“I’ll find Craig Hodges at the end of the Bulls bench”: When Larry Bird had the perfect response for the Bulls guard in light of their 3-point contest rivalry

Arjun Julka | 23/09/2021
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Celtics legend Larry Bird had the perfect reply to former Bucks player Craig Hodges’ trash-talk. The two veterans had an intense rivalry, especially when it came to shooting from beyond the arc.

There is no denying that Larry Bird was one of the most prolific shooters in NBA history. In his 13 seasons in the league, the 3x champion shot 49.6% from the field and 37.6% from the 3-point line. Bird was also 88.6% from the free-throw line.

The 3-point line came into existence during the 1979-80 season. The same season had Larry Bird drafted into the NBA. However, it was during the 1986 All-Star game that the league added the 3-point contest.

Some of the other 3-point specialists at the time included Dale Ellis and Sleepy Floyd. However, it was the rivalry between Bird and Craig Hodges that had viewers engaged.

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Bird would beat Hodges during the finals of the inaugural 3-point contest, while the former Bucks guard managed 12, Bird scored 21.

Larry Bird had the perfect answer for the 1990 3-point contest winner Craig Hodges’ trash-talk

One of the other skills that the Celtics superstars excelled in other than basketball was trash-talking. Bird would win the 3-point contest for three consecutive years before being injured for the 1989 three-point contest.

The 3x MVP would make a comeback during the 1990 season. However, his recurrent back pain wouldn’t allow him to participate, leading him to take early retirement. Thus in 1990, Hodges broke Bird’s streak and was crowned the 3-point champion.

Following the win, a reporter asked Hodges if his victory was diminished due to the absence of Bird. To which, Hodges said the following.

When Bird is healthy, He knows where to find me

via : Complex

There was no chance that Bird was going to let Hodges’ comments fly under the radar. The 2x Finals MVP would respond to Hodges with a pinch of humor, taking shots at his role on the Bulls roster. The Celtics superstar replied saying he knew where to find Hodges.

 Yeah, at the end of the Bulls’ bench

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However, the two shared a cordial relation beyond the hardwood, with Bird even congratulating Hodges for winning the contest in 1990. Both Hodges and Bird are the only players in NBA history to win the 3-point contest thrice.

Post Edited By: Amulya Shekhar
3-point contest boston celtics Craig Hodges Larry Bird

About the author

Arjun Julka

Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Basketball isn’t just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. When it comes to the GOAT debate, the TSR author feels LeBron James is yet to receive a lot of his due but cannot deny marveling at Michael Jordan’s resume.

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