I grew up a Laker fan, when Bird was playing We hated him because he would ruin your day. He was an artist on the court. Those passes weren't luck. He knew where his teammates were at all times. He put in a lot of work to get that good. Hated him growing up, but now I miss seeing him play. Most young fans have no idea how good this guy was. The man won 3 mpv's during a time when he was surrounded by NBA legends.
My dad kept tapes of classic games and I would watch those finals over and over as a kid. People thought I was crazy when I said Larry was my favorite player
The unnecessary behind the back pass was the night he found out magic had aids. At the time was a death sentence. He did the pass as a tribute and a wave to magic.
You can't talk about Bird without Magic, and you can't talk about Magic without Bird, greatest rivalry in sports history and it was cool how they built a friendship based on respect
@@tppwttiger2244 Just being humble. Nobody that truly masters a craft is a braggard, just a professional courtesy. Magic was amazing. All those guys BB Iqs and toughness was up there. Incredible play.
Just for reference, Pat Riley once said “if I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I’d choose Michael Jordan. If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I’d take Larry Bird”. Larry Legend was a monster
I've seen that many times , I always thought he meant nothing would shake either of them in a game but Larrys focus would translate to higher stakes. Jordan is the Goat and Larry is the best forward the game has had
This is what it has come down to now, people of the old generation look at today’s game, and they lose interest, while the new generation look at the old games and legends, they are astonished how good it was back then. I blame the NFL.
Larry Bird went so under rated for so long and im glad the younger generation is now seeing how good he really was. Not to mention he played most of his career with a very bad back and achilles tendon problems and the fractured cheekbone and concussion he got when he smacked his face on that wood floor but then came back out to finish and win the game. Larry Bird was no joke, he loved the game, dedicated his life to it, practiced harder than anyone and was even amazing in college when he took a losing team over and went 33-0 in his last college season. If Larry hadnt had the bad back and other injuries his career would have been longer than 13 years, and if you imagine a totally healthy Larry Bird theres no telling what kind of amazing stuff we would be watching in his tapes today.
80s and 90s were the golden age of Basketball. The crazy Lakers vs Celtics rivalry, Bird vs Magic. To the Pistons trying to defuse the rise of Jordan. To the reign of Jordan. That was when NBA popularity was at it's peak.
Older generations may actually be more biased than zoomers. Nobody is more biased against the current era than a middle aged MJ fan. NOBODY. I'm 30 and started watching in the late-MJ era. Can't tell you how many arguments I've gotten in with oldheads that say LeBron is ass, not top 10, is soft, but also that they haven't watched the NBA in 10 years. Like then how tf do you know what you're talking about? You don't watch basketball lmao. Or the common "it's so easy to score today, they call everything" (80s is the highest scoring era in NBA history, there are less free throws per game today than any era in NBA history. FTs have gone down every decade). Or talk about superteams like thay concept hasn't been around since Bill Russell to Wilt to Kareem/Magic, Bird, Bad boy Pistons, the several failed attempts at superteams (Rockets in the late 90s), the 70s Sixers, the 2nd 3peat Bulls, the 08 Celtics, the Warriors, the Nets currently etc. Etc.
@@calvinsimpson1301 YOU SOUND SILLY of course you'll say that your only 30 exactly why I gave him his props by ADMITTING it is what it is , Lebron not better then Jordan PERIOD and I'm not a Jordan fan I'm a LAKERS FAN
There are about 5 or 7 youtube clips of Bird's opponents telling stories of him saying what the play was and what he was gonna do for the game winner and then do it. Dude was ice cold.
It's strange. My top 3 are Jordan, Kareem, Bird in that order. But if I were drafting a team, Bird is my first pick. Lots of great centers and SGs I can get but LeBron is nowhere near a suitable substitute for Larry.
When you were watching a game with Larry Bird playing, you couldn't take your eye of the game or you were sure to miss something special from Mr. Bird. Young man, watching Larry Bird do these things in real time was even more unbelievable!
Good job on the reaction. Couple bits of info on Larry. Last few years of his career his back was so bad he would lay on the floor instead of sitting on the bench. During a big series one time, he spent the night in traction in the hospital so he could play the next day. Larry would always talk to the other team. He walked by the other teams bench one night and the coach asked him how he felt. He said I feel like 43 tonight. They thought he meant he felt old til later in the game he checked out of the game with Boston way ahead and he had 43 points. He asked the Utah coach one night when he was going off against them, hey coach don't you have anyone who can guard me? The coach looked up and down the bench and said nope. people say Larry was slow but you never saw anyone catch him on a breakaway. He is the best in my mind because he could do so many things. Maybe the best shooter ever, back in a time when guys actually played defense and the game was rough. he was the first player to have a 50/40/90 season and he followed that season with another one. He won the 3 pt comp. 3 years in a row. Magic was a great player but not top 5 all time. Magic was rarely even the best player on his team, and there were things he didn't do well. Hard to compare guys back then to guys today. The defense is softer today and the game has thrown out the rule book on 3 secs, traveling, and what used to be called palming or turning the ball over (that's when a guy is dribbling and puts his hand under the ball to change direction) nowadays they call that a crossover. I have been watching NBA for over 60 years now and there are a lot of guys who don't get the recognition because the fans of today don't know about them. Keep checking them out young man.
Respect Bird. He’s Larry Legend. Magic is a multiple x League and Finals mvp. 5 championships. 8-9 Trips to Finals. Let’s stop that . Early Kareem was better after Rookie season Magic was the best on his team . Rookie year Finals MVP . 42 17 rebounds 7 assist . I’ll never put down Larry to say Magic is better! They both were great ! Magic was the Lakers ! I can say this and still Respect Larry Legend The Killer!
@@everythingbigwillieolinebl8977 Bird was one of only three players to win three MVPs in a row. The other two were Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. Larry had a couple of playoff MVPs too. He and Magic were bookends. I'd hate to have to pick one over the other.
Larry Bird would be in my starting five of all time. He was a pure shooter, incredible rebounder and a great passer. All around high IQ skilled player. One of the greatest player of all time.
Right before I ran your reaction, I watched another young man react to this same tape. He tore every play apart and said Bird didn't live up to the hype. He doesn't realize that just makes him look ignorant. Thank you for showing great respect and reverence for this great man,
Bro! This is one of the best and most genuine reaction videos I've ever seen. As soon as you said you never seen him play i was like wow! He's in for a treat. When you saw him pass the ball between dudes legs. I said oh he ain't seen shit yet. Lmao then you said oh he bang too? Had me dead bro
These same younger guys say he couldn't play today because of the athleticism lmao. Nique is still a top 10 athlete all time and broke him,Rodman,Alex English and countless other great athletes down
I was in middle school and high school during Larry Legend's prime. Top 5 all-time player. Period. No debate. Best small forward--ever. Ever. Period. Unmatched skill. Played with tenacity and heart. Bird would dominate in any era.
This was the era where the Celtics won a game, pretty sure it was a final, because their all star player decided to play on a broken foot. Fresh break btw.
True, like when Jordan broke his foot and camp back super early just because he wanted to play. I think that's was in 86? And then Isiah playing on that busted ankle, going crazy. Kevin Mchale messed up his leg. Even more recently Kobe played with Hella injuries. Kobe was Busted up a lot during 2010-2013 and still played . They had heart and a burning desire to win, not only win a championship or win a series but win ever game.
Larry Bird is my favorite player of all time. What makes him stand out was just how hard he played and how it always looked like he was the best teammate to play with. It broke my heart seeing him lying on the floor instead of sitting on the bench his last couple years. His body didn't hold up because he played so damn hard every night. The man was ice cold. If the aliens came down and challenged us to a game of basketball to decide the fate of Earth, I'd run the play for Larry in the final seconds without even hesitating.
It was crazy seeing Bird play in the 80's until he retired, also here's 2 fun facts about Bird most don't know about.. He would tell defenders and even point to where he was gonna shoot from, go to the spot and swish it with the defender on him.. Plus his last 3 years in the league he wore a 20 pound vest to help with his back and still schooled players.. So that's why between Lebron and Bird I got's to roll with Bird.. 💯
I loved your reaction to bird, they didn't call him Larry Legend for nothing ( just type Larry Legend in your search bar) he really was a basketball genius, a real savage, clutch was at 100, heart was at 100. and that 3 point contest he never even took his warmup jacket off and won it.
I don't know what you'd mean by "technician" but by most people's definition, he WAS exactly that. He'd shoot from 5 feet till he'd hit so many in a row, move to six feet, then seven, same thing, on out to, let's say thirty feet, first in the gym, last to leave, -all to perfect technique; three point champion, unparallelled free throw shooter, bullseye passer, this was a technician's technician, but the technique always in service to the free wheeling artistry. Technique makes possible those no look behind the back passes, etc.
The game against the Pacers when he fell on the ground he broke his face and went back in like a real G these kids these days break their face they would’ve been out three months
The other amazing thing was how good Larry made his teammates... 4 other eventual HoFrs....especially DJ. CRIMINALLY UNDERATED....he and Bird were almost telepathic..... Watch his reaction to the Detroit last minute steal.....or the crazy no look pass for a running dunk. Amazing
I had the pleasure to see Larry Legend play quite a few times in the old Garden. I'm so glad that younger fans get a chance to see just how great he was.
Yeah the NBA was in really sorry shape before they came into the league and they brought what the league needed and that was a great rivalry between two storied franchises.
Young man, I'm 47, I was blessed to grow up watching the greatness of Larry bird, and magic Johnson on the court. This was truly the greatest area of the nba. Watching the Celtics and Lakers play was a true gift!!!!! Great video and perspective on the players and their skills from an area long forgotten.
Plus he played his whole pro career with a broken finger on his shooting hand. And several years with a bad back. With today's rules he would dominate even more
OMG! I never considered what Bird would do the league today. eeesh...that's terrifying. Bird played in the East meaning back then he was mugged every night.
And you have to remember he didn't grow up with the 3 point line. They instituted the 3 point line his rookie year. Imagine if he grew up chucking 3's like Curry. He would be top 3 3 point shooter all time.
That injury at the end around 10:47 wasn’t a little bump, Dude fractured his orbital bone and still came back in to win the game. No flops, no whining, just straight killer. Larry Legend.
@@tempsitch5632 he did put an arm out…to get the ball…that’s the entire point. Getting that ball was everything to Bird. Zero quit. Zero bitch. Straight up legend.
It was also later reported that besides fracturing his orbital bone, he was seeing double. All the baskets he made upon his return were double vision shots.
Larry was a Marksman. He shot a career 37.6% from the 3, 88.6% from the free throw and 49.6% from the field and in his career averaged 23 points per game with an average of 10 total rebounds per game and even .8 blocks. The man was a beast and an ALL-ROUND monster, from defense, to scoring to passing and assisting.
@@cecildison6788 No skill game huh? Jordan has more dunks, acrobatic layups, better handles, better footwork, better post moves, better midrange, better fadeaway, way better defense, has much better stats and accolades, and raised the NBA's attendance by 70%. Larry only saved it for Jordan to flourish.
He played hurt/injured...in pain, but the man had the most amazing court vision...he could see in a split second and then no look pass it to where he trusted his team to be...and they knew, if they were open and in position .... that ball was going to be there. Welcome to the heroes of the players you watch today.
Bird once told a team “why are you disrespecting me” over and over. They didn’t know what he was talking about. So one of the players said “Bird what are you talking about nobody even said anything” then bird said “ you gotta white guy guarding me!”
Bird was dropping defenders by raising his eye brows. I never seen anything like it. He did it like 10 times. Slow as shit but that’s how scared the defenders were to get cocked.
He had a first step as good as anyone, and considering he didn't really need a half step, much less a full one, they just couldn't do anything with him.
Larry worked hard, maybe harder than anyone else at the time. His hard work let him tell other players what he was going to do & then do it. He & Magic were good friends.
Dude I’ve watched bird before, my dad was a laker fan but he hated/loved bird. We’ve watched reruns together. Fond memories. I grew up with MJ and still think he’s the goat but I gotta say watching this compilation I’m taken aback. Bird was a badass.
what is so amazing is his awareness of where everyone was and the direction they were headed at all times. he could use this to pass without looking at any time. behind his back, through people's legs etc..
Good to see Young Buck doing the homework... Larry Legend in my humble opinion is the greatest SF ever.. He was a all around player who did everything .. He was one of the greatest passers and was a tenacious rebounder .. He also played with heart and hustle .. He torched opponents defense ( when they played defense ) .. I would LOVE to see Bird play against todays soft ass cupcake Defense ... Bird would avg 40 plus on one leg ... lol You can actually pull up these Series .. The Celtics and Sixers were always knock down drag out battles ..
I genuinely think they would eventually change the rules if Bird played in his prime today. It would get ridiculous if he could run wild under the current rules.
@@chadjconklin that's how I look at it, I respect Bron game and stuff but when I have made a starting 5 including legends he is never in my starting 5. What I need him for when I got Magic, Mj, Bird, Tim D and Big D(Shaq). If I want to add 3pt shooting then I go Curry, Mj, Bird, Tim D and Big D.
At Larry Bird’s retirement, Johnson said, “You told my once, that one day there’d be another Larry Bird. But Larry, there will never, EVER… be another Larry Bird.” I got choked up there. Great video. Keep talking.
Some of us older fans who grew up in the 80s, our formative years of basketball, forget that young people these days did not go through what we go through. The things about Bird that were so incredible don’t show up on mixtapes. He was not out of the gym athletic, but athletic enough. Where he really stands out is his mental knowledge of the game and shooting. The really frightening thing is that he had a hand injury in college it was a much worse shooter in the pros that in college.
About the left-hand game: it was the last game of a roaddtrip where everything went right for the Celtics, so Larry got bored :P He got 27 in 3quarters with his left, then started using his right cuz the game got tight :D Ended with 47-11-14. Just f-n EPIC!
Not Wilt Chamberlain? You wouldn't take Wilt Chamberlain? If Wilt had been put on a great team with a consistent coach like Phil Jackson, it would have been him with the 11 rings.
They called him Larry Legend for a reason. The man lived sweat & breathed basketball & had ice in his veins. Keep doing your research/reactions. Much respect young brother ✊🏾
"I know u ain't putting that white boy on me, I'm going for 60." -Larry Bird Boston and LA in the 80's was one of the craziest brutal rivalries in sports 🤣🤣🤣 one of the 🐐 he didn't want no handout or easy opponents guarding him Bird was as real as gets... he trash talked on MJ's level maybe worse... Your reactions are priceless 🤣 😂
This is the best reaction I've seen by a young guy in this era to Larry Bird! I really enjoyed your reaction and especially the way you noticed some of the details that others missed. I must confess, I've watched too much Larry Bird videos; which is only possible because of the importance of my duties as a pastor. Larry motivates me to be as dedicated to Truth as he was to basketball!
Your watching REAL greatness here. This we so called "old heads", tell y'all to watch these vids, cause the 80s and 90s basketball, was as real as it gets.. It was a different time, different era.. Individual guys, could carry teams, and build around said player.. As a kid, this was the greatest era for basketball
Agreed! Now it's all about superteams. Only a few teams in the league these days have built great teams from the ground up (see Nuggets and Bucks). The rest just pay 4/5 of there salary cap on 3 players now.
@@MrConnprogers right, and you see a team like the Lakers who are overloading themselves.. thinking of next year, instead of the future.. it's win now now now lol
It’s awesome seeing fans watch Bird highlights for the first time. He won 3 titles and 3 straight mvps from 84-86. He’s easily one of the 10 greatest players ever. His highlight package is unbelievable. I would suggest watching some of his 1986 highlights. That was his best season, as he grabbed both the finals and regular season MVP on one of the greatest teams in NBA history. Your video was awesome and super entertaining. Keep up the great work and get cracking on reacting to more Larry Joe Bird highlights.
Loved your reaction to my all-time favorite - Larry Bird. Thank you! In case you didn't know, his retirement ceremony wasn't before a Celtics game nor was it at halftime. It was an event! The Celtics were off the night of his ceremony at the Boston Garden and they sold the place out! There are more videos and even ones highlighting his stellar passing skills. You are just scratching the surface...enjoy #33!
I'm gonna preface this by saying I don't like LeBron, but I respect that he's one of the best ever. I however do sincerely believe he's the second best SF of all time behind Bird.
@@StupidFast_Uno Because he had his role and mastered it. Overall better player then LeBron offensively and defensively. Also, he has 6 fully deserved rings in which he was one of two main participants, LeBron has 4 artificial with superteams and tones of help by judges.
@@strelicijum so you're telling me Pippen is better than LBJ? Imma be honest, I ain't a LeBron fan either but you're hella delusional if you think Pip is better. If you're gonna say LBJ is 3rd SF overall at least say someone in contention for the spot like KD or Dr. J.
@@StupidFast_Uno Yes, Pippen is better then LeBron. One of the best defenders to ever play the game. LeBron needs to be pushed by Kuzma to play defence. Plus LeBron is the most overrated player in history.
I'm really diggin' your reactions, Lil Homie! "He playin' wit his food!"🤣 I really respect you making the effort to learn more about the players who paved the way for today's ballers. Lookin' forward to watching you react to more ol skool legends.
"I don't know how I expected him to sound, but...." Now imagine him telling you he was about to drop 45 on you and he's dead serious. 🤣 He caught dudes off guard for sure. #LarryLegend
Larry is probably the smartest basketball player of all time. He was a basketball savant! He's a top 5 player all time, and you could make a case for him being the Goat. Sounds crazy but he was that great.
@@calebwkey agreed. But, it might possibly be argued that Russell was as smart. If you listen to him talk about playing the game, dude’s understanding of the subtleties is super deep. Plus he figured out how to win 11 championships in 13 years, while having to play against one of the greatest ever in Chamberlain. 🤷🏻♂️ That said, Larry wasn’t the athlete that Russell was and his Court Vision, touch, and all around mental game were simply off the charts.
Biggest difference between Bird and Jordan: Jordan was more "finesse" while Bird was more "rugged". Kind of like picking a cheetah and a tiger. One you want to see run, the other you want to see hunt.
@@thatinternetdude1392 The big difference was that Bird was hurt most of the time. Sure, Jordan was some what more athletic, but to claim that Bird was unatlethic when he was in his prime is kind of wierd. Not saying you claim that, but that is an argument.
@@TrueSkeptic77 IMO, Bird was exceptionally skilled and even more exceptionally coordinated while being of about average athleticism for a starter at his position(s). Jordan, you could really say the same about, but he was also abnormally gifted athletically even when compared to other starting SGs.
@@thatinternetdude1392 In the end its all about ones opionion because is that close. But in my book Bird seems to be more complete and the best passer. I should I put it, a complete understanding of the game if wou will.
I've watched a LOT of Larry Bird reaction videos....Brother the one you did here is the very BEST of them all. Really enjoyed it, made me laugh till I had tears. You understood this mans greatness. Thank God I got to see him play.
You should 100 percent do magic next. Him and larry were 2 sides of the same coin. Larry was just a better shooter and magic the passer . Seriously thought his passing is some of the most unbelievable shit you will see in basketball . Dudes passes were like the mona lisa , while everyone else was doing macaroni art.
One key thing about Bird's passing that gets overlooked is that unlike most of the all-time elite passers, Bird was not ball dominant. Think about how much time Magic or Lebron have the ball in their hands to set up their passes. Bird might just have it for a split second and tap it to an open teammate. Many of Bird's greatest passes follow him having only momentary possession of the ball. I've actually wondered if some of his assists even counted and were recorded because they were often tips from a rebound or loose ball. Bird needed no setup time to create scoring opportunities for teammates. He was a threat from anywhere every second he was on the court.
@@AKSBSU Agree with everything you said about Bird. On the flip side, Magic never gets enough credit for his scoring ability because it was his job to distribute the ball. Both Bird and Magic could basically score at will on anyone, but it was their passing that was the biggest game changer for their teams and the league as a whole. Intheory32 said it perfectly. Larry (and Magic) were painting the Mona Lisa "while everyone else was doing macaroni art." God I miss watching those guys so much.
@@ContrarianCorner I'd definitely agree Magic was a very talented scorer, and he hit some huge clutch shots. I was lucky enough to start watching the NBA as a kid when Kareem was still playing. The 80s and 90s were the golden age of pro basketball.
I cannot even begin to share how fulfilling and thrilling it was to see you so enthusiastically discover the talent of The Hick from French Lick, my favorite player, Legend Larry. Get this, I'm not a basketball fan, but my ex-husband was. So I was introduced to NBA ball through him, and it was right about the time that Magic (my second fave, lol) and Larry began playing and saved the NBA. Yes, they saved it. Basketball games were so poorly watched that they were being aired at night after the news........horrible. The NBA hyped the Bird vs Johnson stuff and it got people so interested in the NBA again .... all games......so we wanted to watch Magic play other teams and Larry play other teams. To be honest, that's prolly the only thing that got me really interested, was that I had those two guys to watch. My ex and I ended up getting divorced about 3 years after Magic retired. I actually cried when I heard he'd been diagnosed with HIV because at that time it was essentially a death sentence. I haven't watched basketball since my divorce. Magic and Larry were Ying and Yang. They were nearly identical players. Of course they had differences, like one was a better shooter and one was more athletic, but they were so similar. They both credit the other with being their driving force. Larry once said something along the lines of, "I could do 700 layups in practice and leaving the gym I'd think 'I bet he's doing 800'" You should do a reaction to the video of Larry and Magic filming the Converse commercial (that was the big shoe endorsement back then). It's called Magic And Bird: A Rivalry Gives Way To Friendship. It's less than 5 minutes long. Anyhow, my guy. I enjoyed this SO much that I've subscribed and I'm looking forward to watching all your videos discovering the players of the 80s and 90s. Great reaction!!
You have no idea how good basketball was back then. I have to say that it has been a privilege to have had the opportunity to live at that time and watch these gods of basket.
Larry was definitely one of the greats. He earned the respect of his peers. Even people who didn't like him because of the trash talking had to respect his skills.
I actually love when you rewind the video to watch a clip again, it goes by so fast it's hard to process it all in real time. Too bad the old videos are such poor quality, it's really hard to see how masterful some of these moves were!
Magic & Larry, resurrected the game of basketball......My dad loved basketball, but stopped watching, until the competition between Johnson & Bird was highlighted......What my Dad used to say, about Larry's game, is that it reminded him of someone, who was not only playing basketball, but also, volleyball, dodgeball, hockey, baseball, football, soccer, & strategic chess, all at the same time, and was what made him so great 😊He certainly was one of the most unique and gifted players, I have ever watched!
He was calling out the score as the game progressed: his score and Dr. J's score. I think it got to 42-6 and Larry told him he should just retire. LOL That started the fight.
Bird fractured his orbital bone if I'm not mistaken in the clip towards the end. Same injury lebron got when he was seeing triple. You should be able to find bird saying that he saw triple during that stretch that brought them back.
I grew up in the Boston area in the 80’s. The Celtics/Lakers rivalry was everything. Got to see a game at the old Boston Garden for my 12th birthday. It was the best!
Wilt was the greatest ever.jordaN bird or johnson never would have drove the lane on wilt.all 3 are great but not as good as wilt.the baddest player ever was chamberlain.
Respect young buck for researching some of the greatest ever. Once again born during the wrong era. Yep! Played it left handed and told everyone he was before the game started and did it with confidence. Now, Will your guy Lebron have the courage to do that. I seriously doubt it. His logo has a lion on his witness line which is a symbol of King (King of the jungle) but also the lion is known for courage. Like I said Lebron is good but his mentality is not on a MJ, Bird, or Kobe level. Larry’s looks where be deceiving. Hints where the saying, “looks can be deceiving “ comes into play. Also check DR. J. With Dr. j there is no Mike
Facts. Facts. Facts. We’ve been telling these young dudes and not to be disrespectful but it’s true, they just weren’t born in the right era. 80’s and 90’s LIFE was just different. The Golden Ages!! But yeah Lebron just isn’t even remotely close to the guy’s you’ve mentioned. These dudes were the real pioneers of Basketball.
No one watched basketball before Bird, Magic and Jordan... In the 80's and 90's everyone watched the NBA... EVERYONE... It was a huge part of pop culture back then
Bird and Magic was a big rival in college. When they came into the league, NBA playoffs were shown tape-delayed. That was the beginning of the Golden Era.
At his retirement Larry was The GOAT. There was understandable debate about Magic being the GOAT and Kareem as well. MJ had just started his first 3peat quest which he would take the mantle and has held it since.
My whole thing with sports in general, there isn't one GOAT, there are GOATs of sports eras. Put one GOAT of a sports era in another era, that would be damn good, but not the top. I've always said there can be GOATs of a sport, and a GOAT of an era, but to compare GOATs of eras is comparing apples to oranges. Larry is without a doubt one of the GOATs.
I grew up a Laker fan, when Bird was playing We hated him because he would ruin your day. He was an artist on the court. Those passes weren't luck. He knew where his teammates were at all times. He put in a lot of work to get that good. Hated him growing up, but now I miss seeing him play. Most young fans have no idea how good this guy was. The man won 3 mpv's during a time when he was surrounded by NBA legends.
3 MVPs back-to-back-to-back.
My dad kept tapes of classic games and I would watch those finals over and over as a kid. People thought I was crazy when I said Larry was my favorite player
The unnecessary behind the back pass was the night he found out magic had aids. At the time was a death sentence. He did the pass as a tribute and a wave to magic.
thx for this information
Beat me to it. Most heart felt pass ever.
He doesn't have AIDS it's HIV
@@Doomthinkingman thanks for that. Not too important for the point of the story but whatever.
I had just typed the same comment but thought "lemme see if somebody said this already" and BAM here we are. pretty amazing moment
You can't talk about Bird without Magic, and you can't talk about Magic without Bird, greatest rivalry in sports history and it was cool how they built a friendship based on respect
Reminds me of Favre and Sapp
I wish everyone who reacted to this mixtape paid as much attention as you did. 🤜🤛👊
Agreed. I love that you notice the little, but insanely skilled things Bird did, when he played.
Yes your eye for detail and little replays really showed Birds skill, you nailed it, "Playing with his food"
He is actually one of the real GOATS
Haha yeah
If you ask Larry Bird and Kevin Mchale who’s the goat they both tells you Magic Johnson.
@@tppwttiger2244 Just being humble. Nobody that truly masters a craft is a braggard, just a professional courtesy. Magic was amazing. All those guys BB Iqs and toughness was up there. Incredible play.
I'll admit hes possibly the greatest sf ever but I like Elgin Baylor Bernard king before injury and Dr J above him.
Magic and Larry both saved basketball
Just for reference, Pat Riley once said “if I had to choose a player to take a shot to save a game, I’d choose Michael Jordan. If I had to choose a player to take a shot to save my life, I’d take Larry Bird”. Larry Legend was a monster
I've seen that many times , I always thought he meant nothing would shake either of them in a game but Larrys focus would translate to higher stakes. Jordan is the Goat and Larry is the best forward the game has had
@@chadjconklin majority of people not gonna agree with that but I believe bird would eat lebron alive in a series
This is what it has come down to now, people of the old generation look at today’s game, and they lose interest, while the new generation look at the old games and legends, they are astonished how good it was back then. I blame the NFL.
Larry was insane indeed
@@MazevG Bird was playing with his food! imagine him playing against Baby food lol
He was a genius on the court.
Eyes in the back of his head.
With the heart of a lion.
He gave us countless thrills.
He was one of a kind.
back of a twig. just kidding love bird, wish his body had held up.
Larry Bird went so under rated for so long and im glad the younger generation is now seeing how good he really was. Not to mention he played most of his career with a very bad back and achilles tendon problems and the fractured cheekbone and concussion he got when he smacked his face on that wood floor but then came back out to finish and win the game. Larry Bird was no joke, he loved the game, dedicated his life to it, practiced harder than anyone and was even amazing in college when he took a losing team over and went 33-0 in his last college season. If Larry hadnt had the bad back and other injuries his career would have been longer than 13 years, and if you imagine a totally healthy Larry Bird theres no telling what kind of amazing stuff we would be watching in his tapes today.
80s and 90s were the golden age of Basketball. The crazy Lakers vs Celtics rivalry, Bird vs Magic. To the Pistons trying to defuse the rise of Jordan. To the reign of Jordan. That was when NBA popularity was at it's peak.
Facts
I loved the Celtics VS Lakers documentary on ESPN+... NBA fans and games were crazy back then.. Gave me the chills.
The bad boys documentary is a good one to put it into perspective of the toughness and rowdy players back then, until jordan had enough in 90-91 haha
Early 2000's were good too...shit to soft now
@@brycezeisloft5567 Yeah, the bad Boys were animals... Thomas, Dumars, Laimbeer, young Rodman, Vinny the Microwave Johnson... they beat up everyone
"Playing with his food" Perfect description of Larry in his prime.
I love Bird's brand of trash talk: Telling you exactly what he's gonna do next time down court, giving you every opportunity to do something about it.
He was a dad playing with his kid sons in the driveway
Bird made so many impossible looking shots, but he made it look easy. The left hand game was insane, he said it, and did it. He was that good.
I like this youngster cause he not bias towards his generation! He's doing his basketball research 💯
@@cw6072 bias how by saying Lebron can beat up Mike Tyson 😭 if someone from my generation bias ,that's on that idiot !
@@cw6072 WORD!
Older generations may actually be more biased than zoomers. Nobody is more biased against the current era than a middle aged MJ fan. NOBODY. I'm 30 and started watching in the late-MJ era. Can't tell you how many arguments I've gotten in with oldheads that say LeBron is ass, not top 10, is soft, but also that they haven't watched the NBA in 10 years.
Like then how tf do you know what you're talking about? You don't watch basketball lmao. Or the common "it's so easy to score today, they call everything" (80s is the highest scoring era in NBA history, there are less free throws per game today than any era in NBA history. FTs have gone down every decade). Or talk about superteams like thay concept hasn't been around since Bill Russell to Wilt to Kareem/Magic, Bird, Bad boy Pistons, the several failed attempts at superteams (Rockets in the late 90s), the 70s Sixers, the 2nd 3peat Bulls, the 08 Celtics, the Warriors, the Nets currently etc. Etc.
@@DEPSTEPS not sure if you're 65 or 20 since you used youngster and then a 100 in the same comment
@@calvinsimpson1301 YOU SOUND SILLY of course you'll say that your only 30 exactly why I gave him his props by ADMITTING it is what it is , Lebron not better then Jordan PERIOD and I'm not a Jordan fan I'm a LAKERS FAN
There are about 5 or 7 youtube clips of Bird's opponents telling stories of him saying what the play was and what he was gonna do for the game winner and then do it. Dude was ice cold.
He was killlller bro
Nah he was str8 bird. Every shot.
Bird was not a trash talker. He was THE trash talker. No one even close. And to this day, he is the greatest SF in history.
He's the greatest player of ALL-TIME
It's strange. My top 3 are Jordan, Kareem, Bird in that order. But if I were drafting a team, Bird is my first pick. Lots of great centers and SGs I can get but LeBron is nowhere near a suitable substitute for Larry.
3 biggest trash talkers in NBA history. Micheal Jordan, Larry Bird, and Reggie Miller. All 3 in the HOF
@@craigwheeler4760 Both Jordan and Miller said they learned how to trash talk from Bird. 😂
Scottie Pippen is way underrated
When you were watching a game with Larry Bird playing, you couldn't take your eye of the game or you were sure to miss something special from Mr. Bird. Young man, watching Larry Bird do these things in real time was even more unbelievable!
Good job on the reaction. Couple bits of info on Larry. Last few years of his career his back was so bad he would lay on the floor instead of sitting on the bench. During a big series one time, he spent the night in traction in the hospital so he could play the next day. Larry would always talk to the other team. He walked by the other teams bench one night and the coach asked him how he felt. He said I feel like 43 tonight. They thought he meant he felt old til later in the game he checked out of the game with Boston way ahead and he had 43 points. He asked the Utah coach one night when he was going off against them, hey coach don't you have anyone who can guard me? The coach looked up and down the bench and said nope. people say Larry was slow but you never saw anyone catch him on a breakaway. He is the best in my mind because he could do so many things. Maybe the best shooter ever, back in a time when guys actually played defense and the game was rough. he was the first player to have a 50/40/90 season and he followed that season with another one. He won the 3 pt comp. 3 years in a row. Magic was a great player but not top 5 all time. Magic was rarely even the best player on his team, and there were things he didn't do well. Hard to compare guys back then to guys today. The defense is softer today and the game has thrown out the rule book on 3 secs, traveling, and what used to be called palming or turning the ball over (that's when a guy is dribbling and puts his hand under the ball to change direction) nowadays they call that a crossover. I have been watching NBA for over 60 years now and there are a lot of guys who don't get the recognition because the fans of today don't know about them. Keep checking them out young man.
Respect Bird. He’s Larry Legend. Magic is a multiple x League and Finals mvp. 5 championships. 8-9 Trips to Finals. Let’s stop that . Early Kareem was better after Rookie season Magic was the best on his team . Rookie year Finals MVP . 42 17 rebounds 7 assist . I’ll never put down Larry to say Magic is better! They both were great ! Magic was the Lakers ! I can say this and still Respect Larry Legend The Killer!
@@everythingbigwillieolinebl8977 Bird was one of only three players to win three MVPs in a row. The other two were Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. Larry had a couple of playoff MVPs too. He and Magic were bookends. I'd hate to have to pick one over the other.
Larry Bird would be in my starting five of all time. He was a pure shooter, incredible rebounder and a great passer. All around high IQ skilled player. One of the greatest player of all time.
I agree. Just out of curiosity, who would your other 4 be?
@@ericamcdaniel4318 Jordan, James Worth, Magic and Hakeem Olajuwon.
@@tonyscott4323 that's a trash ass starting five lmao. Best starting five ever is magic, Jordan, bron, Duncan, Kareem
@@cooperstage6507 My roster would be 82-0.
@@tonyscott4323 Bird is an excellent choice because he made the entire team better just by being there, feeding absurd assists to them
Right before I ran your reaction, I watched another young man react to this same tape. He tore every play apart and said Bird didn't live up to the hype. He doesn't realize that just makes him look ignorant. Thank you for showing great respect and reverence for this great man,
Bro! This is one of the best and most genuine reaction videos I've ever seen. As soon as you said you never seen him play i was like wow! He's in for a treat. When you saw him pass the ball between dudes legs. I said oh he ain't seen shit yet. Lmao then you said oh he bang too? Had me dead bro
I love the jab into the stepback that puts Dominique on his ass. Bird is considered by a lot of people to be top 5 ever and he's still underrated.
I think he’s underrated because his career was cut short. Imagine what he would have done without back injuries
Bird on mt Rushmore
he top 7...
These same younger guys say he couldn't play today because of the athleticism lmao. Nique is still a top 10 athlete all time and broke him,Rodman,Alex English and countless other great athletes down
The coldest white man I've ever seen play in the league....he was scary!!!!
There were two other great ones. Pete maravich, and Jerry West. Those two guys were awesome.
@@paysonfox88 .....Yeah, they were some bad boys, but they don't hold a candle to Larry Legend
I was in middle school and high school during Larry Legend's prime. Top 5 all-time player. Period. No debate. Best small forward--ever. Ever. Period. Unmatched skill. Played with tenacity and heart. Bird would dominate in any era.
1000% Correct
For me it’s MJ and Larry Bird
@@robbie8620Makes sense. No argument there.
As a Hawks fan watching Larry take Dominic Wilkins ankles' will always be painful. Dominic was the human highlight reel. Legend in Atlanta.
'Nique was a bit player on Larry's highlight reel...lol
“Oh he played hurt?” Yeah bro this isn’t the Leflop era. These boys got right back up.
Exactly! How many games has "King James" missed in his career because he had a bruised ovary???
@@danbarrasso2253 that’s not counting his scheduled “rest days” every 4 games.
This was the era where the Celtics won a game, pretty sure it was a final, because their all star player decided to play on a broken foot. Fresh break btw.
True, like when Jordan broke his foot and camp back super early just because he wanted to play. I think that's was in 86?
And then Isiah playing on that busted ankle, going crazy. Kevin Mchale messed up his leg. Even more recently Kobe played with Hella injuries. Kobe was Busted up a lot during 2010-2013 and still played . They had heart and a burning desire to win, not only win a championship or win a series but win ever game.
@@danbarrasso2253 How many times do we see LeBron diving for loose balls? I mean, ones that don't belong to him personally...
I’m glad this generation is learning how much of a bad man Larry was. Great video bro
Larry Legend 🔥🔥
The highlights dont show how good he was cause he would shoot the points that were more important. And oranize the court game
Larry Bird is my favorite player of all time. What makes him stand out was just how hard he played and how it always looked like he was the best teammate to play with. It broke my heart seeing him lying on the floor instead of sitting on the bench his last couple years. His body didn't hold up because he played so damn hard every night. The man was ice cold. If the aliens came down and challenged us to a game of basketball to decide the fate of Earth, I'd run the play for Larry in the final seconds without even hesitating.
As a child of the 70s/80s, I grew up with Larry Bird playing and he's the reason I am a big Celtic Fan.
Born an raised in boston. An absolute 100% legand. Top 3 all time. If not top 2. Also the greatest white boy to grace basketball
It was crazy seeing Bird play in the 80's until he retired, also here's 2 fun facts about Bird most don't know about.. He would tell defenders and even point to where he was gonna shoot from, go to the spot and swish it with the defender on him.. Plus his last 3 years in the league he wore a 20 pound vest to help with his back and still schooled players.. So that's why between Lebron and Bird I got's to roll with Bird.. 💯
He retired when I was 8. I never got to see him live
20 PD VEST' never EVER heard that ?
I loved your reaction to bird, they didn't call him Larry Legend for nothing ( just type Larry Legend in your search bar) he really was a basketball genius, a real savage, clutch was at 100, heart was at 100. and that 3 point contest he never even took his warmup jacket off and won it.
One of my greatest pleasures in life is when a young NBA fan discovers Larry Bird. Magic and Bird turned a dying NBA into something new.
I'm going to play this one left-handed. Enough said.
For real.
He’s not a technician like a lot of players, he was a master of unconventional warfare!!
I don't know what you'd mean by "technician" but by most people's definition, he WAS exactly that. He'd shoot from 5 feet till he'd hit so many in a row, move to six feet, then seven, same thing, on out to, let's say thirty feet, first in the gym, last to leave, -all to perfect technique; three point champion, unparallelled free throw shooter, bullseye passer, this was a technician's technician, but the technique always in service to the free wheeling artistry. Technique makes possible those no look behind the back passes, etc.
The game against the Pacers when he fell on the ground he broke his face and went back in like a real G these kids these days break their face they would’ve been out three months
The other amazing thing was how good Larry made his teammates... 4 other eventual HoFrs....especially DJ. CRIMINALLY UNDERATED....he and Bird were almost telepathic.....
Watch his reaction to the Detroit last minute steal.....or the crazy no look pass for a running dunk.
Amazing
I had the pleasure to see Larry Legend play quite a few times in the old Garden. I'm so glad that younger fans get a chance to see just how great he was.
They could take Larry's highlights from ANY SINGLE game he ever played and they would look just as impressive as this video.
Him and Magic saved the NBA back then.
Facts
Kjj
And that's no hyperbole! I remember I had to stay up till 11 PM to watch 1980 Finals (Lakers vs Sixers) on tape-delay.
Yeah the NBA was in really sorry shape before they came into the league and they brought what the league needed and that was a great rivalry between two storied franchises.
ESPN saved sports.
Young man, I'm 47, I was blessed to grow up watching the greatness of Larry bird, and magic Johnson on the court. This was truly the greatest area of the nba. Watching the Celtics and Lakers play was a true gift!!!!! Great video and perspective on the players and their skills from an area long forgotten.
Larry's brain operated on a different time scale than any opponent. He was always two moves ahead of everyone on the floor.
The messed up part: he would TELL his opponent what he was about to do to them and they STILL couldn't stop him. 😂😂😂
Plus he played his whole pro career with a broken finger on his shooting hand. And several years with a bad back. With today's rules he would dominate even more
OMG! I never considered what Bird would do the league today. eeesh...that's terrifying. Bird played in the East meaning back then he was mugged every night.
@@safespacebear facts the whole eastern conference should have work black robbery masks
With today's rules he'd probably have no fun
And you have to remember he didn't grow up with the 3 point line. They instituted the 3 point line his rookie year. Imagine if he grew up chucking 3's like Curry. He would be top 3 3 point shooter all time.
That injury at the end around 10:47 wasn’t a little bump, Dude fractured his orbital bone and still came back in to win the game. No flops, no whining, just straight killer. Larry Legend.
That's all that needs to be said. Larry wasn't your typical superstar
I respect the return to the game with a broken face, but the way he fell was so wrong. He could have made a lot more effort to put an arm out.
@@tempsitch5632 he did put an arm out…to get the ball…that’s the entire point. Getting that ball was everything to Bird. Zero quit. Zero bitch. Straight up legend.
It was also later reported that besides fracturing his orbital bone, he was seeing double. All the baskets he made upon his return were double vision shots.
@@mickyg.2463 So he scored twice as many !
Thank you! "He's playing with his food now." Yes! "Now that's heart." Yes! I really needed this today.
Larry was a Marksman. He shot a career 37.6% from the 3, 88.6% from the free throw and 49.6% from the field and in his career averaged 23 points per game with an average of 10 total rebounds per game and even .8 blocks. The man was a beast and an ALL-ROUND monster, from defense, to scoring to passing and assisting.
If you've never magic and bird... That's the only reason there is still an NBA. They saved it. Long enough for Jordan to make it what it is today
Yep Jordan made it into a no skill game of no defense
Facts!!!
@@cecildison6788 it was malice in the palice that changed the game to how it is now.
@@cecildison6788 No skill game huh? Jordan has more dunks, acrobatic layups, better handles, better footwork, better post moves, better midrange, better fadeaway, way better defense, has much better stats and accolades, and raised the NBA's attendance by 70%. Larry only saved it for Jordan to flourish.
He's the only player I've heard described by one reference........LEGEND.
Bird was the only player Jordan never got the best of when they played against each other.
He played hurt/injured...in pain, but the man had the most amazing court vision...he could see in a split second and then no look pass it to where he trusted his team to be...and they knew, if they were open and in position .... that ball was going to be there.
Welcome to the heroes of the players you watch today.
Bird once told a team “why are you disrespecting me” over and over. They didn’t know what he was talking about. So one of the players said “Bird what are you talking about nobody even said anything” then bird said “ you gotta white guy guarding me!”
Lmao 🤣 I remember hearing that story too.
😂😂😂
That was sir Charles Barkley that told that story
A few people have told that story. It wasn't only against one team. I think sir Charles was still in philly when bird said it to his team
Lmao!! That is awesome 🤣
Bird was dropping defenders by raising his eye brows. I never seen anything like it. He did it like 10 times. Slow as shit but that’s how scared the defenders were to get cocked.
yep. funniest one for me is how he got Dominique of all people.
Luka reminds me of Bird today with his play style...
He’s not as slow as people think
He had a first step as good as anyone, and considering he didn't really need a half step, much less a full one, they just couldn't do anything with him.
@@mannyneva1760 Comparatively slow. He was a top athlete, but nowhere near as fast as other players.
Larry worked hard, maybe harder than anyone else at the time. His hard work let him tell other players what he was going to do & then do it. He & Magic were good friends.
He's always overlooked but Bird is definitely in contention for being the goat he's certainly in the top 3
That man played the game until his body wouldn't let him play anymore. Thanks for this video.
Dude I’ve watched bird before, my dad was a laker fan but he hated/loved bird. We’ve watched reruns together. Fond memories. I grew up with MJ and still think he’s the goat but I gotta say watching this compilation I’m taken aback. Bird was a badass.
Jordan never beat Bird in the playoffs...
I'm a huge Jordan fan. Having said that, Jordan is an even bigger Larry Bird fan.
what is so amazing is his awareness of where everyone was and the direction they were headed at all times. he could use this to pass without looking at any time. behind his back, through people's legs etc..
10:53 he cracked his skull on the floor. He came back out and brought his team back ftw… nothing like that this century….
Good to see Young Buck doing the homework... Larry Legend in my humble opinion is the greatest SF ever.. He was a all around player who did everything .. He was one of the greatest passers and was a tenacious rebounder .. He also played with heart and hustle .. He torched opponents defense ( when they played defense ) .. I would LOVE to see Bird play against todays soft ass cupcake Defense ... Bird would avg 40 plus on one leg ... lol You can actually pull up these Series .. The Celtics and Sixers were always knock down drag out battles ..
I genuinely think they would eventually change the rules if Bird played in his prime today. It would get ridiculous if he could run wild under the current rules.
I have always said you can't compare LeBron to Jordan till you prove first that he was the best in his position
@@chadjconklin that's how I look at it, I respect Bron game and stuff but when I have made a starting 5 including legends he is never in my starting 5. What I need him for when I got Magic, Mj, Bird, Tim D and Big D(Shaq). If I want to add 3pt shooting then I go Curry, Mj, Bird, Tim D and Big D.
At Larry Bird’s retirement, Johnson said, “You told my once, that one day there’d be another Larry Bird. But Larry, there will never, EVER… be another Larry Bird.”
I got choked up there.
Great video. Keep talking.
Ya, and when I hear Luka (not that he's not great) compared to Larry, I throw up in my mouth a little bit, I wont go into details.
Some of us older fans who grew up in the 80s, our formative years of basketball, forget that young people these days did not go through what we go through. The things about Bird that were so incredible don’t show up on mixtapes. He was not out of the gym athletic, but athletic enough. Where he really stands out is his mental knowledge of the game and shooting. The really frightening thing is that he had a hand injury in college it was a much worse shooter in the pros that in college.
About the left-hand game: it was the last game of a roaddtrip where everything went right for the Celtics, so Larry got bored :P
He got 27 in 3quarters with his left, then started using his right cuz the game got tight :D
Ended with 47-11-14. Just f-n EPIC!
Id take larry bird in his prime over anyone else in nba history
You are correct. 1984-86. Three straight MVP's and two championships. His body started to break down in 87 and he still kicked ass.
I'd still take Jordan but it would Jordan, Bird and then daylight to 3rd
Well, you’re an idiot. We appreciate your enthusiasm though lol
Not Wilt Chamberlain? You wouldn't take Wilt Chamberlain? If Wilt had been put on a great team with a consistent coach like Phil Jackson, it would have been him with the 11 rings.
@@frankmat MJ was 0-6 vrs Bird in the playoffs and 3-17 in regular season, Bird schooled MJ Period , even Mj's 60 in the garden Bulls still lost lol
Top three GOAT. "There will never be another Larry Bird." ~ said from Magic Johnson..... More Bird!! Subbed!!
I’m glad they showed his inside game first. Bird was so well known for his shooting people forget how sold the rest of his game was
They called him Larry Legend for a reason. The man lived sweat & breathed basketball & had ice in his veins.
Keep doing your research/reactions. Much respect young brother ✊🏾
Had 47 in the game against the Blazers where he "mostly" played lefthanded lol
Bird was a beast. He’s different
"I know u ain't putting that white boy on me, I'm going for 60."
-Larry Bird
Boston and LA in the 80's was one of the craziest brutal rivalries in sports
🤣🤣🤣 one of the 🐐 he didn't want no handout or easy opponents guarding him Bird was as real as gets... he trash talked on MJ's level maybe worse...
Your reactions are priceless 🤣 😂
LA was a rivalry...Pistons was war....
This is the best reaction I've seen by a young guy in this era to Larry Bird!
I really enjoyed your reaction and especially the way you noticed some of the details that others missed.
I must confess, I've watched too much Larry Bird videos; which is only possible because of the importance of my duties as a pastor.
Larry motivates me to be as dedicated to Truth as he was to basketball!
Hey , he was asked why you play with your left ? Bird : I’m saving my right for the lakers . Savage .
Your watching REAL greatness here. This we so called "old heads", tell y'all to watch these vids, cause the 80s and 90s basketball, was as real as it gets.. It was a different time, different era.. Individual guys, could carry teams, and build around said player.. As a kid, this was the greatest era for basketball
Agreed! Now it's all about superteams. Only a few teams in the league these days have built great teams from the ground up (see Nuggets and Bucks). The rest just pay 4/5 of there salary cap on 3 players now.
@@MrConnprogers right, and you see a team like the Lakers who are overloading themselves.. thinking of next year, instead of the future.. it's win now now now lol
It’s awesome seeing fans watch Bird highlights for the first time. He won 3 titles and 3 straight mvps from 84-86. He’s easily one of the 10 greatest players ever. His highlight package is unbelievable. I would suggest watching some of his 1986 highlights. That was his best season, as he grabbed both the finals and regular season MVP on one of the greatest teams in NBA history. Your video was awesome and super entertaining. Keep up the great work and get cracking on reacting to more Larry Joe Bird highlights.
Loved your reaction to my all-time favorite - Larry Bird. Thank you! In case you didn't know, his retirement ceremony wasn't before a Celtics game nor was it at halftime. It was an event! The Celtics were off the night of his ceremony at the Boston Garden and they sold the place out! There are more videos and even ones highlighting his stellar passing skills. You are just scratching the surface...enjoy #33!
I'm gonna preface this by saying I don't like LeBron, but I respect that he's one of the best ever. I however do sincerely believe he's the second best SF of all time behind Bird.
And behind Pippen.
@@strelicijum nahhhh 🤣🤣 pippen had around 16 ppg 6 apg and 8 rpg in his career. Dude's hella overrated
@@StupidFast_Uno Because he had his role and mastered it. Overall better player then LeBron offensively and defensively. Also, he has 6 fully deserved rings in which he was one of two main participants, LeBron has 4 artificial with superteams and tones of help by judges.
@@strelicijum so you're telling me Pippen is better than LBJ? Imma be honest, I ain't a LeBron fan either but you're hella delusional if you think Pip is better. If you're gonna say LBJ is 3rd SF overall at least say someone in contention for the spot like KD or Dr. J.
@@StupidFast_Uno Yes, Pippen is better then LeBron. One of the best defenders to ever play the game. LeBron needs to be pushed by Kuzma to play defence. Plus LeBron is the most overrated player in history.
I'm really diggin' your reactions, Lil Homie!
"He playin' wit his food!"🤣
I really respect you making the effort to learn more about the players who paved the way for today's ballers.
Lookin' forward to watching you react to more ol skool legends.
"I don't know how I expected him to sound, but...." Now imagine him telling you he was about to drop 45 on you and he's dead serious. 🤣 He caught dudes off guard for sure. #LarryLegend
“He playin with his food” 😂 that’s perfect
Larry is probably the smartest basketball player of all time. He was a basketball savant! He's a top 5 player all time, and you could make a case for him being the Goat. Sounds crazy but he was that great.
Agreed. To me he was like Gretzky was to Hockey. Everyone else was running to where the ball was, Larry already knew where it was gonna be.
"probably"????
@@calebwkey agreed.
But, it might possibly be argued that Russell was as smart. If you listen to him talk about playing the game, dude’s understanding of the subtleties is super deep. Plus he figured out how to win 11 championships in 13 years, while having to play against one of the greatest ever in Chamberlain. 🤷🏻♂️
That said, Larry wasn’t the athlete that Russell was and his Court Vision, touch, and all around mental game were simply off the charts.
Biggest difference between Bird and Jordan: Jordan was more "finesse" while Bird was more "rugged". Kind of like picking a cheetah and a tiger. One you want to see run, the other you want to see hunt.
biggest difference between Bird and Jordan is a sh$t load of athleticism.
@@thatinternetdude1392 The big difference was that Bird was hurt most of the time. Sure, Jordan was some what more athletic, but to claim that Bird was unatlethic when he was in his prime is kind of wierd. Not saying you claim that, but that is an argument.
@@TrueSkeptic77 IMO, Bird was exceptionally skilled and even more exceptionally coordinated while being of about average athleticism for a starter at his position(s). Jordan, you could really say the same about, but he was also abnormally gifted athletically even when compared to other starting SGs.
@@thatinternetdude1392 In the end its all about ones opionion because is that close. But in my book Bird seems to be more complete and the best passer. I should I put it, a complete understanding of the game if wou will.
I've watched a LOT of Larry Bird reaction videos....Brother the one you did here is the very BEST of them all. Really enjoyed it, made me laugh till I had tears. You understood this mans greatness. Thank God I got to see him play.
Larry scoring like 53 with his left hand the entire game, might be the biggest flex ever
You should 100 percent do magic next. Him and larry were 2 sides of the same coin. Larry was just a better shooter and magic the passer . Seriously thought his passing is some of the most unbelievable shit you will see in basketball . Dudes passes were like the mona lisa , while everyone else was doing macaroni art.
One key thing about Bird's passing that gets overlooked is that unlike most of the all-time elite passers, Bird was not ball dominant. Think about how much time Magic or Lebron have the ball in their hands to set up their passes. Bird might just have it for a split second and tap it to an open teammate. Many of Bird's greatest passes follow him having only momentary possession of the ball. I've actually wondered if some of his assists even counted and were recorded because they were often tips from a rebound or loose ball. Bird needed no setup time to create scoring opportunities for teammates. He was a threat from anywhere every second he was on the court.
@@AKSBSU fair enough , I just love the flashiness
@@AKSBSU Agree with everything you said about Bird. On the flip side, Magic never gets enough credit for his scoring ability because it was his job to distribute the ball. Both Bird and Magic could basically score at will on anyone, but it was their passing that was the biggest game changer for their teams and the league as a whole.
Intheory32 said it perfectly. Larry (and Magic) were painting the Mona Lisa "while everyone else was doing macaroni art."
God I miss watching those guys so much.
@@ContrarianCorner I'd definitely agree Magic was a very talented scorer, and he hit some huge clutch shots. I was lucky enough to start watching the NBA as a kid when Kareem was still playing. The 80s and 90s were the golden age of pro basketball.
@@AKSBSU Bird could have easily averaged over 10 assists a game if he played at point guard like LeBron does now.
Larry Legend the best trash talker who could back it up in NBA history
His trash talking was God tier. He lived in every opposing players head rent free.
Larry was and is the greatest to ever play the game.
I cannot even begin to share how fulfilling and thrilling it was to see you so enthusiastically discover the talent of The Hick from French Lick, my favorite player, Legend Larry. Get this, I'm not a basketball fan, but my ex-husband was. So I was introduced to NBA ball through him, and it was right about the time that Magic (my second fave, lol) and Larry began playing and saved the NBA. Yes, they saved it. Basketball games were so poorly watched that they were being aired at night after the news........horrible. The NBA hyped the Bird vs Johnson stuff and it got people so interested in the NBA again .... all games......so we wanted to watch Magic play other teams and Larry play other teams. To be honest, that's prolly the only thing that got me really interested, was that I had those two guys to watch. My ex and I ended up getting divorced about 3 years after Magic retired. I actually cried when I heard he'd been diagnosed with HIV because at that time it was essentially a death sentence. I haven't watched basketball since my divorce.
Magic and Larry were Ying and Yang. They were nearly identical players. Of course they had differences, like one was a better shooter and one was more athletic, but they were so similar. They both credit the other with being their driving force. Larry once said something along the lines of, "I could do 700 layups in practice and leaving the gym I'd think 'I bet he's doing 800'"
You should do a reaction to the video of Larry and Magic filming the Converse commercial (that was the big shoe endorsement back then). It's called Magic And Bird: A Rivalry Gives Way To Friendship. It's less than 5 minutes long.
Anyhow, my guy. I enjoyed this SO much that I've subscribed and I'm looking forward to watching all your videos discovering the players of the 80s and 90s. Great reaction!!
You have no idea how good basketball was back then. I have to say that it has been a privilege to have had the opportunity to live at that time and watch these gods of basket.
Larry was definitely one of the greats. He earned the respect of his peers. Even people who didn't like him because of the trash talking had to respect his skills.
I actually love when you rewind the video to watch a clip again, it goes by so fast it's hard to process it all in real time. Too bad the old videos are such poor quality, it's really hard to see how masterful some of these moves were!
Magic & Larry, resurrected the game of basketball......My dad loved basketball, but stopped watching, until the competition between Johnson & Bird was highlighted......What my Dad used to say, about Larry's game, is that it reminded him of someone, who was not only playing basketball, but also, volleyball, dodgeball, hockey, baseball, football, soccer, & strategic chess, all at the same time, and was what made him so great 😊He certainly was one of the most unique and gifted players, I have ever watched!
Bird's trash talk was so good he made dr j swing on him. 😂
He was calling out the score as the game progressed: his score and Dr. J's score. I think it got to 42-6 and Larry told him he should just retire. LOL That started the fight.
Not the quickest, or the strongest, nor athletic; But he was certainly one of the best.
Bird fractured his orbital bone if I'm not mistaken in the clip towards the end. Same injury lebron got when he was seeing triple. You should be able to find bird saying that he saw triple during that stretch that brought them back.
Larry not only came out with a fractured cheek he also had a concussion. That was a great time to watch bball.
I grew up in the Boston area in the 80’s. The Celtics/Lakers rivalry was everything. Got to see a game at the old Boston Garden for my 12th birthday. It was the best!
In my opinion the best top three players of all time: Jordan, Bird and Magic.
No way. You’re forgetting Wilt, Russel, Oscar Robertson.
Starting 5:
Mj, Bird, Magic, Duncan, Olajuwon
Top 10 all time:
Mj
Bird
Magic
Olajuwon
Shaq
Kobe
Duncan
Jabbar
Russel
Wilt
Lebron
@@rankarat Ain't nobody beating your starting 5 lol
Wilt was the greatest ever.jordaN bird or johnson never would have drove the lane on wilt.all 3 are great but not as good as wilt.the baddest player ever was chamberlain.
@@robynschrader2830
Regular season:30.1 ppg
Playoffs: 22.4 ppg.
Your wilt is the most overrated player of all time after LeOverated james.
Greatest small forward to ever play the game and I'm talking about better than LeBron
Straight up facts and I was born 1997 but i can tell just by comparing through clips, no disrespect to lebron tho he top 10 player for sure
Wayyyyyy better then lechina.
I'm 52, and was never a fan. But I can tell you he is the best I've ever watched. Dude was a beast!
Respect young buck for researching some of the greatest ever. Once again born during the wrong era. Yep! Played it left handed and told everyone he was before the game started and did it with confidence. Now, Will your guy Lebron have the courage to do that. I seriously doubt it. His logo has a lion on his witness line which is a symbol of King (King of the jungle) but also the lion is known for courage. Like I said Lebron is good but his mentality is not on a MJ, Bird, or Kobe level. Larry’s looks where be deceiving. Hints where the saying, “looks can be deceiving “ comes into play. Also check DR. J. With Dr. j there is no Mike
Imagine if there was no video of Larry.. NO ONE would believe the stories.
Facts. Facts. Facts. We’ve been telling these young dudes and not to be disrespectful but it’s true, they just weren’t born in the right era. 80’s and 90’s LIFE was just different. The Golden Ages!! But yeah Lebron just isn’t even remotely close to the guy’s you’ve mentioned. These dudes were the real pioneers of Basketball.
No one watched basketball before Bird, Magic and Jordan... In the 80's and 90's everyone watched the NBA... EVERYONE... It was a huge part of pop culture back then
@@TonyGoooch Dr. J and Pistol Pete kept the league alive long enough for Magic and Bird to resurrect it, then Jordan took it to the stratosphere.
@@martinharris1844 for real.
Bird and Magic was a big rival in college. When they came into the league, NBA playoffs were shown tape-delayed. That was the beginning of the Golden Era.
The chortling glee this guy gets watching some of Larry's passes is fantastic. I love it.
I love your reactions to these legends. I was fortunate to be able to grow up watching these guys as a kid and young adult.
At his retirement Larry was The GOAT. There was understandable debate about Magic being the GOAT and Kareem as well. MJ had just started his first 3peat quest which he would take the mantle and has held it since.
My whole thing with sports in general, there isn't one GOAT, there are GOATs of sports eras. Put one GOAT of a sports era in another era, that would be damn good, but not the top. I've always said there can be GOATs of a sport, and a GOAT of an era, but to compare GOATs of eras is comparing apples to oranges. Larry is without a doubt one of the GOATs.