Larry Bird 36/12/9, legendary steal, 1987 ECF vs the Pistons, Game 5

[Round Mound]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWHfEpK4HUk

Larry Bird highlights from game 5 vs the Pistons, 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, including missed shots and turnovers. WTBS Sports feed (national TV).

Bird's stats : 36 pts, 12 rbds, 9 asts, 12/25 FG (0/2 threes), 12/12 FT, 5 TO, 47 min

Celtics take 3-2 series lead over Pistons in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals with 108-107 last-second win.

Boxscore: https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198705260BOS.html

:bowdown:

[86Celtics]

Stuff of legends

[Round Mound]

:cheers::banana::applause::rockon:

[colts19]

That is why they call him Larry Legend. Lebron is great make no mistake about it, But I'll take Larry Legend every time.

[Da_Realist]

Larry at his best is as good as anyone who has ever played.

[Round Mound]

Larry Beat Everyone but most impressive i think is the 84 Finals when McHale was still a 6thman. He beat prime Magic, still capable Kareem, Worthy, Scott, Cooper, McAdoo & Wikes.

He avareged the most points per game at 27.4 PPG, shot the highest FG% of all Celtics at 48.4, shot 66.7 from three, 84.2 from the free throw, added 14.0 RPG, 3,6 APG, 2.1 SPG and 1.1 BPG

Bird in his prime and an peak as someone here mentions...WAS AS GOOD AS ANY PLAYER EVER!

[Roundball_Rock]

Round_Mound, what would you say are Bird's GOAT playoff performances?

[Round Mound]

Round_Mound, what would you say are Bird's GOAT playoff performances?

All 1986 Finals

[Roundball_Rock]

Will have to check those games out! I watched some of them many years ago.

[Round Mound]

Will have to check those games out! I watched some of them many years ago.

There is some games uploaded on youtube. I believe Fatal 9 or someone with that nick had all Bird game resumes from that finals. I don't know if he still has them.

[mr4speed]

Will have to check those games out! I watched some of them many years ago.
Be sure to watch Bird in the 84 Finals = game 5 = the famous "heat game". I believe Bird shot 15 of 20 from the floor and had 34 points and 17 rebounds. This game 5 was the turning point in that series and speaks volumes about Bird's stamina and will to win. Also game 7 of the 84 playoffs vs the Knicks where Bernard King was amazing the entire series, but again Bird would not let Boston lose and I believe he had 39 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. The infamous shootout with Dominque in game 7 of the 88 playoffs where Bird shot 9 of 10 and put 20 points in during the 4th quarter to again, not let his team lose. The 81 series vs Sixers was an epic 7 game battle and was close in the final score in many games. In game 7 in Boston, Bird hit a 15 foot bank shot to seal the game and the series, after being down 3 games to 1 and outplaying Dr. J head to head in Dr. J's MVP season. This guy had many iconic moments in his career.

[86Celtics]

Game 5 of the 91 series against Indiana portrays best what Bird was about:

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-06-sp-958-story.html

By then he was a shell of his former shell, his back was giving him so much trouble that there were concerns of long-term damage.
But Bird still kept going. He really was one of a kind.

https://sports.yahoo.com/news/larry-bird-always-knew-his-style-of-play-would-break-his-body-215058486.html

https://www.stack.com/a/6-times-when-larry-bird-demonstrated-he-was-the-most-savage-nba-player-of-all-time

[ShawkFactory]

Be sure to watch Bird in the 84 Finals = game 5 = the famous "heat game". I believe Bird shot 15 of 20 from the floor and had 34 points and 17 rebounds. This game 5 was the turning point in that series and speaks volumes about Bird's stamina and will to win. Also game 7 of the 84 playoffs vs the Knicks where Bernard King was amazing the entire series, but again Bird would not let Boston lose and I believe he had 39 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. The infamous shootout with Dominque in game 7 of the 88 playoffs where Bird shot 9 of 10 and put 20 points in during the 4th quarter to again, not let his team lose. The 81 series vs Sixers was an epic 7 game battle and was close in the final score in many games. In game 7 in Boston, Bird hit a 15 foot bank shot to seal the game and the series, after being down 3 games to 1 and outplaying Dr. J head to head in Dr. J's MVP season. This guy had many iconic moments in his career.

I watched that 1981 game 7 and couple weeks ago. Absolute dog fight. There were a lot of great players in that series but in his second year you could tell that Bird was already just next level.

Looking at it, is there a better series EVER than that one? 5 of the 7 games were decided by 2 points or less.

[AlternativeAcc.]

Larry at his best is as good as anyone who has ever played.

2nd best player of all time after LeBron

He fits the GOAT standard

6'9, elite scorer/passer, extremely high IQ, huge impact

Larry Legend puts Jordan to shame

[Roundball_Rock]

Be sure to watch Bird in the 84 Finals = game 5 = the famous "heat game". I believe Bird shot 15 of 20 from the floor and had 34 points and 17 rebounds. This game 5 was the turning point in that series and speaks volumes about Bird's stamina and will to win. Also game 7 of the 84 playoffs vs the Knicks where Bernard King was amazing the entire series, but again Bird would not let Boston lose and I believe he had 39 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. The infamous shootout with Dominque in game 7 of the 88 playoffs where Bird shot 9 of 10 and put 20 points in during the 4th quarter to again, not let his team lose. The 81 series vs Sixers was an epic 7 game battle and was close in the final score in many games. In game 7 in Boston, Bird hit a 15 foot bank shot to seal the game and the series, after being down 3 games to 1 and outplaying Dr. J head to head in Dr. J's MVP season. This guy had many iconic moments in his career.

Thanks! Will check those out. :cheers: It is a shame his prime was cut short.

[coastalmarker99]

I seriously believe that the pistons were so close to four peating if Bird does not make that steal they face the lakers and i think they would given them hell in the finals that year if a banged-up Celtics team nearly took them the distance. if the Pistons beat the Lakers in 87 the confidence they get more then Likely gets them over the line in the 88 finals. How would we view that Pistons team's legacy if they four peated Isiah could have a case today as a top 2 point guard of all time as a result of being the leader of the only modern-day team to four-peat


If the 1988 Pistons don't get robbed by a phantom foul call on Bill Laimbeer in Game 6 vs the Lakers and Don't choke at the end of this game it is possible that the Pistons could have completed a fourpeat and earned much more respect than being considered the bridge between the Lakers/Celtics rivalry and the Bulls dynasty.

[1987_Lakers]

I seriously believe that the pistons were so close to four peating if Bird does not make that steal they face the lakers and i think they would given them hell in the finals that year if a banged-up Celtics team nearly took them the distance. if the Pistons beat the Lakers in 87 the confidence they get more then Likely gets them over the line in the 88 finals. How would we view that Pistons team's legacy if they four peated Isiah could have a case today as a top 2 point guard of all time as a result of being the leader of the only modern-day team to four-peat


If the 1988 Pistons don't get robbed by a phantom foul call on Bill Laimbeer in Game 6 vs the Lakers and Don't choke at the end of this game it is possible that the Pistons could have completed a fourpeat and earned much more respect than being considered the bridge between the Lakers/Celtics rivalry and the Bulls dynasty.

I highly doubt the Pistons beat the Lakers in '87. Lakers at that time were at the peak of their powers. Boston gave them a challenge in the Finals, but 3 of the 4 wins the Lakers had in that series were blowouts.

[Lion's pride]

always appreciate these threads..