Here is a statistic most people don't realize about Larry Bird Bird averaged more defensive rebounds per game than (and this is just a small sample): Shaquille O'Neal Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Moses Malone Karl Malone Charles Barkley David Robinson Hakeem Olajuwon Ralph Sampson Patrick Ewing Kevin Durant Dikembe Mutumbo
For perspective, a lot of those players actually played until they were shells of themselves, leading to poor stats at the end of their careers. To be fair you must look at the peaks. You're not about to tell me that Larry Bird is a better defender than Moses Malone
@@jonathan031795 For perspective - the same thing can be said of Bird. IF you look at his rebounding stats before and after he injured his back. As for Moses Malone vs Bird and who is the better defender - let me ask you a question - why is Malone a better defender than Bird?
Bird said Moses Malone had a second jump when he rebounded that he didn't have. Bird always gave props for his competitors and told it like it was. Another reason Bird is my favorite player of all time.
@@jonathan031795after 1985 Bird had destroyed his back fixing his mothers driveway, he didn’t trust anyone else to do it correctly. With a broken back he proceeded to torch everyone in the league for another 7 years. He won the three three point contests after he injured his back and won his third ring.
@@jonathan031795Larry injured his back, and played for another 7 years. Let that sink in. Do you think LBJ, KD, Steph, or any other players today would continue to play for 7 years with a back that was like Larry Birds. Bird had 6 healthy seasons.
Can any of those guys you mentioned tell the other team what play they are gonna do and then proceed to go out and do it? If not, then they are not another Larry Bird...the trash talking is my guess is what Magic was talking about.
If you really research Bird is top 3. Look at it this way. MJ supposed to be the very best. When MJ sat out a year the Bulls went from 57 wins to 55. When Bird sat out a year the Celtics went from 57 wins to 43. Keep in mind that you are lead to believe that MJ carried the bulls and the Celtics carried Bird. It’s just not so. MJ, Bird and Kareem top 3.
Luka and the Joker don’t have the grit that Bird did. Definitely that slow style is the same but man, Bird just had “it” more than them. Mainly because Bird hit similar numbers with heavy defense. Today’s defense would allow guys like Bird to average 40 pts a game with triple doubles consistently each night.
@@jonathan031795has any of them won 3 MVPs in a row? Bird is the third and last person to accomplish this. Took a team with a horrible win/loss record to the playoffs his rookie year and that is why he won Rookie of the Year. LeBron James has as his top 3: Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlin and Larry Bird
@@andrewft31OR, "ONE" steal away from a QUADRUPLE DOUBLE, in the THIRD QUARTER, but took his own self out the game! Very short list of quadruple doubles EVER. Lol
Luca and Joker have elements of Bird’s game. But neither one of them have the most important trait! Larry Bird was a cold blooded killer when his team needed it the most! Best example of this was in the 88 Easter Conf Div game 7 against the Hawks. Both of his Achilles were killing him, but he found a way to go out there and carry his team on his back in the 4th quarter to win!
Yes, there are players with elements of Bird's game. I've seen Jokic live and the influence is obvious. But there will never be the same combination of Bird's intellect, personality, humor and hubris, toughness, skills, size, upbringing, work ethic, Indiana basketball culture, and the affect of his father's life and suicide. There will probably never be another skinny white, poor kid who grown black men taught to talk trash and play street ball. Who else could face the humiliation of leaving IU (you blew it, Bobby), then bounce back from pushing a broom and hauling trash to the cover of Sports Illustrated, an NCAA final, and a storied career with the Celtics? Earvin isn't talking about Larry Joe Bird, the Legend. He's talking about his friend, the man. Magic was right. There will never be another Larry Bird.
@@jonathan031795 The guys you mentioned to being Larry Bird are not as good as Larry they have Larry traits but they are not all around great players Larry did it all they don't do it all and they don't have the basketball IQ that Larry has there was no cap in Magic's statement
There will never be another Larry Bird because none of the current players will ever have to deal with the physicality of that era. Watch a few minutes of “The Bad Boy Pistons” to get a feel of what Bird and Jordan had to deal with, no comparison.
I can respect that everyone have their right to root for who they want to root for. As of late, I've become a big fan of Larry Bird. I've always liked him, but after hearing his story I can relate to him
If all the legends that played against him called him the greatest, who are we to argue? Thats just how I see it, do we really have any authority to say they are wrong? They all universally picked Bird.
@@jonathan031795 Your right, of course they exclude themselves. But we have to ask who do they all name as being the best? They all have one name on their lips, no?
Never be another Larry Bird. It's not just his skill sets. You can't compare another to Larry when it comes to trash talking, attitude, work ethic, hustle, team oriented play, toughness, and leadership. Joker and Luka don't have all that. That's why my top 3 players are MJ, Bird, Kobe. They were all tough, straight killers, heart of a Lion, and competitive psychopaths.
@@jonathan031795 yes but you would have to combine both of their skills and kobe's heart to equal bird. Watching Luka I believe bird would probably average 5 more points a game in today's NBA
Not only was Bird the third player (and the only forward) to make MVP 3 times in a row but In a 9-year run from 1980 to 1989, Larry Bird got 67% of all MVP votes that were cast. All other players combined only received 33% of the votes. in an era that included the players who eventually made up the dream team and a large list of HOF players.
I forgot this one - during his career Bird led the NBA in defensive win shares 4 times. IF you add together the number of times Jordan and LeBron have done that - you get ZERO
Bird had a better supporting cast. Defensive win shares it, not an individual stat. It will only go to players that's on the best defensive teams. Dennis Johnson, Ainge, Parish and McHale were all solid defenders. Dennis Johnson is one of the best lane defenders in NBA History
@@jonathan031795 Since when is DFS not an individual stat? If it was a team stat then all players on the team would have a similar DFS and that is not true.
@@jonathan031795There are similarities. But listen closely and you won't hear Birdlike talk and mind games. 😉 And as someone said, they make Larry look like a sprinter. lol!
@@jonathan031795with players like Bird and Magic you can’t go by stats, they were about winning not scoring, if someone else was able to score Bird and Magic made sure they got the ball. Notice when Bird plays he doesn’t hesitate to pass to Parish or McHale or Johnson to Kareem or Byron Scott. If Bird and Magic were ball hogs they would have higher number of points but that isn’t how they approached the game.
@@jonathan031795His stats are the third highest in the NBA 43.7, I believe. Sir, you need to watch some actual Larry Bird games. I can’t understand or agree with any of your opinions and I watched basketball until Kobe was pretty much done. I’m also a Lakers fan, but I recognized Bird was something else, right away. I was mad that he wasn’t on our team! I was six, and didn’t get loyalty or any of that. I just knew he was a spectacular player to watch. He controlled the court like no one else could, then or now. No other player influenced the game without holding the ball. He was everywhere on the court, assisting, stealing, rebounding, and scoring. He was the absolute best clutch player. Badass Kobe played on a sprained ankle, remember? Can you imagine how much that hurt? Bird played with a broken thumb and finger; a two inch cut between his big toe and next one, for an infection to drain; a broken spine; two Achilles’ tendon injuries; and still managed to be as amazing as he was! He’s also a phenomenal passer, which none of the guys you’re mentioning come close to comparing to. Not to mention, everyone of the young bucks that have come after Larry, had the advantage of studying, and learning from him. That’s a major privilege Larry didn’t have. You simply don’t have enough data in front of you to be making such accusations and convictions, IMO.
I read somewhere that Bird had Bron's passing, KD's midrange shooting touch, Curry's long range and free throw accuracy, Jokers rebounding skills, Kobe and MJ's killer will, and more clutch than any player in history! It should say they have Birds.
Magic is a better passer. All of those players named were arguably better in each of those traits. I would say that Bird is the 2nd greatest " all-around " player of all time behind LeBron, in my opinion
@@jonathan031795 I'm from Cleveland and I'm grateful to Lebron for the Championship he helped bring to the Cavs. I can't give the goat title to him, in my opinion players that jump from team to team like KD and Lebron as well as others to form super teams in order to win titles can't be considered the goat. Can you imagine how many titles would have been won if MJ, Bird and Magic would have formed a super team. Their thought process was I want to Beat the best not join them.
@@jonathan031795 Bird behind LeBron? Bird knew how to win and how to lift his teammates to give their best. Bird was selfless and a great leader. He excelled in the clutch. LeBron exhibits none of those traits.
Jokic and rheumatologist the rest of them can’t do what bird could do. Overall!!! Anything you see on Jokic is all offensive nothing defensive. That’s how it is now. You have shooters, dunkers, passers, defenders. Not one can consistently do it all.
Jokic holds his own on defense. I can't name many players who cooked him while being on offense. We have to start to accept that Jokic will be a top 10 basketball player of all time when he hangs it up.
I've watched NBA just on tapes way longer that most. I started watching on reels about the stars of the 60's and 70's at the USIS in our city in the Philippines. I was a basketball player myself and privileged to be able to watch those reels in that building. I remember those players Gail Goodrich, Elvin Hayes, Pistol Pete, Monty Towe, Thompson, etc, long forgotten names. The technology transitioned to Betamax tapes for rent, and then DVD, and parabolic satellite antenna where we now in the third world country can watch NBA championship games live. Finally, we now have cable TV and watch games live for years. I've watched all them during their college days and in the NBA. My idol was Bill Walton of the UCLA Walton gang for awhile until the name Larry Bird stated appearing in some sports magazines. Then i saw him play. He was just awesome. Complete player and always a winner. There are many legends in the game but that is the word legend in a generic sense. Larry owns that title simply because he is the best by far. Larry Legend.
I don't see Luka or Jokic repeating Larry's path. 3 time consecutive MVP. (not even Jordan or Lebron could do this). Finished 2nd in MVP voting for 70% of the rest of his career. Neither of them have the clutch factor of Bird.
Without Magic Johnson and Larry Bird their would be no NBA, they were dying. Low ratings, low attendance, drugs issues, playoffs would be played after reruns. Bird and Johnson brought attention back to the league and saved it. No Bird and Johnson and you would have no Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant etc… and those players you named that could be similar to Bird, Bird won Rookie of the Year, took a bottom tier team with the worst win/loss record and took them to the playoffs his first season, won a ring his 2nd years, won 3 MVPs in a row, only the third and last person to do this. 0-6 against Jordan in the playoffs.
1ST CONDOLENCES TO MR. WALTONS LOVED ONES. R.I.P. BILL 2ND THESE PLAYERS ONLY HAVE PIECES OF ASPECTS OF BIRD's GAME. NOWHERE NEAR BIRD. KEEP DIGG'N THO, YOUVE ONLY FELT THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG OF HOW COLD LARRY BIRD, WAS, IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE. LARRY AT A PACERS PRACTICE .. LANCE STEPHENSON SAID: THE TEAM IS STRETCHING AND LARRY WALKS ONTO THE COURT, GRABS A BALL AND STARTS JACKING 3's, SWOOSH, SWOOSH, SWOOSH. ATLEAST 10 IN A ROW, AND SITS BACK DOWN LIKE HE DIDNT DO ANYTHING. MIND YOU LARRY BIRD WAS 60 AT THE TIME ! LEGEND !!!
larry was a pure shooter, 50.40.90. club twice. luka will never be in that class. neither will jokich. luka is like harden he dribbles the air out of the ball. larry usually got the ball from the point guard half way through the play and then he finished the play. joker is way too slow he likes the pick and roll. if no one is open then he has to take a 3 {34 %} or bully his way to the basket. joker is a different kind of player than larry. larry's winning % is 73.8 2nd best of all time. joker will never get close to that, thanks for listening.
"MJ said Luka and Joker are great but they are by no means Larry Bird." Every player that played against Bird says the same thing whether they loved it or hated him. Jordan said it best when he was asked about playing Bird. "He wasn't that athletic, didn't jump that high,run that fast. But his mind for the game was so great it made up for it. Therefore Larry Bird has no flaws."
Does Luka tell the other players what he's going to do and back it up ,no he doesn't , There will never be another Larry Bird , stop insulting him by comparing him to other players
If Jokic wasn't robbed of MVP last year because of voters fatigue, we would be talking about a 4 time MVP winner. I think it's safe to say at this point of his career it's a valid argument. Both Luka and Jokic don't play with the talent that Bird played with
Too drunk to argue, but let me ask you 1 question. The guy's in your top 5-10😮, what did they think of Bird? Inspiration, motivation? They learned from his example.
The thing is you have Luka and Joker who can do some of things Bird could do but neither of them can do everything Bird could do. For 4 straight seasons over 300 games 84-88 Bird averaged a 50/40/90 with just over 28 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists per game. It's a ridiculous stat line that no one can match across the board and even the few that can match some of it, don't even come remotely close to doing it for over 300 games straight. You can't even find players that can play 300 games over 4 straight seasons today let alone maintain anything close to those stats.
Man, I'm 50 and grew up being a huge Bird fan and there was nothing better than watching Magic vs Bird with my Dad! I was shocked when I first saw people reacting to Larry on RU-vid and still people saying he was un-athletic? He passed like a point guard, shot like a shooting guard, played forward or small forward or even center and out rebounded the league leaders a lot of the time and shot like a dagger from 3 at 6-foot 9"! Had his back held up I would like to have seen where he would stand!!
I think basketball in today's game is just as real as it was in the 80s. The only difference is the evolution of the game and the players. Players now and days are more skilled and more athletic than the players of those days. The worst player on a Championship team now would be a starter in the 80s era
@jonathan031795 Maybe a few. From my observations, today's players are so lacking in the fundamentals, much less in mastery of them, and lacking in basketball IQ that I think they might not even make the bench. There were also just 23 NBA rosters to be a part of in 1986 vs 30 today.
What everybody doesn’t realize about Larry Bird’s trash talk is, Larry’s trash talk wasn’t obnoxious and flagrant. His trash talk was to get in his opponent’s head. Look at all the other trash talk guys, they are stupid obnoxious and stupid. Larry Bird played every game 150% every game. NOT ONE NBA PLAYER TODAY DOES THAT.
Gary Payton throws compliments around like manhole covers. If HE says Bird is the shit, you’d best put Bird at #2 where he belongs. As for Luka and Jokic, till they tell the defense what they’re gonna do, then do it, NO COMPARISON!!!
If you haven’t yet watched A Courtship of Rivals documentaty, I suggest you watch it if not react to it. I’m a Magic man, saw him play in the 80s in person. Hated Bird. That doc and all these videos of hall of famers singing his praises, the two of them are at least tied for me. I think that’s where it should he left on these lists. They are inseparable. If you’ve got Magic as number three or number four, just put Bird in the same spot a tie. That’s where it’s at in my head. I’ll go even go a step further, I think the Celtics should have Magic’s jersey in the rafters, and the Lakers should have Bird’s jersey in the rafters. I know that is blasphemous to some, but if you know you know.
How about the greatest basketball announcer of all time.. chick Hearn. Created much of the terminology that it is used in basketball every day. Chick Hearn is the goat! It’s a slam dunk!!! (A term he created!!)
Enjoyed your reaction 😊 For me Larry Bird's trash talking, either broke a player down, or forced an opponent to be a better player, & it was the strength of the player, which way they were affected.......that was just a part of who Bird was 😊 I agree with your comparisons as well......My Dad and I have watched Larry since the 70's, and the only players that came close to his style in our opinions, are also, Jokic & Luka.
Of all the players you named and I Respect everyone's right to their opinion how many put up allstar numbers AFTER having a broken nacho and Double Achilles surgery Mr Bird did that for for years that is the reason I have him above Wilt Chamberlin I would imagine none of your top 5 had to deal with either ever had a really sore back where you can't sleep because of it do you think you could have put up those numbers? I couldn't
I watched larry Luka jockic and Luka is nothing like larry and jockic is close too LArry I don't think Luka would've of made it back in magic and bird Era
Bird played against too many of the greats. In a much more physical era of basketball. Can you even imagine any of the good teams today trying to play against the old school defense of the Detroit Bad Boys, Or Boston, Or Ewing and the Knicks, Barkley and the 76s The eastern conference in those days was violent
The reason there will not be another Larry Bird is because those names you spoke ... still cannot do what he does. The best at passing, shooting, defending, trash talking.... can they do all that? I think not.
Valid point, but the Media had Bird's back to the fullest in those days. I'm not saying he wasn't great, but they forced some things on him. Some that Bird didn't want to be a part of
I do not have Kobe in my top five but will not dispute anyone that does. One of my all time favorites as well. He was definitely very special. Wrote a poem about him when he passed
Kobe and Michael Jordan were a joke , they weren't team players they were all about themselves , Larry Bird was the Master and was a team player ,no one can compare to him
Larry Bird was Larry Bird and there will be another Larry Bird , have you ever seen Luka or the other players you mentioned told the other team what what they were going to do and then do it , no I didn't think so , Larry Bird was the Master