
Bird acknowledges that if his game-winning Moneyball shot in the 1988 NBA Three-Point Shootout had missed, he would have felt ashamed.
Larry Bird, the legendary Boston Celtics player, established himself as one of the NBA’s most lethal shooters. He had many offensive gimmicks up his sleeve, but his three-point shooting particularly sticks out because he was among the first players to employ it to its maximum potential.
Ironically, Bird acknowledges that he wasn’t considered an outstanding shooter when he joined the NBA in 1979. He needed to practice his shooting, and coincidentally, that was the year the three-point line was established.
Learning how to shoot three points
As everyone is aware, Larry Legend’s diligence paid off. When he participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout from 1986 to 1988, he demonstrated why he was one of the game’s deadliest shooters.
For three years in a row, the 1980 Rookie of the Year defeated any attempt to outshoot him in the Three-Point battle. But his most recent one was just amazing.
In order to win the 1988 tournament and keep his title, Bird had to sink the final “Moneyball” against Dale Ellis, who was then playing for the Seattle Supersonics.
At the time, The Hick from French Lick was a little too sure in his ability to win the title for the third time in a row. Not only did his final shot find its mark, but it was also noteworthy since he raised his finger prior to it doing so.
And if Bird failed to hit the money ball?
But Bird questioned what may have happened if that final Moneyball had not been accepted. The Great White Hope also said that he was not aware of his points or whether he had done enough to win Ellis over while the action was taking place.
The three-time NBA Most Valuable Player remarked, “I wonder if that thing popped out,” when chatting with former Celtics colleague Kevin McHale on Brothers and Champions.
In response to Bird’s thought, McHale made a humorous gesture that indicated that his hand would have been pointing down.
“I honestly didn’t give a damn about the result. “I simply knew that I needed to make shots,” said the 12-time All-Star.