LEBRON FAN REACTS TO Michael Jordan vs Larry Bird Highlights (1991.03.31) - 71pts, Crazy Battle! 

This was 1991. Larry retired in 92.

Just to answer a couple of your questions... This was old, broke down, broke back, playing-in-constant pain Larry Bird. This game was towards the end of the season; and, as soon as he finished playing that season, Larry was in the hospital for a Hail Mary back surgery that ultimately didn't work. This is the next to the last season of Larry's career. McHale was mostly back on the bench during this point in his career because he had so much trouble with his feet and an additional ankle injury had made him miss the 6 games prior to this game. The only reason he was even at this game is they planned to put him in for 5 minutes here or there to judge how his recovery was going. Because of this game staying close and leading to double overtime, he ended up playing way more minutes than intended (but still only about 20.) Parish is holding up pretty well but he is 37 (almost 38) years old at this point. Even Reggie Lewis, one of the young guys the Celtics hoped would take them into the future past the Big 3's playing days had a back injury that had originally been going to keep him out of this game. So, old Bird and his battered Celtics are facing Prime Jordan and Prime Pippen on team in a Championship season. I still can't figure out why the Bulls didn't win this game. Also, I watched this game, (It use to be on youtub e) because - like you said - it was a great game to watch. Even though you can't see it in these highlights, they did switch out defenders on Larry. Grant, Pippen and Jordan all tried guarding Bird in this game (Cliff Levingston guarded Bird briefly whenever Grant was taking a rest.) They put Grant on Bird for the first half. Then they tried Pippen on Bird for most of the 3rd quarter. At the beginning of the 4th, they tried putting Jordan on Bird. Even the announcers remark that is "most unusual." Jordan was never very effective at guarding Bird (They'd played against each other in the NBA for nearly 7 years by this point.) This is no shade on Jordan who was a superb 1v1 defender; it's just that Bird was too big for Jordan. About halfway through the 4th, they move Jordan off and put Pippen back on Bird. Pippen stayed on Bird through the rest of regular play and all of the first overtime. Finally, they put Grant back on Bird for the 2nd overtime. I think it's interesting that this was an epic battle between Bird and Jordan and everyone is always concerned with Horace Grant guarding Bird and hardly anyone is concerned with who's guarding Jordan. Reggie Lewis mostly guarded Jordan (although different Celtics would come over to help and Bird would go 1v1 with Jordan for some plays, or stay with Jordan when Jordan was on him.) For comparison, here are their defensive stats for this game: Grant: 12 def rebs/1 stl /1 blk Lewis: 1 def rebs/1 stl /4 blk Just for fun, here are Bird, Jordan, and Pippen defensive stats this game: Bird: 12 def rebs/1 stl /3 blk Jordan: 4 def rebs/2 stl/ 0 blk Pippen: 8 def rebs/2 stl /1 blk Don't be mean to Horace. He's a nice guy and wasn't a scrub!

I watched it live but it's like watching it all over again it's been so long

Poor Horace Grant probably still has nightmares about how an old and injured Bird was torching his butt this game. LOL.

that excitement you showed....that was what almost every game was like...highly skilled players going at it the whole game...NOT just standing around the 3pt line waiting to throw it up...actual plays and ball movement....crazy passes...and matchups that made everyone lean in towards the screen to watch...today its just easy points, very little defense, and as many 3s as you can put up...

8:46 Larry is having a better game but its not much in it at this point, but yeh Larry is holding it down

Jordan was too small to guard Larry, Larry was around 6'9 to 6'10 and had the body of a PF. It was a mismatch everytime. Scottie was a little taller and could cover him more but he was too small when it came to strength. Thats why Horace was on Larry most of the game. Plus Bird around this time went back to playing the PF position.

I love them both. Bird is my favorite. Always has been, always will be. Hustle and Heart. But after Larry retired, I loved watching Mike. The 80's were so much more fun, 90's were great, then it slowly lost the excitement for me.

These old games are great because these guys were mixing it up out there. Too many foul calls today; you have to let them bang a little inside. Fans love it. I don't want to watch uncontested lay ups. When Mike went to the basket he knew he was going to get hit. That's what made MJ above Lebron, MJ, like Larry, was tough as nails and they'd rip your head off.

LARRY LEGEND IS A UNICORN AND THE TRUE GOAT!!! 🐐 ☘️

Bird was the Ultimate Shooter 40 years ago,and probably today he would be on the top 3. Bird's Awareness of the game was on a Level that very few players back then and today Cant even "Scratch" the full extent of the game. The thing with Larry Bird is that he make it look so easy shooting from anywhere on the court .

Jordan vs Charlotte, at 38 in December 29th of 2001

That was a classic

Check out prime Larry Bird vs Jordan in the '85 and '86 playoffs... The legend with his Celtics swept Jordan and the Bulls in both years!! Career: Larry vs Jordan in the playoffs 6-0

You can't do a turn around jump shot in .4 seconds. You can see the starting of the clock is delayed in slomo and still didn't make it in time.

And that was Larry on his last leg. Broken back, both Achilles shred the year before, against prime Jordan and Pippen. But there is not only one GOAT, stop hating, start enjoying the great games❤️!

From Boston, I watched every Bird game. NO player comes close to him as GOAT. In this game, Larry was one year before retirement with multiple injuries. Don't forget that.

Remember young man this is clutch time,your lebum will be shaking his legs

We think you sound crazy because everyone on Boston starting lineup is in the Hall of Fame

Larry was playing basketball with a near broken back. Still owned MJ 11 wins to birds 23. Including two series 3-0,3-0.

Broke Back BIRD … still beating JORDAN !

The real GOAT….Larry Bird

Are we taking 2 points over 7 rebounds??? No we are not! I’m not allowing it!!! 😂😂😂😂😂

Jordan and even Pippen were too small to play bird regularly. and big guys were too slow to move around the screens Bird used to get his shot off. Horace Grant was a very VERY good and QUICK defensive power forward, but even he couldnt guard a broke down bird. Yea even great players like Jordan, Bird and Lebron have off nights or misses a shot in the clutch.. NOT EVERY great player AIR BALLS A FREE THROW.. Lebron has, multiple times. NOT EVERY great player LOAD MANAGES.. Lebron does. NOT EVERY great player CRIES and holds the game up for several minutes after getting slapped by a defender.. 6'8 and 260 right? who cares about all that size when CLEARLY he ISNT a TOUGH GUY.. Lebron is great. he COULD be GREATER.. A LOT greater.. gotta give him credit for FOOLING so many (younger) folk. he is a HALF @$$ athlete and ppl call him the GOAT.. standards are at an all time low.

In this game,Larry the legend already had a bad back,double achilles surgery

MJ finally got his chance to be goat but not after Bird retired. MJ was a non factor thru the 80s . Bird beat him 3-0, 3-0 in two series then in 88, 89, Detroit ate MJ ‘s lunch . One series was 4-1 Detroit. I don’t recall last season in 89. But Bird is real. In 92 dream team Larry Bird retired but loved by fans gave MJ the torch to carry on what magic and Bird started. I appreciate MJ taking tons of phone calls from Kobe . MJ said, sometimes he got tired of it but how do you not want to help a man who is just so passionate about his game as a baller

could you imagine Jordan or Bird playing in today's league where they cant be touched and have space to pop&shoot? Larry and MJ would be killing the mid-range jumpers and Bird even knocking down 3s...also imagine Jordan being able to take 4-5 steps without a travel called like they do today....

That was cliff Levingston guarding Larry Bird, Not Horace Grant on one of those plays. Bird definitely was killing Grant out there.

Why is Horace guarding Larry?? Because Larry is playing PF most of the time this game.. Gamble and Reggie Lewis are SF's.. Jordan and Pippen are on them so Grant can take a slower, less athletic Bird out on the perimeter.. Celtics probably kept the Lineups smaller to keep that matchup. If Bulls put Pippen on Bird, Horace has to probably gaurd gamble, the celtics could have taken advantage of Grants lack of perimeter defense if they did that

Your lebum said,the last two minutes don't matter

Your very happy,why don't you react to your lebums full game,just standing on defense and waiting for the ball

That was the year that MJ finally won the first championship.

Same shot as lebrom made against wizards.

@10:17 That was a BOGUS “foul” on McHale. Just one more example of the friendly refereeing afforded to Jordan…

Young man,your lebum not giving respect to wades retirement ceremony and now kobe bryant

I did. MJ, Larry, and Magic were special players but there is no GOAT.

Bird makes the last 4 thanks Horace

React to your lebum next,the game against denver,on the the self-proclaimed goat snubbed kobe's ststue unveiling

Lebron will never be better than mj

GOAT 1A LARRY THE LEGEND BIRD GOAT 1B MICHAEL JORDAN

we won dat year.... and why would you have your guards guarding a forward , do u play or what

Larry was playing this with a broken back and after surgery in both feet. Way past his prime. MJ s Bulls never beat Bird in the playoffs.

Your lebum will not play because of a sore knee

No offense kid, but you need to learn more about the game of basketball before you throw out your opinions...

🗣️MICHAEL J RDAN IS THEE C👤NSENSUS G.🐐.A.T. AND THEIR IS N🚫 DEBATE . SCOTTIE PIPPEN G🟢T C🔥🔥KED ON DEFENSE WAY MORE THAN MICHAEL JORDAN DID . MIKE TAUGHT SCOTTIE HOW TO PLAY▶️ DEFENSE . MICHAEL JORDAN IS ALSO THEE BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER⏯️ EVER TOO .>🎤 🏀🗑️🤾⛹️

U sound lugubrious

Can't watch ya you don't know anything about basketball 🏀 to green 🍏