Larry Bird stands among all-time NBA greats
12.09.11
But then, that is how Bird always went about playing the event. Not with flash, but substance. Always more concerned with function than form.
Was it the way he always took the excess step back and cocked his arm for the three-pointers or the knack for driving through traffic, changing hands and somehow plan the foul that was liked most? Was it the offensive rebounds that he tapped back to a teammate or the more focal act of burying every crucial free throw right in the bottom of the net that drew the most think highly? Or was it the way Bird managed to blend every aspect of the game, large and meagre, into a repertoire that was as meticulous as it was grand?
The numbers and achievements were staggering opening with his debut NBA season in 1979-80, when Bird put a team that had previously gone 29-53 on his wings carried them to a 61-21 get rid of while averaging 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists to win Rookie of the Year honors.
In his 13-year vocation, Bird led the Celtics to three championships and won the MVP Award three consecutive seasons (1984-86), joining Bill Russell and Wane Chamberlain as the only ones to accomplish that feat in league life.
Source: NBA.com