“Larry Bird has helped define the way a generation of basketball fans has come to view and appreciate the NBA,” said Commissioner David J. His last-second heroics, ranging from seemingly impossible reverse layups to miraculous 35-foot bombs over multiple defenders, never ceased to amaze those who followed his career. He led the league in free-throw percentage four times.Īn obsessive perfectionist, Bird was idolized by Celtic fans and basketball purists of all allegiances.

He was a 12-time All-Star, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and a nine-time member of the All-NBA First Team. He became only the third player (and the first non-center) to win three consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player Awards. In addition to his three championship rings, Bird piled up an awesome collection of personal achievements. With Bird as the focal point of a well-rounded squad, the Celtics won three NBA titles and 10 Atlantic Division crowns. Larry Bird was 1 of the NBA's most clutch players ever, amassing 3 MVPs while leading the Celtics to 5 Finals and 3 titles in the 1980s.īird helped rebuild a Celtics franchise that had been suffering from sub-standard play and poor attendance in the late 1970s. But even those legendary players didn’t fill Boston Garden, wowing fans and dominating games as Bird did. Like Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, John Havlicek and Dave Cowens, the low-key Bird never forced the spotlight upon himself, but rather was a player who brought out the best in the players around him. Few played tougher than Bird, who would leap into crowds and over press tables for loose balls.īird was the embodiment of “Celtics Pride.” He was a classy, confident, hardworking player who thrived on pressure and inspired teammates to excel.

Among Bird’s contemporaries, perhaps only Earvin “Magic” Johnson was considered a better passer and was a player who he would inextricably be linked with forever. He was such a deadly shooter that he sometimes practiced 3-pointers with his eyes closed. Bird was so self-confident that he was known to waltz up to the opponents’ bench before tipoff and predict a 40-point performance for himself. Larry Bird was such a player.įor 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, from 1979-80 through 1991-92, Bird personified hustle, consistency and excellence in all areas of play - as a scorer, a passer, a rebounder, a defender, a team player, and, perhaps above all, as a clutch performer. Once every generation or so, a player comes along who can truly be called a superstar. > Archive 75: Larry Bird | 75 Stories: Larry Bird

Larry Bird was a standout in Boston and one of the NBA’s most iconic players ever.

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