"Michael made you look slow. Larry made you look dumb" Dude was playing games like this with an injured back and was taking breaks to lay down because it hurt so bad. This guy was the definition of the game.
These guys are so young and ignorant when it comes to larry. Bird was better than magic. Yes. All his peers and contemporaries even thought so. Nobody in history had a more stacked team than magic.
Seriously. What league broadcasts their championships on tape delay? Until those guys hit, there was no TV deal. Today's players think it was Jordan, but it wasn't.
I love the story of their rivalry, and then the day they squashed it making a commercial at Larry Bird's house lol Magic rolls up and Larry is mowing the fuckin lawn ahahahaha
Yeah, credibility immediately goes out the window ... And dude didn't even mention Kareem, LOL ... They're young though, at least they're going back and educating themselves, so they'll get there ... Another guy is Kobe, who I love, but he ain't top 5 all time. Top 5 Lakers probably, but he ain't top 5 NBA.
Larry and Magic are basically the reasons why the NBA went from late night tape delay to prime time television. Thanks to them, I got to watch the Pistons, the Spurs, and the Bulls as a kid.
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK) #1) Jordan = 44.7 #2) LeBron = 44.4 #3) Bird = 43.1 #4) Kareem = 42.9 #5) Durant = 40.8 #6) Magic = 40.2
"If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game I'd choose Michael Jordan.. If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life... I'd take Larry Bird." - Pat Riley
You guys wanna learn some interesting facts about Larry? He was the founding member of the 50/40/90 club. That means he shot over 50% from the field, over 40% from 3 point land, and 90% from the free throw line. Neither Lebron, nor Jordan ever accomplished this. Bird did this 2 times. He also won 3 straight MVP's (the 3rd player after Wilt Chamberlain & Bill Russel to ever do it)), 2 finals MVP's and 12 all-star appearances in 13 seasons. The 1 time he missed the all-star game was when he only played 6 games before getting a season-ending surgery on both feet. He was a 10-time all-NBA team, (9 time all-NBA 1st team and 1 all-NBA 2nd team). HIs 3 championships come with perhaps the highest degree of difficulty. His Celtics Swept Jordan's Bulls twice. Jordan never beat Bird in the playoffs. Bird also had to contend with the Bad boy Pistons with Isaiah, Rodman, and Laimbeer, the Sixers with Dr. J, Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, and Mo Cheeks . The Lakers only competition in the west was The Houston Rockets who had Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, the twin towers. Boston had to navigate a minefield of good teams. Oh, and you might be interested to know that Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Magic Johnson ALL have Larry Bird in their top 3 players of all-time. But I think it was Lakers coach Pat Riley who said it best. "If I could have any player to shoot for me if the game was on the line, I would take Michael Jordan. But if my life was on the line, I choose Larry Bird."
I don’t think they understand basketball enough to even know what that means haha the first 2 minutes kind of showed how little they watch the sport. Comparing ja morant to Larry bird is blasphemous. Larry bird not top 30 is crazy. They asked Jordan Kobe and LeBron for their top 5 players of all time and literally all of them had Bird in there
When he arrived as a rookie to his 1st Celtic training camp, he walked into the locker room and told everyone, he wasn’t carrying anybody’s shoes, getting anyone’s coffee or washing anyone’s car as that is what’s expected of a rookie. He made it clear real fast that he was the man to save the Celtics. The rest is history.
Larry was MVP 3 years in a row!! He won 3 championships! He was an assassin, the only player Jordan never beat in the playoffs! Definitely a top 10 of all time!
MJ and the Bulls didn't just lose in the playoffs versus the Celtics, they played 6 playoffs games in two seasons, the Bulls didn't win a single game, back to back sweeps.
Paul dem young boys they no nothing about the real nba I’m old school and I had Bird’s back after he came to A& T University and dropped a 50piece on A&T “Bird” Sparrow Jordan is the goat and Larry was too
@@nunyabusiness5075That’s true, but you’re not being honest about the celts beating “The Bulls.” The Celtics beat Jordan but Jordan was still the best player on floor. The 86/87 Bulls were a sub .500 team without MJ and the 86 Celtics were one of the best teams of all time. That 87 team was still really tough
Bird is the GOAT. The man was on another level, and he was untouchable. He came back out, played, and won all with a, literal, broken face. He played hurt, he was tough as nails, and the man had grit to spare. Today’s players would not be able to touch him. He accomplished more in his short career than any of the players today would ever be able to do. Even Jordan couldn’t touch him. Larry Legend lived up to his name. There will never be another.
Bird is most def in my Top 5, but even Bird called MJ “god disguised as Michael Jordan” 😂 No argument though, MJ/Bird/Magic are 3 players in my Top 5 that are non-negotiable.
@@NostalgikOne That comment about god disguised as MJ was about his 63 point game, specifically because of how MJ was popping off in that game. Oh, and the Larry's Celtics still won that game anyway, and swept him, just like they did every time they met in the playoff iirc.
@@NostalgikOneJordan always played to score points Bird did it all and when he decided to play that game against the Hawks to score he scored 60 points and told them ahead of time that’s what he would score. In all other games he was not just a phenomenal shooter but a phenomenal passer and stealer. He played for the team to win not to just score
When he had his retirement ceremony there WASN'T EVEN A GAME! Fans filled the Boston Garden JUST FOR THIS EVENT! That's how much respect and love he got.
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK) #1) Jordan = 44.7 #2) LeBron = 44.4 #3) Bird = 43.1 #4) Kareem = 42.9 #5) Durant = 40.8 #6) Magic = 40.2
@@FreedomFighter2112 That's a pretty tight spread of 4 points between #1 and #6 with The Hick from French Lick right in the middle! I'm really not a basketball fan, but I just enjoyed watching Larry do stuff that just left a lot of jaws dropping onto the floor.
Larry's the first to ever shoot 50/40/90 for a season.... He also won 3 straight league MVP's. He showed up to the first ever 3-point contest and asked who was going to finish 2nd before going out and winning it in his warm-ups.
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK) #1) Jordan = 44.7 #2) LeBron = 44.4 #3) Bird = 43.1 #4) Kareem = 42.9 #5) Durant = 40.8 #6) Magic = 40.2
Dude, Magic and Bird brought back the surge and the importance of the NBA. We wouldnt have it like we did today if it wasnt for these 2 guys. The battled in college, the battled in the NBA. They revived a dying league.
I’ve watched this video at least three times and I have watched many of your videos. You have taken this opportunity to explore and learn new things. Your eyes have been open so much. God bless you all.
Guys, I'm 53 years old. I saw Julius Erving, Elgin Baylor, Magic, Barkley, Ewing...all of them. I am loyal to the Bad Boys. Out of all of them, Larry Bird was the Best I ever saw. He was absolutely dangerous from anywhere!
Bird and Magic saved the NBA. You should watch that. Champions were on tape delay. To put Ray Allen in the same sentence is so wrong. See more than 20 minutes on some players before you judge their careers. Watch some Lakers Celtics series. Basketball was more competitive and intense back in the 80s. Thanks for video.
Larry is the founder of the 50-40-90 Club. As Dr. J said about Larry, "he was playing chess while everyone was playing checkers." The more you find out about Larry Bird the more you'll have your mind blown.
@Bruce.. Larry had back-to-back 50-40-90 seasons in the late '80s, and although everyone lauds Steph Curry as being the greatest shooter and all that, maybe that's true for area code threes, but other than Larry, the only other player in NBA history with more than one 50-40-90 season is Steve Nash who had four in five years when he was with the Suns, including three in a row.
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK) #1) Jordan = 44.7 #2) LeBron = 44.4 #3) Bird = 43.1 #4) Kareem = 42.9 #5) Durant = 40.8 #6) Magic = 40.2
@FreedomFighter2112 , If Bird could've played as long as Jordan and LeBron, I think he would be at the top. He messed his own body up that cut his career short. To still be in the conversation of all-time greats in such a short span of time compared to the others, says it all.
The era of Magic and Bird was the best ever. Bird won MVP I think 4 times. He won the NBA 3 point contest 3 times. He played one game where he shot left handed the entire game and scored over 40 points. He told Sally he was going to get the ball....take it to the corner and shoot the 3 and there's nothing you can do to stop me. And he did. He was a major trash talker. The one NBA championship game they were down by 1 with 3 seconds on the clock. Everyone knew it was going to Bird. It did....and he made a quick pass to Dennis Johnson for an easy lay up and a Championship.
Larry Bird's retirement happened at a SELL OUT Boston Garden event that DID NOT include a game. The man sold the arena OUT just to say "good bye". As far as Bird himself, he is by far one of the most "game smart" player to exist. Not just for his own abilities on the court, but knowing the plays, player strength and weakness, match ups in speed and coverage, reading the lanes, knowing when to shoot or pass, seeing openings that aren't there WHEN he makes the pass and yet still end up being successful passes just by knowing the direction/speed and angle of the other player. Not to mention moving on to becoming a successful NBA coach as well as working the "Front Office" (GM position, I think) and recruiting players. The ONLY player to be voted as MVP as a Player, a Coach AND a General Manager.
@Ben Franklin I've been watching NBA basketball since the late 60s. I never dreamed defense would become almost non-existent. The offensive numbers put up today should be followed by a disclaimer, stating......."All offensive numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, since defense is no longer a thing."
The freaks of nature of today would murder these old era guys if they were allowed, and at the same time out pace, outsmart and out shoot them either way
I’m from right down the road from where Larry grew up and played High School Basketball, when you saw him come out of the locker room he was returning to the game after he shattered his cheek bone and had a concussion, he saw his teammates dropping down in points and decided to go back out and win the game for his team. But just this past week a Junior at his High School named Deion Edwards just passed up Larry’s record and he still has a whole year and a half to keep adding to his stats. Larry is above the league, he wasn’t arrogant, he wasn’t rude he just knew how to get under the skin of players on the other team. Many players feared him. There is a 4 part documentary on TH-cam about what other top players and coaches thought about Larry, it’s pretty interesting and Charles Barkley says that he was scared of Larry, Jordan was intimidated by him, Magic was too but they became very close friends, Kareem said he was the best player ever. Everyone was in awe of him but no one, and I mean no one hated him, they just respected him because he was a great man and a better than great player.
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK) #1) Jordan = 44.7 #2) LeBron = 44.4 #3) Bird = 43.1 #4) Kareem = 42.9 #5) Durant = 40.8 #6) Magic = 40.2
Loved every minute of it ! I'm an old 71 year old Celtic's fan and Larry Bird is our Bobby Orr ( check him out , played ice hockey without shoulder pads ) . Watching you guys at the start , doubting , and then when the magic happened ? Listen to the comments the black players said about him and you'll understand , he did not say he was the greatest , those he played against said he was the greatest . Great Job !
Bird would be looked at today like a better version of Luka. Big dude, not fast, can shoot you out the gym but can ALSO lock you up on defense and run the offense as a passer.
Larry Legend has the highest Basketball IQ to ever grace the court. He always knew where every player was at all times, where the best play was and could set it up. He had the ability to pass the ball to players to the side, in front, and behind him that he hadn't glanced at since running across the court. Watching him was magical at times.
What's perhaps even more crazy than knowing where the players were, was that he always knew where the basket was. It's practically a joke, or something off of the old Looney Toons cartoons, because he'd hit so many shots without even looking, and from all different distances and angles. Flip it over his head, over his shoulder, hook it, reverse lay ups. It didn't seem to matter where he was or how he threw it. I grew up watching him, and I've seen highlight videos many, many times, and I still to this day can scarcely believe what I'm seeing sometimes. My brain still says "what the hell did II just see?"
Bird was the complete basketball player. Shooter of 2s, 3s, foul shots. Passed that ball like a magician. Played defense like a dirt dog. Had a Will to win like nobody else. Played hurt and fearless. Total package and then some.
@@KtotheG I guess you habe to define 'legendary star'. After all if you look at NBA Top 50 all time almost none of them Coached in the NBA, but if you look at greatest Coaches almost all of them played.
I enjoyed the video until they listed SHAQ? above Bird?!? Seriously? Have these guys ever of the 50/40/90 club? Larry Bird has a about the same FG% as Shaq from the Line! Shaq scored more points because he played in over 1200 games, Bird was 890 games. I love Shaq. I'd rather have a beer with Shaq, but if I needed to win a game... Bird! Like you said, Bird was the total package.
And that ladies and gentlemen is Larry Legend. He is top tier. He is the No 1 player to have ever played the game. Listen to other players... even they list him as their most difficult opponent. As the person they'd hope they could play like. Larry Bird had the game figured before he walked onto the court. He was strategic. He was a master at it. I've never seen a player understand the game like he could. Maybe Dennis Rodman. Rodman studied what he needed to do. To be the best rebounder. And he was. Larry's best basketball muscle was his brain. And he used it. "The hick from French Lick" educated the world on how to play ball. And if guys dont see that... well... Bless your heart.
He's top 3, I'd argue he's the most talented player ever and If it wasn't for his back injuries, he would be considered the GOAT. He may not have had the athletism that guy's like Jordan & LeBron have, but he was a better basketball player. Shooting, passing, clutch, hell even rebounding somehow. The way I see it, is if you add athleticism to Bird's game, there's no question. You take away LeBron and Jordan's athleticism and they're no where near top 10 players. I mean shit, LeBron probably wouldn't even be in the NBA. And no, I'm not hating. I just don't think his skill set is that great without his size and dunking.
I grew up in the 80s, a die hard Detroit Pistons Bad Boys fan. Larry Bird scared me more than any other player back then. He was cold blooded. I love Magic, a fellow Spartan, but Larry was the best player in the 80s.
Pistons fan here too, back in the day. I always rooted for whoever was playing against Boston in the semi's cuz I knew our chances got real low if they didn't beat them. Finally, we broke the Celtic curse and went on to lose to Magic, Worthy, Kareem, Cooper for the title. Then, the Bad Boys got real Baaaad!! Zeke, Wild Bill, Microwave, Joe D, Mahorn, Spider, the Worm, etc. That was a sweet run we had and then came the Bulls with MJ & Scotty. Did these guys even list MJ in their top 2? Let alone, top 10? Get hoops back to how it was played in the 80's & 90's and maybe I'll start watching it again. Doubt that'll ever happen, though.
I grew up a Lakers fan watching Magic and Showtime do their thing, but when they played Boston it is was different, you just felt it. Larry Bird was an assassin, plain and simple. If Magic didn't get Showtime flying Larry Bird would murder you. An absolute beast on the court. I will ALWAYS have respect for that man.
11 วันที่ผ่านมา +1
@jgamez5023 Correct; there was no restricted zone (that half moon painted on court below the hoop) thus it was a free-for-all hack zone unlike today where flagrant fouls are called when players tap someone attempting inside moves/dunks, etc.
Yup, those 2 got me interested in the NBA which lasted until Barkley and KJ left. I haven't looked back since, not even for MJ/Pippen/Rodman, etc. Why bother?
MJ was a great athlete. Bird was a great basketball player. I am old enough to have seen Wilt Chamberlin, Bill Russell, Bill Walton, Isiah Thomas, Barkley, Pete Maravich, Dr J, Bird was the best of them all. Magic had a far better team around him. MJ NEVER beat Bird in the playoffs.
Y'all please re-watch that clip when he falls; you see his face literally bounce off the floor. He was in the locker room cuz he fractured his cheek bone! But when things got bad he came back out and played with his face busted up. Amazing athlete
I'm old enough to remember watching with my dad. Larry Bird & Magic saved basketball, he is one of the most important people in the history of basketball.
Bird definitely blessed you with those passes. Right on target to you in your rhythm too. He was so good teams would put the teams dedicated hacker on him to bruise him up on purpose. They'd pull on his jersey, hold his arm so he could jump up, elbow him in the face, trip him on purpose. But nomatter what, he was ready to play the next game. From college days to both of their retirements Magic & Larry were the fiercest warriors on the court. As Pros, the developed great respect for each other & talked so much shit to each other it was funny. Two GOATS period.
He won the 3 point contest 3 years in a row. Won MVP 3 in a row. Was the first to ever do 50/40/90. He’s the highest all time scorer behind Magic by less than half a percent. Bird is better than anyone you’re talking about. Watch the greats tell their stories about him.
those of us who were around to watch the 80s-90s were SO privileged to see all these guys play...Magic, Bird, Jordan, Dr. J and so many other superstars!!! It was like no other time...
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK) #1) Jordan = 44.7 #2) LeBron = 44.4 #3) Bird = 43.1 #4) Kareem = 42.9 #5) Durant = 40.8 #6) Magic = 40.2 Bird was one of the greatest all-around players of All-Time...if not the greatest!
Been watching Larry bird highlights for most of my life, and still can never resist watching them again and again. What’s truly special though, is the level of respect he earned from every single person that ever crossed paths with him on the court and many of them legends of the game in their own right. You know someone was special when it’s their opponent who heaps the most praise on them. What he and magic did for the game will never quite be understood by most, but will also never be forgotten.
Man this brought back some memories. I grew up in LA for a bit, was raised by a Lakers fan, and as a Lakers fan, Larry Bird is my favorite player of all time. My dad always sat me down whenever it was Magic vs. Larry Legend and both of them taught me a lot about 'never give up'. Bird is something special and I love seeing people understand the genius that is him.
I was a huge Bernard King fan. However, it is a 'FACT' that Larry Bird and Magic Johnson literally saved the NBA. Bird was a jaw-dropping shooter. When he cocked it behind his right ear: MONEY! The originator of the 'step-back'. Absolutely the best passing forward in history. No matter the era, NO ONE WOULD HAVE STOPPED HIM.
Bernie was great. Bird and Magic were on the tier above him, though. No shame in that. King could score at will. He just never had the horses around him to get to the next level to compete for a title.
@@tabernathy0428 Those guys would have Lebron for lunch. I'd pay to see James go up against the bad boy Pistons. It's a different game today and it's made a huge difference in Lebron's career.
Watched him growing up-- people will never understand how much better he was than everyone else-- if you had Bird, your team would compete for titles even with just role-players. He made everyone around him at least 'good', even if they weren't. His full-court passes are unmatched. To understand Bird had stuff no one else did or has since, watch his full-court passes mix-- no one could do it better, more often, with less turnovers. Not Kevin Love, not LeBron, not Magic, not Jokic-- no one was even CLOSE. Bird assisted full-court passes in traffic, amid double teams, and the guys just caught it where only they could and laid in the easy lay-up--and he did it every night. He was so good it seemed both embarrassing, unfair, and laughingly beautiful all at the same time.
Larry was the stone cold truth! He was cooking EVERYONE in his era- imagine the damage he'd do today. Top 5 of all time for sure. Check out his peers talking about him- they straight up FEARED him
@@YankeeWoodcraft right as soon as the marquee player is out of the game. The game excitement is gone. At a time when we have the most athletic player from top to bottom playing . Watching the Larry Bird highlights. I noticed how tight the area of play was. That is because not everyone had a 3 point game that every play has today
Bird was basically a systems engineer -- the system in question being a basketball game. He knew EVERYTHING that was happening on the court in real time, somehow. It's like he had a processing core in his head devoted to nothing but basketball, and it was running 24/7.
And had eyes in the back of his head! Hell, the sides, too! Like some kind of lizard/chameleon man!!! His ball instinct was uncanny~ and it seemed he always knew exactly where EVERY other player was on the court, at all times. I've never seen anyone else do that. The younger crowd can "LeBron this", and "LeBron that", and I don't disagree that he's one of the best players ever~ but the Bird Man was magic.
That was the Hawks falling off the bench, not Celtic players. When Larry came out of the locker room after that fall, he had a broken cheekbone, and was seeing double. It didn't stop him from finishing the game.
There’s been 3 players in NBA who’ve won 3 straight MVP’s: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird. He not only won Rookie of the Year but is one of 9 to also make the all NBA team as a rookie. He founded the 50-40-90 club and is one of 2 players to make it more than once. BTW, Jordan’s 0-6 against Bird in the playoffs and LeBron has him in his top 3.
@@Blizzard0fHope LMFAO what are you talking about? Jordan made it in 90, 91, 92. Jordan made it to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bad Boys in 89,90. They would have played against the Celtics in 88 in the Eastern Conference Finals, but The Bad Boys adopted the dirty plays from the Celtics and held The Bulls back from playing the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Had they met, Bulls would've won. What did Larry say about MJ, "MJ disguised as Jesus". Larry KNEW MJ was better than him, Larry just had a better team around him.
And there was nothing they could do to stop him I still loved it when Michael Jordan said I'm happy to see you retire go away I'm tired of you ruining my seasons now that came out of Michael Jordan 's mouth
I used to disrespect Larry, until I researched. He was an amazing player and a winner. One of the greatest shooters, one of the smartest players, one of the most clutch players, and one of the greatest all-around players ever. Career average 24/10/6 on 50/38/90 shooting efficiency. Celtics record improved 30 games his rookie season and they never stopped winning.
best part about bird is he would tell the defender exactly what he was going to do, then went out and did it right in their face. dude is top 5 all time
I grew up in the 70s and 80s. I saw the arrival of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. I grew up watching the 76ers with Dr. J. The rivalries were paramount. And to watch those battles between Bird, Johnson and Erving was an absolute joy. It was a legendary time to grow up. Then I saw the arrival of Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Shaq and Kobe. What an amazing time to be alive. These are the true legends of the game.
Love seeing you guys appreciate this legend. The Magic/Bird matchup is the best in history. Man played injured and still gave all. Players today get a paper cut, they’re out a week.
Hey guys, true fact, during the off season Bird had a official sized court in his backyard and practiced for 8 hours everyday day just like someone who went to work for 8 hours everyday that’s how he approached the game, he took it to another level!!
Bird would dominate in today's NBA. He brought the NBA from tape delay to live TV. Just an entertaining player, no whining, no excuses just put me in coach. Nice reaction.
When the ball goes to Bird, that entire half of the court is the danger zone. He can shoot or get an assist from anywhere at any time. He is a nightmare defensive assignment, and if Dennis Rodman had a lot of tough games against him during the golden age of physical defense, don't expect anyone today to stop him, either.
When these 2 guys, Larry Bird and Magic started in the NBA the finals were tape delayed because nobody cared about basketball in this country. It was their rivalry and skill that revived the sport and turned pro basketball into what it is today. Also keep in mind that the 3-point shot didn’t exist until the 2nd year he played in the league and he got that good. Mind blowing!
Larry legend, his basketball IQ was incredible. He is and always be one of the very best. He and magic SAVED the NBA so you should so respect young fellas. Sad that you have no clue how amazing he is.
Those years of the NBA (Magic & The Bird) were the golden years of basketball. Playing for the same team for 15 to 20 years, they set the stage of the present, minus the 100+ million dollar contracts. Then Jordan came in the game and everything changed. Magic and Larry created the GOAT in Michael Jordan. They were and are the three best players ever.
Sorry, but the GOAT was Bill Russell. The goal of every player at the beginning of the season is to win the championship. Bill won 11. All the guys being discussed in this video won 6 or less and I will add that LeBron is a choker with his 4 rings.
You gotta remember that 3 pointers only became a thing in Bird's rookie season. Now the pros practice for that their whole lives. Bird was a phenomenal shooter and passer.
Yeah If he grew up shooting 3's , and then took 10+ a game, he would've averaged well over 30 PPG. His teammates even say the Celtics didn't really practice shooting 3's. It wasn't til later in his career that he started to take more than 1 or 2 a game!
3 pointers were barely a thing near the end of Bird's career. From 1979-1987, NBA teams averaged less than 3 3-point attempts per game. 1987-88 season shattered the previous record when teams averaged 5.0 3-point attempts per game. When Bird retired, teams averaged 7.1 3-point attempts per game, the most in NBA history since adding the 3-point line. In the 2021-22 NBA season, teams averaged 35.2 3-point attempts per game. What's crazy is, teams actually played way more defense in Bird's career than they do now, even at 3-point range. I can't imagine what Bird would have done against today's pathetically soft defenses.
To understand his genius, note his accomplishments AFTER he played as well. Only person to earn Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year, besides winning Rookie OTY, MVP x 3, Finals MVP x 2, 3-point Champ x 3, All-Star x 12 and so on and so on. His basketball IQ was validated long after he stopped playing. Took the Pacers from 10th to 3rd place in one season
I was born in the 70s, watched the 80s and 90s and it drives me nuts that young people think these guys couldn't play with todays player's. Magic , Kareem, Bird , Jordan , Clyde the Glyde Drexler and so many more, these guys could play and beat anybody in the universe. You guys got to remember Bird had a shortened career from a back injury
"So many more" ... Dr. J, Reggie Miller, Moses Malone, Dominique Wilkins, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Isiah Thomas, Adrian Dantley, Artis Gilmore, Mark Aguirre, Sydney Moncrief, the list goes on and on. I stopped watching the NBA when Jordan retired.
I enjoy the videos you guys put out. You're funny, honest & you're all in the moment. I was blessed to grow up watching the Bird-Magic rivalry and IT WAS GREAT! Full disclosure, I'm a Bulls fan & my favorite player is M.J. However, Larry Bird was just a 1-of-1. Just like M.J., Bird was must see TV because he always did something I've never seen before on a basketball court. Bird told you what he was going to do & then do it & players still couldn't stop him. He told one player before the game that he was going to play left handed because he was saving his right hand for the Lakers (they played L.A. 2 daya later). That’s so gangster & he put up 44pts going lefty that night. He was clutch in big moments but he was automatic in winning time. That’s what made him special. He made you want to believe that no matter what happened, there was always a chance to win. Bird has to be in the top 10 All Time somewhere. I'd put Bird around 8-10.
Larry Bird is EVERY bit of the legendary status that is given to him! Fully earned. I'm 52 and watched him play in his peak live on TV, countless games over his career, .. he absolutely blew minds. Top 5 ever no debating that.
He was the best in one respect... could do EVERYTHING! The most complete player... you cannot understand the level of intensity in those Lakers/Celtics battles....
Growing up in Southern California in the late 70's and 80's, I can not stress enough to you how much I hated the Celtics, the rivalry against my "Showtime" Lakers was so, mind shatteringly epic, I wonder if it's likes will ever bee seen again. As a kid, I hated Celtic green with all my soul, hated Parish, hated Ange, hated "DJ" Dennis Johnson, hated McHale, and there was no one I hated more than Bird. But as I have grown older, I have come to appreciate just how one of a kind Larry Legend actually was/is, and have come to appreciate that it was because of his greatness that elevated the play of the Lakers and was what made that rivalry what it was.
I'm from L.A. too and I was in high school when Magic & Bird came into the league. Those two played on such a different level than anyone else. It was must-see TV anytime one of them was on. I can't remember a single game when they didn't do something that just put your jaw on the floor. I mean _every...single...game!_ I'm not one to belittle the great ability of today's players but, IMO, the game itself is just so boring now by comparison. There's no flair or style. It's just a bunch of guys shooting 3s most of the time. I feel so fortunate to have witnessed that era of basketball in person. These highlight videos are great, but there's no way they can do justice to how exceptionally great Bird and Magic were.
In south Alabama all we wanted to see was L.A. Lakers vs Boston Celtics in the finals. We couldn't stand Bird, Ainge, Parrish, DJ, McHale but they were bad dudes.
So true! I was a die hard Piston fan and I despised everything about the Boston Celtics! I just couldn't bring myself to admit how good they were until decades later!
As a Laker fan, I hated every minute Larry Brid was on the court. Damn he was good. What highlights don't show was how he made the other four guys on the court so much better. With LeBron, you can see easily why he's great: amazing athleticism with size and strength. But with Bird, it was something else. He knew where everyone was on the court without looking. His positioning was impeccable. He rebounded, shot the lights out, hit his free throws, set his teammates up with great passes, and was absolutely clutch. Unquestionably an all time great.
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK) #1) Jordan = 44.7 #2) LeBron = 44.4 #3) Bird = 43.1 #4) Kareem = 42.9 #5) Durant = 40.8 #6) Magic = 40.2 Bird was one of the greatest all-around players of All-Time...if not the greatest!
Was a big time Bad Boys fan and can feel ya on that hatred seeing him in the playoffs lol. I'd say more than anyone else, even Magic, MJ, I just felt like Bird was going to effing do something to kill us! Not to say he was a better player than MJ though, but I did have more 'he's going to do something' fear.
Keep in mind, this great, great reel does him very little justice. He was 3 times as good as these highlights. Wlhen he was coming to town, I got "Bird Flu". That man kicked ass, took names, took no prisoners, had no mercy and he and the Celtics laughed loud and hard when other teams ALLOWED themselves to get clowned. He clowned more people than Bozo. That's Larry LEGEND for real. Lakers and Celtics had the 2 best teams for 10 years.
The "Hick from French Lick" - He is the GOAT for me- I watched them all and he is the best- Smartest player and unlike now, he passed and shared the scores- since MJ it is all just shoot and that is it- Larry shared the love-
Kareem, magic, Reggie and more have said Larry was the goat, they played with him before this young men were even thought in they’re mamas and daddy’s minds
The most tragically messed up part about Bird is that he hurt his back, which the injury would end his career earlier than it should have, by insisting on building a driveway himself for his mom. Still no one can deny 3 straight MVPs during that time in the NBA. Absolute legend.
Not only did he win 3 straight mvps, but those were bookended by 5 2nd place finishes in the mvp race. 8 straight years he finished either 1st or 2nd in mvp votes.
@@jasonsabourin2275 This was a time when you didn't need an excuse to crush some beers. Hell, Wade Boggs knocked down at least a case of beer on a flight once. These guys were a different breed.
I ALWAYS love to see youngbloods react to Larry Bird. That man was both feared AND respected! And what's crazy about his highlight videos is that it's almost all LEGENDS that are givin' Larry props.
I was a big NBAA fan. I learned to appreciate all the great players back then, before and after. Bird, Magic and Jordan were like a shot in the arm for the NBA, because people had been losing interest. Each one of them brought their own talents to the table, and different personalities, which made their differences a draw for fans. In my opinion, all of them were superstars, but I believe Bird was the GOAT for one specific reason. He not only performed individually as a superstar, but he raised the level of play of every one of his teammates. He shown the light on his team.
Larry Legend was the greatest team player. He made everyone of his teammates better. He could have had even better numbers but he believed in passing the ball. He wanted the win rather than the numbers. Some of the other superstars then and now just want the numbers.
Bird and Magic are 2 of the greatest passers ever. So when they played each other, the game was a master class in ball movement and handling. The Lakers were known for scoring a lot on the fast break, so the pace of the game was always ridiculous, and Birds Celtics were one of the few teams in the NBA at that time that could consistently run with them. I'm absolutely certain that some of the greatest games ever played were between Magics Lakers and Birds Celtics.
Larry was not only an excellent player who could do it all on the court, he was a lightning-quick at planning and reacting as a floor-general for his team. His insane passing ability was because he was the best at knowing where everyone on his team was while also tracking the directions that opposing players were moving. Superior visual-acuity + quick mental processing + fast reflexes + ambidextrous coordination + able to accurately shoot from anywhere on the floor = an unstoppable play-maker and scorer. At the point of the highlights video when Larry goes to the locker room and then returns to continue to play, he had a fractured right cheek and refused to let his team down by letting it stop him. He was a trash-talker, but he was so tough that his ass could always cash the checks his mouth wrote. Pain meant nothing to him. He plowed through it and kept on playing the highest-level of basketball he was capable of. That was what made him unstoppable and why he's so revered as a legend.
There will NEVER be another Larry Bird. EVER. He’s the Eminem of the NBA. The GOAT. I saw the lakers Celtics battle. I was a teenager and BELIEVE ME when I say the level of turned up you got during that time can never be matched. It was truly magical and birds and magics relationship was beautiful to watch in real time. ❤
im a 60 year old female. as a celtics fan, i watched larry legend in the 80s. as you see it was a thing of beauty - plus watching them play on tv on the original boston gahden parquet floor; that was moved to the current td gahden. he was a trash talker and would call his shots to the defenders. his teammates had to be on always never knowing when and how he’d send the ball to them. as you saw over his shoulder, between the legs of the opponent … it was rougher back then. lt was said in the video he played one entire game left handed just cuz, and they won. he had an unusually high bball IQ as others have commented
Np those were some great memories when they talk about today’s games I think about Larry Kevin and the chief make that fence who wants to drive the lane now
Bird played the game in a surgical, cerebral way that no one had or has since. What's insane is because he was such a competitor is that he would be basically telling the guy defending him how he was going to get the ball and what he was going to do with it all night. And his great as his career stats were, consider that he'd do things like that, and much like Jordan, once he got hot, eventually teams starting throwing everyone at Larry trying to stop him. He'd still be scoring with the whole damn opposing team in his face.
Big shout out to The Cartier Boyz but as well as the other person who's 53yrs old I'm 50 I don't know if u guys have seen or heard other NBA Legends speak about Bird, but young fellas he was the real deal as much as he was hated he also was feared usually the case with anyone just saying if u haven't seen or heard more footage or audio find it. 4real the nickname LARRY LEGEND is so fitting. (I'm not from Boston I'm from H-Town TX) I
One of the most telling clips was the one where he returned to the court to win the game with a fractured cheek. That injury would have sidelined players like LaBron for at least a month.
I can tell you I suffered this same injury just over 2 years ago and it is debilitating and you are very disoriented. Your teeth are bouncing all over the place coz your cheek bone is loose, it's fucking weird. Needless to say, it's also extremely painful. To do what he did, gather himself in the locker room and then come out and win the game for his team is hard to believe. I could barely stand up. When you hear Larry tell stories of his dad pulling his work boots on over a broken and swollen ankle coz he had to go to work, you can see where Larry got his work ethic and his guts from.
Not only did he come back out he made the other team look stupid… while most likely being disoriented from a concussion and the pain of having a fractured cheekbone… that is TRUE GRIT!
I'm from boston and I've seen about every game Larry played. He was mentally two steps ahead of everyone. I've seen so many of the greats play and I don't think there was a better all around player.
The 80’s and 90’s were a different era of professional sports. You almost can’t compare. There was such mutual respect for each other back then, but at the same time the game was extremely physical and no one held back. No one sat out games to rest, they played the game because that was their job. There are great players now, but each generation paces the way for the next. Larry and Magic have to be in the top 10 no matter what!
80's basketball was so much tougher and faster than now. The Lakers and Celtics teams were deep and tough, an unbelievable rivalry. Ray was good, Kobe was great, Steph is great, every era has great players, but Magic and Larry were in a league of their own for all around greatness. So lucky to have grown up and been in L.A. in the 80's! SHOWTIME!❤❤❤
NBA basketball pretty much died for me when they started allowing zone defense (because of Shaq's dominance) and then got rid of hand checking. That's led to the crap we have today, a 3-pt contest, not basketball anymore.
From 85 - he retired, Larry played with a broken back. Yet he was still able to dominate and put up stats. In his 13 yr career. He was the FOUNDING member of the 50/40/90 twice. He led the league in 3 pointers twice 85,86. FIRST 3pt contest winner in 86 then 87, 88. MVP 84 , 85, 86. 2 Finals MVPs, 12 All star, 10 all NBA Teams, 3x All Defense selection. It took Bird just two seasons to get his first ring. Larry turned the Celtics around his first season. From a 29 - 53 season to 61 - 21 season. Larry's one of 8 hall of famers to win rookie of the year & be named to the all NBA first team. The only one so far to have those honors after Larry is Tim Duncan. Larry Bird is the only player to win Rookie of the Year, League MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, coach of the year & executive of the year. Larry is the only player Jordan couldn't beat. 6 -0 playoffs; 17 - 11 reg. Here's some of his highlights. 5x Larry Bird Was Injured But Refused To Quit th-cam.com/video/QRHZToVAEFA/w-d-xo.html 4 Crazy Stories That Prove Larry Bird Is The Toughest Player In NBA History (4:48 - Double Vision story involving Dell Curry Steph's dad) th-cam.com/video/L4vsB2Hskv4/w-d-xo.html Larry Bird Greatest Passer re-edit th-cam.com/video/wwo4vtaZmsY/w-d-xo.html Larry Bird Was Better Than You Think th-cam.com/video/RqhotidONeA/w-d-xo.html Larry Bird Most Savage Moments th-cam.com/video/cBD0du1-h1o/w-d-xo.html Larry Bird Fights Heated Moments th-cam.com/video/XYiBasFf5vc/w-d-xo.html Larry Bird's Greatest Moments th-cam.com/video/Uz-Dy89W4HM/w-d-xo.html Larry Bird 50 Amazing Assists th-cam.com/video/baBdnA7cui0/w-d-xo.html
As a kid growing up in Boston in the 80's and early 90's... and I share his last name (no relation) I literally cried the day he retired, and I was at the gym when I watched it. Everyone stopped working out and there wasn't a dry eye anywhere. I'll never forget (and I wish they showed it) but Magic took off his shirt and underneath he wore Larry Birds Celtic Jersey. Class Act!
@@smftv I was 8 when Larry played with the Celtics. I grew up with male relatives that are die hard Lakers fans. So I didn't really get to watch Larry play. I mainly grew up on NFL. I knew when the Lakers played the Celtics. There was always this weird vibe of anger and awe. Then my relatives would be throwing stuff or eachother. Crazy. But you lived there during his career. Wow! Did you get a chance to go to a game? Was there really a 7yr tickets wait list, by Larry's 2nd yr?
@@ldybozz Tickets were soooo expensive! My family couldn't afford it, it wasn't like trying to get Fenway tickets to see the Red Sox. But we religiously watched the games on TV. The whole world disappeared when the game was on because nothing else mattered. Bostonians are VERY passionate fans and Larry was the kind of player that his enemies respected him because he earned it. So we loved him like he was family. Even when we lost to the Lakers, we knew were going to win the following year, Larry would see to it, and he did. It was a magical time regardless of which team you rooted for. We knew it was going to be a hard fought battle, nothing came easy for either team, those wins were earned on both sides. We hated the Lakers, but we also respected them. Unlike the New York Yankees who we straight up Hate and vice versa, lol
I am from Southern Indiana and my brother played against Larry Bird in high school...he has respected him to this day and is still in awe of his accomplishments...Larry was pure talent and had the fundementals of basketball down to an art...even the greats say he was impossible to defend...pay attention...and learn something...he knew the GAME....he was a master at it.
"Michael made you look slow. Larry made you look dumb"
Dude was playing games like this with an injured back and was taking breaks to lay down because it hurt so bad. This guy was the definition of the game.
LOL, this is such a great quotation...love it.
can you imagine Lebron doing something like that? lol basketball back then was better because of the physicality
@@BLaCkKsHeEp Dude flops when he THINKS somebody touched him
After lebum choked in miami he was asked if he had change for a dollar. He replied nope, just 3 quarters..
Larry would never quit
These guys are so young and ignorant when it comes to larry. Bird was better than magic. Yes. All his peers and contemporaries even thought so. Nobody in history had a more stacked team than magic.
Larry’s and Magic’s rivalry saved the NBA in the 80’s. Legendary.
Seriously. What league broadcasts their championships on tape delay? Until those guys hit, there was no TV deal. Today's players think it was Jordan, but it wasn't.
I love the story of their rivalry, and then the day they squashed it making a commercial at Larry Bird's house lol Magic rolls up and Larry is mowing the fuckin lawn ahahahaha
Best era, hands down.
Those commercials were amazing.
This!
Made a me a fan.
You lose all credibility when you say Larry Bird isn't in you're top 20. With all due respect.
Yeah, credibility immediately goes out the window ... And dude didn't even mention Kareem, LOL ... They're young though, at least they're going back and educating themselves, so they'll get there ... Another guy is Kobe, who I love, but he ain't top 5 all time. Top 5 Lakers probably, but he ain't top 5 NBA.
To be fair, he did change his mind quick once he saw Larry on the court.
@@topspot4834 I agree w everything you said. Idk how you dont bring up someone with 6 MVPs and 6 rings and Kobe probably in the 8-10ish range.
@@MattR8605 I hear ya but the damage was already done lol.
Dude don’t you realize it’s phony reactions?
Larry and Magic are basically the reasons why the NBA went from late night tape delay to prime time television. Thanks to them, I got to watch the Pistons, the Spurs, and the Bulls as a kid.
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK)
#1) Jordan = 44.7
#2) LeBron = 44.4
#3) Bird = 43.1
#4) Kareem = 42.9
#5) Durant = 40.8
#6) Magic = 40.2
@@FreedomFighter2112 Wonder how many more fouls they all got
If Larry Bird isn’t in your top five all time, I literally stop listening.
He was the best during the best.
Truly a legend.
They are fools. Even Lebron admitted Bird is better than himself.
Larry is no debate top 10 … top 5 is a debate I got him 7
Bird had it all
@@TheSands83 - then you don't know basketball.
look at the numbers. Larry was better than all the players they were listing. Clay better than bird?
"If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game I'd choose Michael Jordan.. If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life... I'd take Larry Bird." - Pat Riley
That because Michael never beat larry I don't understand why larry gets disrespectful way he does
Larry was the best clutch player in the history of American sports.
Stop taking about Ray, Klay, and Reggie.
It’s Bird and Stephx
@@dannyhinton6140 Racism
"The difference between Jordan and Bird was that Jordan made you look slow...Bird made you look stupid." - James Worthy
@@TheGalwayjoyce Steph ain’t even sniffing that tier… maybe if it’s a regular season game but he ain’t touching a Ray Allen, MJ, or Bird
You guys wanna learn some interesting facts about Larry? He was the founding member of the 50/40/90 club. That means he shot over 50% from the field, over 40% from 3 point land, and 90% from the free throw line. Neither Lebron, nor Jordan ever accomplished this. Bird did this 2 times. He also won 3 straight MVP's (the 3rd player after Wilt Chamberlain & Bill Russel to ever do it)), 2 finals MVP's and 12 all-star appearances in 13 seasons. The 1 time he missed the all-star game was when he only played 6 games before getting a season-ending surgery on both feet. He was a 10-time all-NBA team, (9 time all-NBA 1st team and 1 all-NBA 2nd team). HIs 3 championships come with perhaps the highest degree of difficulty. His Celtics Swept Jordan's Bulls twice. Jordan never beat Bird in the playoffs. Bird also had to contend with the Bad boy Pistons with Isaiah, Rodman, and Laimbeer, the Sixers with Dr. J, Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, and Mo Cheeks . The Lakers only competition in the west was The Houston Rockets who had Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, the twin towers. Boston had to navigate a minefield of good teams. Oh, and you might be interested to know that Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Magic Johnson ALL have Larry Bird in their top 3 players of all-time.
But I think it was Lakers coach Pat Riley who said it best. "If I could have any player to shoot for me if the game was on the line, I would take Michael Jordan. But if my life was on the line, I choose Larry Bird."
They don’t know about old school basketball and think white boys can’t play lol
I don’t think they understand basketball enough to even know what that means haha the first 2 minutes kind of showed how little they watch the sport. Comparing ja morant to Larry bird is blasphemous. Larry bird not top 30 is crazy. They asked Jordan Kobe and LeBron for their top 5 players of all time and literally all of them had Bird in there
The players today And the people who watch them today are based on one thing. They all live and die by the 3.
crazy how people think steph is better
Only these current young nba fans think that
When he arrived as a rookie to his 1st Celtic training camp, he walked into the locker room and told everyone, he wasn’t carrying anybody’s shoes, getting anyone’s coffee or washing anyone’s car as that is what’s expected of a rookie. He made it clear real fast that he was the man to save the Celtics. The rest is history.
Larry was MVP 3 years in a row!! He won 3 championships! He was an assassin, the only player Jordan never beat in the playoffs! Definitely a top 10 of all time!
MJ and the Bulls didn't just lose in the playoffs versus the Celtics, they played 6 playoffs games in two seasons, the Bulls didn't win a single game, back to back sweeps.
Paul dem young boys they no nothing about the real nba I’m old school and I had Bird’s back after he came to A& T University and dropped a 50piece on A&T “Bird” Sparrow Jordan is the goat and Larry was too
Top10? At least Top 3, and many will say #1.
Top 5
@@nunyabusiness5075That’s true, but you’re not being honest about the celts beating “The Bulls.” The Celtics beat Jordan but Jordan was still the best player on floor. The 86/87 Bulls were a sub .500 team without MJ and the 86 Celtics were one of the best teams of all time. That 87 team was still really tough
Bird is the GOAT. The man was on another level, and he was untouchable. He came back out, played, and won all with a, literal, broken face. He played hurt, he was tough as nails, and the man had grit to spare. Today’s players would not be able to touch him. He accomplished more in his short career than any of the players today would ever be able to do. Even Jordan couldn’t touch him. Larry Legend lived up to his name. There will never be another.
Bird is most def in my Top 5, but even Bird called MJ “god disguised as Michael Jordan” 😂
No argument though, MJ/Bird/Magic are 3 players in my Top 5 that are non-negotiable.
That’s right
@@NostalgikOneand everyone called Bird Basketball Jesus lol
@@NostalgikOne That comment about god disguised as MJ was about his 63 point game, specifically because of how MJ was popping off in that game. Oh, and the Larry's Celtics still won that game anyway, and swept him, just like they did every time they met in the playoff iirc.
@@NostalgikOneJordan always played to score points Bird did it all and when he decided to play that game against the Hawks to score he scored 60 points and told them ahead of time that’s what he would score. In all other games he was not just a phenomenal shooter but a phenomenal passer and stealer. He played for the team to win not to just score
When he had his retirement ceremony there WASN'T EVEN A GAME! Fans filled the Boston Garden JUST FOR THIS EVENT! That's how much respect and love he got.
I didn't know that. Thank you!
I was there. Great night!
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK)
#1) Jordan = 44.7
#2) LeBron = 44.4
#3) Bird = 43.1
#4) Kareem = 42.9
#5) Durant = 40.8
#6) Magic = 40.2
@@FreedomFighter2112 That's a pretty tight spread of 4 points between #1 and #6 with The Hick from French Lick right in the middle! I'm really not a basketball fan, but I just enjoyed watching Larry do stuff that just left a lot of jaws dropping onto the floor.
Watching this brought tears to my eyes. And gave me chills. I'm old enough to remember watching on tv. Bird was amazing.
Larry's the first to ever shoot 50/40/90 for a season.... He also won 3 straight league MVP's. He showed up to the first ever 3-point contest and asked who was going to finish 2nd before going out and winning it in his warm-ups.
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK)
#1) Jordan = 44.7
#2) LeBron = 44.4
#3) Bird = 43.1
#4) Kareem = 42.9
#5) Durant = 40.8
#6) Magic = 40.2
Basketball was wayyyy better back then. Technical, strategic, insane teamwork. LB had supernatural playing skills.
Coming back. Watch the Thunder.
Dude, Magic and Bird brought back the surge and the importance of the NBA. We wouldnt have it like we did today if it wasnt for these 2 guys. The battled in college, the battled in the NBA. They revived a dying league.
The best basketball ever played was Magic and the Lakers vs Bird and the Celtics. Either one of them would dominate today's NBA, period.
before magic and bird the league was in such bad shape that finals weren't even being shown live
Æ-men, jűs sāyīn !😎✌️😎!
Yesir Larry is the goat
then there were the McDonalds commercials
I’ve watched this video at least three times and I have watched many of your videos. You have taken this opportunity to explore and learn new things. Your eyes have been open so much. God bless you all.
Guys, I'm 53 years old. I saw Julius Erving, Elgin Baylor, Magic, Barkley, Ewing...all of them. I am loyal to the Bad Boys. Out of all of them, Larry Bird was the Best I ever saw. He was absolutely dangerous from anywhere!
I really like how they can’t name any of their top players who scored 60 points in a game
@@chriswhisenhunt4918 How old are you, who have you seen play, and what are you basing your outlook on. That's all
Bird and Magic saved the NBA. You should watch that. Champions were on tape delay. To put Ray Allen in the same sentence is so wrong. See more than 20 minutes on some players before you judge their careers. Watch some Lakers Celtics series. Basketball was more competitive and intense back in the 80s. Thanks for video.
What am I basing my outlook on? Didn't you read my comment?
If you are 53 you did not see Elgin Baylor play!
I love seeing young people discover Bird and their jaw drop. Makes my old heart all warm inside.
lol
Larry is the founder of the 50-40-90 Club. As Dr. J said about Larry, "he was playing chess while everyone was playing checkers." The more you find out about Larry Bird the more you'll have your mind blown.
@Bruce.. Larry had back-to-back 50-40-90 seasons in the late '80s, and although everyone lauds Steph Curry as being the greatest shooter and all that, maybe that's true for area code threes, but other than Larry, the only other player in NBA history with more than one 50-40-90 season is Steve Nash who had four in five years when he was with the Suns, including three in a row.
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK)
#1) Jordan = 44.7
#2) LeBron = 44.4
#3) Bird = 43.1
#4) Kareem = 42.9
#5) Durant = 40.8
#6) Magic = 40.2
@FreedomFighter2112 , If Bird could've played as long as Jordan and LeBron, I think he would be at the top. He messed his own body up that cut his career short. To still be in the conversation of all-time greats in such a short span of time compared to the others, says it all.
The era of Magic and Bird was the best ever. Bird won MVP I think 4 times. He won the NBA 3 point contest 3 times. He played one game where he shot left handed the entire game and scored over 40 points. He told Sally he was going to get the ball....take it to the corner and shoot the 3 and there's nothing you can do to stop me. And he did. He was a major trash talker. The one NBA championship game they were down by 1 with 3 seconds on the clock. Everyone knew it was going to Bird. It did....and he made a quick pass to Dennis Johnson for an easy lay up and a Championship.
Larry Bird's retirement happened at a SELL OUT Boston Garden event that DID NOT include a game. The man sold the arena OUT just to say "good bye".
As far as Bird himself, he is by far one of the most "game smart" player to exist. Not just for his own abilities on the court, but knowing the plays, player strength and weakness, match ups in speed and coverage, reading the lanes, knowing when to shoot or pass, seeing openings that aren't there WHEN he makes the pass and yet still end up being successful passes just by knowing the direction/speed and angle of the other player. Not to mention moving on to becoming a successful NBA coach as well as working the "Front Office" (GM position, I think) and recruiting players. The ONLY player to be voted as MVP as a Player, a Coach AND a General Manager.
is this larry?
@@notmychannelname42 Nah, it's your fav. Player. 😯
@@jasonsabourin2275 I don't have a favorite player. They all stink.
a Genius Mind'
Bird is a TRUE legend. He defines the word Athelete!
Bird, Magic, MJ, etc.......played in an era when defenses inflicted pain. The guys from that era would have a field day in today's soft NBA.
👌 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
There’s a video about it, it’s sad.
@Ben Franklin I've been watching NBA basketball since the late 60s. I never dreamed defense would become almost non-existent. The offensive numbers put up today should be followed by a disclaimer, stating......."All offensive numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, since defense is no longer a thing."
@@geneticrex spot on
The freaks of nature of today would murder these old era guys if they were allowed, and at the same time out pace, outsmart and out shoot them either way
I’m from right down the road from where Larry grew up and played High School Basketball, when you saw him come out of the locker room he was returning to the game after he shattered his cheek bone and had a concussion, he saw his teammates dropping down in points and decided to go back out and win the game for his team. But just this past week a Junior at his High School named Deion Edwards just passed up Larry’s record and he still has a whole year and a half to keep adding to his stats. Larry is above the league, he wasn’t arrogant, he wasn’t rude he just knew how to get under the skin of players on the other team. Many players feared him. There is a 4 part documentary on TH-cam about what other top players and coaches thought about Larry, it’s pretty interesting and Charles Barkley says that he was scared of Larry, Jordan was intimidated by him, Magic was too but they became very close friends, Kareem said he was the best player ever. Everyone was in awe of him but no one, and I mean no one hated him, they just respected him because he was a great man and a better than great player.
Thank you!! He was always one of my favorites!!!
awesome I'm from indiana originally too, not too terribly far either.
You should check out 5 times Larry played hurt!
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK)
#1) Jordan = 44.7
#2) LeBron = 44.4
#3) Bird = 43.1
#4) Kareem = 42.9
#5) Durant = 40.8
#6) Magic = 40.2
Loved every minute of it ! I'm an old 71 year old Celtic's fan and Larry Bird is our Bobby Orr ( check him out , played ice hockey without shoulder pads ) . Watching you guys at the start , doubting , and then when the magic happened ? Listen to the comments the black players said about him and you'll understand , he did not say he was the greatest , those he played against said he was the greatest . Great Job !
Those who say Bird couldn't thrive today fail to realize when Bird played it was LOT more physical compared to todays game.
exactly the league today is soft compared to back then!
Bird would be looked at today like a better version of Luka. Big dude, not fast, can shoot you out the gym but can ALSO lock you up on defense and run the offense as a passer.
Today's NBA is " soft " ball, literally.
No BLOOD no foul....
They look like little girls compared to the old days !
Larry Legend has the highest Basketball IQ to ever grace the court. He always knew where every player was at all times, where the best play was and could set it up. He had the ability to pass the ball to players to the side, in front, and behind him that he hadn't glanced at since running across the court. Watching him was magical at times.
Larry Legend is not allowed to be slandered in black barbershops. Even in Philly or LA. That should tell you how nice he is.
If Larry ain't in your top 5 you know crap about basketball
What's perhaps even more crazy than knowing where the players were, was that he always knew where the basket was. It's practically a joke, or something off of the old Looney Toons cartoons, because he'd hit so many shots without even looking, and from all different distances and angles. Flip it over his head, over his shoulder, hook it, reverse lay ups. It didn't seem to matter where he was or how he threw it.
I grew up watching him, and I've seen highlight videos many, many times, and I still to this day can scarcely believe what I'm seeing sometimes. My brain still says "what the hell did II just see?"
Facts!!! I was there, too 🍀🍀🍀 @@section8usmc53
Magic was known for that too.
Bird was the complete basketball player. Shooter of 2s, 3s, foul shots. Passed that ball like a magician. Played defense like a dirt dog. Had a Will to win like nobody else. Played hurt and fearless. Total package and then some.
Rebounds, Blocks, steals, assists
They don't call him "Legend" for nothing.
He was a pretty decent coach, too... better than any other legendary star player who went into coaching.
@@KtotheG I guess you habe to define 'legendary star'. After all if you look at NBA Top 50 all time almost none of them Coached in the NBA, but if you look at greatest Coaches almost all of them played.
I enjoyed the video until they listed SHAQ? above Bird?!? Seriously? Have these guys ever of the 50/40/90 club? Larry Bird has a about the same FG% as Shaq from the Line! Shaq scored more points because he played in over 1200 games, Bird was 890 games. I love Shaq. I'd rather have a beer with Shaq, but if I needed to win a game... Bird! Like you said, Bird was the total package.
And that ladies and gentlemen is Larry Legend. He is top tier. He is the No 1 player to have ever played the game. Listen to other players... even they list him as their most difficult opponent. As the person they'd hope they could play like. Larry Bird had the game figured before he walked onto the court. He was strategic. He was a master at it. I've never seen a player understand the game like he could. Maybe Dennis Rodman. Rodman studied what he needed to do. To be the best rebounder. And he was. Larry's best basketball muscle was his brain. And he used it. "The hick from French Lick" educated the world on how to play ball. And if guys dont see that... well... Bless your heart.
Bird is a top 10 guy. For real. People lost sleep over playing that dude.
Bruh Bird is arguably in the Top 6. He's in the top 1 for talking shit and backing it up, I'll tell you that much!! Lmao.
@tedfio1tedfio1 same for me. I know my Top 3. I won't argue the rest. Have you seen the disrespect Magic gets from these youngbucks?
@@tedfio1tedfio1 I put Olajuwon right there with Jabbar & Wilt
Dude....just ask MJ Larry Bird is the best who ever played or will play the game
Of course he is
If u don’t have Larry Bird in your top 10, you don’t know shit about basketball
I would say too 5….but top 10 for sure.
Top 5…
He's top 3, I'd argue he's the most talented player ever and If it wasn't for his back injuries, he would be considered the GOAT. He may not have had the athletism that guy's like Jordan & LeBron have, but he was a better basketball player. Shooting, passing, clutch, hell even rebounding somehow. The way I see it, is if you add athleticism to Bird's game, there's no question. You take away LeBron and Jordan's athleticism and they're no where near top 10 players. I mean shit, LeBron probably wouldn't even be in the NBA. And no, I'm not hating. I just don't think his skill set is that great without his size and dunking.
Truth is, he gets disrespected and pushed aside because he isn't black.
@@greyk610 And THAT'S the TRUTH!!
I grew up in the 80s, a die hard Detroit Pistons Bad Boys fan. Larry Bird scared me more than any other player back then. He was cold blooded. I love Magic, a fellow Spartan, but Larry was the best player in the 80s.
Well, John Salley said Larry put fear into him. And when Salley was put on Larry and no double team Larry yelled, "Mouse in the house."
Pistons fan here too, back in the day. I always rooted for whoever was playing against Boston in the semi's cuz I knew our chances got real low if they didn't beat them. Finally, we broke the Celtic curse and went on to lose to Magic, Worthy, Kareem, Cooper for the title. Then, the Bad Boys got real Baaaad!! Zeke, Wild Bill, Microwave, Joe D, Mahorn, Spider, the Worm, etc. That was a sweet run we had and then came the Bulls with MJ & Scotty. Did these guys even list MJ in their top 2? Let alone, top 10? Get hoops back to how it was played in the 80's & 90's and maybe I'll start watching it again. Doubt that'll ever happen, though.
I grew up a Lakers fan watching Magic and Showtime do their thing, but when they played Boston it is was different, you just felt it. Larry Bird was an assassin, plain and simple. If Magic didn't get Showtime flying Larry Bird would murder you. An absolute beast on the court. I will ALWAYS have respect for that man.
@jgamez5023 Correct; there was no restricted zone (that half moon painted on court below the hoop) thus it was a free-for-all hack zone unlike today where flagrant fouls are called when players tap someone attempting inside moves/dunks, etc.
I was lucky enough to watch Bird and Magic from college until they both retired. What a pleasure to watch!
Wish I could have seen that!
Yup, those 2 got me interested in the NBA which lasted until Barkley and KJ left. I haven't looked back since, not even for MJ/Pippen/Rodman, etc. Why bother?
MJ was a great athlete. Bird was a great basketball player. I am old enough to have seen Wilt Chamberlin, Bill Russell, Bill Walton, Isiah Thomas, Barkley, Pete Maravich, Dr J, Bird was the best of them all. Magic had a far better team around him. MJ NEVER beat Bird in the playoffs.
@@Wintuscotty That's it.
Y'all please re-watch that clip when he falls; you see his face literally bounce off the floor. He was in the locker room cuz he fractured his cheek bone! But when things got bad he came back out and played with his face busted up. Amazing athlete
I'm old enough to remember watching with my dad. Larry Bird & Magic saved basketball, he is one of the most important people in the history of basketball.
Same, and thats the truth.
Truth. NBA Finals weren't even on live tv before Bird and Magic saved it.
@@brianwilliams2907March 31 1956 was the first TV aired finals where? Where did you get your information from?
@@jacobsladder6715 Umm I'm going to guess … the paper, the TV guide
Don't forget Dr. J. It wasn't just Magic and Bird.
Bird definitely blessed you with those passes. Right on target to you in your rhythm too. He was so good teams would put the teams dedicated hacker on him to bruise him up on purpose. They'd pull on his jersey, hold his arm so he could jump up, elbow him in the face, trip him on purpose. But nomatter what, he was ready to play the next game. From college days to both of their retirements Magic & Larry were the fiercest warriors on the court. As Pros, the developed great respect for each other & talked so much shit to each other it was funny. Two GOATS period.
He won the 3 point contest 3 years in a row. Won MVP 3 in a row. Was the first to ever do 50/40/90. He’s the highest all time scorer behind Magic by less than half a percent. Bird is better than anyone you’re talking about. Watch the greats tell their stories about him.
Small correction: the thing he trails Magic by isn't scoring, it's winning percentage. Kareem is still the all-time scoring leader.
50 40 90 he held that average for 5 years straight no one has done that ever
Some ppl rank magic Johnson above bird but in reality bird was better, alot better at scoring
What do you mean 'highest all time scorer behind Magic by less than half a percent'? What stat is that about?
@@kevinlakeman5043 it was winning percentage.
He played a game shooting with his left hand and still scored 47 points. Broke his right cheekbone and still played. Respect.
💯💪🙏💛☯️🌞
And he told the other team, he was going to shoot left handed and score 40 on them.
He played left-handed multiple times for extended durations.
@@jason-hy8ci He was just that good.
Can't stand idiots of basketball. But they do deserve their free speech laced in denial.
Lebron nor Curry wouldn't do that let alone a broken jaw.
those of us who were around to watch the 80s-90s were SO privileged to see all these guys play...Magic, Bird, Jordan, Dr. J and so many other superstars!!! It was like no other time...
Born in 83. Had the best cartoons growing up and was able to watch all the NBA stars. Even watched the Dream Team. Best experience ever.
To me late 70s, 80s & early 90s NBA was the best. 1 of the best games I saw was Blazers Drexler & Bulls Jordan.
This is just to put things into perspective...Total Stat Points (Career Avg PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK)
Bird: 24.3 PPG / 10.0 RPG / 6.3 APG / 1.7 SPG / 0.8 BPG = 43.1
Curry: 24.3 PPG / 4.6 RPG / 6.5 APG / 1.7 SPG / 0.2 BPG = 37.3
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK)
#1) Jordan = 44.7
#2) LeBron = 44.4
#3) Bird = 43.1
#4) Kareem = 42.9
#5) Durant = 40.8
#6) Magic = 40.2
Bird was one of the greatest all-around players of All-Time...if not the greatest!
Give me a little Pete Marovich!
Been watching Larry bird highlights for most of my life, and still can never resist watching them again and again. What’s truly special though, is the level of respect he earned from every single person that ever crossed paths with him on the court and many of them legends of the game in their own right. You know someone was special when it’s their opponent who heaps the most praise on them. What he and magic did for the game will never quite be understood by most, but will also never be forgotten.
Man this brought back some memories. I grew up in LA for a bit, was raised by a Lakers fan, and as a Lakers fan, Larry Bird is my favorite player of all time. My dad always sat me down whenever it was Magic vs. Larry Legend and both of them taught me a lot about 'never give up'. Bird is something special and I love seeing people understand the genius that is him.
I was a huge Bernard King fan. However, it is a 'FACT' that Larry Bird and Magic Johnson literally saved the NBA. Bird was a jaw-dropping shooter. When he cocked it behind his right ear: MONEY! The originator of the 'step-back'. Absolutely the best passing forward in history. No matter the era, NO ONE WOULD HAVE STOPPED HIM.
Bernie was great. Bird and Magic were on the tier above him, though. No shame in that. King could score at will. He just never had the horses around him to get to the next level to compete for a title.
Bird was a great passer, but not better than LeBron. He is one my favorite players of all-time. He is the 2nd best SF of all-time. Better than KD.
@@tabernathy0428 Those guys would have Lebron for lunch. I'd pay to see James go up against the bad boy Pistons. It's a different game today and it's made a huge difference in Lebron's career.
Bernard didn’t play for years with three and four other Hall of Famers as Magic and Bird did. He is WAY underrated.
@@tabernathy0428 Definitely a better passer than lebron stop
Watched him growing up-- people will never understand how much better he was than everyone else-- if you had Bird, your team would compete for titles even with just role-players. He made everyone around him at least 'good', even if they weren't. His full-court passes are unmatched. To understand Bird had stuff no one else did or has since, watch his full-court passes mix-- no one could do it better, more often, with less turnovers. Not Kevin Love, not LeBron, not Magic, not Jokic-- no one was even CLOSE. Bird assisted full-court passes in traffic, amid double teams, and the guys just caught it where only they could and laid in the easy lay-up--and he did it every night. He was so good it seemed both embarrassing, unfair, and laughingly beautiful all at the same time.
Couldn't describe it any better myself. The man was a passing wizard: he had no peer; not then and not now.
*Zero debate. BIRD was a Wizard Facts!*
Yes sir. I was glued to the TV from 1979 to 1988 when Larry Bird played.
AMEN!
Welcome to the Bird fan club, guys, and thanks for the delighted laughs as y'all realized what a force he was. It was nice to see. Best to all of you.
I've been watching basketball since the 1970s and have yet to see anybody with as much pure talent as Bird and Magic, period.
Uhm those 2 are GREAT but when you say pure talent how about Jordan, Kobe, T-mac, Vince, Iverson. I am mentioning only who retired.
@@user-de1of7fe9d
You lost me at Tracy McGrady.
@@joebenson528 it's okay ur too old.
@@joebenson528 go watch some highlights if u were too busy raising kids to watch Vince and Iverson.
For us old guys Russell, Chamberlain.
Larry was the stone cold truth! He was cooking EVERYONE in his era- imagine the damage he'd do today. Top 5 of all time for sure. Check out his peers talking about him- they straight up FEARED him
The 80s NBA will always be my favorite era. Magic, Bird, Thomas, Jordan.... Simply can't beat it.
FACT; Today's NBA is mostly all about 1 player.
Back in the day, the NBA was full of ballers. FULL.
yes! I cannot watch the NBA today....no game at all.
the 90's was not that bad. The NBA now is such trash anymore. It's not worth watching.
And people sleep on Bernard King. Before he got hurt he was as good as there was at the time. The Knicks just stunk, mostly.
@@YankeeWoodcraft right as soon as the marquee player is out of the game. The game excitement is gone. At a time when we have the most athletic player from top to bottom playing .
Watching the Larry Bird highlights. I noticed how tight the area of play was. That is because not everyone had a 3 point game that every play has today
Thanks! Please do Journey with Steve Perry. Start with Mother Father live in Huston
Bird was basically a systems engineer -- the system in question being a basketball game. He knew EVERYTHING that was happening on the court in real time, somehow. It's like he had a processing core in his head devoted to nothing but basketball, and it was running 24/7.
And had eyes in the back of his head! Hell, the sides, too! Like some kind of lizard/chameleon man!!! His ball instinct was uncanny~ and it seemed he always knew exactly where EVERY other player was on the court, at all times. I've never seen anyone else do that. The younger crowd can "LeBron this", and "LeBron that", and I don't disagree that he's one of the best players ever~ but the Bird Man was magic.
If you reallly want to know how great Larry Legend was, just ask all of the other Greats. They all put Bird in their top 3.
Im a 66 yo grandmother.....Larry Bird was a natural phenomenon. He inspired me to play roundball to my best. Cant touch 33.😊
That was the Hawks falling off the bench, not Celtic players. When Larry came out of the locker room after that fall, he had a broken cheekbone, and was seeing double. It didn't stop him from finishing the game.
There’s been 3 players in NBA who’ve won 3 straight MVP’s: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird. He not only won Rookie of the Year but is one of 9 to also make the all NBA team as a rookie. He founded the 50-40-90 club and is one of 2 players to make it more than once.
BTW, Jordan’s 0-6 against Bird in the playoffs and LeBron has him in his top 3.
Actually he is the only one that made it 5 years straight
jordan ,couldnt make it to the finals till bird was done
He averaged it over 5 years, I don’t think he actually hit it all 5 years individually but I could be wrong.
@@Blizzard0fHope LMFAO what are you talking about? Jordan made it in 90, 91, 92. Jordan made it to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bad Boys in 89,90. They would have played against the Celtics in 88 in the Eastern Conference Finals, but The Bad Boys adopted the dirty plays from the Celtics and held The Bulls back from playing the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. Had they met, Bulls would've won.
What did Larry say about MJ, "MJ disguised as Jesus". Larry KNEW MJ was better than him, Larry just had a better team around him.
@@Blizzard0fHope like how KD couldn't get back til Steph was done so he joined him.
You can tell the level of talent he has by the number of players on defense surrounding him. He was epic. There was nothing he couldn't do.
And there was nothing they could do to stop him I still loved it when Michael Jordan said I'm happy to see you retire go away I'm tired of you ruining my seasons now that came out of Michael Jordan 's mouth
yall gotta watch Larry Bird Making the Case ... Bird is a top 10 alll time player hands down. he is in my top 5.
I used to disrespect Larry, until I researched. He was an amazing player and a winner. One of the greatest shooters, one of the smartest players, one of the most clutch players, and one of the greatest all-around players ever. Career average 24/10/6 on 50/38/90 shooting efficiency. Celtics record improved 30 games his rookie season and they never stopped winning.
best part about bird is he would tell the defender exactly what he was going to do, then went out and did it right in their face. dude is top 5 all time
I grew up in the 70s and 80s. I saw the arrival of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. I grew up watching the 76ers with Dr. J. The rivalries were paramount.
And to watch those battles between Bird, Johnson and Erving was an absolute joy. It was a legendary time to grow up.
Then I saw the arrival of Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Shaq and Kobe. What an amazing time to be alive.
These are the true legends of the game.
Love seeing you guys appreciate this legend. The Magic/Bird matchup is the best in history. Man played injured and still gave all. Players today get a paper cut, they’re out a week.
Hey guys, true fact, during the off season Bird had a official sized court in his backyard and practiced for 8 hours everyday day just like someone who went to work for 8 hours everyday that’s how he approached the game, he took it to another level!!
Larry Bird is a one of a kind! A legend. And he is in a league of his own!
Bird would dominate in today's NBA. He brought the NBA from tape delay to live TV. Just an entertaining player, no whining, no excuses just put me in coach. Nice reaction.
"best player in his generation" lmaoooo he would destroy current players
Imagine if you couldn't hand check or put your body in him coming through the lane? It wouldn't be fair.
💯
And talk trash while doing it!
When the ball goes to Bird, that entire half of the court is the danger zone. He can shoot or get an assist from anywhere at any time. He is a nightmare defensive assignment, and if Dennis Rodman had a lot of tough games against him during the golden age of physical defense, don't expect anyone today to stop him, either.
@Luke Skyballer I mean, you can't go wrong either way
When these 2 guys, Larry Bird and Magic started in the NBA the finals were tape delayed because nobody cared about basketball in this country. It was their rivalry and skill that revived the sport and turned pro basketball into what it is today. Also keep in mind that the 3-point shot didn’t exist until the 2nd year he played in the league and he got that good. Mind blowing!
Larry legend, his basketball IQ was incredible. He is and always be one of the very best. He and magic SAVED the NBA so you should so respect young fellas. Sad that you have no clue how amazing he is.
Those years of the NBA (Magic & The Bird) were the golden years of basketball. Playing for the same team for 15 to 20 years, they set the stage of the present, minus the 100+ million dollar contracts. Then Jordan came in the game and everything changed. Magic and Larry created the GOAT in Michael Jordan. They were and are the three best players ever.
Sorry, but the GOAT was Bill Russell. The goal of every player at the beginning of the season is to win the championship. Bill won 11. All the guys being discussed in this video won 6 or less and I will add that LeBron is a choker with his 4 rings.
@@jimbragg8909 You might be correct, plus the way he manhandled the 7 footers in California, was amazing to watch.
Jordan changed things... But NOT until Bird and Magic were done. He had to wait...
they saved the NBA. it was close to going bankrupt, or relegated to sub sport like frisbee golf.
and Johnny Most was the best commentator ever!
You gotta remember that 3 pointers only became a thing in Bird's rookie season. Now the pros practice for that their whole lives. Bird was a phenomenal shooter and passer.
Yeah If he grew up shooting 3's , and then took 10+ a game, he would've averaged well over 30 PPG. His teammates even say the Celtics didn't really practice shooting 3's. It wasn't til later in his career that he started to take more than 1 or 2 a game!
@@TimWing23 He could have averaged like 35+ in a season regardless, if he was selfish like MJ and Kobe.
3 pointers were barely a thing near the end of Bird's career. From 1979-1987, NBA teams averaged less than 3 3-point attempts per game. 1987-88 season shattered the previous record when teams averaged 5.0 3-point attempts per game. When Bird retired, teams averaged 7.1 3-point attempts per game, the most in NBA history since adding the 3-point line. In the 2021-22 NBA season, teams averaged 35.2 3-point attempts per game.
What's crazy is, teams actually played way more defense in Bird's career than they do now, even at 3-point range. I can't imagine what Bird would have done against today's pathetically soft defenses.
@@Kevin-bt4wb I meant 3 pointers didn't exist until 1979 which was Bird's rookie season but yeah I agree.
To understand his genius, note his accomplishments AFTER he played as well. Only person to earn Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year, besides winning Rookie OTY, MVP x 3, Finals MVP x 2, 3-point Champ x 3, All-Star x 12 and so on and so on. His basketball IQ was validated long after he stopped playing. Took the Pacers from 10th to 3rd place in one season
I was born in the 70s, watched the 80s and 90s and it drives me nuts that young people think these guys couldn't play with todays player's. Magic , Kareem, Bird , Jordan , Clyde the Glyde Drexler and so many more, these guys could play and beat anybody in the universe. You guys got to remember Bird had a shortened career from a back injury
plus he played all 4 yrs in college--which is kinda rare today for the great ones
Bird and Magic both did that.
"So many more" ... Dr. J, Reggie Miller, Moses Malone, Dominique Wilkins, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Isiah Thomas, Adrian Dantley, Artis Gilmore, Mark Aguirre, Sydney Moncrief, the list goes on and on. I stopped watching the NBA when Jordan retired.
Players back then use to punish their bodies. Now if you get a hang nail you're out for 6 games
@@atombomb31458 not only did he play all 4 years, he was drafted when he was a junior but chose to stay for his last year
Not only was it a game winner, he told them EXACTLY what he was going to do.
I get emotional watching Larry. When he played, all things were possible.
I enjoy the videos you guys put out. You're funny, honest & you're all in the moment. I was blessed to grow up watching the Bird-Magic rivalry and IT WAS GREAT! Full disclosure, I'm a Bulls fan & my favorite player is M.J. However, Larry Bird was just a 1-of-1. Just like M.J., Bird was must see TV because he always did something I've never seen before on a basketball court. Bird told you what he was going to do & then do it & players still couldn't stop him. He told one player before the game that he was going to play left handed because he was saving his right hand for the Lakers (they played L.A. 2 daya later). That’s so gangster & he put up 44pts going lefty that night. He was clutch in big moments but he was automatic in winning time. That’s what made him special. He made you want to believe that no matter what happened, there was always a chance to win. Bird has to be in the top 10 All Time somewhere. I'd put Bird around 8-10.
Larry Bird is EVERY bit of the legendary status that is given to him! Fully earned. I'm 52 and watched him play in his peak live on TV, countless games over his career, .. he absolutely blew minds. Top 5 ever no debating that.
Correct my man im 62 and remember him in college and the NBA
Pretty sure its debatable
Top 5 is pretty debatable. I ranked him at 8 below Jordan, James, Jabbar, Chamberlain, Russell, Johnson and Bryant.
Those were the days
Below James, Russell, and Bryant? You gotta be kidding me.
He was the best in one respect... could do EVERYTHING! The most complete player... you cannot understand the level of intensity in those Lakers/Celtics battles....
Spot on!
Fact
Growing up in Southern California in the late 70's and 80's, I can not stress enough to you how much I hated the Celtics, the rivalry against my "Showtime" Lakers was so, mind shatteringly epic, I wonder if it's likes will ever bee seen again. As a kid, I hated Celtic green with all my soul, hated Parish, hated Ange, hated "DJ" Dennis Johnson, hated McHale, and there was no one I hated more than Bird. But as I have grown older, I have come to appreciate just how one of a kind Larry Legend actually was/is, and have come to appreciate that it was because of his greatness that elevated the play of the Lakers and was what made that rivalry what it was.
Outstanding. I was a Boston fan, and would say the exact thing about the Lakers.
Man, we were blessed to live that
@@scrapsdaddy Truth
I'm from L.A. too and I was in high school when Magic & Bird came into the league. Those two played on such a different level than anyone else. It was must-see TV anytime one of them was on. I can't remember a single game when they didn't do something that just put your jaw on the floor. I mean _every...single...game!_
I'm not one to belittle the great ability of today's players but, IMO, the game itself is just so boring now by comparison. There's no flair or style. It's just a bunch of guys shooting 3s most of the time. I feel so fortunate to have witnessed that era of basketball in person. These highlight videos are great, but there's no way they can do justice to how exceptionally great Bird and Magic were.
In south Alabama all we wanted to see was L.A. Lakers vs Boston Celtics in the finals. We couldn't stand Bird, Ainge, Parrish, DJ, McHale but they were bad dudes.
So true! I was a die hard Piston fan and I despised everything about the Boston Celtics! I just couldn't bring myself to admit how good they were until decades later!
Dam Brother's I wish youns would show a bigger picture ? SOME OF THEM SHOTS WAS BADASS 👍🏻
As a Laker fan, I hated every minute Larry Brid was on the court. Damn he was good. What highlights don't show was how he made the other four guys on the court so much better. With LeBron, you can see easily why he's great: amazing athleticism with size and strength. But with Bird, it was something else. He knew where everyone was on the court without looking. His positioning was impeccable. He rebounded, shot the lights out, hit his free throws, set his teammates up with great passes, and was absolutely clutch. Unquestionably an all time great.
Very well said. You must have watched as many Magic vs Bird games as I did back then.
@@GetsumJ Yes! I grew up in L.A., Wilt Chamberlain was my favorite player as a little kid.
In the past 50 years, here are the highest Total Career Avg Stat Points (PTS + REB + AST + STL + BLK)
#1) Jordan = 44.7
#2) LeBron = 44.4
#3) Bird = 43.1
#4) Kareem = 42.9
#5) Durant = 40.8
#6) Magic = 40.2
Bird was one of the greatest all-around players of All-Time...if not the greatest!
Plus he was tough as nails and supremely confident.
Was a big time Bad Boys fan and can feel ya on that hatred seeing him in the playoffs lol. I'd say more than anyone else, even Magic, MJ, I just felt like Bird was going to effing do something to kill us! Not to say he was a better player than MJ though, but I did have more 'he's going to do something' fear.
Keep in mind, this great, great reel does him very little justice. He was 3 times as good as these highlights. Wlhen he was coming to town, I got "Bird Flu". That man kicked ass, took names, took no prisoners, had no mercy and he and the Celtics laughed loud and hard when other teams ALLOWED themselves to get clowned. He clowned more people than Bozo. That's Larry LEGEND for real. Lakers and Celtics had the 2 best teams for 10 years.
The "Hick from French Lick" - He is the GOAT for me- I watched them all and he is the best- Smartest player and unlike now, he passed and shared the scores- since MJ it is all just shoot and that is it- Larry shared the love-
Bird needs to be on everyone's top 5. Thats right, he did everything. Not just shoot. You guys are crazy.
Kareem, magic, Reggie and more have said Larry was the goat, they played with him before this young men were even thought in they’re mamas and daddy’s minds
Watch it again without talking and listen to what ALL the legends are saying...
The most tragically messed up part about Bird is that he hurt his back, which the injury would end his career earlier than it should have, by insisting on building a driveway himself for his mom. Still no one can deny 3 straight MVPs during that time in the NBA. Absolute legend.
I also believed if Larry had access to today’s sports medicine he could’ve added a few more years to his career.
Not only did he win 3 straight mvps, but those were bookended by 5 2nd place finishes in the mvp race. 8 straight years he finished either 1st or 2nd in mvp votes.
Yup, and STILL mowing his own lawn too, think it was just a good excuse to crush beers.
This was in the most physical and hands on time for the league. If he has 5 more years to his career, holy cow.
@@jasonsabourin2275 This was a time when you didn't need an excuse to crush some beers. Hell, Wade Boggs knocked down at least a case of beer on a flight once. These guys were a different breed.
I ALWAYS love to see youngbloods react to Larry Bird. That man was both feared AND respected! And what's crazy about his highlight videos is that it's almost all LEGENDS that are givin' Larry props.
I was a big NBAA fan. I learned to appreciate all the great players back then, before and after. Bird, Magic and Jordan were like a shot in the arm for the NBA, because people had been losing interest. Each one of them brought their own talents to the table, and different personalities, which made their differences a draw for fans. In my opinion, all of them were superstars, but I believe Bird was the GOAT for one specific reason. He not only performed individually as a superstar, but he raised the level of play of every one of his teammates. He shown the light on his team.
Larry Legend was the greatest team player. He made everyone of his teammates better. He could have had even better numbers but he believed in passing the ball. He wanted the win rather than the numbers. Some of the other superstars then and now just want the numbers.
Yes....pretty much a tie between Larry and Bill Russell ❤
Bird and Magic are 2 of the greatest passers ever. So when they played each other, the game was a master class in ball movement and handling. The Lakers were known for scoring a lot on the fast break, so the pace of the game was always ridiculous, and Birds Celtics were one of the few teams in the NBA at that time that could consistently run with them. I'm absolutely certain that some of the greatest games ever played were between Magics Lakers and Birds Celtics.
I watched them all growing up as a kid in Boston, you're right. I still think about some of those games!
Larry the greatest team player of all time. If he not scoring, he helping others to score.❤️🇦🇺
No doubt
Larry was not only an excellent player who could do it all on the court, he was a lightning-quick at planning and reacting as a floor-general for his team. His insane passing ability was because he was the best at knowing where everyone on his team was while also tracking the directions that opposing players were moving. Superior visual-acuity + quick mental processing + fast reflexes + ambidextrous coordination + able to accurately shoot from anywhere on the floor = an unstoppable play-maker and scorer.
At the point of the highlights video when Larry goes to the locker room and then returns to continue to play, he had a fractured right cheek and refused to let his team down by letting it stop him. He was a trash-talker, but he was so tough that his ass could always cash the checks his mouth wrote. Pain meant nothing to him. He plowed through it and kept on playing the highest-level of basketball he was capable of. That was what made him unstoppable and why he's so revered as a legend.
There will NEVER be another Larry Bird. EVER. He’s the Eminem of the NBA. The GOAT. I saw the lakers Celtics battle. I was a teenager and
BELIEVE ME when I say the level of
turned up you got during that time
can never be matched. It was truly
magical and birds and magics relationship was beautiful to watch
in real time. ❤
im a 60 year old female. as a celtics fan, i watched larry legend in the 80s. as you see it was a thing of beauty - plus watching them play on tv on the original boston gahden parquet floor; that was moved to the current td gahden. he was a trash talker and would call his shots to the defenders. his teammates had to be on always never knowing when and how he’d send the ball to them. as you saw over his shoulder, between the legs of the opponent … it was rougher back then. lt was said in the video he played one entire game left handed just cuz, and they won. he had an unusually high bball IQ as others have commented
It was Kevin who close lined Rambis and the Celtics were shocked because he was the nicest guy
@@duanebrown3016 oops yup i need to edit that. i said it correctly somewhere else it was kevin. ty for pointing it out 👍
Np those were some great memories when they talk about today’s games I think about Larry Kevin and the chief make that fence who wants to drive the lane now
I can’t watch basketball anymore, it’s not the same.
@@marthaemery8402 it is very tough to watch. but i’m alone and it’s better than a lot of other things to watch, for me anyway
Bird played the game in a surgical, cerebral way that no one had or has since. What's insane is because he was such a competitor is that he would be basically telling the guy defending him how he was going to get the ball and what he was going to do with it all night. And his great as his career stats were, consider that he'd do things like that, and much like Jordan, once he got hot, eventually teams starting throwing everyone at Larry trying to stop him. He'd still be scoring with the whole damn opposing team in his face.
Big shout out to The Cartier Boyz but as well as the other person who's 53yrs old I'm 50 I don't know if u guys have seen or heard other NBA Legends speak about Bird, but young fellas he was the real deal as much as he was hated he also was feared usually the case with anyone just saying if u haven't seen or heard more footage or audio find it. 4real the nickname LARRY LEGEND is so fitting. (I'm not from Boston I'm from H-Town TX) I
One of the most telling clips was the one where he returned to the court to win the game with a fractured cheek. That injury would have sidelined players like LaBron for at least a month.
Bron and most players would not only sit out a month, but they'd wear a face mask for the rest of the season.
you mean ccp loving, flopping king, and self proclaimed goat? just an ego with talent
I can tell you I suffered this same injury just over 2 years ago and it is debilitating and you are very disoriented. Your teeth are bouncing all over the place coz your cheek bone is loose, it's fucking weird. Needless to say, it's also extremely painful. To do what he did, gather himself in the locker room and then come out and win the game for his team is hard to believe. I could barely stand up. When you hear Larry tell stories of his dad pulling his work boots on over a broken and swollen ankle coz he had to go to work, you can see where Larry got his work ethic and his guts from.
Not only did he come back out he made the other team look stupid… while most likely being disoriented from a concussion and the pain of having a fractured cheekbone… that is TRUE GRIT!
I'm from boston and I've seen about every game Larry played. He was mentally two steps ahead of everyone. I've seen so many of the greats play and I don't think there was a better all around player.
The 80’s and 90’s were a different era of professional sports. You almost can’t compare. There was such mutual respect for each other back then, but at the same time the game was extremely physical and no one held back. No one sat out games to rest, they played the game because that was their job. There are great players now, but each generation paces the way for the next. Larry and Magic have to be in the top 10 no matter what!
I’m diggin that OU Sooners hoodie!! 😊
80's basketball was so much tougher and faster than now. The Lakers and Celtics teams were deep and tough, an unbelievable rivalry. Ray was good, Kobe was great, Steph is great, every era has great players, but Magic and Larry were in a league of their own for all around greatness. So lucky to have grown up and been in L.A. in the 80's! SHOWTIME!❤❤❤
So was 70s Basketball
They played defense
Yessirree!! 80's basketball was DA BOMB!!!
NBA basketball pretty much died for me when they started allowing zone defense (because of Shaq's dominance) and then got rid of hand checking. That's led to the crap we have today, a 3-pt contest, not basketball anymore.
And the respect and love they have for each other survives to this day....
From 85 - he retired, Larry played with a broken back. Yet he was still able to dominate and put up stats. In his 13 yr career. He was the FOUNDING member of the 50/40/90 twice. He led the league in 3 pointers twice 85,86. FIRST 3pt contest winner in 86 then 87, 88. MVP 84 , 85, 86. 2 Finals MVPs, 12 All star, 10 all NBA Teams, 3x All Defense selection. It took Bird just two seasons to get his first ring. Larry turned the Celtics around his first season. From a 29 - 53 season to 61 - 21 season. Larry's one of 8 hall of famers to win rookie of the year & be named to the all NBA first team. The only one so far to have those honors after Larry is Tim Duncan. Larry Bird is the only player to win Rookie of the Year, League MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, coach of the year & executive of the year. Larry is the only player Jordan couldn't beat. 6 -0 playoffs; 17 - 11 reg. Here's some of his highlights.
5x Larry Bird Was Injured But Refused To Quit
th-cam.com/video/QRHZToVAEFA/w-d-xo.html
4 Crazy Stories That Prove Larry Bird Is The Toughest Player In NBA History
(4:48 - Double Vision story involving Dell Curry Steph's dad)
th-cam.com/video/L4vsB2Hskv4/w-d-xo.html
Larry Bird Greatest Passer re-edit
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Larry Bird Was Better Than You Think
th-cam.com/video/RqhotidONeA/w-d-xo.html
Larry Bird Most Savage Moments
th-cam.com/video/cBD0du1-h1o/w-d-xo.html
Larry Bird Fights Heated Moments
th-cam.com/video/XYiBasFf5vc/w-d-xo.html
Larry Bird's Greatest Moments
th-cam.com/video/Uz-Dy89W4HM/w-d-xo.html
Larry Bird 50 Amazing Assists
th-cam.com/video/baBdnA7cui0/w-d-xo.html
THANK YOU
As a kid growing up in Boston in the 80's and early 90's... and I share his last name (no relation) I literally cried the day he retired, and I was at the gym when I watched it. Everyone stopped working out and there wasn't a dry eye anywhere. I'll never forget (and I wish they showed it) but Magic took off his shirt and underneath he wore Larry Birds Celtic Jersey. Class Act!
@@smftv I was 8 when Larry played with the Celtics. I grew up with male relatives that are die hard Lakers fans. So I didn't really get to watch Larry play. I mainly grew up on NFL. I knew when the Lakers played the Celtics. There was always this weird vibe of anger and awe. Then my relatives would be throwing stuff or eachother. Crazy. But you lived there during his career. Wow! Did you get a chance to go to a game? Was there really a 7yr tickets wait list, by Larry's 2nd yr?
@@ldybozz Tickets were soooo expensive! My family couldn't afford it, it wasn't like trying to get Fenway tickets to see the Red Sox. But we religiously watched the games on TV. The whole world disappeared when the game was on because nothing else mattered. Bostonians are VERY passionate fans and Larry was the kind of player that his enemies respected him because he earned it. So we loved him like he was family. Even when we lost to the Lakers, we knew were going to win the following year, Larry would see to it, and he did. It was a magical time regardless of which team you rooted for. We knew it was going to be a hard fought battle, nothing came easy for either team, those wins were earned on both sides. We hated the Lakers, but we also respected them. Unlike the New York Yankees who we straight up Hate and vice versa, lol
As a 10 year old kid and piston fan in 88, Bird is responsible for 100’s of my tears flowing!
I am from Southern Indiana and my brother played against Larry Bird in high school...he has respected him to this day and is still in awe of his accomplishments...Larry was pure talent and had the fundementals of basketball down to an art...even the greats say he was impossible to defend...pay attention...and learn something...he knew the GAME....he was a master at it.
What player other then Larry Byrd could tell his defender exactly what he was going to do and then it do in their face! Byrd was unstoppable!
It was rough growing up being a New York Knicks fan and having to deal with Larry Bird the greatest basketball player that ever stepped on the court