After a disappointing 1983 season Larry Bird retreated to his newly constructed home in West Baden, Indiana, complete with its full-length outdoor court. He added a step-back jumper to his arsenal, refining it by shooting 800 of them a day. Quinn Buckner came to visit Bird that summer and agreed to participate in his morning workout. They awoke at 7 AM, put on their track shoes, and ran five miles -- uphill. Buckner was amazed by the steep incline of Bird's regular route and was walking by the halfway mark. Bird was not a fast runner, but he had long strides and the determined look of an athlete scorned. he and Buckner did not discuss the Bucks, sweep, but Bird's dissatisfaction was implied in the intensity of his workout.After his uphill run, Bird hopped on his bicycle and pedaled 20 miles around the country. Then, with the burning sun at its peak, he spent an additional hour and a half shooting 500 jumpers and 500 free throws.
"I was getting ready for a whole lot of years of us and the Lakers," Bird said. "We were young and they were young. They had Kareem. They had Magic. They were making moves. I wanted to make sure we kept up."
From "When the Game was Ours" by Jackie MacMullen
