Throughout their NBA careers, Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins engaged in some of the most intense on-court battles the sport has ever seen. However, despite the respect they earned, Bird and Wilkins never had what one might call a “normal” or respectful relationship during their Hall of Fame careers.
During an “All The Smoke” appearance with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Wilkins recounted his fierce showdowns with Bird. He revealed that they never exchanged words or gestures of camaraderie throughout their careers.
“We never shook hands. We never spoke. Never. Great players back then; you didn’t want another great player to get that close to you. So none of us liked each other. Never spoke. I didn’t speak to him for 13 years straight!” Wilkins said.
“Hey listen, first time I played against him. I’m a rookie, I’m glad to be in the league. I’m in the Boston Garden, and I’m guarding him, right? First play of the game, he said, ‘I don’t know why you got you guarding my homes.’ He shoots a three, and… he made the three… But this son of a b**** just called me home,” he added.
Larry Bird vs. Dominique Wilkins Head-To-Head
Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins were two of the most electrifying players of their era. They faced each other 57 times in NBA games, with Bird holding an edge with a 40-17 winning record over Wilkins.
However, their battles in the playoffs truly defined their rivalry as one of the greatest one-on-one showdowns in NBA history. In those games, Bird also continued to dominate, holding a 10-5 record over Wilkins.
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Bird’s accolades also highlight his superiority in this rivalry. He won three NBA titles with the Boston Celtics, along with three NBA season MVP awards and two NBA Finals MVPs. In contrast, Wilkins, who recently shared his honest take on playing against Michael Jordan, never won a championship or an MVP award.
Despite these differences, Wilkins was a formidable opponent against Wilkins. Throughout his career, he averaged 26.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 42 games against Bird, including a standout performance where he scored a game-high 47 points.
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