Larry Bird

Nicknamed “Legend” for good reason, his career was brilliant but brief, really lasting only 10 quality seasons due to injuries, and marked in many ways by his longtime rivalry with Magic Johnson, which ended with them teaming up to win a gold medal with the 1992 U.S. Olympic team

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Associated topics

boston celtics

nba finals

kevin mchale

awards and honors

bird and magic

rivalries, feuds, and fights

dream team

robert parish

rookie of the year

three-point contest

FEATURED larry bird chapters

Bird is the word: Ranking the 21 players who won a championship as Larry Bird’s Celtics teammate

As part of our Totally ’80s series, we rank the 21 players who won a championship in 1981, 1984, and/or 1986 as a teammate of Larry Bird on the Celtics.

December 11, 2023October 23, 2025

When the game was theirs: Eight crucial games that defined the Bird vs. Magic rivalry

Their rivalry is still the pinnacle of the NBA for many, and their subsequent friendship still inspires. As we approach the 30th anniversary of their final NBA match-up, we take…

October 1, 2023October 23, 2025

Bombs away: 22 all-time greatest NBA All-Star Three-Point Contest competitors

With the NBA All-Star Weekend Three-Point Contest surprisingly happening again in 2021, we take a look back at the all-time greats in the event, ranking them based on the criteria…

March 1, 2021October 23, 2025

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Tough act to follow: 23 (mostly) forgotten NBA players who replaced departing legends

Everyone remembers the franchise legends but when those great ones departed, either to retire or join a different team, who were the unsung heroes taking their place in the lineup?

November 1, 2025November 12, 2025

You’re the best around: 80 greatest NBA players of the 1980s

We conclude our Totally ’80s series by ranking the 80 greatest players of the decade, based solely on statistics, accolades, and awards compiled between the ’80-’81 and ’88-’89 seasons.

July 21, 2024October 23, 2025

Slamming the door shut: 19 winner-take-all NBA playoff game blowouts

As the old adage goes, anything can happen in a winner-take-all playoff game, and what transpired in these 19 examples were absolute decimations, leaving the losing team not just eliminated but usually questioning themselves heading into the offseason.

April 21, 2024October 24, 2025

Saving the best for last: 21 most exciting NCAA Tournament National Finals

Which men’s NCAA Tournament games had the most excitement, star power, incredible play, and historical significance? Here, we rank the top 21

April 1, 2024October 23, 2025

Spreading it around: 17 great play makers who were not point guards

From point forwards to pass-happy centers to combo guards to whatever Boris Diaw was, the following is a compendium of the most significant non-point guard play makers in NBA history.

February 21, 2024October 24, 2025

Strictly commercials: 19 memorable television advertisements starring NBA players

One the eve of another Super Bowl, we take a look back at 19 classic, disastrous, and otherwise memorable national television commercials which featured NBA superstars.

February 1, 2024October 23, 2025

Don’t you forget about me: 80 basketball moments from the ’80s that changed the sport forever

As part of our Totally ’80s series, we explore the 80 most monumental, controversial, influential, unforgettable, and indescribable basketball moments from the 1980s.

January 11, 2024October 23, 2025

Better luck next time, kid: 19 greatest rookie performances that didn’t earn Rookie of the Year

Winning the Rookie of the Year award has kick started numerous legendary NBA careers but for these 19 players, their astonishing first year performance wasn’t enough to take home hardware.

April 11, 2023October 30, 2025

Digital dunks: 18 great, influential, outrageous, or otherwise notable basketball video games

From the early days of Atari and arcades to the modern next generation consoles, basketball titles have been a constant on the video game market. Here are 18 basketball games that are notable for their influence, their greatness, or their uniqueness.

December 21, 2022October 23, 2025

Dream interpretations: Debunking 19 myths about the 1992 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team

It’s the 30th anniversary of their triumphant gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and the Dream Team continues to fascinate basketball fans of all ages. This includes plenty of enduring conspiracies, mistruths, and half-truths, 19 of which are debunked here.

July 21, 2022October 24, 2025

Noms de plume: 75 greatest NBA and ABA player nicknames

From the iconic to the cool to the slightly derisive, we count down the 75 greatest player nicknames in NBA history.

November 1, 2021October 23, 2025

Gold standards: Ranking the 18 U.S. men’s Olympic basketball teams

From the original “dream team” that brought home gold from Berlin in 1936 (with James Naismith watching) to the legendary 1992 edition to the latest American champions in 2016, we rank the 18 U.S. men’s basketball teams based on both their performance at the Olympics and their roster as a whole.

July 21, 2021October 23, 2025

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