Larry Bird attacked Wilt Chamberlain as he accepted his third consecutive MVP award, then behaved just like him.

Larry Bird attacked Wilt Chamberlain as he accepted his third consecutive MVP award, then behaved just like him.

Center Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is a strong favorite to win MVP for the third time in a row. If successful, he will join an exclusive group of individuals as just three celebrities — Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Larry Bird — have achieved the same feat.

Bird lauded Russell and disparaged Chamberlain when he became the third player to accomplish it in 1986 while playing for the Boston Celtics. Bird proceeded to do exactly what he had accused “Wilt the Stilt” of doing after ripping Chamberlain.

The 1985–86 season was one of the best seasons the Celtics have ever had. The Celtics were undefeated in the postseason and won 67 games after adding veteran center Bill Walton to bolster their bench during the offseason. In the 1986 NBA Finals, they triumphed over the Houston Rockets to win their third title of the decade.

Bird led the way for the Celtics. Bird had won the NBA award the previous two seasons, making him a two-time winner. He averaged 25.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in the 1985–86 campaign. It was revealed prior to the second game of the 1986 Finals that Bird had won MVP for the third time in a row, making him one of the two great centers.

Russell did that between 1961 and 1963. Russell manned the center for the Celtics throughout three of their eleven championship victories during that time. Moreover, Russell received the MVP award in 1958 and 1965.

Throughout his career, Chamberlain won four MVP awards, including three in a row from 1966 to 1968. His other victory came in 1960.

In his acceptance speech following his MVP award two days after Game 1 of the 1986 NBA Finals, Bird made reference to the two other winners who had won three straight titles. He spoke well of one, but not so much of the other.

According to Sports Illustrated, Bird stated, “I’m proud to be in a group with Bill Russell.” “However, I find Wilt Chamberlain to talk a little too much.”