The Duel: Bird vs Wilkins - 4th Quarter of 1988 ECSF Game 7 

The absolute best 4th quarter in NBA history. Two MEN at the top of their games. I was stunned watching this live.

This needs a documentary. It's time for Dominique to finally get the credit he deserves. Documentaries are the thing now since there's no sports so now would be the perfect time.

"You are watching what greatness is all about." Well said, brent. Well said.

Wilkins and bird played liked gods that night. One of the first games of NBA basketball that was shown here in the UK .Me and my mates couldn't believe what we were watching.

Wilkins vs Bird game 7 will never get old!

Who are the nine people who downvoted this video? Two brilliant, clutch players, giving no quarter. If you’re a fan of the sport, you know that this period of play is the absolute crack cocaine of elite basketball competition. Bird went 9/10, every bucket hotly contested, Wilkins answering him shot-for-shot. CBS Sports ruled the 80’s. Loved Brent Mussberger’s calls-all class, informative, and unabashedly awestruck by the incredible talent he beheld on the court. Marv Albert was the same-brilliant broadcasting that elevated the sport. Incredible. Thanks for uploading this masterpiece.

I have seen many many NBA games. This was the greatest playoff game I;'ve ever seen

Remembering Dominique’s interview, talking about Larry Bird….advising young kids to not automatically assume it’s better to be a great athlete than a great player….saying “in a half court situation, Larry was Evil, you couldn’t stop him.” His walls were lined with pictures of other greats, and he says “these are the guys I played against, man.” Dominique giving them all their due, but he held his own against them. When a player can say they held their own against the kind of competition Dominique had, they also have a right to feel proud of their accomplishments. I have admired & respected Dominique from that day forward. ❤️ Bird’s still my guy tho. ☘️

One of the greatest playoff games I've ever seen. I remember watching this live.

4:27 The Roar of the crowd when Bird drains that 3 gave me chills. Easily the best 4th quarter every played in NBA history. The Celtics always seemed to find a way especially at home.

Bird's fadeaway was unstoppable!

This is what the playoffs is all about. Pure gold.

This is still one of the greatest 4th quarters I’ve ever seen! The stakes were high and the emotions were so intense. Look at Bird making impossible shots, and with his off-hand, no less. Dominique tried to keep pace, but the Celtics were virtually unbeatable at home in those days.

Scoring 47 points in a game 7 and lost by one point (knowing he deliberately missed the last free throw). Yet, this person reaches out to congratulate the defender who just hard fouled him to prevent him from taking a game tying shot. This class act is Dominique Wilkins. 8:30.

YOU ARE WATCHING WHAT GREATNESS IS ALL ABOUT

Dominique remains my favorite and most exciting player to watch other than the 80’s Celtics.

This is one of the many reasons why Bird is a legend. He refused to let his team lose when they should of lost. Great moment in Bird's career.

The forgotten man of this game is Kevin McHale... 33-13 and 4 blocks.

What a game and what a superb performance by two basketball superheroes. Respect to both of them.

Such an intense 4th quarter, filled with clutch shotmaking. You can feel the tension through your screen.

Best 4th quarter of a game 7 ever.

Hands down the greatest back-and-forth between single players of Nba history

Man, Nique was a scoring machine..smh

I was 9 years old and all I can say is that if Larry Bird flew out of the arena and shot lasers out of his eyes he wouldn't have been any more of a super hero to me then he already was.

These two guys put on a performance for the Ages!!! Both players had such extreme confidence and skills and wanted the ball in pressure situations!!! That is what Greatness is All About!! Miss the 80’s NBA!! Best of Times.. Larry Legend Best Player in the World 1980-87 before injuries.. MJ took over the Reigns from There!!!

You are watching what greatness is all about.

Wilkins:Most underrated ever/Bird:Greatest ever!

Larry Bird was incredible, but so was Dominique Wilkins! The announcers clearly had a bias and were not giving 'Nique enough credit for his incredible play that nearly sent the game into overtime! What an astounding game and incredible 4 Quarter from two greats!

Watching this live as a 14 year old was spectacular. I will never forget it.

At age 11 and a Celtics fan I was captivated seeing 2 of the greats duel live

Mind you guys this is Larry on the decline. His back was already hurt and going out. Nique was awesome, so underrated all these years.

bird midrange fadeaway is absolutely unguardable.....

Man, Bird pulled off some unreal shots. Sure miss watching him play.

Probably not going to be an era like this again. DJ bleeding from the eye and still in the game, defenders hanging on to their opponent with both hands. Total war!

Here after Atlanta blew another 3-2 lead at home against my Sixers and headed to a gm 7 defeat. Just love that quote from Bird. Everyone always watching what they say these days in sports

I saw this game on TNT when was a kid, I was totally impressed with the game of basketball.

"Bird comes free. Bird for the layup." *Crowd goes wild* "You are watching what greatness is all about." I C O N I C

11 ties....... 22 lead changes........ god dam

Thats ballin' 2 great legends just tearing it up.

Best playoff game I ever saw!!!

Bird's high arc rainbow shots are indefensible.

Funny how an "old" game can still keep you on the edge of your seat... Even though you KNOW the result beforehand 😅😂🤣

I watched the game back in 88'. The game was top 5 all-time. Several Hall-of-Famers playing great in a go home game. In a historic venue, maybe, well I will say the MOST historic venue/auditorium for NBA basketball ever/The Bosten Garden. But all that said the 4th quarter WAS the best quarter of basketball ever played between (2) Superstar/1st ballot Hall-of-Famers ever played. If you don't believe it watch it with your friends or by yourself, you will leave with a different opinion, simply a moment in time in a professional sporting event that stands alone and will never come around again, because the game is different now (3-pt shooting contests). Look at all the close in shots, just a sensational sports moment that's all. Not an accolade giving type person(myself) over a basketball game, but it was a privilege to have seen it live that Sunday afternoon

This is Greatness! Bird and Dominique went toe to toe

I watched this game live on tv. Probably one of the best duels i ever watched. Nique was awesome, still very underrated.

Whole fourth quarter was played in a 2-4 point window. The level of high pressure stakes play they both exhibited was incredible. Best 4th quarter display of clutch play I’ve ever witnessed. Always said… one shot for my life? I’d want Bird taking it.

Recently I found out watching hardwood classics I may add that this classic historic game fell on my eight birthday. "The Duel" bird vs Wilkins. Playoff bball..

Back when the NBA was great and fun. No politics just Superstars.

The greatest mano a mano battle of all time

Legends... Period

I was 17 when I saw this, still brings a chill down my spine. Superb basketball by The Birdman and Dominque.

Me and a fellow Celtics nut were working our part-time jobs at Valley Pharmacy in Succasunna NJ that afternoon, a Sunday. He was going to tape the game and we were going to watch it together after work, as though it was live. He then informed me that whomever had neglected to tape it.

And it came out after the playoffs Bird did all this on a bad back 🦅🔥🔥🔥🔥

Imagine if The Lakers would have drafted Wilkins over Worthy.Yes, Worthy is a HOF and it worked for The Lakers. That said, I can only imagine Dominique with Magic and Kareem, he would have put up insane numbers.

one of the greatist games ever....remember it like yesterday...LB33

Wow Bird was so great! It's a shame people don't add him in the goat conversation

That season Bird averaged 30 points a game

Is Larry LEGEND for a reason. GOAT.

If you were lucky to witness it, you'll never forget it.

I remember watching that game live. Incredible. As a Pistons fan I was kinda rooting for Atlanta. But any pistons fan was happier the way it turned out. Boston beat Atlanta, and of course the pistons finally beat boston in the conference final. Would not have been as sweet had detroit beat Atlanta instead of Boston.

You are watching what greatness is all about ... love those comments!!!

LARRY LEGEND AND THE HUMAN HIGHLIGHT REEL!

I saw some of this on a TV in a bar and I think it was the most exciting game I ever saw.

The shot by Bird at 4:10 in the video was unreal. He made it look easy but coming off the screen, on the move, being squeezed by 2 defenders.... That was insane how effortless he made that shot look.

True NBA. Heroes playing. This is basketball greatness. Respect.

That was one great game. Seems like yesterday!!!!

Hometown call on that Ainge layup.

0:32 Bird shooting and feet position technique perfection

The experts say that Lebron is already better than Larry Bird, but the genius that the golden blond did, are incomparables

"hey, Larry ...do you know it remains only a quarter and this is a game 7?" LARRY: "really?? ...ah ok ..."

Both men took their teams on their backs and carried them to the end.

Props to the Hawks for keeping up as well as they did.

Larry Bird No, his name is Larry Legend!!

Kc Jones "Get the ball to Larry and get the hell out of the way"

No traveling, carrying, or palming allowed. Back when real basketball was played.

Dominique Wilkins didn't really focus on defense as much especially in the playoffs. Defense won championships in the 80's. I'm not an expert but I was focused on watching Wilkins defense against Bird and I noticed several plays where Dominique could have prevented Bird from scoring but he either didn't put his hand up and he was sagging off and Bird took advantage everytime. Gotta play defense to get to the big house but he was a killer on offense. He didn't have alot of help either. The Celtics were always better had more weapons and more role players.

What more proof do people need that being athletic is not everything. It's basketball and not track and fields.

Dominique would be the greatest player in the game today hands down , forget the Lebron or Kds and it shows you why Larry Legend was the real GOAT

Larry Legend….The NBA…..Fantastic

Healthy, Len Bias, and 86 bench the Celtics needed in 87 and 88.

What a game damm That was epic. Both teams won Just one advanced.

Bird was on fire that night, if the roof was any lower, that falling shot would have ricocheted off the ceiling.

I just saw another video where Danny Ainge was taking about how in pregame bird was taking all kinds of weird shots with off hand and when Ainge asked him why, he said that his Achilles was hurting really bad and the step back wasn't going to be there tonight.

I couldnt stand Bird! Always lit my 76ers up. Damnit Bird

what a phantom foul call for ainge there

Bird was the definition of ice cold. The way he looks so unbothered when shooting tough contested shots, sheesh

Epic!

This might have been Larry’s last legendary performance. What an absolute beast.

Ainge said Larry's Achilles tendons were hurting so he was practicing taking non-jump shots a lot before the game, like running hooks and stuff. Dude wasn't able to shoot a jumper without it killing him and he still pulled this off.

Aquellos años tenían una magia especial.

Bird was my favorite player of all-time. I loved Nique but Larry was physically shot at this point in his career. His back was toast. But he dug deep against the high flying Hawks and do what legend do.. perform in the clutch under do or die circumstances. 🙌🙌👍

Look at the mid range 😍. If you think about it. Just make sure you can make the middie , with no problems. 😅

Brett Musberger with the “You’re watching what greatness is all about “ gives me chills….. Larry Bird was a slow non athletic minority in the game and still dominated. Larry Bird is one of my favorite players of all time and I’m a die hard SIXERS fan

How awesome was this game!!! I miss the old school NBA. Nique couldn't mis Bird couldn't miss it makes you wonder if Atlanta had won would they have been champs?

You look at the hawk bench when Bird hits that 3 pointer from the corner at 4:22 and you can just see the look on their body language that says....."not that prick again" and they knew he was going to drain it the second the pass made it to him, they didn't even move a muscle, no reaction at all, they knew the 3pts was an automatic.

Why they put Bill Walton & James Worthy in the 50 greatest list, but not Dominique bewilders me beyond comprehension

Bird’s amazing. He just don’t look pretty doing it. Damn this duel was amazing.

EPIC

I think this entire game should have been played because the dual was the best game ever. From start to finish

Bullshit phantom call on that Rivers-Ainge fastbreak. They waited until Ainge missed a layup to call a foul, when there clearly wasn't one.