6-9, fully ambidextrous, tenacious, quick minded, driven, prescient on court, mchale said bird had insanely strong hands, a better athlete than folks think, court vision, no range limit, deadly marksman, clutch, etc etc. No one like him before or since
Brad Daughtery left out one thing about his "fly bird" story. That game was on national TV and I remember watching it. Bird pumped fake and Brad goes flying. In typical Larry fashion, he pulls the ball down, taps Brad on the butt with the ball as he goes by, then calmly nails the 3 😂
I've been a Cavs fan since I started watching basketball, being from the Cleveland area. I was a kid and I felt so embarrassed for Daugherty when Bird did that. 😂
@@dansgroi1472 Bird loved messing with the rookies. "You're on the floor with the greatest of all time." The stories go on & on & on. Anybody that can't see Larry as GOAT aren't smart enough to have an intelligent conversation.
A retired Coach was asked, Bird or MJ? He answered, "If I needed a basket to win the game? Michael Jordan. If I needed a basket to save my life? Bird, all day long"
I had not heard that quote before. I’m surprised. But I understand what coach was sayin’. Even though I hated Bird all day long back then! Respect for him now.
Bird was the best small forward ever. I watched him all through his career and loved every minute of it. He was so popular in Boston that fans would even go watch him mow his lawn.
Bird was 4th in the MVP vote as a Rookie! Then he finished 2nd three years in a row before he won 3 consecutive MVPs. Three straight. Then he got hurt, finished 3rd then 2nd,….. 10 rebounds per game for his career. He made everyone who played with him better.
What's impressive to me is that he accomplished so much, to become one of the top ten best players of all time, despite having a combination of disadvantages that others didn't have. Because on top of his natural physical disadvantages, he also performed so well despite seven of his years playing with a bad and worsening back, with three of those years, when that was at its worst, following Achilles surgery on both feet. It's amazing how much pain and sacrifice he went through for the sake of the competition.
People always give Bird a bum rap when it comes to defense. Yeah, he certainly wasn't the quickest-footed defender, but his team defense was off the charts. If an opponent wasn't paying attention, Bird would look to strip the ball from the blindside. He also hawked the passing lanes and often intercepted passes with his quick thinking.
Bird was the smartest most clutch player to ever play! He was unstoppable. I saw all of his games in the 80's. He was the complete player. No holes in his game. He is still to this day, the greatest shooter I have ever seen. His greatest attributes was his mind and his heart. He is my GOAT. All I have to say Jordan was 0 for 6 vs. Bird. With 2 sweeps.
Amen. Bird was the only Alpha in a league of Alphas that beat every single one of them... no one else can say that.. Jamal said He thinks he has a MVP.... hahahaha Jamal, Bird has 3 MVP's and they run consecutive 84,85,86 that makes Bird only the 3rtd person to ever do that.. also his first year he didnt have any of his helpers but he still pulled off the greatest 1 year turn around in NBA history
I grew up watching the Celtics/Lakers rivalries and they were some of the best games ever in the NBA. Bird might not have been the most physically gifted player but he was a basketball savant who was always thinking 2 moves ahead. Larry Bird was also only one of 3 players to win MVP in 3 consecutive years, the other 2 are Wilt Chamberlin and Bill Russell.
He was gifted with a 6’9 frame if he was given more than that and his basketball IQ, ability to rebound, steal, pass and shoot, the game would be unfair
Thing about that era: As a Celtics fan I HATED the Pistons, the Bulls, and especially the Lakers. But I RESPECTED them. And I was on edge watching my Celtics play them. Nowadays, there doesn't seem to be that mutual respect.
I saw him play many, many times and I actually made my way to standing behind him on the bench just to be in his presence. I'm so happy I lived during a time you could afford to go every week and I was lucky to know some people. I never bothered him, I was just in awe of him AND the team. I met a few of the players out in public as some of them lived near me.
I like the Dominque interview. They most definitely went back and forth against each other. Nique came hard and Bird always raised his game gainst the Hawks.
Bird dunked a lot in his earlier years. Bill Russell said Bird could outjump all but two players at the time he was playing. He said his ability to jump was woefully underrated.
Magic & Larry, resurrected the game of basketball......My dad loved basketball, but stopped watching, until the competition between Johnson & Bird was highlighted......What my Dad used to say, Larry's game reminded him of someone, who was not only playing basketball, but also, volleyball, dodgeball, hockey, baseball, track & Field, soccer, poker, & strategic chess in his head, and that's what made him so great 😊He certainly was one of the most unique and gifted players, I have ever watched! Thanks!
For all of Larry's trash talking and amazing shoes and game winners....his PASSING was every bit as good if not better. I had the honor of watching his entire career....truly lucky.
When asked which player do you choose to make a game winning shot at the buzzer, "To win the game, Michael Jordan. If my LIFE depended on it, Larry Bird" - Lakers coach Pat Riley STONE COLD!!! Best sports quote of all time
Being a Boston Celtics fan from 1960 when I was 12 years old I’ve seen some of the greatest of the great play this game. Larry bird is right up there in the top five, he was the total package… offense, defense, assists, rebounds, Leader, MVP Three years in a row… Never to be done again by anybody. When they say “he got game” he had all aspects of the game and made him a Hall of Famer
Bird was ROTY and 4th place in MVP voting in 1980 (Kareem). 2nd place in MVP voting the next 3 years (Dr. J and Moses Malone) Won league MVP the next THREE years running. The next year 3rd (behind MJ and Magic with McHale right behind Bird), and 2nd again the next year. Bird also was named Coach of the Year with the Pacers and then Executive of the Year (no one else has achieved MVP, Coach and Executive.)
I got to see Larry Bird in action at the Boston Garden against the Lakers back in the day. Jack Nicholson was there too, watching from a private box. It was pretty awesome.
Great point. That's because his type of trash talking was all about what he WAS going to do. Not putting anyone down. So, that's better..And worse. Cuz he was really saying... And there's not thing one you can do to stop me. 😄
@@rustydaboyrobot I think Bird did a lot of it with humor. Unlike what I've heard about Garnett and Payton. I think Reggie Miller's trash talk was more like Larry's as well.
Larry Bird was really the one guy that Michael Jordan never got. Swept Jordan twice in the playoffs (6-0). 17-11 reg season. Sure Larry Bird & the Celtics were better than Michael Jordan's Bulls early on. That was the case of a lot teams when Jordan entered the NBA. But Jordan got his revenge on every single one of those teams except for the Celtics and Bird. From 85 - he retired, Larry played with a broken back . Yet he was still able to dominate and put up stats. 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. All in 13 years. 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. He played a game with his left hand. Scored 27 of 47 points with his left hand. His full court passes are poetry in motion.
@@irishgrl Miles Teller would make a great Bird. He's got the look. He's only like 6"1' but they could do some Hollywood magic. That or maybe Boston Dynamics could build a Bird robot lol
Hey y'all, I grew up watching all these players.......Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul Jabaar, Bill Walton, etc., and believe me when I say Larry Bird was the best! He was always a step ahead! Check out some of his passing videos and that will tell you all you need to know. He had the moves and was a team player not a one-man-show like so many were and are today! Great reaction!
Unfortunately, I live in the L.A. area now, but I grew up and spent the first 45 years of my life in the Boston area. Larry was something special. You have got to watch the Larry Bird Ultimate Mix Tape. About 10-ish minutes I think. All highlights. Un-flippin-believable
I am an Indiana girl so the Pacers ruled! I actually met Chuck Person, Ron Artest and Reggie Miller. I am 5'0", so the pictures looked a little funny but man the Pacers were so good back then. But you know, we all loved Larry Bird because he was a homegrown, garden corn eatin' Indiana boy! So we always had mixed feelings when Pacers played the Celtics.
"Larry Bird is the best trash talker and mind game player of all time. He taught me everything i know about getting in people's heads" "Larry was a debate. He still is. People ask me all the time who my top five players are. When I start saying Larry, they interrupt me. They say, you've got to be kidding me, he can't play with LeBron James. I say you just don't get it. Larry is better than any small forward who played the game" "Larry, I hear you're retiring. Thank goodness. I'm glad. I'm tired of seeing your face. You brought a lot of sad memories for me. I enjoyed it, and I wish you a lot of luck. I think you had a great and very wonderful career. You ruined a lot of my successful games against the Celtics". All 3 of these quotes are from Michael Jordan
I agree regarding comparing players from different eras, but don't sell some of those old school players short. The fact that you didn't see them play doesn't take away from what they could do. Guys like Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, John Havlicek, Oscar Robertson and the great Bill Russell are constantly overlooked, but I believe they could definitely play today. In fact, in some ways it would be easier for them, since back then defenders could manhandle you and these days they pretty much can't touch you. Elgin Baylor in particular would destroy defenses today (come to think of it, he pretty much did back then too). Larry Bird, Bill Russell and Magic Johnson would thrive in any era: they were the smartest players who ever played..Bird and Russell in particular..and they made everyone around them better to a greater degree than anyone before or since (and yes, that includes Mike). Those three didn't simply do great things INDIVIDUALLY..they made their TEAMS great.
Nobody could no-look pass like Larry Bird. He was a master at passing the ball without even catching it. His basketball IQ was off the chain. Jamel, check out Larry's Celtics playoff record against MJ's Bulls. They played 6 times in the playoffs. Larry is 6 and 0.
"I believe he got an MVP." Bird was the NBA MVP three years in a row. LeBron James never did that, Kobe Bryant never did that, Shaq never did that, Tim Duncan never did that, Michael Jordan never did that, Magic Johnson never did that, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar never did that.
this is true and a testament to Larry's Greatness. But cmon. we aren't gonna pretend like Michael couldn't have won 12 MVPs out of the 13 years he played for the bulls if it was just purely about being the greatest.
@@deelak2329 I agree, and I do think Jordan is the GOAT, but I also think Bird is higher on the list of all-time greats than he is often given credit for. Of that list I just gave for me only Jordan and Kareem are clearly above Bird.
@@9Ballr Bird is definitely in my top 3 of all time. Watching him and Magic play was a real treat that young people who love basketball, can't imagine.
@@adamskeans2515 Over a 7 or 8 year stretch, Larry received something like 67 or 68% of all 1st place MVP votes. He finished his career with the 2nd highest win% in NBA history, second only to Magic by about half a percentage point.
Bird also doubled digit rebounder. 90% career free throws shooter. Made three a defensive teams. Averaged almost 2 steals a game. 3 level scorer. Could play in any Era. Was ahead of his time. Should check out his ultimate mix tape. Subscribed.
Larry Joe Bird. In the 9 years before his back/foot injuries... 3 rings (5 finals), 3 MVPs, 2 Finals MVPs, averaged 25/10/6. Had the first 2 40/50/90 seasons and was fractions away from 2 more before those. His team won 60+ games 6 times, never winning less than 56 and once going 67-15, 4th best ever at the time before expansion. He is still the fastest to reach 10k points, 5k rebounds and 3k assists. That's quite a peak.
"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." Former Lakers Coach Pat Riley.
Wild... Larry Bird videos have been my guilty pleasure over the past year. I didn't really follow basketball in the 80's (I followed the Grateful Dead), and I regret it now... LOL
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so hoping you would start doing sports reactions. You have opened a honey hole of Bird videos. He was a BEAST. Regarding whether he could play in this era, "Making the Case" for Larry Bird from Clayton Crowley discusses this topic; he would eat the current league alive.
I was blessed to be able to watch Larry Legend when he was a high school player. My goodness! He was so much *fun* to watch. Thanks for the memories, Jamel. 😁
@@Anne-pv9cb can you imagine Lebron driving the lane and running into Charles Oakley? Or Barkley?Bill Laimbeer? Any of a bunch of those guys would FUCK Lebron up.
Hey Jamal I remember when Indiana State and Michigan State played for the NCAA tournament. Championship game. LarryBirrd played the game with a broke finger on his shooting hand. That didn't stop Larry Legend.Magic Johnson and battled throughout the whole game . Classic game. ☮️ Out
You’d really enjoy the Larry Bird ultimate mix tape. Lots on the Celtics/Lakers rivalry. I went to a game for my 13th bday in 1987, at the old Garden, then later, M.L. Carr came to my school to do an anti drug presentation. He asked for a volunteer and I got his rebounds for him!
There are stories that Bird would tell the best defenders what he was going to do and then score on them. Bird always had the best defenders on him and he would tell the bench,2 dribbles left cross over right bucket and then do it. One of a kind!!!!
He was so competitive Isaiah Thomas once said if you put him Magic Jordan and Bird in the same room Bird would be the one walking out at the end of the day.
Bird is one of the only players in history, that could get dropped into any era, and still dominate. If he played in the 2022 season coming up, he'd absolutely dominate. Be child's play in my opinion.
8:20 is f'ing sick . Dude was basically 1 vs 4 and still got a basket. Larry Bird kind of had Wayne Gretzky like vision; Gretzky being probably the best athlete in major North America sports history who could play 3D chess on the fly.
Larry grew up in the poor dirt road part of Indiana. He played basketball every afternoon outside the factories against the black workers because he wanted to learn and play against the best. Even when he was popular he was down to earth - mowed his lawn, fixed his beat up pickup truck and even paved his own driveway. In fact, his back injury started when he was pouring cement on his mom's driveway. Today's basketball no hand check, no body check, no Jordan rules, no "enforcers", no unsportsmanlike conduct, no Pistons bad boys, no hack a Shaq, no fan distractions during free throws. Can't even talk about bad officiating without getting fined. To score then you'd have to go through a lot of physical defense. You go in the paint and you pay the price. You jump shot and you take the price. Rodman had a career 250 technicals, Barkley 350. Let's not even count the blatant fouls. Adam Silver ruined it by making it family friendly. Might as well bubble wrap today's snowflake players. Celtics into the Forum was a war zone. Lakers into Boston Garden was a war zone. I remember when Larry told the Boston garden building maintenance to turn the ac off and Lakers were dropping in 90 degree heat (which Larry was used to playing summers in Indiana). Lakers would hire mariachi bands to play outside of Celtics hotel in LA starting at midnight. Schedules then were also brutal with back to back games where they traveled in commercial planes.
LaBron is a great player, but I believe he wouldn't have lasted long back in the 1980's/90's game. Everyone played so much rougher. Lamebeer would have destroyed Bron. Larry would have crushed LaBron's soul with just his mind games alone.
That bit about Larry telling building maintenance to turn off the AC is BOGUS. The old Boston Garden building DIDNT HAVE AC. They had to bring in extra fans but that strained the circuits & they blew. Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe (who was there btw) says that Boston was in the middle of a heat wave,and that’s why it was so bad.
Love the love for the GOAT from JakaJ on the left coast and in LA garb! Coolest of all "Reactors", by far. Born a Boston fan. Remembering Celts since about '75...86 championship my senior year.
I can definitely tell you're a huge Bird fan. I've seen your comments on a lot of these reaction videos, which of course means I've also seen a lot of these videos lol. It's almost become an obsession to watch these reactions, and usually I don't care what the people reacting have to say because to me it's just an excuse to watch more of Bird. I know some people will look at various accolades and whatnot to determine their goat, so many times people focus on things that are more about team success than individual skill or success, but for me when it comes to individual skill and the ability to play basketball I don't know if I can put anyone over Larry. Plus I'm a little biased because Bird comes from a part of Indiana that isn't far from where I grew up, I mean us Hoosiers gotta stick together lol.
Larry didn't see a 3 point line until his first year in the league. Players today grew up shooting 3's. Step was shooting 3's at 10 years old. 3 straight MVP'S FELLOWS
First they'd call me Kurt Rambis, then Dan Marley, then Larry Bird... all in one game. Small white guy goes inside and gets rebounds. Then they give me the ball and I make a shot or two... Then I make a pass a defensive play and a basket... then I'm Larry Bird... I love basketball.
Harper is dead wrong about Bird not playing good defense. His ability to read passing lanes, his quick hands, and his uncanny anticipation made him one of the best team defenders in the history of the game, and his team's defensive stats when he was on the court--as opposed to when he was on the bench--show this clearly.
Jamal, Bird would thrive in any era. He's the only player in the HOF to average more than 24/10/6. He won 3 straight MVPS joining only Wilt and Bill Russell to do it. Jerry West said he was the most complete basketball player he'd ever seen. Bird would destroy the league today. Today's rules with no hand checking, sneezing on a player is a foul, zone defense. I'm from Boston and was lucky enough to see his entire career, he is the best small forward ever and your right MJ was the best. Lebron is great but I would love to have seen him in the 80's with guys like Laimbeer, Tree Rollins or Oakley guarding the paint. The Pistons would put MJ on his ass at least 4 or 5 times a game but they still couldn't slow him down. The way LeBron flops and complains his own teammates would have kicked his ass
@@irishgrl Bird was my favorite player and if he had stayed healthy no doubt everyone would consider him the goat but MJ just did it a little longer. As for Larry beating MJ in playoffs it's a little misleading. MJ was in his first couple of years with the Bulls and basically had no help. Both times the Bulls were the 8th seed and barely made the playoffs. But in those 6 playoff losses MJ averaged 40/7/6
Love your video. You should watch some Bird highlights. He was MVP 3 times, consecutively with only Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlin to do it also. I love his passing videos, he was crazy good (his full court passing was unreal, he could have been a QB!). Maybe watch Making the Case with Bird. It has some really interesting stats. 😍
I was so blessed to grow up in the 80s, I only wished the NBA League Pass was around then. Living in Phoenix, besides the local televised games, the only time we could watch other games was the Sunday game of the week.
I go with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and for defense on little guys Jerry West. It's weird not to put Michael Jordan in there... but you probably don't know how good the LOGO was.
If you lived in Boston and had season tickets for 20 years you were at a lot of these amazing games most particularly 1986. I never saw another team play with that ball movement and that insane threat to bench was so deep! When Kobe Steph Michael Jordan LeBron put Larry Bird on their starting five you know what more is it to say😊
Quick story on Ron Harper. He's from Ohio, played for the Cavs. He got traded to the Bulls and still had family in Cleveland. I was working retail, selling video games and computer stuff. Ron comes into the store 5 minutes before closing ON CHRISTMAS EVE!!!! I'm helping him, but it's like a blizzard outside and I'm trying to go home. He asking me questions about the Sega Genesis and which ever NBA Live was out at the time. How good it was and if he was any good on the game. He's stuttering up a STORM and I'm finishing all of his sentences cause it's taking TOO DAMN LONG! I was afraid they was gonna lock us up in the mall. Long story short, he bought a bunch of stuff and he's a cool dude, but not cool enough for me to be standing there while he was stuttering on Christmas Eve looking like he gon have a seizure....
Bird is EASILY in the all-time starting 5 forever. He didn't have the natural athleticism of a Jordan and others but he was definitely the most complete NBA player ever. What he did on the court was other-worldly. Just an unbelievable player.
Larry Bird is 4th ALL TIME in Defensive Win Shares. Bird was a very solid defender. He made All Defensive First Team twice. He averaged 10 boards a game for his career. He blocked, albeit mostly from behind, but he was very good at it, and he often stole the ball in the process averaging 2 steals per game. He was always in the passing lanes forcing teams to find alternatives to the plays they intended to run. There is a game against the Bulls where Larry and Jordon combined for 71 points in 1991 at the end of Bird's career when he was dealing with serious back injuries. It was an epic battle that you need to watch. I'll leave a link below. Anyway... There is this play where Pippen is driving, and Jordon is a step or two behind. The only person between the basket and Pippen is Bird. Bird first blocks Pippens attempt, but Jordon picks up the loose ball. Jordon goes to shoot, but Bird is still in the way and blocks Jordon's shot as well. Oh, By the way. Larry was MVP of the game. Trust me when I say that Bird was a very solid defender. Michael Jordan vs Larry Bird Highlights (1991.03.31) - 71pts, Crazy Battle! Must Watch! ua-cam.com/video/tzKwuk7jXdk/v-deo.html
Everybody says Bird was slow. When I lived in the Boston area in 1988-89 I was running around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, and all of a sudden, whoosh!--this guy went flying by me. Larry Bird.
6-9, fully ambidextrous, tenacious, quick minded, driven, prescient on court, mchale said bird had insanely strong hands, a better athlete than folks think, court vision, no range limit, deadly marksman, clutch, etc etc. No one like him before or since
Bird averaged more rebounds per game for his career than Patrick Ewing.
Agree
Not small.
This man would thrive in any era it’s not just the skills it’s the Will …
Brad Daughtery left out one thing about his "fly bird" story. That game was on national TV and I remember watching it. Bird pumped fake and Brad goes flying. In typical Larry fashion, he pulls the ball down, taps Brad on the butt with the ball as he goes by, then calmly nails the 3 😂
I've been a Cavs fan since I started watching basketball, being from the Cleveland area. I was a kid and I felt so embarrassed for Daugherty when Bird did that. 😂
I didn't see the game. But I saw the highlights. And that may have been the best Bird burn. And there are many others to choose.
@@dansgroi1472 Bird loved messing with the rookies. "You're on the floor with the greatest of all time." The stories go on & on & on. Anybody that can't see Larry as GOAT aren't smart enough to have an intelligent conversation.
A retired Coach was asked, Bird or MJ? He answered, "If I needed a basket to win the game? Michael Jordan. If I needed a basket to save my life? Bird, all day long"
not "a coach" … that was Pat Riley
That was Pat Riley lmao, “a retired coach” cmon man respect the Godfather!!
"A retired coach" I suppose Belichick was just a coach and Joe Torre was just a manager
I had not heard that quote before. I’m surprised. But I understand what coach was sayin’. Even though I hated Bird all day long back then! Respect for him now.
Check out making the case for Larry Bird as the goat, and Larry birds injuries that he overcome.
Bird was the best small forward ever. I watched him all through his career and loved every minute of it. He was so popular in Boston that fans would even go watch him mow his lawn.
Not just that but i could argue he was the best BB player ever.
@@ryant3600 Yup
Was?? Is!!
@@jackson5781 Right!
Sam, since he came into the league playing a lot of power forward, would you say he's the best power forward, too?
Bird was 4th in the MVP vote as a Rookie! Then he finished 2nd three years in a row before he won 3 consecutive MVPs. Three straight. Then he got hurt, finished 3rd then 2nd,….. 10 rebounds per game for his career. He made everyone who played with him better.
This is mind blowing, but Larry Bird got 65’% of ALL MVP voting in the 1980s.
@@broaddusmarines
Actually it was 67%!
Larry Legend, the G.O.A.T..... I was lucky enough to watch him in my era..... along with the other greats.....
What's impressive to me is that he accomplished so much, to become one of the top ten best players of all time, despite having a combination of disadvantages that others didn't have. Because on top of his natural physical disadvantages, he also performed so well despite seven of his years playing with a bad and worsening back, with three of those years, when that was at its worst, following Achilles surgery on both feet. It's amazing how much pain and sacrifice he went through for the sake of the competition.
He had 3 straight MVPs. He also was a 3 time all defensive team member.
And Founding members of 50/40/90
People always give Bird a bum rap when it comes to defense. Yeah, he certainly wasn't the quickest-footed defender, but his team defense was off the charts. If an opponent wasn't paying attention, Bird would look to strip the ball from the blindside. He also hawked the passing lanes and often intercepted passes with his quick thinking.
And he is undefeated against Jordan in the playoffs
Yes even the great MJ didn't win 3 straight MVPs and I also believe mj couldn't beat Bird and the Celtics in the playoffs
But now there could be a 4th to join that list Jokic the Joker from Denver has a chance to win 3 straight MVPs
Bird was the smartest most clutch player to ever play! He was unstoppable. I saw all of his games in the 80's. He was the complete player. No holes in his game. He is still to this day, the greatest shooter I have ever seen. His greatest attributes was his mind and his heart. He is my GOAT. All I have to say Jordan was 0 for 6 vs. Bird. With 2 sweeps.
Amen. Bird was the only Alpha in a league of Alphas that beat every single one of them... no one else can say that.. Jamal said He thinks he has a MVP.... hahahaha Jamal, Bird has 3 MVP's and they run consecutive 84,85,86 that makes Bird only the 3rtd person to ever do that.. also his first year he didnt have any of his helpers but he still pulled off the greatest 1 year turn around in NBA history
I grew up watching the Celtics/Lakers rivalries and they were some of the best games ever in the NBA. Bird might not have been the most physically gifted player but he was a basketball savant who was always thinking 2 moves ahead. Larry Bird was also only one of 3 players to win MVP in 3 consecutive years, the other 2 are Wilt Chamberlin and Bill Russell.
He was gifted with a 6’9 frame if he was given more than that and his basketball IQ, ability to rebound, steal, pass and shoot, the game would be unfair
Larry Legend..... 🤷♂️
Thing about that era: As a Celtics fan I HATED the Pistons, the Bulls, and especially the Lakers. But I RESPECTED them. And I was on edge watching my Celtics play them. Nowadays, there doesn't seem to be that mutual respect.
Vv%
I saw him play many, many times and I actually made my way to standing behind him on the bench just to be in his presence. I'm so happy I lived during a time you could afford to go every week and I was lucky to know some people. I never bothered him, I was just in awe of him AND the team. I met a few of the players out in public as some of them lived near me.
I like the Dominque interview. They most definitely went back and forth against each other. Nique came hard and Bird always raised his game gainst the Hawks.
Bird dunked a lot in his earlier years. Bill Russell said Bird could outjump all but two players at the time he was playing. He said his ability to jump was woefully underrated.
The bonespurs in his feet.
Magic & Larry, resurrected the game of basketball......My dad loved basketball, but stopped watching, until the competition between Johnson & Bird was highlighted......What my Dad used to say, Larry's game reminded him of someone, who was not only playing basketball, but also, volleyball, dodgeball, hockey, baseball, track & Field, soccer, poker, & strategic chess in his head, and that's what made him so great 😊He certainly was one of the most unique and gifted players, I have ever watched! Thanks!
For all of Larry's trash talking and amazing shoes and game winners....his PASSING was every bit as good if not better. I had the honor of watching his entire career....truly lucky.
60 pts with one 3-pointer. For me, it was a superior game back then.
It was.
He could have had more he didn’t play half the third quarter
When asked which player do you choose to make a game winning shot at the buzzer, "To win the game, Michael Jordan. If my LIFE depended on it, Larry Bird" - Lakers coach Pat Riley STONE COLD!!! Best sports quote of all time
Being a Boston Celtics fan from 1960 when I was 12 years old I’ve seen some of the greatest of the great play this game. Larry bird is right up there in the top five, he was the total package… offense, defense, assists, rebounds, Leader, MVP Three years in a row… Never to be done again by anybody. When they say “he got game” he had all aspects of the game and made him a Hall of Famer
Bird was ROTY and 4th place in MVP voting in 1980 (Kareem). 2nd place in MVP voting the next 3 years (Dr. J and Moses Malone) Won league MVP the next THREE years running. The next year 3rd (behind MJ and Magic with McHale right behind Bird), and 2nd again the next year. Bird also was named Coach of the Year with the Pacers and then Executive of the Year (no one else has achieved MVP, Coach and Executive.)
I got to see Larry Bird in action at the Boston Garden against the Lakers back in the day. Jack Nicholson was there too, watching from a private box. It was pretty awesome.
Bird seems to be the only trash talker the opposing players actually liked.
Great point. That's because his type of trash talking was all about what he WAS going to do. Not putting anyone down. So, that's better..And worse. Cuz he was really saying...
And there's not thing one you can do to stop me.
😄
Yes! Kareem and Byron Scott seem amused when they recall his trash talking.
@@Amick44 also...they seem very IMPRESSED. And there's loads of respect.
@@rustydaboyrobot I think Bird did a lot of it with humor. Unlike what I've heard about Garnett and Payton.
I think Reggie Miller's trash talk was more like Larry's as well.
It took MJ years to figure out he wasn't a one man team Larry knew it from the start and that was the reason MJ never beat Larry
Larry Bird was really the one guy that Michael Jordan never got. Swept Jordan twice in the playoffs (6-0). 17-11 reg season. Sure Larry Bird & the Celtics were better than Michael Jordan's Bulls early on. That was the case of a lot teams when Jordan entered the NBA. But Jordan got his revenge on every single one of those teams except for the Celtics and Bird. From 85 - he retired, Larry played with a broken back . Yet he was still able to dominate and put up stats. 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. All in 13 years. 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. He played a game with his left hand. Scored 27 of 47 points with his left hand. His full court passes are poetry in motion.
You deserve many likes, bravo 👏.
@@catmanpc9166 as do you 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙂
@@ldybozz
Thanks. Bless you & your family. ❤
Reading all that makes my heart happy 😊
@@irishgrl 🙂💚💚🍀🍀33🐐
I've said it before, the Bird needs a full blown movie 🎬
Who would play him tho? 🤔
@@irishgrl hopefully someone who is not from Hollywierd 😁
@@irishgrl Miles Teller would make a great Bird. He's got the look. He's only like 6"1' but they could do some Hollywood magic. That or maybe Boston Dynamics could build a Bird robot lol
Hey y'all, I grew up watching all these players.......Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul Jabaar, Bill Walton, etc., and believe me when I say Larry Bird was the best! He was always a step ahead! Check out some of his passing videos and that will tell you all you need to know. He had the moves and was a team player not a one-man-show like so many were and are today! Great reaction!
11:13 - Not only did Bird look at Chuck Person after taking the ball away from him, but Kevin McHale gave him a pat on the ass for good measure!
Jordan and Dominique were just as athletic as any player today and you see how bird competed against them, he was great!!!
So was David Thompson and Connie Hawkins and many others
Unfortunately, I live in the L.A. area now, but I grew up and spent the first 45 years of my life in the Boston area. Larry was something special. You have got to watch the Larry Bird Ultimate Mix Tape. About 10-ish minutes I think. All highlights. Un-flippin-believable
Larry Bird is my favorite. His will to win and do whatever it takes to win is un-matchable amongst any player. Larry and Magic resurrected this game.
I am an Indiana girl so the Pacers ruled! I actually met Chuck Person, Ron Artest and Reggie Miller. I am 5'0", so the pictures looked a little funny but man the Pacers were so good back then. But you know, we all loved Larry Bird because he was a homegrown, garden corn eatin' Indiana boy! So we always had mixed feelings when Pacers played the Celtics.
Wish I could see that picture.
"Larry Bird is the best trash talker and mind game player of all time. He taught me everything i know about getting in people's heads"
"Larry was a debate. He still is. People ask me all the time who my top five players are. When I start saying Larry, they interrupt me. They say, you've got to be kidding me, he can't play with LeBron James. I say you just don't get it. Larry is better than any small forward who played the game"
"Larry, I hear you're retiring. Thank goodness. I'm glad. I'm tired of seeing your face. You brought a lot of sad memories for me. I enjoyed it, and I wish you a lot of luck. I think you had a great and very wonderful career. You ruined a lot of my successful games against the Celtics".
All 3 of these quotes are from Michael Jordan
I agree regarding comparing players from different eras, but don't sell some of those old school players short. The fact that you didn't see them play doesn't take away from what they could do. Guys like Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, John Havlicek, Oscar Robertson and the great Bill Russell are constantly overlooked, but I believe they could definitely play today. In fact, in some ways it would be easier for them, since back then defenders could manhandle you and these days they pretty much can't touch you. Elgin Baylor in particular would destroy defenses today (come to think of it, he pretty much did back then too). Larry Bird, Bill Russell and Magic Johnson would thrive in any era: they were the smartest players who ever played..Bird and Russell in particular..and they made everyone around them better to a greater degree than anyone before or since (and yes, that includes Mike). Those three didn't simply do great things INDIVIDUALLY..they made their TEAMS great.
Nobody could no-look pass like Larry Bird. He was a master at passing the ball without even catching it. His basketball IQ was off the chain. Jamel, check out Larry's Celtics playoff record against MJ's Bulls. They played 6 times in the playoffs. Larry is 6 and 0.
Bottom Line; Bird in his Prime was unstoppable and he made sure you knew it
More Larry please. A deep dive from you would really be something.
LOVED Larry Bird! He was beyond amazing! Glad you found this clip!
Of course I'm a teenager of the '70s and early 80s and I love Larry Bird
"I believe he got an MVP." Bird was the NBA MVP three years in a row. LeBron James never did that, Kobe Bryant never did that, Shaq never did that, Tim Duncan never did that, Michael Jordan never did that, Magic Johnson never did that, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar never did that.
this is true and a testament to Larry's Greatness. But cmon. we aren't gonna pretend like Michael couldn't have won 12 MVPs out of the 13 years he played for the bulls if it was just purely about being the greatest.
@@deelak2329 I agree, and I do think Jordan is the GOAT, but I also think Bird is higher on the list of all-time greats than he is often given credit for. Of that list I just gave for me only Jordan and Kareem are clearly above Bird.
@@9Ballr Bird is definitely in my top 3 of all time. Watching him and Magic play was a real treat that young people who love basketball, can't imagine.
and finished 2nd in the votes 4 times during the 80s
@@adamskeans2515 Over a 7 or 8 year stretch, Larry received something like 67 or 68% of all 1st place MVP votes. He finished his career with the 2nd highest win% in NBA history, second only to Magic by about half a percentage point.
Finally, one of my Favorite UA-camrs reacts to Larry Legend
Can't Wait!
Bird also doubled digit rebounder. 90% career free throws shooter. Made three a defensive teams. Averaged almost 2 steals a game. 3 level scorer. Could play in any Era. Was ahead of his time. Should check out his ultimate mix tape. Subscribed.
Growing up in the Boston area in Bird's heyday was amazing.
There's one game that Larry told the other team he was playing left-handed only and did it. He scored just like he was shooting right-handed.
Larry Joe Bird. In the 9 years before his back/foot injuries... 3 rings (5 finals), 3 MVPs, 2 Finals MVPs, averaged 25/10/6. Had the first 2 40/50/90 seasons and was fractions away from 2 more before those. His team won 60+ games 6 times, never winning less than 56 and once going 67-15, 4th best ever at the time before expansion. He is still the fastest to reach 10k points, 5k rebounds and 3k assists. That's quite a peak.
Love this Jamal! I miss this era of Basketball so much. Bird & Magic would translate in any era. Those guys only cared about W’s.
I was a big fan of the NBA when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson came into the league. Yes indeed, both of these men are on the top list.
Larry Bird stories are the best. I can't get enough of them. Lol.
"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." Former Lakers Coach Pat Riley.
Wild... Larry Bird videos have been my guilty pleasure over the past year. I didn't really follow basketball in the 80's (I followed the Grateful Dead), and I regret it now... LOL
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so hoping you would start doing sports reactions. You have opened a honey hole of Bird videos. He was a BEAST. Regarding whether he could play in this era, "Making the Case" for Larry Bird from Clayton Crowley discusses this topic; he would eat the current league alive.
I was blessed to be able to watch Larry Legend when he was a high school player. My goodness! He was so much *fun* to watch. Thanks for the memories, Jamel. 😁
Larry Bird and Magic were legends in an era of legends.
Jamel, you're a smart man for putting Bird over LeBron and Durant.
Jamal is smart, but he's also a realist.
lebron couldnt guard KC, let alone bird.
Bird was a gift from God.
LeFraud Shames is such a baby he wouldn't be able to take the trash talking in the old league.
@@Anne-pv9cb can you imagine Lebron driving the lane and running into Charles Oakley? Or Barkley?Bill Laimbeer? Any of a bunch of those guys would FUCK Lebron up.
Hey Jamal I remember when Indiana State and Michigan State played for the NCAA tournament. Championship game. LarryBirrd played the game with a broke finger on his shooting hand. That didn't stop Larry Legend.Magic Johnson and battled throughout the whole game . Classic game. ☮️ Out
Thanks for the reaction I'm not far from Larry's hometown here in Indiana but I'll say growing up in the 80s I was a lakers fan but always loved Larry
Larry played left handed against Portland and had 27points through 3 quarters. Larry was a BEAST. Never lost a playoff game to Jordan. Look it up.
3 straight MVP’s. During the Jordan and Magic era. Bird’s in the top 6.
You’d really enjoy the Larry Bird ultimate mix tape. Lots on the Celtics/Lakers rivalry. I went to a game for my 13th bday in 1987, at the old Garden, then later, M.L. Carr came to my school to do an anti drug presentation. He asked for a volunteer and I got his rebounds for him!
There are stories that Bird would tell the best defenders what he was going to do and then score on them. Bird always had the best defenders on him and he would tell the bench,2 dribbles left cross over right bucket and then do it. One of a kind!!!!
Bird will always be in my top 5.
He was so competitive Isaiah Thomas once said if you put him Magic Jordan and Bird in the same room Bird would be the one walking out at the end of the day.
Larry was always one step ahead of his opponent. He was playing chess when everyone else was playing checkers
Bird has 3 MVP's, in a row, 1984-1986.
Bird was like a skilled surgeon on the court. He was double teamed a lot because very few Individuals could handle him on their own.
Woohoo! Jamel, I love that you respect Larry Bird. Back in the day, he was so much fun to watch.
He doesn’t have an MVP. He has 3 straight MVPs 💪🏼
Bird is one of the only players in history, that could get dropped into any era, and still dominate. If he played in the 2022 season coming up, he'd absolutely dominate. Be child's play in my opinion.
Wrong... All the great players of any era would be stars in any era
Man you gotta show him a proper Bird highlight reel now!
Larry was the highest percentage free point shooter more than once in the league
Bird, Curry, Kareem, Jordan, LeBron. Would be the invincible starting 5. Of all time.
8:20 is f'ing sick . Dude was basically 1 vs 4 and still got a basket. Larry Bird kind of had Wayne Gretzky like vision; Gretzky being probably the best athlete in major North America sports history who could play 3D chess on the fly.
Fun fact: when Jordan and Bird were both active, the Bulls were 0-6 against the Celtics in playoff games.
Larry grew up in the poor dirt road part of Indiana. He played basketball every afternoon outside the factories against the black workers because he wanted to learn and play against the best. Even when he was popular he was down to earth - mowed his lawn, fixed his beat up pickup truck and even paved his own driveway. In fact, his back injury started when he was pouring cement on his mom's driveway.
Today's basketball no hand check, no body check, no Jordan rules, no "enforcers", no unsportsmanlike conduct, no Pistons bad boys, no hack a Shaq, no fan distractions during free throws. Can't even talk about bad officiating without getting fined. To score then you'd have to go through a lot of physical defense. You go in the paint and you pay the price. You jump shot and you take the price. Rodman had a career 250 technicals, Barkley 350. Let's not even count the blatant fouls. Adam Silver ruined it by making it family friendly. Might as well bubble wrap today's snowflake players. Celtics into the Forum was a war zone. Lakers into Boston Garden was a war zone. I remember when Larry told the Boston garden building maintenance to turn the ac off and Lakers were dropping in 90 degree heat (which Larry was used to playing summers in Indiana). Lakers would hire mariachi bands to play outside of Celtics hotel in LA starting at midnight. Schedules then were also brutal with back to back games where they traveled in commercial planes.
LaBron is a great player, but I believe he wouldn't have lasted long back in the 1980's/90's game. Everyone played so much rougher. Lamebeer would have destroyed Bron. Larry would have crushed LaBron's soul with just his mind games alone.
That bit about Larry telling building maintenance to turn off the AC is BOGUS. The old Boston Garden building DIDNT HAVE AC. They had to bring in extra fans but that strained the circuits & they blew. Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe (who was there btw) says that Boston was in the middle of a heat wave,and that’s why it was so bad.
Love the love for the GOAT from JakaJ on the left coast and in LA garb!
Coolest of all "Reactors", by far.
Born a Boston fan. Remembering Celts since about '75...86 championship my senior year.
Larry Bird was my favorite Small Foward too!
Yaaas! NOW yer talking my language!!!
LARRY LEGEND IS A UNICORN & MY TRUE GOAT 🐐
I can definitely tell you're a huge Bird fan. I've seen your comments on a lot of these reaction videos, which of course means I've also seen a lot of these videos lol. It's almost become an obsession to watch these reactions, and usually I don't care what the people reacting have to say because to me it's just an excuse to watch more of Bird. I know some people will look at various accolades and whatnot to determine their goat, so many times people focus on things that are more about team success than individual skill or success, but for me when it comes to individual skill and the ability to play basketball I don't know if I can put anyone over Larry.
Plus I'm a little biased because Bird comes from a part of Indiana that isn't far from where I grew up, I mean us Hoosiers gotta stick together lol.
@@Max-ui7yf
Imo, Larry was the ultimate all-around individual player as well as the ultimate TEAM player.
Larry didn't see a 3 point line until his first year in the league. Players today grew up shooting 3's. Step was shooting 3's at 10 years old. 3 straight MVP'S FELLOWS
First they'd call me Kurt Rambis, then Dan Marley, then Larry Bird... all in one game. Small white guy goes inside and gets rebounds. Then they give me the ball and I make a shot or two... Then I make a pass a defensive play and a basket... then I'm Larry Bird... I love basketball.
Harper is dead wrong about Bird not playing good defense. His ability to read passing lanes, his quick hands, and his uncanny anticipation made him one of the best team defenders in the history of the game, and his team's defensive stats when he was on the court--as opposed to when he was on the bench--show this clearly.
I am so lucky to have grown up in the 80s. Talent rich and the greatest stories around.
Larry Bird was an Animal. Definitely a top ten, arguably a top 5 player of all time.
Michael Jordan's famous quote: "Larry was a f@cking problem." 😂😂😂
Jamal, Bird would thrive in any era. He's the only player in the HOF to average more than 24/10/6. He won 3 straight MVPS joining only Wilt and Bill Russell to do it. Jerry West said he was the most complete basketball player he'd ever seen. Bird would destroy the league today. Today's rules with no hand checking, sneezing on a player is a foul, zone defense. I'm from Boston and was lucky enough to see his entire career, he is the best small forward ever and your right MJ was the best. Lebron is great but I would love to have seen him in the 80's with guys like Laimbeer, Tree Rollins or Oakley guarding the paint. The Pistons would put MJ on his ass at least 4 or 5 times a game but they still couldn't slow him down. The way LeBron flops and complains his own teammates would have kicked his ass
Jordan’s not the best in MY book. Not when he loses consistently to the same guy aka LARRY LEGEND aka THE TRUE GOAT 🐐
I have a feeling that the white guy from Denver might become the second player in history to average those numbers.
@@irishgrl Bird was my favorite player and if he had stayed healthy no doubt everyone would consider him the goat but MJ just did it a little longer. As for Larry beating MJ in playoffs it's a little misleading. MJ was in his first couple of years with the Bulls and basically had no help. Both times the Bulls were the 8th seed and barely made the playoffs. But in those 6 playoff losses MJ averaged 40/7/6
Larry would decimate anyone in any era, that's what he did in his era and his era was by far the best
Magic and Bird, Lakers and Celtics…..those were the days!
I'll never be able to look at Byron Scott the same again 😂
Love your video. You should watch some Bird highlights. He was MVP 3 times, consecutively with only Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlin to do it also. I love his passing videos, he was crazy good (his full court passing was unreal, he could have been a QB!). Maybe watch Making the Case with Bird. It has some really interesting stats. 😍
You should really watch "making the case" Larry Bird. It is a great look at his career
I was so blessed to grow up in the 80s, I only wished the NBA League Pass was around then. Living in Phoenix, besides the local televised games, the only time we could watch other games was the Sunday game of the week.
Bird has 3 MVPs in a row.
Blessed to have grown up watching the Celtic,sixers, Lakers pistons in the 80,s
Gotta check out the video about the “5 times Larry refused to quit”
I go with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and for defense on little guys Jerry West. It's weird not to put Michael Jordan in there... but you probably don't know how good the LOGO was.
If you lived in Boston and had season tickets for 20 years you were at a lot of these amazing games most particularly 1986. I never saw another team play with that ball movement and that insane threat to bench was so deep! When Kobe Steph Michael Jordan LeBron put Larry Bird on their starting five you know what more is it to say😊
A reason they called him Larry Legend
Quick story on Ron Harper. He's from Ohio, played for the Cavs. He got traded to the Bulls and still had family in Cleveland. I was working retail, selling video games and computer stuff. Ron comes into the store 5 minutes before closing ON CHRISTMAS EVE!!!! I'm helping him, but it's like a blizzard outside and I'm trying to go home. He asking me questions about the Sega Genesis and which ever NBA Live was out at the time. How good it was and if he was any good on the game. He's stuttering up a STORM and I'm finishing all of his sentences cause it's taking TOO DAMN LONG! I was afraid they was gonna lock us up in the mall. Long story short, he bought a bunch of stuff and he's a cool dude, but not cool enough for me to be standing there while he was stuttering on Christmas Eve looking like he gon have a seizure....
Bird is EASILY in the all-time starting 5 forever. He didn't have the natural athleticism of a Jordan and others but he was definitely the most complete NBA player ever. What he did on the court was other-worldly. Just an unbelievable player.
BIRD WAS NOT ONLY THE ONE IN THE TOP TEN, BIRD WAS THE BEST EVER...HE COULD DO IT ALL!
Great reaction! Bird was a monster.
Larry Bird is 4th ALL TIME in Defensive Win Shares. Bird was a very solid defender. He made All Defensive First Team twice. He averaged 10 boards a game for his career. He blocked, albeit mostly from behind, but he was very good at it, and he often stole the ball in the process averaging 2 steals per game. He was always in the passing lanes forcing teams to find alternatives to the plays they intended to run. There is a game against the Bulls where Larry and Jordon combined for 71 points in 1991 at the end of Bird's career when he was dealing with serious back injuries. It was an epic battle that you need to watch.
I'll leave a link below.
Anyway...
There is this play where Pippen is driving, and Jordon is a step or two behind. The only person between the basket and Pippen is Bird. Bird first blocks Pippens attempt, but Jordon picks up the loose ball. Jordon goes to shoot, but Bird is still in the way and blocks Jordon's shot as well.
Oh, By the way.
Larry was MVP of the game.
Trust me when I say that Bird was a very solid defender.
Michael Jordan vs Larry Bird Highlights (1991.03.31) - 71pts, Crazy Battle! Must Watch!
ua-cam.com/video/tzKwuk7jXdk/v-deo.html
Everybody says Bird was slow. When I lived in the Boston area in 1988-89 I was running around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, and all of a sudden, whoosh!--this guy went flying by me. Larry Bird.