Larry Bird - 32/18/9/4 vs. Magic's Lakers (1983)

vintage matchup with great passing from both teams.
Stats:
32 pts
13/23 shooting
18 rebs
9 asts
4 steals
Magic had 20/13/10

[@johnsherman4035]

Bird before he broke his back was the most complete player I've ever seen.

[@Colstonewall]

Those of us who grew up when Bird & Magic were in their prime, were so spoiled. We thought it would never end, but eventually it had to. Thank God for video tape.

[@JohnSmith-4U]

AARRGGHHHHHHHH

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

Yea I had no concept yet of things coming to an end. I wish I’d have appreciated it more.

[@stevevasselli4005]

Larry Bird equals greatest all around player. Master of passing, scoring, shooting, defense, clutch and leadership

[@capitanfuturo594]

Larry Bird is the best all-around player in basketball history.

[@saviorself1164]

@@capitanfuturo594 We played for the same high school coach (Jim Jones, Bird played for him at Springs Valley. I played for him at Terre Haute North). I remember going in as a freshman thinking that he was gonna make me as good as Larry. He did make me a better passer and shooter but, he couldnt make me 6'9".

[@saviorself1164]

@M thats completely false and I will tell you why, there isnt enough offense. There is just not enough scoring. Americans like seeing the scoreboard light up. Why do you think that baseball was so popular in the steroid era but, it has fallen out of favor in the present? Soccer will never be more popular in America than basketball. I will explain that one as well. Basketball is OUR sport. WE invented it and we are the best in the world at basketball. Americans love being the best and we will never be the best at soccer so, while I agree that soccer will become more popular than it is now, that is largely due to the fact that Hispanic immigrants love soccer. The American opinion of sports is simply this, if we arent the best, we arent interested. Thats why soccer will NEVER take over in this country. Also, basketball is becoming increasingly more popular worldwide. It is BY FAR the fastest growing sport in the world. You are seeing players from all over the world coming to the NBA. Yao Ming, Dirk Nowitzki, Luca Doncic, Giannis Antetekoumpo have come here to play in the NBA and done very well. We arent producing soccer players of that caliber. All over the world, they are playing basketball more and more and playing soccer less and less. Basketball have overtaken soccer not just in the Philippines but, ALL OF ASIA. Australia has also seen basketball overtake soccer in popularity. If anything, by 2100, BASKETBALL will be the most popular sport in the world

[@irishgrl]

@M Soccer sucks A$$, AND YOU ARE A TROLL!!

[@briandenapoli3250]

@@saviorself1164 if footballs banished

[@albertferro8563]

Amazing to see a player dominate a game in so many different ways with his mind. Larry was a one of a kind.

[@MrGiantkiller33]

Wow! a game like this certainly supports Kareem's comments about Bird recently. He told a Hoop's reporter, Larry knew where to be on the court every second of a game!

[@citypopFM]

Larry wasn't a perfect player by any means but he was pretty damn close. His all-around game and stats he put up in games such as this were consistently outstanding. Even against the Showtime Lakers' elite prime, he made it look easy. Thanks for posting this, it's fun to capture an echo of what watching these games in the 1980's would feel like, many people not knowing they were watching some of the greatest basketball of all time.

[@davidhammond1521]

I am just gonna sat it Larry stands out more than any player in history, his game play is on another level from his fellows and its obvious when you sit down and watch without prejudice that larry is the best ever! I mean look at the tenacious rebounding ,shooting lights out, and scoring from everywhere and anywhere at will passing like nobody else on the planet and stealing Magics passes so many times how can you argue with the footage and nobody can stop him and he was defensed by the very best every single night out and he welcomed it .. He is more enjoyable to watch than anyone player in History Talk about big guys who can move with or without the ball and you might make a case for Durant but he cant pull the rbs like Bird or defend like Bird nobody can do the things he did !

[@espdemon]

Cool story man, Magic was better though.. took two out of three Chips from Bird in the 80s.

[@davidhammond1521]

espdemon lets just say it the fucking lakers were an all star team and Magic has more final losses than Bird not to mention the fact that had Lenny Bias not died tragically died Bird would have retired in 88 and the Bulls would not be the great dynasty they were and boston would have more hardware than they currently have believe it or not but magic was only a better passer as far as avg. per game assists because that was his job he could never stop larry like Larry stopped him and Magic was not the clutch shooter Bird was in fact no body comes close to Larry in the clutch Phil Jackson did what coaches should have done since Magic came in the league Pressure the fuck out of him while he brings the ball up and he becomes a clumsy oaf with little skill everyone just let him bring the ball up with no pressure well we all saw what happened to him against the bulls and their pressure the ball defense it was like a dunking contest Damn i have never seen so many uncontested points as Chicago had also Larry out rebounded Magic while Larry had 10 per magic had 7and Larry was a prolific scorer from anywhere on the court while Magic struggled with the three (Shot like a girl ) and was only good going across the middle in the paint with his copied version of Kareems hook he was never an outside threat and he never won a championship without Kareem and if Kareem was not his team mate he would have Zero rings now go and ponder those facts and any one who calls himself Magic and kisses Isiah Thomas like a little bitch should not be put in the top ten even

[@espdemon]

David Hammond The only people who think that Bird is better are Celtic fans.. bitter ones that are still angry about the Lakers taking two of three in the 80s. Magic has 9 finals appearances in 12 seasons along with 5 rings.. Bird has three.. Lemme know what Bird would have won without Parrish & McHale... BTW, you criticizing Magic for his trip to the finals in '91 is truly laughable.. That team had an injured Worthy & Scott.. Magic made Divac and Perkins All Stars and put on a clinic in those playoffs.. Pippen did a decent job defending Magic but Magic still got his.. Jackson made a smart move after Magic dropped a triple double on Jordan's head in game one. He decided to have Pippen guard Magic and it was an improvement.. but again, The Bulls were clearly the better all around team. Oh, and Kareem's prime was in the 70s not the 80s. Magic > Bird. Except in Boston, lol Thanks for trying, and your juvenile shoots like a girl comments just prove what a bitter grumpy man you must be.. kiss the rings sweet heart!!!

[@davidhammond1521]

bullshit Kareem won the MVP in the late eighties when they won the thing and Bird said they have a big tall guy with a shot that know one can block and when he.s hitting it there is not much you can do about it so please tell me how many rings did magic win when he did not play with the best center ever still zero and Moses Malone could stop Kareem like nobody else hence the ass whopping the rockets put on the Lakers then the Ultimate as beat down when Malone teamed up with the DR against them and please show me some numbers from that series from your great Lakers magic is only as good as his team while Bird completely turned the Boston franchise around in his Rookie year whithout Mchale and Parrish only and aging cowens and thats it while you are still ignoring the fact that Boston lost its two best young players in Reggie Lewis and the greatest to never play Lenny Bias now what your saying is Magic has lost four championships and those four were without Kareem HMMMMM maybe theres a reason for that because when it comes down to it Kareems numbers put him so far ahead of magic and Bird But nobody takes that fact into consideration also the tragedy that srtuck Boston regarding Bias and Lewis makes a huge effect on the 90;s that never where bitter nobody can be bitter when they watch bird outplay magic every time they step on the court together only Earvin had an allstar team every year. who ever they wanted he got calling yourself magic and hanging on Kareems tailcoats makes him a vane hiv riddled fuck in my book so take that for what its worth and he came from the west while we all know the east was the beast and the west was soft

[@davidhammond1521]

espdemon are you serious about that Bulls series Magic was put in the spotlight and looked like a buffoon If I was his coach i would have put his ass on the bench a gave the ball to someone who could at least bring it up the court what a f-ing joke I have never seen so many uncontested dunks in a finals no less ever then that come back when he had HIV hell yea just give him the ball and everybody would clear out leaving a wide open basket Get the fuck out of town with your Laker bullshit Magic would not have ring without Kareem FACT

[@rberka555]

A classic. Bird and Magic in their primes.

[@mgalore]

Unbelievable ball movement from both these teams This era thanks to these two guys was the best era ever revolutionized the game .

[@jleftbreve7244]

Stout Stitty both teams were stacked with hall of famers who could play together, the two best ever

[@LouiePalomaBM]

The players, the coaches and refs made this era my favorite brand of basketball Ive ever seen...God bless this era

[@J0hnny8ravo]

Once a Birdwatcher, always a Birdwatcher... Thank you, Larry Bird for all the joyfull moments you gave us!

[@HankFinkle11]

So much more cutting and passing. Better basketball than today, by far.

[@sportsfanatic1936]

Agreed.

[@docjames6902]

I gotta say as a Boston fan...I was so lucky to have 3rd row seats through the Bird era. Myself and everyone I knew LOVED Magic. We'd have conversations like..."Imagine if we could steal Magic from the Lakers...Larry and Magic together...Wouldn't that be unstoppable?" But it always ended in the understanding that the two of them opposing each other was what was changing the face of the NBA. We felt pride in the importance of that. Most Celtics fans had total respect and love for Magic and still do to this day. If we were going to lose, we wanted it to be against Magic and the lakers. I love and respect Magic to this day....And so does Larry. They saved the NBA.

[@mrho4speed]

Well said! As much as the rivalry was heated there was respect really from both sides. Both teams wanted to face each other as everybody could sense it brought out the best basketball many of us had ever seen. This video is a classic example. Magic and Larry on the same team? It would have been a dynasty.

[@docjames6902]

mrgrandprix fourspeed I think you're right there. For a while there, the casual basketball viewer who only tuned in for the playoffs might have thought there were two teams. Gotta love the both of them.

[@toscodav]

Weird because Laker fans hated Bird. Bean town is loaded with daffy fans.

[@jjs777fzr]

toscodav ummm we H A T E D Magic. Now...decades later I’d be most humbled to meet such a great man. But back then - as Bird said we fans wanted to wipe that smile off Magics face and maybe knock a few teeth out too. Liked Magic? Not in the 80’s. Not around Boston. Respected him yes. Liked him frick no!

[@irishgrl]

@@toscodav What an ASSHAT thing to say 😡

[@Hellodarknessmyold]

2:56 I don’t know why, but this play is so magnificent

[@husseinalhadi5471]

Bird and Magic played 12 years together, 8 of the 12 times Bird finished ahead of Magic in MVP voting. Of the 4 years that Magic was ahead of Bird, one year was 1989 when Bird had double achilles Heel surgery. So Bird was Top 2 in MVP voting 8 times. Best shooter, Best passer, great rebounder, IQ off the charts. Magic greatest PG but Bird was better

[@uncletony6210]

so Bird was the better player because a couple hundred white sports writers voted for the white guy?? do you think the results might've been different if the voters were a couple hundred black sports writers? Or how about Nash? After all, he won mvp twice, wheras Kobe only won once, so Nash was better than Kobe, right? :)

[@husseinalhadi5471]

Red Auerbach called Bird the greatest Celtic putting him ahead of Russell who has 11 rings and 5 MVP's. Bird is the only person who has career averages in the top 50 for Scoring, Rebounding and Passing. It must be all those white sportswriters who put the ball in the basket especially in the clutch, made surreal passes and was a relentless rebounder, it couldn't have been his superior skill. IF Bird was on the 87 Lakers instead of Magic, the frontline would be Bird, Worthy, Jabbar, AC Green, M thompson off the bench, with Cooper and B Scott in the backcourt and one of the greatest coaches ever in Riley and a much easier conference. That team would have won 70 games.

[@uncletony6210]

but, would Bird have won 3 consec. mvp's if the sports writers had been 95% black?

[@uncletony6210]

also, I'm not sure the west was easier. you had to contend with Philly and then Detroit mid to late 80s. In the west there was SAS, Houston, Phoenix and Portland were always good, and then Utah in the late 80s. oh yeah, and Bird got 3 rings compared to Magic's 5, Bird's last final appearance was 87, while Magic went on to 3 more. and of course head to head in the finals - 2 to 1 Magic.

[@husseinalhadi5471]

in 1986 Bird was top 10 in scoring, rebounding , steals, FT, 3 pt scoring and led the celtics in assists what more would he need to do to get an MVP, he was also hurt the 1 st 3 months of the season. The intangibles, leadership, making others better were off the charts. Those same white sportswriters never gave Jerry West an MVP, or Havlicek, they were among the best from their eras. So I think you've beaten a dead horse with the white sportswriters. Cheers

[@kilroywashere772]

Bird always gave it 100%. He hustles the whole game. Bird was a hard-core competitor.

[@jonathanweiss7716]

What's amazing to me was how Bird seemed to dominate the game. He would usually come up with a way to either or score or set up a play. Great job on defense as well. 18 rebounds.

[@assholus228]

Look at those inside passes, it's amazing. They woulda dominated today's league at least offensively and in any half court slow paced game

[@JohnSmith-4U]

AARRGGHHHHH

[@RohoicRamz94]

Two stacked teams with great leaders making it look good out there.

[@TonyinMBSC8669]

I am a Big Larry Bird & Celtics fan! Via satellite I saw EVERY game from 84-86, 2 Championships. Was also in attendance when he torched Dominigue Wilkins & the Atlanta Hawks with 60 points. Oddly that game was in New Orleans. Just got lucky! Always enjoyed watching them play the Lakers. Both teams played their hearts out while having great mutual respect. Magic was so endearing at Bird's retirement ceremony. Wearing a Celtics T-shirt under his Lakers jersey no less. I am glad they went in the NBA together & came out together after The Dream Team.

[@TheAnimeking86]

quite possibly the greatest basketball rivalry ever!!!

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

Yea and Mt Everest is “quite possibly” the tallest mountain. George Washington is “quite possibly” the 1st president.

[@michaelgreen1495]

Man, either one of these teams would beat the living piss out of any NBA team now. 2023

[@Ami05]

clearly bird dominated everyone on the court

[@MrGiantkiller33]

+Ami05 Agreed! Larry simply knew where to be all of the time. He knew where to cut off people's passes, when to move toward the hoop.

[@Ami05]

+Triple MVP legend Your right, that's the best, they are always at the right place at the right time, They know where to be. good point.

[@richardpare3538]

Those games were simply wars between to great teams. Nothing today comes even close.

[@24props]

When Larry Bird was playing at his best he was better than Jordan, Magic, or anyone else. Without the injuries bad back and all the others he would probably be regarded as the greatest.

[@madcapper6]

Gotta disagree with that. He wasn't quite as prolific of a scorer as Jordan, especially in the playoffs. And Jordan was the much more accomplished defensive player. I rooted for Bird and spent Jordan's entire career rooting against him, especially in '96 as a lifetime Sonics fan. But Jordan was just on another planet.

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

MJ was a self absorbed, non passer. Honestly he ruined a lot of what Magic & Bird built in the 80s. Unselfish play, teamwork, ball movement, amazing passes. After MJ everyone was a GD ball hog to the major detriment of the game on every level. 🤮 Just like today when you got guys hanging out at the 3pt line and they have an 18% 3pt% = game ruined AGAIN. Now Jokic and Luka will try to bring the game of basketball 🏀 back. Then in 10 years some other toolbox will ruin it again. Maybe it’ll become cool to lose on purpose. Seriously it wouldn’t surprise me. And on and on

[@MaximusWolfe]

Bird was much faster before the back issues set in.

[@dbarndt]

Thank you for posting all these classic Bird games. Grew up watching him... it's a privilege to use these to show my boys these "trenches" games, as opposed to the over-shown highlights on all the DVDs...

[@CoreyT127]

Bird had countless games I've seen highlights of. Where he was 1 ast/reb shy of a triple-double. And could've had dozens if he was a stat chaser like current players! Can you imagine a player to being 1 stl ahy of a quadruple-double. And sitting the whole 4th qtr?

[@noelharris1177]

I had never heard the term "Triple-double"Before Magic n Bird?

[@MerkinMuffly]

It's called ball movement, it makes the game easier and you won't find it in today's game.

[@paulazzar8936]

Ball movement comes from playing without the ball, reading spaces, creating them. No one does it better than Larry.

[@brianpuckett941]

Never gets old watching these old games with Bird and Magic and the Sixers ,Celtics match ups

[@cards1985]

Larry-Larry-Larry!

[@wmden1]

If basketball were played like this now, I might start back to watching the NBA, after about 30 years of not.

[@papasmurf9477]

This was a regular season game..There was no resting the star players..FANS BACK THEN NEVER HAD TO WORRY ABOUT, IF THEY WERE GONNA SIT OUT..THE PLAYERS WANTED TO PLAY IN THESE REGULAR SEASON GAMES.

[@CoreyT127]

18 rebs playing against Kareem!

[@paulazzar8936]

Bird did EVERYTHING exceptionally better than the rest. There will never be another player as complete, as smart, as driven in any team sport, not just basketball.

[@noelharris1177]

Really,What about Brady?

[@paulazzar8936]

@@noelharris1177 Brady is great in his game but all he has to do is pass the ball and that's enough in football. Larry did WAY more than that. I played pro soccer and there are lots of legends in the sport but none of them were as complete as Larry was. Larry Bird was unique in being so multidimensional and great in every dimension. He invented that role as a forward. GOAT!!

[@mikjord]

He`s slow, but finishes the fast break. He can`t jump but gets the rebound and finds the open man. That`s Larry Bird the best in the game

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

Bird was playing like a man possessed 😳

[@GrowthruGod]

Key point

[@nonplayerzealot4]

Damn at that pass at 1:11. And Bird too for good measure. I need to create 1.21 gigawatts to power the flux capacitor. I'm going back to the 80s!

[@GrowthruGod]

Linear particle accelerator

[@dudleydowrong6095]

What great basketball!

[@Amick44]

Non player, a lot of do (or want to). It's why we love to watch these games from the past! I never tire of watching Baylor even though I never saw him live.

[@johnlothrop4591]

Larry IS the best player EVER. Kareem next, Russell then MJ and Wlt

[@bugsy101073]

so loved the team passing of the celtics

[@JohnSmith-4U]

AARRGGHHHHHH

[@usnate1]

Bird shattered his finger in 80 playing softball in the summer...he said he never had the feel for the ball quite the same...imagine how good the man would be if his shooting hand had all of its nerves..and he still had a spinal cord that was intact for those last 5 years?

[@cindyknudson2715]

Just informational: the softball game was in the spring/summer of 1979. After the NCAA finals and before signing with the Celtics (in August, I believe).

[@kristalmacleod3004]

Larry Legend was theBesT of ALL theResT.

[@tteo8457]

The 80 era Lakers and Celtics played real basketball with passing, fast break and many mid ranges and low post scoring. The current era is all about 3 points

[@TheDOLMET]

Larry Bird is better than Lebron James, it's not even close.

[@martinanderson1497]

Not even close.

[@chrisserong4966]

Definitely. Bird was a better shooter, passer, rebounder, leader and clutch player

[@castrokobe24]

The only thing that really hurts him is longevity.

[@johnd2330]

It's incredibly close.

[@realg5276]

Bird could play without the ball much better..his defense was very underrated as well.

[@VictorGarcia-dt4sw]

They hustled in this era…more exciting than anything in 2024.

[@paulazzar8936]

Even if LA won this game, Larry was by far the most dominant player among all the greats.

[@juju100000]

Larry legend

[@CLewey44]

Great statline by both superstars.

[@mrbriscoe2001]

BOTH THESE TEAMS-SO TALENTED FROM THE NECK UP!!THANKS FOR POSTING. THERE WAS A GAME IN LA (EARLY 80'S,AT A TIME MAGIC WAS HURT, I THINK) -BIRD DISSECTED THE LAKERS WITH A TRIPLE DOUBLE-JUST TORE THEM APART WITH HIS PASSING-HE PLAYED SO WELL,LA FANS GAVE HIM A STANDING OVATION! DON'T KNOW THE DATE;IF ANY OTHER NUT KNOWS THE GAME I'M TALKING ABOUT---CAN YOU POST?

[@JohnSmith-4U]

AARRGHHHHHH

[@joecap2919]

The pre-Performance Enhancing Drug era was far superior. Can you imagine how ridiculous someone like Blake Griffin would look having to play an IQ game against the 80's Celtics or Lakers? Especially without his juiced body..

[@larryburd8999]

well first of all that's a bit stupid to say that kid. granted, there's definitely obvious guys who used steroids in basketball, but some guys ARE blessed with bigger bodies. look at joe klein, fucker was huge. Malone was pretty big even his rookie season, although I've always thought in the late 90's he pretty clearly juiced. also, the game has slowed down a lot so guys don't have to be super lean, nutrition gotten better, weight training, surgeons, etc. bird was a natural pf and could've easily gained an extra 10-15 lbs to his frame, but the 80's was a bit more up and down with slick passing and team ball, so he had to, like most guys, be more lean. and most guys didn't even have a good diet; bird ate shit. Jordan even ate shit (steak and potatoes). it wasn't until the 90's when he got tim grover that he added mass. look at 80's Jordan - skinny as fuck. plus more players today, natural selection and poor aau drafting causes idiots to draft athletes over basketball players. it is what it is. in today's game, bird would probably weigh closer to 240 and be a PF without a doubt, probably could even spot mins at center without issues.

[@davidhammond1521]

what about Daryl Dawkins bro

[@MrPims33]

fatal9ish always delivers... larry just being larry, legendary

[@zt1053]

The Lakers definitely benefited from being in a much less competitive Western conference. That is the main reason Magic got to the finals more times than Bird. In 82 and 87 the east teams definitely duked it out and had nothing left by the finals.

[@CasonovaCorkClub]

Legends roamed the NBA in the 80's.

[@joecap2919]

Name 1 player today with a better combination of basketball iQ and overall talent than these 2 guys- nobody!

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

And this is the year the 76ers (with DrJ, Moses, Cheeks, Toney, B.Jones) SWEPT the Lakers in the finals The NBA was tough at this time.

[@itbsteve]

Is it me or is the passing far superior to anything you see today. there is like 4 or 5 passes before someone shoots.

[@justletmeuseit]

it's not just you, the top tier teams of the 80s ran beautiful offensive sets

[@jaycompany4886]

no it's not you, today's game is more 1 on 1 or who could dunk the best.........

[@newerafrican]

I’ll take your word for it since I don’t watch the NBA anymore.

[@mrho4speed]

@cbaldwinjr Bird>Magic. His scoring and shooting range will always trump Magic. LA's big gun was Kareem (Magic never won a ring without him). Magic was a great ball handler and passer but Bird was the Celtics leader from day one. First year = ROY over Magic and a 32 game turnaround for Celts. Bird outplayed Magic the first 8 years of their careers. Bird was 1st NBA player to ever shoot over 50% FG, 40%3-ball and 90% FT for an entire season and did it 2 years straight. Was 2nd in MVP for 3 years

[@24props]

Jordan is clearly the greatest. As far primes go I would still take Birds 5-6 years over anyone else.

[@81overon]

The players of today couldn't play with these guys.

[@Mrd9960]

Starcrap 64 No way are you kidding me? These guys were alot smarter, they never threw up stupid shots, like they do today.

[@2pacinseattle]

What you see today in the NBA is basketball, this is art.

[@cindyknudson2715]

Is it basketball if most of the fundamental rules are overlooked? Just a question.

[@davidmullens7565]

Larry just took over.

[@Amick44]

Excellent view, 24p. Totally agree and largely for reasons you give.

[@mrho4speed]

Basketball the way it should be played. Fatal9ish do you have the celtic vs laker game from Feb. 11th 1981? Bird's stat line was 36 pts and 21 rebounds and 6 assists. I believe the game Bird tells magic to sit back and watch the show. It was played in LA. Would love to see that one too! Bird was sensational in this game.

[@Ariamaluum]

@mikjord. He had a quick release like a QB concerning his passes as well as his shots. Most shooters, need a set area, catch, or a dribble. Larry could shoot while dribbling on the move with either hand.

[@MerkinMuffly]

Great info

[@Gaderelli]

When players knew how TO DRIBBLE CORRECTLY !!!

[@rafikz77]

ok granpa

[@cindyknudson2715]

@@rafikz77 If rules don't matter, why keep score or record stats?

[@russelljdj]

How can anyone who got to experienced this era of the NBA watch the "Traveling" show that is the current NBA where they don't call traveling, palming, carrying, high bounce, 3 seconds, or goal tending ?????

[@73Trident]

Without question I don't watch the NBA for those reasons.

[@justinbustin677]

Celtics brought the tempo to the high flying Lakers

[@Amick44]

That and the 60's with Russell, Wilt, Oscar, Jerry and Elgin. Add later Havlicek, Barry, Bird and Frazier too. Thurmond, Reed, ah that's enough.

[@newerafrican]

The guys who win championships have TEAMS around them. Even Jordan (and Dominique) couldn’t win without a team. Put any of the top 10 players you want to name on the Celtics or Lakers and they win championships.

[@newerafrican]

Not taking anything away from Larry or Magic.

[@mrho4speed]

@Flipper79able You are correct! I love Magic's game but he was a sentimental favorite in the MVP vote in 87 because he took on an increased scoring load (23.9 vs 18.8) from previous year. Remember the eastern conference head to head beat the west EVERY year in the decade of the 80's. Dave Heeren's "basketball abstract" has the % for each year on pg 50. Bird put up some monster numbers against the western teams. Magic's own words were "I'd like to thank Larry Bird for having a slightly off year"

[@realg5276]

Not many ever had as good a season as Magic Johnson in 1986-7. He was the MVP without question. He scored more because he improved as a player. He posted up and got really good with the hook shot. With Magic passing out of the post fans got to see another level of basketball. He was a sight to behold.. Magic Johnson 1987 24pts 53% 12 assists ppg 8 rebounds. He stamped his claim by playing flawless basketball in the playoffs. He handed out assists all day without turning the ball over at all through the playoffs. It was indeed Magical.

[@mrho4speed]

@@realg5276 Real, Magic did have a great year but the MVP should have gone to Jordan. Magic put up a per game of 23.9 points and 6.3 rebounds and 12.2 assists. Now compare to Jordan ( who was the scoring champ of the league) and Jordan's per game was 37.1 points and 5.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists. AND Jordan was a much better defender than Magic and in 87 was the first player ever to record more than 200 steals and block 100 plus shots!!

[@noelharris5488]

@@realg5276 Magic is never mentioned in the GOAT conversation,I'll take him over anyone

[@mattcorcoran7082]

Bird was clearly better than Magic until 87 when he was basically lame until the end of his career. A lot of Magic’s accomplishments came after Bird’s prime.

[@JohnSmith-4U]

Its 2023.....Bird could comeback to today's NBA and whoop @ZZ all over the place.....and he is in his 60s!!!!!!

[@FavreianVengeance]

3:11 - That three seriously just made that net look like it was made of feathers and not nylon.

[@moonwatcher211]

what I'd pay to watch either of these teams eviscerate a modern NBA team

[@Head318Hunter]

If Magic would've been a boxer I could see him having one of those irritating left jabs, flick, flick, flick, he'd lull em to sleep then BAM!! rocket right hand out of nowhere, like a lightening flash. Example: 1:43

[@uberathlete]

Bird would so shit on defenses today.

[@kenhasibar2450]

That's funny. Like they play defense today... 🍻

[@MerkinMuffly]

No one gives a shit about Finals MVP, hell, Cedric Maxwell, Worthy and Pierce have all one one, it's easy to get hot in a playoff series. Kareem was robbed and should have received it. Kareem was great for an entire year and won MVP and Bird was better than Magic and won rookie of the year. Magic wasn't even voted on the All NBA first team in 1980 but Bird and Kareem were.

[@jimtruscott5670]

If I want a winning team I pick Bird over James every time.

[@JAMESGANG-f5u]

Here’s a challenge... try finding a play where Cornbread Maxwell shoots and DOES NOT fall down in the process. OK GO !!!

[@Amick44]

True, but with expansion (past couple of decades) a lot hacks are on rosters. Back in the 80's and prior, many of these guys wouldn't have been in training camps

[@Tooms1121]

awesome, fatal has the best 80's bball vids on the net

[@gavinothegreat5765]

329 wow look at ball movement by celts holy shit hat is ballin nigggaaaaaaaa

[@acornsucks2111]

Once DJ arrived, Bird and the Celts got better. Tiny out.

[@mrbriscoe2001]

@trha2222 great comment.so true;what a wonderful,awe inspiring rivalry this was......

[@MerkinMuffly]

Cooper was the best defensive player ever on Bird, but Bird would kill the Lakers on the boards whenever coop guarded him.

[@rumarspencer7302]

Bird always irritated when Cooper guarded him, lot of times Lakers would win those games vs Celtics, whether they would outrebound the Celtics or not.

[@zt1053]

Up through 86 the Celtics and lakers were pretty even

[@erwin021777]

Imagine if Bird had Lebron's athleticism? He'll be THE GOAT no questions asked. And if only lebron is as good a shooter and as clutch as Bird no question either he's THE GOAT.

[@ashland1977]

These were the days

[@moheganson]

32, 18, 9, 4 damn LBJ could never put up a stat line like that without the refs help!

[@CoreyT127]

People who think he wouldn't dominate even more in this soft era is smoking crack! He would average a triple double!

[@noelharris1177]

Let's not get carried away. . .

[@otherworld11]

1983? Year of the 76ers...finally for them.

[@Amick44]

You are right. Bird had quick and fine body control, could change his shots and passes in the air. He was a relatively slow runner, but was deceptively agile. Contrast to Tom Chambers and Karl Malone, who were fast runners, but not particularly creative shot control wise.

[@scottstewart5784]

Bird made a note of Magic's bullets into the paint, and taught it to DJ. That's how I imagine it anyway.

[@cindyknudson2715]

That's your perogative.

[@davidgeissler8620]

You watch this game I grew up in this era way better basketball moving without the ball setting picks the passing wow today's game garbage

[@TheBZA99]

I know this is a Bird highight but Magic dropped some dimes in this game

[@Jerry-p3v]

One of the few years in the eighties that neither team won the NBA Title. It was the Doctor’s year ya dig. What other year? Let’s see the 88-89 Pistons. I think that’s it. The Pistons and the 76’ers

[@Amick44]

Hugo, that's just what they'd do. Spurs would be right there with the old timers, too.

[@shanewhelan6193]

This is always such a fun debate. You can make a good argument for either Larry or Magic. Thats why its so fun...there is no right answer and you have to get DEEP with the stats you use. My case for Bird: played in MUCH tougher conference early 80's had Philly (dr.j, moses, dawkins and later barkley) then detroit, milwaukee, atlanta/dominique for a little bit. MJ in chicago. even NY for a.while. The West had...Houston in 86? with Hakeem and dawkins? Oh and Kareem haha.

[@24props]

Jordan is the greatest because he played at such a high level for such a long time. Yes, Bird and Magic could do things Jordan couldn't do as well, just like Jordan could do things they couldn't. Magic had the HIV while he was still in his prime and Bird was gimped up to much to be considered the best. My point is simply without Birds injuries and Magic getting HIV, they both might be considered better by most basketball people. And Bird in his prime was the best I've ever seen.