My heart is pounding and I'm getting goosebumps watching this. And I've seen this a hundred times. I'm still amazed by Larry Bird's talent, toughness, leadership, and winning ways. He'll forever be my favorite player.
I remember that game. Emotions throughout New England soared that day for all watching that game. The man who gave us so much joy for over a decade went down so hard but then came back, unexpectedly, like part of the hero's journey. At that moment, we all knew. Everyone watching the game knew. The game was won at that moment. There was no way Larry Bird was going to lose that game.
I'm a New Zealander and basketball isn't our game. But everyone growing up in the '80s here with any interest in sport knew who Larry Bird was. Regardless of your sport there's a very small, very exclusive club of players who seem to be able to bend time and space to their will. Larry was one of them.
They say back pain is the worst. Larry to play at that elite level and deal with that horrible pain is just legendary. I will say this with no hesitation Larry at his prime the greatest small forward no the greatest all around player to play the game.
@chicaliqc, that was Larry. He’d beat the hell out of you, embarrass you, talk sh*t about you, then win or lose (usually a win, of course), he’d buy you a beer.
Back then players loved the game of basketball. They played with heart and determination. They played sick and broken. They were very grateful that they made it to the NBA.
Players make too much money now. Of course, the owners make so much. that the players should get a large portion of the share. However, when you make more money in a year than most people make in a lifetime, your motivation to play hard likely decreases.
Good Lord, how well I remember those games with Bird stretching belly down with a towel under him, on the floor, to alleviate spasms and the pain. What a super player he was.
The kindness and honesty of Lasalle Thompson. You can see it in the way he touches Birds back. He knew he was touching greatness. Respect for your opponent.
Just shows you the level of physical competition guys like Bird played against. Chuck Person was a solid player and gave Larry a tough night every time he faced him. I miss these days of the NBA
Those truly were the days... I am glad i got to see it first hand. I only wish I could go back to those days even if only for a short while. #33 forever
In my opinion the most complete player ever. He could pass, shoot, defend, take the last shot, rebound and always had the mental and toughness edge over everyone. And btw if you’ve never had a back injury you’ll never know how hard it is to even just get out of bed. I know because I’ve had it several times and to push through that and not only perform but to perform on a high level is a testament.
...I hear ya on the back issues bud - no one can understand it that hasn't been through it. I would look at him on the floor and think 'he can;t be having really bad back problems' - how wrong I was, he just battled through it.
That shows how great Larry Bird is, I'm a bulls fan but this man was one of the greatest because there are many on this sport and they all played so hard and fiercely and they deserve to be named the GOAT
Theyre are great players and there are great players but only a handful of those great players can actually be called legends and of those legends only a select few can be called Timeless. Larry Bird is the player most of the legends talk about. Nobody wanted to play against him. Nobody could talk as much trash as he could and nobody could back that trash up as well as he could. Even Michael Jordan will say he hated playing against the Bird. If I had to pick the greatest of all time Larry Bird is the one I pick. Best all around player ever.
I'm 64, and remember that game like it was yesterday. Those were the days when i couldn't catch the game live, so I'd tape it on those old vhs tapes. The 80's was without question the best decade of the NBA. Not one player in today's NBA could play back then. First off, you couldn't walk 5 steps like they do today , and secondly, you had to play team ball, which is unheard of today. If i were starting a team today, Bird would be my number 1 pick, no questions asked.
i'm also 64 and i used to turn the tv down and listen to Johnny Most do the radio play, i see your point but my first pick would be Magic because i know no one would take larry first and then i'd grab him and with magic AND larry it's GAME OVER !
I hated Larry at the time because he was a Celtic. Damn, that man was unreal. Talked that shit to everyone, and beat everyone. Years later, I find out I descend from multiple Bird/ Byrds. I still hate him for being a Celtic, but he has my undying respect as a competitor at the highest level. What fun it was watching the Magic Bird Show. The peak of the NBA.
I too am a descendant of many birds. I’m Mockingbird on my mother’s side, and part Blue Jay, Wren, and Canadian Goose, with a bit of Canary on my dad’s side. As a Side Note - I also have a niece whose father is Big Bird. He’s refused to admit he’s the father, pay Chick Support, or acknowledge her at all her entire Life. She’s filing a paternity suit as I peck this comment out. .
I too am a descendant of many Birds. I’m Mockingbird on my mother’s side, and part Blue Jay, Wren, and Canadian Goose, with a little Canary on my dad’s side. As a Side Note - I have a niece whose father is Big Bird. He’s refused to admit he’s the father, pay Chick Support, or even acknowledge her her entire Life. (She’s the Only one who’s over 6 feet Tall in her family, and had the same nasally voice as Mr. Bird by the way). She’s filing a paternity suit as I peck out this message.
I am from the UK and to be honest, basketball is just not a big thing here. However, Mr Bird is just a phenomenon. His passion, commitment and talent combined to make him, undeniably the GREATEST OF ALL TIME.
All that with a broken body yet his name is seldom mentioned while talking about all world players. But I noticed most all the players he played against Jabbar, Jordan, lPayton on and on all have nothing but the highest regard for Bird. I think of the quote by Isaiah saying he believed if him , Jordon , Jabbar and Magic got it on that Bird would be the one that takes it all
Love bird . I have him second best to Jordan. Every single team I put together will have Larry Bird on it starting over Lebron. Matter of fact NO team would have Lebron on it. Top 12 doesn’t include Lebron. Defense is important . Lebron can’t even spell it .
He is still my top 1 of all time- And i watched a lotta ball back in the day..no one played smarter- yes more people hogged the ball and made great shots- he was a tap, a flick a throw and shared the glory with his team...
Pat Riley said this iconic quote: "If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I choose Michael Jordan. If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I'd choose Larry Bird."
@@maddymud You go with the odds. Steph Curry has missed plenty of shots and yet he is the greatest shooter ever in the NBA. So you really don't have a point.
I remember watching that game and when it was over my then gf asked me "why are you crying" (I wasn't 'crying', I just had tears in my eyes... okay, maybe my lips quivered a bit), I said, "everyone's happier than hell right now, but I suddenly feel like it (Larry's career) is going to end soon, very soon and I may have thought about how one day his career will end like every retired player's did, like Kareem's, Dr. J's, and Magic's (I was a Laker fan living in LA throughout the 80's...hating Larry Legend), but I didn't realize how much I would miss him until that moment and it struck me deeply...but it prepared me for when he finally did retire not long after that 'legendary performance'. I still get all sentimental looking at these old 'flashback' videos of Larry, I was blessed and so lucky to have been in my 20's living in L.A. watching the Lakers, Celtics, Pistons, BLAZERS, Sonics, Dr. J. Moses, Barkley, Cheeks with the Sixers, Ewing, Starks, King, Jackson, Oakley, Strickland with the Knicks, Stockton, Malone, Eaton with Utah, Dominique, Rivers, Spud Webb, with Atlanta, Aguirre, Blackman, with the Mavs, I could go on and on, but after Bird and Magic left I watched less and less of the regular season games except the Lakers and the return to glory with Kobe & Shaq, but there will always be something about how lucky we were to have been blessed by Larry Legend to fight against and marvel at his awesomeness that will forever cause feelings of nostalgia and tug on heart strings until I die.
...well described sir, I was in my thirties in that era so I get where you are coming from. I was totally engaged in the LA/Boston rivalry. Back in those days I thought I was a Lakers fan but when I think back on it I find it hard to believe I wasn't a Boston fan - go figure. Even then I realized Bird was one up on Magic and Kareem. Can't say the same for Cooper though. He was a tough defender.
That is the toughest thing I have ever seen. IMO much harder than Jordan's 104 degree performance or Isiah's 4th quarter broken leg. (I actually worked out with a 104 degree fever, it was exhausting but when your adrenaline gets going you don't feel as tired. However I paid for it afterwards.) I had a concussion before and you can't even think straight let alone shoot a basketball and certainly anyone with a herniated disk in the lower back knows just how bad this is. Sharp pain shooting down your leg anytime you move. And to top it off, he broke a bone in face. That's three injuries to overcome, not just one. The man is simply indestructible.
I will concur with you on that. In college, I played in an intramural sporting event with a 104 fever, and didn't think twice about it . Right next door was the infirmary, so I went their afterwards, and was diagnosed with "the worst strep throat I've ever seen", per the doctor (it no doubt looked particularly bad because of what I had just been doing, which I didn't mention to the doctor.) Years later, I had a herniated disc. I can't imagine playing any sports with that back pain. Nor can I imagine trying to shoot a basketball with double vision from a broken bone in my face.
Amen! Agree 100%. My father and I have a very high tolerance for pain. I worked many 10-hour days of arduous physical labor with a variety of injuries, but nothing tops a back injury. After a logging accident shattered T7, T8, and T9, I now live in a wheelchair with NINE fused vertebrae. Every day, I experience nerve pain that is off-the-charts!!!
I grew up watching 80's 90's basketball. You know every team told players. Don't piss off Bird unless you can handle it. Love a good sports rivalry!!!!!
I grew up watching hockey and football and had no interest in basketball until by accident i watched the Boston Celtics play on tv. From that moment on i was a Celtics fan watching the amazing Larry Bird. After he retired i never watched or cared much for basketball again. He became my favorite player in any sport and still is today, nobody can come close to this mans talent and heart for the game and the excitement he gave me.
Might be a hard sell from me to you . Give the ny knicks a watch this season . They truly have the same physical and mental fortitude the gladiators of those eras had . Like modano and hull on the stars playing through broken bones and ligaments . It’s the purest form of competition , and it’s why we love sports . Seriously give the knicks a shot if you want to relive some of that heart pounding and exhilaration of rooting for a team and players giving it their all
Similar story, I didn't know anything about basketball, but one day I saw a game on TV as a kid, with a bunch of showboaters and hotdoggers playing against a team of humble players playing as a team. I fell in love with the latter team. It was the Lakers v. Celtics, with Larry Bird leading.
Dealing with the pain is a Day to Day issue, as many of us know. Getting up and out of bed is how you start, what follows is your decision. Following a lead by a Great competitor is a good Strat.. Prescriptions wont help, it's up to how to deal.
That game is burned into my memory forever. We were watching the end of an era when Bird went down. . . and then he came back out of the tunnel. As soon as the we saw that look in his eyes, we knew the Pacers were going home. Chills just thinking about it.
Bird in TRACTION and plays. And here I am hoping Embiid doesn’t take too many nights off, and on him I’m pinning my hopes? Contender vs Pretender right there!!
@@MrBaltimoreRon ...come back and tell us all about traction when you have been in those shoes. There's a need for a chiropractor and then there is the need for surgery - they aren't the same.
Larry Bird is 1 of kind, they broke the mold after they made him. He is number 2 on my all greatest list right behind Jordan. Larry Legend was able to do amazing things even being 3/4s crippled. I suffer from chronic back pain and even spent time in a wheelchair. People don't understand how hard it is unless they deal with it themselves. The fact he was able to play the 91 season is insane! Then he went on to play iIn the dream team in 92 is also insane! His pain tolerance is extraordinary!! There's no athlete in history I respect more than Larry Bird. #33 was a Beast!
I remember that game well. His "Willis Reed" moment. Larry was no where near 100% BEFORE crashing to the floor. With Larry out there was no way they'd have beaten the Pacers that day. When he returned, there was no way they could have lost. He had nothing to prove. He was the best shooter, passed like Magic, rebounded like Wilt, stole like Stockton, was King of the 40/50/90 club. LEGEND!!!!🏀
Starting with the 1980 Lakers and ending with the 1990 Pistons, for sustained quality, year after year after year, through SO many excellent teams & playoffs, there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING to compare with 80s NBA, a decade of brilliance by a league that was in a one of a kind, true golden era
With bird's passing all five players were dangerous. Live forty minutes from french lick , i played in a scramble for charity at the old Donald Ross hill course in French lick, bird was supposed to play in it but had to cancel. Everyone was buzzing with excitement, still a great day on a very good golf course.
...it's the inclusion and betterment of the team that most people don't understand when they try to discuss the GOAT. You see the same thing with the WNBA discussion of CC's greatness - they just can't grasp that aspect of her skills. Jordon didn't understand it for a long time - he didn't achieve anything significant until he learned that lesson.
As a Pacers fan this amazing game is often forgotten because it hurt so much and yet it’s one of Indiana’s own who just put on a clinic of epic proportions. We also forget how good Chuck was - mostly because he was under Bird’s shadow in these bouts. Great micro rivalry of that end of Celtics / Larry run.
...yea but McHale had deceptively long arms and extended game smarts that made him a force to be reckoned with. Those two were constantly on the same page.
I remember watching this game on TV as a kid, it was incredible. The emotional swings of them leading, then Bird going out then back into the game were incredible.
I am Philly to the core - hated Bird back in day - today he is one of my all time favorite players. Funny thing is for me is the title of this vid "arrogant showboat" lol first off that is like day one in the code speak class course work and also incredibly ironic as Bird himself was one of the top 5 all time NBA trash talking, disrespectful arrogant showboats EVER!!!
....your prejudice is quite obvious. It's not arrogance if you can back it up and it isn't showboating if it makes your team better and produces great plays that win championships.
@@FreedomCowboy ...I'll give you that in the WNBA context for sure. She still has the potential to be better. She needs better talent around her to show case her abilities though.
The Rifleman, Chuck Person, was a volume scoring three point specialist in an era when that wasn't a thing. But Larry Legend was a force of Nature. Even as an Isaiah Thomas Detroit Pistons fan, I will never deny his greatness.
I watched this game, real time, on TV and have watched this video, probably 50 times in a couple or more years. I still cloud up a little each time I watch it. To me, there hasn't been anything quite like it, in sports.
I know I have seen this before many times but I saw it here on this site and had to watch it again. I don't care what anyone else's standard is, the LEGEND will always be the GOAT.
![Jack Harlow - Hello Miss Johnson [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q86_nlRoIGw/mqdefault.jpg)
My heart is pounding and I'm getting goosebumps watching this. And I've seen this a hundred times. I'm still amazed by Larry Bird's talent, toughness, leadership, and winning ways. He'll forever be my favorite player.
Bird was a beast. A true competitor
He had 0 quit
I remember that game. Emotions throughout New England soared that day for all watching that game. The man who gave us so much joy for over a decade went down so hard but then came back, unexpectedly, like part of the hero's journey. At that moment, we all knew. Everyone watching the game knew. The game was won at that moment. There was no way Larry Bird was going to lose that game.
I remember it like it was yesterday
I'm a New Zealander and basketball isn't our game. But everyone growing up in the '80s here with any interest in sport knew who Larry Bird was. Regardless of your sport there's a very small, very exclusive club of players who seem to be able to bend time and space to their will. Larry was one of them.
Lebron fans know nothing about true greatness. This is greatness.
@@billmorrison9068 ...some fulfill expectations and others don't - the real G,O,A,T. - Larry Legend
@@78tag Magic Johnson is my GOAT.
They say back pain is the worst. Larry to play at that elite level and deal with that horrible pain is just legendary. I will say this with no hesitation Larry at his prime the greatest small forward no the greatest all around player to play the game.
Watched it live on tv. Unbelievable really. Just another reason why he's Larry Legend
Me too, I remember that game like yesterday.
Absolutely one of the greatest players I've ever seen!!!!
Young persons. Old Bird. Bird still always gets the last word
Most importantly Bird showed respect for Chuck on the way to the Locker room its just hard nose competition at the end of the day
@chicaliqc, that was Larry. He’d beat the hell out of you, embarrass you, talk sh*t about you, then win or lose (usually a win, of course), he’d buy you a beer.
The Bird is the word!
Don't get it twisted though. Person was giving it to Larry Bird all series long. Person was on fire ❤🔥
@@BK-gh9us HE HAVE NICKNAME ROFFLE FOR REASON. BUT BIRD ALWAYS LAUGH LAST LIKE VERSUS JORDAN. EVEN OLD HE GAVE MJ MANY L'S AND 30, 40 PTS
Bird is a real "man" & just a perfect player, teammate, coach & executive.
...you would have a hard time explaining that to some of the 'boys' of this day.
When it comes to tenacity and the driving fortitude to play the game? Larry Bird is bar none !!!!
Back then players loved the game of basketball. They played with heart and determination. They played sick and broken. They were very grateful that they made it to the NBA.
Belief...
Players make too much money now. Of course, the owners make so much. that the players should get a large portion of the share. However, when you make more money in a year than most people make in a lifetime, your motivation to play hard likely decreases.
The guy is just insane. Insanely good.
You don't mess with Larry bird youl regret it these guys today couldn't play half a game with those guys back then
Good Lord, how well I remember those games with Bird stretching belly down with a towel under him, on the floor, to alleviate spasms and the pain.
What a super player he was.
..and even with that he was levels above the other players.
The kindness and honesty of Lasalle Thompson. You can see it in the way he touches Birds back. He knew he was touching greatness. Respect for your opponent.
Good call. I noticed that too. Nice to see someone else did too.
@@ScottM-l3u ...I'm betting many of us saw that and understood.
Larry Bird aka Greatest of all time!!!
Just shows you the level of physical competition guys like Bird played against. Chuck Person was a solid player and gave Larry a tough night every time he faced him. I miss these days of the NBA
I definitely loved that era, Celts, Lakers, Portland, Detroit! A lot of great players!
Sunday, NBA on NBC. Lotta sick matchups. Christmas was East & West championship rematch. Hell yeah.
Those truly were the days... I am glad i got to see it first hand. I only wish I could go back to those days even if only for a short while. #33 forever
It's why he's called Larry Legend.
In my opinion the most complete player ever. He could pass, shoot, defend, take the last shot, rebound and always had the mental and toughness edge over everyone. And btw if you’ve never had a back injury you’ll never know how hard it is to even just get out of bed. I know because I’ve had it several times and to push through that and not only perform but to perform on a high level is a testament.
Averaged high 80 to 90+ percent from the charity stripe too.
...I hear ya on the back issues bud - no one can understand it that hasn't been through it. I would look at him on the floor and think 'he can;t be having really bad back problems' - how wrong I was, he just battled through it.
Larry was willing to die trying to win a game. A true warrior
...he risked it all that's for sure.
Thank you for sharing Larry birds story’s, he’s my favorite basketball player and doesn’t get enough credit
Players who played against him give ALL the credit. And that’s WAAAY better credit than from any fan, pundit or media goof.
@@DustyTail 🎯
Larry gets all the respect, GOAT.
Yes he does
...anyone who doesn't give Bird credit for being the best doesn't know him or his place in the game.
That shows how great Larry Bird is, I'm a bulls fan but this man was one of the greatest because there are many on this sport and they all played so hard and fiercely and they deserve to be named the GOAT
Theyre are great players and there are great players but only a handful of those great players can actually be called legends and of those legends only a select few can be called Timeless. Larry Bird is the player most of the legends talk about. Nobody wanted to play against him. Nobody could talk as much trash as he could and nobody could back that trash up as well as he could. Even Michael Jordan will say he hated playing against the Bird. If I had to pick the greatest of all time Larry Bird is the one I pick. Best all around player ever.
I'm 64, and remember that game like it was yesterday. Those were the days when i couldn't catch the game live, so I'd tape it on those old vhs tapes.
The 80's was without question the best decade of the NBA. Not one player in today's NBA could play back then. First off, you couldn't walk 5 steps like they do today , and secondly, you had to play team ball, which is unheard of today. If i were starting a team today, Bird would be my number 1 pick, no questions asked.
That's a great story Grandpa!
Ridiculous
@@W0J0SM0J0I'm a grandpa also and he is correct some day you will learn😊
i'm also 64 and i used to turn the tv down and listen to Johnny Most do the radio play, i see your point but my first pick would be Magic because i know no one would take larry first and then i'd grab him and with magic AND larry it's GAME OVER !
@@PaulRoos-p3o great comment!
Every time I see his face hit the hardwood.. his face bounces off.. OUCH.. and he came back.. incredible.. Today's players.. never happening.
If that was AD he'd be out for the season
@@Faven2011 You mean AD as in "Always Disabled"?
...this more evidence that the great one's didn't do it for the money.
The GOAT of GOATS.
I hated Larry at the time because he was a Celtic. Damn, that man was unreal. Talked that shit to everyone, and beat everyone. Years later, I find out I descend from multiple Bird/ Byrds. I still hate him for being a Celtic, but he has my undying respect as a competitor at the highest level. What fun it was watching the Magic Bird Show. The peak of the NBA.
I too am a descendant of many birds.
I’m Mockingbird on my mother’s side, and part Blue Jay, Wren, and Canadian Goose, with a bit of Canary on my dad’s side.
As a Side Note - I also have a niece whose father is Big Bird. He’s refused to admit he’s the father, pay Chick Support, or acknowledge her at all her entire Life.
She’s filing a paternity suit as I peck this comment out.
.
I too am a descendant of many Birds.
I’m Mockingbird on my mother’s side, and part Blue Jay, Wren, and Canadian Goose, with a little Canary on my dad’s side.
As a Side Note - I have a niece whose father is Big Bird. He’s refused to admit he’s the father, pay Chick Support, or even acknowledge her her entire Life. (She’s the Only one who’s over 6 feet Tall in her family, and had the same nasally voice as Mr. Bird by the way).
She’s filing a paternity suit as I peck out this message.
Look at Bird's hair standing up when he came back out. He went Super Saiyan.
Damn I love this man. I just looked up the word competitor in the dictionary it said pleas see Larry Bird.
Larry Bird had one of the sweetest strokes of all time when he shoots the basketball. Most of the time it's all net!!!
...and to call the shots in their faces at that.
I'm a Laker fan but if I had to put a team together, Bird would play every minute!
Just à phenomenal all around player!!
...you are excused.
I am from the UK and to be honest, basketball is just not a big thing here. However, Mr Bird is just a phenomenon. His passion, commitment and talent combined to make him, undeniably the GREATEST OF ALL TIME.
Bird is best ever.basket ball is crap tho.
All that with a broken body yet his name is seldom mentioned while talking about all world players. But I noticed most all the players he played against Jabbar, Jordan, lPayton on and on all have nothing but the highest regard for Bird. I think of the quote by Isaiah saying he believed if him , Jordon , Jabbar and Magic got it on that Bird would be the one that takes it all
Bird is the greatest and all the other greats like MJ LeBron, Kobe Russell are not afraid to admit it
Love bird . I have him second best to Jordan. Every single team I put together will have Larry Bird on it starting over Lebron. Matter of fact NO team would have Lebron on it. Top 12 doesn’t include Lebron. Defense is important . Lebron can’t even spell it .
@@christopheralton-moonn2097lol MJ isn’t second to Larry. But I have Larry as second greatest ever .
Larry Bird……. THE GOAT!!!!!!!!!
100%
Ain't nobody NEVER taught Larry Bird no MOTHA EFFIN LESSON!
Andrew Toney was as close as it got.
👍
Larry Legend will always be my top 5 All Time‼
He is still my top 1 of all time- And i watched a lotta ball back in the day..no one played smarter- yes more people hogged the ball and made great shots- he was a tap, a flick a throw and shared the glory with his team...
Always !
...I'll give that, as long as he is the captain of the team.
Pat Riley said this iconic quote: "If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I choose Michael Jordan. If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I'd choose Larry Bird."
and yet Pat watched Larry get space to hit a three and win the game and miss
@@maddymud You go with the odds. Steph Curry has missed plenty of shots and yet he is the greatest shooter ever in the NBA. So you really don't have a point.
❤
Hope he changes his quote when he sees Steph Curry 😅
And Larry Bird said MJ was God disguised as Michael Jordan
The GOAT. Even if he were playing against the Planet Krypton All Stars, Larry would still be the MVP! What a stud!
I remember watching that game and when it was over my then gf asked me "why are you crying" (I wasn't 'crying', I just had tears in my eyes... okay, maybe my lips quivered a bit), I said, "everyone's happier than hell right now, but I suddenly feel like it (Larry's career) is going to end soon, very soon and I may have thought about how one day his career will end like every retired player's did, like Kareem's, Dr. J's, and Magic's (I was a Laker fan living in LA throughout the 80's...hating Larry Legend), but I didn't realize how much I would miss him until that moment and it struck me deeply...but it prepared me for when he finally did retire not long after that 'legendary performance'.
I still get all sentimental looking at these old 'flashback' videos of Larry, I was blessed and so lucky to have been in my 20's living in L.A. watching the Lakers, Celtics, Pistons, BLAZERS, Sonics, Dr. J. Moses, Barkley, Cheeks with the Sixers, Ewing, Starks, King, Jackson, Oakley, Strickland with the Knicks, Stockton, Malone, Eaton with Utah, Dominique, Rivers, Spud Webb, with Atlanta, Aguirre, Blackman, with the Mavs, I could go on and on, but after Bird and Magic left I watched less and less of the regular season games except the Lakers and the return to glory with Kobe & Shaq, but there will always be something about how lucky we were to have been blessed by Larry Legend to fight against and marvel at his awesomeness that will forever cause feelings of nostalgia and tug on heart strings until I die.
Marques Johnson and Sidney Moncrief in Milwaukee.
...well described sir, I was in my thirties in that era so I get where you are coming from. I was totally engaged in the LA/Boston rivalry. Back in those days I thought I was a Lakers fan but when I think back on it I find it hard to believe I wasn't a Boston fan - go figure. Even then I realized Bird was one up on Magic and Kareem. Can't say the same for Cooper though. He was a tough defender.
That is the toughest thing I have ever seen. IMO much harder than Jordan's 104 degree performance or Isiah's 4th quarter broken leg. (I actually worked out with a 104 degree fever, it was exhausting but when your adrenaline gets going you don't feel as tired. However I paid for it afterwards.) I had a concussion before and you can't even think straight let alone shoot a basketball and certainly anyone with a herniated disk in the lower back knows just how bad this is. Sharp pain shooting down your leg anytime you move. And to top it off, he broke a bone in face. That's three injuries to overcome, not just one. The man is simply indestructible.
I will concur with you on that. In college, I played in an intramural sporting event with a 104 fever, and didn't think twice about it . Right next door was the infirmary, so I went their afterwards, and was diagnosed with "the worst strep throat I've ever seen", per the doctor (it no doubt looked particularly bad because of what I had just been doing, which I didn't mention to the doctor.) Years later, I had a herniated disc. I can't imagine playing any sports with that back pain. Nor can I imagine trying to shoot a basketball with double vision from a broken bone in my face.
Larry said he had double vision when he came back out and had to figure out which was the right one.
@@anonygent He said he aimed for the left basket, and it went in, so he just kept aiming for the left basket.
Amen! Agree 100%. My father and I have a very high tolerance for pain. I worked many 10-hour days of arduous physical labor with a variety of injuries, but nothing tops a back injury. After a logging accident shattered T7, T8, and T9, I now live in a wheelchair with NINE fused vertebrae. Every day, I experience nerve pain that is off-the-charts!!!
@@FreedomCowboy That is awful. I hope that some future medical advance finds relief for you.
GOAT!!!!!!
Absolutely no doubt, total, all around. Some great in way, he was in ALL ways.
LARRY LEGEND IS A UNICORN AND THE TRUE GOAT!!! 🐐 ☘️
❤
@@sugarnads ❤️
Never watched BB after he left -I miss Larry So much !
Almost same. Few years left after him but I always call it the end of the Bird Era. Couldn't pay me to watch these days.
@@petegregory517 ...the WNBA is learning that lesson the hard way - if at all.
I grew up watching 80's 90's basketball. You know every team told players. Don't piss off Bird unless you can handle it. Love a good sports rivalry!!!!!
Guys like Bird, Jordan, and Magic will always put the honor of the game and competitive spirit before they're own well being.
JORDAN QUIT 3 TIMES LOAD MANAGED 450+ GAMES. DONT PUT HIM INSAME BREATH
@@PIP...33 What 3 times are you speaking of ????
@@PIP...33Jordan retired when his dad died and retired when they broke the bulls up???
@@PIP...33 What does "LOAD MANAGED 450+ GAMES" mean?
I grew up watching hockey and football and had no interest in basketball until by accident i watched the Boston Celtics play on tv. From that moment on i was a Celtics fan watching the amazing Larry Bird. After he retired i never watched or cared much for basketball again. He became my favorite player in any sport and still is today, nobody can come close to this mans talent and heart for the game and the excitement he gave me.
Might be a hard sell from me to you .
Give the ny knicks a watch this season . They truly have the same physical and mental fortitude the gladiators of those eras had .
Like modano and hull on the stars playing through broken bones and ligaments .
It’s the purest form of competition , and it’s why we love sports . Seriously give the knicks a shot if you want to relive some of that heart pounding and exhilaration of rooting for a team and players giving it their all
Similar story, I didn't know anything about basketball, but one day I saw a game on TV as a kid, with a bunch of showboaters and hotdoggers playing against a team of humble players playing as a team. I fell in love with the latter team. It was the Lakers v. Celtics, with Larry Bird leading.
Dealing with the pain is a Day to Day issue, as many of us know. Getting up and out of bed is how you start, what follows is your decision. Following a lead by a Great competitor is a good Strat.. Prescriptions wont help, it's up to how to deal.
Favorite player of all time Larry Bird
This video is damn good and very well put together. Like an sub
I get the last word. That’s the biggest understatement ever. Bird is the GOAT.
Larry Legend
7:28 I throw my cell phone he is the GOAT 🐐
The game was over right there.
That game is burned into my memory forever. We were watching the end of an era when Bird went down. . . and then he came back out of the tunnel. As soon as the we saw that look in his eyes, we knew the Pacers were going home. Chills just thinking about it.
...you gotta love it when an ego like Person's gets an expected win turned into a loss right in his face.
I remember too. Perhaps my all time favorite game as a pacer fan in a loss.
Bird in TRACTION and plays. And here I am hoping Embiid doesn’t take too many nights off, and on him I’m pinning my hopes? Contender vs Pretender right there!!
Traction is no big deal, a machine stretches the back. Calm down fan boy.
Y'all put too much trust in embiid 😂😂
@@MrBaltimoreRon ...come back and tell us all about traction when you have been in those shoes. There's a need for a chiropractor and then there is the need for surgery - they aren't the same.
This is a great video. I didn't realize that Bird had a Willis Reed moment. Thanks for sharing.
Larry Bird is 1 of kind, they broke the mold after they made him. He is number 2 on my all greatest list right behind Jordan.
Larry Legend was able to do amazing things even being 3/4s crippled. I suffer from chronic back pain and even spent time in a wheelchair. People don't understand how hard it is unless they deal with it themselves. The fact he was able to play the 91 season is insane! Then he went on to play iIn the dream team in 92 is also insane!
His pain tolerance is extraordinary!! There's no athlete in history I respect more than Larry Bird.
#33 was a Beast!
"The Rifleman" was no joke. He and Dominique. They had Bird's respect.
I remember that game well. His "Willis Reed" moment. Larry was no where near 100% BEFORE crashing to the floor. With Larry out there was no way they'd have beaten the Pacers that day. When he returned, there was no way they could have lost. He had nothing to prove. He was the best shooter, passed like Magic, rebounded like Wilt, stole like Stockton, was King of the 40/50/90 club. LEGEND!!!!🏀
Lakers fan here saw all the Magic vs Bird battles. Don't ever disrespect or discount Larry Bird he will make you pay!
Starting with the 1980 Lakers and ending with the 1990 Pistons, for sustained quality, year after year after year, through SO many excellent teams & playoffs, there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING to compare with 80s NBA, a decade of brilliance by a league that was in a one of a kind, true golden era
I didn't see this game. Larry Legend indeed.
With bird's passing all five players were dangerous. Live forty minutes from french lick , i played in a scramble for charity at the old Donald Ross hill course in French lick, bird was supposed to play in it but had to cancel. Everyone was buzzing with excitement, still a great day on a very good golf course.
...it's the inclusion and betterment of the team that most people don't understand when they try to discuss the GOAT. You see the same thing with the WNBA discussion of CC's greatness - they just can't grasp that aspect of her skills. Jordon didn't understand it for a long time - he didn't achieve anything significant until he learned that lesson.
As a Pacers fan this amazing game is often forgotten because it hurt so much and yet it’s one of Indiana’s own who just put on a clinic of epic proportions. We also forget how good Chuck was - mostly because he was under Bird’s shadow in these bouts. Great micro rivalry of that end of Celtics / Larry run.
I remember when Coach Chris Ford played for the Pistons. Saw former Piston Mel Carr in the crowd too. B-Ball was different then.
Larry always gets the last word...
LITTERALLY !!! 🤣🤣🤣
Good. God. That cross-court outlet at 7:29. One of the best players ever. He did it all.
Bird was that good! One of the greatest of all time!
Over half of today's players would have been buried alive by the amount of body contact and flagrant play that was all part of the deal.
LARRY “I ALWAYS GET THE LAST WORD” BYRD
Larry is the GOAT. He was the best clutch player i've ever seen.
The best clutch player I've ever seen is Jerry West - AKA "Mr. Clutch" and the NBA logo. RIP Jerry
@@donsharkey116 ... IDK what happened to your Jerry West comment but Jerry did have a little something to say about Birds GOAT level of play.
@@78tag Jerry saw a lot of himself in Bird - great competitor and love for the game. He also admired players who weren't afraid to take the last shot.
Give me Magic, Bird, Jordan, Dr. J and Kareem against any 5 from any era! These guys were built tough and played through anything.
Ill throw you Kobe Lebron KD Tim Duncan Shaq
@@zoesaintvil7900 nice. Let’s play with the rules from the 80’s tho! Oh, and no flopping. 👍🏼
@@salsafirejrivera1037 if we doing no flopping im taking kawhi over lebron lmao
@@zoesaintvil7900 😂😂😂…hands down the best response everrrr!!! 😂😂😂
Wilt instead of kareem
I highly recommend Larrys book. It’s a must read
Bird and McHale had no business being on a court with the bodies they had. Yet a couple of the best players ever
...yea but McHale had deceptively long arms and extended game smarts that made him a force to be reckoned with. Those two were constantly on the same page.
Larry Bird. Maybe the toughest and definitely the smartest player the NBA has ever seen.
Larry Bird was the best player ever! The rules changed or no one would beat him!
I remember watching this game on TV as a kid, it was incredible. The emotional swings of them leading, then Bird going out then back into the game were incredible.
If Bird could could see the basket, he could put the ball in it. Being a Lakers fan, I hated him.
I'm from Chicago and I adore Michael, but LB is something else. Such a magnificent player. The two greatest players of all time.
Man was spent..
Back ruined.
Still top 5 in the league when he retired
BIRD IS THE WORD
Man , it's Larry Legend , nothing more to say !!!❤❤
as mj once said...larry was a fucking problem
Players today plays for money, players of yester years plays out of passion and love of the game....
...that's the game/world now.
I am Philly to the core - hated Bird back in day - today he is one of my all time favorite players. Funny thing is for me is the title of this vid "arrogant showboat" lol first off that is like day one in the code speak class course work and also incredibly ironic as Bird himself was one of the top 5 all time NBA trash talking, disrespectful arrogant showboats EVER!!!
Same here my friend. I hated Bird.. ONLY ONE PLAYER IN HISTORY I WOULD CHOOSE BEFORE HIM... WILT
....your prejudice is quite obvious. It's not arrogance if you can back it up and it isn't showboating if it makes your team better and produces great plays that win championships.
My favorite player since 1978.
My favorite player period, first pick on my all time team
The showboat was dirty. Really dirty. Dirty or not the GOAT still owned him. After watching this. Auburn should be ashamed of him.
He was a dirty recruiter for Auburn, but this is not dirty play
LARRY! LARRY! LARRY! LARRY!
The floor woke up a Beast!!
...and the way I heard it - Bird didn't like the 'I won' attitude Person displayed after he went down. He wasn't going to let him get away with that.
The Rifle man, Chuck Person, and Bird use to go at it!
I wasn't into basketball after my Sonics won the Championship. I guess I dropped out for a few decades. Nice to be able to relive what I missed.
1979 was a beautiful run.
There has never been...... Nor will there ever be another basketball player as good as Larry Bird was......
Enter Caitlin Clark, Larry's protege!!!
@@FreedomCowboy ...I'll give you that in the WNBA context for sure. She still has the potential to be better. She needs better talent around her to show case her abilities though.
Was nice seeing that respect from Thompson at the end of the game
The Rifleman, Chuck Person, was a volume scoring three point specialist in an era when that wasn't a thing. But Larry Legend was a force of Nature. Even as an Isaiah Thomas Detroit Pistons fan, I will never deny his greatness.
...it took MJ too long to learn the Larry Bird lesson. Make you team better with your skills and you are very hard to beat.
Warrior! Like the ancient Spartans' creed, "Come back with your shield or on it."
We’ll never see a player play through pain like that again!! ☘️🏀
Not in the same league
I watched this game, real time, on TV and have watched this video, probably 50 times in a couple or more years. I still cloud up a little each time I watch it. To me, there hasn't been anything quite like it, in sports.
That's why I love that legendary player !
Bird is an American, with American fortitude, American drive, American strength.
AMERICAN❤
....something we could use a lot more of now days!!
I know I have seen this before many times but I saw it here on this site and had to watch it again. I don't care what anyone else's standard is, the LEGEND will always be the GOAT.