This recent video was fun to watch. A lot of the plays were incredible assists. He must have eyes on the back of his head too.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: grumpy1,

Bird and Magic are why I watched basketball in the 80s.

He was like Gretzky… not the most physically gifted but tremendous ability to see where others would be combined with incredible hand/eye coordination.

Those Bird compilation videos never get tiring.

I was a big Celtics fan in those days of course. It was interesting to hear the play by play with Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinsohn. Cousy was always big on passing the ball for the best shot and we can see how well the Celtics of that era knew just how to do that.

During the satellite dish craze of the 80s, I bought a 5 or 6 foot diameter portable unit. You didn’t mount it in the earth in concrete, it was mounted on a circular ring and a collapsing, telescoping rod, which gave you both longitude and latitude. I took this thing with me to three different states and spent hours at each location dialing in the satellites needed to watch the games, although it was usually just the one that had New England sports network or whatever it was called. I probably saw most home games from 1986 to 1991, and 1/3 of the away games.
I truly feel he was the most skilled basketball player ever. Seemed like at least once a week or even twice a week, he made some astounding, unbelievable, never seen before play. Coupled with Magic Johnson, who wasn’t all that physically gifted either, they showed the world you didn’t have to jump 5 feet off the ground to be a great player.

I loved watching Bird play. I loved him trash talking the other guys, and then backing it up. He played like he had eyes in the back of his head and was the best passer in the game I ever saw. If he ain't the best that ever played, he'll do till they get here.

“If I Had to Choose a Player to Take a Shot to Win the Game, I’d Choose Jordan, but If It’s Someone to Take a Shot to Save My Life, I’ll Take Bird.” -Pat Riley


For several summers in my youth my folks sent me to basketball camps. At several of them we would watch videos and they always featured Larry Bird doing the fundamentals, dribbling and shooting w/ either hand, passing, positioning. And I wasn't a fan of the Celtics. But now I always enjoy those clips on yt.

In a past life, I was a sports fan, and NBA basketball was king. I first became a fan in the 70s, watching Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Lew Alcindor, John Havlicek, Walt Frazier, Dr J. Then Larry Bird and Magic Johnson enter the league and from 1979 on through the 80s and 90s, I became a huge fan of NBA ball, especially the Celtics, even though I lived in CA. Knew all the names of the starting lineups of every team. And Bird was the best, the king of 1980s basketball, watched every game of his I could on TV and in sports bars, my wife and I, and we watched every playoff/Finals game.

Back in the mid 80s, Michael Jordan enters the league, and of course he was a fantastic player from the get go, but could never beat Bird, didn't win a championship until Bird was on his last legs due to his bad back. And fans would attribute his lack of wins to subpar Bulls teams. But these fans don't realize that when Bird entered the league as a rookie, he inherited the worst Celtics team in history, posting a 29-53 record the prior season. But just adding Bird to this loser lineup, they went on to a league best of 61-21, the greatest turnaround at the time. And went on to the Eastern Conference Finals, finally losing to the 76ers and Dr. J. Also only the 3rd rookie to make the NBA All 1st Team, Elgin Baylor and Tim Duncan the only other ones. Watching these kind of You Tube clips brings back fond memories.

First of all, I too love to watch Larry Bird highlight reels, and hear the comments of those he played with and against.

My wife and I were doing ranch work north of Wickenburg, Arizona. I had an friend that worked for a Phoenix electrical company that had season tickets to the Suns. Over several years I saw most of the greats from that era: the Lakers with Magic, Kareem and Worthy; the Utah Jazz with Stockton and Malone; Houston with Olajuwan, Chicago with Jordan and Pippen, and Boston, with the men in this video. I was a Suns fan (Tom Chambers, Jeff Hornacek, Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle) and it made me mad to see so much Celtics gear in Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Bird was indeed incredible and fun to watch.

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Orndorff:
Bird and Magic are why I watched basketball in the 80s.

Celtics and Lakers in the 80's; what a time. I moved to Boston in the summer of '83 and of course got caught up in it. Paid attention to pro sports for the first time in many years. Loved those two teams and their rivalry.

What a basketball player!

I was a die-hard NY Knicks fan growing up when Willis Reed, Walt 'Clyde' Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Earl 'The Pearl' Monroe, and Bill Bradley were on the team, but found myself watching / following more of the Celtics in the Larry Bird era.

It was just incredible to watch that team play.

As mentioned, the Laker's were fun to watch play as well as the Detroit Pistons in the 80's.

Shortly after he retired from playing, Larry Bird became coach for the Indiana Pacers, and in his short tenure, took them to the Eastern Conference Finals, eventually losing to Jordan and the Bulls, Jordan later stating this was the toughest matchup he ever faced. Bird eventually was awarded Coach of the Year, and a couple years later, did reach the Finals, losing to the Lakers. Later after becoming President of Operations, he was awarded Executive of the Year, the only player to win NBA MVP, Coach and Executive of Year honors. But to add to his long list of legendary stories, here's a great one from his executive years, at the time he would show up to practices dressed in business casual.

Larry was before my time but I’ve seen and heard the tales. This was fun to watch!

quote:

Originally posted by mttaylor1066:
He was like Gretzky… not the most physically gifted but tremendous ability to see where others would be combined with incredible hand/eye coordination.

While watching, this is exactly what I thought, he just knew where everyone was. All I can say is if you’re out there playing with him you better be ready, you catch a completely blind unexpected pass that’s right in your chest. Surprisingly, all those plays the teammates seemed like they were ready and finished.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
Those Bird compilation videos never get tiring.

I was a big Celtics fan in those days of course. It was interesting to hear the play by play with Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinsohn. Cousy was always big on passing the ball for the best shot and we can see how well the Celtics of that era knew just how to do that.

Johnny Most was still the Celtics play-by-play announcer during the high water mark of Bird's career.

quote:

Originally posted by Blackmore:

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
Those Bird compilation videos never get tiring.

I was a big Celtics fan in those days of course. It was interesting to hear the play by play with Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinsohn. Cousy was always big on passing the ball for the best shot and we can see how well the Celtics of that era knew just how to do that.

Johnny Most was still the Celtics play-by-play announcer during the high water mark of Bird's career.

I'm aware and enjoyed his announcing (Havlicek stole the ball!!!), but I'm referring specifically to Cousy's and Heinsohn's back and forth (mon ami) and Cousy's adamant views on passing the ball and waiting for the best shot.

Bird was the best!