funny how the game has changed” – Why Larry Bird isn’t convinced that his era is the greatest in basketball history
Larry Legend is surprised at how the game has evolved.
Virgil Villanueva
Jul 8, 2024 5:59 AM EDT
The 1986 Boston Celtics are considered one of the best teams in NBA history. They convincingly won the NBA Championship over the Houston Rockets. The team had Hall of Fame talents like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Bill Walton, Dennis Johnson, and more.
Many believe the 1980s were the best era of basketball because of the 1986 Celtics team. But Larry Legend, who was privy to how the game rapidly evolved, thinks the 1980s might have been left out of the conversation.
Change is the only constant
“It’s funny how the game has changed,” Bird told the New Yorker in 2016. “And my thinking about it. I was really worried—back sixteen, seventeen years ago—that the little guy didn’t have a spot in the NBA anymore: it was just going to be the big guards like Magic Johnson. But then players started shooting more threes and spacing the court, and everyone wants small guards now.”
When Magic started wreaking havoc in the NBA, teams began looking for a player of his skill set. Penny Hardaway was one of those players who had Johnson’s size and passing ability. Later, LeBron James arrived, but the league started leaning toward guards who could shoot.
“Watching these kids play now, I’m like everybody else: Wow, man. They can really shoot! They have more freedom to get to the basket,” Bird continued. “The ball moves a little better. These kids are shooting from farther, with more accuracy. Now some teams shoot up around thirty threes a game. My era, you always think that’s the greatest era. But I’m not so sure anymore.”
Bird’s attitude contradicts how old heads usually behave. Players from his era would say anything to prove they played in the golden age of basketball. They do not want to acknowledge that, like any other field or industry, the sport of basketball evolves.
The 4-point line
Larry Legend noticed that today’s players aren’t just shooting normal 3-pointers; they’re jacking up shots from the logo and swishing them. The Celtics legend believes that improving players’ skills could pave the road fo
r a 4-point line.
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