True GOAT? LeBron SuperFan Reacts to LARRY BIRD HIGHLIGHTS (Making The Case Reaction)

[@mikecalderon5251]

Lebron had a cramp. Crying and being carried off. Bird had a broken cheek bone, but returned to the game to win it... You tell me...

[@brycehiigel235]

And LeBron went to the locker room and quit on his team when they were losing. Just that action alone drops LeBron to the bottom of the barrel and out of the GOAT conversation. I am a Bird fan. My top 3 are Jordon, Magic, and Bird in no particular order.

[@jessefiordimondo154]

Ever have a real leg cramp...

[@jessefiordimondo154]

If u were alive to watch jordan live i dont see how anyone in thhere right mind thinks lebron, thats like watching prime tyson and delousional people would wilder is better

[@cindyknudson2715]

@@jessefiordimondo154 Ever had to spend the night in traction at the hospital in an effort to unlock your spine and then, not only play, but dominate the game the next day? Cramps hurt, definitely. But, also definitely, respect due to someone who plays through it.

[@scottclark7592]

@@jessefiordimondo154 yeah, and also had my shinbone shattered by a car and made it to work without treatment-called being a man and a team player-things that jordan and bird know all about- lebron should look into it.

[@scorpiothegreat1]

“I didn’t see it, therefore it didn’t happen.” - Young fans

[@sportschool3537]

So true... I was born in 1990 but I've seen hours upon hours of videos on all the old superstars/GOAT candidates... Larry is a very very legit candidate for GOAT... the man was as close to unbeatable as you can get... I know Jordan is supposed to be the GOAT but think about this... Larry was the only player that Jordan himself says he was SCARY to play against... and Jordan barely faced him healthy... Larry Bird only played 5-6 healthy seasons... half his career he had pretty much a broken back and in that time he won a championship, he won an MVP, he went to the NBA Finals twice and he was still so good that people consider him a top 10 or top 5 player ever and he's still underrated... Larry Joe Bird was the scariest MF-er anyone could ever face on a basketball court...

[@davejeanmougin3341]

@@sportschool3537 Larry is the only person that won league MVP, Coach of the year, and executive of the year!

[@sportschool3537]

@@davejeanmougin3341 I know... but we're rating him as a player... not a coach or an executive...

[@BlazinRiver1]

@@sportschool3537 I was born in 1958...lol...here enjoy.......kzbin.info/www/bejne/qniVpH1_f556bpY

[@thehistoryexpert82]

Bird would psychologically destroy lebron in the first playoff series against each other

[@ajstyles5704]

If only, we had the medical we have today, during the top peak of NBA, we would have even more amazing games.

[@jamescouillard8068]

Emotional fouls LOL

[@stevenphillips6127]

People are such pussies these days. Larry would get cancelled by the Twitter mafia because his trash talk would be considered racist.

[@ExplorationRandomDestination]

Despite the fact that those he shit talked were some of his best friends

[@adamr6794]

@@stevenphillips6127 Impossible....Twitter founders like Bird so much that the little blue twitter Bird is named after Larry.

[@Widdermaker]

It’s between Bird, Magic, and MJ for me. All clutch players. All with an assassin’s mentality, especially Bird & Jordan. Super competitive. Super talented. Super chess-players on the court. It wouldn’t matter what they played - they’d want to destroy you at tiddlywinks! BTW - Bird is the ONLY NBA player to get the best of MJ. 6-0 in the playoffs, and 17-11 overall. No one else can say that. It makes you wonder….

[@clumsybanana6524]

Hakeem can Not playoff wise.

[@jessefiordimondo154]

Never see a drream team like that again

[@uchihadayne6506]

MJ and Bird were the best. Kobe and lebron have a lot of weaknesses in their game. You can make the argument for Hakeem too

[@cbogolo]

For me it's bird because he did what he did without the athleticism as the others while also telling them that he was going to do it. Who would have put up their own numbers if they were telling the other team what they were going to do

[@BlazinRiver1]

@@uchihadayne6506 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qniVpH1_f556bpY

[@peterflynn2111]

Larry Bird would take Le Bron to the cleaners absolutely annihilate him

[@AKSBSU]

Lebron's mental toughness has been questioned, but imagine if he had Bird in his head. It would be epic to see that unfold.

[@lancevaughn432]

I’m 63 grew up in LA huge Laker fan. Chamberlain, West, Kareem, Magic, Worthy, Shaq, Kobe, LeBron, you have to respect Larry Bird. If you don’t he’ll rip your heart out and show it to you.

[@sportschool3537]

Man... Lebron is not a Laker... he's just a bandwagoner who jumped on the Lakers to build another superteam and chase more rings... he doesn't give a fuck's fuck about the purple and gold... that's a fact... he's not Kobe, Kareem, West, Magic, Worthy... these guys lived their whole careers with a purple and gold jersey on (Shaq didn't give a shit about Lakers as well to be completely honest)... If Lakers retire Lebron's number or something like that it would be blasphemy... seeing Lebron's (a bandwagon ring chaser with no loyalty to anyone) jersey next to Kobe's and Magic's will be a sad day for the sport of basketball... it will mean we've lost all sense of morality and loyalty and we should just close up the shop and move on... we've ruined the game completely...

[@RLKmedic0315]

My Father would have said "He'll pull your eyeballs out and show em' to you"

[@divix4313]

And look dead at you when he did..

[@laurogatapia3782]

@@sportschool3537 Kareem? He didn't start as a Laker.

[@sportschool3537]

@@laurogatapia3782 Not every great laker needs to have been drafted by them... be reasonable... Kareem played for the Lakers for 10 seasons (or 9 or 11... something like that) and won 5 rings with them... he is A GREAT LAKER... My point is that Lebron doesn't give a shit about the team or the jersey or the purple and gold... he's just a selfish prick that wants to tweet about his individual accomplishments and call himself the GOAT for no fucking reason...

[@jamestoddjackson9655]

LeBron is more athletic, yes. But to me, it is because of Larry’s heart and clutch play that he was better. People already mentioned Pat Riley’s quote about Jordan and Bird taking shots to win the game and save his life, respectively. He brought LeBron to Miami as President for the Heat. He also coached Kareem, Magic, and Worthy, 3 of the most clutch players ever. Keep that in mind. Bird played with the back, yes. He also returned in a playoff game, down 18, and had 17 pts, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in the 4th to win the game. With a broken cheekbone, concussion, and double vision. That’s the guy I want on my team at crunch time…….

[@stonecoldflipper9503]

I agree. Another reason I pick him over LeBron is because he is also a much better free throw shooter. He is a better rebounder and a better passer also, but free throws win championships.

[@ericlynnes1228]

Quick injury list for Larry. He broke his shooting hand playing baseball in college. People said he really lost his touch after that. He came back to finish three separate games with broken bones in his face. One with a concussion so bad he was seeing triple for weeks, and one where he single handedly made up a 30 point deficit. He finished a game with a broken back. Injured his back so badly working at his mom's house that it shortened his career. The next year he still won MVP, but spent the rest of his career with progressively worse back problems to the point he was in traction for hours every day just to take enough edge off so he could dress himself. 89 he had surgery on both feet. Dude spent his entire career in pain, and still had more hustle than any three guys, still was always at the top of MVP votes, still literally gave his opponents nightmares. Larry was a bad man.

[@adamr6794]

He broke/ twisted/ mangled his right index finger in a Softball game. A bunch of Birds friends talked him into playing in a softball game and Larry's Brother shows up playing for the other team. Bird broke his finger going all out while trying to rob his brother of a hit. Bird went to the hospital and they took an X-Ray but no one there was qualified to read it. When a Doctor saw the X-Ray he summoned Bird immediately for surgery. Bird was hunting mushrooms when he was told that he needed to get to the hospital. The used everything in the book to try to fix it. Eventually the Celtics heard about the injury, looked at the finger and determined it was no good. Red Auerbach gave Bird a ball and watched him shoot and pass and then signed him to the biggest rookie contract in NBA history (at the time) Everything else is correct. The baseball game he played in was another story in which he collided with his own catcher going after a foul ball. oddsportsstories.com/2020/04/20/larry-bird-the-greatest-college-baseball-player-ever/

[@RonnieG]

@@adamr6794 my friend, you just won the award for best replier of the year. I was wondering if anyone else knew about this. You saved me from typing it out. Super cool to see Larry do it live not highlights.

[@joshuaswanson1977]

That's exactly why I have him as my GOAT. More than half his career was played after that back injury and he still accomplished what he did. Not to mention that the guy most people say is the GOAT, Michael Jordan, has a losing record in the regular season against Bird AND he never beat Bird in the playoffs while he was a player. The supposed GOAT is 0-6 vs Bird in the playoffs... 🧹🧹

[@corriequinn8974]

Thank u so much for your comment my friend..LARRY IS ONE OF TNE GOATS NO DOUBT..TO ME HES THE GOAT CUZ HES SUCH AN ALL AROUND PLAYER AND HE'S NOT AFRAID TO THROW HANDS 😉

[@philliphaney9468]

63-year-old Texan here, your damn straight brother.

[@chrisbera7952]

Larry is top 5 for sure.

[@keithclark2873]

Bird had more overall skill than any player and the best mind to ever play. He did everything top notch with zero holes in his game and made his teammates better. Taking a team of nobody’s to 33-0 in college is the best achievement in sports history. Here’s the tell. If Lebron had Birds body he wouldn’t be what he is. If bird had kedroms body he would own the record book. He had to be more talented to get his shot off and had the widest array of shot making ability. Maybe not the best as far as being able to bully someone to the hole or jump over people but more overall skill than any of em. If I had to start a team today I’m taking bird over everybody

[@anthonymoody6711]

Bird was a KILLER, bro. You can't just knock him down, you gotta kill him. Dude broke his FACE and came back into the game. He was helping the Celtics beat teams when his back was so bad he could only play in 5-8 minutes at a time. GREATEST trash talker in league history. Simply having him on the floor was a 10 point advantage for the Celtics. When he was on 100, he was unstoppable. When he was mad he was unguardable. He was a 6'9" small forward that could play the 3 and the 4. If he played in this era, he could play the 5. He could shoot ANY shot with EITHER hand. He was like a boxer telling you which punch and which hand he was gonna throw, but you STILL couldn't defend yourself.

[@smtbigelow]

Bird was disgustingly good... and that was when he was hurt, dont get him started when he was healtly!

[@Fullm00nBlanket]

How can you not say Larry is a GOAT? He's a true GOAT. Today's game is no where near Larry's days. Breathe on someone it's a foul. Larry played with a career ending back injury in 85. And he still made all those records! He played hurt. All these highlights Larry's playing with back pain. The dr said Larry lost stability in his back. The dr said it was like someone slamming your fingers in a car door and keeps smashing it. Larry played thru that without pain meds. He even injured his orbital arch. I think in the game against the Pacers. Larry said “When I hit the floor, I thought I broke my jaw, because I couldn’t move my mouth. I was in a lot of pain, but I could hear the crowd out there and I thought, ‘I can’t leave those guys out there all by themselves.'” Then he came back & dominated.

[@fan1.0]

I would take Bird over anybody in today's NBA. If these guys today break a nail they are out for the season

[@aramhamparian9641]

@@fan1.0 LOL True...

[@cozenw3236]

One thing that’s really overlooked is the fact that he played basketball while suffering. You can not see it but when he hurt his back, he was plagued with extreme pain. It’s been compared to as like having your fingers caught in a door while playing. Apparently his spine would slip and cause extreme pain. He also got elbowed in the face and suffered double vision… And he still played. This double vision lasted into his following game, where you can tell because he is wearing those special glasses/goggles. Team doctors would tell him that he could leave because his injuries were bad enough to bench him… And still he played. I wouldn’t have ever been able to endure that kind of pain. That is why Bird only played 13 seasons.. some mad respect there.

[@melissaisloud7404]

I’m old enough to have seen nearly 4 decades of basketball. Bird is the GOAT.

[@RobwLPOC]

Born 76 myself, Larry Bird's career started when I was in kindergarten to a year before my graduation and grade 11. We were damn lucky to live through the 80s and early 90s with that level of skill and talent in the league.

[@AKSBSU]

I have Bird at #2 after Jordan. If Bird had Jordan's freakish athletic gifts, no one could come close to Bird. When you beat Moses Malone, Kareem, Magic, Worthy, Olajuwon, and Sampson in the Finals for your titles, you're easily one of the greatest ever.

[@arthurlangford5861]

There are too many greats for ONE to be the greatest of all time. I respect and love all the greats for what they brought to the sport.

[@kurthealey6936]

235-13.... Reminds me of the Dr. J fight when Bird kept track of the scoring difference between the two superstars. The difference peaked at 42-6, at which time Bird threw in the Doctor should just retire! You can stay in your pro Labron lane all you want... But you put the challenge forward.... 235.... To 13... Hmmm maybe trying to tell you something....

[@robertdanyus6836]

Larry Bird is among some of the best players that ever played basketball and not just because he was white

[@ronnywestberry9503]

I think Bird was the greatest. there are few players that in my opinion rank in the top 5. to be the best in my mind requires you being the best in most if not all areas. bird was so good he was a great player, coach , and executive. what other top 5 can match that.

[@geneval3151]

His career averages were 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in 897 regular season games. Bird won 3 MVP Awards, finished 2nd three times, and was selected to play in 12 All-Star Games. Also 59 career triple-doubles. All this in the era of Magic, Jordan, Dr.J., Kareem,Moses Malone, Isiah Thomas etc. Not bad for a kid from French Lick, Indiana.

[@GibsonHeavy]

The reason he didn't get the quadruple double, was, because he opted not to. He saw no reason to do it because they were destroying the other team and he was not motivated by records. He played the last 7 seasons with a completely destroyed spine, which required him to get treatment before games, just so he could move(this is why he was unathletic, slow and could not jump). The season he was not an all star was because he was ineligible, because he only played 5 games that season. Essentially, he was 12 for 12.

[@Koolasicewater]

Facts

[@gregsayre4700]

if they had the 3 pointer in Pistol Pete's era just imagine what his point totals would be

[@senseichess8688]

your right

[@jdaddy1962]

I went to school with James Worthy from 1977 to 1979 at Ashbrook High School in Gastonia, NC. He was amazing then. His dad was one of my coaches on the football team.

[@robertburr7407]

I definitely had Bird in the top 7. Bron is more athletic but not in the top 5 as Bird has so many more angles to his greatness that lebron is still looking for.. He's real but he's trying to claim a spot that actual LEGENDS own.

[@derekfnord]

As a rookie in 1980, Bird won the Rookie of the Year award and finished 4th in the MVP voting. Then his finishes in the MVP voting for the next 8 years were: 1981: 2nd 1982: 2nd 1983: 2nd 1984: MVP 1985: MVP 1986: MVP 1987: 3rd 1988: 2nd So he not only won 3 straight MVPs, but in his first 9 years in the league, he also finished runner-up 4 times, third once, and fourth once. His career was diminished and cut short by injuries, but before that, he was unquestionably the best player in the league. And I say that as a Laker fan whose favorite players were Magic and Kareem...

[@peskypesky]

I love basketball...and I love watching your reaction videos. Your comments are always on point.

[@carybrauer9669]

Larry would catapult any team into a championship team. Look at the Celtics before he came to them. If you build a team and Bird isn't 1 of your top 5 players. You have issues. Larry schooled all the greats in that era. Few players could play in any era and still be awesome. Hes definitely 1 that would. His heart is immeasurable. He played always to win!!!! No fear, just game!!!! He drove me nuts. I wasn't a Celtics fan at ALL!!! But im a fan of the amazing. Bird, brother you were amazing!!!

[@indyspotes3310]

The greatest athlete I ever saw play basketball was Michael Jordan. But the best basketball player I ever saw was Larry Bird. A lot of folks make the argument that Bird shouldn't be considered for the GOAT because he wasn't very athletic. Actually, that's exactly why he should be...

[@darkomtobia]

Bird and Rodman are 2 psycho workhorses that I'd want to be the basis of a team. Shaq or Wiltin the big man slot. Jordan and Kobe can round out the team.

[@jaxonbrowne1273]

id take isiah thomas over Kobe in a heart beat. internets lol.

[@garymorris7472]

Larry, MJ, Magic, LeBron and Wilt are probably my 5 with Rodman on there for his D skills. Don't ask, I have my reasons 😌

[@patcavanaugh4941]

Larry is #1 in my book. More fun to watch him play than anyone else ever. Watching from Vung Tau, Vietnam.

[@Carl-gj4ed]

Saw you shaking your head when he said that Bird saved basketball. You have to remember that basketball during the 80s and 90s was a new mainstream sport that was televised internationally. Teams NEEDED crazy athletic scorers to not only get on TV but to sell tickets to games. People weren't even thinking about going to games or buying jerseys back then. Bird, Magic, Isiah, Ewing, MJ, etc were the draw. It was their show and no one was going to take that away from them.

[@OrondeBranch]

That Zeke inbound play haunts me to this day!……..to this day!

[@billbox1916]

Love your channel from Jacksonville Florida!

[@billyray6913]

Larry legend is top 5 dead or alive. The clutch gene.

[@MJM1309]

GOAT

[@thomaswrinkle2038]

I watched pretty heavily in the 80s. Cedric Maxwell was the second-best star-player on the 84 championship team that beat the Lakers (McHale still young). In 1985, he was hurt (knee) and in the playoffs he could barely jump - that's why they lost the finals to the Lakers that year. Red got pissed at what he perceived was not enough work from Maxwell to recover quicker. In 1986, he traded Maxwell for Walton and they won the championship against Houston, but that team had talked all year long about beating the Lakers. In 1987, Walton went down for the whole year and Robert Parish went down in the finals against the Lakers. The Lakers won in like six. Also, McHale played the whole year on a broken foot to the detriment of his career. So I don't really hold Bird accountable for going 1-2 against Magic in the Finals. Not sure why the guy making the case blamed the 1-2 record on Worthy/Kareem being better than McHale/Parish. Parish, while not as good as Kareem, was still a good matchup against Kareem and McHale was better than Worthy (IMO). Injuries to Bird himself after that really doomed his ever getting back to the Finals. It was frustrating to watch, he would have to lie on his stomach when he wasn't in the game at some points because his back hurt so much. They would have fixed that back in a single off-season these days.

[@georgehummel3526]

First of all, I'm a 61 year old white male, I graduated in 1978. Never saw him in person but on TV as much as I could. I live in San Antonio, you know how to do the math. I've personally met The Iceman, the big dawg, the rifleman, and a couple other players. OH,lest I forget, The Admiral. My question is this, what if The Hick and The King played with/against each other? The league would Definitely be different, don't ya think? Thanks for posting and commenting on this. Nothing but Respect

[@mfranzusan3014]

The 3-point contest with Larry in the warm-up is what I call "Leisure suit Larry"

[@patrickk3922]

I'm a Chicago boy so I've always said Michael is probably the GOAT, but I could never say it with conviction because he never beat Larry legend. If you ask is Bird top 5 that question insults my intelligence. The real question is he the GOAT???? Tough to say, my top 5 - Michael, Larry, Magic, Kareem, Wilt. No disrespect to Lebron or Kobe, they just played in a different era. Shout out to Oscar!

[@patticriss2238]

When Magic dunks that ball And let’s it come down and roll over his back, I cheer every time. So cool.

[@richsalzer2556]

My top 10: 1(a) Larry Bird, 2(b) Michael Jordan, 3 Bill Russell, 4 John Stockton, 5 Tim Duncan, 6 Julius Erving, 7 Kevin McHale, 8;James Worthy, 9 Karl Malone, 10 Dirk Nowitski

[@carls1959]

LeBron would have been a footnote, if he played during Bird's heyday. Period.

[@RAHONLYFAM]

🧢🧢🧢

[@johnwinthrop2702]

Larry legend was a beast. in the 80s /earley 90s was the best era of basketball. Magic, bird ,Isiah, jordan.

[@thomaskline]

Bill Russell says, “the way I play , my team wins!” 11 NBA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 13 YEARS

[@garretisla5282]

You should believe it. Every bit of it is true. Every. Single. Bit.

[@lmbscriptsharcs2044]

Bird at 30 (an mvp season) vs LeBron at 30 - 30 points, 9 Reb, 5 assists, 3 steals, a block.

[@thecooler68]

Larry really raised the level of all his teammates. Put Mchale , Ainge, Dennis Johnson or Parrish on other teams they would probably be after thoughts. The season before bird entered the league Boston won 29 games. Birds rookie season they Won 61.

[@beauculberson]

That was a pretty good Johnny Most impression. Damn near excellent.

[@WiseGuy5674]

He’s not trying to be persuasive. He’s laying out actual fact. Fact CAN be hard to swallow.😎 GOAT=Basketball Jesus.

[@Luke-qi5yo]

Charles Barkley.. as a SF dominated the game. MVP...

[@beauculberson]

You need to watch the one with his back Dr. What he played through was incredible itself. I think he also finished 1 or 2 in the MVP voting for like 9 straight years.

[@UnderhillKoufax]

Bird was the Batman of the NBA. He was always several moves ahead of the competition, best clutch shooter of all-time, #2 all-time with winning percentage (Jordan is #40), he had the passing gift, and he could beat you more ways than just shooting. Jordan was dangerous when he had the ball. Bird was always dangerous - with or without the ball.

[@joelopez843]

In 1986, the Eastern Conference had 4 teams playing over 600% with Boston @ 720 The Western Conference had only 2 teams over 600% with the Lakers @ 793 Good reason why the Lakers ended up in the Finals more than anyone else at the time, because the tougher teams were in the East.

[@cliffniiranen1044]

Onlyfam Great vid. Player, coach and GM legend. The only one.

[@DaTooch_e]

Lebron is an actor, he gets poked in the eye or has a cramp and falls to the floor like he broke his ankle. It's ridiculous how basketball is played today. Larry Bird played with blood dripping from his face and broken bones. Larry Bird prime vs Lebron prime no doubt I would take Larry Bird even with a sprained ankle.

[@paulazzar8936]

Bird was the most complete and best player ever.

[@RAHONLYFAM]

He was missing athleticism tho

[@RAHONLYFAM]

Still beasty

[@paulazzar8936]

@@RAHONLYFAM True, however he more than made up for it with his absolutely superior IQ and drive. I played pro soccer and I know all about playing without the ball, how crucial it is. Bird could teach any pro soccer player how to play without the ball. That's how he loses his defenders and gets pen shots. His brain was absolutely off the charts, just looks at his passes when he is not even a guard!!

[@wichitadisciple9874]

@@RAHONLYFAM You don't realize that Bird basically broke his back in 1985... Dan Dyrek, Bird’s orthopedic therapist, explained in a KZbin video. “Larry Bird, the superstar, out there breaking his back, literally, shoveling gravel. And that was the beginning of a process.” From then on, the forward was never the same. As Dyrek explained, Bird’s back would slip out of alignment and lock into abnormal positions, trying to create some stability. While the pain could be managed for a few hours at a time, allowing Larry Legend to hit the court, the issues lingered. Even surgery couldn’t completely return the star to his best. “Every time I would play, I was wondering if I was gonna be in a wheelchair,” Bird explained. “Was I ever going to be able to, you know, walk on the beach or hold my kids?” How fast do you think you could run with a broken back? On top of that, Bird played the 1988 season with bone spurs in both feet... while putting up the best numbers of his career!! 29.9 ppg, 52 FG%, 92 FT%, 9 rpg, 6 apg

[@jdwatson8482]

Jordan, Bird, Magic, and Kobe -here from Indiana

[@nanook8721]

I’m glad you can see the talent, the intelligence and all around greatness of Larry Bird. I’ve been watching basketball since the late 60s. I was a Knicks fan, but never missed a moment to watch Larry Bird play. I also watched every Magic Johnson game I could. But I think something important to consider, is that Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were doing these things over 30 years ago. LeBron has been the beneficiary of all kinds of medical advancements, and the game is certainly not as rough and tough as it was in the 80s. So I just don’t see LeBron as committed to winning as Larry Bird was - LeBron doesn’t play hurt - Not even a little hurt, LeBron doesn’t play when his feelings are hurt. And to say Larry’s not athletic, look at everything he achieved… you don’t do that without being athletic. So my top three are Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Magic Johnson. Regardless of ranking, I just have to say what absolute joy they all brought to my life.

[@davidberry777]

I would build my all-time team around Larry Bird. The single most-devastating clutch player in NBA history. My starting 5: Alan Iverson, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Wilt Chamberlain. Funny thing is, though... I can produce five or six different starting 5's with so many great players that is truly is nothing but personal opinion. Think of the players NOT on the list above... Kobe, LeBron, Hakeem, Julius, Kareem, Bill, Steph, Stockton, Duncan, Barkley, Robertson, etc...

[@stevekern7235]

Celtics/ Lakers were less like basketball games and more like pitched battles. The Stuff of Legends.

[@matclancy2444]

When he said he was one steal away for a quad double.. look up to why he didn't want to play in the 4th quarter.... #Goated

[@shaulin3000]

yesirr!!! react to the other videos in this series next

[@chrischapman3586]

During the port at the end, where Magic Johnson is talking on microphone to Larry Bird, and causing my friend, they didn’t show what magic was wearing under his warm-up jacket. I’ve seen it one time on KZbin but he’s wearing a number 33 Celtics jersey under the warm-up jacket, that’s called true friendship.

[@arianparker2482]

Larry Bird is maybe top ten and that's a all time great player. I would take him over LeBron and LeBron is a all time great.

[@epic103]

Bird is first team all NBA.

[@arianparker2482]

@@epic103 I have no problem with that.

[@arianparker2482]

@@epic103 Who's top 5

[@epic103]

@@arianparker2482 - Well I'd say Magic, Jordan, and Bird would be the first 3 I'd pick. But I would have to give some more thought to 4 and 5.

[@arianparker2482]

@@epic103 Tim Duncan and Hareem The Dream.

[@dhruvverma2000]

Lebron can only jump. Bird can do everything else to perfection. He was the most perfect player ever

[@williamtate6268]

Larry’s “gift” was hard work.

[@charliejohn1]

Larry Bird is definitely "Top 5" of all times.

[@neilpratt5937]

I grew up watching Bird. He was an absolute assassin on the court!

[@sharonbird2631]

Rah I'm from Boston Mass and a Larry Bird fan and a Celtics fan come on it's Larry legend

[@davidelswick6660]

Top: Walter Davis, Ralph Sampson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Adrian Dantley, Moses Malone, Bill Lambier Middle: Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Clyde Drexler, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kevin McHale Bottom: Akeem Olajuwon, George Gervin, Dennis Johnson, Isaiah Thomas, Mark Agguire, Sidney Moncrief

[@Sunny-jz3dy]

The man's not lying.... so I don't know why you don't believe him! LOL

[@paulsullivan1650]

Larry Legend. Number 1 bruh!

[@michaeltyler9845]

Rating a GOAT is tremendously subjective. There are so many factors to consider: fundamental skills, athleticism, basketball IQ, mental toughness, era, draft team, mentoring and coaching. Does the NBA past have a precedent? Bill Russell had incredible fundamentals and technique. Wilt Chamberlain was physically dominant and scored 100 in one game. Russell and Chamberlain both played in the same era. Russell had 11 NBA Championships. Chamberlain only had 2. My GOAT list follows the Russell vs Chamberlain precedent. Consequently I value technical skills over physical skills at an 11:2 ratio. The next criteria is mental toughness and the psychological resolve to win "at all cost". Kobe called it the Mamba mentality. Kobe and Michael Jordan had the strongest, most effective mental focus I've ever seen. Bill Russell was before my time but he must have had the same mental focus and confidence when battling Wilt. Larry Bird had a unique, effective mental focus and confidence as well. Bird used highly disciplined technique, strong mental resolve with only average physical skills and turned them into championship rings for himself and his teammates. Likewise, Bill Russel was 4-inches shorter and 60 pounds lighter than Wilt but employed a distinct mental resolve and skillset to earn eleven rings and become the Finals measure for all to follow. Was Larry Bird the GOAT? With all due respect, no. For my list Jordan is the GOAT, then Bill Russell, then Bird followed by Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron and Wilt. The criteria is physical and mental skillset strong enough to lead your team to the Finals and win. My alternate GOAT list: Wilt, LeBron, MJ, Bird and Kobe simply based on how they played the game and not all about the rings. In every statistical scenario that doesn't include rings the top three should be Jordan, LeBron, and Russell but I have to factor in Finals losses as well as mental/psych dominance. Unfortunately LeBron has the same fate as Wilt Chamberlain. They are the most physically gifted and dominant players in NBA history but somehow did not dominant in the Finals. To achieve Jordan and Bill Russell levels there cannot be NBA Finals losses. It's a very high bar and unfairly tenuous because it's solely about being the winner. #1 status based on how many rings you have. But in the 60's and 70's it wasn't about rings and big money rather is was your public image. Wilt was also a movie star and had more "beautiful female" friends than all the NBA rings ever made. For real, he was bigger than life. I've seen interviews of the retired Wilt Chamberlain and he is the nicest person ever. And LeBron is a genuine and real person whom is mentoring his son. These are great individuals equally devoted to their lives outside of basketball...is that their Achilles heal? Do you need a pinch of meanness and selfishness to dominate a sport? Would Reggie Miller or Rick Barry have success if they were not Type-A personalities with nasty chips on their shoulders? You don't have to be Bill Laimbeer but maybe must want to crush, kill and destroy your opponent 48 minutes of every night of every season you play. If it's in your personality to do so, that's fine. If not...is it worth it? There's an old Biblical saying in Mark 8: "What profit a man to gain the entire world and lose his soul." Let LeBron be LeBron and let Jordan be Jordan. Maybe two GOATs is ok and maybe three GOATS if we include Bill Russell and the quest for eleven rings. Bird won 3 Finals and lost 2. But his will to win and his mental dominance put him at a level of competition that has no peer. It's a cliché but Bird did more to motivate his teammates to win than any other Finals champion has ever done. Kobe did it too but in a different way...a non-verbal, lead by excellence way. It's a shame that Kobe's mental strength didn't help improve Shaq's free-throws because Shaq is top 5 if he could just make some free-throws. Kobe had great success and his combined skill levels are the closest to Jordan's that I've ever seen. LeBron comes very, very close but not enough rings to match Jordan. It's all good though. Why does Jordan stand alone as the true GOAT? Jordan's six rings didn't surpass Bill Russell's eleven, but the eras need to have some sort of factoring. Could Russell repeat 11 rings today? No. Back in Russel's day the league had only a handful of superstar athletes. In today's NBA the entire league is full of world class athletes. The two eras are just too different to compare and it is improbable if not impossible that anyone today, even Bill Russell, could get 11 rings in this modern, highly athletic NBA era. If anyone could have won like Russell it should have been LeBron James. He has all the skills and attributes but his destiny is similar to Wilt's. Wilt Chamberlain, the most physically gifted player of his era and only player to score 100 points in a single game, only won 2 rings in 6 Finals appearances while the smaller Bill Russell won eleven. Likewise, LeBron only got 4 wins out of 10 Finals. LeBron exceeds Wilt's 2 Finals but that does not create a clear path to GOAT. Why not? What are the intangibles? Did smaller players like Russell have to develop a stronger mental strategy in addition to being a highly skilled and motivated ball player? I don't know. The dawn of the modern era was ushered in by Magic and Bird. Bird's physical attributes were ordinary but his mental skills, work ethic, court vision and ability to motivate teammates expanded his game above any other in NBA history. His unique ability on a 6' 9" frame created the third greatest NBA player I've ever seen. And the NBA eras are set to change yet again with players like LeBron and Curry becoming the old guard. Younger, faster players are entering the league from all over the world and from sources other than college basketball. The NBA is changing to even higher athleticism and a 7' 5" Frenchman named Wembanyama is waiting in the wings. How will he compare to Wilt, LeBron, MJ, Bird and Kobe? Does Wembanyama have an Achilles heal and will Bill Russel's untouchable 11 rings be challenged, ever?

[@mattbt1291]

Birds mental toughness was extraordinary and he just love putting people in that fucking torture chamber!

[@philrisotto8804]

Thank you Larry Joe Bird for all the amazing memories

[@johncanby8109]

MJ, Larry, LBJ, Kareem, Oscar, Magic. I hate that I only get five

[@StarWars_Theories]

It's like Pat Riley said if I had to pick a guy to win a game he picked Michael Jordan but if he had to take a guy to shoot the ball to win a game for his life he picked Larry Bird that's a great coach telling you right there who he thinks is better

[@scorpiothegreat1]

1. Jordan 2. Wilt 3. Kareem 4. Bird/Magic 5. Hakeem 6. Oscar 7. Dr.J 8. Kobe 9. James 10. Shaq

[@jasonmain6398]

No Duncan? Garbage list tbh

[@cgyiltis]

(Looks like)Walter Davis, Ralph “twin tower”Samson (when paired with Dream) ,Lew Alcindor aka Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Vinnie Microwave” Johnson, Moses “The Cairan of the Boards” Malone, bill laimbeer, Michael “Air” Jordan, Dominique “Human Highlight“ Wilkins, Clyde “the glide” Drexler, Bird, Earving “Magic” Johnson, KevinMcHale, Hakeem “Dream” Olajuwon, George “Ice man” Gervin, Dennis Johnson, Isiah “Zeke” Thomas, Mark Aguirre, (looks like) Rolando Blackman

[@princesskatarina351]

Top Row #4 is Adrian Dantley. Vinnie Johnson wore #15. But I think you might be right about everyone else.

[@tokinGLX]

bron would have pushed larry to be better, larry would have pushed bron and laughed when he flopped. joking but ....kinda facts. i was born in 80 so i watched the later part of bird's career through my childhood and always loved his game. his work ethic and heart were unmatched, and his court iq was a thing of brilliance to watch. my top 3 list hasnt changed since the 90s. 1. jordan 2. bird 3. magic the one things highlight reels dont show is the overall dominance throughout the entire game that all of the greats were able to accomplish.

[@scottstewart5784]

If asked to pick an all-time starting five, which is different than being asked my top five players all-time, Bird's my SF.

[@timokk3]

Great reaction, RAH. For perspective, I always appreciate the knowledge of those who have played the game...in playgrounds or professionally..

[@danielmcgraw7908]

My top team; Kareem, center, Bill Russell, power forward, Larry, small forward, Pete Maravich, shooting guard, Kevin McHale, 6th man and Jason Williams guard.

[@Bearjumper55]

In an interview Bird said MJ is the greatest player, that's good enough for me!!!!!!

[@robtech341]

Bird never flopped. Nor did MJ or Magic. GREAT video!

[@charlesking4780]

Respect Larry Legend. 😎

[@MrSchmaaz]

@13:46, you said do I believe what he's saying... you said NO. Seeing is believing.

[@daltonmoore8971]

Magic said it. "To the best basketball player ever."

[@rorymajors2504]

I think his point on Bird missing the shot is pretty powerful. With almost anyone else you are impressed when they hit the final shot to win. With Bird it was simply expected. You were stunned when he missed. Magic and Bird absolutely saved the league and set it up for the 90s success. In the late 70s they were thought of as druggies and thugs. Ratings were in the toilet. Fights happened way too often and the skill level was just way too low. The rivalry of Magic and Larry changed all that

[@RonDaSantis]

I like how you use “graphics” when you’re talking about “video quality” 😂

[@akpilot9468]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this before- but Larry Birds retirement was a nongame night, the Garden was filled for his retirement only. That's how important he was to Basketball. But I agree with you, it's hard to pick a single great, but I have a hard time giving that title to anyone in the modern game. It just isn't the same. Keep in mind Lebron shopped around for teams to surround himself with people who could help. Back in Bird's era that wasn't the case. For the most part, teams stayed together for careers.. You played with what you had. It was just a different era.

[@nickv4073]

"If I had to choose a player to hit the last shot, I would choose MJ. If I had to choose a player to hit a shot to save my life, I would choose Larry Bird."...........Pat Riley.

[@jackastor5265]

Larry is Top 5 for sure. The only guys you can even compare him to are a few other all time greats. He was that good. it drives me nuts sometimes when I see a video or someone comment that Larry would be a bench player in the the current era.

[@fan1.0]

Imagine Bird playing without the back problems. He was still unstoppable with his injuries

[@jackastor5265]

@@fan1.0 What kinda nuts is he average 10 rebounds a game for his career. That's more than Patrick Ewing and he was an unathletic small forward.

[@vinceA3748]

Bird is top 3 all time, in my mind. I actually saw him play in the early 80's. As Laker fans, we all hated him. It was out of respect though. He was so dangerous and would ruin your day. He was scary good. That guy was right, Bird was excelling in a league loaded with future hall of famers.

[@xsjado_anon]

With LeBron's mental weakness, Bird would have made him into Ben Simmons like his team did when they blamed him for that finals loss that was really Embiid's fault. No way would Bron survive that mental onslaught - he'd fall apart, make excuses and end up out the league with people talking about how great he could have been if he didn't have issues, like Simmons will be. Bird, Michael, Kobe - all 3 had something in their personality that nobody else had, and all 3 carried teams on their back, never complained and got the job done - no excuses, no days off - just give 100% until your body falls apart on the court because it can't take it no more. Nobody else commands such respect or fear in the league.

[@davidbowles4457]

He was one the top 3 all around play

[@hillbillyatheart7686]

Bird wasn't the print, he was the model!!!!

[@alfredh3071]

Larry had something that most players in today’s league didn’t have, the fear of his competition. LJ has LarryBird in his top two of all time, with Jordan at number three. MJ said that LarryBird had only one weakness, defending. Then he said that when you add in his IQ, he had no weaknesses. You have to watch the Philadelphia game 6 playoff, then tell me who’s the GOAT.

[@george217]

Pistol Pete Maravich scored 68 points in a game back before there was a 3 point line but Bird is the only guy to be inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame as a player, a coach, and an executive.

[@bradenbond271]

The reason why I say Bird he could do it all. Jordan did win anything until after he retired and Magic was in his last season. If he didn't hurt his back he numbers could be the best ever. Yet in 13 years his numbers are unbeliable.