Every time I stumble upon a Larry Bird video, I tell myself, "I'll just watch a few minutes; don't have time to watch it all." And every time, I watch the whole thing! Wow?! REALLY miss those days...
I was young when Larry Legend was flaming the basketball court...watching these videos makes me want to kick myself..for not paying attention back then...
@@mrvlsmrv - Exactly my point. There is only "one" of each NBA great. They are all unique in their own way! The Bird fans think he was so special but he wasn't even the greatest Celtic of all time.
Doin' in right now. The story of the Celtics from this era is almost like a fable in a story book, so many unbelievable moments, dogged determination innate skill, heart and last minute buzzer beaters its almost like no one would believe it if it werent in the record books and on video - not to mention the huge number of people that saw it all happen in person. Add the dream team and the olympics and its a storybook bound in gold.
Because we lived it. We watched all of those games live. We were on the edge of our seats having panic attacks. All of us were bummed out before Larry stole the ball in that Detroit game. It was miracle after miracle with Larry. The main reason is because we are thankful for Larry Bird.
You are right. At this point in my life, Larry is nostalgia. But I remember when he came into the NBA, and now the memories bring tears to my eyes. Perhaps for me, in 2021, the greatest example of Larry is his relationship with Magic Johnson. Why can't we all live as they are living-- as brothers!
so glad the "Steal by Bird" play made it to #1.. personifies Larry in so many ways. Still, to this day, my favorite player I've ever watched play this game.
For me, Bird's passes were his most incredible moves. ASTOUNDING! Just unreal, like superhuman; and he inspired his teammates to rise way above their own self expectations.
Larry Legend played in 897 career regular season games winning 660 and losing 237, that is an astounding .735 win percentage. If you take out the season he only played 6 games and subtract all 6 of those games from his 660 wins, you come up with an average of 54.5 games won per year. Larry Bird is summed up with one word, WINNER, pure and simple..
Also the league became somewhat watered down with expansion teams after Larry retired. Imagine some of that talent going to the Celtics, Lakers and so on. Then there was the Len Bias loss, rip.
Friends: "Hey, we're going to a movie. Wanna come?" Me: "Nah. I'm watching 'Larry Bird's 50 Greatest Moments'. More entertaining than any movie I'll ever see".
I don't care what anyone roaming this planet thinks this was the GOAT including all the "Cream puffs" playing whimpy hoop today!! He was the best in the 80s which was the golden era of hoop and without him and Magic this game may have never survived. Larry Legend forever
For all those saying Lebron this or that I say give me MJ and then because they disrespect Bird even more, I say give me Bird and you can have the next five you want and my team will win. By blow out margins.
Nicely said! I was so blessed to have been a student at UNC-Chapel Hill back in those great basketball days. It was a hard, tough, but skilled, brilliant method these men employed. The NBA players today have none of this. I was able to see the best of the best while a student at Carolina. I was very blessed.
As a Celtics fan since 1960, I thank God I got to follow Larry Bird's career. I can't put into words how good Larry Bird was because there are no words that are worthy of his greatness in EVERY facet of the game. I'm glad they have videos for all you fans who weren't around then. Take if from me...Seeing Bird perform his 'Magic' in real time was absolutely incredible! I never believed in miracles until I saw Larry Bird play NBA basketball.
All of his crazy plays have me genuinely shaking my head, dropping my jaw, smiling, laughing and then saying "What the absolute FREAK!* Hahaha! Amazing! Truly amazing.
"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
this is too easy ... just compare Celtic record the year before Bird ... 10th in the conference with a 29-53 record to Bird's first year in Boston ... 1st in the conference with a 61-21 record! ... BEAT THAT PEOPLE!!!
@@sas6561 there is not a more a valuable player for their time than Bird was. Parrish, McHale, DJ...all very good players. But compared to Magic’s team with Worthy, Kareem, Perkins, Cooper, etc? Nah, get outta here. That Celtics team was all Bird. Of course Jordan was similar. Scotty was great, but everyone was a role player.
No Bird No Magic. These 2 guys brought out the best out of each other since college. My respects to Bird. I hated the guy when they played my Lakers but those where awesome games
This has got to be the best Bird documentary ever made. Great job! Bird was the best all-around player hands down. And his basketball IQ? Forget it! Nobody even comes close. Thanks Larry...
I lived to watch the NBA in this era. Bird, Magic, Jordan, Wilkins, Olajuwon, Ewing, Stockton, Malone, and so many others. It really was a great game to watch.
Yes the best era in NBA history was from about 1984-1993. Starting when Magic and Bird met in the finals for the first time, and ending when Michael retired for the first time.
@@anthonynegron788, absolutely the golden years of the NBA. Not going to lie, I’ve watched very little NBA since the early 2000s. The game and league got soft. In the 80s-90s we got to witness the greatest era of basketball. The offenses were incredible but the defenses were unreal. It used to be a physical sport. You had to bang to get position. Don’t see that in the NBA anymore
I still haven’t seen a player the magnitude of a Larry Joe Bird. He was a phenomenal, consistent basketball player in any era that I can recall in my days of playing and watching this beautiful game of basketball.
The new game is about palming the ball to cross up and walking 3.5 steps like Lebron and many others. The p fouls too. New game. Bird would have scored 30 points a game today, at least and his innate talent would have been a challenge even today. Insight, vision, passion on every level in the best era of basketball. I love Curry, but look who got the 3 point game going with 4 guys on him to win the game. A true Phenom.
You need to watch some Dallas Mavericks games then. Luka is not even 23 and Bird's first season was when he was 23. Luka is a better all-around player and the best is yet to come.
@@kenthomas4668 I bet he could have did close to 100 had he been selfish. But where would that have gotten him? Excluding your teammates does not bring teams to win championships. Bird made that perfectly clear his 1st year at Boston.
Yes, Bird was a phenomenal shooter and passer and as a professional was proficient in all the skills needed in the NBA, but the reason why I love watching him was his real-time awareness of what was happening on the court. Who was where, who was guarding who, what were the vectors of people's momentum and the balls. Being in the right place at the right time to use his talent in a way that lifts the team isn't due to luck it's a refined skill and Larry Bird was a Zen master at that.
You can talk about the Michael Jordans and the Kobe Bryants, but Larry Legend is the GOAT. He was the complete player that sacrificed his body for his team. No other player has ever or will ever lay that much on the line for the game of basketball.
What the hell are you smoking ??? The " Michael Jordan's ?" Smdh THERE IS ONLY 1 and YES HE DID THE SAME SHIT SCORING 63 WITH 102 TEMP & THE FLU , PLAYING THRU THE HARDER FOULS OF THE 80'S & 90'S !!! JUST BE REAL ABOUT IT , IT GOES ... 1. MJ 2.LARRY FREAKING PERIOD
I've said it before and I will say it again. You give me my choice of any player in the history of basketball and I will take Larry Bird every time. He had it all, the total package. It didn't matter what you needed, offense, defense, scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, 3 point shots, motivation, confidence, he would deliver for you. I'll give you your choice of any 5 NBA players and you give me 5 Larry Birds and I will beat you every time.
Idk man, he is close to the top, but I have to give Timmy D the nod imo. Larry is 2 or 3 him and Russell are both phenomenal. You couldn't go wrong really with any of them.
Nice Testimony. I'll give you that much because of Larry Bird. But just like Pistol Pete Maravich, you seem to forget whom he went to play Basketball with to get that good at it. Let me politely remind you. Thanks !
5 Larry Birds on one team, imagine that. 🤔 4 Birds chirping at the other team what the 5th Bird is about to do. Would be unfair on so many levels, I mean rebounds would be like 40 - 2🤣
I'm a diehard Laker fan, lived in Boston during the great 80's rivalry. It was great being a Laker fan then, and Magic is still my favorite. But I always appreciated Larry. Even though he'd piss me off sometimes, I had to love those "waaa???" plays that he'd pull off, with regularity. It's great seeing this, and realize that I've really grown to love him.
They both loved the game and the competition. And neither was a selfish player. Mirror images. I personally think Larry was the better overall player, but Im not gonna get into a fight over it coz Magic was freaking awesome too.
@@senormedia I was going to say the same thing. Grew up in NE. Celtics were my team. Got to see them play in person. Bird was my favorite player. But, boy, did I respect Magic.
Literally get chills watching Larry plays. If I can shake this man's hand in my lifetime I will forever be on another level mentally knowing I met a great man who did incredible things. I met Robert Parish and I was in awe.
Thank you so much for this video...this Houston Rockets girl remembers...Phi Slamma Jamma...but Boston had it all. Gotta give props. Still love you Elvin and Clyde (especially you momma). But Larry was the best.
person but it wasn't his athleticism that made him great.. it was his hard work and skills and clutch shooting that made him great.. he was known for being a sub par athlete by nba standards
^but he was athletic in his own right...he dunked on people...not athletically dominate like Mike or James...I see this comments like "he can't jump ...he can't run" he's a basketball player ffs...not some janitor with amazing basketball IQ... it was probably that misconception that made him even more deadly on the court...dude got all them rebounds...and people are on here saying he can't jump... search up Larry Bird Athleticism on youtube
It's all summed up when HOF coach Pat Riley states that, "If I had to pick one guy to take the shot to save the game, I'd pick Michael Jordan. If I had to choose a guy to take that shot to save my life, I'd choose Larry Bird".
One of the best explanations for why those Celtics teams were so great was how heads-up they were, regardless of the situation. In the play from the '87 playoffs where Larry steals the Pistons' inbound pass and feeds DJ for the layup, watch what Johnson does AFTER the layup. He doesn't dance, he doesn't point to himself, he doesn't fall on his back and make snow angels. He immediately heads for the baseline to smother Detroit's attempt to inbound the ball for a (highly unlikely) miracle shot. They played every close game to the last second, which is a sure sign of a winner. The Lakers were thought of as more of a showtime team, but their real calling card was that were rock solid in crunch time as well. That's why the two teams dominated the league through the 1980s.
There were a lot of smart basketball players on those Celtics teams already, but I honestly think that Bird's basketball IQ was infectious, and made everyone around him that much better. THE LAST THING you want to do, is have Bird throw one of these genius passes, and the ball goes off your hands and out of bounds because youre not paying attention. Guys had to be on their toes at all times when Larry had the ball, because it could be coming to you at anytime, in any number of ways.
Hell of a game. I was 14ish and remember the choke to set up game 5. But as with Wilkins and Lebron...you can kill first 3 quarters and then meet Larry or Mike and those first 3 quarters dont mean crap.
Guys, this was absolutely incredible ! Thank you. I'm a Canuck, 75 years old, 5'7" tall. Didn't play a whole lot of basketball. But this fantastic collage of Bird, Magic, and the Celtics was something out of this world: terrific skill, determination, brotherhood, and class all rolled into one. WOW !
Probably the best basketball video ever. Great job And to those people who say that basketball players of old couldn't compete with the athleticism of today's players, I have two words.. Larry Bird
@@johnbrown9076 when I was in my early 20's a bunch of us friends from Boston went to a Red Sox game at Yankee Stadium and we drank the whole ride up there. By the time we got to the game we were all pretty hammered. On our way to our seats we passed right by Johnny Most so I doubled back and asked him to say "Fiddling and Diddling" after he said it the first time I asked him to say it again, which he did by the time I got to asking him to say it the 3rd or 4th time he finally said to me in his classic scratchy Johnny Most voice: "Get outa here kid, ya bothering me" I'm pretty sure I may have been looking at 2 Johnny Mosts but I clearly remember that and they both said it at the same time.
Not too bad for a hick from Indiana.. Boston you are truly lucky to have had Bird on your Celtics. I grew up in Indiana and we were not Pacer fans, we were Larry Bird and Celtic fans. My parents went to Indiana State as I went to Indiana State. One of my best memories ever was when I went back to Terre Haute for a new semester at college I stopped at Larry Bird's Boston Connection, a restaurant and hotel (not to mention a very cool gift shop for Larry Bird and Boston Celtic merchandise), that was owned by Larry. I tried to visit it whenever possible, food was pretty good. This time I was there, I happened to look up from my plate and there practically staring me in the face was Bird himself. As soon as I could mutter to myself, "hey there's Larry Bird!" other people had noticed and started to swarm him. He quickly disappeared. This was 1994. Sometimes forget how great you were Larry. And how proud you made us fellow Hoosiers. God bless
We were also lucky enough to have 'Red' Auerbach as our GM and coach. Red outsmarted the other teams front office people like Larry did their players..
I used to play fastpitch softball against guys who grew up in Bird's neighborhood. They said he was dumb as a box of rocks. But when you put a basketball in his hands, he was a god.
Anymore , I look at Larry , just like I do the Doctor. All of these guys were as special as you can get. These guys gave us some of the best basketball memories of our lives. Larry , Charles, Magic, MJ , even going back to Wilt , Jerry & Elgin , for me. I miss these guys a lot.
My all time favorite player to watch! He played basketball like you're supposed to. It was like he invented it. What a joy to watch. I almost felt sorry for the other team...almost.
I've watched this before, and I started watching again. I got to #12 and I thought "I can't do this right now." Yup, finished watching the entire vid. Again. And, that steal and pass against the Pistons is the greatest play of all time in any professional sport ever. Man, I am so lucky to have had the privilege of witnessing Larry Bird's entire career.
@@kevyonsmith4893 I don’t completely understand, what do you mean? Is it that Larry didn’t play for the money? Or vice versa? I think he also did it for the cash. People can’t spend all of their time and effort doing something unless it at least pays a living. I like golf, wish I was better at it. I’d like to do it all day everyday, but I can’t, I have to make a living. Only way I could possibly do it all the time is if I had the skill to win tournaments so I could support myself.
The greatest quote of all time about Larry 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
We all grew up hoping we could make that one shot where we get bumped, falling down 3 pointer at the buzzer. This guy did it routinely, and told the other team BEFOREHAND what he was going to do.
There was always reports and rumors of how hard & how much Larry Bird & Magic Johnson practiced. And of course this was before the internet and we only had a fee TV channels. So those shots were definitely not luck. And of course, Mike came right behind them and there was reports of how M.J. coming before practice and staying after practice to hone his skills too. That's when those McDonald's commercials came with Larry, Magic & Mike playing horse to win the other person's food. How many out there remember that?
As much as I love this fabulous video on my all time favorite athlete (Sorry Mickey, you were the one for me... until Larry came along), I feel a painful sense of sadness... because I know (as Magic said), "There will never, ever be another Larry Bird."
Lebron loses, then puts a fake cast on his R-hand, after feigning that he injured his L-hand, in the fourth quarter. Larry, sacrifices his body, for his team and his fans; leads and inspires his team to do what seemed to be impossible. Larry's rivals flock to congratulate him, even in their loss; he's an inspiration to any man who sees him work and perform. All things considered, I'm certain MJ, knows who the better man, IS... #33
Many of those plays that highlighted this reel, I remember watching. There weren’t too many Boston Celtics games we missed back in those days. What a player and what a time to see such a masterful performance day in and day out!
3 of the 5 best players of all times. They could do it all on the court. Complete players. We look at scoring to much, it's the guys that hit big shots and can do it all on the court that are the greatest.
Then Shaq won three consecutive final series mvp's. most forget cedric maxwell of those boston la battles. My greatest teammate said bird. Maxwell was nba final series mvp, then mvp game seven final series, then blew his knee out. Lead scorer and rebounder for nc charlotte when they lost by two to marquette in Final 4.semi final. Then Marquette won the final game
Fantastic tribute to a wonderful player. So many great highlights. Humble but a freak of a superstar!!! How about a Larry Bird's 1000 greatest passing moments. Well done and thankyou . . . If only I could have watched him at Boston Garden :( My greatest player of all time :)
We are so fortunate to watch so many great athletes in this day and age. That being said, I was fortunate enough to watch some very "Special" athletes. Winners!! Magic, Jordan, Tiger, Brady. None however can compare to Larry!!!!!!!!!
In deep debt to growing up during the Bird/Magic/Jordan era. I have never been a hardcore basketball fan ( mainly because I could not play to save my life! ) but Larry Bird was the best thing to happen to me as a teen sports fan! If I ever need to replenish my feel goods, I just watch Larry highlights! What a privilege is was to see him play!!! Best team player I have ever seen!!
Its sad that people who didn't see Larry Bird play have no idea how great he was. Not the most physically talented but his shooting, floor knowledge, toughness and competitive energy made him a perennial MVP candidate.
Especially the idiotic Fanboys who will say (with a straight face) that LeBron James is better than either Bird, Magic or Jordan. James isn't even in the same zip code as the Big Three.
@@meld1817 No. lebron is a genius, no doubt but i put magic, bird, mj, isiah thomas iq higher than lbj. Lbj still dont know how to use his teammates properly. He only can play the lbj-system.
First time in a long time I have seen the Phoenix shot. Everyone there including the Suns team on the floor was frozen in shock. Bird hit bigger shots but that one took the 110 Phoenix heat down to a blustry 33. ++ to the poster.
"We have good players on this team but we don't play heart. We set back and watch magic and his team high five and we just set back and watch like sissy's. " 😳 OMG you knew all hell was going to break loose!!! I'm 54 yrs old and have seen that interview a thousand times and I still get goose Bumps!!!!! Another masterful chess move to inspire and change the momentum of the series. You are the GOAT Larry Bird!!!!!!
I lived through all of his pro career and was always a fan of his being from Indiana myself but I never really knew how good he was until after his retirement. I guess this is another you don't know what you have until its gone things. TYVM Mr. Bird.
What made Larry so great were the little things; how he made Ball fakes, how he did three moves before he took a shot- he was great @'passing and shooting. He made everyone better and didn't worry about his stats; just winning. Imagine if the NBA was great again? MJ came in the league and didn’t understand team basketball. As soon as he trusted his teammates his team won. Magic and Bird were clones. They were basketball genius.
That's very unfair to MJ. MJ did not even have any teammates worth a damn when he first came into the league. Bird was surrounded by Hall-of-Famers, so of course the Celtics were always setup for "team basketball". As Chicago improved their Roster with better players around Jordan (Scotty Pippen, etc.) it was natural and predictable that the Team dynamics (and wins) would develop with that. But MJ was ALWAYS great!
@@FreeSociety1 When MJ shared the ball his teammates gained confidence, ran the floor, played defense, etc. sharing the ball is contagious. Your right, Bird/Magic had Super Teams but they made them better. MJ, was great but when he shared the ball and bought into a system he became the GOAT. Bird and Magic won at every level- even before they had amazing costars.
@@FreeSociety1 Beg to differ with you. Bird’s first year was on a team coming off a 29-53 record. Dave Cowan and Pistol Pete were there, but were in their last year of play and in reality just shells of their former selves. With the addition of Bird they were 61-21 his rookie season with no McHale or Parrish. Bird was always all about “team” and winning. Jordan was not there when he first got into the league. He eventually got there but it took him until, you guessed it, Bird and Magic retired.
Bird just mastered the game. You dont have to be super fast or quick, he just had this great intuition and anticipation of how the play's going to develop and how to get to spots he was comfortable in. Just goes to show bball is really about skills; you just need to have the minimum level of athletic abilty and you could do great things.
@@macferadaig3092 Actaully, he was in terms of reflexes. Not the explosive type but he wasn't a lumbering big guy. He was quick for a 6-9 player and was guard like. So yeah, he wasn't explosive but he wasn't lumbering either. He's faster than Buck Williams or Charles Oakley. But he won't overpower you for a dunk but he did dunk in his early years.
@@wishingb5859 He wasn't Westbrook lol but people think he was like lumbering. He was quick and nimble for a 6-9 guy which was rare in the 80s. He played like a guard. It wasn't until his back gave in when he looked really slow. But even then he was still effective.
I am not a huge basketball fan, but I really enjoyed watching this tribute to a man who obviously gave everything he had to the game. What a special player.
He was just a phenomenon Didn’t look like a basketball player but had every shot in the book and was strong as an ox and tough He truly earned the respect
Albert Bullmer I wouldn't say greatest but to me top 3 ever are Magic, Michael, and Bird in no particular order and out of the 3 Larry was the most skilled, MJ and Magic both were athletic but Larry was pure skill couldn't jump, couldn't run fast he was just great.
"but Larry was pure skill couldn't jump, couldn't run fast he was just great." dude has a top 10 dunks video...and plus how do you get all those rebounds if you couldn't jump...couldn't run????...he's a fucking basketball player...he was fast on the fast break... search up Larry Bird Athleticism on youtube
It bothers me when people use the flu game to bolster Jordan’s greatness, but see Bird’s later years as a hindrance. The fact that Bird was so tough that he could play for so long with such pain says far more about him than anything Michael had to endure. Never forget that a Larry lead Celtics team always beat Michael Jordan in the playoffs and through most of their encounters in the regular season. Michael may be the greatest in the eyes of some, but he never could stop Larry Joe.
@@adnoHis1 but it wasnt MJ vs Larry, was it? Facts are MJ never lost a championship series in college, nba, or internationally...larry can never say that. So are we gonna put them championship losses by larry as some sign that Larry is worse than jordan? I love both but I'm not gonna say some ignorant stuff like one is better than the other without at least recognizing the game dont revolve around a player.
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson did for basketball in the 1980s what Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio did for baseball in the 1940s. What an era!! Greatness on display in every game.
MAY 26, 1987...My 22nd birthday... Born & raised in Detroit, my friends & I were watching the game. Last 2 seconds, we thought the Pistons had won; we were celebrating, cheering, etc. We turned around a few seconds later, looked at the TV, and saw the PISTONS HAD LOST!! Wow...
Every time I stumble upon a Larry Bird video, I tell myself, "I'll just watch a few minutes; don't have time to watch it all."
And every time, I watch the whole thing!
Wow?! REALLY miss those days...
Yea but what a great feeling while doing so, I relive the memories every time!!
Because they don't show the time he sucked. I remember them well.
I was young when Larry Legend was flaming the basketball court...watching these videos makes me want to kick myself..for not paying attention back then...
Me too I watched him play with my dad who's gone now favorite memories Larry Bird is 3 months younger than me. He's still my hero !!
I KNOW RIGHT!!! Orange County boy did real good.
“There will never, ever, ever be another Larry Bird”
Magic’s words still ring true.
There will never be another...
Tim Duncan
LeBron James
Reggie Miller
Magic Johnson
Luka Doncic
Hakeem Olajuwon
Kareem
etc..
@@Physics_Dude none of those guys are named Larry Bird... lol
@@Physics_Dude Go away Bozo. Their all talking about Larry BIird!
@@Physics_Dude
Bob Cousy
Bill Russell
Wilt Chamberlain
Julius Erving
Oscar Robertson
George Gervin
and Air.
@@mrvlsmrv - Exactly my point. There is only "one" of each NBA great. They are all unique in their own way! The Bird fans think he was so special but he wasn't even the greatest Celtic of all time.
Why do I always have to fight back tears whenever I watch these old Bird clips?
+1
Doin' in right now. The story of the Celtics from this era is almost like a
fable in a story book, so many unbelievable moments, dogged determination innate skill, heart and last minute buzzer beaters its almost like no one would believe it if it werent in the record books and on video - not to mention the huge
number of people that saw it all happen in person. Add the dream team and the olympics and its a storybook bound in gold.
Because we lived it. We watched all of those games live. We were on the edge of our seats having panic attacks. All of us were bummed out before Larry stole the ball in that Detroit game. It was miracle after miracle with Larry. The main reason is because we are thankful for Larry Bird.
because....they are that good !!!
You are right. At this point in my life, Larry is nostalgia. But I remember when he came into the NBA, and now the memories bring tears to my eyes. Perhaps for me, in 2021, the greatest example of Larry is his relationship with Magic Johnson. Why can't we all live as they are living-- as brothers!
so glad the "Steal by Bird" play made it to #1.. personifies Larry in so many ways. Still, to this day, my favorite player I've ever watched play this game.
I remember sitting on my buddy's couch , when that happened. Unbelievable moment.
Bird was born to be Great
I’m at #32 brah… spoiler alert. 😝
The 80s are so underrated as a basketball era
Larry was a superb player in an INCREDIBLE era! Nobody will EVER eclipse Larry Bird.
I reported your comment for basic stupidity. 😒
My favorite player of all time, hands down. Truly deserving of the name LARRY LEGEND.
He'll always be a legend here in Massachusetts that's for sure!
Mine, too.
Basketball= Larry
Hockey- Gordie / Bobby
Football- Peyton
Baseball- Cal
All these players are remembered on a first name basis!!!
Yeah, what a LARRY he was!
For me, Bird's passes were his most incredible moves. ASTOUNDING! Just unreal, like superhuman; and he inspired his teammates to rise way above their own self expectations.
I mean yeah he put Parrish and McHale in the Hall
Lol you want to catch the passes he threw??? Amazing. He passed the craziest shots and they caught and scored. That's teamwork!❤
Luka appears to be there already. Just needs 5 more years to solidify it.
Larry Legend played in 897 career regular season games winning 660 and losing 237, that is an astounding .735 win percentage. If you take out the season he only played 6 games and subtract all 6 of those games from his 660 wins, you come up with an average of 54.5 games won per year. Larry Bird is summed up with one word, WINNER, pure and simple..
That's some good home work "Nose"
I think he won the three shot shootout Multiple times.If he had been a ball hog like players today he could have been the leading Scorer of all time!
@@davycrockett3230 not with his short career and bad back
Also the league became somewhat watered down with expansion teams after Larry retired. Imagine some of that talent going to the Celtics, Lakers and so on.
Then there was the Len Bias
loss, rip.
Easy to be a winner when you have McHale, Parris, and Dennis Johnson on your team. NBA is a team game. Bird didn't win 660 games. The Celtics did.
Friends: "Hey, we're going to a movie. Wanna come?"
Me: "Nah. I'm watching 'Larry Bird's 50 Greatest Moments'. More entertaining than any movie I'll ever see".
I love Larry Bird. Been a fan since as long as I can remember.
Amazing player. And like all geniuses he made it look easy.
gunslinger
This was just BEAUTIFUL to watch . . What a Player !!!!!
I don't care what anyone roaming this planet thinks this was the GOAT including all the "Cream puffs" playing whimpy hoop today!! He was the best in the 80s which was the golden era of hoop and without him and Magic this game may have never survived. Larry Legend forever
For all those saying Lebron this or that I say give me MJ and then because they disrespect Bird even more, I say give me Bird and you can have the next five you want and my team will win. By blow out margins.
Nicely said! I was so blessed to have been a student at UNC-Chapel Hill back in those great basketball days. It was a hard, tough, but skilled, brilliant method these men employed. The NBA players today have none of this. I was able to see the best of the best while a student at Carolina. I was very blessed.
As a Celtics fan since 1960, I thank God I got to follow Larry Bird's career. I can't put into words how good Larry Bird was because there are no words that are worthy of his greatness in EVERY facet of the game. I'm glad they have videos for all you fans who weren't around then. Take if from me...Seeing Bird perform his 'Magic' in real time was absolutely incredible! I never believed in miracles until I saw Larry Bird play NBA basketball.
Yeah he's the most talented and fun to watch Celtic of alltime......is hs ranked higher than Russell it depends on your citeria
The Celtics had 5 player whi are ranked in the top 25 players of alltime...russell..bird..havlicek..cousy.mchale...thats quite an accmplishment
@@senseichess8688don’t forget the mastermind of it all-Red Auerbach
If you were, or tried to be, a fan of the NBA in the late 70's, you'll never doubt that Larry and Magic saved the NBA. Boy did they tee it up for MJ.
As an all-time fan, Larry Bird is simply the best. Just... the best.
Yessir
@@RemoWilliams1227love to see you do a treatmentbonndabidvTjokosinnthe OG skywalker
What a GOAT of a production for the GOAT of basketball. Larry Legend
The very best era of the NBA. Teamwork, real devotion, and bare-knuckle rough playing.
Now it’s a bunch overpaid cry babies that flop and take a week off because they broke a nail. Smh
All of his crazy plays have me genuinely shaking my head, dropping my jaw, smiling, laughing and then saying "What the absolute FREAK!* Hahaha! Amazing! Truly amazing.
yes he was definitively a freak way outside the boundaries, once in a lifetime Hoosier
"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
Great quote huh? lol
Amen.
For sure! More game winners per games played than anyone, ever.
this is too easy ... just compare Celtic record the year before Bird ... 10th in the conference with a 29-53 record to Bird's first year in Boston ... 1st in the conference with a 61-21 record! ... BEAT THAT PEOPLE!!!
@@sas6561 there is not a more a valuable player for their time than Bird was. Parrish, McHale, DJ...all very good players. But compared to Magic’s team with Worthy, Kareem, Perkins, Cooper, etc? Nah, get outta here. That Celtics team was all Bird. Of course Jordan was similar. Scotty was great, but everyone was a role player.
No Bird No Magic. These 2 guys brought out the best out of each other since college. My respects to Bird. I hated the guy when they played my Lakers but those where awesome games
As someone who lives in a city that never had an NBA franchise, watching pro basketball was never as enjoyable as when it was Bird vs. Magic.
I agree but I'm a Bird fan I hated Magic but learned to respect him then begrudgingly like him. Greatest rivalry in modern NBA history!
This has got to be the best Bird documentary ever made. Great job!
Bird was the best all-around player hands down. And his basketball IQ? Forget it! Nobody even comes close. Thanks Larry...
I've watched most of them, probably still my favorite is the ESPN one. You take even life lessons
I agree. This is one of the best Bird documentaries to date.
ya its like those 200iq plays hes all ovr those
Paul Sullivan king j you dumb ass
Lebron James has the highest IQ I've witnessed in the game.
I lived to watch the NBA in this era. Bird, Magic, Jordan, Wilkins, Olajuwon, Ewing, Stockton, Malone, and so many others. It really was a great game to watch.
Yes the best era in NBA history was from about 1984-1993. Starting when Magic and Bird met in the finals for the first time, and ending when Michael retired for the first time.
@@anthonynegron788, absolutely the golden years of the NBA.
Not going to lie, I’ve watched very little NBA since the early 2000s. The game and league got soft. In the 80s-90s we got to witness the greatest era of basketball. The offenses were incredible but the defenses were unreal. It used to be a physical sport. You had to bang to get position. Don’t see that in the NBA anymore
It was exciting to watch Basketball back then.
Absolutely
me too, MJ was incredable he got better every season.
I still haven’t seen a player the magnitude of a Larry Joe Bird. He was a phenomenal, consistent basketball player in any era that I can recall in my days of playing and watching this beautiful game of basketball.
The new game is about palming the ball to cross up and walking 3.5 steps like Lebron and many others. The p fouls too. New game. Bird would have scored 30 points a game today, at least and his innate talent would have been a challenge even today. Insight, vision, passion on every level in the best era of basketball. I love Curry, but look who got the 3 point game going with 4 guys on him to win the game. A true Phenom.
@@lesstettner1 sorry you are wrong...He would have scored 40 plus if he wanted to!
You need to watch some Dallas Mavericks games then. Luka is not even 23 and Bird's first season was when he was 23. Luka is a better all-around player and the best is yet to come.
@@kenthomas4668 I bet he could have did close to 100 had he been selfish. But where would that have gotten him? Excluding your teammates does not bring teams to win championships.
Bird made that perfectly clear his 1st year at Boston.
@@Physics_Dude luka isn’t even close to bird dude stop being stuck on stupid.
Yes, Bird was a phenomenal shooter and passer and as a professional was proficient in all the skills needed in the NBA, but the reason why I love watching him was his real-time awareness of what was happening on the court. Who was where, who was guarding who, what were the vectors of people's momentum and the balls. Being in the right place at the right time to use his talent in a way that lifts the team isn't due to luck it's a refined skill and Larry Bird was a Zen master at that.
And when you combine all that with the passion to give it 100% all the time you had something else.
9th
Just so.
Well said.
That was his greatest talent
You can talk about the Michael Jordans and the Kobe Bryants, but Larry Legend is the GOAT. He was the complete player that sacrificed his body for his team. No other player has ever or will ever lay that much on the line for the game of basketball.
You speak FACTS, My friend! STRAIGHT facts!
What the hell are you smoking ??? The " Michael Jordan's ?" Smdh THERE IS ONLY 1 and YES HE DID THE SAME SHIT SCORING 63 WITH 102 TEMP & THE FLU , PLAYING THRU THE HARDER FOULS OF THE 80'S & 90'S !!! JUST BE REAL ABOUT IT , IT GOES ...
1. MJ
2.LARRY FREAKING PERIOD
I've said it before and I will say it again. You give me my choice of any player in the history of basketball and I will take Larry Bird every time. He had it all, the total package. It didn't matter what you needed, offense, defense, scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, 3 point shots, motivation, confidence, he would deliver for you.
I'll give you your choice of any 5 NBA players and you give me 5 Larry Birds and I will beat you every time.
Idk man, he is close to the top, but I have to give Timmy D the nod imo. Larry is 2 or 3 him and Russell are both phenomenal. You couldn't go wrong really with any of them.
Nice Testimony. I'll give you that much because of Larry Bird. But just like Pistol Pete Maravich, you seem to forget whom he went to play Basketball with to get that good at it. Let me politely remind you. Thanks !
Agree. Beautifully said . . .
5 Larry Birds on one team, imagine that. 🤔
4 Birds chirping at the other team what the 5th Bird is about to do. Would be unfair on so many levels, I mean rebounds would be like 40 - 2🤣
Lasalle Thompsons' comment after that Pacers game?
Pure class.
Yup. I don’t think you’d ever see/hear that from today’s ilk. Never, after a loss. Never.
Best Bird video on the net.... really enjoyed it. I am glad I am old enough to have watched him play.
Bird made everybody play ball...Tommy said it.."Thank the Lord for Larry Bird"
I'm a diehard Laker fan, lived in Boston during the great 80's rivalry. It was great being a Laker fan then, and Magic is still my favorite. But I always appreciated Larry. Even though he'd piss me off sometimes, I had to love those "waaa???" plays that he'd pull off, with regularity. It's great seeing this, and realize that I've really grown to love him.
Same with Magic. When I watched him with the Dream Team it completely made me appreciate him.
They both loved the game and the competition. And neither was a selfish player. Mirror images. I personally think Larry was the better overall player, but Im not gonna get into a fight over it coz Magic was freaking awesome too.
@@senormedia I was going to say the same thing. Grew up in NE. Celtics were my team. Got to see them play in person. Bird was my favorite player. But, boy, did I respect Magic.
Literally get chills watching Larry plays. If I can shake this man's hand in my lifetime I will forever be on another level mentally knowing I met a great man who did incredible things. I met Robert Parish and I was in awe.
Aw that's awesome
They put balls in baskets for a living
Thank you so much for this video...this Houston Rockets girl remembers...Phi Slamma Jamma...but Boston had it all. Gotta give props. Still love you Elvin and Clyde (especially you momma). But Larry was the best.
I had the honor of watching Larry Bird in Jr. High, High school, College & The Pros. Thank you Larry.
Same here. An honor to watch Bird in his prime.
A bunch of us rented a school bus and drove over to Loogootee to watch Larry play in HS.
i'm jealous :-D
damn man i would have loved to see him in person
The greatest basketball spirit in the game.
A dude that didn't grow up middle class or rich work to be the best small forward to ever lay the game amazing
Money can't buy 6'9". Still, he made the most of his god given athleticism.
person but it wasn't his athleticism that made him great.. it was his hard work and skills and clutch shooting that made him great.. he was known for being a sub par athlete by nba standards
^but he was athletic in his own right...he dunked on people...not athletically dominate like Mike or James...I see this comments like "he can't jump ...he can't run" he's a basketball player ffs...not some janitor with amazing basketball IQ... it was probably that misconception that made him even more deadly on the court...dude got all them rebounds...and people are on here saying he can't jump...
search up Larry Bird Athleticism on youtube
It's all summed up when HOF coach Pat Riley states that, "If I had to pick one guy to take the shot to save the game, I'd pick Michael Jordan. If I had to choose a guy to take that shot to save my life, I'd choose Larry Bird".
Pat tells the truth. Well put.
yeah michael will win you a game but he aint gon' care about yo' life at all lol
💓💓💓💓
There was only be one Larry Bird.
@@jason41a
Jordan only cares about Jordan
This is my favorite documentary of Larry Bird
People forget what a great coach he was also.
One of the best explanations for why those Celtics teams were so great was how heads-up they were, regardless of the situation. In the play from the '87 playoffs where Larry steals the Pistons' inbound pass and feeds DJ for the layup, watch what Johnson does AFTER the layup. He doesn't dance, he doesn't point to himself, he doesn't fall on his back and make snow angels. He immediately heads for the baseline to smother Detroit's attempt to inbound the ball for a (highly unlikely) miracle shot. They played every close game to the last second, which is a sure sign of a winner. The Lakers were thought of as more of a showtime team, but their real calling card was that were rock solid in crunch time as well. That's why the two teams dominated the league through the 1980s.
spot on.
Bird said DJ was best player he ever played with.
Everybody overlooks Parrish on this team. His tough defense inside against the best more than made up for his 2.5 pts/game.
Without mj bird is the no. 1
There were a lot of smart basketball players on those Celtics teams already, but I honestly think that Bird's basketball IQ was infectious, and made everyone around him that much better.
THE LAST THING you want to do, is have Bird throw one of these genius passes, and the ball goes off your hands and out of bounds because youre not paying attention. Guys had to be on their toes at all times when Larry had the ball, because it could be coming to you at anytime, in any number of ways.
These kids would cry if Larry Joe played today I remember the Hawks game watching in awe as a kid
Hell of a game. I was 14ish and remember the choke to set up game 5. But as with Wilkins and Lebron...you can kill first 3 quarters and then meet Larry or Mike and those first 3 quarters dont mean crap.
Guys, this was absolutely incredible ! Thank you. I'm a Canuck, 75 years old, 5'7" tall. Didn't play a whole lot of basketball. But this fantastic
collage of Bird, Magic, and the Celtics was something out of this world: terrific skill, determination, brotherhood, and class all rolled into one. WOW !
Probably the best basketball video ever. Great job
And to those people who say that basketball players of old couldn't compete with the athleticism of today's players, I have two words..
Larry Bird
Just awesome memories!!!
I'm 57 and grew up in Boston and those games were so much fun to watch.
It hasn't been the same since.
I lived in Boston then too...for me Johnny Most brings back the best Bird and Celtic memories.
@@johnbrown9076 when I was in my early 20's a bunch of us friends from Boston went to a Red Sox game at Yankee Stadium and we drank the whole ride up there. By the time we got to the game we were all pretty hammered. On our way to our seats we passed right by Johnny Most so I doubled back and asked him to say "Fiddling and Diddling" after he said it the first time I asked him to say it again, which he did by the time I got to asking him to say it the 3rd or 4th time he finally said to me in his classic scratchy Johnny Most voice: "Get outa here kid, ya bothering me"
I'm pretty sure I may have been looking at 2 Johnny Mosts but I clearly remember that and they both said it at the same time.
08 must have been fun .beating the lakers again?
Not too bad for a hick from Indiana.. Boston you are truly lucky to have had Bird on your Celtics. I grew up in Indiana and we were not Pacer fans, we were Larry Bird and Celtic fans. My parents went to Indiana State as I went to Indiana State. One of my best memories ever was when I went back to Terre Haute for a new semester at college I stopped at Larry Bird's Boston Connection, a restaurant and hotel (not to mention a very cool gift shop for Larry Bird and Boston Celtic merchandise), that was owned by Larry. I tried to visit it whenever possible, food was pretty good. This time I was there, I happened to look up from my plate and there practically staring me in the face was Bird himself. As soon as I could mutter to myself, "hey there's Larry Bird!" other people had noticed and started to swarm him. He quickly disappeared. This was 1994. Sometimes forget how great you were Larry. And how proud you made us fellow Hoosiers. God bless
We were also lucky enough to have 'Red' Auerbach as our GM and coach. Red outsmarted the other teams front office people like Larry did their players..
I loved watching Larry and the boys play as Sycamores!!!
Cool story!
Red Auerbach once said that when he arranged for Bird to play in Boston, even HE didn't realize how good he was gonna be.
Thanks so much for the video... Larry is the smartest and toughest NBA player that I've even seen...
Great great player...
I used to play fastpitch softball against guys who grew up in Bird's neighborhood. They said he was dumb as a box of rocks. But when you put a basketball in his hands, he was a god.
Anymore , I look at Larry , just like I do the Doctor. All of these guys were as special as you can get. These guys gave us some of the best basketball memories of our lives. Larry , Charles, Magic, MJ , even going back to Wilt , Jerry & Elgin , for me. I miss these guys a lot.
Larry bird and Dr J. 2 best ever
Back when Basketball was fun....and not thugs. So sad it came to this.
@@SousChef77yeah now we have Ja Morant 🙄
My all time favorite player to watch! He played basketball like you're supposed to. It was like he invented it. What a joy to watch. I almost felt sorry for the other team...almost.
31:00 - "You are watching what greatness is all about." That line always gives me chills.
I've watched this before, and I started watching again. I got to #12 and I thought "I can't do this right now." Yup, finished watching the entire vid. Again. And, that steal and pass against the Pistons is the greatest play of all time in any professional sport ever. Man, I am so lucky to have had the privilege of witnessing Larry Bird's entire career.
I loved what that guy said, Larry didnt play for money, he played to win.
he sacrificed his body for every loose ball and played with a bad back at the end of his career all for the chance to win,,,a real baller
@@robertswift6101 wow I never knew that 🤣🤣🤣
Love Bird, but he also did it for the money. Come on...
@@MrDavidfarris exactly. People love saying that dumb shit.
@@kevyonsmith4893 I don’t completely understand, what do you mean? Is it that Larry didn’t play for the money? Or vice versa? I think he also did it for the cash. People can’t spend all of their time and effort doing something unless it at least pays a living. I like golf, wish I was better at it. I’d like to do it all day everyday, but I can’t, I have to make a living. Only way I could possibly do it all the time is if I had the skill to win tournaments so I could support myself.
The greatest quote of all time about Larry 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
If I had to choose a player to humiliate me I'd take Jimmy Butler - Pat Riley
Thank you for sharing this! Very well done and a pleasure to watch. Loved it.
We all grew up hoping we could make that one shot where we get bumped, falling down 3 pointer at the buzzer. This guy did it routinely, and told the other team BEFOREHAND what he was going to do.
There was always reports and rumors of how hard & how much Larry Bird & Magic Johnson practiced. And of course this was before the internet and we only had a fee TV channels. So those shots were definitely not luck. And of course, Mike came right behind them and there was reports of how M.J. coming before practice and staying after practice to hone his skills too.
That's when those McDonald's commercials came with Larry, Magic & Mike playing horse to win the other person's food. How many out there remember that?
greatest goat NO doubt!
Great documentary. Bird was a stone cold killer. I always loved watching him play.
As much as I love this fabulous video on my all time favorite athlete (Sorry Mickey, you were the one for me... until Larry came along), I feel a painful sense of sadness... because I know (as Magic said), "There will never, ever be another Larry Bird."
Lebron loses, then puts a fake cast on his R-hand, after feigning that he injured his L-hand, in the fourth quarter.
Larry, sacrifices his body, for his team and his fans; leads and inspires his team to do what seemed to be impossible.
Larry's rivals flock to congratulate him, even in their loss; he's an inspiration to any man who sees him work and perform.
All things considered, I'm certain MJ, knows who the better man, IS... #33
Watch this without bringing anyone else’s name in. Your missing the point. It’s about greatness and Bird was great!
MJ knows Bird had his number
Many of those plays that highlighted this reel, I remember watching. There weren’t too many Boston Celtics games we missed back in those days. What a player and what a time to see such a masterful performance day in and day out!
Yes, the whole country was watching the same channels and talking about it around the water cooler the next day.
gunslinger
Turn down the tv to listen to Johnny most on the radio
Larry Bird was a phenom.
Played like an alien-lol
No he was God Sent!
I won't ever again will watch The NBA as long idiot Lebron is still part of the NBA
Is*
i remember watching Larry Bird as a youngster on the tube, and all night night long game after game all you hear is Bird Bird Bird , he is the man
bird magic michael real generation of miracles
3 of the 5 best players of all times. They could do it all on the court. Complete players. We look at scoring to much, it's the guys that hit big shots and can do it all on the court that are the greatest.
Then Shaq won three consecutive final series mvp's. most forget cedric maxwell of those boston la battles. My greatest teammate said bird. Maxwell was nba final series mvp, then mvp game seven final series, then blew his knee out. Lead scorer and rebounder for nc charlotte when they lost by two to marquette in Final 4.semi final. Then Marquette won the final game
Larry bird was ridiculously good , he rarely ever missed
Larry Bird in his prime has to be a top 5 player of all-time! He knew how to win and lived for the moment!!
Bird wasn't a Top 5 guy....unless you saw him...trust me...HE WAS THE REAL GOAT!!!
@@rogerhazelwood2826 no bout adout it. By far best complete player evah !!!
@@m74796 - Larry isn't even the best Celtic of all time. Y'all killing me forgetting about Bill Russell.
Top 5…he was the greatest. Him and Jordan maybe tied.
@@Physics_Dude didn't forget, Russell just wasn't the same caliber.
Fantastic tribute to a wonderful player. So many great highlights. Humble but a freak of a superstar!!! How about a Larry Bird's 1000 greatest passing moments. Well done and thankyou . . . If only I could have watched him at Boston Garden :( My greatest player of all time :)
He looked like a Bird and played in the Garden. It was all meant to be...
Bird was awesome and skillful. I loved watching Bird....great video
This man was something else! What a heart!
gunslinger
@Steve Roe tomatoes
We are so fortunate to watch so many great athletes in this day and age. That being said, I was fortunate enough to watch some very "Special" athletes. Winners!!
Magic, Jordan, Tiger, Brady.
None however can compare to Larry!!!!!!!!!
Don't forget about Wayne Gretzky...lol
In deep debt to growing up during the Bird/Magic/Jordan era. I have never been a hardcore basketball fan ( mainly because I could not play to save my life! ) but Larry Bird was the best thing to happen to me as a teen sports fan! If I ever need to replenish my feel goods, I just watch Larry highlights! What a privilege is was to see him play!!! Best team player I have ever seen!!
You are watching what greatness is all about.
If Bird played today in this league he would be killing it!
With today's rules and officiating...oh my god....he'd average 40 pts a game, 15 assists and 20 boards.
Absolutely!!
MANCHESTER UNITED F.C 😂😂😂😂😂😂
@M, lol. I remember people like you saying the same shit in the 80s and 90s soccer would be the #1 sport in the US by 2000, 2010, 2020.
@M soccer is for cry babies trying to milk a penalty shot at every chance....
Larry Bird is one of the greatest scoring shooter
Not to mention rebounds assists steals , oh and a few clutch shots for championships.
THE BEST.
Compare this to Lebron disappearing at the end of games.
Its sad that people who didn't see Larry Bird play have no idea how great he was. Not the most physically talented but his shooting, floor knowledge, toughness and competitive energy made him a perennial MVP candidate.
I honestly do not believe had he grown up anywhere but Indiana, would he had been able to do this!!
Especially the idiotic Fanboys who will say (with a straight face) that LeBron James is better than either Bird, Magic or Jordan. James isn't even in the same zip code as the Big Three.
LeBron would be delegated to bring Bird, Johnson, Jordan their coffee and that's it!!
Larry Bird was the "Albert Einstein" of basketball. His "Basketball IQ" up to this day I think is still unmatched!
Lebrons IQ is wayyy wayy higher
@@meld1817 No. lebron is a genius, no doubt but i put magic, bird, mj, isiah thomas iq higher than lbj. Lbj still dont know how to use his teammates properly. He only can play the lbj-system.
No way lebron comes close to bird...more athletic..sure but thats it.
You’re a joke
@@meld1817 lol!! LeBron couldn't tie Birds shoes!
Thank you very much for this video. And God Bless Larry Bird.
Shit Larry was a monster
This is probably one of the best docs done to celebrate THEE BEST NBA player to grace the wood. Smartest player by far.
smartest ever!!!
Best passer in the game ever! No comparisons.
⁰
@@dg8062 Magic Johnson is a better passer
First time in a long time I have seen the Phoenix shot. Everyone there including the Suns team on the floor was frozen in shock. Bird hit bigger shots but that one took the 110 Phoenix heat down to a blustry 33. ++ to the poster.
"We have good players on this team but we don't play heart. We set back and watch magic and his team high five and we just set back and watch like sissy's. " 😳 OMG you knew all hell was going to break loose!!! I'm 54 yrs old and have seen that interview a thousand times and I still get goose Bumps!!!!! Another masterful chess move to inspire and change the momentum of the series. You are the GOAT Larry Bird!!!!!!
Great moment in Boston sports. Hell, all of sports! Larry told it straight, and his team responded. Proud!
I lived through all of his pro career and was always a fan of his being from Indiana myself but I never really knew how good he was until after his retirement. I guess this is another you don't know what you have until its gone things. TYVM Mr. Bird.
What made Larry so great were the little things; how he made Ball fakes, how he did three moves before he took a shot- he was great @'passing and shooting. He made everyone better and didn't worry about his stats; just winning. Imagine if the NBA was great again? MJ came in the league and didn’t understand team basketball. As soon as he trusted his teammates his team won. Magic and Bird were clones. They were basketball genius.
Butter 2926
L
That's very unfair to MJ. MJ did not even have any teammates worth a damn when he first came into the league. Bird was surrounded by Hall-of-Famers, so of course the Celtics were always setup for "team basketball". As Chicago improved their Roster with better players around Jordan (Scotty Pippen, etc.) it was natural and predictable that the Team dynamics (and wins) would develop with that. But MJ was ALWAYS great!
@@FreeSociety1 When MJ shared the ball his teammates gained confidence, ran the floor, played defense, etc. sharing the ball is contagious. Your right, Bird/Magic had Super Teams but they made them better. MJ, was great but when he shared the ball and bought into a system he became the GOAT. Bird and Magic won at every level- even before they had amazing costars.
@@FreeSociety1 Beg to differ with you. Bird’s first year was on a team coming off a 29-53 record. Dave Cowan and Pistol Pete were there, but were in their last year of play and in reality just shells of their former selves. With the addition of Bird they were 61-21 his rookie season with no McHale or Parrish. Bird was always all about “team” and winning. Jordan was not there when he first got into the league. He eventually got there but it took him until, you guessed it, Bird and Magic retired.
@@thenoseknows1097
Bird was the Celtics from the moment he arrived period!
Simply Awesome!
Larry Bird the QB! Larry Legend!
Fill the Boston garden for Larry birds. Retirement, no games, no, nothin'. He was the man.
after this era basketball was done. bird, magic, doctor, iceman. the greatest time of the NBA.
Never get tired of watching clips of one of The Greatest ever . 🙏 Thanks !
Bird just mastered the game. You dont have to be super fast or quick, he just had this great intuition and anticipation of how the play's going to develop and how to get to spots he was comfortable in. Just goes to show bball is really about skills; you just need to have the minimum level of athletic abilty and you could do great things.
so true his bball iq was far superior
Bird was super-quick.
I was thinking about it when they talk about him not being as athletic. Tom Brady has been Boston's football version of the same thing.
@@macferadaig3092 Actaully, he was in terms of reflexes. Not the explosive type but he wasn't a lumbering big guy. He was quick for a 6-9 player and was guard like. So yeah, he wasn't explosive but he wasn't lumbering either. He's faster than Buck Williams or Charles Oakley. But he won't overpower you for a dunk but he did dunk in his early years.
@@wishingb5859 He wasn't Westbrook lol but people think he was like lumbering. He was quick and nimble for a 6-9 guy which was rare in the 80s. He played like a guard. It wasn't until his back gave in when he looked really slow. But even then he was still effective.
I am not a huge basketball fan, but I really enjoyed watching this tribute to a man who obviously gave everything he had to the game. What a special player.
He was just a phenomenon
Didn’t look like a basketball player but had every shot in the book and was strong as an ox and tough
He truly earned the respect
We need a best duo award as well. Bird and DJ were unstoppable.
greatest player of all time in my opion!
Albert Bullmer I wouldn't say greatest but to me top 3 ever are Magic, Michael, and Bird in no particular order and out of the 3 Larry was the most skilled, MJ and Magic both were athletic but Larry was pure skill couldn't jump, couldn't run fast he was just great.
So with your logic, Robert Horry was better than anyone in the last 40 years
Albert Bullmer Best player of all time regardless of your opinion! :)
"but Larry was pure skill couldn't jump, couldn't run fast he was just great."
dude has a top 10 dunks video...and plus how do you get all those rebounds if you couldn't jump...couldn't run????...he's a fucking basketball player...he was fast on the fast break...
search up Larry Bird Athleticism on youtube
Bird was simply. Amazing .
"That checks had my name on it for 2 weeks now."
Savage
He was Savage before Savage was a word.
It bothers me when people use the flu game to bolster Jordan’s greatness, but see Bird’s later years as a hindrance. The fact that Bird was so tough that he could play for so long with such pain says far more about him than anything Michael had to endure. Never forget that a Larry lead Celtics team always beat Michael Jordan in the playoffs and through most of their encounters in the regular season. Michael may be the greatest in the eyes of some, but he never could stop Larry Joe.
So True. MJ vs Larry in playoffs 0-6!! Think about that for a Sec.
@@adnoHis1 but it wasnt MJ vs Larry, was it? Facts are MJ never lost a championship series in college, nba, or internationally...larry can never say that. So are we gonna put them championship losses by larry as some sign that Larry is worse than jordan? I love both but I'm not gonna say some ignorant stuff like one is better than the other without at least recognizing the game dont revolve around a player.
They played different positions, Larry had far better teammates, and even Larry says Jordan is better. Don't be a moron.
@@TheKos2Kos
Well if Jordan fans can claim he had scrubs for teammates then Bird fans can say the same for Larry’s ONLY College loss.
@@lucasfamily4670
Larry’s gracious in victory. Which is more than I can say for Jordan.
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson did for basketball in the 1980s what Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio did for baseball in the 1940s. What an era!! Greatness on display in every game.
MAY 26, 1987...My 22nd birthday... Born & raised in Detroit, my friends & I were watching the game. Last 2 seconds, we thought the Pistons had won; we were celebrating, cheering, etc. We turned around a few seconds later, looked at the TV, and saw the PISTONS HAD LOST!! Wow...
Ouch.
At least Detroit learned a valuable lesson. Play every second.
Don't feel bad. Larry gave out lessons to everybody in his hayday. 😄
Larry Legend of course.
*Larry Legend* ...from a Sycamore to a Celtic (One of the *Greatest* Ever)!
He played @Indiana st
Amazingly the most exciting, and in key best basketball player of all times, with the biggest heart.