James Worthy HATES The 'A$$Hole' Larry Bird To This Day, This Is Why 👀 

James Worthy once said that when you played Michael Jordan he makes you looked slow and when you played Larry Bird he makes you looked stupid.

Ice was a great individual scorer, but... Saw many a game where he got his 30 or 40 and the Spurs lost by 20. Bird could score 15 on an off night and carry the Celtics to a win with rebounds and assists.

Funny how when you were a fan of a team, you hated the players on the team that was their bitterest rival; but years later after they've all retired, you wake up one day and realize that you have such great respect for the players of the rival team! Respect to James Worthy. He was a worthy competitor!

As a Laker fan I hated Bird from ‘79 -‘91. I knew he and Magic developed a great friendship halfway through their career but the day my feelings changed for Bird was the day Magic retired in ‘91 and there was footage of Bird walking out of the middle of the Celtics practice saying this was the only day in his life he didn’t feel like playing basketball.

As a Sixers fan growing up in the 80s I can definitely attest to Bird's greatness. I hated the guy as a player, but that hate stemmed from the number of times he would just cut our hearts out. You could be playing perfect defense on him and he would just hit a jumper right in your face, and he could rebound, he could pass. He just killed you in so many ways. Growing up back then I just despised the Celtics, but you had to appreciate Bird's greatness.

So glad I got to witness those Laker/Celtics battles throughout the 80's. They were the best

I'm a Laker fan and Bird is on my NBA Mount Rushmore

As an old Celtics fan I have to say James Worthy was a man we respected.

Larry did it all and made the team better. That to me was his greatest skill, making others play better.

My favourite moment was when DJ start playing insane defense on Magic. That was the turning point - and what allowed the Celts to win that year. And yeah, I was a great Celtic fan. :) James might "hate" Bird, but it's obvious he also loves him.

People forget how good James Worthy was. Man he would float in the air.

Hey James, as a Celtics fan since 75 I will say that there are two players I feared the most. One of them was Andrew Toney, and the other one was you, James. You seemed to just glide and score at will. You killed me. In retrospect, from this fan’s perspective, it was a helluva lotta fun. It really was. I imagine many Lakers fans from that era would agree. That, that was the best that great NBA rivalry ever. Granted there are some good ones now, and others fade away, but that Lakers/Celtic one in the 80's was the best, most evenly matched of them all…so far anyways.

Worthy was unreal, the perfect compliment to Magic. He could fill the lane like no one else could and he was so smooth at laying the ball in or dunking the basketball. He always finished the play and often got fouled. He was extremely fast and especially quick for his size and he was an outstanding defensive player. He also was an excellent post player in the half court set, he was very unique in the way that he posted people up. (He would give McCale fits. He would hold the ball down low, often with one hand....and just hold the ball for several seconds, not doing anything. But, what he was doing was sizing up his opposition. Then, quick as a cat, he'd drop step,and most of the time he was too quick for the defender and lay in the ball with a mini-finger roll or a quick dunk. The defender was often left flat footed because Worthy was EXTREMELY quick. While James was an outstanding finisher and a great post player, he wasn't much of a shooter until late in his career (like Magic). Almost all of his damage was done within 4 feet of the basket. Unfortunately James had bad knees and he didn't have a long career but he was among the best to ever play the game when he was at his peak. He was a key player in the Lakers success in the mid-late 80s. It's a shame that all those great players had medical problems that shortened their careers. Magic had Aids, Bird had a bad back and Worthy had bad knees. Worthy easily could have averaged 25+ ppg but he played on a team with lots of stars and he didn't mind sharing the spotlight. But, during their peak, they took a back seat to no one, not even Jordan.

Larry bird is the goat let’s be honest

If you like this content, you might like this video - Larry Bird vs Steph Curry: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-m3kRj3M4hbI.html

Larry Bird played after spending the night in traction.. Larry Bird would play with a dislocated L1 and a fractured cheek bone, But players today will sit out because their thumb hurts or their knee hurts..

It's etched in my mind the incredible quickness and footwork of Worthy. Here';s this enormously tall man who could move like a 6foot guard

Big, big, big Boston and Bird fan but I always liked and respected James and the Lakers back then. If Boston wasn't playing on TV I was watching the Lakers. James is very underrated. That dude could fill a lane.

I bleed Showtime Lakers, so my favorite Larry Bird moments were when he and the Celtics lost to the Lakers! There was one particular moment when the Celtics lost to the Lakers, and Bird admitted during a press conference that Magic was the best! That was rather satisfying! With that said, I have Larry Bird as my starting Small Forward in the All Time Team! I may have some lingering “hate” for Bird, but I respect the hell out of him! ☮️🖖🏽

The 1980's were the greatest of times for the NBA. My Milwaukee Bucks with Coach Nellie and Sidney Moncrief and Marques Johnson and Bob Lanier had some super teams but could never get past the Sixers and Celtics both in the same postseason. We'd beat Philly then lose to Boston; or we'd beat Boston but lose to Philly. We did that like five times! Still makes me wanna cry.

Anyone who picks Gervin to start over Bird has a serious agenda.

If Larry Bird wrote a book about all the trash he talked on the basketball court and backed up, it would be a bestseller.

Valentine's day, 1987, Celtics versus Lakers at The Forum. A dream come true for me as a Laker fan to finally attend a home game instead of being at the Oakland Arena, Warriors. James Worthy was on Larry like flies on doodoo. Larry shot his famous fade away and James almost tipped it. It was nothing but net. Best shot I had ever seen.

Bird’s mind games worked like a charm

Misleading title. He doesn’t HATE Larry. LARRY LEGEND IS A UNICORN & THE TRUE GOAT 🐐 ☘️

Larry Bird's body was not fast, but his mind and hand/eye coordination was quick enough to make a play faster than his competition could react to in time.

Damn never bored hearing larry story

We can debate who the better or best player(s) is, but one thing is certain, Worthy and Bird could flat out play

Favorite moment -- Game 4 '84 Finals. Larry and Magic wrestling for position in the post, DJ clever bounce pass to Larry on the right block. Larry turnaround scorches net for the game winner in OT.

You have to give it to Bird. A big, tall, lanky, slow, white basketball player who dominated the NBA that was full of much more athletic black players. And he talked shit to them while he did it. He was a bad white boy just like Luka is today.

Could it be Worthy is the a-hole? My take is yes.

Glad to see Larry getting the acknowledgment & respect he deserves

First was Larry, then there was Jordan

Bird had IT, he was just phenomenal player for all ages. I've been waiting all these years and players come and go, but I have not seen another Bird-type baller since his retirement.

He would be really stupid to start Gervin over Bird. No comparison.

Larry dont care about anything except winnin james. I dont think you hate him and he dont care if you do..

It is easy to not like someone who can back up their trash talk. Larry Legend is the GOAT!

Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals. Kevin McHale clothes lines Kurt Rambis.

Click bait title. Worthy didn't hate Larry, he hated playing against Larry. My favorite Larry vs. The Lakers moment? Easy. The Lakers blow them out by 33 in 1984 Game 3, in The Forum. In the postgame interview, they ask Larry his thoughts. "Well, we just played like a bunch of old women tonight. ... We've got some great players on this team, but we don't have the players with the heart, sometimes, that we need. And today, when you see Magic slapping high-fives, and guys [passing] behind their backs, and shooting lay-ups on us all day long, you'd think that something, SOMEONE, would try to put a stop to it, and, until we get our hearts where they belong, well ... we're in trouble." For anyone who thinks this is arrogant superstar behavior, throwing his team under the bus, the Boston Globe headline screamed the next morning, "BIRD RIPS SELF, TEAMMATES", because he was even more acidically brutal on himself, going so far, if I remember right, to refer to himself as a 'sissy'. At this point, everyone's eyes were about as wide as dinner plates. Every basketball fan in the world should then watch the greatest NBA game ever played, Game 4 of the 1984 NBA World Championship, played in The Forum in Los Angeles, California, in its entirety.

The play worthy describes is a great play....happen just like WORTHY said and it was a game winner. celtics fan but loved the players from L.A. also. great rivalry and so much fun for NBA fans back then!!!

I could tell that Worthy basically had to force that compliment out of himself for Bird. That tells me right there how good Bird was.

James Worthy said in another interview that Bird would be his pick over MJ

I've never saw that clip. I do remember Worth saying; if you're arrogant and you're good, then you're not arrogant, you're just good.

No need to hate people you can't stop or beat.

Larry Legend is in my all time top 5! It's subjective to some but not to me!

I saw this earlier today, and was confused when he didn't say start Larry...now, after watching this I know why

My favorite Celtics/Lakers moments. 84 finals when Kevin McHale clotheslined Kurt Rambis. Turning point of the entire series for Boston. That's why they won the championship against the Lakers.

George Ice Man Gervin is legend status

Sounds like sour grapes from Worthy--LOL All Larry was doing was getting in his head to make him mad and break his concentration giving Larry a psychological edge - and it obviously worked to a tee on James Worthy---LOL

I’m from Gastonia also. He went to the same high school I did, so I am a huge James Worthy fan. But Larry Bird will always be the goat.

I am so lucky to have grown up watching these 2 teams go at it, and to have watched great players like Bird & Magic. Was a different era of basketball.

Priceless recollection by the one and only Big Game James!

If Worthy's money was on the line, he knows he'd start Bird. He's still salty ;)

James Worthy was a great player and is a great man...and i am from Boston.

All of the Games that were played against the Lakers and Celtics..are amazing!! with Bird and Magic!!!

Worthy had the quickest first step that I have seen of anyone who has played this game.

The only time the word 'hate appears' on this page is in your very misleading title - and in one other comment, also criticising your title.

I'm sure Larry bird is losing sleep over what worthy thinks about him.

I am truly a fan of all of you who played BACK IN THE DAY. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

I can understand when you have a bitter rival like Bird you might not ever completely get over it but that’s the only reason he chose Gervin over Larry and that’s completely fine. Bill Laimbeer was no Bird or Iceman but he was highly underrated. He played the game rough but so did Rick Mahorn and he gets plenty of respect because his off court personality was nice. Bill almost never said a single nice thing about an opponent and decades later no one but his teammates will say a single nice thing about him.

Much respect to the Celtics and Laker teams back then! I was a Celtics fan but the Lakers from that era were legends!

Besides Worthy, Magic, and Kareem, a really underrated Laker was Michael Cooper. To this day, Bird claims that Coop played tougher defense on him than anyone else.

I got every Showtime Lakers broadcast in the 80's here in Central California. James Worthy often had the assignment of guarding The Bird. Worthy actually played pretty good defense against Larry. But when Larry was intent on getting a basket, Larry was gonna burn James. Just like he did everyone else.

Larry Bird GOAT

It seems to me that trash talking in previous generations was more subtle, and was meant for the opponent, and not for the whole crowd to see and hear. Now modern players want everyone to see and hear their taunting and trash talking. The thing I don't like is that random nobody players will trash talk like they are someone special. This goes for all sports, not just basketball.

During a championship game larry had the ball and he shrugged his shoulders as if he was gonna shoot, all 5 Lakers leaped into the air , and larry just stood there and watched them in the air as they landed he shot and scored

When I was in college, in the 80's, I worked part time in a store like Home Depot. Me and the janitor were Celtic fans and a couple guys in the warehouse liked the Lakers. We had so much fun talking crap to each other over those games. I miss those times.

Simply Larry Legend

I loved it grew up in the 80.s and it was the best basketball ever

Bird mastered the game very early. He had to make up challenges for himself to keep himself from being bored. He would shoot with only his off hand for games and still lead in scoring. He would make friendly wagers about taking HORSE-type of shots in games and make them. He would tell his defender the inbound play and give defensive options before it happened, even game ending plays, WTF? He would set up McHale to break the Celtics scoring record only to motivate himself to break McHale's record the next game. He demanded to take every last shot and made nearly everyone of them. He didn't want to play decoy like MJ and took shots, double or triple teamed. No player that has or will walk this Earth would even think about doing those things. He was unshakably confident in his talent and ability. The man is beyond GOAT, he is god.

Bird got it done

Larry Legend

Respect to Worthy. An underrated great on the most stacked team ever. Bird is the best, all time fantasy draft he’s #1 pick.

Lifelong Laker fan (and I mean back to Jerry and Wilt). I even lived in Boston during the 80's. But Bird would be in my all time starting 5.

Bird was asked to pick his all time starting 5 and he named James Worthy as his small forward.

My favorite Laker-Celtic moment is when the Lakers beat the Celtics in Game 6 of the 1985 finals in the Boston Garden to win the championship. The mountain was finally climbed! Victory! ✌

Worthy was a damn good player himself, really underrated

Its a shame the "winning season" tv show got canned, but as a pure celtics hater i would LOVE to see the same actor play larry bird in a tv show. Larry is prime time and there's absolutely no doubt about it.

Bird played and entire game lefty just so a reporter would ask him why he did it. His answer "I'm saving my right for the Lakers on Saturday" most underrated Larry moment

Worthy was great!

He was a stone cold killer

God, I miss the 80’s so much. I vividly remember playing Magic vs Bird on the Commodore 64(only on weather days) so much, I’d get callouses from the joystick! Such an amazing time for sports, tv, music, and everything pop culture related.

They don't have players like them anymore. We'll probably never see the likes of players like them ever again.

Bird was twice the player worthy was

Some coach said "If I had to choose a player to take the shot to win a game I'd choose Jordan. To save my life I'd choose Bird"

I played at the same park James played at in gastonia N.C. Lineberger park with expanded metal backboards. We had some hellacious 4x4 half court games there. No blood, no foul, I was in my early 50s playing with the young guys and holding my own. I was 6'4'' and 225 then.

Pause at 3:38 Kareems elbow looks like a FN Torpedo HF !! 😳 That could do some insane amount of damage.

To be honest I think more people remember Larry Bird today than they do James Worthy. I think that’s why he’s mad.

One of the favorites was when Magic got a rebound, got confused, and put the ball in the Celtics basket! The next was watching Kareem having to breath from a tank of oxygen when the Garden was about 100 degrees! The games those 2 teams ahd always brought both cities to a standstill, they were that good.

Magic said in an interview that in the NBA there is Larry Bird then there is everyone else..

Being a Spurs fan since 1977, it was so much fun watching the Iceman, the Hemisphere Area was the loudest area, the Iceman was so smooth and of course could score anywhere 55% field goal, the Spurs came close a few times, but needed 1 or 2 key players. When Larry Bird and Boston come into town, I knew Boston w/ Larry Bird was going to win. Sure enough, Bird always found a way to win, even if the Iceman go 40pts, it didnt matter, Larry could win in so many ways, with assist, a key steal or block or just shooting, at the time I hated Boston and LA, but I had the upmost respect for Bird and Magic and Kareem and Worthy, Worthy was a very high percentage shooter, even his midrange game, I beleive he lead the league a couple of times in fg %. Worthy was a great, Bird is the GOAT, Bird was best all around NBA player who did everything great, Gervin the best at getting points. MJ great athlete and all around player, Magic greatest passer and motivator

I was a HUGE Larry and Celtics fan and also a huge fan of James Worthey.

Bird vs Worthy a war, is two of my favorites.

I think that was the best years in basketball the eighties , , when magic, Jordan, Bird , Worthy, Jabbar, Olajuwon and many more stars play in that era . That is the eighties, Somebody said , nobody saw Ja morant on that era, oh yah we saw him in David Thompson.

When Bird 1st came into the league Boston Garden tickets were $5.00/each my dad brought me to every game - it was awesome.

Great footage! Larry was an asshole but he backed it up game after game! Goat 🐐 Only guy that told the player guarding him and the coach exactly what he was going to do and still there was no answer! Goat 🐐

I'm from Gastonia! What a line. I'm a SC boy and I know Gastonia.

Dick Stockton said of James Worrhy during the 1987 finals against Boston, " the 3 gifts he has;the catch;the postup move;and a quick first step. You had to be gifted indeed to catch a fast ball from Earvin Johnson.

I'm 57 and been watching Basketball since I was a kid , I grew up in Houston and when we had the Twin, Towers, Ralph ,Sampson and olajajuan I thought we were going 2 win one then but know the Celtics and Lakers were still kicking ass .that Larry Bird was one hell,of a basketball player

Worthy and Jordan with the Tar heels were a match made in heaven.