“Was Larry Bird’s 3-Point Game Hindered by Untapped Potential, According to Kevin McHale?”
Larry Bird was almost the epitome of the ideal NBA player in his day. Even though his recollections could indicate that he lacked some athleticism, the Boston Celtics player appeared to be trouble-free when playing basketball. He was a natural scorer, a point guard in the passing game, and, when all else failed, a sharp tongue.
Consider that bundle to be somewhat intimidating already? Now, picture Larry Legend with an even more potent three-point shooting ability.
And even while it might seem impossible—how could you possibly top perfection?—it might actually be feasible. Assuming Kevin McHale’s statement is accurate, Bird hardly had any practice shooting three points. But when he did, the outcomes were obvious.
Larry Bird, as Kevin McHale recalls, never really practiced his three-point shooting.
Sports enthusiasts frequently debate many subjects, and one typical one is speculating about how the greatest players of all time would fare in the current game. Although there may be doubts regarding certain players, Larry Bird looks like a perfect match for the NBA as it exists now.
Like Kevin McHale says.
In an interview with Heavy Sports’ Steve Bulpett, McHale outlined all the reasons he believes his old teammate “would terrorize” the Association in 2022. Beyond his fortitude and deft passing stroke, Larry Legend possessed pure shooting talent.
“With all the threes they’re taking these days, his shooting ability would be ridiculous,” McHale said. He didn’t spend a lot of time working on his 3. Not a single one did. He finished his practice session with about 35 threes. Now he would shoot a ton before the All-Star Game. He went there just to win the long-range shooting competition, deposit the winnings, and then be able to talk s*** to everyone and tell them to kiss his ass.
The primary area where Bird could have excelled was in quantity rather than quality.
Larry Bird shot 37.6% from long range during his career. Although that is a good figure, it is only the 175th in history. Could the forward have added a few more percentage points to his average with a little more work? Given what we know about his undeveloped skill, it appears highly plausible.
Having said that, there is still more space for development when it comes to shooting volume. Although McHale pointed out that teams weren’t attempting 30 long-range shots per game at the time, part of that is just a product of the era, and it is reasonable to wonder how much could have changed if Bird had desired it.
