In just five words, Larry Bird encapsulated his legendary career.

In just five words, Larry Bird encapsulated his legendary career.

Larry Bird developed into one of the best basketball players the NBA has ever seen, for whatever reason. Not the most athletically gifted player to ever go onto the court was the Boston Celtics legend. Although he was neither the fastest or the highest jumper, Bird managed to win three MVP awards in a row in the middle of the 1980s.

Bird sat down to talk about their playing days with former Detroit Pistons champion Isiah Thomas and former Indiana Pacers player Reggie Miller at All-player Weekend. “I brought it every night,” was how Bird succinctly and properly summarised his career in five words throughout the conversation.

Many people believe that Bird is the greatest player in Celtics history. If not first, he trails only the great center Bill Russell in the rankings. Naturally, Russell’s resume is stronger because he won 11 titles with the league.

Promoting.

Bird was a better player overall, while Russell was a defensive-minded center who won five MVP awards. In the 1980s, Bird—possibly the greatest passing forward in league history—led the Celtics to three titles and five trips to the NBA Finals.

Bird was unique. He performed despite being hurt. Every night he played to win. His career may have been cut short by his extreme effort since he played through back problems, which ultimately forced him to retire.

With Miller and Thomas on NBA on TNT, Bird stated, “The one thing that I have that a lot of people don’t have—there are a lot of players who have it—was the ability to play every night.” “Every night, I brought it.

“I knew full well that the Celtics were paying me to win basketball games. I felt like I had to win every time I went out there because it was my duty to win basketball games and I wanted to please them. I can say with certainty that I gave everything I did my all. I suffered greatly from my injuries, but I gave it my all every night during practice and games, and it made a difference.

In 12 of his 13 NBA seasons, Bird was an All-Star. He only played in six games in the 1988–89 season due to surgery on both of his heels, making it his only season without an All-Star selection.

As a rookie, Bird single-handedly turned around a 29-game-winning Celtics squad from the year before, leading the league in wins with 61 in the 1979–80 campaign. In addition to averaging 21.3 points and 10.4 rebounds, he was named Rookie of the Year. The first of the Celtics’ three titles this decade came in his second NBA season.

Bird led the Celtics to titles in 1984 and 1986 and won three consecutive MVP awards from 1984 and 1986.

While some consider Russell to be the best player in Boston, Red Auerbach, the former president, general manager, and coach of the Celtics, voted for Bird.

At Bird’s retirement, Auerbach reportedly said, “I’ve done a lot of soul-searching,” according to United Press International. “To be completely honest, I’ve come to the conclusion that he is the best player to ever don a uniform.”

From someone who served as Russell’s mentor, that is a major compliment.

Even if he’s not the greatest, he ranks among the top ten NBA players of all time, but might he make it into the top five?

He’s undoubtedly in the mix alongside players like Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, Russell, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Tim Duncan, yet lists like these are inherently subjective.