During his career, NBA legend Larry Bird got into a number of altercations with other players.

During his career, NBA legend Larry Bird got into a number of altercations with other players.

The NBA was undoubtedly far more grittier, tougher, and psychical in the past. Many clashes and altercations between players who occasionally resembled mixed martial arts fighters rather than NBA players resulted from that style of play. Back then, the league was less severe about that kind of behavior, which led to some of the most bizarre fights we have ever witnessed.

Larry Bird was one of the most infamous and controversial athletes of that period. In addition to being among the greatest players in history, “Larry Legend” was also one of the hardest men in the league. His attitude and trash-talking would frequently place him in heated situations where things would swiftly go out of control. I’ll sum up by saying that these are a few of.

Jerry West vs. Larry Bird
Naturally, we must begin with the most well-known. One of the most significant battles in NBA history is the infamous matchup between some of the greatest small forwards who have ever played the position. In a fierce game between the Celtics and Sixers in 1984, Bird and Erving would argue. Bird’s elbow into Erving was the catalyst for everything. As both teams invaded the court and caused mayhem in the Boston Garden, they would grab each other by the throat and start punching each other. The sequence where Barkley held Bird while Erving punched him stands out the most. Undoubtedly, something we would never have thought to happen in the NBA today.

Larry Bird versus Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer
Bird was well familiar with the “Bad Boys” of the Detroit Pistons, and they don’t come much harder and meaner than them. In his many confrontations with the Pistons, Larry became very agitated one night in 1987 and sparred with none other than Bill Laimbeer and Dennis Rodman. Laimbber virtually gave Bird a body slam as the three of them collapsed to the ground. Bird would snap and simply begin striking Laimbeer with his swing. Larry even threw the ball at Laimbeer when they split up and got into an altercation with Rodman before things calmed down. A vintage 1980s Pistons-Celtics match.