Dec 10, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird watches as the Pacers play against the Los Angeles Clippers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Los Angeles Clippers defeat the Indiana Pacers 103-96. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

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Larry Bird may be an aging general manager these days, but there was a time when he was the coldest dude on a basketball court. He went at everybody and pulled no punches while telling them how much better he was.

Indiana Pacers legend Chuck Person and Bird famously went after each other, and it was those Rifleman/Legend playoff battles that first made me take interest in this Midwest franchise far from my home.

But as pesky as Person was, the best mano-a-mano battle of Bird’s career came against Dominique Wilkins in an epic Game 7 showdown.

Long before that, however, The Human Highlight Film was merely a rookie, and Larry Bird treated him like he treated all rookies: With scorn and disrespect.

‘Nique recently shared a story with the Boston Herald‘s Steve Bulpett about one of his first matchups with Larry Bird. (via CBS Sports)

“One of the first times I ever played against him, I went out for the opening tip and I went to shake his hand. He just stood there and looked at me stone-faced with his hands behind his back,” Wilkins said recently. “I was like, ‘Whoa.’ Then we were getting ready for the tip and he says to me, ‘You don’t belong in this league, Homes.’ I couldn’t believe it, but it happened so fast, I didn’t know what to think. “Then they had the ball and I was on him and he said, ‘I don’t know why they got you guarding me, Homes. You can’t guard me.’ Then, whap, he hit a 3. Then he came down again and said, ‘They made a mistake putting you on me, Homes,’ and he took another 3.” Getting into the story, Wilkins began to act things out with his facial expressions. “So now I’m hot,” he said. “I’m hot. I mean, I’m steaming. “Then a little while later, I came down on a break and he was backpedaling. I just went right after him. I jumped up and he tried to challenge, but I took that right through the rim. He fell and hit the basket support. “He got up and said, ‘I like you, rookie. You’ve got (guts).’ I was happy for a second, and then he said, ‘But I’m still going for 40 on you tonight.’ ” He then paused the story, stepped back and smiled. “But I got him,” Wilkins said. “He only scored 39.”

Larry. Joe. Bird.

The Legend.