NBA Legends Explain How Larry Bird Destroyed Everyone 

I believe the real quote was, "Which one of you assholes are coming in second?".....many of Larry's quotes get edited when they are reprinted. Like the famous one after Game 3 of the 1984 Finals where Larry said, "We played like a bunch of women tonight" after that it has always been reprinted as "We played like a bunch of (sissies)"

I remember that like it was yesterday. He wasn't necessarily a 3 point specialist but he could drill it anytime he wanted. He was up against the best 3 point gunners in the league and he tore them up. The last shot with the #1 gesture was epic

LeBron Jame career scoring NBA records unbreakable: invincible

@@scottburns2600 If the 3 pointer had been emphasized back then like it is now, Bird would be the leader in 3 pointers made.

Lifelong MJ is the goat guy who in recent years have opened the door to Bird possibly being better than MJ and I gotta say does him saying "Get this white guy off me this is disrespectful!" make him a racist? LMAO!

You're right in your assessment, although I think Larry's overall athleticism was better than he was given credit for (before his crippling back injury, I mean). But then when coupling Larry's other superior complementary attributes (his anticipation, ambidextrous ability, fakes, passing and of course his killer shot), I don't know that anyone could stop him cold. And when all-time defensive greats like Michael Cooper and Dennis Rodman rain praise on Larry, that's telling all by itself as to HOW great Larry was.

I think we have to redefine athleticism in terms of just speed & jumping ability because I knew guys that could take a quarter off a backboard and they were average. Bird was athletic as get up with his shooting, rebounding & sick passing. Magic wasn't that athletic (as you call it) as well. Hello! Look at Luka arguably the best player in the league right now. Another guy who gets no credit is Tom Brady! I'll take that athleticism any day of the week!🤔

@Gordon Liu you're are clueless - stop!

Lacked in athleticism? What?

ITS BECAUSE THAT LITTLE SHORTS HE WEAR. AND HIS SOX. IT SUIT HIM PERFECT LIKE THE MADE FOR HIM. I NEVER LIKED BOSTON THO GARNETT IS MY FAV PLAYER. I DONT EVEN COUNT KG RING 2008 AND TO ME GARNETT IS 2ND BEST PF BEHIND ONLY MAILMAN WHOS UNTOUCHABLE PF.

@@PIP...33 I think KG is best PF ever he is most complete player on that position but I can live if Garnett fan like you says Karl Malone is number 1. Tho I am Olajuwon fan , back in our era everyone fear of Mailman. He is most strongest guy after Wilt Chamberlain and he cant miss from mid range. Funny thing is his mid range is better than Jordan. His only weakness is his clutch time tho I think Jazz lost because Bulls had more hall of famers superteam. Malone also have 10.000 pts more than KG or Duncan thats not human to me. PF with that many points . I understand center or SG but PF to score 10.000 pts more than all other PF's. Its not human.

Dr. J's Sixers made the finals 3 times in the 80's. They beat Bird's Celtics twice in the Eastern conference championships. So Dr. J has to factor in there somewhere.

The Piston’s won 2 in a row in that era.

@@TheMeefive most people won't give Dr. J the credit he deserves because so much of greatness was while he played in the ABA, which for some reason the NBA snubbed their noses to for many years before the merger. Had he spent all of his time in the NBA it'd be a different story and you know good and well many, including MJ would be calling him the GOAT. He was the first super athlete in the game imo.

Larry bird short brilliant like sandy Koufax;; magic 🎩 Johnson/ l.a laker took NBA championship from 1987;; detroit piston took NBA championship from Larry bird 1988:: 1989;;; Larry ( bad back or broken back ) 🐦 bird

Do you know Michael Jordan' never beat Larry Bird in a playoff game.. in the last game Larry Bird played against the Bulls. With a broken back the previous off season with surgery. Double teamed by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippin. Bird still came out on top. Jordan played some of his best games against the Celtics. But Larry Bird got the important stat. The W..look Michael Jordan and LeBron James when they pass the ball they're off to the side somewhere. Larry Bird was dangerous even when he didn't have the ball. He was constantly setting picks rebounding making passes whatever. Michael Jordan and LeBron James go for individual states. Larry Bird did whatever ha had to do to win His nickname isn't Larry legend for nothing.

My Top 5 of all time are Kareem, Magic, O Robertson, Bird and Rick Barry. (Few people realize that Barry is the only player EVER to win scoring titles in the NCAA, ABA & NBA. )

Top three best ever.

You didnt watch him then. He dunked on Mfers and was stupid quick,

BIRD IS PF MCHALE WAS BENCH . BUT BOSTON REALIZED THEY CAN STREATCH FLOOR FOR MCHALE SO THEY CHANGED LINEUP. BEST SF EVER IS PIPPEN. HE IS MOST COMPLETE PLAYER ALONGSIDE OLAJUWON AND GARNETT. BIRD AND DR J. ARE UP THERE TOO. I DUNNO WHO LEBRONZE IS HE IS NOT SF HE HIDE ON POINT GUARD.

@@PIP...33 To me Bird is best SF but as u mention in comments that you love KG well I can put KG as best SF too cause he was SF , Googs was PF in Sota. After Googs was traded KG was SF again but Joe Smith didnt lived to his 1st pick potential so KG just started to play PF. To me Duncan is center KG is SF. He actually gained 30 lbs in Boston from 220 in Sota he was 243 to 250 in his Boston years. Mostly because Perk was traded and Rasheed dont know to play center so KG started as an center . Joe Smith really ruined KG career. Everyone knows that KG is number 1 pick not Joe. And every smart man remember that Sota was punished because they got Joe Smith contract under table. Thats the best Garnett years they was banned for trades and 3 years any draft picks because f Joe Smith sign that deal.

@@Celtics6-0vsMonkeyJordan YEP GARNETT IS SF. HE WAS SF EVERY ALLSTAR GAME DEFENDED JORDAN, CARTER OR MCGRADY WHEN THEY PLAYED SF. HIM AND STEVE FRANCIS (BESIDE THAT INFAMOUS YAO MING YEAR) WAS MOST VOTED ALL-STAR PLAYERS. EVERYONE WANTED TO VOTE GARNETT FIRST THEN STEVE FRANCIS. NO WONDER HE IS TICKET AND FRANCHISE WAS KYRIE IRVING BUT WITH FLYING AND DUNKING CAPEABILITY.

😂

Let Peter Dinklage guard Michael Jordan.

@@ruminator3570 Vicious! 🤣

This is something most Bastketball fans forget. Birds was frequently playing injured and had to retire because it was no longer tenable. It's too bad that some of these greats had their greatness stifled. Like Pistol Pete. Perhaps if they were less damaged they would have more longevity and the discussion on who the GOAT is, would be a completely different story.

@@samguapo4573 Yeah, it's the price of playing hard and giving a damn about the game you love... guys gave it all they had each night and improved, which is why the game improved overall... there's a quality of challenging yourself to be great at something; I can safely say Bird got the best out of himself but a back injury or any injury ending a guys' career is sickening... I just wish no player had to go out with an injury but could finish healthy and ready to end playing... very few guys leave without injuries, Joe Dumars strikes me as a guy who left without an injury, Jordan had the ability but didn't let go but went out on his own terms in Washington. Kevin McHale really gave it all on the floor, as did Isiah Thomas and a guy like Stockton really just ran until he had to walk and then walked off healthy... it was silly seeing Barkley end his career like that in Houston with a rebound/foul 3-point play... and Miller had his chances to win but the marathon beat him and people forget Dr. J had a little left but knew when to get out and Kareem could have played 2 more years but he left while he could still produce. Guys like Worthy, A.C. Green, Ricky Pierce, Eddie Johnson, Rod Strickland, Danny Manning, and anyone from like 1979-1991... that entire generation was great and made history and it's funny how they just retired and left quietly...a lot of great players just walked off quietly which was great ... most of these "role players" were great and would be superstars now-a-days.

It’s not like he had a shit career guys. He got 75% of all MVP votes in the 80s

@@Fantabiscuit You just hate for a guy that good to go out like he did... but yes, he did have a shit career.

@@Fantabiscuit It's not really about his career being great, but its more about it being cut short. Shorter than it should have been.

Bird he what basketball is about he could win a game better than anyone

Those laker Celtics games were legendary.

@@vernonmartin3988 Well, yeah, one of the greatest ever, but Magic won more than him, Magic has 5 rings, Bird 3. And Magic beat bird head to head in the finals two to one. Larry was great, i'll take Magic over Larry

@Jeff Watts In the 80's the Eastern Conference was so much tougher than the West. When the Boston won the Eastern Conference Championship is was winning the League championship. Boston was wore out by the time the Championship Series started. Trade places. You put Bird with the Lakers and Magic with the Celtics Bird wins at least 7 Championships. Magic would tell you the same thing. Same in College. Bird with that 79 Michigan St. Team and Magic with Indiana St. Magic would have gotten Indiana St. to the Tournament but wouldn't have played for Championship. And you aren't going to believe this but Magic is my favorite player. I am just a intellectually honest man.

What you fail to point out is that Birds first year, they still had three HOF players on the team in Dave Cowans, Pistol Pete and Nate Archibald, Bird makes 4. Bird never had a team where he had mediocre teammates, that's one thing that he and Magic never ran into. They were always surrounded by 2-4 HOF players. The only reason the Celtics fell off was because their nucleus was too old and Bird got hurt and retired, you couldn't double\triple and quadruple team anyone on the Celtics or Laker or 76ers. Bird is a top .5% player in NBA history, but he also always had multiple great HOF players around him, that already knew how to play and win in the NBA. They were the standard in the 80's.

@@coreyharrell9079 the fact is that 1978 core won 29 games, HOFers or not. Bird’s presence brought about a 32 win swing. i think you’ve just reinforced my point that Bird goes way beyond his individual contributions to elevate the game of his teammates, par excellance.

@@coreyharrell9079 DUDE!!!!! HOW YOUNG ARE YOU? YOU OBVIOUSLY. DON'T HAVE A CLUE. PERIOD!!!!!!!!! DON'T WORRY I'M NOT MAD AT YOU I'M JUST TRYING TO SCHOOL YOU. RIGHT?

@@coreyharrell9079 well they were 29-53 before Bird got there. ​ yah those 4 games Maravich started that season really made a big impact lol. He was only healthy enough to play 26 games and averaged 17 min pg. Tiny averaged 14 pts and 8 asts. Not bad at all. Cowens was waaaaaay past his prime. But a slow white rookie shows up and that LAST PLACE Celtics team suddenly wins a playoff series. Larry averaged over 21 and 10 as a rookie!? Please don’t try to make it seem like he stepped into a good situation and somehow I got lucky

@@jesseberkowitz5654 exactly right. Basketballs a team sport. You can say an MJ or a LeBron or whomever is the best player. i’m still starting my all time starting 5 with vintage Bird because he’s the x factor, the multiplier and he can do anything individually you need him too.

100% exactly. It is hard, it is extremely difficult to explain to basketball fans who did not personally witness the NBA in the 80s, just how supremely awesome Bird was. At the time, he wasn't "underrated" or ignored, he, along with Magic, was The Man. The Best. Without the internet, social media, cell phones, Bird & Magic was perhaps the biggest sports story at the time. We older B-ball fans have an advantage over the young ones- I have watched and witnessed whole games in the late 70s, the 80s, the 90s, the early 2000s, and some of it today. Not just highlights on youtube, but live TV and a number of live in-person games. Following entire 7 game playoff/championship series decade after decade. And along with Magic and Jordan, there has been nobody like Bird. You really had to see the whole scene for yourself.

I was born in 1967. I witnessed both Bird and Jordan eras firsthand. Jordan was better, even Bird admits that.

@@philosoraptor2285 I was born in 1961. And if I had any choice for a first round draft pick of any player in history today, I'd take Bird, with Jordan a close 2nd. Bird in his rookie year took a terrible, losing Celtics team into the eastern conference finals. And then won the Finals the following year. Even Jordan admitted he couldn't do this (and he didn't). Jordan for years couldn't beat Bird in the playoffs. And when I draft Bird, I'd make sure he won't injure his back.

@@philosoraptor2285 - it’s not about comparing Larry to Michael. It’s about people not understanding just have a good Larry was before he injured his back. He doesn’t “look the part”, and younger fans rarely appreciate his greatness.

amen.

Recency bias. They've never seen him play, so they can't guage him.

He is the GOAT!

Actually, it was my generation that trashed him because he was great AND a trash talker. The blacks then didn't like a white guy dominating "their" game. When Tiger Woods played golf, he got the same type of hatred for the same reasons. As an ISU grad, I watched Bird beat up on the opponents every chance I got. There will never be another like him. This generation is just now finding out how great he was.

Even Kobe was surprised bird was successful in the nba saying how can a slow non athletic player be so good

To be honest bird was legit. The 70s was great bball time. Hs college pro.

Hes top 2

1) Wilt 2) Jordan 3) Bird

How? In order to be the GOAT of all GOATs, one should be an elite offensive and defensive player! Bird was an average defender!

@@bainer3052 he was better than average. All defensive team 3x and career average of just shy of 2 steals per game. He was a terrific "safety" and played passing lanes as well as any player ever.

You got they right.. Boston only stopped winning because of Bird's back problems..

@@merovechthe1stthat’s some shit that they have Bird. Bird was not elite defensively.

@@theefamgod he wasn't a lock down defender, but he was the smartest player on the court at all times and, like I said, played passing lanes as well as any player.

NBA sucks now. I agree with you.

blame Karl Malone for this

Your memory ranks up there with my Bigfoot sighting at 4 yrs. old. I'll concede this to Birds game.

Magic.....

@@eugenedantzler4485 No Bird!

@@eugenedantzler4485 not even close

Jordan.

He was the best outside shooter EVER. Like Pat Riley said, “if my life is on the line, I want Larry Bird to take the shot”. 💪💪💪

LOL he probably would, Sonny. These days though he'd probably get Ts left and right and be cancelled by social media for bullying.

💯 He is the Best I have ever seen and I am from the 60's! Best not even close!!! And Both MJ and Jordan know This! Yes in the Face 👀!!!! Murphy coming to America!!!!🤭

💯 you are correct Sir!!!

That’s a horrible time for the league then lol

White men can jump

@@Ra.Amun74 some but not Larry bird lol nigga had a 28 inch vertical with fresh legs coming in the league he was just tall lol

@@Ra.Amun74 my junior year high school I had a damn 31.7 before I even started training hard or squatting really like that lol still was quite the young booooi lol

@@Ra.Amun74 never hurt of Aaron Gordon or Zach Lavine?

He should just be put in top 5 end of story!!! There's no one who had a better basketball IQ than bird!!!

Pat Riley said that.

@@rustheisenberg Thanx man, That makes it even more meaningful

Imagine jordan with Larry's athleticism. You would not even know his name now.

@@73Trident Yes, we saw how bad Michael Jordan was as a 40-year-old, when he wasn't that athletic anymore, he was bad then.

@@73Trident Bird was celebrated because he was WHITE!

Actually 24+, 10, 6+. But like you said 20, 10,5. No one else.

fg % Dr. J .5057 Bird .4956 ppg Dr. J 24.6 Bird 24.3 stls Dr. J 2.2 Bird 1.7 blks Dr. J 1.8 Bird 0.8 rebs Bird 10 Dr. J 8.5 assts Bird 6.3 Dr. J 4.2 2-2 in the playoffs Dr. J was past his prime when Bird entered the NBA Dr. J= Greatest sf to ever lace them up, hands down

Without a doubt!

@@TheMeefive - Larry was a MUCH better defender than Doc

@@jesseberkowitz5654 stls per game Dr j 2.2 Bird 1.8 Blks per game Dr. J 1.8. Bird 0.9 Argue that with the stats and you'll lose

Dr. J has better stats Was 2-2 against Bird in the playoffs with a weaker team. Was past his prime when Bird entered the league. Dr. J was the best all round player who ever lived.