Larry Bird is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He had an illustrious career with the Boston Celtics, winning 3 NBA championships and 3 MVP awards. Bird was known for his superb shooting ability, basketball IQ, and clutch plays. However, he was not known for being able to jump very high or dunk the ball consistently. This has led many fans to wonder – did Larry Bird ever dunk in an NBA game?
Larry Bird’s Dunking Ability
At 6’9″, Larry Bird had good size for a small forward. However, he did not possess elite leaping ability. In fact, his vertical jump was only around 28 inches. To put that into perspective, most dunkers in the NBA have vertical jumps of over 35 inches. Bird’s lack of jumping ability meant he played mostly below the rim. While he could finish creatively around the basket with shots off the glass, he rarely threw down thunderous dunks.
That’s not to say Bird never dunked in his basketball career. There are photographs and video clips showing a younger Bird dunking in high school and college. He could dunk in warmups and practices as well. But in NBA game action, the opportunities were rare. The aging process and injuries took a toll on his body, making it even harder to get up above the rim as his career went on. Still, there were a handful of special occasions where Bird managed to throw it down in a game.
Larry Bird’s Most Famous Dunks
While Bird only dunked a few times in NBA games, his dunks often became memorable moments because they occurred so infrequently. Here are some of Larry Bird’s most famous dunks from his pro career:
1. Dunk against Seattle SuperSonics, March 1985
In a March 1985 game against Seattle, Bird stole the ball near midcourt and had a breakaway dunk opportunity. He cocked the ball back with two hands and threw down a powerful slam, much to the delight of the Boston Garden crowd. The dunk was so surprising and impactful that it sparked the Celtics to rally from a 25-point deficit. Boston went on to win the game in overtime behind Bird’s 49 points.
2. Dunk against Los Angeles Lakers, June 1987 Finals
The 1980s Celtics and Lakers had an intense rivalry filled with championship series matchups. During Game 3 of the 1987 NBA Finals, Bird elevated for a breakaway two-handed dunk right on Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Dunking on the 7’2″ NBA legend punctuated the play and Bird’s 30-point triple double performance in the Celtic victory.
3. Dunk against Atlanta Hawks, May 1988
Late in the 1987-88 season, a steal set up another breakaway dunk opportunity for Bird. He went up strong with two hands and threw it down hard over Atlanta’s Kevin Willis. Bird was energized, yelling and pumping his fist after the slam. The Celtics rolled to a 16-point win.
Analysis of Larry Bird’s Dunk Totals
In reviewing archives of Larry Bird’s career, it appears he dunked fewer than 10 times total in NBA regular season and playoff games combined. Here is a breakdown of his dunk frequencies:
Regular Season Dunks
| 1979-80 | 0 dunks |
| 1980-81 | 1 dunk |
| 1981-82 | 1 dunk |
| 1982-83 | 0 dunks |
| 1983-84 | 2 dunks |
| 1984-85 | 1 dunk |
| 1985-86 | 0 dunks |
| 1986-87 | 0 dunks |
| 1987-88 | 1 dunk |
| 1988-89 | 0 dunks |
| 1989-90 | 1 dunk |
| 1990-91 | 0 dunks |
| 1991-92 | 0 dunks |
Playoff Dunks
| 1980 | 0 dunks |
| 1981 | 0 dunks |
| 1982 | 0 dunks |
| 1983 | 0 dunks |
| 1984 | 1 dunk |
| 1985 | 0 dunks |
| 1986 | 1 dunk |
| 1987 | 1 dunk |
| 1988 | 0 dunks |
| 1989 | 0 dunks |
| 1990 | 0 dunks |
| 1991 | 0 dunks |
| 1992 | 0 dunks |
So in 13 years in the NBA, Larry Bird dunked 7 times in the regular season and 3 times in the playoffs, for a total of 10 dunks. Considering he played over 900 NBA games, the rarity of the dunks highlights just how unique they were for a player of Bird’s jumping ability.
Conclusion
Larry Bird dunking the basketball was a very rare sight throughout his storied career. He was much more likely to sink a 3-pointer or nail a clutch mid-range shot than throw down a powerful dunk. But on a few special occasions, Bird did rise up to dunk against some of the league’s biggest stars and best teams. Each dunk was exhilarating for Bird and Celtics fans, making the moments quite memorable. While he will always be known for his shooting touch, Bird’s ability to occasionally surprise opponents with a dunk underscored his well-rounded brilliance as an all-time great player.
So in conclusion, yes – Larry Bird did dunk in NBA games. But with only around 10 total dunks in 900+ games, Bird’s slams were truly once-in-a-lifetime sights for spectators of Boston Celtics basketball in the 1980s.
