Tag: Larry Bird

Legendary Boston Celtics small forward Larry Bird was known for his on-court confidence bordering on cockiness — except, Bird was almost always able to back up the infamous trash talk he wielded as a weapon to get in his opponents’ heads.

On a few occasions it boiled over into altercations, but more often than not such verbal assaults by the Hick From French Lick — as Bird was often called — would simply end in a Celtics victory. His friends and peers in the NBA from that era still recount with a touch of wonder in their voice how the Indiana State product would combine words and deeds in such a devastating manner.

To that end, the host of the CLNS Media NBA history podcast “NBA Time Machine” Sean David assembled a video highlighting Bird’s cockiest, most disrespectful on-court moments.

Watch the video embedded above to hear them all — and in a lot of cases, see the footage that came along with it.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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It is not very often that a rookie player makes the NBA All-Star game. In fact, it has only happened 45 times in the history of the game, and not since Blake Griffin made the All-Star team in 2011. But then, not very many rookies enter the league as dangerous of a player as Boston Celtics legendary small forward Larry Bird did in 1979.

Bird would have an outstanding rookie season. He made both the 1980 All-Rookie Team and Rookie of the Year that same season, earning an All-Star big in the midst of a debut season that saw the Hick From French Lick (as Bird was sometimes called) average 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.

And while he may have only logged 7 points and as many assists in the annual midseason exhibition game, he would have 11 more All-Star nods in his career to improve upon his debut performance in basketball’s most important friendly.

Watch the clip embedded above to see his highlights from that historic moment in NBA history, courtesy of CLNS Media.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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The NBA was changed forever on October 12, 1979 as legendary Boston Celtics small forward Larry Bird stepped on the court to play his first game, which just so happened to be the very first game a player — Bird’s Celtics teammate Chris Ford — sunk an official 3-pointer as well.

But that historic trey has paled in comparison of importance despite the position of prominence when compared to the lengthy and impressive exploits of the Hick From French Lick (as Bird was sometimes called), who assembled a greatest-of-all-time level career while with Boston. With three titles (1981, 1984 and in 1986), three MVP awards between 1984 and 1986, two Finals MVPs (1984 and 1986), 12 NBA All-Star elections, and an All-Star MVP, 10 All-NBA nods, and three All-NBA Defensive Second Team selections to his name, Bird is among the greatest to play the game.

To see some of Bird’s play from that fateful first game, watch the clip embedded below, courtesy of our friends at CLNS Media’s “NBA History & Legends on CLNS” YouTube channel.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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The Boston Celtics preseason officially starts off the annual run at a title for the Celtics. But it was on a day like many of those days that a certain Hick From French Lick (as Celtics Hall of Fame forward Larry Bird is sometimes called) got in his first preseason game with Boston.

Larry Legend of course went on to have quite the career, but on a brisk September day in 1979, the former Indiana State star first stepped on the hardwood with the team he forged a Hall of Fame career with. While it isn’t much in the way of footage, a snippet of that game remains for our viewing enjoyment.

The clip, dragged out of the vault of CLNS Media’s “NBA History & Legends on CLNS” YouTube channel, is a portion of the newsreel covering that event, pitting Bird against Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Watch the clip embedded above to see those very first (and brief and grainy) images of one of the all-time greats making his debut in the NBA.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Iconic Hall of Fame Boston Celtics small forward Larry Bird was widely known as one of the most lethal opponents in the NBA of his era. And it is because of the versatile abilities he brought to the game, despite not possessing particularly exceptional athleticism.

The Hick from French Lick could kill you with his 3-point shooting, his fade-away, or his passing, break your spirit with his legendary trash talk. And he could out-hustle you on both ends of the court as just a few of the aspects of elite basketball he brought to the table that made him such a complete player.

For younger Celtics fans to get a better idea about what made Larry Legend such an amazing player, or for us older fans, to wax nostalgic, check out the video embedded below.

You’ll see a clip from the CLNS Media podcast “Basketball Time Machine” that dives into the seven ways Larry Bird could kill his opponents on the court.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Among the annals of NBA history, few can keep pace with how often Boston Celtics Hall of Fame small forward Larry Bird eviscerated his opponents with soul-crushing trash talk, only to kick them when they were down by backing it up with his play.

Famous for telling players exactly what shot he would score on them and how, or for relaying how many points he’d score and so on, The Hick From French Lick (as Bird is sometimes called) was among the most capable practitioners of psychological warfare on the court the league has ever seen.

But what are the specific instances where he was at his best in this dark art of the hardwood? Host of the CLNS Media podcast “Basketball Time Machine” Sean David has eight such examples for our viewing pleasure in the video embedded below.

Give the clip embedded above a watch to hear his take on the eight most arrogant Larry Bird moments.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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