Larry Bird on Dominique Wilkins statue: 'Not made in defensive stance'

by **bobheckler** Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:18 pm

http://www.csnne.com/blog/celtics-talk/bird-wilkins-statue-not-made-defensive-stance

Bird on Wilkins statue: 'Not made in defensive stance'
March 5, 2015, 5:00 pm

No matter how old he gets, Larry Bird will never stop trash-talking his former opponents.

In this instance, it's Dominique Wilkins, who can't even get through an unveiling of his own statue without hearing Bird chirping from afar.

Wilkins was honored Thursday at Philips Arena in Atlanta with a 13-and-a-half foot statue. Larry Bird couldn't make it, but was part of a video tribute to Wilkins

That's when he got his jab in.

Here's the quote, from the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Chris Vivlamore:

Chris Vivlamore ✔ @CVivlamoreAJC
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Larry Bird on video says of Wilkins statue: "I'm pretty sure it's not made in a defensive stance." #ATLHawks
11:30 AM - 5 Mar 2015

Classic Bird. He did, after all, do this to them.

bob

.

by **cowens/oldschool** Thu Mar 05, 2015 11:11 pm

gotta love it, classic Bird, he hasn't changed.

by **Sloopjohnb** Thu Mar 05, 2015 11:29 pm

I've heard Bird say that while Dominique had a reputation as all offense and no defense he always played pretty good defense against him.

Bird just enjoys razzing people he likes. It's his way of showing affection.

There's no doubt that Wilkens just loved to score. Doc Rivers joked that it can be a seventh game with a tied score with a few seconds left and if someone asked Wilkens in the huddle how many points he had, Dominique would say somethig like,"37 but I would have 41 if the refs didn't blow those calls back in the first quarter."

by **Sloopjohnb** Fri Mar 06, 2015 12:17 am

Speaking of Bird and Wilkens, NBA TV is showing the 1988 game seven shootout right now. I'm getting a kick out of watching Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge guard each other.

One thing I recall clearly was the postgame interview with 'Nique in which he seemed pretty happy for a guy whose team just got booted from the playoffs. 'Nique did get 47 after all in a game some have called one of the greatest ever played.

Bird could have scored 100 points but if his team had lost he would have been one ornery dude.

by **bobc33** Fri Mar 06, 2015 12:43 am

The reaction of the players on the Hawks bench when Larry got his last few buckets is priceless!

by **cowens/oldschool** Fri Mar 06, 2015 3:41 am

How many 60 win seasons did Birds Celtics teams attain?

What a great player, so physical and smart, so what he was slow, he could overpower Wilkens and Dr J no problem, plus kill them with the jumper, he could outwork anybody. I think I remember him being a pretty great passer and rebounder too. He pretty much beat all the forwards in his time in those 3 areas consistently all the time. Dr J, Bernard King, Dominique, Worthy, Barkley, the Mailman, Pippen, Jordan, Drexler, Magic.....I'd say right now Lebron and maybe James Harden, but probably not cause hes more a guard, not a forward is the only one worth a mention to be in that group. Anyway the talent level then was so much better than now, as other than Lebron, all those players I listed are immortal compared to all the other forwards that are playing right now.

by **Sloopjohnb** Fri Mar 06, 2015 9:39 am

"How many 60 win seasons did Birds Celtics teams attain?"

1980 61 wins
1981 62 wins
1982 63 wins
1983 56 wins
1984 62 wins
1985 63 wins
1986 67 wins
1987 59 wins
1988 57 wins

Before Bird went down with all his various injuries, a 60 win season was considered a birthright. How many teams have NEVER won 60 games?

Bird has said that he should have retired after 1988. I'm glad he didn't. Though he wasn't the player he had been there were still so many instances of pure magic to say nothing about a constant display of the most dogged toughness I've ever seen.

by **beat** Fri Mar 06, 2015 10:14 am

During the 80's had a big dish in the backyard and could watch the games off live feeds (before the days of scrambled signals and "league pass") as those days ended I was thinking I'll never again see a team like this.

That said Bird was sure fun to watch but still to this day John Havlicek was my favorite to watch the few times I was able to view games, MOST-ly I just listen to the radio 103 WBZ, when in college was actually able to see Boston play in Buffalo and for a couple years and actually go into the locker room and talk to players. Also got to speak with Russ when he coached Seattle back then. Great memories for sure.

beat

by **cowens/oldschool** Fri Mar 06, 2015 10:34 am

Sloopjohnb wrote:"How many 60 win seasons did Birds Celtics teams attain?"

1980 61 wins
1981 62 wins
1982 63 wins
1983 56 wins
1984 62 wins
1985 63 wins
1986 67 wins
1987 59 wins
1988 57 wins

Before Bird went down with all his various injuries, a 60 win season was considered a birthright. How many teams have NEVER won 60 games?

Bird has said that he should have retired after 1988. I'm glad he didn't. Though he wasn't the player he had been there were still so many instances of pure magic to say nothing about a constant display of the most dogged toughness I've ever seen.

We'll never see a team with all that size and passing and shooting and owning the paint as those Bird teams, Bird was a stretch 4 and a point forward, 6 60 win seasons? what a great stretch. With Melo and Durant injured and Kobe and Pierce on their last legs, theres nobody that cam compete and even give Lebron a tough game/match up. Those 80's guys would relish going right at Lebron, like they did with Bird....no comparison to how much better that era was.

by **Sloopjohnb** Fri Mar 06, 2015 11:24 am

"That said Bird was sure fun to watch but still to this day John Havlicek was my favorite to watch"

One of the most tantalizing what-ifs is if Hondo had played with Bird. During Bird's rookie year, Hondo, two years retired, attended a practice and asked if he could scrimmage.

Hondo wants to scrimmage, Hondo scrimmages. Afterwards, Havlicek said that if he had known how good Bird was he would not have retired.

Auerbach said of the scrimmage that if you didn't know who Havlicek was you would have said that he was one of the great players on the team.

I think Bird said something like, "After 10 minutes that guy knew all the plays."

by **Outside** Fri Mar 06, 2015 12:11 pm

Sloopjohnb wrote:Bird just enjoys razzing people he likes. It's his way of showing affection.

That's my take on it as well. I'd like to think that it's his way of paying his respects.

by **Sloopjohnb** Fri Mar 06, 2015 1:00 pm

Absolutely. Bird has too much class to intentionally insult someone who had invited him to make remarks at a ceremony dedicating his statue.

And Bird has said he has a lot of respect for Dominique and has even made it a point that he thinks 'Nique defended him well.

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