each other. That's what's makes the best teams!
I feel sorry for the younger generation.. This era of basketball is and will always be the greatest ever .. Now you see why us old farts laugh at the modern day cupcake NBA
I know its not real but you could easily say the same for WWF pro-wrestling, back then was chock full of big stars, not its Bob Smith Wrestling Zippy Hernandez. What happened to society?
For real I was lucky enough to see these guys play at the Hartford civic center when I was young. We went to the garden about a year before it was torn down
@@kennethward4985I remember when Saturday Night Wrestling was bloody.
One reactor summed it up great when he said if one of today's players Uncle got injured they'd be sitting the game out.
No 90s era was the bes
So glad I grew up in NH just 45 minutes from Boston in the 80's. What a time to be alive. Spend many nights, and have so many wonderful memories at the Garden. Celtics, Bruins, and yea even the WWF. Definitely the golden age of basketball.
Lebron JOINS Hall Of Famers,,🤦♀️🤦♂️
Bird CREATES Hall Of Famers!😎
big diff..
1000%
THIS!! Holy shit, this is a perfect comment.
Nailed it.
Nah. Bill Russell made Hall of Famers out of Ramsey, KC Jones and Watch Sanders 😂
No, bird didn’t create HOF’ers, Bostons GM “Red Auerbach” the greatest GM in the history of the NBA drafted great talent.
Dennis Johnson (DJ) one of my absolute favorites!!! He was awesome and connected with Bird - crazy good!
No that doesn’t hurt his case for being the 🐐. Because he was that good, he made everyone that played beside him that good, even one that everybody including himself thought that his career had come to an end, but instead Bird made a star that had gone out become a shining star once again. So that actually adds to his case of being the 🐐.
Ainge started at third for the Jays in the majors, has two rings, and was a scratch golfer at one point. That’s a complete athlete.
DJ already had a finals ring and MVP award before he even came to the Celtics.
Only finals MVP
Yes, 1979 with the Supersonics.@@catherinelynnfraser2001
1:29 Man, those four: Bird, McHale, Parrish and Johnson equals chemistry.
Cant leave Walton out, he brought their passing to a new level as he would have competitions with Bird to see who could one up each other. It was a magical year to be a Celtics fan for sure.
Best starting 4 ever!
You absolutely can't forget Walton, especially that year. He was so valuable if youre talking about chemistry. Bird always credits Walton as being the most fun player he's played with.
You were dead on describing Walton. He was a glue guy and that old vet who understood what was going on and his role in it. McHale, Bird, Parrish, Ainge, and DJ all loved him.
Walton was in Heaven after a career on a shitty team and with knee injuries.
That last comment about Danny Ainge is pretty damned amazing. He can honestly lay claim to being the 🐐 of high school athletes, first team All American in basketball, football and baseball bruh, that’s pretty damn strong right there brudda!!!
17:09-17:14 that ball movement is why this team belongs in the conversation. 🏀🏀🏀🎥
DJ was phenomenal with the SuperSonics too in 1978-79 - a completely different type of player then - a high flyer who changed his game when he became a Celtic in 1984. Both versions were great and both were great defenders. As an old Laker fan myself, both versions also drove me crazy! Great, great player who deserves much respect. Bird was right.
Bird didn't have 4 or 5 HOF'ers when he started with the Celtics. They had finished dead last the year before Larry came. In his second year they won the championship. He had been playing for several years before he got his 'dream team' - the 1986 team. And you cannot underestimate his leadership influence and how he trained his team members and raised their game. An argument can be made that he had so many HOF'ers on his team because he helped elevate their games. Many of them said that this was true.
Ainge was no joke. Every sport wanted him. The chief was something special and McHale Was called the black hole because once he got the ball it was in the hole. But Bird was a killer. This whole team was phenomenal. Give Walton props. Dude loves basketball and was a helluva player.
Bill Walton was fantastic when he was healthy. Finals MVP. MVP the next year. Having an even better season the next year when he injured his foot. He was healthy again in 1986.
He knew how to play the game. Fantastic position on defense, amazing passer. He had Bird had a secret play. Similiar to the Bird-Dennis Johnson secret play. Robert Parish was a great defensive player, but when Walton came in the game, the Celtics defense got better. Walton knew he didn't need to play 30 minutes and he would be super active in his 20 minutes per game.
You can see both secret plays in this video. The Bird DJ one was more famous because they would ran it over a few years. Bird would act like he was going from one side of the basket to the other or wait like he getting a pick to pop up for a jump shot. Instead he would stop dead under the basket and DJ would rifle a pass to him. He would catch DJ's eye and they would run the play.
The Walton Play was even prettier. Walton could pass with both hands and was big enough to see over the defense. He would post up. Bird would throw him the ball and then run right at Walton. Waiting until the last second to break left or right, he would use walton as a pick and walton would just lay it in his hands
Zone defense was illegal back then.
I think it was Walton who said, they were the greatest team because, they could beat you any way. If you were a running team, they could run. Their frontline was killer and they got so many offensive rebounds. But if you wanted to clog the paint and stop the big three, they had shooters like Ainge, Sichting and Wedman. Sichting and Wedman seemed to hit a bunch of big shots in the playoffs that year when folks were double teaming Bird.
Bird said that final game was his best because he was zoned in on every single play. He had three steals in addition to his triple double
Ahhhh makes sense
@@busterkeaton1001 Yea, the weakness to any zone defense is great vision and passing.
Bill Walton NCAA final 1973:
21 out of 22, 44 points.
19:55 - That "Beat L.A." chant has a story of it's own. Back in the early 80's the Celtics and Sixers had a super intense rivalry. In the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals the Sixers were up 3-1 but the Celtics came back to win the series and go to the Finals (where they beat the Rockets for Bird's first championship). The next year the Sixers and Celtics met again in the Conference Finals and again the Sixers went up 3-1 and again the Celtics forced a game 7 back at the Boston Garden. But this time the Sixers won and were headed to the Finals to face the Lakers. And in the final minutes, with the game decided, the Boston Garden fans gave the Sixers a proper send off, chanting "Beat L.A.! Beat L.A.!" You can hear them here: th-cam.com/video/RvVN1jIPNps/w-d-xo.html
Ooooo that’s a helluva backstory
That was the moment I was proud to be a Celtic fan.
We also have a saying that goes “I support the Boston Red Sox!…..or any team that beats them!”
I'm telling you ... DENNIS. JOHNSON. He is the only PG I have ever seen pass off of a backboard. Bird was double-teamed, as usual, and DJ threw the ball at the backboard with so much spin on it that it practically jumped down and to the right directly into the waiting hands of Larry Legend. Layup. I've never seen anybody else do that in an NBA game.
As titanically talented as those individuals were, this was a _TEAM._ Each exquisite gear just made the whole motor function like no other.
This team had a 7' Center(with Walton as a back up), 6'11" power forward and a 6'9" MVP shooting guard. What a team!!!
Definitely one of the greatest teams ever
To keep real, Bird was a shooting small forward.
Bird was a SF but otherwise yes HELLUVA TEAM
Danny ainge was a phenomenal tri sport athlete. Dj was the single most underrated point guard ever. Oh, Danny was also drafted by the Toronto blue jays and played a couple of seasons…I have his card
That’s incredible… would never happen this day and age… maybe a quarterback and a pitcher could play 2 sports, but that’s probably it… not 3
I love Danny Ainge. I hate that he hasn’t been inducted into the HOF. When all of his teammates are already there? Something not right with that picture.
Danny has a BBcard what year.
@@kellysmith8809 I have both his 1981 and 1982 cards for the Toronto blue jays
@@irishgrl you are so right
Collectively Bird, McHale and Parrish were the most consistent and complimentary front court I've seen. Their half court and transition games were textbook and a pure joy to watch. That's due to those men and their abilities along with Red Auerbach's influence on the team.
The thing that you cant explain to people who didn't experience Bird live is the X factor. There was no worse feeling than seeing your team up 1-3 points and Boston getting the ball with more than 3 seconds. Bird deflated so many teams with last minute shots, blocks or passes, that you never took a breath until the final buzzer sounded. There is not a player since that made the opposing team fear the last shot like Bird.
As far as Bird's consideration of a GOAT status consider how Bird could elevate the level of play of those other 4 players on his team. This proof of Bird's ability to raise the level of play for his teammates, consider what Bird did at Indiana State! He took a school with zero basketball identity and literally put them on the basketball map while there. He was on the cover of SI as "basketballs secret weapon" and in his 3rd season led ISU to a 33-0 run only losing the final game against Michigan State . MSU had on their roster besides Magic , 3 other players that saw an NBA roster in Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent and Ron Charles ( drafted by the Bulls in 1980). ISU was beating teams that were better than they were simply because they played better as a team, and Bird personified that play style his entire career!
The reason it doesn't particularly hurt Bird's case is that he had to harness this level of talent. McHale, as mentioned, had been a bench player until that season. Walton, as shown, was way past his prime. Dennis Johnson had been great for many years, but was considered a "head case" and the Celtics only needed to trade a mediocre big (Rick Robey) for him. Parish was also not a particularly great player for Golden State in the 70's, his career was reinvented as a Celtic. Ainge was playing baseball for the Blue Jays just 3 years before this season.
So they all had massive talent, but had each struggled or been underused previous to playing alongside Bird. The Lakers in 1987 had 4 #1 overall draft choices on their team. The Celtics's only #1 draft choice was Walton. It was a team significantly elevated by Bird's court vision.
That makes the most sense out of every explanation I’ve heard for Bird and his success with his Hall of Fame teammates
@@MarcTheSparcTV Marc = for further proof of Bird's ability to raise the level of play for his teammates, consider what Bird did at Indiana State! He took a school with zero basketball identity and literally put them on the basketball map while there. He was on the cover of SI as "basketballs secret weapon" and in his 3rd season led ISU to a 33-0 run only losing the final game against Michigan State . MSU had on their roster besides Magic , 3 other players that saw an NBA roster in Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent and Ron Charles ( drafted by the Bulls in 1980). ISU was beating teams that were better than they were simply because they played better as a team, and Bird personified that play style his entire career!
Kevin McHale is probably the most underrated player in the NBA. His footwork is beyond.
And then they drafted Len Bias. The dynasty was going to last another 10 years if he didn't overdose on cochise 2 days later. Bias might of been as good as Jordan.
This helps Bird's case. Bird is basically the equivalent of a general. You have all the good troops and commanders but you need that brilliant strategist who knows how to make everything work as one solid unit. Put all those pieces together and you got one hell of a machine to fight against. That is how they were able to bust down the doors of even the best guys in the league. If Larry had not been injured so much he might have been able to push them even harder thus completely shutting out the lakers as well as the rest of the league. By the time he left larry would be considered a god instead of a man.
The NBA was much more physical during the 80's and modern teams would not be able to keep up with the physical play. The teams of the 80's would eat up modern teams. The Celtics of 1986 were so well rounded in all areas of the game. Hands down they are the best team ever.
When Larrys retirement was done there was no game at the Boston Garden yet it was sold out, let that sink in "no game yet sold out" for one mans retirement.
For those that think Larry Bird was not as good as he really was. This comment is for those whom never had the chance to see him play.
Little know thing about Larry to those that never saw him play , he could effect the outcome of a game and never take a shot thats how devastating his passing skills were. Here is one thing that most fans (people) either don't know or try to ignore, prior to Larry joining the NBA there was no such thing as a three point line, that came in when Bird was starting his first year off in his NBA career. Just think about what would todays game be without the three point line or if the line was one foot farther out like it was when it was first introduced. Food for thought.
At that time it was not about the individuals stats it was about the win. But if you need some stats here you go:
Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics:
Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986); Two-time NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986); Three-time NBA MVP (1984-86); 12-time NBA All-Star (1980-88, 1990-92); Nine-time All-NBA First Team (1980-88);
All-NBA Second Team (1990); Three-time All-NBA Defensive Second Team (1982-84); NBA Rookie of the Year (1980); NBA All-Rookie Team (1980); Three-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1986-88);
Career-high in points: 60 (March 12, 1985) -- tied for franchise record with Jayson Tatum; Named NBA Coach of the Year (1998); and Named NBA Executive of the Year (2012).
Larry Bird, was the first player to accomplish the 50-40-90 achievement, and one of two players to achieve the feat in multiple seasons.
Career averages:
24.3 points per game
10.0 rebounds per game
6.3 assists per game
88.6% free throw percentage
49.6% field goal percentage
37.6% 3-point percentage
Now we can't forget that Bird famously played with two injured ankles and a notoriously cranky back that forced him to lay down on the floor during practice breaks. After season-ending foot surgery just six games into the 1988-89 season
Bird came into the league as a rookie with a confidence and an ability to make his team better that Luka does not have. Luka is a great player, but he’s just not the same as Bird. Anybody who saw them both play knows it.
Larry’s confidence is probably unmatched from what I hear, but Luka doesn’t back down from anybody
Luca knows it'
Thanks for the reaction. I enjoyed your trip down greatness lane. You didn't disappoint; you gave a maybe at the end. It's a start. Everyone has their views.
Just wish more young folks would watch the greats of the 80s and 90s.
Peace be with you.
take the time to watch a video on bill walton and you will understand how much better he made the celtics for one year in 86. walton was a guy, first overall pick, who would have dominated the league like jabbar if not for injuries. so adding him to a stacked celtics team and getting his only full season in half a decade out of him, truly made the celtics special that year. to add him to a team that had one of the best three front court players of all time already made them unstoppable.
Just saying, one great shot from Luka leaves him with only needing 199 to catch Larry.
7:37 Robert Parrish was the force on those Celtic teams and Dennis Johnson was the glue. Two great players.
I can tell your DJ fan, me too, little remembered fact DJ was finals MVP for Sonics in 79, it still gripes me that they waited till he passed away to elect him to HOF !
This team was incomparable
Ainge played in the MLB before coming to the Celtics. Ainge was an athlete. High school all American in 3 sports
Bird said that Dennis Johnson was the best player he ever played with. Watch more of the Celtic highlights that had more on Johnson than usual. Him and Bird always knew where each one was on the court. Watch the bouncing off the backboard plays that Johnson and Bird formulated together. McHale and Bird were great together, but Johnson was like Bird's third arm and they shared a brain together.
That's the greatest Frontline in basketball history. Dj and bird had a psychic like connection and Walton was an old workhorse.
Danny Ainge was drafted by the Toronto blue Jay's and the Celtics he actually chose baseball and MLB ends up going on strike and the rest is Celtics history not only as a player and as team gm/president
Just when I think you’re too closed minded to see what the rest of us see….you have some lightbulb moments.💡
That’s encouraging. There’s hope for you yet young padawan
😅 I’ll take that as a compliment
@@MarcTheSparcTV When you dive into NBA history you will find it's a whole other world compared to today's game. To me, you are not a basketball fan if you don't have an rich knowledge or desire to learn the history of the game.
@@MarcTheSparcTV
It was. 👍
Bird elevated his teammates. He made sure his guys were involved
That 50-1 home record...can anyone ever beat that?
That’s an underrated stat right there
The Boston Garden in 1986 was a graveyard for any NBA team to rest their bones that ventured in there.
It doesn’t hurt his case, because he took a bad team and made them all hall of famers, remember Bird was not selfish with the ball . MJ and LeBron never did that .
Exactly why the Bulls never got past Boston in the playoffs until Bird retired. And I think they swept the Bulls with Jordan both times.
I saw them live that year in the semi when they sent Atlanta home. 5 rows back behind the scorekeeper table. The best big 3 is absolutely Bird, McHale and Chief.
No team beats the 85-86 Celtics. You had to be there at that time. I watched every game.
They weren't HOF when bird came to the celtics, the celtics were in last place when they drafted bird ,and it was different players in 81 when bird got his first chip and all birds teammates give him credit for bringing thier game to HOF level ,js ,i was there watching in real time
Bird WAS the GOAT because he valued winning over individual stats. He made everyone play better.
Back then their division was arguably the toughest in basketball
If you hear Birds team mates talk. They will tell you Bird made them better. Because of his hard work and determination. They worked that way
As a Celtics fan growing up watching the lakers rivalry the best 3 were Kareem, worthy and magic but that is what made this celtics team so special. They won so many games with that lineup
The key to McHale's success in the post was his millions of fakes. He would almost literally fake the opposing players out of their jockstraps. As soon as he got them going where they didn't want to go, he would dash through the opening he'd created and put the ball in the hoop. His incredibly long arms certainly helped make that possible, too. And he was a monster shot blocker as well.
His arms look so weird because they’re so long… but he’s top 3 players with the best post moves all time definitely
During a game, McHale was telling his teammates that he had his defender in the torture chamber; that is while this player was standing next to him 🤣😂🤣
@@geoffkrikorian54 😂 hilarious
McHale 6’11”
With an 8 ft wingspan
@@geoffkrikorian54 Actually as Ainge told it, it was Bird that did that.
Great reaction mate 👍 Its sad that the older players are not known about spoken of or shown alot , I was watching NBA in the late 80s to late 90s , I was lucky enough to watch legends play in there primes , it was a different time and a different game in those days , much more physical , my favorite players are Karl Malone and John Stockton , no 32 and no 12 for the Utah Jazz ,absolute legends in my opinion, Karl Malone is still to this day 2nd all time in points scored , (Kareem is first I believe) and Stockton is still all time assist leader , but its rare you hear either of them mentioned anywhere
It actually helps him for being the goat. he MADE that team. If it wasn't for Larry Bird, McHale and Parish are not in the hall of fame. he made his team better. That's what makes him the goat.
Ainge was actually playing for the Toronto Blue Jays when the Celtics drafted him.
Danny Played with the Toronto BlueJays before being drafted by Boston... He was truly a 2 sport threat, but Bird made him focus on BasketBall and he did and remains a great, for Celts especially but also for Sacramento, Portland and Phoenix for a couple years ..
The 36-6 3rd quarter against the Hawks is on TH-cam. It's truly amazing to watch. You can see the Celtics slowly rip the Hawks collective heart out.
And Walton tells a story about when they were down by 25 at the half.
And won.
Bird was so great that he MADE his teammates Hall of Famers. The only one who would have made it without Bird was Kevin McHale. However it is Bird who is the only one who could have led them to win titles, and without titles, I doubt the rest of them would have made it to the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Famer who hurt someone's reputation the most is Kareem Abdul Jabbar. He was the NBA's leading scorer forever it seems, and he owned an unstoppable shot (his sky hook coming off a 7'2" frame). I think in any comparison with Bird, it was tough to have Magic come out the winner when Kareem outshined Magic in many crucial games. Hardly any of the Celtics outshone Bird, even if they sometimes outscored him.
Dennis Johnson was NBA Defensive Player of the Year... 6 TIMES!
The Bird-Magic rivalry saved pro hoops, and should be considered one of the all-time greatest gifts to the entire sports world. I was a Celts fan because I was living in Boston, but I had great admiration for the Lakers. But back then, it was a much rougher game, you could mug people all over the court and get away with it, and haymaker fights were not uncommon. Is the 86 Celts team the best of all time? Maybe.. there are only a few others that could make a similar case.
Absolutely. A lot of these younger folks don’t remember the 70s - but the NBA was really at a low point in the late 70s. After Wilt, Jerry, Russell, Reed and others retired the league went into a tail spin in the mid 70s. Players became nonchalant and “cool.” Still - it was still a better game to watch than what we have these days. But yep - Bird and Magic brought back the desire to compete and win.
McHale was called the man with a 1000 post moves for a reason
Bird is the best player. Most skillful, without a doubt. The unathletic, slow, and can't jump talk is all bullshit. He played at his own speed, and MADE everyone else go with it. He was fast when he had to be. He had a 28" vertical.
He had ridiculously fast hands and eye coordination. Shows off his "farmer strength" in those full court bullet passes. There's more to athleticism than running and jumping.
Truth.
For twosome best pair
Hakeem and Ralf Sampson
Before the injury to Sampson. He was 7'4"
Hakeem was about 6'10-6'11. The Original Twin Towers. It was Rockets vs Celtics that year in the Finals 1986 Rockets Celtics
I will school you. The BIG THREE dominated and still are the best all-time frontline. People who were alive know that Kevin McHale was nicknamed "Mr. Automatic" because of what he did in the post. He had more post moves than anyone, including Olajuwon or any other center or power forward. He had every post move there is. He would break you down with footwork, fakes, up-and-unders, baby hooks with either hand, spins, fadeaways, scoops, or just rising up with that high release over top--you name it. No power forward mastered all the post moves like McHale. He had soft hands receiving the ball in the post and kept his defender at bay, unable to intercept those entry passes. Both he and Parish were underrated defenders. They made BIG PLAYS--big shots in big moments, and they had great chemistry with Bird, which is really easy. Parish had a baseline spin move that was lighting quick which ended in a powerful tomahawk dunk, that help defenders did not like to attempt to block. He had a nice turn-around jumper and little hook, as well, and displayed strong hands that would out-battle those he would fight for rebounds. He wasn't nicknamed 'Chief' for nothing. Both he and McHale, at 7' and 6'11, and long, did a good job rebounding, scoring, and defending in the paint and could get their own shot, and McHale would often even split double-teams with an up-and-under move that I have never seen anyone execute at the frequency he would. And Bird at 6'10''--arguably, ALL-TIME, the best shooter with either hand, best scorer (he had every shot anywhere on the floor and could get whatever he wanted, would even tell the defender), best rebounder (at position--10/game career), best passer (at ANY position--he threw those whole-court inbounds passes with pinpoint accuracy on a nightly basis and made so many passes that I haven't seen people attempt since), top-tier FT shooter at about 90%, most clutch (he would TELL you where he was gonna shoot the game-winner after the TO and then shoot it in your face), and best, funniest, most fearless trash-talker--and he backed it up time after time--that is why he the GOAT. That is why the BIG THREE are the best front-court ever, and they are a big part of why those '86 Celtics are the best all-time team, though I would listen to a case for the Bill Russell Celtics team that won 11 rings before my time, against Wilt's Lakers, who were loaded. Jordan's Bulls never beat Bird in a playoff game--they got swept, back-to-back, and then eliminated by Detroit until 1991, 8 years after Jordan came into league. Magic's Lakers team, and Thomas' Pistons, and Duncan's Spurs are right behind those '86 Celtics. The all-time winningest players for a career are Magic, by a hair, over Bird. School's out..
P.S. There should be 6 HOFers on that team, very good point! I was a huge Bird and Celtics fan (from midwest) in the 1980's and not sure who isn't a HOF player????? It has to be Ainge, and I truly believe he deserves it!
Danny Ainge
Danny Ainge is the odd man out in that short list of HOF players on the roster. He had a good career and contributed on a lot of great teams, but he was not on the same level of those other guys. However, KC Jones, the Head Coach, was also a HOFer. So if you include him, that’s 6 👍
I hear his name so much I thought he would be I the HOF by now
@@MarcTheSparcTV he was a fan favorite if he was on your team and he’s been heavily involved in basketball operations ever since he retired. So, he has popularity and likability, which can often elevate someone’s status. There’s nothing wrong with that. I think most fans would still admit that he’s not really HOF material. You never know. He might get in someday anyway.
I went to THE Garden back in HS 88 or 89 nothing going on but the doors were unlocked (also was a train station) the team shop was open and got me a #33 practice jersey (was all they had). Then I snuck on to the floor. It was a religious experience, you could feel all those great teams. Special Place shame they killed it, destroyed their home advantage.😢
Time to watch me some Doncic
Something else that wasn't mentioned in 1986 there was only 23 teams meaning the competition is a lot tuffer.
Players that were 6 7th and even 8 men would be starters if you have 30 teams.
The worst teams were better than what they would be if you had 30 teams because tbecause the starters on the bad teams when they're starting the league would be on the bench or out of the league and the bench players wouldn't be in the league
I didn’t go through and all the comments…..but the “ big 3” was in reference to the Celtics front line. Bird, McHale and Parish. Arguably the best front line in NBA history.
his team was that good because of him thats what made him the goat
Great react vid! You should check out Larry Bird vs Dr J! Charles Barkley held down Larry's arms while Julius took 2 or 3 straight shots to Larry's face. Larry scored 36 to Dr J's 6 and Larry told J to retire and then what incurred next was probably the biggest all out fist fight in basketball history!
Oh yeah I saw a snippet of that when i watched my "GOAT of TRASH TALKING - Larry Bird" video... it was crazy in the 80s
@@MarcTheSparcTV just to let you know, the game has always been getting softer. In the 1890's it was played with a chain link fence around it. After a game you could go look at the court and their would be blood all over the place. Trust me on this one, it was very violent. Eventually they removed the fence and that stopped a lot of the blood on the court problems. It's really worth looking into the early history of most U.S. sports just to see how violent they were. Even football, where no pads were used. think about that, fully grown men at a full run plowing into each other with no pads and a fabric or leather cap.
Sounds like you need to watch a game of rugby .
Bird was so good, he took McHale and Parrish to the All Star game on his shoulders.
When Larry, Robert, & Kevin started making these crazy passing combinations; at first we thought it was just luck. But they made them so often it couldn't be luck.
no one on the Celtics was HOF material without BIRD. He is the best ever at elevating his team mates to levels they would not have known.
BIRD is the only player EVER to achieve these career stats
at least 24pts at least 10 reb at least 6 assist for a career.
He also had a 4 season average of a 50/40/90
Only BIRD
The big 3, there talking about front court, center, power forward, small forward. 6-11 7ft and 6-9 for Larry the ledge.
'85 Lakers/86 Celtics would snuff ANY team in the last 20 years. THATS right! In the last 20 years INCLUDING the Laker teams with Shaq and Kobe. No way could any team run with the Lakers and the Celtics were just a hard team to compete against--pick your poison.
Those days defenses resembled old school NFL/NHL. There was no such thing as an "easy lay up." You took it to the hoop you were going to get clobbered to the head and/or checked to the body. It was expected and it was part of the game. Look at any star player wrong in today's league and they'll get you for a "T".
Robert Parrish could be the most underrated Center of all time.
Yeah... this team had no weaknesses. Their season started off poorly. They easily could'v won 73 games that year if they didn't fool around so much at the onset. Having the league's MVP that year didn't hurt them either. Great reaction bro.
Appreciate you✊🏾
Imagine if the had not lost Len Bias that following draft yr……..
I am a Bird and Celtics fan but the best big 3 is Magic, Kareem and Worthy. The fact that Birds Celtics beat Magics big 3 shows just how good Bird was
19:00 .. this team was so good, I would not be surprised if we were correct back then thinking they lost game 4 just to have an extra home game. There's alot of money to be had with an extra day of 14,000 ticket sales +concession sales ...
Having all those Hall of famers hurt his case? No. Because Bird (like Magic) elevated his teammates. In fact, he was so good at that that you might say, they are hall of famers because of Bird!
As a reminder, Parish was 7'1" and Walton 7'2" -- that 86 team was huge.
Walton was listed as 6'11" but that was a lie.
@@Boomslang55 Yup, Walton admitted long after that he insisted he get listed at 6'11 just so he wouldn't have to be made to play so much "under the basket" like other 7'+ centers. And I did a ton of image comparisons of him playing against other centers and him standing beside Bird and Parish and Kareem and concluded he's got maybe an inch on Parish (7'1") and looks like he's about the same height as Kareem (but a little shorter wingspan) - who was listed at 7'2".
A great thing to watch is when Walton was playing vs. Ewing - I think in Ewing's 2nd year in 86 before Walton's injuries finally got the better of him, and Walton has a clear size advantage. Almost makes Ewing look like an undersized center. And Ewing was a big dude. I mean, he played like he was small, but he was actually big.
It is no best 3, no best 2, no best 4, it's LARRY BIRD making everyone great. Simple as that.
Those three were known as “the Big Three” back in the 80s.
Danny Ainge is the only high school athlete named 1st team All American in three sports, and was actually playing baseball for the Toronto blue jays when the Celtics picked him up.
Dennis Johnson was actually the NBA Finals MVP in 1979 playing for Seattle.
And Walton was the Finals MVP in 1977 with Portland, the league MVP in 78, lead UVLA to two national championships and was the #1 overall selection in the 74 draft.
And watch some highlights of Jerry Sichting and Scott Wedman if you want to see some “deadeye” shooting.
That team was special.
I find it interesting that, in my mental picture of Ainge on-screen, on the court, he is this "scrappy" *_little_* guy, (as is DJ)
BUT, put Ainge on the baseball field and he sort of *morphs* and *elongates.*
From _just_ 6'4" to *6'4"!* 😄
@@cindyknudson2715 - I remember seeing a team photo of him with the Celtics and also with the Blue Jays. He was the little guy on the basketball team and back row / center with baseball. 😂
All 3 are Hall of Famers with another HOFer coming off the bench (Walton). I don't know if Dennis Johnson is in the HOF but he should be.
Bird took the team from 29 wins 1 yr before he was a rookie to 61 wins in 1 yr-he made those guys better AND IF HE THOUGHT LIKE THIS GENERATION WOULDVE SMOKED INDIVIDUAL RECORDS BUT MADE HIS TEAM A WINNER WHEN BALL WAS BALL
Kevin McHale has the best low post moves in history.
The only reason they were the big 3 is because of the big one. He fed them so much it made them look great. LOL, you're not getting it, Bird MADE those HoHers except Walton. That's what makes him the goat.
Without Bird that team wins 50 games maybe. The year before bird joined the team they won 29 games. Birds rookie year they won 62. And that was pre Parish, DJ, and McHale.