"Larry Bird was a fraud" - NBA fans abuzz as OKC Thunder's $82.5 million guard surpasses Celtics legend in career 3-pointers in just 6 seasons

OKC Thunder guard Luguentz Dort scored 22 points on Thursday against the Cleveland Cavaliers to help his team capture a 134-114 win. Dort had a hot shooting night, shooting 66.7 percent of his nine shots from deep. In the process, he surpassed Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird in the all-time 3-pointers list.

Dort, contracted with the Thunder under a five-year, $82.5 million deal, is now in the 320th spot in the 3-pointers list with 654 shots made from long range. On the other hand, Bird finished his career with 649 made shots and is at the 324th spot on the list. The Celtics star played in a different era where the shot from beyond the arc wasn't dominant.

Bird averaged 1.9 threes per game in his career and shot 37.6 percent, which was already a big deal among fans and his peers. However, the game has evolved, and players now rely more on their long-range strokes.

However, after seeing Dort surpass the three-time champion in 3-pointers made in just six seasons, fans can't help but talk about it.

"That Larry Bird was a fraud and not who people say he was," one fan said.

"That Larry Bird wouldn't sniff a roster in the current NBA," another fan said.

"Dort is better than Larry Bird all time," a fan commented.

Other fans tried to explain the differences in eras and how the game is played.

"I don’t put a lot of stock into this. They shot way less threes back in Birds era," a fan said.

"The three point line hadn’t even been around for a decade when Bird was in his prime," another fan said.

"Bird is from an era where most players didn't shoot 3s," one fan argued.

How has Lu Dort performed for the OKC Thunder this season?

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) gestures after scoring a 3-point basket. (Credits: IMAGN)

Dort has played 39 games for the OKC Thunder this season and has performed well. His performance is almost identical to how he played last season, only this time, he's shooting better from deep. The 6-foot-4 defensive forward averages 10.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 41.7% shooting.

He's shooting poorly from the field compared to the 2023-24 season, where he shot 43.8 percent. Dort relies heavily on his outside stroke, making 41.5 percent of his attempts from downtown. His efficiency from deep is slightly better, as he made 39.4 percent of his 3-pointers last season.

The Thunder forward has maintained consistency throughout the 2024-25 NBA season. With All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring most of the time, Dort is focused on guarding opposing players and being ready to attack from deep.