Newsletter
Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Reading: Coach Larry Bird Wanted To Trick Michael Jordan And Play Him A Lot Of Minutes In His Final All-Star Game
Fadeaway WorldFadeaway World
Search
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Follow US
Home > NBA News & Analysis > Coach Larry Bird Wanted To Trick Michael Jordan And Play Him A Lot Of Minutes In His Final All-Star Game

Coach Larry Bird Wanted To Trick Michael Jordan And Play Him A Lot Of Minutes In His Final All-Star Game

Larry Bird had big plans for Michael Jordan during the 1998 All-Star Game, making him play a lot of minutes.

Orlando Silva
Jun 28, 2023
4 Min Read
Share

Credit: Fadeaway World

Larry Bird and Michael Jordan have a lot of history together, and even after Bird retired from the game, he stayed involved in the NBA, even starting a coaching career after his playing days were over. 

During this time, he tried to get under Jordan’s skin and even when they were on the same team, Larry attempted to pull one of his tricks. Back in 1998, he tried to make Jordan play a lot of minutes in his, by then, final All-Star Game. An excerpt from Jayson Williams’ book, “Loose Balls: Easy Money, Hard Fouls, Cheap Laughs, and True Love in the NBA,” reads (via Redditor “kris_takahashi”):

“When Larry coached in the All-Star Game, he didn’t say twenty words the whole game. He came in, he wrote on a board in a training room how many minutes you were going to play and when you were going in, and that was it. Michael Jordan – it was his last All-Star Game – he comes in and looks at the board and he says, to Larry and to everyone else, ‘Hey, man, you know, I ain’t going to be out here all day playing.’

“And Larry looks at Michael, and Larry’s not really joking around, and he says, ‘Oh, now you don’t want to be out there? When you were playing me, you wanted to be out there all the time.’

“And Mike says, ‘Well, you know, it was easy then,’ or something like that.

“And then Larry gives him a look like, ‘I’ll still bust your ass.’ It was just a look, but everyone could see what he meant. Larry’s got a lot of pride.”

It’s not a secret that these two belong to the elite not only when it comes to their play but trash-talking. Jordan has credited Bird as the player who made him the big trash-talker he ended up becoming. 

Even after his career ended, Bird wouldn’t take anything from anybody and was ready to fire back, even if Michael Jordan was the person barking at him. 

The Eastern Conference won that game, played at Madison Square Garden, with Jordan dropping 23 points, shooting 10/18 from the field and earning his third All-Star Game MVP. 


Jordan And Bird Had Big Battles On And Off The Court 

During their time together in the league, they starred in some big moments. Jordan couldn’t believe Bird won the 1988 3-Point Contest in his warm-up jacket, but Larry was also in awe of his rival. During MJ’s legendary 63-point playoff performance against Bird’s Celtics, the small forward said he watched God play disguised as Michael Jordan. 

Jordan claimed that Bird was the best small forward ever, even above LeBron James. During their time on the Dream Team, they constantly went at it, with Jordan shutting down Bird and Magic Johnson, telling them the NBA was his league in 1992. 

With Bird as a coach, Jordan didn’t stop teasing his former rival. The Boston Celtics legend was mad when his Indiana Pacers players were afraid of Jordan and didn’t want to play physically against him. 

They have always had the utmost respect for each other, but the desire to beat one another is always there. 

We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.

Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:Larry BirdMichael Jordan
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
ByOrlando Silva
Follow:
Orlando Silva has been a part of Fadeaway World for over three years now, starting in March 2019. Trade rumors, hottest news, controversies, and basketball gossip have become his specialties. After several years of seeing the Spurs dominate the playoffs, they've become his favorite team as players for the franchise either rise to the occasion or fall completely from grace. When he's not talking about the NBA, Orlando can be seen watching other sports, making music, or enjoying television series.
Previous Article Kobe Bryant On How Much Allen Iverson Pushed Him When They Played Against Each Other: “You Drove Me To Be More Obsessive About The Game”
Next Article A Waitress Shares A Story Of How She Met Shaquille O’Neal 10 Years Ago And Two Months Later He Still Remembered Her Name
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Newsletter
Facebook X-twitter Instagram

You Might Also Like

Minnesota Timberwolves News & Analysis

Anthony Edwards Gets Real On Putting “Belt To A**” On Elite Players Like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry

October 3, 2025
Golden State Warriors News & Analysis

Steve Kerr Took A Page From Phil Jackson’s Book To Avoid Contract Distractions During Warriors’ Season

October 3, 2025
Golden State Warriors News & Analysis

Seth Curry Admits He Didn’t Want To Team Up With Stephen Curry Until Now

October 3, 2025
Sep 29, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets player Nikola Jokic (15) takes questions during media day at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Denver Nuggets News & Analysis

Nikola Jokic Remains Loyal To The Nuggets Despite Not Signing An Extension This Summer

October 3, 2025

NBA - Fadeaway World

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Pages

  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA Media
  • Exclusive NBA Interviews
  • NBA 2K News & Updates

© 2025 Fadeaway World @ All Rights Reserved

  • About Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World Authors
  • Editorial Team
  • Ethics Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Contact Us
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?