“Larry was sensational” - Clyde Drexler on his final NBA encounter with Larry Bird
clyde-drexler-larry-bird
Larry Bird’s last matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers took place on March 15, 1992, and the NBA icon seized the opportunity to showcase his dominance one final time.
Throughout the whole game, the visiting team was utterly incapable of containing Boston’s legendary forward. However, despite leaving the TD Garden empty-handed, the Blazers were left with no choice but to acknowledge ‘Larry Legend’s exceptional performance.
“Larry was sensational. Any time he’s on the floor, anything can happen,” remarked Portland star Clyde Drexler, per The Baltimore Sun.
Bird’s tank was (almost) empty
As his legendary NBA journey neared its end, the intense years of battling with his sole career franchise, the Celtics, for championship titles naturally had taken a toll on ‘Larry Legend.’
His widely known lower back issues, which had required surgery like his right Achilles tendon, were a major concern. Therefore, unsurprisingly, the 6’9″ forward was listed as questionable for the game that evening, as he was also dealing with a bruised right thigh from two days prior.
Despite Bird’s tank supposedly being empty, the superstar was able to pull himself together and deliver an impressive performance that is likely still being raved about in all the sports bars of Boston.
One final gala
The visiting Blazers were on a seven-game winning streak, and their momentum was evident from the start as an offensive showcase unfolded. Especially, Drexler and Bird were trading buckets, with the latter also passing and rebounding magnificently.
Most notably, the vet scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, including the Celtics’ last nine. Still, with just seconds remaining, Portland led by three. Naturally, to counter that, the ball found ‘Larry Legend,’ who was swarmed by an opposing defender. However, the 35-year-old paid little heed and turned and launched the ball toward the hoop, successfully bringing the game – despite protests from the opposition – into overtime.
Just five minutes later, Boston found themselves trailing again in a clutch situation. However, they were bailed out this time by forward Kevin Gamble’s mid-range shot, which forced a second overtime. Portland never recovered from these setbacks, and the home team went on to win 152-148, thanks in large part to this incredible statline by Bird- 49 Points, 14 Rebounds, 12 Assists, and 4 Steals – in 54 minutes. Larry also shot 19-of-35 from the field and 9-of-10 from the line.
His former teammate, Danny Ainge, who himself had 19 points off the bench, later summed it up succinctly.
“He doesn’t have the same foot speed. But I’d take him on my team any day,” Ainge said. “You can see why the Celtics struggle without Larry, so much of their offense goes through him.”
Portland coach Rick Adelman also chimed in, stating, “Larry Bird played very well.”
It was one final gala, and five months later, the illustrious career of the 12-time All-Star had come to an end. As usual, the former MVP had a rather dry statement about his heroics against the Blazers.
“If you put up 35 shots, you’re going to hit a few,” Bird remarked.