I was a Lakers fan all the way, in the 80s. But even the most extreme fans against Boston, we all recognize, Bird was and is something out of this world
The question is, "Do you want the ball in Larry's hands in the last seconds of a game?" The answer will always be yes. No one will tell you no. THAT'S how good he was.
Pat Riley was asked that question. Pat noted that if he had to pick one player to shoot one shot to win a game, he would pick Jordan. But then Pat noted, if he had to pick one player to shoot one shot to save his life, he would pick Bird.
Pfft, lies. Thousands of people would say no, they don't want the ball in Larry's hands in the last seconds of a game. Such as all the fans of the opposing team.
Also not the statement JJ responded to though. Is he a top 3-5 clutch shooter and is he a top 3-5 3 point shooter are two different things. What JJ said was right and Larry Bird was one of the greatest clutch shooters ever is also right.
GSW, Steph Curry fan here. Bird was a killer. He made 3’s under more pressure and duress than anyone who ever played the game. Larry Legend is an unadulterated. killer.
The thing about Larry behind the arc is how he wasn't just making flatfooted threes facing the basket, but phenomenal ones in clutch situations where he's taking inbound passes with his back to the basket, and one or more of the opposing team's best defenders draped all over him, only for him to turn and in one motion hit "nothing but net" shots on one foot, while not setting himself, but in movement. Oh, and he's the player who introduced the step-back three to the game.
@@bobomonkey702 Yes, on or off balance, he had a knack, or instinct, for getting his shoulders, or at least his shooting arm and shoulder, squared and in line with the basket. Muscle memory, like shooting a gun from the hip. Phenomenal.
Indeed, Coops Defense was the best that’s why he was on Larry and on Offense the killer from the corner, Jamaal Wilks is who Coop remind me of those years.
@@liberalconservative7122 That is a hilarious statement. Larry was know for the Dagger 3. What was JJ know for other than being a guy who came off the bench most of his career. All Redick was jack up 3s and nothing else. Oh and Larry didn't come into the league shooting 3s. The three point line was brought in when he came into the NBA, unlike Redick who had been jacking them up since high school. Larry made the 3 a weapon to take a teams heart. Redick didn't do that to any team I know of.
As a lifelong Celtic fan, I have never had anything but the utmost respect for Cooper. When he says he would have locked JJ up, he is telling the truth. He was the best defensive player in the league and Bird has verified it.
Loved this story. Basketball is a soft sport now. They just don't remember. Appreciate the history to remind us about Larry bird and his greatness. I was a jordan fan, but Larry bird was one of the greatest clutch shooters of all time
I started laughing my ass off the other day. Some young kid ....was trying to tell me how much more physical basketball is today! 😂😂😂 I told him to go back and educate himself... that there are numerous clips of basketball back in the 70s and 80s! Told him he'd be extremely surprised! Lol
@@Sunny-jz3dy That’s LeBron telling his fans those claims. Imagine Lebron playing against the Pistons that would tackle Jordan. Lebron would be crying 😭.
@@bobomonkey702I've said many times; LaBum would have five minutes of Larry trash talking then backing it up, LaBum would go crying home to his mommy.
Everyone forgets that the 3point shot was introduced in Larry's rookie year, that means that nobody even practiced it before and he didn't even really practice it after! Steph, who is amazing, don't get me wrong, started shooting 3s since he was 8 years old and did it every day of his life!
Bird has stated outright that the only time he practiced the 3 point shot was for the shootouts. DESPITE THAT, he led the league in 3 pointers TWICE and top 20 nine times (usually SINGLE DIGIT), and was the first player (out of a double handful) to manage 50/40/90 (and one of only 2 EVER to do it more than once). He also LED THE LEAGUE 4 times in Defensive Win Shares (Top 20 for 10 seasons despite his back and his double-heel surgery lost season) - as opposed to Steph that's "at best average" on defense, so he can concentrate on his offense. Gee JJ, where's YOUR 50/40/90 season? I'm not saying you're a bad shooter - but you're no Larry Bird and with YOUR volume you should average higher %FG and %FT than he did to be a better shooter BY YOUR OWN STANDARD. Not knocking Steph, who I'll grant is arguably the greatest 3 point shooter of all time (No JJ, he does NOT have the highest FG% - but he's close DESPITE his volume), but Larry could hit the 3 quite well with defenders ALL OVER HIM (or fake them out so badly he ended up WIDE open as they ran by) - Steph can't do that nearly as well, though he's good at creating the space HE NEEDS and probably has longer range.
@@5000rgb But without the 3 point marksmen of the ABA like Louis Dampier and Billy Keller (among others), the NBA would have never adopted the 3 point shot.
@@OoogaBoog Yeah, Cooper was no joke. Defensive player of the year, and multiple time 1st defensive team. Cooper noted that he studied so much tape on Bird that he would being video tapes of the Celtics with him on vacation. If there's one person who knew Bird best, it was probably Cooper.
Old enough to say Jerry West was my favorite player growing up , that said , for exciting basketball, clutch shots and " can't believe my eyes " , bird is the man .
I love the respect these guys from the 80s have for each other. I was a celtic fan, and hated the lakers. But I loved watching both play because of their greatness.
What people ALWAYS forget to mention is when Larry won back to back to back 3 point competitions, they were the first 3 ever held! He was injured the following year & I believe Craig Hodges won the fourth (who'd finished second behind Larry). Reporters asked Hodges about going up against Bird & he said "He knows where he can find me"! When they told Larry Bird what Hodges said, Larry just said "Yeah, I know where. At the end of the Chicago Bulls bench"!!!!
I grew up watching Bird, Magic, Jordan, J... Jordan in his prime had moves that were like an artist in motion. But Larry Bird was an assassin, you gave him a look in the clutch, and he was drilling that long ball. Both phenomenal players, but I agree with Pat Riley's famous quote. You want to win a game, you pick Jordan. You want a shot to save your life: Bird.
I watched Bird play but when Michael Jordan was playing for some reason I was out goofing off. It wasn't until he had one probably the 3rd or 4th or 5th championship that I started really watching Jordan. Being born and 75 you could see the reason why. Just like when I first started watching the NFL it was Joe Montana and the 49ers.
@@katercasimir6423that wasn’t the point of what Riley said. It was that no one took it more seriously than Bird, no one worked as hard as Bird, and no one was more clutch when it mattered most
Your synopsis is exactly why Bird is the greatest SF ever; the greatest of his generation and top 5 player all time and there isn’t a debate, those are irrefutable facts. That assassins mentality made him the player we know today. There are, in my opinion, only three guys that played that could say they were pure bred assassins nothing but a cold blooded killer, there have been other players with some of the characteristics of an assassin but aren’t of the purebred pedigree like the ‘Unholy Psychotic Trinity’ that is Bird, Jordan and Kobe. Bird being the original and the mentally tougher of the three. At their peaks they were undeniably the most lethal and skilled offensive players while also being the best defensively for their positions argument could be made for best defensive player in the entire NBA. If you really think about it Bird, Jordan and Kobe are no different from a Terminator; they are all remorseless, cold, calculating, machines that never stop working on their objectives no matter how banged up they are, no natter who or what gets in their way.
I'm a HUGE Larry Bird fan. He's the reason I grew up a Celtics fan despite growing up in Brooklyn. Definitely a foot in his mouth moment for J.J. To be fair, I actually agree that Steph is the greatest pure shooter I've ever seen...but he's nowehere near the complete player Larry was nor is he as clutch. Bird was an absolute killer and is without a doubt one of the top three long distance shooters in history. His career numbers are hard to compare in part becasue in the early years he hardly took any and in the later years he was an injured mess...but at his peak it was as if Bird couldn't miss- ESPECIALLY with the game on the line. Surprised this video didn't include the famous Pat Riley quote "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." Amen.
I lived in Southern California in the '80s and the Lakers were my team. Michael Cooper was one of the most loved players of all times. At the time I hated the Celtics because they always had a good chance of beating my Lakers. As an adult I love these Larry Bird stories.
Could agree more Larry Legend is all you need to say. MJ, Magic, Dr J, and the whole Pistons feared him, his IQ, and the ability to slip out and hit that magical 3
Larry Bird is a legend. Notice he does not reply or answer these comments. He is a class act even with the trash talking. He could back that trash talking. Mr. Bird, your fans will always support you.
@Michael McDonald wow. Just wow. Good riddance? You're that wishing people die so you don't have to be reminded of basketball greatness? Re-read that sentence again and then re-evaluate your life.
Just a bro from New Zealand never got into basketball in the 90s now I'm just watching this stuff especially Larry bird wow what a killer that guy was damn love from New Zealand
Do you know how good you have to be to get the respect of professional, black basketball players they all sang his praises that’s how good Larry bird was.
The most amazing part about the redick remarks is how Larry Bird was never even asked for comments to defend himself, its all the other hall of famers who Bird played against who came to his defense, they were the ones most offended by redick’s comments. I dnt think Larry even gives a f+ck, thats how u know he is one of the GOATS, he doesnt need to lift a finger to f+ck u over, it happens on its own.
Michael F'n Cooper!!! To hear the guys from his era, talk so passionately about the game and what Bird did to them is great and refreshing to hear! Don't disrespect the legends of this game before you kids!
I like hearing the Cooper stories about Bird. Lakers were always the toughest for Bird because Coop had him on defense. Coop has said he went on vacation with tapes of Larry Bird so he could watch film and study. So when the game's best defender (1987) says, "this is the extra I have to do to stop this one man", you know that man being referenced is special.
I think people today don't understand just how incredible the Magic-Larry era was of basketball. I hate basketball, don't like the sport at all, but i use to love watching Magic johnson and Larry legend play. It was like nothing before or since. In an era where getting clothesline was a reality. In an era where on the court fights were part of the game just like hockey. These two players make the game look beautiful to watch even to people who did not like the game. What players today bring in viewers to watch the game who don't even like the game? The reason why there is an NBA today is because of Bird and Magic. The disrespect. Cooper looked like he wanted to punch that punk.
@@terronymusbraddock2350 Try to find vintage games. You can find them, the quality sucks as it is standard definition but you can experience it. There is something lost with a highlight reel. When you see a Lakers' game and watch Magic play you know why they call him Magic. You watch a Celtic's game and you can see why they called him Larry Legend. Seeing full games really shows you just how incredible and tough this era of basketball was.
I recently heard the story about Larry at 60 going into the Pacers' practice and putting up over 10 3-pointers in a row. At age 60. I have been posting on the NBA and ESPN Twitter and RUclips because I want Larry Bird to get another 3-point contest so we could see Larry at 60. I am so jealous that the Pacers players got to see it. Even if it was for charity THIS video is a good enough reason why.
....And let Redick go against him. And Curry, too, even though he didn't say it and I hold nothing against him. Bird would beat them both. OR worst case scenario, they (meaning Redick) would look really stupid by almost getting beat by an old man. Magic and Dom would be on the sidelines laughing their heads off! I'd pay money to see that!
Damn this would be an incredible event if ever happened! People would pay BIG money to see Larry Bird beat JJ Redick's at a 3 point contest!!! Curry is a helluva shooter, no doubt.... But he would not be shooting them like he is now if he played in the 80s and 90s. It is just a FACT!
As a Celtics fan growing up in Boston back in the 1980's, Coop and the Lakers - and their slick "Showtime" struck fear in my heart. Those championship heavyweight bouts were Epic. I'd be home from school on summer vacation, hanging out in my basement with the little portable TV, because it would get so hot in Boston and we did not have A/C at the time in the house, the basement was the only place one could keep cool. I'd just be pacing around our ping pong table as the game was on...because you could not sit down while watching those games! It is so nice to hear COOP speak as he does now...the ultimate measure of respect - to be able to say you "hate" Bird, but respect the heck out of him. That speaks to his professionalism and maturity as a standard-bearer of basketball greatness from the 80's. God Bless Coop, Bird, and their contemporaries!! Their names will resonate with the hoops cognoscenti long after JJ Reddick becomes a footnote to his era.
I think I read this in Larry's biography. He said that he broke his index finger on his shooting hand in college, and he wasn't able to shoot as well ever since. Can you imagine...
I’d like to preface this by saying that I played basketball in NYC in an all black high school and got my nick name from the brothers playing at The Cage and at Rucker Park. We were all trying to emulate what Larry bird was doing on the playground and it was impossible for us. However, I remember hearing what Pat Riley said, “If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I’d choose Michael Jordan, but if I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I’d take Larry Bird."
Its the weight of the 3point shot relative to the situation. Bird was a master at using that timing combined with the precision and pressure, because he took it to the last second and make his 3 pointers really hurt the competition.
Coop had Birds back there. Wow, he let Reddick have it. Nique did too. Legends sticking together. I always had respect for those two. This solidifies that even further. Two class acts
What Reddick isn't taking into account, is that Bird was shooting 3s back when they played DEFENSE in the NBA. Bird had defenders doubling him, pulling on his jersey, and hand-checking him when he shot. Also, NBA offenses weren't designed around 3-pointers, meaning they weren't running high double-picks to free shooters up for uncontested 3s like they do today.
OK, just a few seconds after the 4:00 minute mark, and I hear that Bird NEVER averaged shooting more than 4 threes a game in ANY season! Whoa, what?? Dude, PLB, you boggled my mind with that stat. Keep doing what you do.
I'm a huge Curry head here in Oakland, but between this era and the 80s one, it's night and day. Every night was a street fight back then. It was crazy. I'm kinda glad it's a more euje enforced era now. But, that said, you gotta respect everyone that came from that time and earlier let alone thrived in it. They are Gladiators and Kings.
84-89 games are great in memory and there retellings but man they are brutal to watch. The lanes were a slugfest. How Bill Walton was able to pass from the post to a cutter is impossible and beautiful.
I saw Larry Bird during his entire career as a Celtic fan. I cannot remember him missing a big shot at the end of a game except for the one in the playoff loss to the Lakers mentioned in this video. He would hit the winning shot in the last few seconds WHEN HIS TEAM WAS BEHIND, not only when the game was tied. In the Washington game shown in this video, he actually hit three 3-pointers at the end of the game (to tie) and to win in overtime (one was nullified due to a timeout called by Casey Jones, so he did it again). Pat Riley said the following: "If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I’d choose Michael Jordan," Pat said. "If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I’d take Larry Bird."
Bird missed the shot before the steal against the pistons. Anyways, he hit the game winner in game 4. There was a bad call when the ball went out of bounds and gave Magic a second chance. That's when Magic hit the baby hook over McHale with 2 seconds left. Bird left it on the back of the rim... it was shocking that it didn't go in. Bird said he thought it was in when it left his hands!
Cooper, you're worthy of the title of 'best defender' from Bird. I love how you hate Bird, but respect the hell out of him. And Dominique, that man has such class. Nothing but respect for Larry.
I had season tickets during the Bird ERA. Larry spent most of his career being double teamed. Only 1 team I remember the single teamed him was LA. Michael cooper gave larry a lot of trouble. He was a very good defensive player. Larry had bruise elbow one time; press found out about it; cooper spent the whole game whacking his elbow. They did anything to win. No one cared about it. Was part of the game. Magic used to come into garden with fear in his eyes. They sprinted entire game fought for every point. It was like b ball war. I saw kareem at 38 yrs old one night score 37 points with a sky hook over robert parishs head. He controlled the whole game. When he was on; magic would just smile. I only saw it once; that was enough lol. The thing people don't give these guys credit is their work ethic. Bird was a superstar and he'd be on the court an hour before everyone. I know i used to go to my seats early. Be him out there with a ball boy shooting free throws. Jordan worked real hard. Came in league as a little shit. Didn't have much defense in beginning but he got better cause he worked hard. Same as isaha and same as magic. Thats what I saw.
To boil it down to 3pt shots ignores the fact that Larry could shoot any shot from any hand from almost any place on the floor and do it in a clutch situation when the whole building knew he was gonna get it.
I grew up in the area of basketball where it was physical and real, Steph Curry is a great three-point shooter, Larry Bird is the greatest 3point shooter ever .👍🏾
LOL! Yeah, unfortunately, if you look at some of the legends back then, they got so injured so often. But it was the most fun basketball has ever been.
@@ricklove8588 dude, they’re legends because the league was so new… just like many refer to most of the first 16 presidents as legends . Bird isn’t even a top 10 3pt shooter in todays league
Just Larry being Larry ❤, seeing is believing, some ppl witnessed it ,HELLO ,he did it all ,and he did it all extremely well ❤, and he didn't practice threes (they played in the paint back then ) 💯
With his right hand an left hand. I doubt in a million years that cocky, Arrogant,Entitled small man could do the same has bird. Larry Bird Belongs to " Royals" of the sport . That small Stupid man have so much to prove to be on the same level of Larry Bird.
Bird is definitely one of the greatest 3 pt shooters ever! Id say he’s the best I’ve ever seen! Especially under pressure , end Of game, 4th quarter. Same killer instinct as Jordan & Kobe but he was a better shooter. If Jordan Curry Kobe & Bird had 3 Pt shooting contest, my money is on Bird to win
Stats don’t reflect being smothered, doesn’t show the double team, triple team. Doesn’t show the final seconds of a game when the whole team knows who they’re passing to.
Thank you for bringing up that his shooting pt. Percentage is really close to Curry and he got that in the most physical, dirty Laimbeer fouling era of basketball, with hand checking and true defense, oh…and the three point line was just introduced when he entered the league.
My life on the line? I'm putting the ball in Bird's hands. There isn't a player alive from the beginning of Basketball to now, who was more clutch than Larry "Legend" Bird. I watched him from College to the NBA.
Bahahahahaha - stick to coloring books junior! Us fans have no say in who the GOAT 🐐 is. The majority of last and present players still say it’s MJ and not Kobe or Lebron come close! I don’t even know if I’d have LeBron over Kobe! MJ 6/6 in finals 6/6 in Finals MVP, and lost two years of his prime and he still has the highest pts per game out of any player that has played before, during and even after him. He won back to back to back twice - which will never happen again, I believe the lakers may have won 3 straight once! (Since da Bulls did it twice). FYI: MJ’s pts per game went down bc he came back and played as an owner and retired when he was 40. Missed 4-5 years (2 or 3 years of his prime), had he not retired they most likely would have won 8 straight! Also… Michael Jordan played point guard for 24 GMS in 1989 AVG 30 PTS, 10.7 ASTS, 9.2 REBS Triple-double in 10 of 11 games. The game he didn’t get a triple double he did this… 40/11/7 Career-high 17 ASTS with 34 PTS Lebron scored the most pts bc he played a lot more games, which is impressive but the stat that counts the most is who has the most pts per game of the top 10 scorers - I’ll give you a hint it’s not LeBron! It’s MJ, and he did it in possibly the toughest period of scoring in the NBA regarding PHYSICALITY! Look up videos on former and current players at the time, how much do they think MJ would avg per game if there were no hand checks. 40-50 is what NBA players predict, which is unreal! He has the highest PPG with 30.1 (and hitch went down bc of the 2 years he played with Charlotte). Won defensive player of the year, Lebron won 0, MJ won 3X NBA steals leader, Lebron won 0, MJ 9X NBA all defensive 1st team, Lebron 5X, MJ won 10 scoring titles, Lebron just 1, MJ won 0 assist leaders, Lebron won 1, MJ has 4 gold in international play, Lebron has 3 gold and 2 bronze (lol 2 bronze), MJ never lost in the finals (MJ is a perfect 6/6), Lebron has lost 6X won 4 titles and lost 6. MJ played “15 seasons” even though it’s really 13, bc he only played 18 games his sophomore year and still made the all star team and even made 2nd team all star. The other “season” MJ is credited for, is the 94-95 season when he played the last 17 games of the reg season “out of shape”. I’m too tired to continue with how easily this debate isn’t even a debate. There’s MJ and everyone else below him. MJ played in “15 seasons” two where he only played 35 games of 162 and the last 2 when he was 39 and 40 years old on a god awful team. Take MJ’s top 11 seasons and compare them to any of LeBrons top 11 season of 19, which is a big advantage for Lebron and it’s still not even close, regarding stats and hardware! Kobe Vs Lebron, now that is very interesting! Here’s an article I came across about MJ and if MJ played in todays easy scoring era! pippenainteasy.com/2020/05/10/chicago-bulls-michael-jordan-nbas-best-point-guard/
@@MrAdidas1980blah blah blah MJ blah Larry was the Man He could see behind his head an throw passes to people before they even knew they was gonna be there to catch it!! Your missing the point we all know bout MJ I'm Taken Bird over Lebron I just like my Chances okay 28 likes to 1 😮
Boston was playing Milwaukee when I was in Hawaii with no game on TV. Called my 80 yr. old mother in law in Michigan and walked her thru on the phone on how to tape the game on a Sony Beta machine. Took forever as she had no clue about a DVR. God Bless Her. Got home, knew the Bucks won and I had a huge phone bill. Never did watch the game. Loved the Bird.
"If i had to pick a player to take a shot to win the game, I'd pick MJ. If i had to pick a player to shoot to save my life, I pick Bird." -Coach Pat Riley
Man, I have to say, your the Best Larry Bird story teller of all of them. I wasn't a fan until you put your stuff out there. I was a Magic fan back in the day but you convinced me who the all around GOAT truly is.
I hear you. I grew up a Dr. J Fan and HATED Larry and the Celtics (along with the Lakers also). I now have such an appreciation for ALL those guys from the 80's.
Also, keep in mind, Larry was a Team player! He helped his teammates score. Today, players like Steph focus on their stats., trying to get personal records. Larry didn't have to try to set records. He was just that good.
We've come to appreciate the clutch play of Bird, and almost take it for granted; but the greatest thing about this 3 pt shot at the buzzer is, as you precisely pointed out, that it was the ONLY 3PT SHOT HE TOOK THE WHOLE GAME!!! Absolutely amazing!! NO ONE ELSE has ever done that or will do it, I think.
This is one of the best commentaries on JJ's idiocy. Thank you! Having been there, watching these guys at the time, I totally agree with everything you pointed out.
Bird all day! I miss 80s-90s NBA it was excitement nonstop! I can't watch today's NBA they coddle these players now aday and all they do is cry if you breathe on them too hard or barely touch them. This video was spot on with every fact and statement A+++++
Larry Bird was a great 3 point shooter, but never really practiced them. Can you imagine what his percentage and his point totals would be if he actually practiced them? The 3-point shot only came into existence his first year in the league. He didn’t have it in high school or college. For years the NBA was still a back-to-the-basket center-dominant league with little spacing, crowded lanes, and brutal physical play. Bird was a 3-point pioneer who opened the door for Reggie Miller and Mark Price, and they opened it for Ray Allen and so on. Bird shot 38%. Steph Curry is at 43% for his career. Steph’s father is Del Curry, a 17-year NBA career player (1986-2002) and one of the greatest 3-point shooters (40.2%) in NBA history. Steph and his brother Seth (43.5% - yes, better than Steph) grew up in relative cosmopolitan prosperity in a career NBA family being taught how to play basketball, especially shoot three-pointers, under the regular tutelage of one of the best deep-shooters of all time. Their entire schoolboy and college play had the 3-point line. They were shooting 3-pointers at age 10 if not younger. Bird grew in a small backwoods town in poverty with an alcoholic father who took his own life and a hard-working, widowed mother of several kids. Bird shot long-range two-pointers from three-point range when his coach let him. His three-point skill came from just being a great shooter of long two’s. Steph and Seth both shot about 5 percentage points higher than Bird from 3-point range even with all that advantage for them and disadvantage for him. The miraculous thing is that a 6-10, 230-lb power forward-sized small forward from the 1980s is even in the discussion. If Bird had their advantages and grew up and played in the modern era it’s not unreasonable to think his career 3-point percentage would be 46-48%. JJ Redick is just courting controversy to hype his new career and get attention. He’s actually a skilled analyst in many ways, but on this he should be embarrassed. But he is a millennial snowflake after all.
As a long time Bird hater (being a Nique fan after the '88 semis) I completely agree with your well informed/educated post (I'm not a Bird fan, but totally respect his skills/ability)
That's the whole thing right there. Today everybody and their brother spends hours practicing 3-point shots. It actually took college coaches to teach the NBA the value of taking loads of 3-point shots and the fact that if you had the whole team practicing the 3-point shot just about any players can hit around 33% of them which is the figure where the shot starts to become a real weapon. Bird has said that even going into the 3-point contest he and Ainge would only practice the shot a little. They didn't park themselves out there and take shot after shot after shot. There's also the fact that Bird was never given any space. He was always closely guarded even out beyond the 3-point line. It's hard to find an example of Bird taking a 3-point shot where the defender (or defenders) are not draped all over him.
Some folks don’t understand why Bird is the greatest small forward in history. He played half his short career with a bad back, played from the beginning with a mangled shooting finger, played hurt, played with broken bones, took the Celtics from 29 wins the year without him, to 61 wins his first year as the only addition to the team. Then there is the three MVP’s in a row, and second place many other years, but what really separates him is his ability to make the play under the most pressure situations, and be the consummate team player. Not to mention 6’10” and could shoot from anywhere, great passer, great rebounder, and pretty tough defender. And without Magic and Bird, the nba would have gone bankrupt.
And you go back when you watch the replays when people say he was slow he didn't look slow to me. He may have been slower to other people but that were playing but he sure didn't look slower to me.
@@jeffouellette9946 None of his movement was wasted, he was so far ahead of others in his mind. He was always headed to the next spot he had to be to do what was needed.
@@0475cmoore that’s what’s making this really enjoyable for me again. I got to watch most of his career on tv, but never had any idea he was talking trash.
@@jlui21 do not compare jj to those highly skilled basketball players because plumbing and carpentry were their hobbies. JJ has their numbers in his ROLODEX in case he needs their services.
And to add to the truth telling, Bird retired as the all time leader in 3 point attempts, makes, and percentage. He is the player who demonstrated the viability of the 3 point shot as an efficient means of scoring in an era that didn’t protect shooters the way the NBA does today.
It was the Bird Magic competition that got me into watching the NBA. I saw the NCAA championship with Bird playing against Magic. After that, I was hooked.
The only time anyone brings Reddicks name up is when he says something stupid. People are still talking about how great Bird was 30 years after his retirement.
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I was a Lakers fan all the way, in the 80s. But even the most extreme fans against Boston, we all recognize, Bird was and is something out of this world
well put.
Growing up I thought Reggie and Mike was the Fierces at Big shots not until I seen this vid
Woe. That's respect from a Lakers fan. Thank you sir!
funk jj is stupiud1111111111
Cooper broke it off in his ass not LB but that talking head.
The question is, "Do you want the ball in Larry's hands in the last seconds of a game?" The answer will always be yes. No one will tell you no. THAT'S how good he was.
Pat Riley was asked that question. Pat noted that if he had to pick one player to shoot one shot to win a game, he would pick Jordan. But then Pat noted, if he had to pick one player to shoot one shot to save his life, he would pick Bird.
Pfft, lies. Thousands of people would say no, they don't want the ball in Larry's hands in the last seconds of a game. Such as all the fans of the opposing team.
Also not the statement JJ responded to though. Is he a top 3-5 clutch shooter and is he a top 3-5 3 point shooter are two different things. What JJ said was right and Larry Bird was one of the greatest clutch shooters ever is also right.
GSW, Steph Curry fan here.
Bird was a killer. He made 3’s under more pressure and duress than anyone who ever played the game. Larry Legend is an unadulterated. killer.
hey, where;s Craig Hodges and Reddick...down on the end of the benches of Bulls and Clippers or Magic
Ice cold!
Larry was a great player. Hit more clutch shots than anyone in NBA history.
Bird is the word🤙
Jordan is probably the only person thats comparable.
Idk....Magic is up there too!
I don't know
It's s comparable argument
Larry was possibly ridiculous its a tough argument
Larry Bird is THE G.O.A.T.
Yesssssssir
Without question.
Im a celtics fan.
Michael Cooper: 🙏 respect. You played it the right way.
The thing about Larry behind the arc is how he wasn't just making flatfooted threes facing the basket, but phenomenal ones in clutch situations where he's taking inbound passes with his back to the basket, and one or more of the opposing team's best defenders draped all over him, only for him to turn and in one motion hit "nothing but net" shots on one foot, while not setting himself, but in movement. Oh, and he's the player who introduced the step-back three to the game.
Yea he was off-balance many times, and hit nothing but net.
the man would grab a rebound and race out to the corner three and well, splash
Everyone knew it was coming, probably because he told them, didn't matter.
@@bobomonkey702 Yes, on or off balance, he had a knack, or instinct, for getting his shoulders, or at least his shooting arm and shoulder, squared and in line with the basket. Muscle memory, like shooting a gun from the hip. Phenomenal.
Clutch matters more than percentages. Well said Coop. Facts. And Bird is as clutch as we have ever seen.
Coop's passion is spot on. He's a legend in his own right.
As Cooper state he would have locked down Redick's ass and put him back on the bench.
Love Coop and his LAKERS!! Back in the day, there was the LAKERS and the CELTICS!! These two teams SAVED the NBA!!
Indeed, Coops Defense was the best that’s why he was on Larry and on Offense the killer from the corner, Jamaal Wilks is who Coop remind me of those years.
JJ Redick is a better 3 point shooter than Bird.
@@liberalconservative7122 That is a hilarious statement. Larry was know for the Dagger 3. What was JJ know for other than being a guy who came off the bench most of his career. All Redick was jack up 3s and nothing else. Oh and Larry didn't come into the league shooting 3s. The three point line was brought in when he came into the NBA, unlike Redick who had been jacking them up since high school. Larry made the 3 a weapon to take a teams heart. Redick didn't do that to any team I know of.
As a lifelong Celtic fan, I have never had anything but the utmost respect for Cooper. When he says he would have locked JJ up, he is telling the truth. He was the best defensive player in the league and Bird has verified it.
Without question.
Loved this story. Basketball is a soft sport now. They just don't remember. Appreciate the history to remind us about Larry bird and his greatness. I was a jordan fan, but Larry bird was one of the greatest clutch shooters of all time
Ditto
Yes
I started laughing my ass off the other day. Some young kid ....was trying to tell me how much more physical basketball is today! 😂😂😂 I told him to go back and educate himself... that there are numerous clips of basketball back in the 70s and 80s! Told him he'd be extremely surprised! Lol
@@Sunny-jz3dy That’s LeBron telling his fans those claims. Imagine Lebron playing against the Pistons that would tackle Jordan. Lebron would be crying 😭.
@@bobomonkey702I've said many times; LaBum would have five minutes of Larry trash talking then backing it up, LaBum would go crying home to his mommy.
Imagine how many shots Bird would've hit if he didn't tell his opponents the play so often. 😂 #Legend
😂 totally
😂 it didnt matter, bwaaahaha
Everyone forgets that the 3point shot was introduced in Larry's rookie year, that means that nobody even practiced it before and he didn't even really practice it after! Steph, who is amazing, don't get me wrong, started shooting 3s since he was 8 years old and did it every day of his life!
Bird has stated outright that the only time he practiced the 3 point shot was for the shootouts.
DESPITE THAT, he led the league in 3 pointers TWICE and top 20 nine times (usually SINGLE DIGIT), and was the first player (out of a double handful) to manage 50/40/90 (and one of only 2 EVER to do it more than once).
He also LED THE LEAGUE 4 times in Defensive Win Shares (Top 20 for 10 seasons despite his back and his double-heel surgery lost season) - as opposed to Steph that's "at best average" on defense, so he can concentrate on his offense.
Gee JJ, where's YOUR 50/40/90 season?
I'm not saying you're a bad shooter - but you're no Larry Bird and with YOUR volume you should average higher %FG and %FT than he did to be a better shooter BY YOUR OWN STANDARD.
Not knocking Steph, who I'll grant is arguably the greatest 3 point shooter of all time (No JJ, he does NOT have the highest FG% - but he's close DESPITE his volume), but Larry could hit the 3 quite well with defenders ALL OVER HIM (or fake them out so badly he ended up WIDE open as they ran by) - Steph can't do that nearly as well, though he's good at creating the space HE NEEDS and probably has longer range.
@@bricefleckenstein9666 I believe you
Indeed. Imagine how greater Pistol Pete's numbers would've been with the 3 pointer.
Curry and the rest definitely benefitted from Bird paving the way.
@@5000rgb But without the 3 point marksmen of the ABA like Louis Dampier and Billy Keller (among others), the NBA would have never adopted the 3 point shot.
I absolutely love the camaraderie of the 80's ballers sticking up for that era. Cooper having Bird's back was great to hear.
yep. Bird also said Cooper was the best defender he ever played against.
@@OoogaBoog Yeah, Cooper was no joke. Defensive player of the year, and multiple time 1st defensive team. Cooper noted that he studied so much tape on Bird that he would being video tapes of the Celtics with him on vacation. If there's one person who knew Bird best, it was probably Cooper.
I watch basketball now in playoffs only. In 80s I watched it all the time, best era ever and Larry was the best in a very talented tough league
I grew up a laker fan in the 80's and Bird was a savage, period!!!!!
Larry Bird was a beast. Just glad there was video for the ones who casually forget.
Old enough to say Jerry West was my favorite player growing up , that said , for exciting basketball, clutch shots and " can't believe my eyes " , bird is the man .
I love the respect these guys from the 80s have for each other. I was a celtic fan, and hated the lakers. But I loved watching both play because of their greatness.
I'm not a big basketball fan but what makes bird the best is how the best talk about him
What people ALWAYS forget to mention is when Larry won back to back to back 3 point competitions, they were the first 3 ever held! He was injured the following year & I believe Craig Hodges won the fourth (who'd finished second behind Larry). Reporters asked Hodges about going up against Bird & he said "He knows where he can find me"! When they told Larry Bird what Hodges said, Larry just said "Yeah, I know where. At the end of the Chicago Bulls bench"!!!!
Bwhahahahaahaaaaaaaaaa !
LMAO true dat
lol
He did too 😂 Gettem Larry!! Those young cocky guys comin up say the 🤪 Goofyest things...Respect the 🐦
Aah, that's funny as hell.
I grew up watching Bird, Magic, Jordan, J... Jordan in his prime had moves that were like an artist in motion. But Larry Bird was an assassin, you gave him a look in the clutch, and he was drilling that long ball. Both phenomenal players, but I agree with Pat Riley's famous quote. You want to win a game, you pick Jordan. You want a shot to save your life: Bird.
I watched Bird play but when Michael Jordan was playing for some reason I was out goofing off. It wasn't until he had one probably the 3rd or 4th or 5th championship that I started really watching Jordan. Being born and 75 you could see the reason why. Just like when I first started watching the NFL it was Joe Montana and the 49ers.
Not agree Jordan saved some finals, with the last shoot!
@@katercasimir6423that wasn’t the point of what Riley said. It was that no one took it more seriously than Bird, no one worked as hard as Bird, and no one was more clutch when it mattered most
Your synopsis is exactly why Bird is the greatest SF ever; the greatest of his generation and top 5 player all time and there isn’t a debate, those are irrefutable facts. That assassins mentality made him the player we know today.
There are, in my opinion, only three guys that played that could say they were pure bred assassins nothing but a cold blooded killer, there have been other players with some of the characteristics of an assassin but aren’t of the purebred pedigree like the ‘Unholy Psychotic Trinity’ that is Bird, Jordan and Kobe. Bird being the original and the mentally tougher of the three. At their peaks they were undeniably the most lethal and skilled offensive players while also being the best defensively for their positions argument could be made for best defensive player in the entire NBA.
If you really think about it Bird, Jordan and Kobe are no different from a Terminator; they are all remorseless, cold, calculating, machines that never stop working on their objectives no matter how banged up they are, no natter who or what gets in their way.
@@DakBetterThanYourFavoriteQB444 agree with the 2 of the 3 you mentioned. Kobe.. no way. You lost all credibility
I'm a HUGE Larry Bird fan. He's the reason I grew up a Celtics fan despite growing up in Brooklyn. Definitely a foot in his mouth moment for J.J. To be fair, I actually agree that Steph is the greatest pure shooter I've ever seen...but he's nowehere near the complete player Larry was nor is he as clutch. Bird was an absolute killer and is without a doubt one of the top three long distance shooters in history. His career numbers are hard to compare in part becasue in the early years he hardly took any and in the later years he was an injured mess...but at his peak it was as if Bird couldn't miss- ESPECIALLY with the game on the line. Surprised this video didn't include the famous Pat Riley quote "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." Amen.
I just love, how passionate these guys are. And how much they still respect the s**t out of each other. F*** those "GOAT" discussions.
I lived in Southern California in the '80s and the Lakers were my team. Michael Cooper was one of the most loved players of all times. At the time I hated the Celtics because they always had a good chance of beating my Lakers. As an adult I love these Larry Bird stories.
Coop ❤
Same here,except my guy was James Worthy.
@@toddmarryatt443 The assassin! The quiet killer! He was great on ST:TNG also... playing The Assassin.
Larry agrees with you about how tough Coop was. Damn, those battles at mid range were epic.
Respect to Cooper and Lakers! From Celtic fan.
Bird made so many game winning shots
When I hear Larry talk, it just makes me smile😂
Could agree more Larry Legend is all you need to say. MJ, Magic, Dr J, and the whole Pistons feared him, his IQ, and the ability to slip out and hit that magical 3
Coop is a truth teller. I never missed a Lakers game in Boston Garden from 81 to 87. The two best teams of all time by far
Don't forget 72 bucks
More hall of famers on the court at one time than any other.
You are 100% correct. Those Laker / Celtic Teams of the 80s would mop the floor with any NBA Team today.
Nostalgia makes people lie so much god damn
@@boop7120 where’s the lie?
Larry Bird is a legend. Notice he does not reply or answer these comments. He is a class act even with the trash talking. He could back that trash talking. Mr. Bird, your fans will always support you.
...cause he's going to read this.
Not always. About 10 years from now, 99% of Larry Bird nostalgia zombies will be dead of old age. And good riddance.
@Michael McDonald wow. Just wow. Good riddance? You're that wishing people die so you don't have to be reminded of basketball greatness? Re-read that sentence again and then re-evaluate your life.
Just a bro from New Zealand never got into basketball in the 90s now I'm just watching this stuff especially Larry bird wow what a killer that guy was damn love from New Zealand
Robert Parish tells a story about Bird getting ready for the 3 point contest. It was the only time Parish saw Bird actually practiced 3s.
Do you know how good you have to be to get the respect of professional, black basketball players they all sang his praises that’s how good Larry bird was.
They even wore his jersey in public!
1000%
Someone's race doesn't make their opinion valid.
JJ Redick couldn’t even get the praise of the worst black players in the league when he was playing or even now! That says a lot!
Bird used to call out coaches and tell them it was disrespectful to have a White guy guarding him, when they would do that
The most amazing part about the redick remarks is how Larry Bird was never even asked for comments to defend himself, its all the other hall of famers who Bird played against who came to his defense, they were the ones most offended by redick’s comments. I dnt think Larry even gives a f+ck, thats how u know he is one of the GOATS, he doesnt need to lift a finger to f+ck u over, it happens on its own.
Michael F'n Cooper!!! To hear the guys from his era, talk so passionately about the game and what Bird did to them is great and refreshing to hear! Don't disrespect the legends of this game before you kids!
I like hearing the Cooper stories about Bird. Lakers were always the toughest for Bird because Coop had him on defense. Coop has said he went on vacation with tapes of Larry Bird so he could watch film and study. So when the game's best defender (1987) says, "this is the extra I have to do to stop this one man", you know that man being referenced is special.
I think people today don't understand just how incredible the Magic-Larry era was of basketball. I hate basketball, don't like the sport at all, but i use to love watching Magic johnson and Larry legend play. It was like nothing before or since. In an era where getting clothesline was a reality. In an era where on the court fights were part of the game just like hockey. These two players make the game look beautiful to watch even to people who did not like the game. What players today bring in viewers to watch the game who don't even like the game? The reason why there is an NBA today is because of Bird and Magic.
The disrespect. Cooper looked like he wanted to punch that punk.
Exactly
The crazy thing is all these players didn't take it personal today if somebody were to talk smack like Larry did they would all take it personal.
I watch plenty of footage, but I realize that I'll never get the actual experience.
Damn shame. I've seen Bird play; just not during the glory days.
@@terronymusbraddock2350 Try to find vintage games. You can find them, the quality sucks as it is standard definition but you can experience it. There is something lost with a highlight reel.
When you see a Lakers' game and watch Magic play you know why they call him Magic. You watch a Celtic's game and you can see why they called him Larry Legend. Seeing full games really shows you just how incredible and tough this era of basketball was.
Imagine watching the NBA today 🤡
I recently heard the story about Larry at 60 going into the Pacers' practice and putting up over 10 3-pointers in a row. At age 60. I have been posting on the NBA and ESPN Twitter and RUclips because I want Larry Bird to get another 3-point contest so we could see Larry at 60. I am so jealous that the Pacers players got to see it. Even if it was for charity THIS video is a good enough reason why.
....And let Redick go against him. And Curry, too, even though he didn't say it and I hold nothing against him. Bird would beat them both. OR worst case scenario, they (meaning Redick) would look really stupid by almost getting beat by an old man. Magic and Dom would be on the sidelines laughing their heads off! I'd pay money to see that!
Just because you turn 60 doesn’t mean you’re muscles forget how to respond.
I mean he’s not crippled right.
Damn this would be an incredible event if ever happened! People would pay BIG money to see Larry Bird beat JJ Redick's at a 3 point contest!!! Curry is a helluva shooter, no doubt.... But he would not be shooting them like he is now if he played in the 80s and 90s. It is just a FACT!
There’s a clip of Larry beating KD in a 3pt contest
@@daddychill7776 reallY?!?! MUST SEE!
As a Celtics fan growing up in Boston back in the 1980's, Coop and the Lakers - and their slick "Showtime" struck fear in my heart. Those championship heavyweight bouts were Epic. I'd be home from school on summer vacation, hanging out in my basement with the little portable TV, because it would get so hot in Boston and we did not have A/C at the time in the house, the basement was the only place one could keep cool. I'd just be pacing around our ping pong table as the game was on...because you could not sit down while watching those games! It is so nice to hear COOP speak as he does now...the ultimate measure of respect - to be able to say you "hate" Bird, but respect the heck out of him. That speaks to his professionalism and maturity as a standard-bearer of basketball greatness from the 80's. God Bless Coop, Bird, and their contemporaries!! Their names will resonate with the hoops cognoscenti long after JJ Reddick becomes a footnote to his era.
I think I read this in Larry's biography. He said that he broke his index finger on his shooting hand in college, and he wasn't able to shoot as well ever since. Can you imagine...
I’d like to preface this by saying that I played basketball in NYC in an all black high school and got my nick name from the brothers playing at The Cage and at Rucker Park. We were all trying to emulate what Larry bird was doing on the playground and it was impossible for us. However, I remember hearing what Pat Riley said, “If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I’d choose Michael Jordan, but if I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I’d take Larry Bird."
Represent Rucker Park, where real basketball is played
@@arln1966 well said, and on a separate note where humility is learned for there’s always someone better.
Its the weight of the 3point shot relative to the situation. Bird was a master at using that timing combined with the precision and pressure, because he took it to the last second and make his 3 pointers really hurt the competition.
This kid ,Curry, is a great player. No question. I watched Bird play. He would crush Curry! No question!
AMEN!!! Loved watching BIRD play!!! Unbelievable!!
Coop had Birds back there. Wow, he let Reddick have it. Nique did too. Legends sticking together. I always had respect for those two. This solidifies that even further. Two class acts
Old heads be crazy
What Reddick isn't taking into account, is that Bird was shooting 3s back when they played DEFENSE in the NBA. Bird had defenders doubling him, pulling on his jersey, and hand-checking him when he shot. Also, NBA offenses weren't designed around 3-pointers, meaning they weren't running high double-picks to free shooters up for uncontested 3s like they do today.
OK, just a few seconds after the 4:00 minute mark, and I hear that Bird NEVER averaged shooting more than 4 threes a game in ANY season! Whoa, what?? Dude, PLB, you boggled my mind with that stat. Keep doing what you do.
This channel single handedly 100% updated and rearranged my understanding of Larry Bird
I'm a huge Curry head here in Oakland, but between this era and the 80s one, it's night and day. Every night was a street fight back then. It was crazy. I'm kinda glad it's a more euje enforced era now. But, that said, you gotta respect everyone that came from that time and earlier let alone thrived in it. They are Gladiators and Kings.
84-89 games are great in memory and there retellings but man they are brutal to watch. The lanes were a slugfest. How Bill Walton was able to pass from the post to a cutter is impossible and beautiful.
I saw Larry Bird during his entire career as a Celtic fan. I cannot remember him missing a big shot at the end of a game except for the one in the playoff loss to the Lakers mentioned in this video. He would hit the winning shot in the last few seconds WHEN HIS TEAM WAS BEHIND, not only when the game was tied. In the Washington game shown in this video, he actually hit three 3-pointers at the end of the game (to tie) and to win in overtime (one was nullified due to a timeout called by Casey Jones, so he did it again). Pat Riley said the following: "If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I’d choose Michael Jordan," Pat said. "If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I’d take Larry Bird."
Bird missed the shot before the steal against the pistons. Anyways, he hit the game winner in game 4. There was a bad call when the ball went out of bounds and gave Magic a second chance. That's when Magic hit the baby hook over McHale with 2 seconds left. Bird left it on the back of the rim... it was shocking that it didn't go in. Bird said he thought it was in when it left his hands!
Cooper, you're worthy of the title of 'best defender' from Bird.
I love how you hate Bird, but respect the hell out of him.
And Dominique, that man has such class. Nothing but respect for Larry.
I had season tickets during the Bird ERA. Larry spent most of his career being double teamed. Only 1 team I remember the single teamed him was LA. Michael cooper gave larry a lot of trouble. He was a very good defensive player. Larry had bruise elbow one time; press found out about it; cooper spent the whole game whacking his elbow. They did anything to win. No one cared about it. Was part of the game. Magic used to come into garden with fear in his eyes. They sprinted entire game fought for every point. It was like b ball war. I saw kareem at 38 yrs old one night score 37 points with a sky hook over robert parishs head. He controlled the whole game. When he was on; magic would just smile. I only saw it once; that was enough lol. The thing people don't give these guys credit is their work ethic. Bird was a superstar and he'd be on the court an hour before everyone. I know i used to go to my seats early. Be him out there with a ball boy shooting free throws. Jordan worked real hard. Came in league as a little shit. Didn't have much defense in beginning but he got better cause he worked hard. Same as isaha and same as magic. Thats what I saw.
To boil it down to 3pt shots ignores the fact that Larry could shoot any shot from any hand from almost any place on the floor and do it in a clutch situation when the whole building knew he was gonna get it.
Beautiful comment
If there was ever a reason to say amen.....
Played a whole game left handed and hit 29.
He would tell the fool covering him what he was gonna do!
@@jamessweet5341 I believe he played the Pistons left handed because his right was reserved for the Lakers.
The world needs more Michael Coopers!
Respect to Larry Bird and his deadly when taking a game winner or tying up the game as the go to shooter!!!
I grew up in the area of basketball where it was physical and real, Steph Curry is a great three-point shooter, Larry Bird is the greatest 3point shooter ever .👍🏾
There are so many great HOF players in Birds era it's unreal....
I think that's how the hall of fame works.
JJ is ignorant. I grew up in the 70s and 80s today's players would not survive the physical play of the 80s.
LOL! Yeah, unfortunately, if you look at some of the legends back then, they got so injured so often. But it was the most fun basketball has ever been.
@Wishing B absolutely and the league was full of legends in that time. Bird won 3 straight MVPs in that era
@@ricklove8588 dude, they’re legends because the league was so new… just like many refer to most of the first 16 presidents as legends .
Bird isn’t even a top 10 3pt shooter in todays league
And with injuries that would bench today's players
@@ricklove8588 players today arnt weaker 😂💀 if anything they’re stronger, but the rules changed lil bro
Larry Bird was amazing!!!!
No body remembers stats more than the clutch wins and the buzzer beaters . That’s how legends are made .
Larry didn’t shoot many threes! 3 titles in 3 years of the three point contests and quit doing it.
Clutch. Period. Baller.
Just Larry being Larry ❤, seeing is believing, some ppl witnessed it ,HELLO ,he did it all ,and he did it all extremely well ❤, and he didn't practice threes (they played in the paint back then ) 💯
With his right hand an left hand.
I doubt in a million years that cocky, Arrogant,Entitled small man could do the same has bird.
Larry Bird Belongs to " Royals" of the sport .
That small Stupid man have so much to prove to be on the same level of Larry Bird.
Lesson: DO NOT be a Larry Bird hater.
Thats exactly what ive learned from these videos..Bird= excellence
I remember late 80’s and 90’s NBA basketball and it was much better than the on they are playing today.
Bird is definitely one of the greatest 3 pt shooters ever! Id say he’s the best I’ve ever seen! Especially under pressure , end
Of game, 4th quarter. Same killer instinct as Jordan & Kobe but he was a better shooter. If Jordan Curry Kobe & Bird had 3
Pt shooting contest, my money is on Bird to win
The answer to your question who would you choose to take the last meaningful shot Larry Bird, Larry Bird, Larry Bird
Stats don’t reflect being smothered, doesn’t show the double team, triple team. Doesn’t show the final seconds of a game when the whole team knows who they’re passing to.
AGREE! That era had some phenomenal players, and it is THEM saying how much respect Larry earned.
Thanks for this! Loved hearing Coop go off.
You know you did it right when the man who was your defender comes out to stand up for you you did it right
1. The older we get the less we're remembered!
2. Wisdom will always be void in the youth!
Thank you for bringing up that his shooting pt. Percentage is really close to Curry and he got that in the most physical, dirty Laimbeer fouling era of basketball, with hand checking and true defense, oh…and the three point line was just introduced when he entered the league.
My life on the line? I'm putting the ball in Bird's hands. There isn't a player alive from the beginning of Basketball to now, who was more clutch than Larry "Legend" Bird. I watched him from College to the NBA.
LB not only one of the best 3-point shooters ever, but the best player who’s ever played the game
Bahahahahaha - stick to coloring books junior! Us fans have no say in who the GOAT 🐐 is. The majority of last and present players still say it’s MJ and not Kobe or Lebron come close! I don’t even know if I’d have LeBron over Kobe! MJ 6/6 in finals 6/6 in Finals MVP, and lost two years of his prime and he still has the highest pts per game out of any player that has played before, during and even after him. He won back to back to back twice - which will never happen again, I believe the lakers may have won 3 straight once! (Since da Bulls did it twice). FYI: MJ’s pts per game went down bc he came back and played as an owner and retired when he was 40. Missed 4-5 years (2 or 3 years of his prime), had he not retired they most likely would have won 8 straight!
Also… Michael Jordan played point guard for 24 GMS in 1989
AVG 30 PTS, 10.7 ASTS, 9.2 REBS
Triple-double in 10 of 11 games. The game he didn’t get a triple double he did this… 40/11/7
Career-high 17 ASTS with 34 PTS
Lebron scored the most pts bc he played a lot more games, which is impressive but the stat that counts the most is who has the most pts per game of the top 10 scorers - I’ll give you a hint it’s not LeBron! It’s MJ, and he did it in possibly the toughest period of scoring in the NBA regarding PHYSICALITY! Look up videos on former and current players at the time, how much do they think MJ would avg per game if there were no hand checks. 40-50 is what NBA players predict, which is unreal! He has the highest PPG with 30.1 (and hitch went down bc of the 2 years he played with Charlotte). Won defensive player of the year, Lebron won 0, MJ won 3X NBA steals leader, Lebron won 0, MJ 9X NBA all defensive 1st team, Lebron 5X, MJ won 10 scoring titles, Lebron just 1, MJ won 0 assist leaders, Lebron won 1, MJ has 4 gold in international play, Lebron has 3 gold and 2 bronze (lol 2 bronze), MJ never lost in the finals (MJ is a perfect 6/6), Lebron has lost 6X won 4 titles and lost 6. MJ played “15 seasons” even though it’s really 13, bc he only played 18 games his sophomore year and still made the all star team and even made 2nd team all star. The other “season” MJ is credited for, is the 94-95 season when he played the last 17 games of the reg season “out of shape”. I’m too tired to continue with how easily this debate isn’t even a debate. There’s MJ and everyone else below him. MJ played in “15 seasons” two where he only played 35 games of 162 and the last 2 when he was 39 and 40 years old on a god awful team. Take MJ’s top 11 seasons and compare them to any of LeBrons top 11 season of 19, which is a big advantage for Lebron and it’s still not even close, regarding stats and hardware! Kobe Vs Lebron, now that is very interesting!
Here’s an article I came across about MJ and if MJ played in todays easy scoring era!
pippenainteasy.com/2020/05/10/chicago-bulls-michael-jordan-nbas-best-point-guard/
100%
Yep didn't just take your will, assassinated your belief you'd overcome his clutch play
Be it a rebound assist or a dagger of a shot.
@@MrAdidas1980blah blah blah MJ blah Larry was the Man He could see behind his head an throw passes to people before they even knew they was gonna be there to catch it!! Your missing the point we all know bout MJ I'm Taken Bird over Lebron I just like my Chances okay 28 likes to 1 😮
Not even close. He’s top 10 but not the best.
Redick knows shit! Bird hit more tough defended 3-point shots than anyone, ever!
Boston was playing Milwaukee when I was in Hawaii with no game on TV. Called my 80 yr. old mother in law in Michigan and walked her thru on the phone on how to tape the game on a Sony Beta machine. Took forever as she had no clue about a DVR. God Bless Her. Got home, knew the Bucks won and I had a huge phone bill. Never did watch the game. Loved the Bird.
"If i had to pick a player to take a shot to win the game, I'd pick MJ. If i had to pick a player to shoot to save my life, I pick Bird." -Coach Pat Riley
Man, I have to say, your the Best Larry Bird story teller of all of them. I wasn't a fan until you put your stuff out there. I was a Magic fan back in the day but you convinced me who the all around GOAT truly is.
Same here. Larry did some of the craziest stuff.
I hear you. I grew up a Dr. J Fan and HATED Larry and the Celtics (along with the Lakers also). I now have such an appreciation for ALL those guys from the 80's.
Bird's career 3 point percentage was 37.6%, that's pretty damn great.
Great video man bird would torch these guys in the NBA today you better put some respect on his name he is a legend literally
You gotta love how the 80s guys come to Bird's defense.
Cooper spitting straight facts.
RIGHT ON, COOP AND Dominique Wilkins
Also, keep in mind, Larry was a Team player! He helped his teammates score.
Today, players like Steph focus on their stats., trying to get personal records. Larry didn't have to try to set records. He was just that good.
We've come to appreciate the clutch play of Bird, and almost take it for granted; but the greatest thing about this 3 pt shot at the buzzer is, as you precisely pointed out, that it was the ONLY 3PT SHOT HE TOOK THE WHOLE GAME!!!
Absolutely amazing!!
NO ONE ELSE has ever done that or will do it, I think.
This is one of the best commentaries on JJ's idiocy. Thank you! Having been there, watching these guys at the time, I totally agree with everything you pointed out.
Calling facts “idiocy” is crazy
Haters gotta hate? Well, when it comes to Michael Cooper hatin' on Larry Bird, that's one hater who has to respect greatness!
Bird all day! I miss 80s-90s NBA it was excitement nonstop! I can't watch today's NBA they coddle these players now aday and all they do is cry if you breathe on them too hard or barely touch them. This video was spot on with every fact and statement A+++++
Larry legend would light your ass up, no matter who you are
Larry Bird was a great 3 point shooter, but never really practiced them. Can you imagine what his percentage and his point totals would be if he actually practiced them? The 3-point shot only came into existence his first year in the league. He didn’t have it in high school or college. For years the NBA was still a back-to-the-basket center-dominant league with little spacing, crowded lanes, and brutal physical play. Bird was a 3-point pioneer who opened the door for Reggie Miller and Mark Price, and they opened it for Ray Allen and so on.
Bird shot 38%. Steph Curry is at 43% for his career. Steph’s father is Del Curry, a 17-year NBA career player (1986-2002) and one of the greatest 3-point shooters (40.2%) in NBA history. Steph and his brother Seth (43.5% - yes, better than Steph) grew up in relative cosmopolitan prosperity in a career NBA family being taught how to play basketball, especially shoot three-pointers, under the regular tutelage of one of the best deep-shooters of all time. Their entire schoolboy and college play had the 3-point line. They were shooting 3-pointers at age 10 if not younger.
Bird grew in a small backwoods town in poverty with an alcoholic father who took his own life and a hard-working, widowed mother of several kids. Bird shot long-range two-pointers from three-point range when his coach let him. His three-point skill came from just being a great shooter of long two’s.
Steph and Seth both shot about 5 percentage points higher than Bird from 3-point range even with all that advantage for them and disadvantage for him. The miraculous thing is that a 6-10, 230-lb power forward-sized small forward from the 1980s is even in the discussion. If Bird had their advantages and grew up and played in the modern era it’s not unreasonable to think his career 3-point percentage would be 46-48%. JJ Redick is just courting controversy to hype his new career and get attention. He’s actually a skilled analyst in many ways, but on this he should be embarrassed. But he is a millennial snowflake after all.
Larry's range was pretty much whatever he needed it to be.
Great post. ❤
As a long time Bird hater (being a Nique fan after the '88 semis) I completely agree with your well informed/educated post (I'm not a Bird fan, but totally respect his skills/ability)
That's the whole thing right there. Today everybody and their brother spends hours practicing 3-point shots. It actually took college coaches to teach the NBA the value of taking loads of 3-point shots and the fact that if you had the whole team practicing the 3-point shot just about any players can hit around 33% of them which is the figure where the shot starts to become a real weapon. Bird has said that even going into the 3-point contest he and Ainge would only practice the shot a little. They didn't park themselves out there and take shot after shot after shot. There's also the fact that Bird was never given any space. He was always closely guarded even out beyond the 3-point line. It's hard to find an example of Bird taking a 3-point shot where the defender (or defenders) are not draped all over him.
He practiced 3 point shots every day. Your not a Bird fan, that's obvious...........
Some folks don’t understand why Bird is the greatest small forward in history. He played half his short career with a bad back, played from the beginning with a mangled shooting finger, played hurt, played with broken bones, took the Celtics from 29 wins the year without him, to 61 wins his first year as the only addition to the team. Then there is the three MVP’s in a row, and second place many other years, but what really separates him is his ability to make the play under the most pressure situations, and be the consummate team player. Not to mention 6’10” and could shoot from anywhere, great passer, great rebounder, and pretty tough defender.
And without Magic and Bird, the nba would have gone bankrupt.
And you go back when you watch the replays when people say he was slow he didn't look slow to me. He may have been slower to other people but that were playing but he sure didn't look slower to me.
@@jeffouellette9946 he might have been slow running down the court compared to others, but I agree he seemed really quick to me on his moves.
@@jeffouellette9946 None of his movement was wasted, he was so far ahead of others in his mind. He was always headed to the next spot he had to be to do what was needed.
Well said, just in the last few year am I learning of how much shit he talked and backed up!
@@0475cmoore that’s what’s making this really enjoyable for me again. I got to watch most of his career on tv, but never had any idea he was talking trash.
This guy needs to watch more highlights of Larry Bird when the chips are down give the ball to bird. None better under pressure
"this is the face of a Larry Bird denier." I fucking love it!
In Bill Russell's time, JJ would not be playing, he would be watching the game from the stands, that speaks for his talents.
--- so JJ is Bill Russell's plumber? Gotcha.
@@jlui21 do not compare jj to those highly skilled basketball players because plumbing and carpentry were their hobbies. JJ has their numbers in his ROLODEX in case he needs their services.
@@jlui21 And let's not forget a fact that nobody has mentioned yet: JJ CAN NOT EVEN GUARD LARRY LEGEND.
@@hubertsang7418 That's not surprising. NOBODY could guard Larry. Larry made a mockery out of the definition.🤣
What's funny is listening to Bill Russell talk about Larry Bird.
And to add to the truth telling, Bird retired as the all time leader in 3 point attempts, makes, and percentage. He is the player who demonstrated the viability of the 3 point shot as an efficient means of scoring in an era that didn’t protect shooters the way the NBA does today.
The Celtics vs. Lakers games had Bird and Johnson-- that was great BB!
You need more exposure for this channel. You do high quality narration, edits, etc. Keep up the good work.
It was the Bird Magic competition that got me into watching the NBA. I saw the NCAA championship with Bird playing against Magic. After that, I was hooked.
Larry BIRD is the best and will always be. Can't change the facts, he is a legend. So don't forget that.
The only time anyone brings Reddicks name up is when he says something stupid. People are still talking about how great Bird was 30 years after his retirement.
Thank you so much for this upload Prime Larry Bird. You are a hero we both wanted and needed.