I'm from Boston and a huge Bird fan. But don't ever underestimate Magic Johnson's passing skills. He was the greatest passer I ever saw play. But remember, Magic played mostly pg while Larry was a small forward.
@@mitchelll3879 Your preaching to the choir Mitch. I grew up in Boston and watched Larry every night his whole career on tv and went to a few games every year. And every night he would do something amazing!
That first shot is the greatest play I have ever seen and I have watched a lot of basketball in my life. To be running full speed, leap, grab your own rebound, transfer to your left hand, drifting out of bounds, shooting left handed, swishing that ball in, all in one motion. The level of difficulty is so high, it's unreachable. It will never be equaled by anyone. Only people who have played bball at a high level can truly appreciate that play. His body control is amazing better than anything I have ever seen from anyone. He is 1a and there is no 1b for me.
Preach. You have to not only know where the ball is coming off on a three pointer for the rebound, you have to time it perfectly so that when you jump the ball is going to just be landing in your hands. A lot of people might say “well Lebron and Kobe both threw the ball to themselves and dunked it” that’s completely different. They intended to do that. Bird shot a legitimate jumper and then just went for the rebound. He had no idea what he was going to do till the ball was literally in his hands mid air. Way higher degree of difficulty
I can't remember who said that "we were all playing checkers, while Larry was playing chess" and I'd add to that, that he was three moves ahead of everyone on court... It's been almost 30 years since he retired, but his plays are timeless, I still love to watch them today: great choice, Sean!
Yep, I think Larry saw everything, he noticed everything, and he had that ability to process it and tell where you were going next. It's a killer to get the jump on people like that.
And Pat Riley said, "If I could pick one player to take the shot to win the game, it would be Jordan. If I could pick one player to take a shot for my life, Bird." Or something to that effect.
Ive seen Tommy Heinsohn & Dr J say it in clips but I think Tommy Heinsohn said it first. And Dr J said he was a step ahead, a thought ahead...which is similar
Kareem, Dr. J, and others have all said something to that effect. Not sure who said it first, but they are all right in their assessment. Here's a great supporting opinion: James Worthy said he'd RATHER GUARD JORDAN than Larry Bird, because with Bird, you always have to be thinking. That sums it up pretty well. 😊
My favorite is the one where Larry jumps up in the air to take his own rebound, switches the ball to his left hand because the forward momentum is carrying him out of bounds, shoots and makes the shot, doing everything before he lands again. An absolutely amazing play.
And he knew where the ball was going to come off rim. Three or four other players had a better shot at the rebound; but he made the play. Incredible!!!
@@williamkoscielniak820 I didn't know that play happened during his rookie season. Thanks for sharing. He played great in college and just continued to play great when he entered the NBA. Nothing slowed him down. Helping his NBA team go from 29 wins the previous season to 61 wins his debut season is unheard of (and as I understand it no major additions were made to the team except for Bird). Edit: The play in question seems to be from May 5th, 1981 (Bird's second NBA season), when the Celtics met the Rockets in the playoff.
That's one of the greatest single effort I've ever seen the player make in the NBA in my whole watching the NBA in 40 years! Larry birds look like a three-point shot he didn't he didn't hit it it banged around to his four guys and the other team he ran jumped up in the grabbed it would have left hand transferred it to his left and alien laid it in unbelievable one of the greatest players I've ever seen.
The Celtics were full of talent during that era. Having said that, the best thing about Bird was the way he elevated everyone else's game, and made it look easy.
DJ was the equal of Bird in his ability to read what a player was going to do, and if an opposing player got too close to him, a steal by DJ was almost inevitable - he had probably the fastest hands of anybody out there. He and Larry could read each others mind on setting up a play, which is why Larry got to make so many great inside shots - Larry would see an opportunity to zip into the basket, and DJ knew exactly what Larry was doing, and fed him the ball in exactly the right spot. RIP, DJ.
@@juniorjohnson9509 He instantly headed for the ball and made the basket in one fluid movement, as if he knew to expect a layup, the least likely thing that could have happened.
So True . . . . But that is just the Basics of building a SuperTeam (3+ League SuperStars all together on 1 Team) !!!! It happens in All Sports and that is How and Why Championships are Won !!! 🏀🏈⚾️🥅⚽️
I grew up in Boston I used to sneak in the Celtics games and I was a kid the old God and used to be back doors you can rip open me and my friends just sneak in with like 12-:13 used to watch Larry Bird parish McHale. But I did I secretly like the lake is a little bit I love the robbery I always thought if magic and bird played together that team would never lose.
If those 2 greats were on the same team the only way it would be fair is for 1 to be on the bench while the other played, Larry and Magic on the same team. On the floor at the same time. O M G.
Larry is simply the BEST ALL-AROUND player EVER!!! He made his teammates better more than anyone. I will take Larry in his prime over anyone even Michael.
All around is the key term. Jerry West used it to describe Larry so it's a meaningful term. Nothing missing. Excelled at everything despite that lumbering kind of gait. Sacrificed his body constantly. Drove his teammates. Everything.
Bird was a mind meld. He hypnotized his opponents and pissed them off at the same time with his trash talk, throwing people off their game. Plus he was simply amazing. I'm not into sports but I'm Gaga over Bird.
Love hearing Isiah describe that play! LBs presence of mind to knock it down and collect the ball w/out going out of bounds and to hit the late great DJ in stride shows Larry’s basketball acumen to a tee. He’s the most entertaining athlete of my lifetime and it’s not even close
The Bird is unathletic narrative has its origins in the fact that, in the later part of his career, his injuries robbed him of his athleticism. The guy with the bad back who struggled to move around became the last people saw of Bird as a player and so the image of a Bird who couldn't move well stuck in people's minds, thus obscuring the fact he was actually a decent athlete in his prime. His height is extremely underrated aspect of things too. Bird had more offensive diversity than any player ever. Bird was a good 3 point shooter, especially for his era, but he only shot 1-2 3s a game as his offensive game was so versatile. He could post up, hit fadeaways, hit turn arounds, d drive and finish, get tip ins, handle the rock, pass and make his free throws. But the heart of Bird's offense was always the midrange game. In the era of analytics and load management, the mid range game is at best an endangered species if not extinct. But Bird made the mid range the focal point of his game and carved out an all time great career doing this. And his clutch gene speaks for itself.
It was more than that. Bird's various injuries were "nagging" for the first two-thirds of his career and didn't become severe until the 1989 season. There was some talk in the media about Bird's back in December 1985, when the Celtics lost 5 of 9 games and Bird was playing poorly, but it didn't become a defining aspect of his health until much later. The images of him barely able to run or sit down are all from the last 2 years of his career. He was described as unathletic throughout his career, though, largely in contrast to the speed of the Showtime Lakers and the freak athleticism of people like Jordan and Bernard King and Dominique and Ralph Sampson. Even a declining Erving would look vastly more athletic than Bird when they matched up. Bird could obviously dunk but chose rarely to do so, and so even before Bird's injuries people would regularly call him "a thinking man's player," "a lunch-bucket player," etc. It is surely true that his being a White man dominating a Black sport helped contribute to this myth.
@@SteveGellerMusic Larry was actually very athletic, otherwise he could have never done what he did on the court. He just did not have the grace and fluidity in his movements that guys like Magic had, which made it look like he wasn't athletic.
Sean Baby, keep up the great work. Man lemme tell you my own personal Bird story. Me and some friends, all ball players, all a little older than Bird, we show up to the Garden his second year, we'd heard all the talk and seen some games on TV from his rookie year but still wanted to see for ourselves, to understand.... Back then you couldn't see clips or videos or RU-vid, nothing, you had to go see games live if you really wanted to understand how good any player truly was. So we're settling into our seats a bit late, game already underway. So the first damn thing I ever see the new kid make.... Boston takes an outside shot that misses but Bird comes flying in around the foul line for an offensive rebound and drives hard right to the hoop facing Tree Rollins, and almost effortlessly, like breathing, he gets right to Rollins, and of course your eyes are focusing on Bird and how the hell he gonna shoot over one of the best shotblockers in the game, when he just flips it over his shoulder so nonchalantly to the player you didn't even see running behind him for a thunderous dunk, it was McHale.... we all looked at each other in silence as the garden exploded, we all knew we were seeing something special, something real special in the history of the game. That one play said it all. He was so clearly the best player on the court that it was almost absurd, and he was in every game I ever got to see him live. A hoop genius. We actually walked out of the Garden in silence, that's how stunned we were at what we'd witnessed
Had access to season tickets right behind the bench, bought back when they were damned near giving them away. Some of the stuff I watched him do defied physics at times.
Larry Bird...one of the toughest players to play the game...he talked the talk and then walked the walk...i would take him as small forward on my all time team for sure!!!
You can't made when a sh*t talker can back their talk up. Because on that court, field, ice, or diamond there is no CGI nor affirmative action policies; it's skill and opportunity.
No doubt, My all time team would have to be: 1. SF - Larry Legend 2. PG - Magic 3. SG - MJ 4. PF - Lebron 5. C - Wilt. That team would be a great passing team, running team, high IQ team, ultra competitive, and would be BIG.
@@fernvill27 Not surprising. However, Wilt was taller, wider, stronger, faster, had better footwork, and was a scoring machine until he changed his role as he aged. I think Wilt still has 90 records...I'm talking Wilt all day because he's the most dominant player ever.
@Bruce Doub hey Scrouge, we have eyes, but that was a hell of a shot. I disagree, though, that it was his greatest. To me the shot off his own rebound has to be the greatest. Not only did it COUNT, but he defied the laws of physics to pump that shot with his feet off the floor.
Great vid Sean. It never gets old. The Legend was one of a kind. The funny thing is as a bad back, surgery on both heels on his last legs he still put up 20+, 10 boards, 6+ assists and almost 2 steals a game. He had to go in traction to sleep his back was so bad. There was never anyone better. The most complete player in league history. Bird, Magic and the Big O were incredible.
@@daisysheena There is no question Jordan was great. But I like to defer to Wilt's famous comment that "they changed the rules to stop me from scoring. They changed the rules to help him score." MJ had sick athletic ability. He also got away with taking an extra step here and there and was the beneficiary of what used to be called palming or carrying back in the day. It was all part of Stern growing the game through the stars. The NBA was failing. Bird and Magic saved it. The Stern, Jordan and Nike took it to a new level.
@@adiracquetball Dude, you get it. Only a handful have come into the league with their full skill set on display even among the "greats". I'd add Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and maybe Pete Maravich, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Connie Hawkins, Wes Unseld or Bob Petit to that list. MJ, as athletically gifted as he was, was also largely the product of a massive PR effort and corporate sponsorship. Props to Haines as well.
Whenever I see a highlight video of Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, or Magic Johnson, no matter what I’m doing, I always stop and watch that video. That was such a great era of NBA basketball. Those were three of the greatest players that made that era great.
Im enjoying the younger generation recognizing of the greatest (forgotten) NBA players of all time. I've actually become addiction to watching Larry Bird vloggers 😀
I've been an NBA fan my entire life. Being from Boston I watched almost every game of Bird's career. And to this day I have never seen a player shoot from the top of the key and get his own rebound and put it in the hoop while in the air while going out of bounds at the baseline. If any other player did it, then I missed it.
Larry bird is only not athletic in the sense that he isn't as powerful as some other guys, but he is incredibly athletic in that he was probably one of the most agile tall men in basketball history.
"Bird shoots. Ballgame is over. Boston wins." The number of times the commentator could have said that would probably be tough to count since Larry made so many clutch shots.
Larry Bird is the only player to share the same “court vision and instincts”, as “Pistol” Pete Marovich! His following his shot in, and put back, should be shown to every kid, when they start learning to play basketball! That’s the perfect example of hustle that kids need to learn. Games are lost, when you get lazy on the boards! all things considered, I would pick Larry Bird, as the GOAT!
It's hard not to have instincts as many games as pete played from birth. Also pete was one hell of a ball hog...driving team mates away. I will say though the man was robbed of some records and people wouldnt even bring up curry if he had a three point line in his day, a beast to be sure.
that touch pass at like 8:29, was just ridiculous... Bird was not the athletic freak of the league, but dude was tenacious, consistent and polished. as well as one of the most situational aware players I've ever had the pleasure to study.
Sean , if you want to see a spectacular Bird pass that very few have seen, search for this game on you tube = 3/22/87 at Boston vs Nets and 39 minutes into the video you will see Bird throw a pass to McHale from behind the 3 point line off the backboard to McHale. The pass being high enough so that the defender cannot reach it and McHale ends up with an easy layup. Bird had a gift for passing and seeing angles and openings that other players would never see.
8:10 Blows my mind every time. He's just spinning around 360° (no, 380° actually) like he's on skates taking video game shots in people's faces for no reason! Was time running down at all? My mind can't understand why he's shooting a dumb schoolyard shot like that, other than the reason that he's Larry Legend.
LMAO! I love this comment. I know, it's ridiculous because it's so good and looks so effortless at the same time. A freakin' video game shot for the ages. Only Larry could do such a thing.
Shout out to you, sir…. Every time I watch someone reacting to the NBA it’s always your videos they’re watching……. You are truly phenomenal at keeping the history of the NBA live….. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you
Bird is number 2 on my all time list. He was so overlooked because of the era he played. His play is ridiculous. Every game he made jaw dropping plays.
SEAN DAVID, I remember watching a game in which LARRY BIRD SLIPPED in the paint with the ball in his hands, he didn't let go of the ball, and LAYING FLAT ON THE GROUND, HIS BACK FLAT ON THE COURT, almost right under the hoop, taking everybody by surprise, threw the ball and made the basket. I've never witnessed anything like that before or after, unbelievable. That was, if I remember correctly, a regular season game, probably late 70's or early 80's. It would be great if someone finds this footage, maybe by asking Mr. Bird personally, he surely remembers that one! ; )
One thing that no one ever really nails down -- is how do you exactly define GOAT? To me, "greatest" is who does more things better. That's why I think any suggestion of players like Wilt and Kareem were always ridiculous -- as their game was fairly narrow in scope. That Wilt was so dominant is just one facet of the game (and he had other facets) -- but not nearly enough. So for me, Larry is the clear winner -- because he simply did more things better. I would add that I say this as someone who changed his mind in the 90s -- when I really started to enjoy watching Jordan (as he became a much more well-rounded and interesting player). So even though I always favored Larry and loved the Celtics (and originally didn't like Jordan at all), I changed my mind in light of Jordan's greatness and how he elevated that team. So my view is not some biased belief that's holding onto the glory days in devotion to Bird. No, several years ago I changed my mind (again) -- when I thought about how exactly to define GOAT. Note: I did appreciate his "1A" and "1B" bit. You gotta respect that. . . .
Larry Legend. Top 5 player all time. If he played in today's he could average a triple double every year. Put up LeBron numbers in a tougher NBA and particularly Eastern Conference. He'd have a field day with the defense guys play in today's NBA. True legend, and that's coming from a Celtics hater
Neither was Walton. If he had stayed healthy, it's hard to tell what he could have done as a center. I'd say hes the best passing center to ever play, regardless.
@@canondocre8650I've always been torn on Walton being in the Hall of Fame. On 1 hand, he only had 3 relevant seasons. On the other hand, having both a Finals MVP and a regular season MVP and playing for the greatest team of all time in 1986 is pretty damn good. Walton actually got in on the first ballot. Should he be in the Hall of Fame? I'm actually really torn on that.
@@michaelsloane9955 That one is tough. But, had he stayed healthy, I don't see any reason his success wouldn't have continued. The argument will always be that we can't know for sure though. My answer to that is those 3 seasons in such a small window are better than a 10 year span of some who have made it.
@@michaelsloane9955 Guys it's the Basketball Hall of Fame not the NBA Hall of Fame. Bill Walton is one the best college players of all time. That also counts for his induction.
How about some honor to the great Celtics radio announcer Johnny Most. He's the goat NBA radio announcer IMO. But right up there is the current Hawks announcer Steve Holman who I believe worked under Most for some time. A shame Steve hasn't had the material to work with that Johnny had. But he will!
This is why Bird was so great. You played at his speed. Kobe never played against a guy with so many skills and size he didn't need speed. He slowed you down to his speed then he either sped up, faked you out or walked around you and scored. There is a great footage of Bird against Orlando Woolridge where it looks like he just walks around him under the basket (using the basket as a foil) and scores WALKING under the basket. It's freaking hilarious, but shows why he was so good. Speed has no need with pure skill and size...AMAZING
My all time favorite player to watch, Wilt was a force of nature, Magic was poetry in motion, Michael was hell on wheels but LARRY WAS THE MAN, THE GREAT CLUTCH SHOOTER OAT. WHEN YOU NEEDED A WIN WITH SECONDS ON THE CLOCK BIRD WAS THE WORD .NO ONE DID IT BETTER.
These clips remind me of the player who made me an NBA fan, as he led a modestly talented team to a Finals sweep, Rick Barry and the '75 Warriors. His court vision, laser accuracy and reflexes were so sharp he would make rifle passes no one (including the intended recipients) expected. As the season progressed the team gradually rose to Barry's level of concentration and they swept the much-favored Bullets for the Warriors' first title.
I'd just like to say that Larry Bird was the Barry Sanders of the NBA..Both two of the most magnetic athletes to ever have the privilege to witness play their respective games..
You are right man, nobody ever controlled the outcome of a full game more than Bird and Jordan. Although I really didn't see the great players that came before 1976.
Bird was such an artist passing the ball. And pure perfection with ball rotation shooting the ball (shooting mechanics were unreal). Too bad Pistol Pete hadn’t stuck around for another year or two. And been healthy. He could have been a great 6th man kinda like Walton was in ‘86. Two true artists playing.
Yeah yeah, we hear the announcer say, "Bird, final shot of the period", but it might as WELL have been a game-winner, because when you witness a shot like that, you are demoralized... game over!
Agree with MAGIC JOHNSON and it's very kind of him to say this about his friend!! IMHO there will also never be another MAGIC JOHNSON. Magic had that combination of extreme height, quickness, and coordination that you don't find in a ball handling guard! MAGIC had it all!! Bird also was AMAZING!! BIRD has the most beautiful soft shot I have ever seen in basketball!! Also he had that confidence to take the final shots in the big moments of basketball!!!
Bird is a 🐐 I don't see color with him, only raw talent. Definitely top 10 of all time no matter who u put up. One of the only few guys MJ respects on and off the court which says a whole lot in itself
You know a player is one of the goats, when a certified HoF, 2xnba champ. Probably top 5 at his position, dead smack in the middle of his prime says that he was literally standing and watching in awe of you in the middle of a pivotal playoff game. Only Larry bird and Michael have had this ability to where they’ve almost transcended the game to a point where their competition looked at them as something else entirely from the rest of the nba.
I loved watching Larry!!!! The man was 2 steps ahead of everyone! Also is that guy who made every teammate better than they were. If a had to pick my first guy in NBA its Larry.
Oh man I miss a couple of videos and there’s a whole new backdrop and everything! Nice collection of Jersey’s by the way! Mitchell & Ness? Man Larry bird was a freak just like MJ. Totally different style, not as flash but damn if he didn’t get the job done very time. Just a sniper at the 3 point line too. Guy was a great all around player. Awesome video! Thanks again 😊
One thing I’ve noticed from watching these old viseos of Bird, McHale, Parrish, Johmson, Maravich and others, as compared to modern plyers, is that the old guys didn’t need a flapping chicken wing to get their shot.
What I love about him is its not crazy cool athletic slams it's super smart playing and great shooting amazing stuff he actually passed a shot from the backboard to him self that's crazy smart skilled but not natural athletic talent it's super cool I love watching his stuff
These guys stayed with the team that drafted them until they reached the promised land or BUST!!!! No joining up with homies across the Bay and shit like that- NO NO NO
I like the old 80s music on here, too, keep using that, fits with the time. Bird was a better shooter, and passer than Jordan, not to mention, Bird was a sick dribbler. Overall I'm not saying Bird was the best ever, but certain aspects of his game were probably the best ever.
