Back then, Bird said they only tried to use the three-point shot when the game was close. The three-pointer can be a game-changer or back-breaker, depending on the situation. It’s a killer shot that takes something out of the opposing team and deflates the opposition.
Larry led the NBA in three-point makes during back-to-back seasons in 1985-86 and 1986-87. As stated earlier, he won the first three editions of the Three-Point Contest at the NBA All-Star break.
“It’s really funny,” Bird said. “I never even practiced 3-pointers. We might have thrown up only a couple of them. The only time I practiced them was right before the 3-point contest in 1988. Danny [Ainge] would get the rack out and we’d rebound and throw the ball back out and shoot some 3s. But we didn’t fire up 100 3s after every practice.
