Almost every NBA player in the ’80s and early ’90s had his unique Larry Bird moment. At the same time, nearly every story ends with the same plot: Bird torched them. That was also the case with former Chicago Bulls star power forward Horace Grant.
According to Grant, the Boston Celtics were the defending champions at the time when he and Larry Legend matched up with each other in a game. For some odd reason, Grant decided to poke the bear.
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As expected, Larry hit back right away. He taught Horace an important lesson by pulling off one of his trademarks – the calling of his exact moves and shots. On the other hand, Grant ended up regretting his decision to talk trash to Bird.
“I started talking a little trash to him,” Grant once recalled. “I’m saying, ‘You’re not going to score. You’re not getting this basket.’ I remember him then telling me exactly what he was going to do to me. He says he’s going to fake me left and then he’s going to shoot a right-hand hook over me. And then he goes and does it and scores.”
Horace named Bird as the toughest he has ever faced
Grant was one of the most skilled power forwards during his peak. He takes great pride in his outside shooting and, more importantly, in his defensive abilities.
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During his time with the Bulls, Grant was a reliable defender. In fact, he made the NBA All-Defensive team four times. However, Grant once admitted in a separate discussion that Bird was always a nightmare to defend against.
The burly forward had his fair share of intense matchups all throughout his NBA career. However, he is certain that the toughest and most talented player he has ever had to face was none other than Larry Legend.
“I would say, in his prime, it would have to be Larry Bird,” stated Grant, per Yahoo Sports. “He (Bird) was one of the craftiest guys I ever faced. His footwork, his shooting — he was just such a smart player.”
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Bird is a legendary trash-talker and doer
Truth be told, Grant’s stories about Bird were just some of the many accounts that imply that The Hick from French Lick was different indeed, a different breed. In each story, the victims often talk about how Bird viciously talked trash and later backed it up.
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In retrospect, walking the talk is one of the best ways to describe Bird as a player and a competitor. Unlike other legends, the C’s legend never ran his mouth if he wasn’t confident that he could do as he said.
Bird’s illustrious career speaks for itself. He has a long list of achievements that prove just how good he really was during his time. At the same time, Larry Legend also built a legacy that is not shown on his resume – his notoriety as a trash talk artist.
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Depending on who is sharing his experience, Bird could be either one of the greatest players to ever play the game or arguably the most savage trash-talker in NBA history. In Grant’s case, he got to witness both sides of Larry Legend, and he learned that facing either one wasn’t gonna end well for him.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 6, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.