Larry Bird stories

[iceberg_is_on_fire]

He stays hitting people with ether.

 

[Maxine Shaw]

There was also some kid from Indiana. Went by the name of Bird.

“fukking Larry Bird,” said [Michael] Cooper.

That is how most Laker players viewed Boston’s all-everything forward. He wasn’t merely Larry Bird. He was fukking Larry Bird or, quite often, motherfukking Larry Bird. Ever since arriving in the league along with [Magic] Johnson in 1979, Bird had confused, befuddled and antagonized opposing forwards, all of whom—at one time or another—judged the gawky, white non-jumper to be vastly overrated.

There was a pattern to those who guarded Bird. First, a player would assume his athleticism and talent would overwhelm the Celtic star. Second, Bird would get the ball early in a game, juke once or twice, then—swish. Two points. Then swish again. And again. And again. And again. Third, Bird would talk to you. About your sorry-ass defense. About the ten shots you missed. About your team being down by 15. Fourth, Bird would slap the ball away from you. Or force you into taking an unbalanced leaner. Fifth, you’d glance at the post-game stat sheet and read:

BIRD: 32 points
YOU: 8 points

Jeff Pearlman (2014-03-04T00:00:00+00:00). Showtime (Jeff Pearlman) (Kindle Locations 4189-4191). Penguin Group US. Kindle Edition.

 

[Listen]

http://www.boston.com/sports/touchi...in_a_video_game_an_oral_history_of_larry.html

God damn that 60 point game against Atlanta has some of the funniest stories ever.

@NYC Rebel Doc explains the trash talk going on that made the Hawks bench start high diving and acting a fool.....HE CALLED THE SHOT!!!!!!!!

But it was a shot that came a few moments before – one that didn’t count – that is remembered more than any of Bird’s 22 made field goals that did count. With 14 seconds left, Bird catches a pass in front of the Hawks bench, takes one dribble to his left, and launches a step-back jumper with Rickey Brown draped all over him. The shot falls through the net just as Bird, nudged by Brown, falls into the lap of Hawks trainer Joe O’Toole. The shot did not count -- a foul was called on the floor – but that makes it no less amazing. As Hawks announcer John Sterling shouts "Larry Bird! Larry Bird!" while proclaiming it the greatest shooting performance he has ever seen, the players at the end of the Hawks’ bench – particularly Levingston – can’t even pretend to contain themselves now. They fall all over each in giddy amazement. Only later did we find out the real reason for the reaction: Larry Bird called his shot.

HASTINGS: Three or four of the guys erupted like we were Celtics fans. A couple of the guys ran off the bench. I always sat on the bench with a towel on my lap. I took the towel – I was screaming just as loud as these guys were, but I threw the towel over my face and just started screaming and hollering. It was like a precursor to those And1 videos.

RIVERS: He said 'in the trainer’s lap' coming down the court, which meant it was going to be a three and it was going to from deep. Then he said, 'who wants it?' Then I think Rickey Brown, I’m not sure who it was, ran out after him, he shot this high rainbow, it goes in, Rickey bumps into him -- and accidentally knocks him on our trainer’s lap. So it was exactly what he said, it was an accident but it was almost fate. They show a shot of our bench, Cliff Levingston and Eddie Johnson are standing up giving each other high fives. It was pretty awesome.^^^^

CLARK: I not sure who it was, but I could swear one of the guys on their bench tried to give Larry a high-five.

RIVERS: That night was not awesome. We had to go back to the locker room, and Mike Fratello, instead of going out to eat, he had a team meeting and put the film in and says, ‘It’s one thing to be in awe, it’s another thing to cheer for the other team.’ And he shows this back and forth, and kept rewinding the high five. It was awesome. ^^^^^

FRATELLO: We’re trying to beat these people. We’re not going to the movies to enjoy a show. This is our competitor. I didn’t appreciate they way they handled it, I let them know that, and we moved on. A lesson learned. Their lesson was that they got fined.

HASTINGS: Mike was so mad I think he fined each of those guys 500 bucks. But he didn’t get me. I had the towel.

 

[Listen]

ROBERT PARISH, Celtics center, 1980-94: He told us at halftime that nobody could stop him so just give him the ball and get out of the way. Then he went out and started taunting the Atlanta players on the floor, the ones on the bench, their coaches, even the referees. He was talking so much trash he was buried in it. It was one of those nights when he could have drop-kicked the ball in. I loved it. ^

 

[Schmoove]

"Then he went out and started taunting the Atlanta players on the floor, the ones on the bench, their coaches, even the referees. He was talking so much trash he was buried in it."

 

[Juggalo Fred]

Up

 

[ReturnOfJudah]

'It Was Like Living in a Video Game': An Oral History of Larry Bird's 60-Point Game

God damn that 60 point game against Atlanta has some of the funniest stories ever.

@NYC Rebel Doc explains the trash talk going on that made the Hawks bench start high diving and acting a fool.....HE CALLED THE SHOT!!!!!!!!



HASTINGS: Three or four of the guys erupted like we were Celtics fans. A couple of the guys ran off the bench. I always sat on the bench with a towel on my lap. I took the towel – I was screaming just as loud as these guys were, but I threw the towel over my face and just started screaming and hollering. It was like a precursor to those And1 videos.

 

[MF budz]

Up

that pass acouple shots in was so magnificent.

 

[GoFlipAPack]

Larry Legend

 

[TrillCauleyStein]

notorious shyttalker

 

[Da_Eggman]

Up

 

[DrX]

bird was a beast, he had that "fukk u" attitude that dudes like lebron dont have

 

[ReturnOfJudah]

bird was a beast, he had that "fukk u" attitude that dudes like lebron dont have

 

[Juggalo Fred]

Upppp

 

[KushSkywalker]

@ Bird playing 3 quarters left handed to stunt and scoring 27 points