They don’t call Larry Bird “Larry Legend” for no reason, and most former NBA players who played during the same era as the three-time MVP have some sort of story that adds to his immortality. John Stockton’s is one of the best, even if he is foggy when it comes to some of the details.
During an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show” Thursday, Stockton recalled an instance when he was a rookie and Bird walked by the Utah Jazz bench and said he felt like scoring 43 points. Stockton said Bird hit the 43-point mark in the third quarter and then checked himself out of the game.
John Stockton says Larry Bird came up to the Jazz bench pre-game:
Bird told them he felt like scoring 43 points that night.
Got to exactly 43 points in the 3rd quarter and then checked himself out of the game.
Legend. pic.twitter.com/sOK3A1ioSx— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) May 3, 2018
Unfortunately, some quick research will tell you Bird never scored 43 against the Jazz. Still, arguably the best game of Bird’s career against Utah came when Stockton was a rookie in 1985. Bird scored 30 points in that game to go along with 12 rebounds, 10 assists and a ridiculous nine steals. Perhaps that is the performance Stockton was referring to, but it seems unlikely that he would make up the entire thing about Bird coming over to the Jazz bench.
It’s no wonder that some of the best players in NBA history have put Bird in their Mount Rushmore of players. Whether it was 30 or 43 points, the three-time NBA champion was one of the most memorable competitors of all time.
