Despite scoring over 21,000 points in his career, Larry Bird once claimed ‘passing was more of an art than scoring’

Larry Bird's offensive prowess, evidenced by his 21,791 career points over 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics , was undeniably instrumental in leading the franchise to three championships in six years during the 1980s. So, while a robust defense is vital for winning titles, Bird's knack for scoring was the difference maker. Interestingly, despite ranking among the team's top 3 all-time scorers, the three-time MVP preferred passing over scoring, viewing the former as more of an 'art' form.

Bird preferred to pass the ball

During his three-year tenure for the Indiana State Sycamores, Larry Legend averaged 30.3 points on 53.3% shooting from the field and 13.3 rebounds per game, which helped him make some noise through those attributes. Naturally, after he entered the NBA realm, his assists per game tally stood at 4.5 per game, whereas his scoring average was 21.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Despite these statistics suggesting a propensity for scoring and rebounding, a Sports Illustrated article from 1979 revealed Bird's primary preference was, in fact, for passing the ball.

"If the other guys score you start seeing a gleam in their eyes, " Bird said . "Besides, passing is more of an art than scoring."

Bird's preference towards passing might not have translated into impressive assists numbers, but legends like Bob Cousy labeled him as the 'best passer they've ever seen.'

Red Auerbach echoed this sentiment

Former Celtics coach and President Red Auerbach, who witnessed Larry Bird lead the Celtics in the 1980s, once remarked in a Sports Illustrated story that the Indiana native was the best passing big man he had ever seen, even comparing him to the legendary Cousy.

"He's like a Bob Cousy up front," Auerbach said . "Cousy, without question, was the greatest passer who ever played the game."

While Larry Legend's rebounding, scoring, and trash-talking abilities are well-known, such admissions from the Celtics greats highlight how the two-time Finals MVP's playmaking was also a crucial yet often understated aspect of his game. In simple, Bird made minimal yet impactful contributions through his passing, adding another layer to his dangerous presence on the court.

Related: Isiah Thomas thanked Larry Bird for saving his career following his racist remarks: "Larry, you had my career right at the palm of your hands"