Bird scored 47 points and used his left hand to win the game.
Despite having one of the most impressive career histories in the NBA, Larry Bird’s most notable achievements may not have been winning three straight MVP awards or three titles; rather, it might have been scoring 47 points in a game while playing exclusively with his left hand.
Bird had accomplished almost all of his goals in the NBA by 1986. He was one of the most well-known athletes in history, a two-time MVP, and a solid Boston Celtics legend.
With his impressive list of accomplishments, Larry Legend had to go outside the box to stay inspired. During a game against the Portland Trailblazers, he made the decision to shoot the entire game with his left hand.
Bird makes the unimaginable decision.
Bill Walton, a former big man and Celtics teammate, remembered the incident vividly and said that Bird shared his plans with the team and the NBA media at large.
When we were all waiting to leave one of the trips, Larry told the players and the media, “Tomorrow night’s the last game of the trip, I’m going to play this one left-handed, at least through three quarters,” after he had achieved all of his goals and we had not lost a game.
more powerful than before
Bird concluded the game against the Blazers with 47 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists, and two blocks in 49 minutes, in what turned out to be one of the most incredible performances we have seen in NBA history.
He was 12-of-34 from the field, 7-of-seven from the free throw line, and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. He also stuck to his promise to use his left hand for every shot that wasn’t long-range. Bird acknowledged in the years that followed that he realized he had it when he witnessed a few people fall, even using his non-preferred hand.
Bird remarked, “I’m saving my right hand for the Lakers,” in response to a post-game question about why he chose to play the majority of the game with his left hand.
In fact, Larry Legend fulfilled his own forecast when he scored 22 points, grabbed 18 rebounds, and dished out seven assists in the Celtics’ 105-99 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers two days later
It would prove that 1986 was Larry Bird’s year and that he could do everything he had dreamed of when he ended the season with a title and the MVP award in the Finals.
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