Newsletter
Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Reading: Coach Larry Bird Was Pissed Off Because His Players Were Afraid Of Michael Jordan And Told Them To Knock MJ On The Floor But They Refused To Do It
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 Was Pissed Off Because His Players Were Afraid Of Michael Jordan And Told Them To Knock MJ On The Floor But They Refused To Do It

Coach Larry Bird Was Pissed Off Because His Players Were Afraid Of Michael Jordan And Told Them To Knock MJ On The Floor But They Refused To Do It

Larry Bird challenged his Indiana Pacers players to hit Michael Jordan, but they were 'afraid' to inflict damage to His Airness.

Orlando Silva
Sep 29, 2022
4 Min Read
Share

Larry Bird was definitely one of the fiercest competitors in NBA history. The Boston Celtics legend wasn’t the most skilled player of all, but he knew how to use his tools to his advantage. Larry was clever, he could use his intelligence to beat opponents, and besides that, he was a big trash-talker. 

His competitiveness was so big that didn’t care about the tactics to beat his opponent. Whenever he went out there, he was ready to kill and nobody could change that. Even after his retirement, Bird had the same mindset, and he tried to pass that to his players, especially when they faced the greatest baller of all time, Michael Jordan. 

Back in the 1997/98 NBA season, Larry Bird began his short-lived stint as the Indiana Pacers head coach. He spent three years there but never won a championship. Still, Larry found a way to make his team a competitive one, but he always had a big obstacle in Jordan. 


Coach Larry Bird Told His Players To Knock Michael Jordan On The Floor But They Refused To Do It

Seeing that MJ was too much to bear for his players, Larry challenged them to be really physical with the GOAT, no matter how hard they had to hit him to stop him. He saw that his Pacers couldn’t stop Mike and decided to make drastic decisions. 

“One of the most frustrating games of my short coaching career was when we played Chicago at the United Center during my first season,” Bird explained in his 1999 book Bird Watching, via Sportscasting. “Every guy on my team was turning down shots. They were completely out of sync. It was a difficult game for me to watch, because my guys kept hesitating. I didn’t know why they did that. I had never seen them do that before. Then I realized — it was Michael Jordan. My team was convinced they couldn’t beat the Bulls as long as Jordan was there.”

If Larry was on the court, he would have taken care of things by himself, but his players were afraid of MJ and didn’t apply the new version of the ‘Jordan rules.’

“I told my guys, ‘The next time we play Chicago, I want you to knock Michael Jordan flat on his butt if you get the chance. That’s part of the game, understand?’ But they wouldn’t do it. He had them too psyched out. Michael Jordan played the mind game better than almost anyone. He really knew how to get inside people’s heads.”

When Bird tried to apply this strategy, Jordan was already too much of a problem for his rivals. The Pacers tried to challenge the Bulls’ supremacy in the East, but they couldn’t make that final step. In 1998, they had a big chance to do so, but Jordan and co. showed why they were one of the biggest dynasties in NBA history, beating them in a memorable Game 7 to advance to the NBA Finals. 

Larry couldn’t beat MJ as a head coach, but he surely did it as a player, dominating a young Michael during the 80s before he had the perfect supporting cast and he reached his peak to lead the Bulls to six championships in eight years. 

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:Chicago Bulls ArchiveLarry 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 Lakers Fans Think The Team Is Much Better Than Last Year: Patrick Beverley, Dennis Schroder, And Thomas Bryant Replacing Talen Horton-Tucker, Malik Monk, And Carmelo Anthony
Next Article DeMar DeRozan Reveals Kyle Lowry Broke The News Of Lakers Trading For Russell Westbrook: “I’m Looking At My Phone Thinking, ‘That’s Out Of The Window Now.'”
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

Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) high fives head coach JJ Redick during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Lakers News & Analysis

JJ Redick Provides Update On Luka Doncic After He Gets Ruled Out For Lakers’ First 2 Preseason Games

October 3, 2025
Devin Booker
Phoenix Suns News & Analysis

Devin Booker Reveals He Has “Unfinished Business” With Phoenix Suns

October 3, 2025
Jayson Tatum
Boston Celtics News & Analysis

New Return Date For Jayson Tatum Could Put Celtics Back In Championship Picture

October 3, 2025
Warriors star Jimmy Butler
Golden State Warriors News & Analysis

Stephen Curry Says Jimmy Butler Gives Warriors “Legitimate Shot” At 2026 Title

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?