Luka Fan Can't Believe Larry Bird OUTPLAYED Michael Jordan (March 31, 1991)

[@aramhamparian9641]

This was Bird's final year when his back was totally destroyed.His feet, also... He is moving around like an old man in this game, but still dominated the play. Larry top 3 all time. Great reaction!

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

I hadn’t even thought of that while watching… Larry is definitely moving up my all time greats list

[@palermotrapani9067]

Bird played 1 more year, he retired after the 1992 season, well actually after the Celtics lost to the Cavs in the 1992 playoffs. He played on the Dream team in the summer of 1992 which was his last professional basketball he played.

[@aramhamparian9641]

@@palermotrapani9067 I stand corrected. He played one more year, and in that last year with his feet and back totally broken, he had the historic 49 point triple double against the Trailblazers. He hit, what is probably, the most ridiculous 3 point shot ever seen to send the game into OT. Then sealed the deal for Boston's victory. If you need the link to this game, lemme know know!! We'd all love to see MarcThe Sparc TV reaction!!

[@palermotrapani9067]

@@aramhamparian9641 Oh no problem, I didn't mean to come off flippant if I did come off that way. Yes, I remember that game. I am late 50's so 70's and 80's NBA is what I remember. Last NBA I watched was when Jordan retired as he to me was a guy who cut his teeth so to speak in the 80's when Bird, Magic and Bad Boy Pistons (not a fan of them) were in their prime. The early Boston/Philly ECF games are the ones that I think people should watch. The 1981 ECF was historic, as was the 1982.

[@stevemd6488]

Yea was gonna say the same thing. His lower back had the consistency of bamboo reeds and his ankles/feet were gone too. Great series in any event.

[@xufn]

Larry was just something special. 3 MVPs in a row, won 3 championships, Won coach of the year & executive of the year. He was just that special when it came to his mind and the game. One of his best quotes when Kobe was saying his USA mens team could beat the Dream Team. Larry said "They probably could. I haven't played in 20 years and we're all old now."

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

😂 I’d pay big money to watch the Dream Team vs the Redeem Team

[@Bassman2353]

@@MarcTheSparcTV The Dream Team would have crushed them.

[@crs290]

@@Bassman2353 Yeah, the physicality alone of the Dream Team would scare the crap out of them.

[@metadeth578]

I don't think so Kobe

[@insanusmaximus2857]

Another thing that was amazing about Larry is that, before he won his 3 MVPs, he was actually second in the league 3 years in a row. Dude almost won 6 MVPS in row.

[@deannacrownover3]

"Look at all that physicality going on! Aren't they going to call any of that?" Nope... this is real bball...a full contact sport!

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Lol the physicality definitely had its advantages for the viewer

[@Jekyll_Island_Creatures]

Today's basketball is for pansy's....all the foul calls makes it too damn tedious and boring to watch.

[@fixer1972]

@@MarcTheSparcTV Yea The referees swallowed their whistles, but that was kinda the rules. The '80s players didn't grow up shooting 3's, Magic and Bird first saw a three point line in their rookie season, Michael in College. Before there was no reason to shoot way outside for 2 that's why so much post plays. it took the league at least 15 years to really figure out how to really utilize it. There are many many better deep shooters now, because they grew up shooting 3's. Great reaction video, I was talking to you as if you coulhear me.🤣

[@jeffmejia111]

When men played the game……..

[@deannacrownover3]

@@jeffmejia111 Exactly!

[@robgelfand2414]

Here a few things about that game. It was played on March 31 1991 Jordan was in the prime of his career. Bird retired after the following season as he no longer could take the pain he had been playing in his whole career. Here are their stats for that game Bird 34 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, 15 -36 from the field, 1-4 from 3 pt , 3-3 ff, 3 blocks, 1 steal, played 52 minutes Jordan 37 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 12-36 from the field 0-3 from 3pt, 13-13 ff, 0 blocks, 2 steals, played 51 minutes Here is what nobody talks about - Scottie Pippen's stats for that game Pippen 35 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists, 12-24 from the field, 3-4 from 3pt, 8-8 ff, 1 block, 2 steals, played 52 minutes In the end a broken down Bird was as amazing and good as players in their prime. If Bird played today with the emphasis on 3 pt shots he would be averaging 30-35 points a game easy when he was in his prime.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Yeah Scottie is probably the best number 2 option ever… and completely agree with what Bird would do in todays game

[@jameylebel]

Thank you for saying what I have been! If Larry had the medical treatments of today….there would be no debate who is the goat. Larry would of redefined the league…more so than he already did. Dirk was great…but still a shadow of Larry.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

@@jameylebel yeah Larry was really the total package when you look at it… his mentality, shooting, and clutch factor put him over the top… and to be a team player as well is actually a crazy combination of skills

[@irishgrl]

@@MarcTheSparcTV Do I detect a change of attitude toward Larry Legend??? 🤔 I sure hope so!

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

@@irishgrl 😅 I don’t know what’s gotten into me

[@ervsavord4985]

In the clutch Larry comes through. Larry was always true to the game. The desire, the heart, the will to win. The Legend lives on!!! Thanks

[@flibbidyx2]

We live in a world where Nikola Jokic won MVP last year and yet some people think Larry Bird wouldn't be able to hang in today's game lol

[@bradbeazley9998]

Bird would destroy Jokic easily even at his worst

[@cindyknudson2715]

We are living in a bizarre upside down world.

[@montist1]

Dude! I really appreciate how closely you watched this game. It was a really fun reaction and this game deserves it! You’re a boss and I’m a new subscriber

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Appreciate you! When I'm watching a game I really get locked in for some reason

[@USN_Ret-]

Best quote "Larry Bird is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers."

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Right… and the game is 80% mental… and Larry has that part figured all the way out

[@jml-rj5re]

@@MarcTheSparcTV That's what most people doesn't understand. B'ball is like chess and jazz fused together. Bird and Magic are always in my Top 3. Both could barely dunk, especially after their injuries. MJ is just a little mentally tougher than LeBron. Russell rounds out my Top 5.

[@kristalmacleod3215]

was NOT is ?

[@thatmanstumototours2270]

Bird dealing with crippling back and feet injuries is a mere shadow of his former self...and yet....

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Still a beast… a testament to how great he was

[@SuperBruins12]

Bird was larger than life in the 80’s. Superstar…

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

He would be a menace on social media if he played today

[@pewpewTN]

Larry Bird is Top 3 All-Time. You shouldn't be shocked to see him outplay anyone, even MJ. If Bird didn't hurt his back, he would have dominated well into the 90s.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Yeah he def keeps moving up on my GOAT list

[@irishgrl]

@@MarcTheSparcTV As he should! 👍

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

@@irishgrl 😅🤷🏾‍♂️

[@Darkalen]

If Len Bias hadn't passed away...

[@edwardclement102]

@@Darkalen The Celtics needed him in 1987.

[@33marcus33]

privileged to watch many of Larry Bird’s games. simply amazing. shame many of today’s viewers will not appreciate his skills. glad that you do!

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Yeah... I'm definitely turning into a Larry Bird fan

[@Intellectually_Ignorant]

Larry legend Showed up and showed Out even with the back Injury He was something Special on the basketball Court. this was a great Game March 31 1991.

[@jamiehoover33]

This ISNT “a weird brand of basketball.” This IS basketball.

[@Instrument_of_Peace]

The red light was on before the ball went in. Check it. Bird was in agony with liteally a broken back but played like an assassin!!

[@anonygent]

Unlike Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan never beat Larry Bird in a championship series. And Magic had Kareem Abdul Jabbar to work with.

[@dr.lesbarrett921]

MJ and Bird never met in the Finals where MJ never lost!

[@metadeth578]

MJ made players look slow, while Bird made players look stupid!

[@Thulgore]

There exists this tactic in all sports. Speed kills...........if you can slow them down you can break them. You can slow someone down by making them second guess everything. You can even just casually over exert them. (faints in boxing and mma) I never advise the George Foreman technique.....but it worked. (usually)

[@meminustherandomgooglenumbers]

"This is a weird brand of basketball; every play is in the post." That's normal basketball, how it was played for a hundred years before the last decade. And they outscored modern players too. Scoring less than a hundred in a game was an embarrassment. When Larry was in college they still didn't even have a 3 point line yet, so the only possible way to get a 3 point play was a 2 and a foul.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Steph Curry changed it for everybody 😅

[@randymeyer6482]

@@MarcTheSparcTV rule changes sissified the NBA...Curry would piss his pants and leave the game in tears, if he had played in the 80s...kinda like Le Bron

[@joeterp5615]

I don’t really care for three point shooting contests. People have adjusted how they play the game because they figured out that maximizing the use of threes is beneficial. But if the league suddenly made half court shots worth 10 points, we’d see people taking and making more of those also. But that wouldn’t be the pure game either. I have tremendous respect for the talent of the players of the game today, but I don’t care for a game that always has guys running to get behind the 3 point line, rather than looking to move closer in. Another way I think of it, the 3 pointer is like if the NFL suddenly counted all touchdown passes of 30 yards or more as 9 points instead of 6. Yes, it could add some excitement, and might help teams come back from deficits, but it would still be gimmicky. I think we all have gotten so use to the gimmick of the 3 pointer from seeing it all our lives, but I would be interested in seeing great players play the game in it’s pure form sometime, without 3 pointers, just to see the different decisions they would make. If this was done longterm, it would also likely restore the value of traditional post players to the game (something I would enjoy seeing).

[@paulthomas9911]

@@MarcTheSparcTV not really. to me, the game became selfish and many guys our age. ..middle age...we lost interest. it became ghetto ball so to speak. the NBA is now run and gun and who can hit the 3 pointer. no physical play. its boring. i watch football and hockey now.

[@lawrenceschramm4661]

No one ever said Bird couldn't play D , at least anyone who knew what they were talking about.........

[@meminustherandomgooglenumbers]

"Did he travel right there?" Yeah but it was the three steps he took before he jumped. Michael was the king of too many steps. Four was not uncommon. The league loves merchandise sales, and the refs work for the league.

[@seansimms8503]

I feel he would clear out and push defenders with his free hand too much too, but then again I was a Celtics fan back then...I really hated the Bulls and piston way longer than was warranted.

[@jeffmejia111]

Yeah, you couldn’t keep the ball and run with it like a RB in the NFL. Traveling used to be a tule in the NBA. Quite frankly players today just don’t have the talent to keep it to two steps. Plus look at the video again. Jordan knew he traveled. He immediately looked toward the ref when the whistle blew.

[@johnsummers9660]

Basketball fans act like right now is the golden age but if you drop Bird, MJ and Magic into the current NBA they're still gonna dominate.

[@guittadabe5214]

The Eastern conference was so tough. The Bulls, Knicks, Pistons, Celtics, Hawks, they were always in contention and they had wars!

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Yeah... they all just team up nowadays

[@Bundandong]

Don’t forget the Bucks and the Sixers.

[@mattglenn29]

Jordan never got over the hump until Bird slowed down. Facts

[@kenthomas4668]

Fact: Bird had a hell of a surrounding cast. Put Mj on that team and Bird on the Bulls team and they don't get to within 20 points!

[@p.j.4738]

This was one of the best if not the best, basketball reaction I've ever viewed. Marc knows his basketball!

[@yambo59]

Larry was playing like this at the end of his career with a wrecked back a disfigured finger his whole career and other previous multiple injuries

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Damn… imagine if he wasn’t hurt his entire career smh

[@yambo59]

Yeah I often wonder what Larry's career would have been like without the wrecked back, twin Achilles tendon surgeries, finger/knuckle he broke catch a flyball from his brother, broke his eye sockets twice once hitting the floor with his face and another time getting a hard elbow to the eye socket - both times he came back out and finished & won the game, he was the most determined hardest to kill player ive ever seen.

[@drx2671]

Loved watching and your commentary was excellent! Great seeing new generation giving these old games respect….

[@TheB2graphx]

Jordan learned to trash talk from Bird. No one talked more trash than Bird.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Larry is the GOAT of trash talk definitely

[@carls1959]

You mention the physicality. Well, this is why I think a lot of platers of today, would have a difficult time playing in the 1980s. The games were much more physical back then and players like LeBron would be out with injuries for half the season.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

yeah and people underestimate the mental toll that all of that physicality takes on you

[@Rancoroth419]

You see how the perimeter players would use their forearms to push at the backs of players...they banned this kind of defense in today's game. It was absolutely an essential tactic to countering powerful post players or size miss matches. The hand grabbing, and pulling is also no longer a style of defense allowed, which would be used to disrupt rythme. The game is so soft now, its rediculous.

[@isaacclark9825]

Calling out Lebron as being a weakling is just silly. He's been very durable, and he is both huge and muscular. I think you should pick a better example because that one does not fly.

[@joselagyapjr2226]

Yeah! And others would would sustain much longer recovery because of the pounding they would day-in and day-out.

[@msw8966]

@@isaacclark9825 he's been durable in a non physical time in the league! You can't even comment that he's durable because if it was during times when basketball was played how originally was played Lebron might have been injured every season. Muscularity means nothing for toughness. It's all mental and LeBron is mentally weak compared to some of the greatest in the past or even non greats.

[@venetoaward]

First time ever Jordan guarded Bird, Larry shouted "Hey I got a little one!" xD btw this is '91, it's very far from Larry's best game

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

😂😂 that’s hilarious… I’d expect nothing less from Bird though

[@c.e.anderson558]

If you be quiet you can hear buzzer on Mike's shot.

[@pappajudas9267]

This was a Larry Bird who was about to retire. He didn't know if he was going to be able to walk again after every game. It took him 3 hours to loosen his back up enough to get his shorts on. His feet were never the same after double Achilles surgery. But what made Bird great Was his mind for the game and his incredible shooting.

[@jaykay9695]

Thanks for the react. Remember in 91 Larry was having some serious back trouble. Merry Christmas

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Merry Christmas! And yeah… this was literally the end of Bird’s career and he was still killing the game

[@mckill32]

How did he outplay him? It’s simple he’s the real goat and most compete player of all time.

[@knickd1979]

hey Marc the Sparc, first time watching your channel and i gotta say it was a fun viewing. we used to call my brother "mark the spark" back in the 80s. i grew up watching Bird (i'm from Boston), and i can give ya some insights about the NBA in '91. even in Boston at this point in time Jordan was by far the most popular NBA player amongst the youth/teens. Bird by '91 was about 70% of what he was in his mid-80s prime, and MJ was taking over the East, but Bird wasn't goin out without burnin whatever he had left in the tank. he was still capable of great games like this one, but he was missing chunks of the season here and there. anyway, my favorite part of the video is when you said this brand of basketball was weird cuz its all "inside out"! haha. that was basketball for decades my young brother. The post up game was dominant and the 3 point shot was seen as a 3rd or 4th option if the play broke down. Bird's biggest weapon was his over-the-right-shoulder turnaround cuz he was 6'9" and released the ball above his head ala Dirk Nowitzki. even for 6'10" Horace Grant it was unblockable. as a longtime NBA fan I can pinpoint exactly how today's run'n'gun style evolved. Magic's Lakers were one of the pioneers of fast break ball designed to tire out and gas the big men on the opposing team, but the Lakers lacked outside shooting so they were beatable. plenty of teams tried to play upcourt/fast break ball during the 90's but the big men still dominated the game until the early 2000s. 2 PGs of this era laid the foundation for today's game, and that was Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. Kidd was always pushin the ball up, but Nash changed the game when he left Dallas and paired up with Amare Stoudemire in Phoenix. Suns coach Mike D'Antoni wanted the fastest paced offense ever and Nash was given the key to this high octane offense. With Nash's shooting/passing they ran opponents into the ground, paving the way for you know who..... Steph Curry! obviously Curry's game will go down in history for influening today's game style, but the seeds were Nash, Kidd, Magic

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Great history lesson 👍🏾

[@FloridaManRacer]

that travel call was common back then, ref's are REALLY loose on travel calls today for the 'show' aspect of the game. you'll see guys blatantly take a 3 step no dribble layup with no call CONSTANTLY today. Drives me freaking insane.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Yeah... its just to keep the flow of the game going... but yeah, it can get annoying to watch sometimes

[@bobdavis7518]

There's a video of Larry running to the hoop where he takes five (yes - 5!) steps to the basket with no dribbles, dunks it and the refs don't call him for traveling! I call it the greatest walk never called! Lol!!

[@davinchy4300]

People also have to remember that this will always be uneven however you scramble the egg. When Mike crossed paths with Bird early in his career, Mike went up against Larry and a Boston team full of Hall Of Famers. Mike's only help for the majority of those battles was Charles Oakley. If Bird was on the Bulls at that time and Jordan was on that Boston team instead, would Bird beat MJ? Would that same Boston team hold up against Mike's Bull Dynasty that created 2 separate 3-peats? Bird vs Jordan alone is one thing, but team assistance speak volumes in a game of basketball. Although MJ holds the record for capturing the most NBA trophies in history at 22, i still think that Larry Bird doesn't get the respect that he deserves. He could play with both hands, was one of the best clutch shooters in history, great awareness, not scared to get physical, could score at will, take you out your game mentally, and is the #1 trash talker in the sport that can back it up. Big respect to OG Larry.

[@seansimms8503]

Lol, my best friend back in the early 1980s was Danny Sulivan, Bird of the neighborhood milk crate court...it was while hanging with Danny I really became a Bird fan and bought my first pair of Bird Cons, me and Danny both wore em, I got alot of shit from the other black kids about being a Celtics fan but I didn't care, what I liked about Bird was he wasn't the superior athlete, neither was I at 5'3, but he was able to compete, outplay, defeat guys who were faster, stronger, etc.

[@Bundandong]

I will take those 86’s Celtics against any of the Bulls Team.

[@TrevorLahey3]

I’ve seen all of these videos but you make them worth watching again lol I like that charisma

[@soramirez5473]

for as great a defender pippen was, I dont think he could check bird in the post.. Bird was legit torching rugged power fowards in the post and even centers.. pippen was too small.. But Grant was too slow.. bird was a nightmare..

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

I can see… Bird did whatever he wanted to whoever he wanted

[@rap3208]

Grant was slow but Bird was a lot slower. It is just that Larry was thinking moves ahead of him.

[@soramirez5473]

@@rap3208 whatever it was, not many ppl could check bird..

[@bluegrassreb1]

80's and 90's NBA . The best ever!

[@threerings1345]

In '90-91 the Bulls were the league's elite team and the Celtics were legit contenders until Bird's back betrayed him in January. In this unforgettable game, not only did Bird and Jordan engage each other in one last great showdown, but their teams battled for 58 minutes without letting up. Just one example was Reggie Lewis blocking 4 of Michael's shots.

[@alexperezacevedo5888]

Larry Legend is still a beast with a bad back. Some talking about a bad back game. Bird did that and roasted people.

[@bradbeazley9998]

You betcha! Bird is the only player I can think of that could dominate a game without taking a shot

[@onetruthmediacompany]

This takes me back to watching this game live

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Yeah I should do some more like this

[@hughbennett5342]

I enjoyed your enthusiasm while watching these great players!

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Thanks! I can’t help it… it’s natural enthusiasm🤷🏾‍♂️

[@hughbennett5342]

Basketball was really something special then!

[@insanusmaximus2857]

I saw this game live, one of the last great Bird performances. Michael and Scotty were both amazing, too. Those Eastern Conference teams played a lot of the game in the paint! The old Celtics teams of the 80s in particular would eat you alive in there. It was nice to see the old man get one over on the Bulls, just before they started dominating the league.

[@robertwheatley2471]

Jordan finished 0-6 in the postseason against Bird and Boston... winless. Let that sink in.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Yeah... we like to blame that on MJ's age too... but Larry's team was just a well-oiled machine when they met

[@robertwheatley2471]

@@MarcTheSparcTV I grew up watching the NBA all the way back to the mid/late '70s. The teams in the '80s & '90s would easily handle today's teams. It was a totally different game then and FAR more physical. There are great shooters today (Curry and some others) but the talent and overall game was just better in the '80s and '90s.

[@GrumpyOldGuyPlaysGames]

How could Larry Bird outplay Michael Jordan? By being a better player than Jordan. Why is this a question?

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

sorry... I thought Jordan never loss a game and never missed a shot

[@rduse4125]

Horace Grant, 6’10”, 4X all defensive (2nd team), 4 championships.

[@marcuspi999]

These old games are so great! No one got coddled back then. It was survival of the fittest. Bird played half a game with fractured face bones and brought the team back from down to victory!

[@burkhartlaw1]

You don't get a nickname like Larry Legend for nothing.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Great nickname too

[@BigBuffGuy1]

back then you could hand check, alot of people dont know it but back then they were allowed to play very physical

[@Bassman2353]

MJ never sniffed the finals until Bird retired. During the Dream Team Olympics, MJ said Larry would terrify him if he showed up to play in a wheelchair.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

😅 that’s crazy how much influence Larry had over the opponent’s mind

[@bmd1825]

Remember....that’s back in the day NBA. Those guys were rough and physical and played damn ball, Bird being the GOAT of his era just past the torch to MJ, the GOAT of his time.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

The GOAT of an era is the most fair way to put it

[@barrymorgan5104]

Kind of funny that Bird had some of his most dominant statistical seasons AFTER he was hurt.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Right… it’s like he unlocked the forbidden magical basketball powers but the cost was that his health would deteriorate quickly

[@bradbeazley9998]

Good point..very true,especially the 91 playoffs with the Pacers when Larry fell and broke his cheekbone and he was on another lever for the rest of the game

[@UnderhillKoufax]

Before King MJ, there was King Bird. And they both played like Kings to the end. Both are top three all-time.

[@michaelcoleman3187]

Yes, once upon a time we hand checked.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

😅 the good ol days

[@leepetrie1661]

Ball went into the post cause that’s how the game was played. Physical and not jacking 3s all game.

[@patrickbateman7369]

"Why didn't you pass the ball Mike?"...because his ego wouldn't let him

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

LMFAO

[@juniorjohnson9509]

Jordan used his incredible athletic ability to make his game. Bird used his brain to ruin Jordan's game.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

I guess that's why Jordan never beat Bird in the playoffs

[@spitnificent]

@@MarcTheSparcTV he didn’t have a roster like Bird did when Bird was on his championship runs (a fact that can be looked up or seen by watching games) and Jordan also had a high IQ on top of being great athletically.

[@udishomer5852]

5:20 That's travel is 1991 and was travel when I played basketball in school (1979-1988). In today's NBA nothing is considered a travel...

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Lol yeah rules have definitely changed

[@jasonthompson2355]

And this is Bird, on his way out, beating MJ three months before his first title

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Right… Bird is looking underrated the more I keep watching these videos

[@bradbeazley9998]

I believe Bird was underrated partially due to his appearance and non flashy style of play which could change in one second depending on Birds mood...he was deadly in every level of the game of basketball

[@marykuettner752]

MJ was asked for his favorite Bird moment when he was interviewed by SI. He said "When he retired"

[@charlesparks9011]

Three steps - that's a travel in basketball. But NBA stands for No Basketball Allowed.

[@brasco96wired67]

Jordan had Paxson wide open on his 2nd 3point attempt at the end. If Jordan had passed it to Paxson the game would have gone to another OT and we could've watched Bird cook Horace Grant a few more times.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

😂😅👌🏾

[@accountablehog]

Really enjoyed the video. Thanks man!

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@chrisnelson6991]

"This is a weird brand of basketball... every play we going inside out" LMAO

[@matthewtamony5690]

that's how we used to play. combo flag football/basketball

[@ronlawrence342]

Watch Bird 10 or even 4 years before this and you’ll see a different player . Far more moves and mobility , he hurt his back working concert drive for his parents . Anyway no one can take anything away from Jordan . He took it to the next level and I really don’t think anyone has surpassed him. Bird was the best shooter ever , phenomenal passer and seemed to have a sixth since of were everyone was and were the ball was going to be before it got there . Had an uncanny ability to read the court and the players .

[@smoothALOE]

Horace Grant, I believe, was a 2nd Team All-Defense at that point, yet Bird, who was well past his prime, is winning that battle. THAT is how good Larry Legend was… this isn’t weird basketball, haha, it’s basketball the way it was played in the ‘80s and into the early ‘90s… haha, that remark about traveling. Back then, they still called it! 🤣

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

That's insane smh

[@jayduncan2846]

Yea, there’s no one better to dee up Bird in the post and there’s nothing Grant can do about it. 🏆

[@soramirez5473]

Robert Parish was called the Chief.. David Robinson was called the Admiral..

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Ahhhhh I knew it was something like that

[@polyscroll]

A broke-back Bird absolutely COOKED Horace Grant in this game.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

and Horace Grant was supposedly an All NBA Defender

[@polyscroll]

@@MarcTheSparcTV Better yet is when Bird shoots in the face of both Jordan and Pippen and hits nothing but net. They were arguably the two best defenders in the entire league at that time. Bird may not have been very athletic or fast, but he had unshakable confidence in himself & his abilities, and a very killer instinct. Thanks for your video! I really enjoyed your commentary!

[@licensedtochill4882]

Larry Bird's back was a bag of broken glass at this point in his career. And he still torching Scotty in the post. You got to think if Larry Bird didn't come back to basketball and stayed on the garbage truck, he would have been liftin trash bags with that broken back better than all the younger guys that had just started the job. He was French Lick strong.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

The way Bird pain was unmatched

[@randylachowski1332]

The physicality of that era is part of what made basketball great to watch... Unlike the woke soft league of today

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Exactly! Back when they had ACTUAL rivalries

[@randylachowski1332]

@@MarcTheSparcTV yes...it was more about playing AGAINST the best versus forming a stacked team WITH the best players.... That's what made the first Olympic dream team so special...in the league of that time, you would never see all the greats competing on one team

[@chenito36]

Back then they were more physical and they were hand checking. Now it is not allowed. Can you imagine what Bird, and MJ would do in today's league

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Have a field day

[@ervinspain9718]

It would be criminal.

[@Jondsmusic]

What’s so hard to understand how Larry Legend beat Jordan? The so called greet one went 0-6 against Larry and was 11-23 against him in the regular season so it shouldn’t be a shock to those who do research and truly understand the true game of basketball.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Because people talk like MJ never loss a game and never missed a shot lol

[@Jondsmusic]

@@MarcTheSparcTV right buy they’re fools who have no idea what they’re talking about. The facts prove otherwise. It was really a rhetorical question anyway.

[@JackCerro]

That Jordan shot at the end of the first OT is sick.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Yeah they need to add that to his highlights reel 100 percent… idc that they called it off

[@brasco96wired67]

It was a great shot but he really didn't beat the clock if you watch closely. It was a good call.

[@tobybostick5570]

@@MarcTheSparcTV Red light all the way, It was a good call.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

@@brasco96wired67 they must have hit started the clock early or something

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

@@tobybostick5570 I’d still put that in the highlight reel lol

[@leoderosia9279]

Bird was 34 here with a cranky back but still had a really good all around game despite loss of mobility. I think if bias survived with a healthy bird, Reggie Lewis , chief , McHale then celtics would've really pushed bulls in 91 playoffs ....Reggie and bias would've been twin terrors, RIP

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Yeah... that would be scary

[@charlesking4780]

There's only one Larry Legend.🏀

[@yambo59]

One helluva game, Im a huge Bird fan but both teams were giving it 110 %, no shame on Chicago for losing, both sides played like the champions they were.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Facts

[@hovmad8702]

Bro..you are so entertaining listening to..keep up the good work..

[@kevinbrady6075]

Marc,great reaction!Bravo!

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Appreciate you🙏🏾

[@orlandochapa2074]

That’s old school basketball, physical and a team effort. Not like today’s game, where everyone is shooting 3’s and have to be carried off the court because their ego is bruised.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

😅ego bruised… out for 3-5 days

[@teresavicario5848]

A ref once was quoted as saying, during a playoff, “ unless I see blood, I am not calling it.”

[@ToddandRaquiForrest]

Even Bird in physical pain and falling apart could match MJ basket for basket.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Which sounds insane

[@goofydog2]

@17:35 Larry gives Grant a slap on his butt after the game ended. I've never seen Larry congratulate a player from the opposing team. Grant must have done somethings very well for tarry to do that. I wish they did more of that in all sports. Football players tend to come over and talk to the opposing team when the game is over. That's cool...

[@teddyj5187]

Jordan got so many calls that nobody else ever got. He was playing new NBA rules.

[@rayr4320]

Pipi on the wing was like a giant wave spppppeding to the basket. Bird switched it up at 15:20. Paxson 5 for 5 from downtime. One of the most underrated sharp shooters. Its too bad Len Bias and Reggie Lewis died, really set the Celtics back for a decade.

[@Reddog7937]

4:59 Yes they called a travel. Another reason Jordan is better then Labron. The rules were tougher back then too, not just the players. You could only make two steps to basket without dribbling.Not 5 like today’s guys. Also hand checking on defense was allowed back then. Not anymore. And there are other rules that ar3 geared toward more offense.

[@thefuture9361]

Its called a travel because he picked his pivot foot up. Same as today. And no, Jordan isnt better than Lebron.

[@nathanc30]

Your comment about inside out is correct. There were alot more frequent buckets made back then because of it. 3 pt shooting was supplemental. Now, mid range is supplemental.

[@echoromeo384]

And to imagine that bird was damn near crippled at this point in his career. He had to get into traction for 4-6 hours before a game just to give his spine enough time to stabilize to allow him to play. Bird in his prime is one of the best to ever do it. No one like him ever. My GOAT 🐐.

[@paladin313]

They were a lot tighter on traveling back then. Back then, if you pivoted towards the basket and then stepped, the subsequent motion needed to be you shooting. In short, it was 1 1/2 steps. The only time you get more is the two steps you are allowed when you are catching a pass on the run and are coming to a stop or shooting. In that case, it's 3 1/2. Jordan was dribbling and took two complete steps before shooting. I do believe there was one basketball announcer that called it, "Taking a bunny hop through the pea patch." Today, seeing a traveling call is like sighting a unicorn. Either that, or it depends on the star power of the player.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

😂 facts… it’s crazy today… they have all kinds of fancy footwork today… some signature moves are travels, but they just let it slide

[@archie4oz]

“bunny hop in the pea patch” is Chick Hearn (announcer for the Lakers). You should watch a home game or two of the Showtime Era Lakers with him calling the game. They’re pure delight to listen to.

[@retiredwelder]

Larry swept jordan in every playoff. 87-92 birds back was so bad he was in constant pain. He still swept jordan. Bird was a better shooter then jordan. Especially at the buzzer. I’d take.bird over jordan any day.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

A lot of people would agree with you

[@retiredwelder]

@@MarcTheSparcTV don’t get me wrong. Jordan was an amazing ball player obviously.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

@@retiredwelder I mean of course… it’s Jordan

[@kenthomas4668]

Love, love ,love Bird but he wasn't better than MJ. Sorry. Bird called MJ the best BB player he'd ever seen and he was right. For me if I had to pick my 5 Bird is one of them, Wilt, Tim Duncan, Mj, Magic.

[@retiredwelder]

@@kenthomas4668 jordan was a better defense player. Bird was a better shooter. So many people seem to have forgot about wilt chamberlain it’s sad. And bill Russell was the best defensive player probably in history. Now that was a rivalry!!!!!!

[@TheDeer94]

Not to mention Larry Bird earn his points better than Jordan and this is why I say that, Jordan had 13 free throws Larry Bird only had 3. So out of Michael Jordan 37 points 13 of them worth free throws. So out of Larry Bird's 34 points only 3 of them were free throws. Larry had much more rebounds

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

aye... points are points

[@ArnoldwilliamDow]

Respect for Dirk staying with his franchise- that is old school and he surely could shoot... BUT to hear you say Bird is LIKE Dirk is just... wrong because in comparison Bird was far, far better than him. When Larry retired I couldn't even watch the NBA anymore. It was probably 15 years before I started again.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

I just make style comparisons... definitely not putting Dirk on Bird's level

[@Pktattooss]

I will never forget watching this game. Stressful and as fun as it gets. Bird is my #1 always. He beat everyone. And no one else can say that.

[@bwink23]

It's not surprising at all, Larry Bird was incredible.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

I knew Larry was good, but I’m just starting to find out how great he actually was

[@edwardclement102]

It should be noted Larry beat MJ in all the playoff series they played, Celtics vs Bulls, and almost beat him as a coach in a series, Pacers vs Bulls, but Larry said he made a coaching mistake.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Lol Larry was still a savage even as a coach

[@BrainDesmo]

At 5:11, MJ did travel. He changed pivot foots. Dang that ref had good eyes.

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Too good

[@jackcade68]

Why is it so unbelievable that a white man can ball?

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Because Jordan was supposed to be "God disguised at Michael Jordan"

[@cindyknudson2715]

@@MarcTheSparcTV That was for one game where he shot 63 and still lost.

[@chenito36]

That is the old Boston Garden

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

Yeah… it was hype

[@chenito36]

@@MarcTheSparcTV I am not sure if you know this about the old garden. The ventilation was none. They had to use fans to cool the lockerooms. There was no a/c. If you get a chance go back and look up the inside temp of the championship games with the Lakers. I can remember one game where they showed the temp and it was over 100 degrees in there. That was the last of the relic stadiums to stand....

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

@@chenito36 yeah… that’s insane… now way they could legally play in that gym today

[@dennisstubbs3164]

At the 3:49 mark that wasn’t Horace Grant he was killin’, it was Jordan…

[@MarcTheSparcTV]

ahhhh... Larry was cooking everybody lol