On February 6, 1988, Larry Bird scored a hat trick in a 3-point contest. No worries…
Since All-Star Weekend in 1988, history has remembered the coronation Michael Jordan in the Slam Dunk Contestat home in Chicago, against Dominique Wilkins instead of a hat trick Larry Bird in a 3-point contest.
For two years now, the 3-point shooting contest has been on the program of All-Star weekend, and the Celtics are the kings of the discipline with already two trophies and the legendary shot “so who will finish second?” », fell in the locker room before hostilities in 1986. From the first competition, Larry Bird put pressure on his competitors!
In 1987, again, Michael Cooper also said: “Larry came into the locker room and said to us, ‘I hope you’re all thinking about another place because I’m going to win this!’ » And he will win it again.
In 1988 we repeated the same, or almost, and this time Larry Bird said nothing… “He didn’t say much.” confirmed by Dale Ellis. “He was just standing in a small room to stretch.” But why didn’t the Celtics winger say anything? I had nothing to say, they knew I would win.
Chamber after shot, Larry Bird aims for a third straight title and finds Dale Ellis, the future winner in 1989, in the final. With 17 points, the three-time MVP of the league wins once again, with his hand raised on the last shot before the ball has yet gone in. Everyone in the lane because “it’s comfortable”.
With this hat-trick, Larry Bird is joint owner of the record for wins in this competition (with Craig Hodges) and it was he who definitely popularized this Saturday night competition.
2026-02-06 14:02:00
