Larry Bird 32 pts, 14 asts vs. Hawks (1987)

[@Marvhagler]

For all of you to young to remember you are watching the goat the true G.O.A.T!

[@catherinelynnfraser2001]

There was something mythical and magical about Bird🏀

[@dwartfarquart9590]

Wow, those passes still get me.

[@mikjord]

Bird loved to play against athletic powerhouse players like Nique : Bird always seemed to thrive those challenges. This is the real Larry Bird. He played the game like a chess player, two moves ahead everybody on the court. when Bird was in the zone basketball was the most beautiful of team sports

[@mcgo2836]

This is what basketball should be about, not dunking and just shooting 3s, its beyond that, which what Bird did, and only him. In my opinion, the true GOAT, with so much substance to go with it.

[@MerkinMuffly]

The passing prowess is INSANE, simply INSANE

[@Jondsmusic]

Agreed, that's why they're one of the best teams in history!

[@ianbrewer4843]

@@Jondsmusic agree

[@mrho4speed]

Thanks for posting. Tommy Heinson said it best "Larry Bird is the master of the half inch!". He had the game mastered and made other players look foolish with his crazy passing and seeing angles and passing lanes that nobody else did. All he needed to get his shot off was a half inch, and would totally surprise opponents with left handed shots. Thrived on competition and loved to win, even if he had to do the dirty work and you can see how the crowd and his teammates loved his game!

[@viralbuthow000]

Best passing forward ever. Some of those passes look like camera tricks they're so good.

[@80sNBA]

I remember this game well...Easter Sunday '87. A great Bird highlight game. McHale and Mike McGee of the Hawks got into a skirmish and McGee threw a punch at McHale and was ejected. Thanks for posting.

[@Defender80s]

Just unreal! GOAT SF right there!

[@enricotiu7608]

good thing we have youtube to remind us how good larry bird was.. forget lbj

[@maxflipper34]

I love that pass at :29 for so many reasons: the reaction of the bench, the brilliance of the pass and Parish pretty much expecting it. That pass personified the Celtics under Bird. Ball movement and creating an easy opportunity.

[@tombstone1111]

It's one of the greatest passes in the history of the NBA. I am so glad I had the honor of watching Larry Bird's entire career. My favorite player of all time in any sport.

[@tombstone1111]

@Stephen RunsHisMouth I bet you do! 😉

[@Defender80s]

Smartest Player To Ever Play The Game!

[@holycow7195]

Indeed

[@yehor_ivanov]

I believe, Jok is already up there with Larry Legend, too, but yes, lol

[@saturndual32]

What a great performance, what an incredible player, truly special. Keep the Bird highlights coming man, you are doing a great job, thanks.

[@CLewey44]

Great game and if anyone ever doubts how good he was, play this game (along with dozens or even hundreds of others) and show them this. this showcases all of his offensive and even some good defensive plays.

[@barrymorgan5104]

You don't need to watch put together highlights of Bird because he did those things in every game. Smartest player since Russell. In any hypothetical draft, Bird is my first pick.

[@tomboston9669]

I've seen a lot of these Bird highlight vids but this one really encapsulates what Bird was. How unbelievably great he was at all aspects of the game. This was game 82 of the year with home court advantage in the playoffs on the line, and Bird couldn't have been better. The stats don't even really show it, but this vid does !

[@donmorton4597]

Larry Legend.....WOW!

[@73Trident]

Body language of the Hawks when Larry stuck a dagger into them over and over.

[@MrGMillet]

Awesome performance but then again he made it a routine. You could NOT walk away from the TV when Bird was in the game, you never wanted to miss a second!! There was no DVR back then...

[@hull5768]

Larry Joe Bird - one of a kind. Never to be duplicated.

[@nicholasfox966]

Larry Bird: Basketball genius.

[@philipspree]

GOAT!

[@nmwyg540]

unbelievable pass!!!!!0:28

[@tarikdebarge]

One of the best passes u will ever see in ur life!!

[@h98986]

@MerkinMuffly During the Heat series, did you hear Jeff van Gundy say that Lebron had surpassed Bird as a passer?? That guy has no clue. No wonder he's out of a job. For me, Bird is the most creative passer of all-time; even ahead of Pistol Pete, who was more flash than substance in my opinion.

[@victorquintana4018]

No doubt,The Boston Garden was the play ground of Larry Bird...and the real winners were the Boston Celtics' Fans!! Thanks fatal9ish for the video

[@rubberman2006]

I like the last play when LB shoots the hook then pushes spudweb and gives shoulder to Dominque

[@larryg1481]

Would easily dominate today's NBA just like MJ would be unstoppable same goes for Larry Legend guy could score anyway he wanted to

[@MerkinMuffly]

Thanks!

[@jjs777fzr]

Cs fan here - yeah Magic may have been a better passer than Bird and that's saying a boat load. There's just something about how Bird went about it that sets it apart. We were so spoiled watching 80's ball. I used to play hoop and I don't know how Kevin, Robert, DJ and Danny knew to expect the unexpected from Bird.

[@FavreianVengeance]

5:16 - What NBA player today is throwing up off handed hooks from 15 feet? And for that matter, all the MJ drones always say MJ did stuff Bird couldn't do (basically jump higher). Well MJ wasn't rhrowing up 14 foot hook shots with regularity and knocking them down either.

[@joekoule]

Sorry...never heard of being best by 'default' . I saw Birds whole career and though they say 'seeing is believing', it is still 'unbelievable' . Still lookin for the 'next Bird'.

[@tombstone1111]

The next Bird was supposed to be Adam Morrison. Even I was convinced by his Bird like play at Gonzaga. I feel bad that his NBA career was such a dud.

[@tombstone1111]

Probably Dirk was the closest to Bird in shooting style and because he's white, but the overall game doesn't match Bird's. Bird was a cold blooded assassin.

[@CLewey44]

A couple of enigmas in NBA history, Bird being one. Barkley is another. Not sure another Iverson will come around either.

[@chrisserong4966]

J. Clint Lewey I wouldn’t describe Bird as an enigma. More like one of the greatest ever

[@chrisserong4966]

joekoule You won’t find the next Bird. There will never again be anyone like him. He was unique

[@joekoule]

Lil Slim, there is no 'if' nor the 'smallest bit of doubt' . There is no new Babe Ruth, there is no new Bird. I wish there were.

[@Defender80s]

2:36 Kevin Willis "Typical Expression thart Bird created for his Opponents"

[@joe3009]

Back when the NBA was the NBA.

[@mgalore]

Back when basketball was basketball

[@FavreianVengeance]

I'd take the 87 Hawks over the 12 Heat. Teams were just way better in the 80s.

[@CLewey44]

I'd cheer for the Hawks but if I were betting, I'd put money on the 12 Heat.

[@holycow7195]

If this Celtics team stayed healthy would have won another championship..

[@zt1053]

So many people don’t understand how much the loss of Scott Wedman affected them. He let Larry Bird rest, which was invaluable.

[@holycow7195]

We've gone from great basketball 🏀 to street ball today.

[@stephenlnoe]

perpetual 3 point contest... Hate it...

[@johnjenkins5854]

What is about the purposeful bounce pass that today’s players don’t get. Not that hard to do. Yet, so effective. Also, when DJ was groovin? The net didn’t move.

[@usnate1]

Lebron James : The will probably end his career as the SECOND greatest SF of all time.

[@tombstone1111]

I see I commented on this video a year ago. Man, how times flies! I still remember this game vividly. Game 82, home court on the line. Having Larry Bird was the ultimate comfort but I tell you the truth, the second best player on those mid 80's Celtics teams was Dennis Johnson. Don't believe me? Just ask Larry. He was the PERFECT compliment to Bird's style of play. Rest in Peace DJ, all of us Celtics fans appreciated you more than you probably ever knew.

[@Amick44]

AND he was great before at Phoenix and Seattle too. What an incredible deal Red made to get him!

[@camoss3724]

The fact that the Celtics had to come down to the season finale to clinch homecourt in the East was indicative of their struggles that year. They were fortunate the game was played in the Garden because they simply were not the same team away from home that season.

[@TheTinyCyclist]

@gongxia649 if you read the comments, you'll probably find a better answer than I can give you. Bird was a beast, a great passer, an even better shooter. Of course, LeBron can jump higer than Bird. But hell, who couldn't?

[@biffysix]

Thanks fatal9ish!

[@bryanburnap4537]

I remember as a 13 Year old huge Celtics fan in 1987 - it was actually Atlanta that I feared the most and who I thought were going to be the Celtics opponent in the 87 ECF not Detroit. Atlanta won 57 games to Detroit's 52. Atlanta beat Detroit in the 86 playoffs. They had Dominique and they could run and I truly expected Atlanta to be the Celtics #1 enemy in 87. But I was wrong !! I remember about halfway through game 3 in Detroit even though the Celtics were up 2-0 it was then I said " oh shit Detroit is for real and actually better then Atlanta.

[@GrowthruGod]

180 that was a 360 by nique

[@jjs777fzr]

@5:19 munchkin man tried to get pushy with Bird. LOL

[@pbody4080]

4:15

[@TheTinyCyclist]

@gongxia649 Bird. Much better.

[@TiltBrook]

O:26 🤘🫢

[@zt1053]

The Celtics probably would’ve matched up better with the Hawks in 87 playoffs than the Pistons

[@reneep9972]

The over the head, fast break, assist to Robert Parish is something that even the great Magic Johnson could only dream of, and ball hogs like Jordan and LePuke, couldn't even comprehend in their wildest, selfish dreams. Bird = GOAT.

[@tombstone1111]

Oh man, I remember this game like it was yesterday. I wish you had the CBS intro to this game, it was awesome. I have it on an old VHS tape. I was SO nervous because we were so banged up and the Hawks were flying high that season. If I remember right, the Hawks cut a pretty large lead to about 6-7 with about 5 to go but we pulled away. Thank God we won because the home court meant everything to us in 87. Without it, we likely don't make the Finals. Thanks for this video, brought back fond memories!

[@bryanburnap693]

I was fully expecting to meet the Hawks in the 87 ECF. That seemed to be the track both teams were on in 87. But the Hawks lost to Detroit in 5 games in the ECSF. I believe Dominique was banged up during that series. Game 4 was the clincher with Isiah's last second lay up. That sealed the Hawks fate. Very disappointing end for them. As a Celtics fan I can't say I feel bad :)

[@tombstone1111]

I would've rather play the Hawks in the ECF. We got our guts stomped out every game we played in Detroit that series and if not for Bird's steal in Game 5, we would've lost in 6 games. I think maybe we could've beat Atlanta in 6 and wouldn't have been so gassed against LA in The Finals. The Detroit series just absolutely drained us mentally and physically and of course Detroit's flat out dirty play banged us up even more. At least the Hawks played a clean game.

[@joelinney8900]

86-87 CELTICS= Grit and Balls as KEVIN GARNETT said about the 2009-2010 team that lost in 7 to LAKERS. Pure guts+determination displayed by the 86-87 team. In reality they had no bench or at least not the bench(depth) they had the previous season. Don't forget they let a 3-1 series lead disappear in the 2nd round against Milwaukee(another underrated team) meaning back to back 7 game series before going to L.A. to face a well rested LAKERS team. A certain call goes BOSTON'S way in game#4 and that NBA finals might have had a different outcome. I know I'm gonna get "shut the fuck up" from LAKERS fans but that CELTICS team did have alot of "what ifs???" Like Len Bias not passing away. I'LL shut up now.

[@tombstone1111]

The pass @28 secs. Lebron or even Magic couldn't make a pass like that in their wet dreams. Magic was a FANTASTIC passer though. Lebrons passes (assists) are virtually all the same. Take the in bounds pass, run it up court at full speed, knock 2-3 defenders over and dish it out to someone at the 3 point line. Not taking anything away from Lebron, one of the greatest players ever, but his so called passing and their artistic nature are no where in the same stratosphere as Bird, Magic, Nash, Isaiah Thomas or Pistol Pete.

[@joelinney8900]

You said it with the knocking 2-3 defenders over. Frickin' LeBron just runs over defenders and never gets called for that bullshit. Then does his bullshit tough guy stare down afterwards. Can't stand LeBron.

[@josephvitielo1693]

And Stockton