Larry Bird, when he got to the NBA, realized he could compete, he said that, and I think he kept that confidence. Basketball is good today, but we'll never see another Larry Bird. Thanks for insight into those memories.
I watched Wilkins live when he played in Europe as a veteran and when he came with his team to play in Belgrade. Although his career was coming to an end, he was still flying.
Remember when the best always have props to each other, and even the greats that came before them. Now mfs saying they the goat. You don't decide that shit. Fans do. Learn.
That's true. The Knicks were never quite at the level of the Celtics, Lakers, Pistons and Bulls. But they always played an exciting style of basketball. Like the time Patrick Ewing got his shot blocked by Mugsy Bogues, to cite just one example.
Man, McHale was one of the greats and a big fellow, if I was his size I dont know if I would act so gentlemanly against bullying players. Kudos for keeping his cool for so many years and being a perfect match to THE LEGEND
Dominique was an absolute wrecking ball. Has become a tremendous ambassador for the game as an elder statesman. His graciousness to teammates and opponents makes for great viewing.
What a great video! FYI: Larry Bird not only played this game with painful bone spurs on the bottoms of both feet, with injuries to both achilles tendons, he also played this game while suffering from bronchial pneumonia, according to an article archived on the NBA website. Astounding.
"We both deserve to win, but somebody has to go home." Larry gave rookie Dominique trash, but very much respected him after. I love watching Walton on the side lines. Larry does something amazing and he's very happy, but never surprised... yeah, that's Larry.
You'd never expect Dominique Wilkins the man and Dominque Wilkins the NBA player to be the same person. He seems like such a super nice, gentle dude. In that great period of NBA play in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I can only imagine Dominque was one of the scariest opponents, sheerly terrifying. The double persona of Dominique Wilkins.
Dominique, Bird, Barkley, Jordan, Ewing, Magic, Stockton many more.. the best era of basketball without a doubt.. back then I knew the players and teams and the star players weren’t being traded constantly and no super teams were formed
I am not a basketball fan but I am definitely a Larry Bird fan and I had no clue who Kevin McHale was before watching Larry Bird videos but he is pretty wicked and Dominique is a class act all the way😊😊😊😊
I remember watching that game live. Total edge of your seat game. The 80s and 90s were such great times for all sports. Mike Tyson in boxing, NBA full of legends, NFL Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith to name two. What a great time!!
Best players in the best era. I’m 74 and have seen it all, so take my word: Bird was the best of the best. Nique and Doc were terrific but Bird earned his “Legend” moniker for just this kind of performance. He always stepped up when he had to. Please notice Bird’s shots were from everywhere and most were all net-left or right handed. Didn’t matter.
Larry came out on top, but the more I watch of Dominique the more I love his game. Just fabulous. That dunk over McHale was just a forever highlight. But Larry was right - Dominique had heart. He was a gentleman and a scholar on the court, can't say anybody had a better game.
Toughest player ever, 91 Pacers series too he was already banged up from his back and he hits the parquet floor face first and fractures his cheekbone and still came back out and took over the game
Great video, but one correction.. Even more amazing. After Bird had double Achilles surgery, he came back in 89-90 and played in 75gms avg 24,3pts 9.5reb 7.5ass 1.4stls on 47.3 fg%and 93% from the line. Made 2nd team All-NBA. Legend.
I believe the fact that many have forgotten how good bird was makes it equally sad that Wilkins has been forgotten. Dominique wasn't only a dunker. He was a great player.
@@joesavary6081 Not in my house, and in most of the houses in our country. There may be a few houses in Wyoming or North Dakota who forgot about Wilkins, though.
Pat Riley once said that if he needed a player to make a shot to win a game, it would be Jordan. If he needed somebody to make a shot to save his life, it would be Bird.
What Larry Bird did was mozzo genius? He watched what leg Wilkinson was pivoting on as soon as he stood on that leg. Burn made his move to go around it because he knew that Wilkes couldn't move that leg at that point. Bird is so smart. He's a genius at what he does by just watching what it takes to get around somebody. Undoubtedly undoubtedly undoubtedly the best NBA player that ever walked on the court. All the way around. Thank you, Larry Bird for all that fantastic plan and effort. You put out if a person don't get excited about what it takes because you gave it. You showed it, you did it. Larry Bird, thank you. I god bless you buddy
I respect guys like Wilkins who have the character and courage to compliment his contemporaries. Without intending to do so, he is complimenting his own abilities since he had a successful career playing against such greats.
I watched this game live I think on CBS and it's the GREATEST 4th quarter between 2 guys I ve EVER SEEN TO THIS DAY in Feb 2024 Whenever it's on any classic or anything I watch and I LOVE the respect that they had for eachother still years later to here Dominque who was 1 of the most UNDERRATED players in history in my opinion u don't hear enough about him He was absolutely incredible Should ve been on Dream Team 1 if he doesn't blow out his Achilles Was such a GREAT GAME
Larry Legend all day, every day. There have been many great players, both past and present. But never has there been such a killer as Mr Larry Joe Bird!
How is he the goat when he wasnt even the best of his era. Nobody thinks bird is goat. Bird is a legend and a great, not goat. Mj is the goat hands down. Yes the stacked celtics beat the only mj bulls. But it's not even a competition. Mj was hands down better. But I'll pick bird over lefraud. But magic>bird aswell.
@@ScootsMcPoot bird was the best in the 80s he swept MJ twice dude. Jordan didn’t win till Magic and Larry left and the nba changed the rules for mike because of Detroit and the watering down of the league. The 80 s was the toughest ball to play in .
I live in same county where Larry was from. Im not old enough to have seen him play in high school. My folks did their take away was he knew where everyone was on the court all the time. He did no look passes that surprised team mates. But most important, they related how he could shoot from anywhere, with uncanny awareness of where the hoop was. No big revelations there. He also was known to shoot hundreds of practice shots daily. He was naturally talented, but great because of work ethic and modesty.
Great edit and scene organization. Thesis come thru point to point w very little narration. The sources tell the story. Great editing, again, scene by scene, solid argument and context maintained throughout. Thanks for the video. It always hits hard realizing these moments from Larry, alot of his greatest, he was injured in a way he needed surgery for long term viablility. And, he always played for the fans and his teammates, never himself. If he did, we'd probably all grew up watching him into the 90s and maybe even late 90s. But, we wouldn't have all the moments that generations apart marvel at and can even still feel. Whats an artist but that? Domonique of course, is an artist in his own right. Great edit to pull together his perspective to tell thr story of that game As well telling the story of the entire series. Great context.
Those were the days - from a Pistons “Bad Boys” fan. So many great players. Magic, Bird, Dominique, Jordan, Kareem, Isaiah, Ainge, Stockton, Worthy, Malone, Barkley, Robinson etc… The league was stacked with greats. And probably never again.
Great video, man. I saw that game on TV way back then. It was AWESOME. Bird was really something else. Anyone who experienced the NBA in the 80's real time knows how good Bird really was and how much he dominated. Thanks for telling the story so well.
may I say this Mr, Wilkins is a eloquent ambassador to the game. A terror on the court gentleman in life. I smiled with respect when his interview was up in view
I lived in Atlanta and saw the Hawks play every game yet in college I was able to see Bird in person and on TV and he was my favorite player. Bird is the best ever IMO. All you need to know is he took a team thatn won 29 games to 60+ as a rookie. That was before McHale, Parish, DJ, etc. But Nique was also a favorite player just from a heart and atheletic perspective. Nique played hard every night like Bird, both always gave you a show.
Larry Bird is the only player in NBA history to shoot better than 50-40-90 four straight years while averaging over 28 PPG. And that's not counting the double digit career rebounding and being the best passing forward in history. Celts go from 29 wins before his rookie year to 61 wins his rookie year and there was no Parish, McKale, DJ, or Ainge on that team, just the same guys who won only 29 plus Larry Bird. Greatest one year win improvement by ANY team in NBA history and it came because of the addition of a rookie. It proved that Bird carrying a bunch of no-name players at Indiana State to a undefeated season, slaying one giant after another during March madness until that 1979 NCAA championship game was no fluke. What he did at sad sack Indiana State has never been repeated and what he did his rookie year at (then) sad sack Boston has never been repeated. There is a reason for that, a very precise reason...BECAUSE NO ONE SINCE HAS BEEN AS GOOD AS BIRD AND THEREFORE COULDN'T DO THOSE THINGS AND DIDN'T DO THOSE THINGS. You will never see another Larry Joe Bird.
I grew up in Atlanta and I still live here, and all I know is when it came to 1 on 1 play, nobody could guard Dominique, period. Bird is still the GOAT, but so is Nique. Straight from Hazzard County. Bad Street Atlanta, GA y'all.
Bird was always and always will be my favorite but I agree with you magic Jordan bird Dominique new how to play the game the right way athletically so gifted
@@GregWilliams-no1oj I agree. Players back then were absolute beasts on the court, completely different breed from players today. Seems like basketball went soft.
Thanks for these videos. Basketball was a man's game back then, and I loved watching my Knicks battle. These players today wouldn't last 10 minutes with all their flopping and driving to the hole untouched. You want to come to the hole? Come on, but you're going to get touched up big time. That's why Jordan gets so much respect, he was as great as he was back when it was still a very physical game. Larry would average 40 today and Jordan would average 60. And Nique? He'd be somewhere in between I'm sure.
Bird is one of my all-time favorite players. I graduated high school in 85 and have been a Celtics fan since the early 80s. He may not be in the GOAT discussion, but I think he's top 20 and I don't think many will argue with that
Very underrated Kevin Willis. You were a great center but had to adapt to the NBA game of that time. I always thought you were more like Rick Mahorn than Lambeer.You were something special!
Wilkins is such a phenomenal dunker that a lot of people know his dunks but don't realize what a great all around player and guy he is. I had his Starting Lineup action figure and card in the early 90's.
Kudos to the players willing to share honest and positive feedback for their opponent! Egos seemed to have been left at home, a distinct mark of this generations players.
Such Great Times. We were Piston Fans but you HAVE to give credit to Boston's Line Up and the Great Larry Bird. To me the 1980's was the Best Overall NBA era ever. (Of course the 90's were great as well) The excitement, the teams, the coaches, the announcers, all added up to the best overall era for professional Basketball in my lifetime. You had to live back then to understand it. To feel it.
Yup. I had recently moved to Chicago during the Bad Boys era. You could still get standing room only seats at Chicago Stadium for $10 back in 1990. I would go whenever the Pistons were in town, and wear all my Pistons garb. One time I had a whole section of Bulls fans chanting against me in my Bad Boys tank top, up in the SRO seats, yelling, "Detroit sucks, and so do YOU!" But the game was so much more fun and exciting in the Bird/Magic, to MJ Bulls era. Once MJ left the Bulls for good, the game got less exciting. When the Pistons got good again with Ben Wallace and Rip Hamilton and the rest, it just wasn't the same. As big as Ben was, I never saw him knock anyone down like Laimbeer, Rodman, or Mahorn would do. Dwayne Wade regularly drove to the hole without being knocked on his a$$, like he would have been with the Bad Boys. These days, I can't remember the last time when I have actually watched an NBA game. Who wants to watch guys just trading 3 pt shots? Boring!
Love the video. One thing that's wrong is those bone spurs never stopped him or his career. It was the back surgeries. And yet in 92 on the dream team laying in front of the bench to stretch his back and do what he did for that team. Mad respect for Bird. Never complained never used injuries as an excuse he just played till he literally couldn't anymore
--- No one could stop Dominique. Bird wasn't that kind of 1v1 defender. He was a help defender who read the passing lanes. And in '88, Bird was traffic cone on D but could still score with the best. I'm still taking Bird over Lebron, KD for the last shot.
Wow With bone spurs adrenaline keeps you going and Carries you and then when you stop the pain is terrible,listening to both teams views and respect were amazing Goosebump memories
Bird would do the impossible so often he began to make me question my mere ability to choose my affiliations, as I refused to be a disgusting ‘fair weather fan’ & abort my Sixers. I was nearly getting ulcers from waiting for him to be a normal human and make a mistake. The end result was good however as I stopped worrying so much about who wins and instead just appreciate that I was lucky enough to be able to learn what greatness is all about. And I didn’t even need a gastroenterologist 🤬🤨😊
Well, TBF, your Sixers got the better of Bird a few times in the early 80s. 80, 82 and, I think 83 but I'm not sure, they beat the Celtics. They were that team early on that forced the Celtics to get better much like Boston was for Detroit and then Detroit was for Chicago later in the decade. Obviously though Bird did manage to slip by the Sixers in 81 in what many ppl consider the greatest series of all time.
I remember this series like it was yesterday, being in my mid-teens at the time. What a time to be alive to be able to see the NBA in its glory days. God, I miss the old school NBA.
I skipped a class in college to watch that game where Bird had 24 in the first quarter. I just knew Dom would destroy Bird. I was a Dr. J fan my entire life and thought Bird was WAY over rated - that game changed my mind and made me a believer. Bird is a bad dude. Cleary one of the best ever.
Just another day at the office for Larry Legend.👑 The CBS announcer Brent Musberger used to do NBA and NFL games and he was an unashamed bandwagon jumper. As soon as one player or team started getting hot he was their biggest cheerleader, even if he was kicking them 5 minutes before that.
As a kid growing up in the 80’s I had the Dominique poster on one wall where he’s dunking in the Dunk Contest, then on my other wall I had the life size Larry Bird poster where he’s standing at all 6’9” and you could measure yourself next to it. The NBA in the 80’s was a very special time that coincided with Cable TV and signature shoes, and a lot of marketing behind it.
I was always a huge Larry Bird you couldn't be more right Wilkins was a gifted player and what a classy person all the respect in the world 2 Dominique
As a 80's basketball fan, a Celtics fan and definitely a Bird fan Dominique should never downplay his greatness. That dude wasn't called the human highlight film for no reason.
If there was ONE person back then you DIDNT talk shit too, it was Larry fkn BIRD! the shit talk only fired him up 100x more. some of my uncles were at this game, and said it was the best match they have ever seen in any sport.
Jesus, Bird fighting a 28 year old DOMINIQUE WILKINS for position there at the end, then just quickly turning the corner rather than (maybe) an expected( DW thinking) face-up was such a sweet, clutch lesson of a move.
Huge Hawks fan Dominique was my favorite player! Great series but I knew when Hawks lost game 6 Celtics had it! Greatest series ever sadly didn't turn out my way 😢
Larry Bird, when he got to the NBA, realized he could compete, he said that, and I think he kept that confidence. Basketball is good today, but we'll never see another Larry Bird. Thanks for insight into those memories.
I do agree we'll never see another Larry Bird! But I can't agree on basketball being good today.... It is so boring in comparison!
When you listen to Wilkens talk about Bird, you respect both even more. Two super greats. Some of us were so lucky in life to watch both of them.
A better era of 📺 the NBA😊
I watched Wilkins live when he played in Europe as a veteran and when he came with his team to play in Belgrade. Although his career was coming to an end, he was still flying.
Remember when the best always have props to each other, and even the greats that came before them. Now mfs saying they the goat. You don't decide that shit. Fans do. Learn.
Willis was a beast
I was in my twenties in the nineties. Great memories!
Bird & Wilkins……two of the best players in NBA history. I respect them both tremendously!
Man Wilkins was a beast! And I appreciate that he appreciates the greats he played against.
Dominique was a beast and he was also a truly class act! Rarely cried to the refs which was Larry Birds specialty 😢
Yea and all these young NBA fans keep saying nobody big was in the 80s
@@ThomasRogan-gc5pibecause usually bird was correct to
There was a lot of good teams in theblate 80sband early to mid 90s that just barely lost to the greats.
Atlanta, Cleveland, Utah...New York.
That's true. The Knicks were never quite at the level of the Celtics, Lakers, Pistons and Bulls. But they always played an exciting style of basketball. Like the time Patrick Ewing got his shot blocked by Mugsy Bogues, to cite just one example.
Man, McHale was one of the greats and a big fellow, if I was his size I dont know if I would act so gentlemanly against bullying players. Kudos for keeping his cool for so many years and being a perfect match to THE LEGEND
When my memory goes, I look forward to seeing this again for the first time.
I have to remember your line. Great post!
We can watch them together! Lol.
Good one!
Dominique was an absolute wrecking ball. Has become a tremendous ambassador for the game as an elder statesman. His graciousness to teammates and opponents makes for great viewing.
Dominique was a class guy...
It's officially a good day when there's a new Larry Legend vid. Thanks!
Ya!!!
What a great video! FYI: Larry Bird not only played this game with painful bone spurs on the bottoms of both feet, with injuries to both achilles tendons, he also played this game while suffering from bronchial pneumonia, according to an article archived on the NBA website. Astounding.
Yeah, we watched this video & many others. Do you always feel the need to translate & repeat for attention?
@@ericksonparks1740you think EVERYONE watched the FULL video? because if you think you are one ignorant person
@@ericksonparks1740salty huh
Did he walk to the game, up hill both ways with holes in his shoes also?
@@Erik-k3u6c yes he did lmao
"We both deserve to win, but somebody has to go home." Larry gave rookie Dominique trash, but very much respected him after.
I love watching Walton on the side lines. Larry does something amazing and he's very happy, but never surprised... yeah, that's Larry.
You'd never expect Dominique Wilkins the man and Dominque Wilkins the NBA player to be the same person. He seems like such a super nice, gentle dude. In that great period of NBA play in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I can only imagine Dominque was one of the scariest opponents, sheerly terrifying. The double persona of Dominique Wilkins.
MAN I MISS THOSE GAMES!!! NBA has never been the same. Dominique and Bird, wow
WORD.
Today's NBA would get mopped by this era.
@@richardwilcox3643I agree , the players today would be wore out by halftime !!!
@@dougsimmon7460 He is the GOAT!!!!😊
Dominique, Bird, Barkley, Jordan, Ewing, Magic, Stockton many more.. the best era of basketball without a doubt.. back then I knew the players and teams and the star players weren’t being traded constantly and no super teams were formed
I am not a basketball fan but I am definitely a Larry Bird fan and I had no clue who Kevin McHale was before watching Larry Bird videos but he is pretty wicked and Dominique is a class act all the way😊😊😊😊
Round ball in the 80's was a blast, with so many great NBA players that gave it all to us fans. Great look back.
Silver has killed the NBA
We thank you Prime Larry Bird for yet another _great_ story!
May we never forget these greats.
Basketball was different back then. These young bucks in today's NBA would get bodied so hard and have no one to cry to.
Truth bomb...they sit out for a hangnail
😊😊😊😊@@MBGolfer
I remember watching that game live. Total edge of your seat game. The 80s and 90s were such great times for all sports. Mike Tyson in boxing, NBA full of legends, NFL Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith to name two. What a great time!!
Dominique is such an icon on and off the court. Humble beyond words and one of the Greatest All Time.
I love listening to him tell stories, he could make reading a phone book interesting!
I was just a kid watching Larry Bird play basketball. It was so much fun. He was different than the rest.
Best players in the best era. I’m 74 and have seen it all, so take my word: Bird was the best of the best. Nique and Doc were terrific but Bird earned his “Legend” moniker for just this kind of performance. He always stepped up when he had to. Please notice Bird’s shots were from everywhere and most were all net-left or right handed. Didn’t matter.
Absolutely!!! No one like Bird!
I agree.Best time to see basketball.
Larry came out on top, but the more I watch of Dominique the more I love his game. Just fabulous. That dunk over McHale was just a forever highlight. But Larry was right - Dominique had heart. He was a gentleman and a scholar on the court, can't say anybody had a better game.
Toughest player ever, 91 Pacers series too he was already banged up from his back and he hits the parquet floor face first and fractures his cheekbone and still came back out and took over the game
Boy oh boy do I miss those great men that played in the NBA. Hats off. I can't pass up watching these gems.
Bird is my all time fav, but I loved to watch Dominique play.
Great video, but one correction.. Even more amazing. After Bird had double Achilles surgery, he came back in 89-90 and played in 75gms avg 24,3pts 9.5reb 7.5ass 1.4stls on 47.3 fg%and 93% from the line. Made 2nd team All-NBA. Legend.
I believe the fact that many have forgotten how good bird was makes it equally sad that Wilkins has been forgotten. Dominique wasn't only a dunker. He was a great player.
He could fly! Bird had respect for Dominique!!
Nobody in my house forgets how good Wilkins was
@@joesavary6081 Not in my house, and in most of the houses in our country.
There may be a few houses in Wyoming or North Dakota who forgot about Wilkins, though.
@@sludge8506ha ha ha.. *ya.. 'nique Wilkins and Oscar Roberson < so good
The human highlight! Never forget Nique!
I’m from Atlanta and I remember these days as a blur. Dominique was on everyone’s minds… what a memory. Good to hear these legends reminiscing.
This video was so well researched and cut together. Great job!
God the NBA NEEDS another “Larry Bird”…
Can't upvote this as it is at 33!
Pat Riley once said that if he needed a player to make a shot to win a game, it would be Jordan. If he needed somebody to make a shot to save his life, it would be Bird.
My answer every time someone says Jordan is better than Bird. Or anyone denying how good Bird was in real life.
Bird = GOAT
Greatest sports quote ever!
Larry Bird didn't just drop out of the sky. He continuously worked on his game. He did so well because he kept putting in the work.
What Larry Bird did was mozzo genius? He watched what leg Wilkinson was pivoting on as soon as he stood on that leg. Burn made his move to go around it because he knew that Wilkes couldn't move that leg at that point. Bird is so smart. He's a genius at what he does by just watching what it takes to get around somebody. Undoubtedly undoubtedly undoubtedly the best NBA player that ever walked on the court. All the way around. Thank you, Larry Bird for all that fantastic plan and effort. You put out if a person don't get excited about what it takes because you gave it. You showed it, you did it. Larry Bird, thank you.
I god bless you buddy
The GOAT of the NBA.
I respect guys like Wilkins who have the character and courage to compliment his contemporaries. Without intending to do so, he is complimenting his own abilities since he had a successful career playing against such greats.
Bird, Jordan, Kobe, Wilkins, Hakeem. In no particular order, those guys would crush everybody forever.
You better get ready to add the Joker and Doncic
I watched this game live I think on CBS and it's the GREATEST 4th quarter between 2 guys I ve EVER SEEN TO THIS DAY in Feb 2024
Whenever it's on any classic or anything I watch and I LOVE the respect that they had for eachother still years later to here Dominque who was 1 of the most UNDERRATED players in history in my opinion u don't hear enough about him
He was absolutely incredible
Should ve been on Dream Team 1 if he doesn't blow out his Achilles
Was such a GREAT GAME
I was still bad for him that he was injured and Dominique couldn't be on the dream team!!! because he absolutely would have been! Should've been!
Again I'll say: Not Jordan. Not James.
Bird.
Larry Legend all day, every day. There have been many great players, both past and present. But never has there been such a killer as Mr Larry Joe Bird!
Definitely not LeFraud!
How is he the goat when he wasnt even the best of his era. Nobody thinks bird is goat. Bird is a legend and a great, not goat. Mj is the goat hands down. Yes the stacked celtics beat the only mj bulls. But it's not even a competition. Mj was hands down better. But I'll pick bird over lefraud. But magic>bird aswell.
The Bird WAS the word!
@@ScootsMcPoot bird was the best in the 80s he swept MJ twice dude. Jordan didn’t win till Magic and Larry left and the nba changed the rules for mike because of Detroit and the watering down of the league. The 80 s was the toughest ball to play in .
I live in same county where Larry was from. Im not old enough to have seen him play in high school. My folks did their take away was he knew where everyone was on the court all the time. He did no look passes that surprised team mates. But most important, they related how he could shoot from anywhere, with uncanny awareness of where the hoop was. No big revelations there. He also was known to shoot hundreds of practice shots daily. He was naturally talented, but great because of work ethic and modesty.
Larry Legend is Legendary...what a wonderful tribute to Larry Legend.
Both of these players are head and shoulders above Lebron as basketball players and as people.
That isn’t saying much that is known information
@@cazu2479 The truth is ALWAYS saying a lot.
The Great Shootout!!! Got to be the best 4th quarter ever for me! Nique & Bird were just incredible!!!
Great edit and scene organization. Thesis come thru point to point w very little narration. The sources tell the story. Great editing, again, scene by scene, solid argument and context maintained throughout. Thanks for the video.
It always hits hard realizing these moments from Larry, alot of his greatest, he was injured in a way he needed surgery for long term viablility. And, he always played for the fans and his teammates, never himself. If he did, we'd probably all grew up watching him into the 90s and maybe even late 90s. But, we wouldn't have all the moments that generations apart marvel at and can even still feel.
Whats an artist but that?
Domonique of course, is an artist in his own right. Great edit to pull together his perspective to tell thr story of that game
As well telling the story of the entire series. Great context.
There mere many great players back then I enjoyed watching them all .
Best SF in history without question. Bad, tough, skilled & and an all time shooter. Always makes my starting all time team. As MJ says 🍻
Larry Bird is legitimately the greatest basketball player of all time. End of discussion.
What a well put together video regarding an NBA legend in this moment in time. Loved it from beginning to end... Great job!
I'm glad these videos are out here to show these kids when they act up & talk down on the Bird. Larry Legend
Your videos are so well put together.
Those were the days - from a Pistons “Bad Boys” fan. So many great players. Magic, Bird, Dominique, Jordan, Kareem, Isaiah, Ainge, Stockton, Worthy, Malone, Barkley, Robinson etc… The league was stacked with greats. And probably never again.
Great video, man. I saw that game on TV way back then. It was AWESOME. Bird was really something else. Anyone who experienced the NBA in the 80's real time knows how good Bird really was and how much he dominated. Thanks for telling the story so well.
greatness comes along ever now and then.whether you are a player or fan just to witness it is special no matter whos side you are on.
may I say this Mr, Wilkins is a eloquent ambassador to the game. A terror on the court
gentleman in life. I smiled with respect when his interview was up in view
I lived in Atlanta and saw the Hawks play every game yet in college I was able to see Bird in person and on TV and he was my favorite player. Bird is the best ever IMO. All you need to know is he took a team thatn won 29 games to 60+ as a rookie. That was before McHale, Parish, DJ, etc. But Nique was also a favorite player just from a heart and atheletic perspective. Nique played hard every night like Bird, both always gave you a show.
These recollections bring back so much 80's hype! GOODNESS!
Dominique is a class dude
Larry Bird is the only player in NBA history to shoot better than 50-40-90 four straight years while averaging over 28 PPG.
And that's not counting the double digit career rebounding and being the best passing forward in history.
Celts go from 29 wins before his rookie year to 61 wins his rookie year and there was no Parish, McKale, DJ, or Ainge on that team, just the same guys who won only 29 plus Larry Bird.
Greatest one year win improvement by ANY team in NBA history and it came because of the addition of a rookie.
It proved that Bird carrying a bunch of no-name players at Indiana State to a undefeated season, slaying one giant after another during March madness until that 1979 NCAA championship game was no fluke.
What he did at sad sack Indiana State has never been repeated and what he did his rookie year at (then) sad sack Boston has never been repeated.
There is a reason for that, a very precise reason...BECAUSE NO ONE SINCE HAS BEEN AS GOOD AS BIRD AND THEREFORE COULDN'T DO THOSE THINGS AND DIDN'T DO THOSE THINGS.
You will never see another Larry Joe Bird.
Larry Bird’s fall away jumper was a work of art in motion. Nobody did that shot better than Larry Bird!!! Nobody!!!
Dominque is all class.And a true Legend.Him and Bird had some classic games
Wilkins is a class act and one of the best ever to play the game...the respect he shows about Bird is so cool...what a guy
Man I appreciate you showing what a legend Bird was people don't realize how good he was. He accomplished what he did in his short career.
I grew up in Atlanta and I still live here, and all I know is when it came to 1 on 1 play, nobody could guard Dominique, period. Bird is still the GOAT, but so is Nique. Straight from Hazzard County. Bad Street Atlanta, GA y'all.
Jordan is THE GOAT.
Bird was always and always will be my favorite but I agree with you magic Jordan bird Dominique new how to play the game the right way athletically so gifted
@@GregWilliams-no1oj I agree. Players back then were absolute beasts on the court, completely different breed from players today. Seems like basketball went soft.
Bird smoked him
You don’t get to be goat when you never win anything. College. Nba. Europe.
Thanks for these videos. Basketball was a man's game back then, and I loved watching my Knicks battle. These players today wouldn't last 10 minutes with all their flopping and driving to the hole untouched. You want to come to the hole? Come on, but you're going to get touched up big time. That's why Jordan gets so much respect, he was as great as he was back when it was still a very physical game. Larry would average 40 today and Jordan would average 60. And Nique? He'd be somewhere in between I'm sure.
Dominque is a true gentleman, played an amazing game himself. Fun to watch the replay..
Learning about Wilkins. Wow. What a player.
He was the only one close to Jordan
A busted up Larry Bird is better than any healthy player. He was always hurt in career and is still the GOAT.
He was always hurt, being the drama queen that he was.
@@sludge8506loser
Bird is one of my all-time favorite players. I graduated high school in 85 and have been a Celtics fan since the early 80s. He may not be in the GOAT discussion, but I think he's top 20 and I don't think many will argue with that
"Its up to them to stop it". He didnt say its up to me to score because he already knew it was in. Cold
Kevin willis was one of my favorite role players, he was the kind of player you could plug into any team and make it better.
Willis was a Rodman, but who could score too..That was a great Hawks team
P😊@@brianjschumer
Very underrated Kevin Willis. You were a great center but had to adapt to the NBA game of that time. I always thought you were more like Rick Mahorn than Lambeer.You were something special!
Wilkins is such a phenomenal dunker that a lot of people know his dunks but don't realize what a great all around player and guy he is. I had his Starting Lineup action figure and card in the early 90's.
Kudos to the players willing to share honest and positive feedback for their opponent! Egos seemed to have been left at home, a distinct mark of this generations players.
Such Great Times.
We were Piston Fans but you HAVE to give credit to Boston's Line Up and the Great Larry Bird.
To me the 1980's was the Best Overall NBA era ever.
(Of course the 90's were great as well)
The excitement, the teams, the coaches, the announcers, all added up to the best overall era for professional Basketball in my lifetime.
You had to live back then to understand it. To feel it.
Yup. I had recently moved to Chicago during the Bad Boys era. You could still get standing room only seats at Chicago Stadium for $10 back in 1990. I would go whenever the Pistons were in town, and wear all my Pistons garb. One time I had a whole section of Bulls fans chanting against me in my Bad Boys tank top, up in the SRO seats, yelling, "Detroit sucks, and so do YOU!" But the game was so much more fun and exciting in the Bird/Magic, to MJ Bulls era. Once MJ left the Bulls for good, the game got less exciting. When the Pistons got good again with Ben Wallace and Rip Hamilton and the rest, it just wasn't the same. As big as Ben was, I never saw him knock anyone down like Laimbeer, Rodman, or Mahorn would do. Dwayne Wade regularly drove to the hole without being knocked on his a$$, like he would have been with the Bad Boys. These days, I can't remember the last time when I have actually watched an NBA game. Who wants to watch guys just trading 3 pt shots? Boring!
@@kkelleybass seats were cheap back then
Bird’s back gave out on him too, towards the end of his career. Was always playing injured. That’s why he’s called Larry Legend
Two great competitors and so fun to watch!
Best quote during that game was Musberger’s, “ You are watching greatness!”
Dominique is a class act. He and bird are legends.
Not just the toughest, but the greatest.
Love the video. One thing that's wrong is those bone spurs never stopped him or his career. It was the back surgeries. And yet in 92 on the dream team laying in front of the bench to stretch his back and do what he did for that team. Mad respect for Bird. Never complained never used injuries as an excuse he just played till he literally couldn't anymore
Cannot imagine him taking a game off to "save his energy" like the modern player mentality. He would have been offended at the idea.
All the respect to 'Nique, stayed on Bird on defense while delivering on offense.
--- No one could stop Dominique. Bird wasn't that kind of 1v1 defender. He was a help defender who read the passing lanes.
And in '88, Bird was traffic cone on D but could still score with the best. I'm still taking Bird over Lebron, KD for the last shot.
Wow
With bone spurs adrenaline keeps you going and Carries you and then when you stop the pain is terrible,listening to both teams views and respect were amazing Goosebump memories
I like how you sped up the reading. flow is better. phenomenal channel. subscribed.
Bird would do the impossible so often he began to make me question my mere ability to choose my affiliations, as I refused to be a disgusting ‘fair weather fan’ & abort my Sixers. I was nearly getting ulcers from waiting for him to be a normal human and make a mistake. The end result was good however as I stopped worrying so much about who wins and instead just appreciate that I was lucky enough to be able to learn what greatness is all about. And I didn’t even need a gastroenterologist 🤬🤨😊
Well, TBF, your Sixers got the better of Bird a few times in the early 80s. 80, 82 and, I think 83 but I'm not sure, they beat the Celtics. They were that team early on that forced the Celtics to get better much like Boston was for Detroit and then Detroit was for Chicago later in the decade. Obviously though Bird did manage to slip by the Sixers in 81 in what many ppl consider the greatest series of all time.
I remember this series like it was yesterday, being in my mid-teens at the time. What a time to be alive to be able to see the NBA in its glory days. God, I miss the old school NBA.
Larry Legend GOAT! Mr. 4th quarter!
This was the NBA I loved!
I am not even aware of the league's existence today!
I skipped a class in college to watch that game where Bird had 24 in the first quarter. I just knew Dom would destroy Bird. I was a Dr. J fan my entire life and thought Bird was WAY over rated - that game changed my mind and made me a believer. Bird is a bad dude. Cleary one of the best ever.
Just another day at the office for Larry Legend.👑
The CBS announcer Brent Musberger used to do NBA and NFL games and he was an unashamed bandwagon jumper. As soon as one player or team started getting hot he was their biggest cheerleader, even if he was kicking them 5 minutes before that.
As a kid growing up in the 80’s I had the Dominique poster on one wall where he’s dunking in the Dunk Contest, then on my other wall I had the life size Larry Bird poster where he’s standing at all 6’9” and you could measure yourself next to it. The NBA in the 80’s was a very special time that coincided with Cable TV and signature shoes, and a lot of marketing behind it.
Dominique is the most underrated player in history besides Wilt.
I was always a huge Larry Bird you couldn't be more right Wilkins was a gifted player and what a classy person all the respect in the world 2 Dominique
lol no
Wilt "underrated" ? 😄
@@binderfan436 He's never in anyone's top 10. If he's not your GOAT, he's underrated.
A man that dedicated his life to basket ball...deserves the right to be the best that ever played the game..
As a 80's basketball fan, a Celtics fan and definitely a Bird fan Dominique should never downplay his greatness. That dude wasn't called the human highlight film for no reason.
Glad i Was Able To witness His Greatness
Larry Bird. The greatest basketball player of all time period. The only player that would tell you what he is going to do and do it.
Bird came back in 1990 and was pretty dang good
If there was ONE person back then you DIDNT talk shit too, it was Larry fkn BIRD! the shit talk only fired him up 100x more. some of my uncles were at this game, and said it was the best match they have ever seen in any sport.
Great content, I just subscribed 🔥
What an era, so many legends
Jesus, Bird fighting a 28 year old DOMINIQUE WILKINS for position there at the end, then just quickly turning the corner rather than (maybe) an expected( DW thinking) face-up was such a sweet, clutch lesson of a move.
Who hates who damn infomercials and worse when the come up at a critical point, RAISE YOU HANDS?
And don't the man Julius Dr.J Erving... Erving changed the NBA when he came from the ABA....Dr J and Bird my favorite 2 of all time
Whoa, I love Larry but let's not get it twisted. Mr. Wilken's was no shrinking violet! He gave Larry as good as he got.
Huge Hawks fan Dominique was my favorite player! Great series but I knew when Hawks lost game 6 Celtics had it! Greatest series ever sadly didn't turn out my way 😢
Yes, true. Because Bird was there!!