I’m a Celtics icon who battled Michael Jordan as a player, then I became head coach of Reggie Miller’s Pacers and came closer than anyone to destroying the Bulls’ dynasty

Few people should go toe-to-toe with Michael Jordan on a basketball court.

Larry Bird was one of them.

Boston icon Larry Bird is one of the greatest to ever do itCredit: Getty

12x All-Star Larry Legend is a three-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP and three-time MVP who, alongside with Magic Johnson, is authorised with reviving the NBA in the Eighties and reigniting the once-dormant contention between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.

Jordan entered the league in 1984 and crossed paths with Bird and the high-flying Cs in the 1986 playoffs.

Bird obtained to witness a 23-year-old MJ’s greatness first-hand when His Airness dropped a playoff record 63 factors in Game 2 of the Chicago Bulls’ first-round collection against Boston.

“God disguised as Michael Jordan” was once Bird’s only rationalization for Jordan’s heroics.

When the Nineties rolled around, the NBA was very a lot Jordan’s league and Bird’s time in the highlight was once all however over.

Bird retired in 1992 while Jordan’s Bulls gained three straight championships between 1991-1993.

MJ all at once retired in his high to play Minor League Baseball but returned to the NBA in 1995 to find Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller had taken the mantle of the Eastern Conference’s first-rate capturing protect in his absence.

Miller and the Pacers had been a powerhouse out East in the mid 90s however failed to get over the hump, dropping to the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic in the 1994 and 1995 Eastern Conference Finals, respectively.

 

The Bulls, meanwhile, were back to being The Association’s pre-eminent force with Jordan spearheading their triangle offense, prevailing back-to-back world titles in 1996 and 1997.

The Pacers, like each other team in the NBA, wished some thing extraordinary to overcome MJ and the genius of Phil Jackson.

Old footage from NCAA March Madness exhibits where Michael Jordan first made his legendary NBA identify with recreation -winning shot for North Carolina

In 1997, the franchise appointed Indy-native Larry Bird as their head coach, despite the reality he had no preceding teaching experience.

That season, the Pacers had Miller, Rik Smits, Chris Mullin, Antonio Davis, Dale Davis, Mark Jackson, Jalen Rose, Travis Best, and Austin Croshere.

With Bird at the helm, Indiana’s talented squad finished with a 58–24 report – the franchise’s quality as an NBA team at the time – and locked up the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference.

They dropped one sport to the Cleveland Cavaliers in their first round collection and lost simply one greater one recreation in the second round to the Knicks.

That put them on a collision course with Jordan and the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals, who have been in the midst of their Last Dance run and one title away from a 2d three-peat.

The Bulls received Games 1 and two of the 1998 ECFs however Indy bounced back in Games 3 and four to even the sequence at 2-2.

Game 4 featured Miller’s iconic game-winning shot over Jordan with 2.9 seconds on the clock.

Miller acquired free from Jordan, caught the inbound bypass from Derrick McKey, grew to become and made a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds to go.

Game five was once a blowout for the Bulls however Bird’s Pacers bounced returned in Game 6 to squeak out a close 92-89 win.

With the sequence locked at 3-3, the 1998 ECFs would be decided by means of a Game 7 at United Center — forcing the Bulls into solely their 2nd removal recreation in six title runs (the first got here in the 2d round against the Knicks in 1992, which they won).

The Pacers led with the aid of 10 at one stage however the Bulls rallied and led for most of the 2nd and third quarters.

Indy finally took a 72-69 fourth quarter lead on a Smits and-one with 8:54 remaining.

It was nip and tuck from there but future Warriors head coach Steve Kerr hit a massive 3-pointer to tie the game and the Pacers faded.

The Bulls retook the lead with 4:45 left and held on to win 88-83.

Bird, Miller and the Pacers were a whisker away from ending the Bulls dynasty and pushed Michael Jordan nearer than absolutely everyone ever had in the playoffs.

Chicago went on to win the title that year, beating the Utah Jazz in six games to declare their 2d three-peat and Jordan’s sixth title overall.

However, it used to be Bird and Miller’s Pacers that provided MJ’s hardest postseason task of the 90s.

“That used to be the scariest recreation we ever faced,” Kerr later said.

“Indiana used to be likely the toughest, outdoor of Detroit,” Jordan once admitted. “They had been tough. Every time I’d go in that f***ing game and come out, I got a new scratch.

“It grew to be personal with me.”

Bird and Miller caught around in the late 90s and early 00s after Jordan retired and the Bulls dynasty broke up.

Their Pacers squad made the 2000 NBA Finals but were bested 4-2 by Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bird resigned his head coaching function rapidly after the quit of the 2000 season while Miller retired in 2005.

Fast forward to 2024 and the Bulls are mostly beside the point whilst Jayson Tatum’s Celtics and Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers are about to face off in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Boston and Indiana are two of the most storied franchises in basketball – happily for them, they no longer have to worry about coming up against Michael Jordan in the playoffs.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explains why Larry Bird was superior than Dirk Nowitzki…”Larry knew where to be on the court to be the most tremendous for his team”

Former Dallas Mavericks great Dirk Nowitzki was regularly compared to Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird. Both had been huge men who may want to stretch the flooring and consistently hit the outside shot, which includes the three-pointer. Knowing each Dirk and Larry, you could pick out both one of them and stay with the results.

However, the Los Angeles Lakers’ all-time great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar thinks Larry Legend was once better than the German forward. According to Cap, Larry was once a higher chief and all-around player.

“No way that Dirk Nowitzki is higher than Larry, and Dirk is a high-quality — he’s an All-Star. Absolutely, any time he’s been on the All-Star team, he’s deserved it. But Larry, I think, had greater going in phrases of leadership,” said Kareem.

Bird used to be one of a kind

Kareem knew Larry Legend nicely because their teams met three instances in the NBA Finals during the 1980s. Bird’s Celtics beat Kareem’s Lakers in 1984, however the Purple and Gold defeated the Men in Green in 1985 and 1987. Bird was league MVP at some stage in three straight seasons from 1984-86 and Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986.

Meanwhile, Dirk led the Dallas Mavericks to their only NBA title in 2011. Nowitzki received league MVP honors in 2007 and used to be the Finals MVP in 2011. But whilst Nowitzki was once exceptionally a scorer, Bird could do a lot more than just scoring for the Celtics. And Larry Legend constantly knew when to choose his spots.

“If you take the 48 minutes of the game, for each and every 2nd on that clock, Larry knew the place to be on the court to be the most effective for his team. And Dirk doesn’t play the sport that way. He’s a extent shooter. He’s a streak shooter, and he’s top notch at that — and he’s had a extremely good career; I’m now not attempting to knock him, but Larry is one of a kind,” added Kareem.

Kareem additionally known as Dirk a one-trick pony

In any other interview, Kareem also stated that Nowitzki did not have a dominant NBA career because, apart from scoring points, he did not do a good deal on the basketball court. Abdul-Jabbar stated that if he were a better all-around player, Dirk would’ve gotten extra credit.

“I do not think that he was once able to have a dominant career due to the fact he couldn’t do different things. If he could have shot like that and rebounded and played defense and blocked shots, then he would have been all-around, and he would have gotten extra credit. He was like a one-trick pony,” the six-time NBA MVP said.

There’s no doubt that Dirk is an all-time remarkable and one of the first floor-stretching huge men in the league. However, Larry Legend clearly had extra in his bag than the Mavs legend. Bird was a better rebounder, defender, and passer than Nowitzki. The German native was once a gorgeous leader, too, however there was once just some thing about The Hick From The French Lick’s presence that commanded greater on the basketball court.

Celtics icon Paul Pierce slams the comparisons between Luka Doncic and Larry Bird

Mavericks celebrity Luka Doncic stands to lose in a head-to-head evaluation with Celtics tremendous Larry Bird, according to Paul Pierce.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is carving a name for himself in the NBA, however he continues to draw comparisons to Boston Celtics great Larry Bird due to sure similarities in their game. But some other Celtics legend in Paul Pierce begs to fluctuate and seeks to quit the comparisons.

Pierce said on Undisputed Live that hearing the names of Doncic and Bird together in the same sentence “is hurting my ears.” He additionally has Bird triumphing more head-to-head categories over Doncic.

“Let’s quit with the comparisons here,” Pierce said. According to him, Bird wins in the shooting, passing, speed, and IQ categories, while Doncic would win over Bird in phrases of scoring and handles. “I go speed, Bird. It’s very close,” he delivered with a chuckle.

Luka Doncic carving very own identify en route to turning into all-time great

Despite being worn-out of the Doncic-Bird comparisons, Paul Pierce lauded Doncic as one who is making a title for himself in the league. However, he mentioned that Doncic is nearer to some other legendary participant in LeBron James as they reflect every different in more categories, but with much less athleticism.

“I think Luka is carving out his very own niche. He’s been All-NBA [First Team] four times, he should win a championship this year. He’s on his way to becoming an all-time great. We’re speakme about one of the pinnacle five, 10 players to play the game,” Pierce added.

“Will Luka get there? Numbers-wise, he’s getting there. Bird [won] three straight MVPs, he modified the game, he made us watch basketball. In his 2nd year…he received a championship, who does that?” Pierce said. “He is in all likelihood the European LeBron James because [of] the way he can score, the way he can pass, the way he rebounds, and the way he controls the game. I’ll provide him that, he’s a less athletic LeBron.”

“Let’s cease with the comparisons… He [Luka Doncic] is on his way to being an all-time great, but we’re talking about one of the pinnacle five or 10 players to ever play the game.” Paul Pierce is not a fan of the Luka/Larry Bird comparisons 👀 (via @undisputed)

“Let’s stop with the comparisons… He [Luka Doncic] is on his way to being an all-time great, but we’re talking about one of the top 5 or 10 players to ever play the game.”

Paul Pierce isn’t a fan of the Luka/Larry Bird comparisons 👀

(via @undisputed)pic.twitter.com/6R7pqrdTvc

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 21, 2024

Luka Doncic drawing Larry Bird comparisons through the years

Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has been drawing comparisons to Celtics superb Larry Bird in the past few years due to his apparent lack of speed, which was extra than offset via his crafty moves on the floor.

“I performed with Bird. For three years straight, I watched, and that was once the feeling when you watched him each single night. Magic Johnson used to be the equal kind of player. Really, LeBron James is the same kind of player, too. These guys can do whatever on a basketball court,” then-Mavericks Head Coach Rick Carlisle said of Doncic in 2021.

Robert Horry, a former veteran NBA forward, chimed in a 2022 episode of The Byron Scott Podcast that Doncic’s slow moves are deceptive and knew very well how to use his actions to his advantage.

“You seem to be at Bird and said, ‘Man, I could’ve stopped him due to the fact he is slow’. Someone like Luka now. If you watch Luka, Luka is so freaking slow and you are like, ‘Why can not they cease that?’ When you’re artful and you understand how to play, it’s all you need,” Horry said.

Mavericks trying to get over the hump in Doncic’s fourth playoffs appearance

Despite displaying flashes of greatness, Luka Doncic has now not made it out of the Western Conference, now making his second look in the Conference Finals this season. In 2022, the Mavericks have been ousted by way of eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors, 4-1.

Since joining the Mavericks in 2018-19, the team has seemed in the playoffs 4 of six times, with their different two playoffs appearances ending in back-to-back first spherical exits in 2020 and 2021.

In 12 playoff video games this season, Doncic is producing per-game averages of 27.3 factors on 42.3% field intention shooting, with 9.7 rebounds, 9.1 assists, and 1.4 steals on forty two minutes per game.

The Mavericks open their Western Conference finals sequence on the street in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, May 22, at 8:30 p.m. ET. Should the Mavericks prevail in getting past the Timberwolves, they may additionally stand to face the Celtics, who are favored to come out of the Eastern Conference.

Diego de la Paz has lived and breathed sports during most of his life. A former song and area varsity athlete, he has had the uncommon opportunity of protecting the NBA, UFC, boxing, and professional tennis on the floor for the duration of his journalism career. He is also working as a play-by-play commentator for recreational sports leagues in his spare time.

Paul Pierce wants the comparisons between Luka Dončić and Larry Bird to end

“Bird modified the game, he made us watch basketball.”

Luka Dončić may also be on his way to becoming one of the greatest NBA gamers of all time however he’s no Larry Bird.

At least that’s what former Boston Celtics great Paul Pierce said when requested if Dončić is the next Bird.

“Can we stop with this?” Pierce stated on Undisputed. “Let’s quit with the comparisons here.”

“I suppose Luka is carving out his own niche,” Pierce continued. “He’s on his way to becoming an all-time top notch but we’re speaking about one of the top 5 or 10 players to ever play the game.

“Bird modified the game, he made us watch basketball.”

.@PaulPierce34 says STOP with the Luka & Larry Bird comparisons:

“We’re talking about one of the Top 5 or 10 players to ever play the game.” pic.twitter.com/h06BlZMjqC

— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) May 21, 2024

Pierce did feel like it was once fairer to examine Dončić to extraordinary NBA great, LeBron James.

“He’s the European model of LeBron James, just less athletic than LeBron,” stated Pierce. “It have to be an honor for Luka to be in the identical evaluation as Bird.”

When you ruin down their careers, it’s now not even close. Bird is genuinely the better participant and, as Pierce pointed out, was once already an NBA champion two years into his career, with various greater NBA championships and MVP trophies ahead.

Perhaps the higher evaluation is to every other Dallas Mavericks great, Dirk Nowitzki. Both came from Europe, each were scoring machines and, maybe soon, each will have championships.

[Undisputed]