Magic Johnson was my hero growing up. He got me into basketball. I've been a Lakers fan ever since (32 years). After all the basketball that I've seen over the last 3 decades, I hate to admit it as a Lakers fan, but Larry Bird is the best that I've ever seen. Better than Lebron. Better than MJ.
Here just the same!!! Magic got me into basketball. He invented The Show Time so if you loved Lakers you hated Celtics... But after all this time I also have to admit that Larry is the Goat. You know Pat Riley's quote: "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". Period.
Did you know bird said that magic was the best player ever? Even better than Jordan Both magic & bird made everyone around them better, but I have to give bird the nod because of his shooting! The greatest outside shooter ever!
I would say Magic & Bird are equals. They were practically doppelganger of each other and helped make everyone on their respective teams better. We were lucky two such great men got to play at the same time.
As Showtime Lakers fan having Magic as my GOAT back then, I cay say Larry lived rent free in EVERYONE'S mind back then......The guy was playing with no back, no knees and at some point no EYE....intimidating ANYONE.....and people now cry out GOAT for Leflop who played 82 games...ONCE....
Could prime Larry Bird dominate now? With today’s rules he wouldn’t have anyone beating him up on the court like they did in the 80s. He made great athletes look bad when they could push him, punch him,and drag him to the floor. Yeah… he would.
Bird could be very physical too. That's why Jordan said it wasn't clear to him if Larry was either the best small forward, or the best power forward ever. Of course he never played the 4, but MJ referred to his toughness under the boards and off course his tenacious rebounding. Bird was a better rebounder than most power forwards, and especially in his early years an underestimated shotblocker too. Anyway my point is: he at least as much beat others up, than getting beat up himself. But your question is irrelevant. Why wouldn't Bird be able to dominate in an inferior league (past 15 years)? Truthfully, I think he would quit after a year or 3, because of lack of worthy competition, boredom and pure irritation. Load managment would make him throw up. It wouldn't be any fun. Kids have no idea how bad today's league sucks, compared to the 80-90's! If not for Jokic, I wouldn't be watching at all
Thanks for sharing this video. Bird as a rookie went to a 29 win team and with 1 player change to the roster ( ML Carr) and a new coach in Bill Fitch, Bird was the main reason Boston won 61 games = a 32 game turn around. Bird won ROY and was 4th in the MVP vote. For the next 8 seasons in the MVP Bird was 2,2,2,1,1,1,3, and 2nd again - this was before the dual heel surgeries and back issues. Bird created the 50-40-90 shooting club and did it 2 years back to back (87 and 88) and was so close in 85 and 86 that if you total Birds stats = Bird averaged 50-40-90 over 4 consecutive seasons. Some people say Bird played with "hall of famers" but remember Bird was clearly the best player on all of his teams and better than all of these HOF teammates. As a rookie = the 32 game turn around was without Parish, McHale, DJ, Ainge, or Walton on the team. Bird had the court vision of a PG, rebounded like a PF and could shoot lights out from everywhere on the court. If Bird played today he would still dominate.
If bird played today he would be the best player in the league , look at what lukas doing , take nothing from luka , he’s amazing for sure . But Larry legend was just better in ever way . Larry bird just had that vision man , so did magic johnson to .
Larry Bird was the greatest allround player the game has ever seen, by far the best clutch performer and one of the best Team players, with a capital T. Unfortunately I only saw him play near the tail end of his career, but even past his prime and with all of the injury's that hampered his game at the end, I still fell in love with his game. Today that hasn't changed a bit, on the contrary. UA-cam enables us to rewatch him and the Celtics in their prime, which I did almost daily for a couple of years! I have the feeling I know him better than my own brother and can talk for days about him! He was and still is a Giant of a man, figuratively speaking. Fortunately the past years Nikola Jokic came into our lives to sprinkle some of the old basketball joy, he's a good consolation price. But no, to this day it's still true that Larry, the Hick from French Lick, was the baddest MF'er to ever set foot on a basketball court! Not saying he was better than MJ, but hell, he was BADDER 😉! A psychokiller with a ball in his hands 😤! May the Legend live forever 🔥
Larry Bird is simply the BEST ALL-AROUND PLAYER EVER!!! Best shooting small forward ever, best rebounding small forward ever, best passing small forward ever. Bird made his teammates better than anyone else. Best clutch player ever. Highest basketball IQ ever. Top five player of all-time. Magic, Michael, Bird, Russell, and Wilt. Second team - Oscar, Kobe, LeBron, Duncan, and Kareem. Three straight NBA MVP'S. Nobody better in 1984, 1985, 1986. I will take Larry Bird in his prime over anyone including Michael. Best fundamental basketball player EVER!!!
Apparently you didn't watch Jordan score 63 against that 86 Celtics team in the playoffs. MJ was so much better than anybody else on the court in that series that it was almost laughable. It looked like an NBA player going against a bunch of high schoolers. Bird was great man and I actually have him as the 2nd best player I've seen ahead of Lebron (I'm 54) but he really wasn't close to Jordan. Jordan was better offensively, SIGNIFICANTLY better on defense and was better in the playoffs and finals.
@@joeldriver-sp2rgLol… MJ definitely had more athleticism (than anybody), but Bird’s basketball IQ and ability to elevate team play was and is incomparable to anybody, MJ included. BTW, Jordan scored 63 points yet his Bulls lost 135-131 and got swept by Bird and the Celtics in the series.
@@Primus54 Jordan took Dave Corzine, Gene Banks and a bunch of cokeheads and almost beat one of the greatest teams in history loaded with hall of famers. You're completely clueless about basketball dude.
@@joeldriver-sp2rg Apparently you don't know that MJ was 0-6 against Bird in the playoffs. Stats are for losers. Bird didn't care about stats, only wins.
Todays fans don’t truly understand how great Larry legend was , look what luka doncic is doing this year . Well as good as luka is Larry bird was bigger he was a better passer ! Luka is a great passer himself for sure, but Larry bird was on another level passing and vision , Larry bird was a better shooter . Better rebounder , and Larry bird was on Michael Jordan level when it comes to being clutch . There’s a reason Larry bird is the only 3 time in a row mvp winner . If Larry played today he would average 30-12 a night easily , and he would shoot 90 plus percent from the line like he always did in his career.
that instinct that larry had on how to play the game. i don't think that can be taught. the player either has it or he doesn't. wayne gretzky was like that in hockey back in the 1980's. they both knew what to do and where to be when needed at all times.
I've been preaching this for years. A healthy Larry Bird is the best of what you want in a basketball player. A beast on the court ; a killer instinct; a great shooter from anywhere; and all the other assets it takes to make the best possible basketball player. That's the healthy, Larry Bird. Like the song say:"Better than all the rest!" *Jordan, sure, but he was dialed in to be a scorer most of all and never practiced the other necessary skills to be the best all-around basketball player. Sure, he was also a beast on the court, but scoring and defense was his forte.
Jordan is the greatest scorer of all time , but none of Jordan’s 90s bulls title teams would beat 86 Celtics in a 7 game series . People don’t realize that Celtic frontline is unmatched , bird/mcchale/parish is the best frontline ever not even close
That shot from behind the basket, as he is literally falling over into out of bounds, is one of my all time favorites... if that doesn't just sink in how brilliant of shooter he was...
It's about winning games. Larry could do it with anyone around him. His team wasn't always the best in the floor, but he found a way to have a chance to win against anyone.
the celtics still flopping stumbling with the bums they have now//////////////bird would have brought home a ring to these bums///////////////tatum wants to be kobi but kobi didnt have weak ankles..brown goes left like an old lady crossing the street rushing to get to other side b4 red light goes on.......
You get it, a lot of the kids now talk about how Durant would score 40 against him, or LBJ would blow past him every time for a monsterslam, or this and that... Might all be true, but who would win the game? Larry Bird. Who would say: "Corner three with the buzzer going when the ball falls through the net!" And then just do it. Larry Bird. Who would do it all over again the next game, and the next, and the...? Larry Bird. Who would go mowing his lawn after he beat either KD's team or Lebrons' team? Larry? No, are you crazy! He would do that the next morning before practice 😉
Signori, Larry Bird è stato (e non ce ne sarà più un altro come lui...) il più forte/grande che abbia mai giocato a Basket punto. (From 🇮🇹 detto da uno che capisce poco di qst sport, ma qnd ha visto Larry in prima, e Magic gli si sono aperti gli occhi... LARRY LEGEND ❤
It was those never-ending one and two point wins that convinced us that Bird couldn't miss. We all really WERE amazed when he didn't win the championship against the lakers again.
You would be hard pressed to find a better starting five. Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to who is and was the best. We'll all agree to agree and then disagree, without ever knowing for sure. How great would it be to have our picks, playing in the same era. It's great to see someone recognizing the greatness of Tim Duncan, one of my all time favorites.
@@pistolp01 For play before about 2008, that is a fine list. But the question with current rules is do you get more points from a non standard combination, for example a point forward instead of a small forward and then replacing the point guard with another shooting guard? Short answer is we will never know as we never saw this list of players adapt their game to the new rules.
@@michaelnicholas7746no Player calls them self the goat . Like you have a clue what bird thinks …..Bill Russell and wilt chamberlain disagree with you about Larry legend .
Who would have ever thought that the black hotel workers that allowed a young Bird to play basketball with them would turn Larry into a Basketball Playing Beast.
"yeah, at the end of the Bulls bench". I had heard that before but forgot, made me lol when I heard this guy say it . Definitely one of the best ever, short career but he got it done in that short time. Young fans today don't understand, can't see past what they haven't saw.
I grew up during the Magic/Bird era...To this day, Bird is easily one of the best 5 players I've ever seen. I hate GOAT debates, but Bird shouod be included in any debate about the best players that ever played the game.
@Davivd2, You're so right, more people should see Bird videos, they would be humbled. Impossible to stop, and he's Always 3 to 4 steps ahead of Everyone!
There’s a reason all true knowledge nba legends and former players have larry in the top 5/10 best players all time …. Bird is by far the best passing power forward to ever play the game . He just played the game the right way
He was uncanny. Just knew the game. Passing at right time.. scoring,, not a one on one defender,, but made up WITH CLUTCH PLAYS. I TAKE BIRD AT MY SMALL FORWARD .. ANYTIME.. ANYDAY,, ALL DAY AND NIGHT.. PLEASE ...
Bill Walton said after the 86 championship that they did not know how good Larry Bird was, and they wouldn't know until the rest of the team got better.
Ofcourse he would , any knowledgeable nba fan knows Larry bird is better than everyone today . As good as passer As lebron has been in his career as a small forward , Larry bird was on another level as a passer . And he was a better rebounder , and better closer
@@teddyhaynes9876 you forgot one important thing. More than anybody else Larry Bird makes everyone around him much better. Lebron kills people’s careers.
One word: tenacity. Like a drop of water over a rock. After a while there's a hole and it's Impossible to fix It. I only think Jordan was the greatest because Bird himself used to think that way and MJ didn't let his natural talent in terms of fisicality overcome the precision shots and medium rates per game to be a true champion. Magic otherwise, I believe, is a wonderfull player, but above an all around like those two. I only put three names after them --- Kobe Brian, Lebron James, and Grant Hill. Malone didn't have the tree shot besides the medium rage and strong post. Unnfortunaly Hill was avoided to grow untill highly numbers because of injuries, but the plays left behind need no more explanation. He was the next Jordan before Kobe in terms of generation talent.
@@teddyhaynes9876 dont agree but it's ok. I guess Hill was the closest because his induvidual game was natural and cooperate a lot more with his mates. I remeber Kobe's games wondering How many minutes more He would need with the ball to score. I respect him for the efford in practice and evolving his game but 30min of Hill where definely funnier to watch than a whole Kobe's game.
I have seen comments attributed to Bird saying that if Bias hadn't died, he could have walked away and handed the torch off to him. Of course, that might be easier to say well after the fact. I agree with your take - Bird's competitive drive wouldn't have allowed him to walk away from another championship (or three) run (s).
I'm a huge Larry fan but "best ever" still has to go to Wilt Chamberlin. Statistically and psychologically, Wilt was the greatest basketball player to ever play.
Yes Larry Bird is also one of the GOAT basketball player. no player can be said to be the sole GOAT. Every individual player has its playing aspect which is not best or inferior compared to other player. Michael Jordan being a high leping player will get almost all the passes for him to shoot. It is the reverse of Erving Johnson who passes the ball to the open man although he can shoot and can do the shooting instead of passing the ball.
The only thing with Bird and Joker I can’t get over is that Larry loves the game, lives and breathes it. Joker wants nothing to do with it outside of going to work 😆
Grab yourself two players you would pick first to start making a championship team? My two picks will beat yours, and also, whatever 3-picks you throw in, to complete your starting five team. But your first two picks will tell me everything I need to know. Wanna bet? :)
IMO I feel MJ is the GOAT 🐐 ...but anyone who feels Larry Bird 🐦 is the GOAT 🐐 that is an argument worthy of having. BIRD WAS SIMPLY AN AMAZING BASKETBALL PLAYER! #1: Michael Jordan #2: Larry Bird #3: Magic Johnson
JHC.....I have seen so many comments saying Bird is the best ever. Do ANY of you know that Wilt Chamberlain played in the NBA? Compare some numbers. Or effects. Wilt forced the league to change rules. Did Bird ever do that? Answer me?
Everybody wants to measure the GOAT in their own way which is where the disagreement starts. Rings, MVP's, scoring, passing, rebounding, makes team mates better, complete player, minutes played per game, changed the rules, etc . Wilt unquestionably did things nobody else could do and was spectacular doing them. I would have loved to see Prime Wilt against prime Shaq or any of the other great centers of that era. Wilt would have had his way with all of them.
@@dannybird4996 Nate Thurmond, Willis Reed, Wes Unseld, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bill Russell, Walt Bellamy, Artis Gilmore, Dave Cowans, these are not "weak players" Bro
Yeah, Wilt was 7'1" playing against 6'5" old white guys. The only competition Wilt had was the Great Bill Russell. And Russell always won!!! It was like a HS basketball player playing against a 5th grader. No competition whatsoever!!!
HOWever you measure great players, Bird isn't there. Championships? Har, har, har,. Scoring? Har, har, har. Rebounds? Har, har, har. Assists? Har, har, har. What the heck else do you want to talk about?
How about the fact it isn’t a game of simple numbers? This is basketball - not tic, tac, toe. Bird’s influence on the court in the games was total. When he played, even if the Celtics lost the game, Larry Bird didn’t lose: the other team simply scored more points and that’s all.
If Bird had been black, he would have been a good player. The other team scored more points? Gee, they sure must have been lucky to win, even thought they scored more points. @@feliscorax
@@dougamundson6836 Gee whizz, fella - can you get much more racist? Larry Bird was a GREAT player. Skin colour has nothing to do with it. He was the best shooter in the league and easily its best player for three straight seasons, but it seems that nobody is willing to give him the credit he deserves because he’s white trailer trash or some ridiculous thing like that. Statistics alone won’t help you; try some comparative analytics. There are several good videos on YT that can help you in that regard.
Julius Erving in my opinion was better than Bird. Doctor J played in the ABA and won a couple championships. Bird flew in and dominated everybody including the Doctor. Great rivalry!
I love the doctor for sure but if we are being real and honest then the truth is Larry bird was better in every way to the doctor , Julius was great no doubt , but Larry was a better passer by a lot , better rebounder , better shooter , better team /clutch player …. Larry as a rookie took a losing Celtics team and turned them into a 60 win team , and that was before mcchale and parish came along .
Let's see: Bird won three championships. His contemporary Magic Johnson won five. Bird's fellow Celtic Bill Russell won ELEVEN. But Bird is the best player ever? Does he get extra points for being white?
Birds an all round player even Jordan said he was the best forward ever to play. 60s waaaay different than the 80s dude bill didn’t have ti face the caliber of players bird did. It’s not about chips because other players helped get those chips…. End of story.
Bill russell isn’t even in the top 5 , he played in a watered down time … now the bird and magic debate , if we are being honest with ourselves and putting color aside and bias aside ! Larry bird was a better shooter, better rebounder , just as good as passer and playmaker . And Larry was more clutch .. injuries truly cost Celtics 1/2 rings also the bias death . But I love magic johnson , he was so fun to watch . But magics teams always had a little more talent than the Celtics teams . But it was always a dog fight . But if birds back didn’t get hurt I think he would’ve gotten 4-5 . Bird is only player to win 3 straight mvps, but if we are talking about best team of all time i put 86 Celtics above any all time lakers team and any of Jordan’s bulls teams .
Say what you want i have the following players better than Bird. Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, Curry, Hakeem and Russell. Reason: Bird played on an hall of fame roster. Birds game wouldn't be as successful today. Todays pace would hurt his rhythm. Think about it. Why would you build a team around Bird today. You cant, but the players i mentioned you can. It's time to fix this top 10 list. For example everyone including Magic know who the greatest Laker of all time is. We are stuck in the past people.
@@TheVlad1616 the game is not physical, it's finesse. That's the problem. He is a half court player. Not saying he wouldn't be a star, but he wouldn't be my first choice to build a team around in todays running game.
You're a moron, that's okay anyone who knows basketball identifies this with that statement. Players weren't allowed to carry & travel like they do and have for the last 20+ years
@@larrybaker5532 You should have seen him start fast breaks with his long passes. The reason you could build a team around him because he's a clutch scorer and he helps the others get better, with his assists, rebounds, steals and all around hussle. And he was indefatigable. He could run all day. Not just at the end of his career because of the bad back.
to @roberstout6111.....you are kidding, right? Compare ANY of his numbers to Wilt. ANY of his numbers. According to you, there is only one position in the NBA, small forward. How many rings does Bird have? Three. Oh, yeah, that makes him SO much better than Wilt. Christ, you must have only watched 8 years or so of the NBA. And you DON"T know any more history than that.
Its time to recognize Larry as the 2nd best of all time...just barely behind Jordan. There will never be a better SF. And for those that think LeBron deserves to be top 5, ill get my ouija board out, and attempt to contact your brain cell.
Best ALL-AROUND PLAYER EVER should include DEFENSE. Besides MJ besting Bird in every individual accolade that can be achieved in the NBA, Jordan was a 9x NBA All Defensive First Team member, while Bird made the All Defensive Second team 3xs. Never made first team. Jordan was the NBA steals leader 3xs and won Defensive Player of the year, NBA MVP and the NBA scoring title all in the same season. I appreciate your opinion but numbers say otherwise.
@@garysimmons5291 you can say whatever you want but bird was a forward Jordan a guard,I will admit though that Jordan was the goat! But remember birds team swept him twice!
Jordan was better than Bird offensively, SIGNIFICANTLY better defensively and also better in the playoffs and the finals. You can make the argument Bird was a slightly better shooter but they both shot the same career fg% right at 50%. Anybody who thinks Bird was better than Michael should go watch the playoff series in 1986 when the Bulls matched up with the Celtics. That's when Jordan had that 63 point game. He was so much better than anybody else on the court including Bird that it was almost laughable. Bird called him "God disguised as Michael Jordan".
I’m not saying I’m taking Bird ahead of Jordan, but Bird was 23-11 in matchups against Jordan all time. This includes going 6-0 against him in the playoffs
@@TheRedSoxMan LMFAO! Name the starting lineups for both teams dude. I can't believe you actually posted that stat. A bunch of hall of famers against Dave Corzine and Eugene Banks. Yeah...really compelling post.
@@sugarnads Jordan was SIGNIFICANTLY better than Bird. Even Bird would admit that. Go back and watch that playoff series...maybe you'll learn something.
Too bad they couldn’t beat the lakers without cheating in 1984. McHale should have been suspended for close lining Rambis and game 5 Boston garden AC was working just fine, they turned it off to slow down the lakers fast break. Oh, the refs also played a huge roll in game 4 in LA allowing foul after foul by the Celtics to go on the entire game.
There was NO A/C in the garden in 1984 = LOL. Both teams were physical = see James Worthy shove Maxwell in the back while shooting a layup, or Kareem throwing elbows at Bird. Boston beat LA fair and square in 1984 Finals.
Magic Johnson was my hero growing up. He got me into basketball. I've been a Lakers fan ever since (32 years). After all the basketball that I've seen over the last 3 decades, I hate to admit it as a Lakers fan, but Larry Bird is the best that I've ever seen. Better than Lebron. Better than MJ.
Magic was inspiring. Fastest Laker to get the HIV after 1000 attempts.
Here just the same!!! Magic got me into basketball. He invented The Show Time so if you loved Lakers you hated Celtics... But after all this time I also have to admit that Larry is the Goat. You know Pat Riley's quote: "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". Period.
Did you know bird said that magic was the best player ever? Even better than Jordan
Both magic & bird made everyone around them better, but I have to give bird the nod because of his shooting!
The greatest outside shooter ever!
I would say Magic & Bird are equals. They were practically doppelganger of each other and helped make everyone on their respective teams better. We were lucky two such great men got to play at the same time.
Same here!
the Greatest Of All Time is just in a basketball fan's mind...i'm a Barkley fan but Bird is the GOAT for me
As Showtime Lakers fan having Magic as my GOAT back then, I cay say Larry lived rent free in EVERYONE'S mind back then......The guy was playing with no back, no knees and at some point no EYE....intimidating ANYONE.....and people now cry out GOAT for Leflop who played 82 games...ONCE....
Could prime Larry Bird dominate now? With today’s rules he wouldn’t have anyone beating him up on the court like they did in the 80s. He made great athletes look bad when they could push him, punch him,and drag him to the floor. Yeah… he would.
Bird could be very physical too. That's why Jordan said it wasn't clear to him if Larry was either the best small forward, or the best power forward ever.
Of course he never played the 4, but MJ referred to his toughness under the boards and off course his tenacious rebounding. Bird was a better rebounder than most power forwards, and especially in his early years an underestimated shotblocker too.
Anyway my point is: he at least as much beat others up, than getting beat up himself.
But your question is irrelevant.
Why wouldn't Bird be able to dominate in an inferior league (past 15 years)?
Truthfully, I think he would quit after a year or 3, because of lack of worthy competition, boredom and pure irritation. Load managment would make him throw up. It wouldn't be any fun. Kids have no idea how bad today's league sucks, compared to the 80-90's!
If not for Jokic, I wouldn't be watching at all
Thanks for sharing this video. Bird as a rookie went to a 29 win team and with 1 player change to the roster ( ML Carr) and a new coach in Bill Fitch, Bird was the main reason Boston won 61 games = a 32 game turn around. Bird won ROY and was 4th in the MVP vote. For the next 8 seasons in the MVP Bird was 2,2,2,1,1,1,3, and 2nd again - this was before the dual heel surgeries and back issues. Bird created the 50-40-90 shooting club and did it 2 years back to back (87 and 88) and was so close in 85 and 86 that if you total Birds stats = Bird averaged 50-40-90 over 4 consecutive seasons. Some people say Bird played with "hall of famers" but remember Bird was clearly the best player on all of his teams and better than all of these HOF teammates. As a rookie = the 32 game turn around was without Parish, McHale, DJ, Ainge, or Walton on the team. Bird had the court vision of a PG, rebounded like a PF and could shoot lights out from everywhere on the court. If Bird played today he would still dominate.
If bird played today he would be the best player in the league , look at what lukas doing , take nothing from luka , he’s amazing for sure . But Larry legend was just better in ever way . Larry bird just had that vision man , so did magic johnson to .
" You guys just don't get it, Larry Bird is by far the best small Forward to ever play the game"- Micheal Jordan
Absolutely!
🗣️N🚫 DOUBT .> 🎤 🏀🗑️
By far……
Even LeBron says Larry is top 3
Larry Bird was the greatest allround player the game has ever seen, by far the best clutch performer and one of the best Team players, with a capital T.
Unfortunately I only saw him play near the tail end of his career, but even past his prime and with all of the injury's that hampered his game at the end, I still fell in love with his game. Today that hasn't changed a bit, on the contrary. UA-cam enables us to rewatch him and the Celtics in their prime, which I did almost daily for a couple of years! I have the feeling I know him better than my own brother and can talk for days about him! He was and still is a Giant of a man, figuratively speaking.
Fortunately the past years Nikola Jokic came into our lives to sprinkle some of the old basketball joy, he's a good consolation price. But no, to this day it's still true that Larry, the Hick from French Lick, was the baddest MF'er to ever set foot on a basketball court! Not saying he was better than MJ, but hell, he was BADDER 😉! A psychokiller with a ball in his hands 😤! May the Legend live forever 🔥
Larry Bird is simply the BEST ALL-AROUND PLAYER EVER!!! Best shooting small forward ever, best rebounding small forward ever, best passing small forward ever. Bird made his teammates better than anyone else. Best clutch player ever. Highest basketball IQ ever. Top five player of all-time. Magic, Michael, Bird, Russell, and Wilt. Second team - Oscar, Kobe, LeBron, Duncan, and Kareem. Three straight NBA MVP'S. Nobody better in 1984, 1985, 1986. I will take Larry Bird in his prime over anyone including Michael. Best fundamental basketball player EVER!!!
Apparently you didn't watch Jordan score 63 against that 86 Celtics team in the playoffs. MJ was so much better than anybody else on the court in that series that it was almost laughable. It looked like an NBA player going against a bunch of high schoolers. Bird was great man and I actually have him as the 2nd best player I've seen ahead of Lebron (I'm 54) but he really wasn't close to Jordan. Jordan was better offensively, SIGNIFICANTLY better on defense and was better in the playoffs and finals.
What was the final score?
@@joeldriver-sp2rgLol… MJ definitely had more athleticism (than anybody), but Bird’s basketball IQ and ability to elevate team play was and is incomparable to anybody, MJ included. BTW, Jordan scored 63 points yet his Bulls lost 135-131 and got swept by Bird and the Celtics in the series.
@@Primus54 Jordan took Dave Corzine, Gene Banks and a bunch of cokeheads and almost beat one of the greatest teams in history loaded with hall of famers. You're completely clueless about basketball dude.
@@joeldriver-sp2rg Apparently you don't know that MJ was 0-6 against Bird in the playoffs. Stats are for losers. Bird didn't care about stats, only wins.
I recently discovered these Larry Bird videos..I always knew he was great BUT DAMN...these are literally unbelievable..crazy
Todays fans don’t truly understand how great Larry legend was , look what luka doncic is doing this year . Well as good as luka is Larry bird was bigger he was a better passer ! Luka is a great passer himself for sure, but Larry bird was on another level passing and vision , Larry bird was a better shooter . Better rebounder , and Larry bird was on Michael Jordan level when it comes to being clutch . There’s a reason Larry bird is the only 3 time in a row mvp winner . If Larry played today he would average 30-12 a night easily , and he would shoot 90 plus percent from the line like he always did in his career.
Bird didn't stat pat. . His assist were often things of beauty to see. An Assassin! In a much tougher era.
Unlike many of todays "stars", Bird knew how to move without the ball. As fundamentally as sound a player as whoever played.
that instinct that larry had on how to play the game. i don't think that can be taught. the player either has it or he doesn't. wayne gretzky was like that in hockey back in the 1980's. they both knew what to do and where to be when needed at all times.
36pts 21rbs 5asst 5stls 5blks against the showtime Lakers?
I don't need to know anything else. Bird was the Best and the Legend.
I've been preaching this for years.
A healthy Larry Bird is the best of what you want in a basketball player.
A beast on the court ; a killer instinct; a great shooter from anywhere; and all the other assets it takes to make the best possible basketball player.
That's the healthy, Larry Bird.
Like the song say:"Better than all the rest!"
*Jordan, sure, but he was dialed in to be a scorer most of all and never practiced the other necessary skills to be the best all-around basketball player.
Sure, he was also a beast on the court, but scoring and defense was his forte.
Jordan all about Jordan. Larry about basketball.
Jordan is the greatest scorer of all time , but none of Jordan’s 90s bulls title teams would beat 86 Celtics in a 7 game series . People don’t realize that Celtic frontline is unmatched , bird/mcchale/parish is the best frontline ever not even close
Legend. That’s really all that needs to be said.
That shot from behind the basket, as he is literally falling over into out of bounds, is one of my all time favorites... if that doesn't just sink in how brilliant of shooter he was...
It's about winning games. Larry could do it with anyone around him. His team wasn't always the best in the floor, but he found a way to have a chance to win against anyone.
the celtics still flopping stumbling with the bums they have now//////////////bird would have brought home a ring to these bums///////////////tatum wants to be kobi but kobi didnt have weak ankles..brown goes left like an old lady crossing the street rushing to get to other side b4 red light goes on.......
You get it, a lot of the kids now talk about how Durant would score 40 against him, or LBJ would blow past him every time for a monsterslam, or this and that...
Might all be true, but who would win the game? Larry Bird.
Who would say: "Corner three with the buzzer going when the ball falls through the net!" And then just do it. Larry Bird.
Who would do it all over again the next game, and the next, and the...?
Larry Bird.
Who would go mowing his lawn after he beat either KD's team or Lebrons' team?
Larry? No, are you crazy! He would do that the next morning before practice 😉
Signori, Larry Bird è stato (e non ce ne sarà più un altro come lui...) il più forte/grande che abbia mai giocato a Basket punto. (From 🇮🇹 detto da uno che capisce poco di qst sport, ma qnd ha visto Larry in prima, e Magic gli si sono aperti gli occhi... LARRY LEGEND ❤
What I love about Larry Bird was when he called his shots he made it.
It was those never-ending one and two point wins that convinced us that Bird couldn't miss. We all really WERE amazed when he didn't win the championship against the lakers again.
When The Bird flies over the court ... All you can do is watch! Larry The Legend always be #1
Larry Bird is the GOAT
Wilt is and always will the the GOAT; and the second best athlete of all times. Secretariat was #1.
This video was excellent , because there was no one talking during the video except the person presenting it , thanks for such a wonderful video
Bird & Magic Jordan, Duncan, Kareem my starting 5.
You would be hard pressed to find a better starting five. Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to who is and was the best. We'll all agree to agree and then disagree, without ever knowing for sure. How great would it be to have our picks, playing in the same era. It's great to see someone recognizing the greatness of Tim Duncan, one of my all time favorites.
@@pistolp01 For play before about 2008, that is a fine list. But the question with current rules is do you get more points from a non standard combination, for example a point forward instead of a small forward and then replacing the point guard with another shooting guard? Short answer is we will never know as we never saw this list of players adapt their game to the new rules.
Every on here has there own opinion all great players but there will never b another Larry Legend.
Think about this I have never seen the opposite team celebrating the play of a player on the opposite side
That’s pretty funny with Reggie Miller taunting the guy who will eventually be his coach.
Bird is the 🐐
On my starting 5. 😋
Larry Bird himself doesn’t even believe that.
@@michaelnicholas7746no
Player calls them self the goat . Like you have a clue what bird thinks …..Bill Russell and wilt chamberlain disagree with you about Larry legend .
Agreed!
@@michaelnicholas7746 neither does Jordan. Lebron does tho.
Who would have ever thought that the black hotel workers that allowed a young Bird to play basketball with them would turn Larry into a Basketball Playing Beast.
Bird impact on any given game was the greatest ever seen in modern badketball, MJ included and miles ahead of Lebron, Kobe or whoever
"yeah, at the end of the Bulls bench".
I had heard that before but forgot, made me lol when I heard this guy say it .
Definitely one of the best ever, short career but he got it done in that short time.
Young fans today don't understand, can't see past what they haven't saw.
He knows where he can find me..
Yeah, at the end of the Bulls bench..Absolutely savage!
Absolutely HILARIOUS
So many great players throughout the history of the NBA.......and then there was Wilt Chamberlain
Bird with pippen and Jordan on him faced them both
Bulls never won a series against LB and Celtics. They swept them Twice in the playoffs, I believe.
I grew up during the Magic/Bird era...To this day, Bird is easily one of the best 5 players I've ever seen. I hate GOAT debates, but Bird shouod be included in any debate about the best players that ever played the game.
You know your the 🐐 when you talk shit to the person signing your check. And the check signer KNOWS it.....LEGEND!
He's hands down the GOAT...period
damn right he is goat and jordan fans are to weak to even admit bird is the goat/
@Davivd2, You're so right, more people should see Bird videos, they would be humbled. Impossible to stop, and he's Always 3 to 4 steps ahead of Everyone!
There’s a reason all true knowledge nba legends and former players have larry in the top 5/10 best players all time …. Bird is by far the best passing power forward to ever play the game . He just played the game the right way
And hit nylon. Tremendous Player.!!
He was wearing glasses because he had double vision from a fractured eye socket
He was uncanny. Just knew the game. Passing at right time.. scoring,, not a one on one defender,, but made up WITH CLUTCH PLAYS. I TAKE BIRD AT MY SMALL FORWARD .. ANYTIME.. ANYDAY,, ALL DAY AND NIGHT.. PLEASE ...
GOAT from 🇮🇹
The best SF ever!!!
Bill Walton said after the 86 championship that they did not know how good Larry Bird was, and they wouldn't know until the rest of the team got better.
Best Bird compilation ever.
The one true Goat. Larry Joe
Bird would destroy todays nba anybody who disagrees doesn’t know Larry
Ofcourse he would , any knowledgeable nba fan knows Larry bird is better than everyone today . As good as passer As lebron has been in his career as a small forward , Larry bird was on another level as a passer . And he was a better rebounder , and better closer
@@teddyhaynes9876 you forgot one important thing. More than anybody else Larry Bird makes everyone around him much better. Lebron kills people’s careers.
The Goat!
The Goat
Larry Bird could say he was the greatest of all time and I might believe it. LeBron saying it im calling bullshit lol
Gotta love Larry Legend! The Hick from French Lick.
One word: tenacity. Like a drop of water over a rock. After a while there's a hole and it's Impossible to fix It. I only think Jordan was the greatest because Bird himself used to think that way and MJ didn't let his natural talent in terms of fisicality overcome the precision shots and medium rates per game to be a true champion. Magic otherwise, I believe, is a wonderfull player, but above an all around like those two. I only put three names after them --- Kobe Brian, Lebron James, and Grant Hill. Malone didn't have the tree shot besides the medium rage and strong post. Unnfortunaly Hill was avoided to grow untill highly numbers because of injuries, but the plays left behind need no more explanation. He was the next Jordan before Kobe in terms of generation talent.
Grant hill was good but even before injuries he wasn’t on kobes level, Kobe Bryant is prob the closest thing to Jordan that we will ever see .
@@teddyhaynes9876 dont agree but it's ok. I guess Hill was the closest because his induvidual game was natural and cooperate a lot more with his mates. I remeber Kobe's games wondering How many minutes more He would need with the ball to score. I respect him for the efford in practice and evolving his game but 30min of Hill where definely funnier to watch than a whole Kobe's game.
Larry bird Was DIRTY AF.
All time at the 3..
"Michael Jordan made you look slow,
Larry Bird made you look stupid"
Best ever!
Mullet and Mustache Larry is an Underrated killer.
Just think if Len bias was with bird 3 more championships
I have seen comments attributed to Bird saying that if Bias hadn't died, he could have walked away and handed the torch off to him. Of course, that might be easier to say well after the fact. I agree with your take - Bird's competitive drive wouldn't have allowed him to walk away from another championship (or three) run (s).
Losing both Len and Lewis was AWFUL for C's
I'm a huge Larry fan but "best ever" still has to go to Wilt Chamberlin. Statistically and psychologically, Wilt was the greatest basketball player to ever play.
I agree. They had to change the rules to slow him down. 100 points in one game, no 3 point line.
Nobody but Wilt ever dropped 100.
Wilt wasn’t an all round player that bird was
@@dannybird4996The hick from French Lick AKA the great white hope.
Over Bill Russell?
And they try to compare Leflop to these legends
Yes Larry Bird is also one of the GOAT basketball player. no player can be said to be the sole GOAT. Every individual player has its playing aspect which is not best or inferior compared to other player. Michael Jordan being a high leping player will get almost all the passes for him to shoot. It is the reverse of Erving Johnson who passes the ball to the open man although he can shoot and can do the shooting instead of passing the ball.
One of the baddest and toughest players ever!!! I’d take him over lbj or kd all day!!!!
Larry Bird best trash talk in NBA
what people say doesnt make them great players of any sport
7:30 ...not sissies...Bird said we played like women..... but NBA has changed history...once again.
Birds missing..!
There's a message in there.
Bird makes impossible plays. Winning a jump ball vs Hakeem, for example.
Now we have Jokic, the first player I can actually compare to Bird in over 30 years since Bird retired.
Joker has a ways to go to get to birds level
The only thing with Bird and Joker I can’t get over is that Larry loves the game, lives and breathes it. Joker wants nothing to do with it outside of going to work 😆
Hell yes, BIRDIE IS THE B E S T, E V E R!
Grab yourself two players you would pick first to start making a championship team?
My two picks will beat yours, and also, whatever 3-picks you throw in, to complete your starting five team.
But your first two picks will tell me everything I need to know.
Wanna bet? :)
My order 1 jordan 2 bird 3 magic 4 Kobe 5 lebron
Where's Wilt?
@@slave2tyranny dont include centers but ok here is my order 1 jordan 2 wilt 3 bird 4 olajuwan 5 magic
You got Hakeem at 5 ??? Kinda crazy
@@teddyhaynes9876 to be honest 2 thru 7 are interchangeable.
Not lbron
IMO I feel MJ is the GOAT 🐐 ...but anyone who feels Larry Bird 🐦 is the GOAT 🐐 that is an argument worthy of having. BIRD WAS SIMPLY AN AMAZING BASKETBALL PLAYER!
#1: Michael Jordan
#2: Larry Bird
#3: Magic Johnson
JHC.....I have seen so many comments saying Bird is the best ever. Do ANY of you know that Wilt Chamberlain played in the NBA? Compare some numbers. Or effects. Wilt forced the league to change rules. Did Bird ever do that? Answer me?
Everybody wants to measure the GOAT in their own way which is where the disagreement starts. Rings, MVP's, scoring, passing, rebounding, makes team mates better, complete player, minutes played per game, changed the rules, etc . Wilt unquestionably did things nobody else could do and was spectacular doing them. I would have loved to see Prime Wilt against prime Shaq or any of the other great centers of that era. Wilt would have had his way with all of them.
Wilt Chamberlain played against some weak players bro not even the same. Caliber as bird played against.
@@dannybird4996 Nate Thurmond, Willis Reed, Wes Unseld, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bill Russell, Walt Bellamy, Artis Gilmore, Dave Cowans, these are not "weak players" Bro
Yeah, Wilt was 7'1" playing against 6'5" old white guys. The only competition Wilt had was the Great Bill Russell. And Russell always won!!! It was like a HS basketball player playing against a 5th grader. No competition whatsoever!!!
@@robertstout6111 you obviously didn't read the above
ALL SCRAMBLED.
HOWever you measure great players, Bird isn't there. Championships? Har, har, har,. Scoring? Har, har, har. Rebounds? Har, har, har. Assists? Har, har, har. What the heck else do you want to talk about?
How about the fact it isn’t a game of simple numbers? This is basketball - not tic, tac, toe. Bird’s influence on the court in the games was total. When he played, even if the Celtics lost the game, Larry Bird didn’t lose: the other team simply scored more points and that’s all.
If Bird had been black, he would have been a good player. The other team scored more points? Gee, they sure must have been lucky to win, even thought they scored more points. @@feliscorax
@@dougamundson6836 Gee whizz, fella - can you get much more racist? Larry Bird was a GREAT player. Skin colour has nothing to do with it. He was the best shooter in the league and easily its best player for three straight seasons, but it seems that nobody is willing to give him the credit he deserves because he’s white trailer trash or some ridiculous thing like that. Statistics alone won’t help you; try some comparative analytics. There are several good videos on YT that can help you in that regard.
PS..Wilt was no doubt "better" than Bill..but who has far more rings..Team Sport..The best team usually wins..just ask Jerry West.
Julius Erving in my opinion was better than Bird. Doctor J played in the ABA and won a couple championships. Bird flew in and dominated everybody including the Doctor. Great rivalry!
How was he better if he was dominated?
How was he better he’s wasn’t a better shooter or rebounder or assists than bird was .
Love Doc, but his outside shot was average at best.
I love the doctor for sure but if we are being real and honest then the truth is Larry bird was better in every way to the doctor , Julius was great no doubt , but Larry was a better passer by a lot , better rebounder , better shooter , better team /clutch player …. Larry as a rookie took a losing Celtics team and turned them into a 60 win team , and that was before mcchale and parish came along .
Let's see: Bird won three championships. His contemporary Magic Johnson won five. Bird's fellow Celtic Bill Russell won ELEVEN. But Bird is the best player ever? Does he get extra points for being white?
Always somebody has to put race in it...yep you are that guy...ass wipe
Birds an all round player even Jordan said he was the best forward ever to play. 60s waaaay different than the 80s dude bill didn’t have ti face the caliber of players bird did. It’s not about chips because other players helped get those chips…. End of story.
Bill russell isn’t even in the top 5 , he played in a watered down time … now the bird and magic debate , if we are being honest with ourselves and putting color aside and bias aside ! Larry bird was a better shooter, better rebounder , just as good as passer and playmaker . And Larry was more clutch .. injuries truly cost Celtics 1/2 rings also the bias death . But I love magic johnson , he was so fun to watch . But magics teams always had a little more talent than the Celtics teams . But it was always a dog fight . But if birds back didn’t get hurt I think he would’ve gotten 4-5 . Bird is only player to win 3 straight mvps, but if we are talking about best team of all time i put 86 Celtics above any all time lakers team and any of Jordan’s bulls teams .
No for being great
Joking is not close to Bird
White men CAN play.
Say what you want i have the following players better than Bird. Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, Curry, Hakeem and Russell. Reason: Bird played on an hall of fame roster. Birds game wouldn't be as successful today. Todays pace would hurt his rhythm. Think about it. Why would you build a team around Bird today. You cant, but the players i mentioned you can. It's time to fix this top 10 list. For example everyone including Magic know who the greatest Laker of all time is. We are stuck in the past people.
You are nuts if you don’t think a team couldn’t build around Bird. They couldn’t even stop him back when the game was physical.
@@TheVlad1616 the game is not physical, it's finesse. That's the problem. He is a half court player. Not saying he wouldn't be a star, but he wouldn't be my first choice to build a team around in todays running game.
You're a moron, that's okay anyone who knows basketball identifies this with that statement. Players weren't allowed to carry & travel like they do and have for the last 20+ years
@@larrybaker5532 You should have seen him start fast breaks with his long passes. The reason you could build a team around him because he's a clutch scorer and he helps the others get better, with his assists, rebounds, steals and all around hussle. And he was indefatigable. He could run all day. Not just at the end of his career because of the bad back.
@@buddyforbes7157 I saw his entire career live. He isn't the goat. STOP
to @roberstout6111.....you are kidding, right? Compare ANY of his numbers to Wilt. ANY of his numbers. According to you, there is only one position in the NBA, small forward. How many rings does Bird have? Three. Oh, yeah, that makes him SO much better than Wilt. Christ, you must have only watched 8 years or so of the NBA. And you DON"T know any more history than that.
Wilt didn’t play the caliber of players bird had to face dude cmon now…. he was playing against a bunch of 6’4” white dudes 😂
There’s a reason wilt was a notorious loser when it mattered most , wilt got all them crazy stats playing in a weak watered down era .
He only got Three rings that says it all right
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Basketball is a TEAM sport. Switch Magic to Boston and Bird to LA... what happens?
@@Bakaat777You wouldn’t have the razzle dazzle Show Time Lakers. It was the fast pace style that made them unique at the time and Magic was the key.
@@gv327bird would have done SOOOO much more with kareem and cooper and worthy.
@@gv327 LOL... that was kinda my point.
Its time to recognize Larry as the 2nd best of all time...just barely behind Jordan. There will never be a better SF. And for those that think LeBron deserves to be top 5, ill get my ouija board out, and attempt to contact your brain cell.
Bird is a far more complete player than mj.
@@sugarnads Personally, I have them 1A and 1B. They are interchangeable on my team, and I would be in heaven if I got either one as my #1 pick.
@@bradynutzman44881A and 1B is a good way to put it. Thankfully, 1A is a SF and 1B a SG, so they can both start.
MJ was the greatest give me a break
Wrong
bring bird out of retirement even at his age he would bring that ring home/////tatum and brown are flops///////////////
Best ALL-AROUND PLAYER EVER should include DEFENSE. Besides MJ besting Bird in every individual accolade that can be achieved in the NBA, Jordan was a 9x NBA All Defensive First Team member, while Bird made the All Defensive Second team 3xs. Never made first team. Jordan was the NBA steals leader 3xs and won Defensive Player of the year, NBA MVP and the NBA scoring title all in the same season. I appreciate your opinion but numbers say otherwise.
If bird would have not hurt his back,who knows
@@garybadessa6592 yet his accomplishments pale in comparison to MJ
@@dannycorsaro546 if Jordan didn’t retire in the middle of his prime, he could have won 8 in a row. No point in discussing ifs.
@@garysimmons5291 you can say whatever you want but bird was a forward Jordan a guard,I will admit though that Jordan was the goat! But remember birds team swept him twice!
@@garysimmons5291and jordan didnt do shit until bird retired.
Stop it with the Larry Bird best player ever bullshit. He's not even the best Celtic ever
Great? Yes, the Best? No
Best all round player .
Jordan was better than Bird offensively, SIGNIFICANTLY better defensively and also better in the playoffs and the finals. You can make the argument Bird was a slightly better shooter but they both shot the same career fg% right at 50%. Anybody who thinks Bird was better than Michael should go watch the playoff series in 1986 when the Bulls matched up with the Celtics. That's when Jordan had that 63 point game. He was so much better than anybody else on the court including Bird that it was almost laughable. Bird called him "God disguised as Michael Jordan".
I’m not saying I’m taking Bird ahead of Jordan, but Bird was 23-11 in matchups against Jordan all time. This includes going 6-0 against him in the playoffs
@@TheRedSoxMan LMFAO! Name the starting lineups for both teams dude. I can't believe you actually posted that stat. A bunch of hall of famers against Dave Corzine and Eugene Banks. Yeah...really compelling post.
Who won that game?
Who SWEPT the bulls?
Who didnt win shit until bird retired?
@@sugarnads Jordan was SIGNIFICANTLY better than Bird. Even Bird would admit that. Go back and watch that playoff series...maybe you'll learn something.
That's funny you said better he was better than Bird in the playoffs. Hell we all know, and remember Bird swept his ass 2x in the playoffs
Athleticism is overrated……
Too bad they couldn’t beat the lakers without cheating in 1984. McHale should have been suspended for close lining Rambis and game 5 Boston garden AC was working just fine, they turned it off to slow down the lakers fast break. Oh, the refs also played a huge roll in game 4 in LA allowing foul after foul by the Celtics to go on the entire game.
There was NO A/C in the garden in 1984 = LOL. Both teams were physical = see James Worthy shove Maxwell in the back while shooting a layup, or Kareem throwing elbows at Bird. Boston beat LA fair and square in 1984 Finals.
Wilt played against six foot four white dude's
Probably the dumbest comment I've ever seen on Wilt
Exactly
good job
top 5 player of all time