Reggie Miller, Mark Jackson Recall Shocking Larry Bird Incident That Left Them Flustered

It got to the point where nothing that Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird did surprised anyone — at least on the court.

Bird, who won three straight MVPs in the 1980s for the Celtics, went on to become a successful coach with the Indiana Pacers. It was during his days as a coach that he shocked captains Reggie Miller and Mark Jackson before one of their games. Miller and Jackson had a tough time holding in their laughter on the “Mark Jackson Show” when telling their story that involved an absent Coach Bird and a pack of Newport cigarettes.

Reggie Miller & Mark Jackson Caught Larry Bird Smoking Before One of Their Games

Miller was a guest on a June 2024 episode of the “Mark Jackson Show,” and the two couldn’t help but tell their story about their legendary coach.

Playing for Larry Bird was incredible,” Jackson said. “One of the all-time greats, one of our heroes that we watched and competed against. For some reason, we were in the layup line. Reggie and I, as the captains of the team, I don’t remember what we had to go back and talk to Larry Bird about before the game. Twenty seconds on the clock, Reg and I jog off the court and go in the back. You take it from there.”

“So, Jack and I go back into the locker room,” Miller said, “and we’re like, where’s Coach Bird? They’re like, ‘He’s in his office.’ We go to his office, and he’s not in his office.

“We head over to the shower because we had to ask him this question before we got out there. We go around the corner, and Larry Legend is sitting in a chair. He’s got a pack of Newports, just smoking away. ‘What you guys need?’ We’re like, ‘We’re good coach. Don’t worry about it. We’re good. He’s like, ‘All right, I’ll see you out there in a few minutes.'”

Jackson Said He Was So Flustered It Ruined His Game

Seeing Larry Bird smoking a cigarette in the back room before the game shook up Jackson and Miller. Jackson said the two were flustered, and it showed. Miller and Jackson were asked if they ever brought it up to Bird.

“No, no, no,” Jackson said. “And it’s documented, the worst first half a starting backcourt has had.”

“Oh, my God,” Miller said. “I couldn’t make a shot.”

“We were mentally gone,” Jackson said. “Our hero. What we just witnessed affected us.”

“Mind you, remember how we look at Larry Bird,” Miller said. “Number one, we played against him. I patterned my game after Larry Legend. In the ’80s, it was Lakers/Boston, and you had to pick sides. We were Laker fans, but I patterned my game after Larry Bird. I wanted to know how he worked out, how he approached games, his trash-talking, all that.

“This is how we looked at Larry. For us to walk around the corner and see him just sprawled out on a chair, smoking. It wasn’t like he was shocked, like ‘Oh God, here’s our captains.’ It wasn’t anything like that.”