When Kareem Disrespected Larry Bird and Instantly Regretted It (Reaction!!) 

"Michael Jordan made you look slow, but Larry Bird made you look stupid."...............James Worthy.

Dennis Johnson was a serious baller with Star talent. He took a backseat to Bird and McHale and racked up some rings. Total terror on defense. Underrated player.

The quote of Larry Bird that will always stay with me is from Pat Riley "With a game on the line I want Micheal Jordan taking the shot, with my life on the line I want Larry Bird". Highest praise I've ever heard a coach give especially for so many years he probably designed games around stopping Bird.

What people who didn’t see him live don’t understand is that Bird controlled the TEMPO of the game. At 6’10” he was a great rebounder and a savvy defender. Everyone knows he could shoot and pass but he was honestly like a conductor in an orchestra. He was always in the right spot on the court. Always in triple threat position. And always ready to find the open man for that persons strengths on offense. Mentally he was a full second in front of the other 9 players. Everyone has their GOAT but I was an NBA fan since DrJ and Moses Malone and I never saw anyone control games like Bird. There may be better scorers or better defenders but not better players period.

Could Bird play in this Era? Absolutely he would have excelled. In his day defenders grabbed and clawed to keep Bird contained but Jordan got it right. Larry was unstoppable.

As Magic once said, "Larry Bird was so good...it was frightening."

Dennis Johnson was one of the all time greats. He and Bird were spiritually connected.

God those two teams were absolutely stacked with Hall of Famers.

This is the game after LA beat the Celtics and Larry Bird said he and his team were playing like a bunch of sissies. Kevin McHale tackling Kurt Rambis was his response to Bird's challenge. After that happened the Lakers were taken out of their game and were fighting as much as playing; which played right into the Celtics hands. This is also the game when Magic, after throwing the ball away down the stretch and missing two key free throws, was called "Tragic Johnson" by Cedric Maxwell of the Celtics. As for Bird playing in today's game, If Doncic and Jokic can excel, so could Larry Bird, who was as quick or quicker than them both, taller than Doncic and almost as tall as Jokic. Bird was always listed as 6'9" but many players said he was definitely 6'10". Magic Johnson is listed at 6'9" and look at them side by side and you can see Larry Bird is taller. Add to a Larry Bird of today three decades worth of nutrition, health, and physical training improvements, and you have a Monster. Isaiah Thomas said, "if Larry Bird played today, he'd still be winning MVPs and his team would still be winning championships." And no doubt Larry Bird would still be destroying his opponents mentally, just as long as he could do it quietly in today's softer league where refs frown upon that kind of gamesmanship.

"Back when men were playing" is the most true thing I have heard in a while.

As a tall kid from Southern Indiana, Larry was the inspiration. Did he talk trash? Like a boss. He also backed it up like a champ. He will forever be known as one of the greats as long as footage of him playing remain.

If you want to see how much heart Bird had, look up the video about his back injuries... That he played through. He used to spend hours in traction before a game just so he could suit up and play. In a lot of his later games, his back was so bad that he couldn't even sit on the bench, he had to lie on the sidelines in front of the bench.

"LeBron definitely would have missed one of those." Hahahaha 🤣 soooo true

Bird was so pure his shots rarely hit the rim, all net

I agree with you. Back then, you score, then you D up. Today, you score, you flex in the camera, yell to the crowd, make sure everyone knows you scored. Down 50 dude hits a 3 and stares at the camera holding up his personal 3 ball sign. You nailed it calling them 'Hollywood"

Bird's greatness isn't in his highlights, it's in all the average stuff his did to perfection. Playing the passing lane, cheating off his man to provide help defense, blocking out on the boards. The little stuff made Larry Legend.

Bird couldn’t do naturally what other great athletes could physically, but his basketball mind and instinct was off the charts. He took what he had available in him, honed it to perfection through countless hours of work, and through sheer force of will made victory happen. Bird, Magic, and those great players back then all drove each other to perform beyond their limits and revived a struggling NBA. I have zero qualifications to name any G.O.A.T., I just enjoy watching different players do the impossible using their own unique skill set and exceptional willpower.

Bird, Johnson, and McHale could dominate a 3v3 against modern players no problem. Bird himself was so damn intelligent he could not only play in today's league, he'd still find new ways to impress us.

Bro I was a kid in the 80s watching these games and my father is from Boston so my house was a Celtics house. I can say the players back then did NOT want to team up together. They wanted to each have their own team and beat the heck out of each other. It was amazing.

Larry Bird was fuuuuun to watch. Always did something incredible in a game. You could just tell he was smarter than everyone on the court. Maybe not the most athletic but definitely the smartest.

Larry calling out his moves to his defenders and making them , HOLY COW amazing and Larry Bird was probably the best clutch dude of his era .

If today’s game is a 3-point contest, how can you bet against a prime Bird?

I remember this playoff game. My son would tape these playoff games so I could watch them when I got home from work.

Kareem, who has to be a front runner for the GOAT title, said to sportscasters said no one compared to Kareem's benchmarks! When the news guys tried to compare anyone to Kareem, they finally asked Kareem what he though. He just said 'as far as skills, Larry Bird could do anything,' at which, he rolled his eyes and looked upward!

Enjoy your very realistic commentary! Since you like the competition of the 80's BB this is a great one to watch. 1981 ECF, Celtics vs 76's w/ Dr. J & Moses Malone. Celtics came back from being down 1-3 game series to win. Pure determination from both teams to get the WIN! Competition at it's finest! "The Best Larry Bird UNDERDOG Story Ever Told".

Bird would absolutely dominate the NBA today. Just like he did then but even more so.

There was a story behind the hard fouls, it had a psychological effect. Instead of playing the Lakers started fighting and it took them out of their game. 1984 finals

The great ones (Magic, MJ, Bird, Pistol Pete, Dr. J., etc.) could play in ANY era!

Bird was cold-blooded assassin. Most clutch I've ever seen. As Laker Head Coach Pat Riley once said, "If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I’d choose Michael Jordan. If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I’d take Larry Bird."

Really enjoyed your take. Your LeBron comments, especially were spot on. When Larry hit those two free throws and you said LeBron would've definitely missed one of them, I laughed out loud. Exactly my take on the guy. A great player, but something was always missing about him when compared to somebody like Bird. I can't even tell you what it is. The comment that sent me over the edge was about if LeBron had a father, he would've been as clutch as Jordan. Again, I gotta say you are spot on. The year that LeBron went to the Heat, him and his buddies came in to my recording studio to do a rap song. Along with him came Kevin Durant. I could tell immediately, listening to LeBron rap, and tell his story that there was something inside of him that was missing by not having a father. I'm not making fun of the guy, I feel for him. I think LeBron is a great human being, and one of the best to ever play the game. But there is this afraid of failure factor that guys like Jordan and Bird never displayed. It was, "give me the fucking ball and get out of my way. " it's the mentality of, I can handle failure easier than I can handle not being in control. LeBron was probably a better father than Jordan or Bird, but not a better basketball player. Everything you said in this video was just so spot on, I had to comment.

A lot of truth was preached in this reaction brother!

I like you,every time I see Bird highlights move him up in my all-time greatest lst. A complete player, with one of the best "heads" for the game ever. Relentless competitor.

Larry played when the game was physical against a dozen other hall of fame players! He would destroy the prima Donna’s of today. He was an overall, team player! You knew he would get the ball in clutch situations but his passing was incredible! What mattered was winning! Not being the center of attention!

Nothing better than the Celtics and Lakers ole' school! They worked to earn their paycheck.

All those missed Laker freethrows shows how Bird can get in the heads of opposing players

They complimented each other. Didn't care who got the glory! Just the win!

Well done. You are an old soul with respects to your overall philosophy, beliefs, understanding, and opinions of NBA Basketball, combined with a profound take on its history as well as its current nuances, trends, challenges, and how the present differences compare to and contrast with the teams and players of yesteryear. I lost track of how many times I concurred with what you commented on throughout your video. I really appreciate your insightful, intelligent, and meaningful comments. Can't thank you enough Best of luck to you and keep up the excellent work..

Bird was listed as 6'9" 220 lbs. You mentioned his shot. Watch his release. Its actually behind his head making it almost impossible to block without going through his body.

Really like your take on the competitiveness of the game vs watching a bunch of superstars being all about themselves. Just bring your best game and leave it all on the court.

Bird played like butter!!! HE'S THE GOAT!!! I would like to watch more Bird vids!!

Everything you are saying is so correct. It was so good to have watched back then.

This was when basketball was great! I remember watching from Memphis Tennessee at my grandma's house. I was actually a huge Kareem fan and I was only nine or ten years old and was in glasses by the time I was five or six. I would always think if I played basketball at have to wear the glasses like Kareem! 😂 But man you hit the nail on the head, the competitive games where incredible to watch. No glitz and glam. I would love to watch and hear what you think about some of the specials where you can actually hear the players saying what Larry Bird was saying to them. That man should not only teach classes on sports, but on confidence because he was someone who exuded it. I don't remember which year it was but it was early 80s and they were in the playoffs. It came down to the very last game. LA Lakers won, and I was happy about that. But seeing the Celtics players so upset, I remember crying for them because they played so well. This is when my love for basketball began. It's definitely not the same with the soft calls now. There was something a little gangster about how they played back then 😂 I'd love to see more of these videos.

Here’s something to think about when comparing Magic’s 5 championships to Bird’s 3. I was a 76’ers fan and loved Dr.J. Those early 80’s Sixer teams were stacked. The Lakers were stacked. In fact, the eastern conference had several teams that were stacked. The Bucks, Hawks, Knicks, were loaded with young talent and veterans. Yet, Bird won the championship in ‘81 with M.L. Carr, Cornbread Maxwell, and Tiny Archibald. The Celtics, had a BRUTAL path to the finals every year. When they DID make it to the finals they were involved in 5 or 6 or 7 game series just to get there. The Lakers, on the other hand, waltzed easily to the finals almost every year and would often sweep 4-0 to the Finals. I hated Bird and hated The Lakers because I was a 76er fan but Bird could’ve had atleast one or more had it not been so tough year after year. Not to mention the tragic death of Len Bias completely changed the destiny of the franchise and shortened Bird’s career/titles run. I respect Bird now. I like him now. But I hated him for decades.

I grew up in LA, but was one who loved BIRD and the Celtics over Lakers. Larry Legend was just a cold killer on the court and I loved that rivalry in the 80-90’s. Best time in the NBA. Real basketball played….

Lecturing Magic Johnson on free throws. Lmao, too funny

It's preposterous to think any of the greats couldn't play in this era.

First basketball video game I ever played was Lakers vs Celtics back in 1991 on my Sega Genesis. So many kids would pack my house wanting to play. Winner stayed and we had a sign up list for next game. It really sucked losing since you went back to the bottom of the list. Good times!

You made so many great points. The one i think is most important, you said "the will to win"! Great reaction!!

Definitely do more of these. Another great bird era rivalry was with the Detroit Pistons.

I can’t get enough of watching Larry play- more! And I enjoy your informed commentary!

I grew up watching this graduated high school in 83! Lakers Celtics was unreal I was lucky to see it!

I’m a piston fan and hate the Celtics but watching Bird play and all he did made me a BIG Bird fan. He is a top 5 goat nominee for me

The back story is this was the first Laker Celtics finals series in a long time. LA was 0 forever against the Celtics and wanted to run them out of the gym. Tied 1-1, game LA made Boston look like a high school team, ran them out of the gym. Bird was embarrassed and said it's not happening again. Game 4 LA started doing the same thing, and the Bird said, "Somebody do something." McHale did by close lining Rambis, and this completely shook LA. Boston, from then on out, took control and called LA the Fakers. The Lakers were beaten mentally and physically. They learned from this and returned the favor in 85'.

All your takes were spot on man, would love to hear you analyze more games

I think you're absolutely right about peoples' preferences. For me, and past the highlight tapes, is how Bird completely changed the Celtics his first year (as a rookie) and then after that. Boston went from 10th in the Eastern Conference in 78-79, the year before Bird arriving (29-53 record), to 1st in the Eastern Conference in 79-80 (61-21 record). The only other rookies on the team Bird's rookie year were Rick Roby and Gerald Henderson. He not only made everyone else around him better, unlike most others, but Bird was an unparalleled competitor. BTW: I think Kareem is a top-ten all-time best NBA player. (I saw this game live on TV).

Living in Indiana all of my life, Larry Legend is awesome!!!

Larry has been my favorite since he started playing. I was a Celtics fan when Cousey and Russell played. After Larry arrived the anticipation of those games was electric. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to see those games. I live in Ohio but I subscribed to the Boston Globe so I could read their coverage. Kurt Rambis was a hitman. He did a lot of damage with those elbows. The same with Bill Lambier on the Pistons. I truly disliked those two. Anyway, thanks for the reaction.

There were so many superstar players on both teams and that is how good Bird was. He was going against Hall of Fame players. Some of these guys were older like Kareem and Bob, who was a scoring machine in his younger days. Larry could play in any era. He would average 35 points a game in todays game! Macadoo

Great reaction, if you want to dive deeper, watch more games of Bird era Celtic’s. Watch games where Bird is matched up against Lakers, Wilkins, Jordan, etc. It’s not just the quality of players from that great era. It’s how all of them played the game ! It was NBA’s true zenith.

"I want to see more of the story" - I agree with you. Too many highlight clips don't show enough of the set-up / follow-up of the plays. This whole game was a highlight reel.

The 1984 Finals was the best series ever. Worth watching it all. Every game was intense

Larry, had the skill and BB IQ to adapt his game to any era.

12:46 - check out that possession. I think when DJ drove into the lane ALL TEN PLAYERS were inside the paint. You NEVER see that anymore. Nowadays, sometimes you get all five offensive players setting up outside the three point line. It's so different.

The game where Rambis is knocked down, that was the No lay-ups allowed game. Tough game unhinged the Lakers, who were up 3-1 in the playoffs. Celtics came back to beat them 4-3. Celtics played ball Lakers wanted to fight. Beat before they figured out what had happened. These guys were all in their 20’s. This game is on RU-vid

They were teams back then, now they’re a group of individuals who care about themselves. Those series were great to watch. The Lakers and Celtics hated each other, and the fans did too. #celtics #33

POLO - you're a good man. Great commentary. The old games are the only thing worth watching. LARRY LEGEND !!!!

Bro,everything you said,I was sitting here saying”PREACH!” You were on point on all things you said

After they got blown out in game 3, 136-111, Larry was so frustrated that he challenged the Lakers to a fight in the parking lot. He also called his teammates "sissies" to light a fire in their belly. The result: game 4 W, series tied, and they go back to the 100 degree celsius Garden where they massacre the Lakers.

I also heard Bird in a little interview say; Free Throws Can Be a Reason For a Team To Win It OR Loose It & That It's Very Important That Players Practice Them. It Was For Sure In This Game. Also I Think The Player Has To watch It Because Of The Pressure In Those Moments Too.And That's Just a Different Kind Of Thing They Have To Be Able To Handle/Mentally.

Watch more Larry Byrd. The kids now are too sensitive to play with Larry.

This is the “Tragic “ Johnson game. People called him Tragic after he missed those free throws and didn’t play well down the stretch. You need to watch any and all Bird trash talking videos. Bird is faster than Luka and the Joker and he could dominant in any era. Also the Video The Greatets Passer Ever. Larry Bird the re-edit. 15 or so minutes of Bird just passing the ball. Absolutely beautiful to watch

I grew up watching these games and i miss this NBA

1000% agree with you. Don't watch the NBA anymore either. Much more about the individual now than a team coming together to play hard. Great video as always.

Bird had mad skills. He set the tempo for the game and moved at his own pace.

Larry could ABSOLUTELY play in todays era. LARRY LEGEND IS A UNICORN AND THE TRUE GOAT!!! 🐐 ☘️

I lived in Medina, Ohio in the mid 90s, but was born and raised just south of Chicago, so I was already an established Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks fan but Cleveland became my second city, and I mentioned this in 2015 and someone said I must not like winning, lol. Of course, just one year later I laughed last... Edit: as a kid in the 80s my dad was a Celtics fan and my aunt was a Lakers fan. They both dismissed MJ throughout the 80s, so another last laugh for me lol

I’m loving watching these videos, and your comments. Having grown up in Hollywood in those years, I wish I’d taken more of an interest at the time. My brother & father were always glued to it, but I know for sure, they didn’t like Larry Bird😂. (At this point I love both teams & their Captains, but I must admit, Larry’s got the edge for me now!).

It is great to see you talk so passionately about the game!

The challenge by Bird was not to allow a SINGLE layup in that game. McCale said I’ll be damned if I’m the first :) Thus the clothes line on Kurt

This era of the NBA is the one I remember the most. as time went on, I found myself drifting further away from organized sports. now I look upon it with distain, because it is a shadow of it's former self... It's just not the same.

If you look closely, it was McHale's forearm that hit Kareem in the face from a step away, not Bird. It was a case of mistaken identiy, as Jabbar thought it was Larry who hit him.

I am so with you, Polo. I got to live this growing up. I'm just a touch older than Bird. It's so nice to see some full games in decent resolution to take me back. Now that I'm retired and have the time, I'm saddened by the state of the NBA in this ERA. That and the fact that my team got sold to Oklahoma. If you have the time and inclination, I would enjoy watching some playoff games with you.

I watched him his whole career. Best SF ever. Right in the top 5 Best of all time. Just watch him, when it COUNTED.. ASSAIN

"And then I seen the tapes" Mic drop right there. Thanks.

I loved this. Yes, more of these old school NBA reactions please

Michael Cooper was such a great defensive player. Bird said he was the toughest to impose his will upon.

I agree what you're saying about winning and having star players. Competitive is right. I grew up in the 80's watching the Celtics. Yes, do more videos.

I remember when I was in Marine Corps boot camp in 1985. When I was in "formation platoon", basically a zero week for us, we had a drill instructor from Boston and one from LA. They made us watch the Celtics and Lakers. They would argue to the point we thought we would have to break it up. Good times and memories. Unfortunately, sports are not like they used to be.

You can fine this Whole Game here on YT, You should check it out It's a WOW one. Bird has said a few times That Cooper was the Hardest Defender He had to go against & Watching the wholes game with these two You'll See why, Cooper was On Bird like a Tick.

They did have their best defender on him often. It was Michael Cooper. Larry has stated that Coop was the toughest defender of his career.

Was fortunate to watch these series throughout the 80s and I can assure you they were as phenomenal as these highlights.

Watching Larry's games is one of the best things to do online for a basketball fan

I love watching your reactions to all kinds of music , I come from the City myself and because of friends was into the rap scene back in the day , NWO , Epmd , Big daddy cane etc, but my family was into Elvis and country , and different groups different types, so I have a real Eclectic music background, so good seeing simeone realize there is great music in all different styles , I crack up to your reactions like to Phil Collins ,when he jumped on the drums, or you saw the Soul in Elvis , not the joke they made of him later , Keep up the great work Joe Starratt , Boston Ma

Loved your reaction to the game highlights, would enjoy seeing more! As a kid in the 80s, Magic was my favorite with Bird and Jordan right behind. Game was so much more physical and it was teams v teams mostly, not just oo let's watch this one star player. (my perception) Always got me out there on the court even if the only thing my friends usually wanted to play was HORSE XD

Love your comments, and appreciation of the differences in the era. Bird would rule the NBA today. ;it's was pushed, held, and mauled. Today's game nothing like 80's

I would highly suggest watching Magic and Bird: A Courtship of Rivals. Arguably one of the best sports documentary's ever. Most reactors do it in 5 segments with a few running the full special. It delves into their backgrounds, their rivalry and one of the best friendships in sports history. Would love to see your reaction to this. Plus, since I learned you love trash talkers you should also check out the videos with NBA greats telling their stories of Larry's trash talking. It's very funny and jaw dropping really.

This game brought back a lot of memories. I could not stand the Celtics, I was a die hard lakers fan , And then The finals would come around And there is the birdman Just killing it. Thanks for Show showing this video Reminded me Of how much respect I had for Birds ability To say it and then do it.

The “dude” that got butted out of bounds had it coming. Watch it again with an open mind. He should have just ran on back down the court after his team scored but he became an antagonist by staying behind Bird along the sideline trying to prevent him from inbounding the ball.

Polo, you have to stream these series between the Celtics and the Lakers. They are breathtaking. This is my era. I couldn't sleep for 2 hours after the games were over.

I remember that game..super super intense. The Lakers had embarassed the Celtics in Boston in game 1 and again in LA in game 3. Lotta flash and speed. Bird spoke to his team through the media in a postgame interview suggesting his own players didn't have enough heart. That triggered the tension that's on this video. After they defeated the Lakers it was a formula the Celtics stuck with. It was the beginning of a new era for them - a style of Celtics bully ball that the young Pistons couldn't break in the East until 1988. But of course when they finally did break through they carried it to another level. The oldheads remember.