When Kareem Disrespected Larry Bird and Instantly Regretted It (Reaction!!)

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[@GBeret83]

"Michael Jordan made you look slow, but Larry Bird made you look stupid."...............James Worthy.

[@Sunny-jz3dy]

Facts!

[@35t10b]

That's my favorite quote. Too bad he had injury problems so soon

[@alhme50]

@@35t10b 😒

[@tanner_uncut]

haha awesome

[@wrigley8225]

@@35t10bHe played 13 seasons.

[@bobmdvm]

What people who didn’t see him live don’t understand is that Bird controlled the TEMPO of the game. At 6’10” he was a great rebounder and a savvy defender. Everyone knows he could shoot and pass but he was honestly like a conductor in an orchestra. He was always in the right spot on the court. Always in triple threat position. And always ready to find the open man for that persons strengths on offense. Mentally he was a full second in front of the other 9 players. Everyone has their GOAT but I was an NBA fan since DrJ and Moses Malone and I never saw anyone control games like Bird. There may be better scorers or better defenders but not better players period.

[@TwoFourFixate]

At 6’10” he was a great rebounder and a savvy defender. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Yes, he was., Note that Larry Bird was 6'9".

[@ROBCAR30GMAIL]

Perfectly said

[@michaelpeach2833]

As Magic once said, "Larry Bird was so good...it was frightening."

[@liontone]

Dennis Johnson was a serious baller with Star talent. He took a backseat to Bird and McHale and racked up some rings. Total terror on defense. Underrated player.

[@damnitman3170]

DJ complimented Bird’s game style so well. The passes between them were game changers. And if he did what all the great players of that time did, he showed up with the Defense! Something that’s lost with today’s players.

[@jp1402]

DJ was special. Super clutch. If I remember right he was big the year the Super Sonics won the championship, with Jack Sikma and couple of other dudes. Don't think the X man was with them yet? @@damnitman3170

[@user-bt8vn3dj6o]

Dennis Johnson is a great player.

[@pamelajohnson4081]

I love that highlight of the Pistons (?) game...when Bird steals the ball and Johnson comes flying in....and wins the game!

[@angelabarazzone7899]

Bird said Dennis Johnson was the best player he ever played with.

[@cfnsRD]

The quote of Larry Bird that will always stay with me is from Pat Riley "With a game on the line I want Micheal Jordan taking the shot, with my life on the line I want Larry Bird". Highest praise I've ever heard a coach give especially for so many years he probably designed games around stopping Bird.

[@faith.s_mom]

The best!!!

[@jowpro]

Dennis Johnson was one of the all time greats. He and Bird were spiritually connected.

[@carolynclaire5241]

I love DJ. He was so great!

[@user-ye3ci5yb7v]

dj was birds left hand.........most bird shots were from his right outside perfect basket..........whenever he wanted to use left hand dj was it//////////////dj was a part of bird...........

[@kurtsherrick2066]

Could Bird play in this Era? Absolutely he would have excelled. In his day defenders grabbed and clawed to keep Bird contained but Jordan got it right. Larry was unstoppable.

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

Bird was the Best "Complete" player, he did everything great !!! 👍 🏀

[@TimWong49152]

If Lebron played in the 80's, he would've been guarded by Bird and McHale and Parrish and Walton. That's just the Celtics. Lebron wouldn't have the physical advantage he has now over most of the NBA even at his age.

[@ronniefarnsworth6465]

@@TimWong49152 He would cry and roll all over the court trying to draw Fouls !!! 😆 It was a very hard game then with Everyone school in the "Fundamentals & Toughness". I try to explain this to people under 45 yrs they just don't get it and the same goes for Hockey and Football !!! 🏀🏒🏈

[@kurtsherrick2066]

@timothywong8963 You are right. The game changed. Go inside in the 80's was dangerous.

[@shilohpuppy5649]

Bird would average 50 in today's game. Hell he could've averaged 50 back then if he wanted to. NOBODY could stop him.

[@javinmaillet5320]

God those two teams were absolutely stacked with Hall of Famers.

[@quintondees4501]

Yes they were, we didn't know how good we had it watching back then

[@carminemalanga4353]

I hated both of them so much..diehard Sixer fan..they would of won 5 championships but Boston and LA were too good..but we had 1983

[@quintondees4501]

@@carminemalanga4353 same here, sixers fan.....bird drove me insane. Looking back though, he was incredible

[@jimb1283]

"Back when men were playing" is the most true thing I have heard in a while.

[@iconadams]

This is the game after LA beat the Celtics and Larry Bird said he and his team were playing like a bunch of sissies. Kevin McHale tackling Kurt Rambis was his response to Bird's challenge. After that happened the Lakers were taken out of their game and were fighting as much as playing; which played right into the Celtics hands. This is also the game when Magic, after throwing the ball away down the stretch and missing two key free throws, was called "Tragic Johnson" by Cedric Maxwell of the Celtics. As for Bird playing in today's game, If Doncic and Jokic can excel, so could Larry Bird, who was as quick or quicker than them both, taller than Doncic and almost as tall as Jokic. Bird was always listed as 6'9" but many players said he was definitely 6'10". Magic Johnson is listed at 6'9" and look at them side by side and you can see Larry Bird is taller. Add to a Larry Bird of today three decades worth of nutrition, health, and physical training improvements, and you have a Monster. Isaiah Thomas said, "if Larry Bird played today, he'd still be winning MVPs and his team would still be winning championships." And no doubt Larry Bird would still be destroying his opponents mentally, just as long as he could do it quietly in today's softer league where refs frown upon that kind of gamesmanship.

[@poetreatsartreats2469]

Thanks a lot for the deets.. Well said Brent (;

[@ronniecampbell4375]

Tragic Johnson lmao 😂

[@gerryrice4848]

Well said.

[@o2ksumbody]

Same thing can be said for Dennis Rodman if he played in today's soft era game where referee calls the fouls, I know rodman is the type of player to play hard, play defense, rebound, get foul troubles, flagrant fouls, ejections, hustlings, I'm pretty sure that rodman and Draymond Greene would hate each other more than respect each other during live game and not just podcasts.

[@garthdrake3220]

Bird would DOMINATE this era more than he did in his, which was the best

[@johnvance8499]

As a tall kid from Southern Indiana, Larry was the inspiration. Did he talk trash? Like a boss. He also backed it up like a champ. He will forever be known as one of the greats as long as footage of him playing remain.

[@jamessmith-pf5zf]

If you want to see how much heart Bird had, look up the video about his back injuries... That he played through. He used to spend hours in traction before a game just so he could suit up and play. In a lot of his later games, his back was so bad that he couldn't even sit on the bench, he had to lie on the sidelines in front of the bench.

[@fakecountry9407]

Larry Bird was fuuuuun to watch. Always did something incredible in a game. You could just tell he was smarter than everyone on the court. Maybe not the most athletic but definitely the smartest.

[@tonyczapla3880]

Bird's greatness isn't in his highlights, it's in all the average stuff his did to perfection. Playing the passing lane, cheating off his man to provide help defense, blocking out on the boards. The little stuff made Larry Legend.

[@theStacyJames]

"LeBron definitely would have missed one of those." Hahahaha 🤣 soooo true

[@petegregory517]

I'd say both 2 of 3 times.

[@kerryklopfstein4260]

Bird was so pure his shots rarely hit the rim, all net

[@Neoreaver]

Bird, Johnson, and McHale could dominate a 3v3 against modern players no problem. Bird himself was so damn intelligent he could not only play in today's league, he'd still find new ways to impress us.

[@DonnieBAllDay]

I agree with you. Back then, you score, then you D up. Today, you score, you flex in the camera, yell to the crowd, make sure everyone knows you scored. Down 50 dude hits a 3 and stares at the camera holding up his personal 3 ball sign. You nailed it calling them 'Hollywood"

[@bryanpetersen1334]

Bird couldn’t do naturally what other great athletes could physically, but his basketball mind and instinct was off the charts. He took what he had available in him, honed it to perfection through countless hours of work, and through sheer force of will made victory happen. Bird, Magic, and those great players back then all drove each other to perform beyond their limits and revived a struggling NBA. I have zero qualifications to name any G.O.A.T., I just enjoy watching different players do the impossible using their own unique skill set and exceptional willpower.

[@damienfallon8980]

Bro I was a kid in the 80s watching these games and my father is from Boston so my house was a Celtics house. I can say the players back then did NOT want to team up together. They wanted to each have their own team and beat the heck out of each other. It was amazing.

[@mneugent7658]

Bird would absolutely dominate the NBA today. Just like he did then but even more so.

[@richardbaker595]

NBA today is jv next to Bird and Magic in the 80s

[@konradv7]

If today’s game is a 3-point contest, how can you bet against a prime Bird?

[@psymar]

the man who walked into the locker room before the three point contest, looked around, said "I'm just trying to figure out which one of you is going to finish second", and backed it up? Yeah me neither

[@tonygammalo5602]

Really enjoyed your take. Your LeBron comments, especially were spot on. When Larry hit those two free throws and you said LeBron would've definitely missed one of them, I laughed out loud. Exactly my take on the guy. A great player, but something was always missing about him when compared to somebody like Bird. I can't even tell you what it is. The comment that sent me over the edge was about if LeBron had a father, he would've been as clutch as Jordan. Again, I gotta say you are spot on. The year that LeBron went to the Heat, him and his buddies came in to my recording studio to do a rap song. Along with him came Kevin Durant. I could tell immediately, listening to LeBron rap, and tell his story that there was something inside of him that was missing by not having a father. I'm not making fun of the guy, I feel for him. I think LeBron is a great human being, and one of the best to ever play the game. But there is this afraid of failure factor that guys like Jordan and Bird never displayed. It was, "give me the fucking ball and get out of my way. " it's the mentality of, I can handle failure easier than I can handle not being in control. LeBron was probably a better father than Jordan or Bird, but not a better basketball player. Everything you said in this video was just so spot on, I had to comment.

[@eddiehaskell1957]

Very well said!

[@woodymeadows9363]

The problem with LeBron was he was too soon compared to Jordan. Look what happened to Harold Miner. LeBron is better than Miner, yes, but sometimes those too early comparisons wear a person down. Those were the early years. Since, I can't stand him because he talks too much about things outside of basketball he doesn't fully understand and comes off as ignorant.

[@michaelpeach2833]

Bird was cold-blooded assassin. Most clutch I've ever seen. As Laker Head Coach Pat Riley once said, "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."

[@blurpledragon2779]

Larry calling out his moves to his defenders and making them , HOLY COW amazing and Larry Bird was probably the best clutch dude of his era .

[@goofydog2]

Kareem, who has to be a front runner for the GOAT title, said to sportscasters said no one compared to Kareem's benchmarks! When the news guys tried to compare anyone to Kareem, they finally asked Kareem what he though. He just said 'as far as skills, Larry Bird could do anything,' at which, he rolled his eyes and looked upward!

[@stmbtsodapop2513]

Enjoy your very realistic commentary! Since you like the competition of the 80's BB this is a great one to watch. 1981 ECF, Celtics vs 76's w/ Dr. J & Moses Malone. Celtics came back from being down 1-3 game series to win. Pure determination from both teams to get the WIN! Competition at it's finest! "The Best Larry Bird UNDERDOG Story Ever Told".

[@KorpseDeathbringer]

Yeah, one thing I always noted was how Magic and Larry both won titles right away in their careers. I know they didn't have the draft lottery yet, or how they determined draft order but that's just another way things were different in that era. However, there was a similar occurrence with Tim Duncan, because David Robinson was injured nearly the whole season and they were able to get Tim Duncan and he also won pretty much right away, also probably the last superstar to attend college 4 years before going pro.

[@chuckkirby2708]

Moses Malone played for the Rockets until 1982. He was on the Western conference champs that the Celtics beat in the finals.

[@wadeyearsago]

That 81 ECF was the most gut wrenching series I ever saw.

[@jeannemartin2490]

I remember this playoff game. My son would tape these playoff games so I could watch them when I got home from work.

[@matthewirwin6134]

Bird was listed as 6'9" 220 lbs. You mentioned his shot. Watch his release. Its actually behind his head making it almost impossible to block without going through his body.

[@ChristianLazopoulos]

A lot of truth was preached in this reaction brother!

[@Tbone51]

The great ones (Magic, MJ, Bird, Pistol Pete, Dr. J., etc.) could play in ANY era!

[@richcarrCCC]

Well done. You are an old soul with respects to your overall philosophy, beliefs, understanding, and opinions of NBA Basketball, combined with a profound take on its history as well as its current nuances, trends, challenges, and how the present differences compare to and contrast with the teams and players of yesteryear. I lost track of how many times I concurred with what you commented on throughout your video. I really appreciate your insightful, intelligent, and meaningful comments. Can't thank you enough Best of luck to you and keep up the excellent work..

[@areese240z]

There was a story behind the hard fouls, it had a psychological effect. Instead of playing the Lakers started fighting and it took them out of their game. 1984 finals

[@kellytrimble7019]

Larry played when the game was physical against a dozen other hall of fame players! He would destroy the prima Donna’s of today. He was an overall, team player! You knew he would get the ball in clutch situations but his passing was incredible! What mattered was winning! Not being the center of attention!

[@havrisen6620]

Here’s something to think about when comparing Magic’s 5 championships to Bird’s 3. I was a 76’ers fan and loved Dr.J. Those early 80’s Sixer teams were stacked. The Lakers were stacked. In fact, the eastern conference had several teams that were stacked. The Bucks, Hawks, Knicks, were loaded with young talent and veterans. Yet, Bird won the championship in ‘81 with M.L. Carr, Cornbread Maxwell, and Tiny Archibald. The Celtics, had a BRUTAL path to the finals every year. When they DID make it to the finals they were involved in 5 or 6 or 7 game series just to get there. The Lakers, on the other hand, waltzed easily to the finals almost every year and would often sweep 4-0 to the Finals. I hated Bird and hated The Lakers because I was a 76er fan but Bird could’ve had atleast one or more had it not been so tough year after year. Not to mention the tragic death of Len Bias completely changed the destiny of the franchise and shortened Bird’s career/titles run. I respect Bird now. I like him now. But I hated him for decades.

[@vickiconley3638]

Nothing better than the Celtics and Lakers ole' school! They worked to earn their paycheck.

[@randyhuke3773]

All those missed Laker freethrows shows how Bird can get in the heads of opposing players

[@gcofield4498]

Everything you are saying is so correct. It was so good to have watched back then.

[@user-zn4fu3ey8p]

They complimented each other. Didn't care who got the glory! Just the win!

[@MaryM-xz5fs]

Bird played like butter!!! HE'S THE GOAT!!! I would like to watch more Bird vids!!

[@66marbor]

It's preposterous to think any of the greats couldn't play in this era.

[@huskerchez]

I like you,every time I see Bird highlights move him up in my all-time greatest lst. A complete player, with one of the best "heads" for the game ever. Relentless competitor.

[@eddiehaskell1957]

You made so many great points. The one i think is most important, you said "the will to win"! Great reaction!!

[@robertdiehl1281]

Really like your take on the competitiveness of the game vs watching a bunch of superstars being all about themselves. Just bring your best game and leave it all on the court.

[@lesleyutley9210]

This was when basketball was great! I remember watching from Memphis Tennessee at my grandma's house. I was actually a huge Kareem fan and I was only nine or ten years old and was in glasses by the time I was five or six. I would always think if I played basketball at have to wear the glasses like Kareem! 😂 But man you hit the nail on the head, the competitive games where incredible to watch. No glitz and glam. I would love to watch and hear what you think about some of the specials where you can actually hear the players saying what Larry Bird was saying to them. That man should not only teach classes on sports, but on confidence because he was someone who exuded it. I don't remember which year it was but it was early 80s and they were in the playoffs. It came down to the very last game. LA Lakers won, and I was happy about that. But seeing the Celtics players so upset, I remember crying for them because they played so well. This is when my love for basketball began. It's definitely not the same with the soft calls now. There was something a little gangster about how they played back then 😂 I'd love to see more of these videos.

[@MarySiddell]

Larry has been my favorite since he started playing. I was a Celtics fan when Cousey and Russell played. After Larry arrived the anticipation of those games was electric. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to see those games. I live in Ohio but I subscribed to the Boston Globe so I could read their coverage. Kurt Rambis was a hitman. He did a lot of damage with those elbows. The same with Bill Lambier on the Pistons. I truly disliked those two. Anyway, thanks for the reaction.

[@jaydubya6345]

Watch more Larry Byrd. The kids now are too sensitive to play with Larry.

[@sherimay1957]

powder puff ball for powder puff kids

[@Tbone51]

I think you're absolutely right about peoples' preferences. For me, and past the highlight tapes, is how Bird completely changed the Celtics his first year (as a rookie) and then after that. Boston went from 10th in the Eastern Conference in 78-79, the year before Bird arriving (29-53 record), to 1st in the Eastern Conference in 79-80 (61-21 record). The only other rookies on the team Bird's rookie year were Rick Roby and Gerald Henderson. He not only made everyone else around him better, unlike most others, but Bird was an unparalleled competitor. BTW: I think Kareem is a top-ten all-time best NBA player. (I saw this game live on TV).

[@456012]

All your takes were spot on man, would love to hear you analyze more games

[@trudogg630]

I grew up in LA, but was one who loved BIRD and the Celtics over Lakers. Larry Legend was just a cold killer on the court and I loved that rivalry in the 80-90’s. Best time in the NBA. Real basketball played….

[@sophistpig]

Lecturing Magic Johnson on free throws. Lmao, too funny

[@gregcormier2379]

Definitely do more of these. Another great bird era rivalry was with the Detroit Pistons.

[@cptight88]

Hell yeah. It was like gang warfare.

[@TheDivayenta]

I can’t get enough of watching Larry play- more! And I enjoy your informed commentary!

[@indiandoc2]

The game where Rambis is knocked down, that was the No lay-ups allowed game. Tough game unhinged the Lakers, who were up 3-1 in the playoffs. Celtics came back to beat them 4-3. Celtics played ball Lakers wanted to fight. Beat before they figured out what had happened. These guys were all in their 20’s. This game is on KZbin

[@irishgrl]

Larry could ABSOLUTELY play in todays era. LARRY LEGEND IS A UNICORN AND THE TRUE GOAT!!! 🐐 ☘️

[@MeIn321]

The back story is this was the first Laker Celtics finals series in a long time. LA was 0 forever against the Celtics and wanted to run them out of the gym. Tied 1-1, game LA made Boston look like a high school team, ran them out of the gym. Bird was embarrassed and said it's not happening again. Game 4 LA started doing the same thing, and the Bird said, "Somebody do something." McHale did by close lining Rambis, and this completely shook LA. Boston, from then on out, took control and called LA the Fakers. The Lakers were beaten mentally and physically. They learned from this and returned the favor in 85'.

[@matthewgenyas4454]

I’m a piston fan and hate the Celtics but watching Bird play and all he did made me a BIG Bird fan. He is a top 5 goat nominee for me

[@forgetaboutit1069]

First basketball video game I ever played was Lakers vs Celtics back in 1991 on my Sega Genesis. So many kids would pack my house wanting to play. Winner stayed and we had a sign up list for next game. It really sucked losing since you went back to the bottom of the list. Good times!

[@oldmanballer5088]

This is the “Tragic “ Johnson game. People called him Tragic after he missed those free throws and didn’t play well down the stretch. You need to watch any and all Bird trash talking videos. Bird is faster than Luka and the Joker and he could dominant in any era. Also the Video The Greatets Passer Ever. Larry Bird the re-edit. 15 or so minutes of Bird just passing the ball. Absolutely beautiful to watch

[@thomastims9583]

The challenge by Bird was not to allow a SINGLE layup in that game. McCale said I’ll be damned if I’m the first :) Thus the clothes line on Kurt

[@Uncle-Charlie]

I grew up watching this graduated high school in 83! Lakers Celtics was unreal I was lucky to see it!

[@DonOlszewski-th1ir]

Great reaction, if you want to dive deeper, watch more games of Bird era Celtic’s. Watch games where Bird is matched up against Lakers, Wilkins, Jordan, etc. It’s not just the quality of players from that great era. It’s how all of them played the game ! It was NBA’s true zenith.

[@joelliebler5690]

There were so many superstar players on both teams and that is how good Bird was. He was going against Hall of Fame players. Some of these guys were older like Kareem and Bob, who was a scoring machine in his younger days. Larry could play in any era. He would average 35 points a game in todays game! Macadoo

[@user-be7tc2bd6e]

The only weakness in Bird's game was he couldn't play good man-to-man defense.That's why either Cornbread Maxwell or McHale guarded the other teams best scorers: Like James Worthy,Wilkins,etc,etc,..

[@x00p3]

@@user-be7tc2bd6e Bird did get three years second team all defense. Was that before he hurt his back?

[@user-be7tc2bd6e]

@@x00p3 2nd team aii defense for 3 yrs ??? It was problably for steals,because his man-to-man defense was horrible.That's why Cedric Maxwell and Kevin McHale guarded Bernard King,Wilkins,James Worthy,etc,... When the Celtics played the Lakers Bird guarded Kirt Rambis. LOL.

[@555mainesmonsters]

Bro,everything you said,I was sitting here saying”PREACH!” You were on point on all things you said

[@78tag]

POLO - you're a good man. Great commentary. The old games are the only thing worth watching. LARRY LEGEND !!!!

[@gailshepard-cook6350]

I also heard Bird in a little interview say; Free Throws Can Be a Reason For a Team To Win It OR Loose It & That It's Very Important That Players Practice Them. It Was For Sure In This Game. Also I Think The Player Has To watch It Because Of The Pressure In Those Moments Too.And That's Just a Different Kind Of Thing They Have To Be Able To Handle/Mentally.

[@mikeremski2102]

"And then I seen the tapes" Mic drop right there. Thanks.

[@lindafoster2141]

Living in Indiana all of my life, Larry Legend is awesome!!!

[@LSD19966]

It is great to see you talk so passionately about the game!

[@specialed36ify]

1000% agree with you. Don't watch the NBA anymore either. Much more about the individual now than a team coming together to play hard. Great video as always.

[@kingunda5013]

After they got blown out in game 3, 136-111, Larry was so frustrated that he challenged the Lakers to a fight in the parking lot. He also called his teammates "sissies" to light a fire in their belly. The result: game 4 W, series tied, and they go back to the 100 degree celsius Garden where they massacre the Lakers.

[@boosuedon]

The thing about Bird is that he was 100% basketball! He didn't care about personal "stats", he only cared about winning the game. Race? Larry wasn't white, wasn't black. Larry was CLEAR! Dennis Rodman gave him a huge insult that became the talk of sports. Larry shrugged it off and said: "I don't understand why people are making a big deal out of this. It is a distraction from the game, that's all! If I don't care about it, why does anybody else care?" Larry was pure basketball!

[@TheTubetastiktuber]

The 1984 Finals was the best series ever. Worth watching it all. Every game was intense

[@bradsquires5971]

And among a huge collection of superstar Bird easily was the best player in the series!

[@drazenfx]

He could play in any time period. If he played today he would be the best 3 point shooter.

[@victorsixtythree]

12:46 - check out that possession. I think when DJ drove into the lane ALL TEN PLAYERS were inside the paint. You NEVER see that anymore. Nowadays, sometimes you get all five offensive players setting up outside the three point line. It's so different.

[@genegiusti6239]

Larry, had the skill and BB IQ to adapt his game to any era.

[@leosag816]

I’m loving watching these videos, and your comments. Having grown up in Hollywood in those years, I wish I’d taken more of an interest at the time. My brother & father were always glued to it, but I know for sure, they didn’t like Larry Bird😂. (At this point I love both teams & their Captains, but I must admit, Larry’s got the edge for me now!).

[@78tag]

"I want to see more of the story" - I agree with you. Too many highlight clips don't show enough of the set-up / follow-up of the plays. This whole game was a highlight reel.

[@unndunn1]

They were teams back then, now they’re a group of individuals who care about themselves. Those series were great to watch. The Lakers and Celtics hated each other, and the fans did too. #celtics #33

[@stonemansteveiii3135]

Bird was clearly better than Magic, but the NBA will always list him higher, because the Lakers won 5 to the Celtics 3, forgetting that Kareem was the star of the team for the 1st 2 championships!!

[@aircablenetwork8581]

Plausible.👍

[@poloreacts27]

I agree

[@sugarnads]

Lakers had a far easier run in the conference finals. By the time the celtics got there theyd been bashed senseless.

[@jermaineloyola7724]

I would say Kareem was the star for the first 3, 80, 82 and 85

[@sugarnads]

@@jermaineloyola7724 of course. He was the captain. And for all ppl say bird had help...magic had kareem and james worthy and michael cooper.

[@jayniesgottagun]

I am so with you, Polo. I got to live this growing up. I'm just a touch older than Bird. It's so nice to see some full games in decent resolution to take me back. Now that I'm retired and have the time, I'm saddened by the state of the NBA in this ERA. That and the fact that my team got sold to Oklahoma. If you have the time and inclination, I would enjoy watching some playoff games with you.

[@370JDUB]

‘Who’s wearing the purse today’ 😂😂

[@mattjohnson7316]

I grew up watching these games and i miss this NBA

[@carolynclaire5241]

Bird had mad skills. He set the tempo for the game and moved at his own pace.

[@tomboston9669]

Celtics/Lakers back then were probably the greatest series in the history of the NBA. But Celtics/Sixers series of that era were almost as good ! (absolute wars) The Celts always had to get through The Sixers, The Pistons, and The Bulls to get to the Finals ( all GREAT series), but the Lakers usually had a cakewalk to the Finals. If you can find entire games from any of those series give them a watch. They were the best basketball I've ever seen.

[@carolynclaire5241]

Bird said he hated to lose a game more than he loved winning a game.

[@dirtbagdarrell2008]

He did have his best defender on him. Michael Cooper was as good a defender as anyone ever.

[@LadyShar]

I'm here for any Larry Bird stories you react to. 🎉

[@dpstevenson]

I loved this. Yes, more of these old school NBA reactions please

[@kennethstover4758]

Love your comments, and appreciation of the differences in the era. Bird would rule the NBA today. ;it's was pushed, held, and mauled. Today's game nothing like 80's

[@KorpseDeathbringer]

I lived in Medina, Ohio in the mid 90s, but was born and raised just south of Chicago, so I was already an established Cubs, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks fan but Cleveland became my second city, and I mentioned this in 2015 and someone said I must not like winning, lol. Of course, just one year later I laughed last... Edit: as a kid in the 80s my dad was a Celtics fan and my aunt was a Lakers fan. They both dismissed MJ throughout the 80s, so another last laugh for me lol

[@dm5319]

If you look closely, it was McHale's forearm that hit Kareem in the face from a step away, not Bird. It was a case of mistaken identiy, as Jabbar thought it was Larry who hit him.

[@lenculpepper9150]

Michael Cooper was such a great defensive player. Bird said he was the toughest to impose his will upon.

[@gooddaysahead1]

Polo, you have to stream these series between the Celtics and the Lakers. They are breathtaking. This is my era. I couldn't sleep for 2 hours after the games were over.

[@forest989]

I love Robert Parish's stoic appearance while getting the job done.

[@indiandoc2]

Bird was the dominant player in his time. Bird was so clutch, he wanted the ball when the game was on the line. Who else has put up better numbers in the last 2 minutes of the game. Jordan lost 6 straight playoff games to Bird, never beat Bird. Listen to James Worthy or Michael Cooper both said Bird was just as dangerous without the ball or without scoring, he rebounded, passed, set picks he was involved some how, not just standing around. Both said they would rather guard Jordan as Bird.

[@JsscRchlDrsy]

They did have their best defender on him often. It was Michael Cooper. Larry has stated that Coop was the toughest defender of his career.

[@fredball8240]

I remember that game..super super intense. The Lakers had embarassed the Celtics in Boston in game 1 and again in LA in game 3. Lotta flash and speed. Bird spoke to his team through the media in a postgame interview suggesting his own players didn't have enough heart. That triggered the tension that's on this video. After they defeated the Lakers it was a formula the Celtics stuck with. It was the beginning of a new era for them - a style of Celtics bully ball that the young Pistons couldn't break in the East until 1988. But of course when they finally did break through they carried it to another level. The oldheads remember.

[@tedjarboe2101]

Bro I totally agree the NBA today has been destroyed by social media - I can’t watch it - but Jordan, Johnson, Bird, Isiah - I could watch reruns of those dudes ALL DAY LONG!

[@gailshepard-cook6350]

You can fine this Whole Game here on YT, You should check it out It's a WOW one. Bird has said a few times That Cooper was the Hardest Defender He had to go against & Watching the wholes game with these two You'll See why, Cooper was On Bird like a Tick.