Michael Jordan won six NBA championships and ruled the NBA during the 1990s. But if there was one thing that Mike never did in his career, it was to beat Larry Bird in the playoffs.
Immediately after arriving in Chicago, Jordan turned the Bulls into a playoff team, but during the 1986 and 1987 playoffs, MJ saw his squad get swept by Larry Legend’s Celtics.
During the regular season, Larry won their all-time series 17-11. Sure, MJ averaged 30.1 points against Bird’s Celtics, but Larry put up 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 points per game against Michael’s Bulls. Because of this, MJ always respected Kodak and picked him many times when he was asked to pick teams or compare players.
During an interview with Cigar Aficionado founder Marvin R. Shanken in 2005, Jordan was asked to name his all-time Dream Team. His picks for PG, SF, and Center were all obvious. But when it came to picking a power forward for his team, he went with Bird again.
“Power forward: There’s James Worthy, whom I love, and he is a North Carolina guy. Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, whom I adore and is a good friend, and Charles Oakley. But in terms again of versatility, it has to be Larry Bird,” explained Jordan.
MJ picked Olajuwon, Pippen, Magic, and Bird
Jordan picked fellow 1984 Draft batchmate Hakeem Olajuwon as his starting center, and that was not a surprise. MJ also picked his Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen as his small forward, which was also expected. Mike then named his childhood idol Magic Johnson as his backcourt partner, but when it came to picking his team’s power forward, he went with Larry.
Bird was more versatile than Worthy, Malone, or Oakley. He was one of the game’s best shooters and averaged double-digit rebounds throughout his career. The Hick from French Lick was also a tremendous passer and a tough defender. To top it all off, he was clutch as they came and had one of the highest IQs of any player who’s ever played the game.
“The things he could provide to you all around: his demeanor, his work ethic, and his versatility once again,” added MJ. “The idea here is I would build a versatile, multi-talented team able to do so many different things. When the defense comes at you, they have to guard a lot of different areas, and that makes Larry Bird the choice for me.”
Mike defended Larry’s inclusion in the Dream Team
Jordan and Bird were teammates in the U.S. men’s basketball team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. While Jordan was hailed as the star of that team, Larry’s inclusion was questioned because he was at the tail end of his career and was playing with a bad back. But Jordan insisted on why the Dream Team needed him.
“I don’t care how old or in pain Larry Bird is,” Jordan said. “You name me a forward in this league who’s not already on the team who can rebound, throw the outlet pass to get the break going, shoot the 3-pointer, play in the half-court, and has the presence of Bird.”
The legendary Celtic is often the most disrespected player in many people’s or even players’ All-Time lists. With all-time greats like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and even Kevin Durant pushing forward, Larry is often the name that is pushed out of the Top 5 or Top 10. But if Jordan, whom most of them consider the GOAT, always puts Bird on a pedestal, that shows how great he really was.