Michael Jordan vs Larry Bird Highlights (1991.03.31) - 71pts, Crazy Battle! Must Watch!

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[@stephenasunnamedsource2943]

Its crazy how people say Bird couldn't play in todays league but MJ and Pippen are some of the greatest defenders all time and even they're having issues with Bird.

[@versatiletitan2466]

Looked like they didn't wanto defend him

[@bendcreagh]

Agree, it’s not like he is much different athletically to Luka. His strengths are also better suited to today’s playing style

[@jcal2115]

Bird not being able to play in 2020 or 3020 is ridiculous..would be great in any era

[@yvans.]

Ben Creagh I think the best comparison with bird is Jokic not Luka....

[@aaronsmith5185]

Who said bird couldn’t play today his play style is exactly like today’s league

[@patricksobb5762]

Funny how Bird was consistently putting up almost triple-double numbers in his twilight with a bad back and he is hardly ever mentioned in GOAT conversations.

[@jaywilliamson3991]

Ugly Nigga Kobe is not in front of bird but he is for sure top 5 everyone says he’s a copy of mj and put mj at number one but will say Kobe isn’t top 5 even tho Jordan himself says it would be like playing a mirror of himself but anyways back to the point bird is for sure top 3

[@elbowgang9715]

Real talk Bird from 83-88 is 2nd all time to first 3 peat MJ for GOAT peak

[@jaywilliamson3991]

Ugly Nigga lol Kobe carried the lakers after shaq fouled out proving he didn’t need him and it was in the playoffs lmao stop it and how many rings Kobe get after they split and how many shaq get fu*k outta here with that lmao 😂 btw Shaq isn’t top 5 because he was lazy if he stayed in shape and worked like Kobe, Jordan, lebron or anyone like that he would had been the best to ever do it no questions he was already almost unstoppable when he was lazy af

[@donniepate7313]

Bird is top 3 greatest of alltime

[@donniepate7313]

Jay Williamson Kobe aint top 15 in my mind way too inconsistent

[@alecvip7562]

Incredible. Larry is on the end of his career, with excruciating back pain, putting up similar numbers to mj and scottie pippen in their primes. Larry STILL had his way with players, even when he was playing in slow motion compared to everyone else.

[@johnszczerba9979]

Pippen didn't often put up numbers like Bird in this game

[@PIP...33]

@@johnszczerba9979 HE PUT IN DEFENSE BUT U R BLIND U THINK BASKETABLL IS PPG ONLY

[@Boski23]

Exactly

[@TrueRoshi]

This wasn’t anywhere near Mike’s prime.

[@tinyfalcon1185]

Sorry but his avg was 19 while Jordan’s was 30+

[@Michael0429]

The more that I watch highlights of Larry Bird, the more that I admire his overall game

[@lamontmelrose7640]

bruh, LB was that dude! Only to be rivaled by Magic in their hay...those 2 were out of control! Man, they'd be 7/12, 20pts, 8 ast, 8 rebs, 2 steals, and CONTROL THE WHOLE GAME!! And could blow up anytime they wanted to! Balling in the 80s to 90s was special

[@DrDangerNerd]

And Bird was old in this video!

[@DrDangerNerd]

@@brianjackson3031 I'm aware of that. Bird retired the following season. That was the old (injured) Larry as opposed to prime Larry.

[@timhoward5]

His passings is so raw.

[@Gefionius]

Larry did whatever his team needed him to do to win, rebounds, blocks, fouls, steals, passing, scoring, you see some games only maybe 20 points, but he’d have 25 boards and 9 assists. Crazy. And how does a guy that slow get steals???

[@Adino1]

Jordan: Physical Prime but not Mental Bird: Mental Prime but not Physical This was a top tier game in basketball history.

[@jerrykilroy7112]

1991 michael was mentally great too, won the title that year

[@lll9416]

Bird entered the NBA in his mental prime. He took a 20 something win team to 60 something win team with only him as the roster change. MJ is the GOAT but he couldn't beat prime Larry.

[@fithealth247]

@@lll9416 True regarding Bird. BUT..we never got to see the late 80's Bulls and early 90's Bulls that had a squad around MJ compete against those early to mid 80's celtics. MJ didnt start getting quality players around him who would be key pieces to their 1st 3 peat until the 87 draft. By that time in 88-89 the Celtics were done and the Pistons took them out in the playoffs via sweep..ending their run. So for me, I really wished we could of saw the late 80's early 90's bulls with a better roster around MJ go up against Bird and those celtics.

[@jgoppenh]

Top tier, for sure. Bird showed off his mastery of the game. Jordan was demonstrating his growing trust of teammates, but still looking to score first. Why not, given his embarrassing advantages? Triple teams be damned. Loved watching these extended highlights.

[@elbowgang9715]

@@lll9416 David Robinson did that too..matter of fact his Spurs team broke the Celtics record for biggest turnaround in league history

[@resdalhogal3]

Not even prime Bird. This was bad back Bird. Insane

[@vaderetro264]

His talent seemed limitless. The biggest the challenge the stronger he showed, even when his body wasn't healthy. That's the mark of a true prodigy and champion.

[@mikeystarr775]

And two surgically repaired heels

[@wallacesharpe196]

resdalhogal3, bad back larry my ass with all those good teammates.

[@Adino1]

This was 'I'm gonna beat Mike' Bird And he did.

[@calrosan3063]

Millennial nowadays always mentioned LBJ vs MJ...but mennn...LBJ needs to pass on Larry Legend/Magic first..lol

[@timothyday9053]

In a short 13 year career I can only imagine what Bird could have done in a 18 or 20 year career if he was healthy. There are no other words than to define him as "pure greatness".

[@alanduff1054]

there iZ another word.. GOAT...

[@WeKnowTheDifference]

Man Bird is in my top 5. He was a killer, a hard nosed winner and leader who did the dirty work and willed his teams to victory. The Bird Celtics were scary and I was a Bulls fan.

[@alanduff1054]

@@WeKnowTheDifference Da GOAT

[@siner2442]

A lot of ppl like to say that the only reason he Won was bcuz he was on this Celtics team full of Legends… but was the Celtics best player, so what does that say about him? 95% of players would’ve folded being part of that roster bcuz of the pressure… Bird decided to become a Legend! 🙌

[@vernonleewarren280]

Agreed

[@philipfletcher4867]

When you look at the numbers and understand that Bird screwed up his back in a serious way. You begin to understand how good Bird really was. Imagine him without all that back pain.

[@jawick5150]

we don’t have to imagine him without the back pain we’ve seen him without the back pain 🔥

[@Deadhammer218]

@@jawick5150 He had his injury in 85' and he entered the league in 79'. He won his 3rd consecutive MVP in 1985-86 season, after suffering back injury in the offseason. He was entering his prime at 30, so we'll never know what healthy Larry was capable of. There might have been another gear that he never got to switch due to his injury, but we'll never know for sure.

[@jawick5150]

@@Deadhammer218 touché he might would have been better than jordan

[@Deadhammer218]

​@@jawick5150 Compared to some other NBA players (T-Mac, Grant Hill etc.), he at least had the chance to showcase his skills at the highest level (MVPs/championships etc.) and is one of the most iconic players ever. Although Magic had to stop playing due to his HIV, at that time he was fully developed player - Larry was getting better every year until his injury. Shame, cause even if he would be the same player, the injury costed him his longevity, and we didn't get to see MJ vs Bird series at the peak of their strenght.

[@innosanto]

It is not only back pain, it is surgery. He removed part from the back, the surgery did not recover fully especially Bird body which was with injuries since 1985. He would go to doctors and Chiropractors to realign and bring back to proper structure his spine before the games since then but by 1988 it was very bad. After the 1988 when he lost the whole season practically, there was no recovery since he had nerve issues and spine.

[@mattlkyuen]

Magic, Bird, MJ...This three legends must be in the all time starting lineup...

[@octopus8420]

Also Oscar Robertson is the better PG than Magic

[@dustyroze150]

@@octopus8420 shidd! u krazy. #32Magic greatest NBA player ever, played every position 1-5 at 6ft.10in.

[@calrosan3063]

Yeah...i had them in my All time starting 5 along with Shaq+wilt

[@rubenj2869]

Facts

[@protectorofwakanda9885]

Would put lebron instead of larry

[@beneaththeremains9523]

Bird was not even on his prime here but played great truly a Legend...

[@rivera2030]

more than that he was basically crippled with back pain.

[@krlm2280]

Very true and when he did in his final season in '92 vs Portland was insane 49pts 13reb 11ast

[@AJ.009]

you are beautiful

[@reyanhuq5201]

GOAT

[@montecarloss3094]

Reyan Huq You meant Michael Jordan is the GOAT... right?

[@mattfurry3205]

I remember watching this when I was a kid. It was the first time I ever recorded on TV ( VHS ) because I knew how great Jordan and Bird were and I knew that Bird was injured so badly and that I might never see him again. I watched it over and over again. This video brings back so many memories. Thank you.

[@vernonleewarren280]

Wow! What a game! Jordan and Bird was just on another level than anyone else. Bird also was suffering from a bad back at this time in his career. Incredible players! Elite

[@amittracy]

Jordon chokes in final minutes 🤣

[@tszfungshin5971]

Damn Bird was on his last leg but still put up a show against MJ. Top 5 ever no cap

[@M1GarandPing]

Of course !!!!!

[@Moneymaker600]

His back was bad

[@potatotamato1342]

Tupacolypse Now not too 5, but great none the less.

[@M1GarandPing]

@@potatotamato1342 larry bird prior to injury. 29 9 and 7 on 50 40 90. 2 time 50 40 90 member. Only player to have more than 1 50 40 90 season while meeting the scoring minimum. 50 40 90 with 29 9 and close to 8... now imagine if he didnt get injured... can u imagine if bird had like 2 or more seasons like that? Prime larry bird is better than prime lebron. Plus bird was accumulating tripple doubles faster than lebron. Lebron only caught bird in tripple doubles after plahing mkre seasoms than bird. Bro larry magic are both ahead of lebron. Please i hate lebron fans

[@potatotamato1342]

Tupacolypse Now, imagine if Derrick rose and Tmac didn’t get injured, that’s not an argument.

[@seankennedy18]

Even with his spine crushed and going through unimaginable pain, Larry was always the truth. I love seeing the Passion & Pride between Bird and Jordan.

[@voldmerot]

True, but Larry also always had better teammates don't you agree?

[@capitanfuturo594]

​@@voldmerot Stop writing nonsense. Larry Bird was a better player than Jordan.

[@voldmerot]

@@capitanfuturo594 by what metric? I'm genuinely curious.

[@wadeharris348]

Bird and Jordan's playing style were so different. Bird's was simple and practical, yet highly effective. Nothing flashy but always got the job done and won.

[@vanhattfield8292]

The fact that they played different positions has something to do with that...

[@keithjoseph128]

He was pretty flashy.

[@HiNRGboy]

lol Bird was one of the flashiest to ever do it... There's different kinds of flash. Bird always wowed the crowds just as MJ did.

[@nickdavis5947]

Bird was dropping no look dimes, falling into opposing benches on fadeways, calling his shots, and jawing all game. He was extremely flashy

[@BRaggles]

Super casual. Bird was crazy flashy, especially in transition.

[@justsevenminutes1298]

Watching MJ vs Bird, MJ vs Magic, Bird vs Magic, everyone vs the Bad Boys, and with Marv Albert commentating. What a time to be alive. We will never see this kind of basketball again...

[@dvdgway]

Can we all just take a moment to agree on how beautiful the old Boston garden and parquet floor was?

[@gabemcknight8933]

Agree

[@RoRockerB]

The green was ugly... The parquet though... classic

[@RollinTwentySix]

Yeah man, the old Garden was legendary for it's quirks. The floor had some spots where the ball bounced different than others and one rim was more tightly sprung than the other!

[@depannist]

Yup ... and no air conditioning, lol. Not a place where you want the game to go into OT.

[@Frankincensedjb123]

the floors dead spots, crippled AC, and ugly decore? Yeah, great

[@MindfulAttraction]

their style of scoring was so different yet so effective

[@brazierdangote1952]

Imagine not dribbling for 20 seconds lol

[@jacobscholtissek8337]

mj Looks Cool when he scroes Bird made defnders looks stupid when he scores i love both

[@amancalledhawk5575]

@@brazierdangote1952 straightforward attack no extra dribbles

[@H-718-BROOKLYN]

Bird 15 Rebounds Along with His Points & Assists He Was Racking Up Them Boards Yo it Goes To Show us Hustle to get after the ball Can control the tempo by possession by possession

[@Marcus.the.baller]

Mj =🐐

[@AiNEntertainment101]

....as an ex-baller with major back injuries myself, it's so impressive to see how Larry managed his pain and stiffness just so he could still focus and execute on the highest level. When I grow up, I wanna be like Larry. 😎💪🔥🏀

[@cindyknudson2715]

Agreed

[@hindflight]

Definitely! and those back injuries (like Bird had) are the worst for that!!

[@soup100]

So blessed to have been able to watch these games live. Bird and MJ matchups were epic.

[@dr2822]

Bird would be an absolute beast in this era with his long range shooting!

[@innosanto]

His passing was the best

[@kristianpetersen4178]

Bird pats Grant on the back a true class act

[@hectorlopez1069]

Indeed

[@javigar133]

Imagine Bird today, you cant touch him... Pure domination

[@nbagoats4819]

And is post game was incredible as well. Straight fundamental. Just a great all around player. Bird is so underrated imo.

[@bornresaabe]

Its amazing to see how high level MJ and Bird were. They were practically in sync with each other the entire game. 2 of the GOATS battling for the win.

[@insanusmaximus2857]

This one always reminded me a little of the Bird-Dominique duel from a few years earlier. Two all-time greats just dominating the game. It's one of my favorite games ever.

[@IAm-fp7sr]

You sure you watched the same video I did? Bird shots are superior to mj. Bird demeanor for making shots look rudimentary and hold higher level of difficulty in execution as compared to Jordan. Bird had more contests as opposed mj. Bird played better defense as opposed to mj.

[@MrSPIDEY21]

@@IAm-fp7sr no they aren’t. Birds shots are more contested because he isn’t creating the space jordan can because he’s not as quick or explosive.

[@MrAntwun]

@@MrSPIDEY21 it's funny how he is trying to discredit Jordan with to that nonsense . They are two of the greatest ever but their games are different

[@AD-ur1fk]

@@IAm-fp7sr bro stop. Bird himself called Mj god

[@shawnkincheloesr5192]

How quickly people forget, how good of a player Larry Legend truly was & I am a die hard Laker fan 💛💜 but it is all about respect ✌🏾 👊🏾

[@kayceelebron7706]

imagine lebron goes 0 of 7 like jordan and bird went in 1st overtime, or lebron misses back to back 3 point shot to tie the game like jordan just did. skip Bayless and haters will drink his blood for months. all these highlights show me is jordan bird pippen were amazing stars and made mistakes just like bron. social media and internet just made people hate on bron for doing exactly what others have done

[@shawnkincheloesr5192]

@@kayceelebron7706 Nawwwwwww Jaycee Lebron and Lebron made people hate him by primarily saying ( that he was the best to ever do it ) 😳 Ummmmmmmm are you kidding me & I don’t hate him, because I believe that he is an ( above average player ) but to say that he is better than MJ 😳 = now that is absolutely ludicrous, & not only does Lebron need to stop saying that, but all of those who keep trying to put Lebron James over MJ need to stop it right now, because Lebron James doesn’t even come close to a player like MJ & just because Kobe Bryant is gone ( Lebron ) wasn’t even better than Kobe in my mind, so people just need to stop saying that foolishness right now. And stop stroking Lebron’s ego ( For real )

[@kayceelebron7706]

@@shawnkincheloesr5192 what you want him to say, that he isnt good enough? haters hate no matter what you do. i was 13 in Nigeria and in 1998 and i told every opponent that am the greatest to ever play and my biggest dream was to school Jordan the day i get to usa. thats how a competitive sports man talks. i loved jordan iversob kobe carter and bron but my biggest dream was to win them, cos in my heart i was the greatest to ever touch a basketball and f*ck whoever thinks am not. kobe said thesame thing and i love that he said he will pick himself over jordan or bron, thats the mindset i love. every superstarwho believes in themself should call themself the goat and try to prove it, dont fold for no haterandtill tomorrow why i say nba title winners are not world champions is bcos people like me who didnt grow up in the USA didnt get the opportuinity to show their talent, image Giannis parents didnt run away from nigeria or hakeem olajuwon didnt get lucky and leave Nigeria you would never believe they would win nba MVP. he is my goat

[@edkiely2712]

I remember watching this amazing game as a kid! Absolutely lived for those Sunday national TV games! This one was easily one of the top 10 regular season games played in the 1990's! Raucous crowd, big stars and big shot-making! The NBA needs to return to playing Sunday's late-morning/ early-afternoon games in their nationally televised lineup!

[@dhruvverma2000]

Larry was shooting so smooth despite the fact of playing against the best defenders in the game at that time. Whats more scary is the fact that he wasn’t playing his best cause of his injuries 😭

[@Josh-sk5xd]

This is what you call an NBA game!!!

[@tacodaddy4309]

You could tell Larry was physically in pain already, but still found a way. Damn.

[@billj4525]

What year did he hurt his back? It's sad that he hurt his back so bad as a young man. It really affected his career and longevity too.

[@beepboop4833]

@@billj4525 During the 1985 offseason so basically for the second half of his career he struggled with back injuries.

[@blurplebear8573]

Bird was the greatest of all time. If he had one 1/4 of any of the other greats athleticism it wouldn’t even be a debate. His basketball IQ is so far ahead of everyone else’s. If he played right now he wouldn’t even have to worry about back issues cause there’s no defense played. He’d average about 45-50 a game and have the whole league in mental health counseling.

[@josiahkratz5118]

Bro I just watched those highlights the defense didn't look any better than today's good defensive teams

[@blurplebear8573]

@@josiahkratz5118 Well you have to also understand that they were not allowed to play zone defense like they are now and you could actually hand check people back then which made it way more difficult to actually take a shot and get open. Watch the drives to the lane and the contact that happens on every play. That is what distinguishes this generation of men playing basketball from the pussies that play it today. There's not one guy right now who could physically hold up to that style for as long as most of the greats from that time did. Even the screens being set then as compared to now are totally different. The NBA has been a joke for almost 20 years at this point because they have taken out the grind of what it takes to make it through a whole season. That used to be a skill you needed to have, to be physically tough enough to make it through. Now guys take 25 rest games a year off when they aren't even barely getting touched during the games either. You ever see MJ take a day off in the mid season against a team that was 5-29? That never happened. Cause he's not a pussy like the new wave.

[@josiahkratz5118]

@@blurplebear8573 😂there was only one play that was at all physical in those highlights and it was a normal basketball play the guy was gonna get beat so he grabbed him and made sure he couldn't get the shot up the rest those guys would drive into the lane and they weren't getting clobbered or but on the butt or their head taken off like all these old guys say they would do if you came into the paint in their day it's all revisionary history we all remember things to be better back in our day Than what they were. I do agree tho that today's nba players are pussies

[@jasongibbs3713]

@@josiahkratz5118 you have to watch the whole games. You can't get the full picture just from highlights. For example, you could hand check and hip check guys off the ball, making it harder to get open to get the ball in the first place. That's just 1 example. There are plenty more

[@SuperLlamaJuice]

I feel like the announcers aren’t excited enough about the shots Larry was hitting. Those are some sick Fade-aways.

[@JoseBYOB]

Insane shots. Asking for the rock with Grant all over him.

[@geitalew7677]

and his body was absolutely cooked at this stage.

[@cactusjack2264]

Lol, this was normal for Larry Bird, I’m sure they didn’t see anything out of the ordinary

[@thepunditspundit1776]

Bird’s own home announcers would go “Bird has 36...probably 38” as he shot the ball. Nothing out of the ordinary

[@LampwicksCigar]

Larry Bird was so good it was easy to take for granted how consistently he did stuff like that.

[@TheWarlord9883]

@ 3:20 MJ quickly recognizes he's already too late to cover Bird, doesn't bother putting his arm up completely and starts running back knowing Larry is going to make the shot. Greatness recognizing greatness.

[@lukemccann]

love this lol

[@thepunditspundit1776]

He knew it. Started running back before it went in. Larry is the one guy Michael just flat left alone. Had all the chances in the world to be cruel when Larry was crippled, and he still had that respect.

[@AdpYTExplorer]

damn, good catch! On seeing the clip it does kinda seem that way. Such an interesting moment between legends

[@mariopantoja8259]

Too late....go play defense

[@nanka2002]

that's a very good observation.

[@christophermcclean4885]

This was a crazy stat line for Bird. Two years away from his retirement and playing on old legs! Amazing numbers, especially the blocks assists and rebounds!

[@atableinthewilderness680]

I love how they both made the same exact play: pump faking the shot to draw the defender into the air and then moving into the defender while shooting to draw the foul. The ball even bounced around the same way on the rim until it dropped in.

[@andybilakshow260]

that was unreal. It was exactly the same!

[@cindyknudson2715]

Jordan was a good pupil?

[@JoseBYOB]

What a time to be alive. Rare to see two greats go at it like this. Both MJ and Bird playing confidently to their strengths. Both men hitting contested shot after contested shot, ice water pumping through their veins. Both teams stacked and hungry, playing hard defense until the bitter end.

[@hennylo68]

I watched this game as a kid on TV. It was amazing.

[@JoseBYOB]

@@hennylo68 lucky man dude.

[@JoseBYOB]

@@hennylo68 I can imagine, man. Even though basketball isn't the same anymore, I can't wait for it to start up again.

[@danielstark4025]

Horace Grant gettin lit up like a like a Christmas Tree.

[@reniyahblack3296]

Lit TF UP!

[@jonquist7089]

Horace Grant was playing suffocating defense most of the game too.

[@thehealthychefri]

I grew up a 10 minute walk from the Garden and remember partying the night before! Their was no shot Larry was going to get beat, even crippled. The 86 Celtics would have beat any Bulls team!

[@NameCallingIsWeak]

Magic did that to Horace in 1990 also. Grant is a fine player, but nobody has an easy time guarding legends.

[@fredrichoshunrinde873]

Having nightmares trying to stay with that bird

[@justinbergmans36]

Michael was absolutely amazing. But, you could see how he was so great. Lean and athletic, with an uncanny gift to control his body in the air. Larry didn’t look like he belonged on an nba court. Ever. Even as a young rookie, Larry didn’t seem to belong. His greatness was arguably more magical, precisely because you didn’t know how he was doing it. And he was just as clutch as magic and Michael.

[@steviechampagne]

larry was better than magic. he made some big shots back in the day

[@nassiglutt6587]

​@@steviechampagnebetter but it's so close and with the fact that LB is a 50-40-90 dude , better shooter and rebounder too tho magic is the better facilitator and passer. "our game is exactly the same" -- magic "that's why we hate each other-- larry People leans towards magic is greater and i know for sure that's cus he won more rings which is their no 1 factor but individually i also agree bird is better and my no 1 reason is if they're equal on ofense, bird is a level or 2 better on defense

[@johncox770]

@@steviechampagne Larry was better than Magic? That’s pure nonsense. Both were great.

[@User-gs1dk]

@@johncox770 It's not nonsense at all if you look at the peak of their careers. At lot of analysis of the two stupidly IMO look at cumulative career stats. In that way Magic probably has the edge but if you're trying to choose the best player at their peak there is a very strong argument that Bird is the word. Look at the advance analytics. Bird led the league 4 times in VORP. Magic? Once. Box plus minus? Bird again led the league 4 times. Magic? Zero. Win shares? Bird twice. Magic? Zero. PER? Bird twice. Magic? Zero. Bird had multiple seasons where he led the league in almost every advanced analytic simultaneously. Magic hardly every led the league in even a single advanced analytic stat. So yeah I'm not sure how it's a nonsense opinion to say Bird was Better than the Magic. Almost every advanced stat backs that up.

[@s7654r]

The way Bird grab the rebound and spilt the defends at 4:40 is amazing. He knows if he goes straight up he will get blocked or stolen.

[@Forever_Soul]

a young jordan and a bad back bird and still getting it done.how can you not put bird in goat conversation?bird is really underrated

[@Forever_Soul]

@Dillan Ponis agree

[@wizmj2003]

@@sludge4125 Scoring 9 points in the final OT to defeat prime Jordan and the eventual NBA Champions is truly world class. At this point Bird was moving like a 50-year old because of his wrecked back, yet still scored 34 points on 42% shooting against the 2 best defenders of that era. Combine that with 15 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal and you have a truly world class performance from a well past his prime legend.

[@quantumlight2universe12]

Young Jordan worse than old bird, at 12 for 36, 33% from the field.

[@sludge4125]

wizmj2003 Good point, wiz.

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

@@wizmj2003 Don't forget the double heel surgery he had in '87 - and never fully recovered from. It wasn't JUST the back.

[@neojso]

Larry's shot is so smooth

[@sludge4125]

15 for 36!!

[@quantumlight2universe12]

Jordan 12 for 36, a poor 33%

[@seanhorgan76]

Agreed, but his passing skills are above and beyond

[@lukaz3336]

@SkyH23 I mean Bird is a better shooter tho.

[@SomersetVet]

@SkyH23 the man mj could NEVER beat

[@JB_WhoWork]

I enjoy watching Bird play, it’s like he’s not even trying lol! His jumper was quick and he had grit that made him very dangerous 💪🏾

[@DrMctwiddle]

8:09 what a piece of defense from Bird. His hand knew where the ball was going before his eyes did. Within the matter of a millisecond.

[@lamontmelrose7640]

...and don't ever doubt it :: LB drove me crazy (I'm a Laker fan of course), but I had to respect his game...Legend

[@alanduff1054]

EVERY game too... Da GOAT...

[@leonli4647]

Bird's skill and instinct was ridiculous, could be a top 3 player in any era.

[@dearkazuscorner2549]

Amazing! probably the last time Bird could offer a battle to MJ, since his back was basically destroyed at this point. This was also a Bulls Team that would win its first Title merely 4 months after this game. This just goes to prove how awesome Bird was!!

[@cannibaljohnson.2409]

The fact that Larry was running them courts like that with a pretty much destroyed back Is absolutely ridiculous. What a legend.

[@Dbails-wu6gu]

Came back to rewatch this clip. Man, I really miss this style of basketball- man to man defense, tight lanes, better effort all around throughout the game. Playing man defense takes so much more energy and stamina

[@vernonleewarren280]

Me too😔 What a great era the 80s.and 90s.were

[@mattwatts33]

Jordan knew Bird was on a different level competitively. The respect between these two was something unique and special.

[@sludge4125]

Bird’s 15 for 36 really humiliated jordan and company.

[@quantumlight2universe12]

Yes compared to Jordans 12 for 36 it did

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

@@quantumlight2universe12 Bird on a poor shooting night - hits at about a Kobe pace, while MJ hits almost 10% worse.

[@poohtaylor23]

@@bricefleckenstein9666 kobe SET A RECORD FOR THE MOST MISSES IN NBA HISTORY 4 YEARS BEFORE HE RETIRED. PHIL JACKSON TOLD HIM RIGHT WHEN HE SAID PASS THE BALL kobe

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

@@poohtaylor23 "Bird on a POOR shooting night" - you don't have to explain to ME that Kobe was often known by people that paid attention as "Mr. Brick" or why. Kobe had exactly ONE season he shot more than 1% better than the AVERAGE NBA player, and several he shot WORSE - Bird had ONE SEASON he shot worse than average, and USUALLY shot 2-4% above NBA average. This is DESPITE Kobe "taking it to the basket" a lot more than Bird did for higher-percentage shots like dunks and layups. Kobe had 6 seasons as the highest misses in the league, and 3 runner up years - BIrd was never in that competition (never placed in the Top 20 for misses in a season). The only person that was even close on league-leading miss seasons was Wilt - but while Wilt led the league in misses 4 seasons in a row, he also led the league in SCORING all 4 of those seasons AND LED THE LEAGUE IN FG% 3 of those 4 seasons (he was #3 in FG% the season he scored 50.4 per game) - so no REAL competition there (to be fair, Kobe did lead the league 2 times on PPG, both included in his league-leading MISS seasons). Kobe was 18'th in FG% in his BEST accuracy season, very early in his career - and never cracked the Top 20 any other season, despite the AVERAGE NBA shooter averaging 3-5% worse from 2 point range in HIS era vs Bird's era. By Bird era standards, Kobe was a WAY below average shooter, Bird was an above average shooter.

[@julianmarsh1378]

Wait. Bird in 91 when he is half-crippled and near the end of his career...holds his own against Jordan in his prime? WTF

[@michaelinkpen4188]

Correction, .mental prime Bird vs physical prime Jordan.

[@jaywilliamson3991]

This is why bird needs more respect people stay sleeping on how great he was

[@NameCallingIsWeak]

@@michaelinkpen4188 Jordan won the title in 1991, so this is also "mental Prime Jordan" ... correct?

[@michaelinkpen4188]

@@NameCallingIsWeak, no, the start of the second three peat was MJ's mental prime.

[@RollinTwentySix]

To be fair, Larry had the old Boston Garden to help him out. This was a notoriously tough court, with some oddball spots in the floors and one rim much more stiff than the other. Larry thrived there, knew all the court's quirks.

[@POLITICALYCORRECTify]

Jordan is so Athletic he gets open clear shots. Bird is such an incredible shooter he doesn't need space. There has never been anyone like Bird when it comes to litterally shooting with defenders in your face.

[@pilgrimpassingthrough2228]

Back in the days of real basketball and the best players ever!

[@submissivelover]

Bird was so clutch it's insane. He singlehandedly won the game in the 2nd Overtime for Boston. I was really surprised defensively, bothering shots, blocking shots, and stealing the ball, Super underrated defender, hand eye coordination off the charts, timing perfect. back is destroyed and he's dropping 34/15/8 lol, wow. Also 3 blocks and a steal.

[@knickd1979]

there's no way you're a girl with that face. you gotta be a blubbery irish guy who wants a following so u go on sports-related videos and give yourself a name like "submissivelover". girls can't talk basketball like that either, so many giveaways. prove me wrong

[@guywebster8018]

@@knickd1979 dont be weird bruh 😂😂

[@knickd1979]

Weird? “Submissive lover” talking 90s basketball and I’m the one “being weird”? Lol

[@submissivelover]

@@knickd1979 What you said is weirder than whatever my handle is...yes, weird.

[@UXSpecialist]

I would take Larry bird over Lebron James 100% on my dream team roster if I was trying to win

[@beevee2312]

Bird had a shredded spine here and was averaging 19-8-7.

[@Johnkoth]

Better than 80%+ of SFs all time even with a bad back. Stats wise.

[@thepunditspundit1776]

bee vee He ended up with like 21-22 a game at the end

[@cyphends465]

Ina era also where there was A LOT more CONTACT, LESS FOULS...guys were getting hit hard asf back then compared to the soft stuff we see in todays game.......

[@user-iv9er3nr6z]

Larry bird basketball fans ❤️ excuse , Nikola jokic & luka doncic & lebron jame would've ❤️ playing Larry bird each would've score 50s points playing against Larry bird especially broken back

[@vincenator25]

I feel so sorry for Horace grant, Bird was eating him alive all night lol. What a game this was, this is why Jordan and Bird are All time greats. Great performance from both!

[@leosag816]

That competitive spirit just lit Bird up. Every ounce of his energy went into winning & it was as if he was in perfect physical condition. He was amazing. GOAT!

[@babyyaoo8916]

Bird was hitting the most insane shots over Horace

[@sgallegos7016]

I'm a long time Celtics fan and I was only 8 years old when this game happened. I didn't see the game. I went to school and a bulls fan that I knew told me that the Celtics beat the bulls in double OT. Finally 30 years later, I get to see the highlights of the game. Thanks for the post

[@bvreagan13]

I was actually an honoree ball boy for this game…how cool to see this game again

[@jer8279]

I envy you. Good for you though. Thanks

[@Noname-ni1dy]

This is 4 years past Bird’s prime and he still can dominate. His prime years were too few, but during them he was the best.

[@MrMister1972]

two of the best to ever play the game, sure loved watching the NBA then. I'm a Larry guy but it was fun to watch Jordan too. Amazing that this was Larry on his last legs and still one of the best in the game.

[@georgetoot5612]

This is the most entertaining basketball game I’ve ever seen

[@sludge4125]

Like a boxing match between two determined, equally matched fighters.

[@jacobscholtissek8337]

thw whole 80s and early 90s are great to watch, watch the 86, 87 Allstar game or HallofFameGame

[@juangringo3906]

What a game. Both Bird and Jordan missed game winners which is unusual but in todays NBA .4 Secs would be allowable for a catch and release shot even if it doesnt actually leave the hands. Birds D is so underrated and he was a really good rebounder also. He was a triple dbl machine as well.

[@881WNASNewAlbanyHS]

No, it wouldn't. Ball has to be out of your hands and they review every last second shot to be certain.

[@rickjames8367]

One of the most intense battles I have ever seen. I have never seen this this game before, but it felt exciting to watch almost as if it was live broadcasted. Crazy

[@naptownmenace]

Bird had 34, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, and at least 3 blocked shots. He was an absolute beast. I'm glad I got to see him play once up close in Indy back in the day. He was Lebron without the dunks.

[@alanduff1054]

MUCH more than LB because Bird was better defender and a KILLER...

[@AnimEva_33]

He is so much better than lebron, if it wasn't for his bad back... Just imagine

[@alanduff1054]

@@AnimEva_33 FAX

[@yehor_ivanov]

I mean, he did the dunks as well in his earlier career days and that vision, too) but actually, LJ seems to have acquired it as well with the years his '20-'23 (+-) game is kind of remindful of Bird's style-wise

[@AstroSully]

@@alanduff1054Lebron literally has some of the best clutch stats in playoffs history

[@POLITICALYCORRECTify]

Bird was old n half crippled here, yet still brutally effective.. You are watching the two greatest players of all time right here.. The most insane offensive weapon, and the most all round player and genius of the game.

[@Head318Hunter]

Very well said

[@capitanfuturo594]

Agreed

[@zeriel9148]

It's kind of sad how many people in the comments want to dunk on Bird for not being perfect physically. It's like saying some random 20 year old gladiator can beat Julius Caesar in a knife-fight. So what? He's still Julius Caesar.

[@rashb3994]

You nailed it! They are the top 2 of all time in my eyes. I have MJ #1 and Bird #2 and I try to tell young guys all the time Bird is better than Lebron as the best SF ever. Bird and MJ have something in the mental toughness department I feel LBJ does not. They also can both play in systems, where Lebron demands to be the system and makes everyone adjust to him. So guys have to completely change their games to play with him. So he doesn't necessarily make them better.

[@POLITICALYCORRECTify]

@@rashb3994 LeBron is just a steroid cheat who has ZERO CLUTCH. Bird is the greatest clutch ever by far, Jordan would have to be second. LeBron well, you don't want him shooting anywhere further than 5 feet away for the win.

[@cediep0tp0t32]

Bird for me is the greatest small forward of all time

[@vernonleewarren280]

I agree

[@cbb976]

I remember watching this game as it happened. Such great memories in my room running around cheering.

[@domagojgreguric6957]

Larry is playing PF position here. Interesting to see his transition towards older days

[@stephcurrytheg.o.a.t]

he started his career at PF until McHale entered the starting lineup

[@nisher23]

Still a badass

[@wongjoman1227]

bird on grant? 😳

[@domagojgreguric6957]

@@wongjoman1227 yep... Easy moNey, even for an old ass, injured Larry. Easy BUCKETS.

[@10scoach33]

Can u imagine if Len Bias never O’d on drugs, and was in that lineup with Bird, Mchale, Parish, DJ, and Ainge with Reggie Lewis and Bias coming off the bench, guaranteed Celts would have won in 87&88 for sure making it a three peat for them and who knows def a couple more in early 90s.........what a shame

[@Johnny53kgb-nsa]

Jordan the most athletic, great ball handler, awesome shooter, one of the best player's. Bird, the smartest player ever, awesome 3 point shooter, pure, one of the best player's.

[@DavidWarrenMusic]

It's crazy how clogged the paint is. Also, Pippen's athleticism is insane

[@D.nada_47]

Man! That was a great game between two Greats. Love watching close games like this where every call matters and how you respond can change everything.

[@dionysise5008]

I love how Bird never took a dribble after he came back of that '89 injury. For two seasons he was either shooting or making the last pass, but NEVER dribble. Legend

[@RobJoswiak]

Think about that. He was so good he didn't need to dribble.

[@mattcorcoran7082]

He dribbles numerous times in this video.

[@jasunndakidd1531]

He dribbles wen postin up like 100x wym

[@Ctothebg]

I just watched a lengthy Larry Bird highlight reel the other day, and after this video one thing I will say is the guy SWISHES more shots than anyone I’ve ever seen before 💯

[@mako4874]

The thing about bird and Jordan’s game that makes them timeless is that they were efficient. They only needed one dribble or 2 to get their shot off. That kind of game is transferable to any era, whereas players that need 5,6 dribbles to create space are defendable.

[@pokerdad2118]

4:27 how was that a travel?

[@bugsta2012]

I’m from Boston imo Jordan is the goat but in this game Larry showed he can beat anyone, bird was hurt and old and Jordan was peaking, this was a legendary performance from the old buck that had to state who he was and don’t even forget it

[@smonex9229]

Jom James Jordan’s the goat sorry man Larry is 2nd or 3rd

[@smonex9229]

Jom James mj is clearly better more points more assists more steals and blocks

[@smonex9229]

@Rap Lawyer he is literally not the goat Larry bird sayed Michael Jordan was the best player to do it

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

@Jom James I would not - but only because of Bill Russel and this IS a team sport. The two of them had a LOT in common.

[@jacobscholtissek8337]

yeah and he did it cause he wanna show all how great he was/is rested 3-4 games before this to have gas in his tank.

[@djpandaphresh6354]

Bird was torching Grant all game. Smh.

[@counterstrike89]

Sure, and with a seriously hurt back. A normal player with a back injury could barely even play never mind shoot, but with Bird, he can still shoot better than most people in the game.

[@kevinblock2307]

Bird was a lethal shooter- so glad I grew up watching him. People nowadays have no clue how good he truly was

[@handytbutler7380]

i wouldnt say torching, he was actually 15 of 36 and michael was 12 of 36 but the difference was michael went to the line 13 time for birds 3 times.

[@Runforestrun]

Grant and Pippen. Both guys were amazing defenders, and far faster and more athletic than Bird. Just let's you know how great Bird was.

[@kennethwoodard2031]

And they always say Horace Grant was an elite player......🤔😔

[@danielfinn9460]

I can remember watching NBA in this era. It was great. You couldn't leave the house until the game was decided. It wasn't as if you had nothing to do. You had things to do. You *wanted* to leave. But you couldn't leave. It was like there was something huge on the line, and you had to know how it was going to shake out.

[@MGPCycling]

Keep in mind everyone. This is the broken down version of Bird who had missed a whole season with his back issues and had to be put in traction before and during every game to play. This is also the same Bird that so many people say couldn't play in today's league. Let me point you at people like Luka and Jokic who are similarly vertically challenged who are lighting it up. And Bird kills them both in 50/40/90 stats. Bird would benefit from today's sports technology which would keep him healthy for far longer than he was able to stay healthy in his day. He would kill in today's league even more than he did back then.

[@jrm2181]

"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." - Pat Riley

[@gokhanyildirim8557]

I would take Jordan aşk Utah

[@darrellhunt2628]

@@gokhanyildirim8557 dude, he pushed off

[@gokhanyildirim8557]

@@darrellhunt2628 yeah he pushed off all all season long

[@sockondik12]

I thought about this exact quote when Bird missed the game winner for this game thus sending it into OT..in comparison Jordan makes a fadeaway 3 with a guy in his face (although it's waved off) later this game

[@gokhanyildirim8557]

@@sockondik12 This dude changed the fate of the game so many times he was a nightmare unlike Bird

[@nunyabusiness7927]

I was at that game and I was probably the only person in Boston Garden pulling for the Bulls that day. I grew up in Wilmington, NC but was living in MA at the time. One of my co-workers had season tickets, but he couldn't go because it was Easter Sunday and he had to spend the day with his family. I bought his two tickets. I wish I still had the ticket stubs. My ex-wife probably took them too.

[@identifyyourself5684]

Ex wife took them too lmao 😂 This comment is Greatness

[@bwilliams1815]

Just imagine if Bird's back was able to go longer. He was one of the top 10 for sure. Top 5 for his importance to the game.

[@innosanto]

He is top 2.

[@WTN416]

Yall lol 😆 😂 🤣

[@stevenmarcus2709]

I would pay whatever it took to see this game live again. Two greats playing an era that was also great slugging it out in the Garden. Fabulous

[@patrickneal1061]

This was old man bird his touch was still sharp

[@sludge4125]

Yep, 15 for 36!!

[@quantumlight2universe12]

So what he was sharper than young Jordan, who shot 12 for 36 that game

[@macantonioc]

👌

[@usctrojanfreak]

@@quantumlight2universe12 great observation

[@innosanto]

The old is not the important, the facing health issues is the important. He start facing at end of 1988 season and was constantly worsening.

[@hennylo68]

I remember actually watching this game as a kid on TV. When Jordan hit what looked like the game winner and threw up his hands is when I remembered I actually watched the game. I miss this old NBA. Was so damn fun to watch.

[@theStacyJames]

Bird, in his prime, would mop the floor, laugh in the opponents faces, and confound them with skill over brute physicality. Remember, almost every U.S. based player today can't read or write passed a grade 6 level. Bird, Jordan, Pippen, Karem, they'd all just cream the competition today.

[@dasa5023]

Damn even being a huge Jordan and bulls fan I really wanted that shot to go in for bird lol

[@hennylo68]

And me being the biggest Bulls hater as a kid, I still think that Jordan buzzer beater was good. They jerked him.

[@jamaaldavis3222]

This is the era I grew up in this is real competition and like I've been saying mj magic bird and the rest of the allstars of that era would destroy any team today

[@LovingTinha]

Put those 3 in any era, and they are the best 3 in the league at that time.

[@jamaaldavis3222]

@@LovingTinha facts and I don't see how anybody can argue with that

[@bricefleckenstein9666]

@@LovingTinha 3 of the best. There WERE a few other all-time greats in other eras.

[@Ioannikios174]

@@jamaaldavis3222 You can say the same about LeBron, Kobe and Giannis though. Those are three guys who can play well in any era. Lebron entered the league before the rule changes and still dominated grown men his rookie year and that's a fact!

[@jamaaldavis3222]

@@Ioannikios174 I'm not a lebron fan but yeah you can say that he's earned his respect from me I don't agree that he's the greatest but he's definitely a great at this point

[@LeoWhalen1933]

Well I'm glad you put up highlights of the greatest of all time. Loved watching MJ and Pippen out there as well.

[@Sunking210]

Stuff like 4:27 is one of the many MANY reasons why scoring in the NBA is at an all time high these days. The league used to be so restrictive back then and nowadays players do this exact move but way more blatant and it's perfectly fine now. I'm not complaining, it just makes guys like Bird, Magic, and MJ even that much more impressive putting up the numbers that they did whilst being limited more so by harsher rules

[@daddyfirm148]

Damn Bird not even on his prime, he is an amazing player of all time. Thanks for the throwback.

[@alanduff1054]

GOAT.... you can say it... It's Larry Legend...

[@massimilianobelloni5613]

Larry Legend forever

[@seanpule266]

Bird's game was so ahead of his time. It's almost textbook of a superstar in the modern day. He's like Luka but less prolific and more efficient, lol. MJ's game is just one in a million. So hard to model, and so unique. Even Kobe couldn't really model the exact way Jordan played. Kobe relied more on his outside shooting than Jordan did, and Jordan scored inside way more than Kobe did.

[@JohnDoe-zr8pc]

People forget just how good Bird was. Dude only averaged 3 ppg less than Lebron, 1 rebound less per game, and 3 more assists per game than Lebron for his career. He also has a better finals record (3/5) than Lebron (4/10), and has almost identical playoffs/finals stats as Lebron. This was done in a league where teams actually played defense, had hand checking, and no defensive 3 seconds rule either.

[@user-bc1lk5tm7z]

I admire Jordan, but my favorite is Bird.

[@skineyemin4276]

Because, you prefer the "white people".

[@koasizmworld1927]

im almost with u, Bird is my number 2 after Mike, but i feel you man! the respect & love i have for Bird...

[@chris93703]

@@skineyemin4276 Very weak argument. You are a paranoid person. Very weak.

[@petiteexplication6249]

@@skineyemin4276 you are a very sad person

[@dot4149]

@UCydDE4E9jlMBB2r2CpPygFw It has nothing to do with skin color. Get your pathetic ass outta here if you can't respect talent no matter the skin color💯

[@d1e2l3r4a5y6]

Wow, what a game!!! I forgot all about this. I am a huge Celtics fan it was nice seeing the Garden crowd raucous like used to be during our run in the 80s. Larry Legend still serving them up like he use to. That was a nice mix of old and new talent with Big 3 and Dee Brown, Reggie Lewis, and Brian Shaw. One could only wonder what our team would have looked like with Len Bias? Great game and highlights!!!

[@bobevans2329]

Len Bias AND Reggie Lewis.

[@chucklos391]

Muddafaka Bird. Jesus dude. I remember this game. So clutch he was in this game. I was mad for days about this game.

[@kivsanchez811]

Imagine watching this game live. I wonder if people in the stands knew the magic they were watching.

[@nokspit]

I'm seeing Bird blocking folks left and right in this game...he was old by this time but his defense was underrated.

[@Eric-jk3oi]

I just took the fattest s*** of my life

[@RetroNBA42]

@@Eric-jk3oi 🤨

[@Eric-jk3oi]

@@RetroNBA42 after having a delicious KFC meal then I took a s*** in my neighbor's driveway

[@ken125y]

No my man. Bird was renowned for his all-around play.

[@BRaggles]

Never. Larry Legend was known for defense too.

[@lsmith145]

7:56 I love how Horace Grant just shakes his head in disbelief lol

[@jonny5isalive353]

Imagine the boost i confidence when Jordan or Bird pass you the ball.... 2 legends and all time greats

[@paulwilliams2024]

Larry Bird defence was superb don’t ever compare Luka this this legend

[@thefappingfive2170]

This small video was WAY more exciting to watch over all of basketball today. Even knowing the outcome, still......way more fun. Thanks!

[@weejiwrxld]

Lies 😳😂🤣

[@mc76]

For those of you who are too young to remember, Bird spent off days in traction that season and still went 20/10/7.

[@JohnDoe-zr8pc]

Yup. Hurt his back helping someone do driveway work if I remember correctly.

[@jaysonadams4962]

@@JohnDoe-zr8pc He did his own driveway because he ain't wanna pay no one else to do it .

[@vernonleewarren280]

He was by far the greatest white player I've ever seen. I'm 54 and followed his whole career and many others since then. I've never seen anyone like him ever

[@jaysonadams4962]

@@vernonleewarren280 It ain't even about color. Bird was just a bad MOTHER... 4R4R

[@vernonleewarren280]

@@jaysonadams4962 agreed but I'm just saying