A Very Indiana Pacers Christmas with Larry Bird and Chuck Person
Christmas is here and it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t talk about Larry Bird’s Christmas present to Chuck Person.
When the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics met the day after Christmas in 1990, Chuck Person and Larry Bird’s war of words had one of its most memorable moments.
Person fired the opening salvo, but unsurprisingly Bird got the upper hand on Person.
Before the game Person, AKA the Rifleman, said he was going
Person went by the nickname “Rifleman” and said he was “going bird hunting” when Indiana faced Boston on Christmas Day. So before the game, Bird said he had a present for Person. After releasing a 3-pointer in front of Person on Indiana’s bench, Bird turned and wished him a “merry f—ing Christmas.” The shot then went in.
Of all of the Larry Bird trash talking stories, this is the best in my mind, even if the Indiana Pacers were on the receiving end.
You may have noticed the story tells it as a Christmas Day game, but if Basketball-Reference can be trusted, the Indiana Pacers didn’t play them on December 25th during Person’s career. The game that they are talking about it likely the one the day after Christmas in 1990.
Nonetheless, Bird was cold-blooded.
From the 8 Points, 9 Seconds staff to yours, Merry Christmas and happy holidays.
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