Was Larry Bird the toughest-cover-ever in the NBA?

The Celtics Kevin McHale was known in NBA circles as "The Torture Chamber" for his varied offensive skills near the hoop, but it was his comrade-in-arms, Larry Bird, that may have been the toughest cover in League history.

Bird had ZERO weaknesses at both ends of the court. He had the size, at 6'9", to shoot over many of his defenders - the ability to get a decent shot off despite heavy coverage - the passing skills to get the ball to a teammate if shooting was not an option for him - and the court savvy to make the right decision virtually every time.

And Larry's anticipation was astounding. He seemed to know what was about to happen before it occurred. And "The Bird Man" would announce to the opposition exactly what his offensive plan was on the next play - and then carried it out successfully. The many opponents he tortured over the seasons offered that Bird's trash talking was not arrogance, since he made it all happen. He backed it up.

Bird could hit from distance - as evidenced by his 3-Time 3-Point Shooting Awards. And he could battle down low for that rebound and put-back. And he hardly ever gets the credit for his defense, but he was 2nd-Team All-Defense three times in his career.

The man had no weaknesses. He could shoot, rebound, pass, defend, anticipate, trash talk, back it up - and still get the respect from all of the opposing "victims" that were forced to cover him. It certainly was a nightmare for NBA players forced to defend Michael Jordan, but I rate 3-Time MVP, Larry Bird, as the toughest guy to cover in the history of the NBA.

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