larry bird finals record

The Celtics and the Lakers are the two most storied franchises in the NBA, and the rivalry has often been called the greatest in the NBA. Bird is a universally known NBA legend and is often credited with the NBAs explosion of popularity in the 1980s. One of the ongoing debates within the world of sports centers around how you define greatness. The series was the eighth time in NBA history that the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA finals, with Boston winning each time, and the first championship that the Celtics claimed at home since 1966. The 1987 Finals was the culmination of Magic and Bird's decade-long rivalry that dominated the NBA. Larry Bird won three NBA championships in his basketball career. The Lakers were coached by Pat Riley and also featured defensive ace Michael Cooper, a young. Head to Head: Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. Certain completely unbiased fans, like myself, rank him very highly in that top ten. Birds 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson, 1985 & 1987. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Celtics in the conference finals before losing to the Lakers in the 1980 NBA Finals, with Johnson earning Finals MVP honors for his Game 6 performance. In terms of individual honors, he won the 1979-80 Rookie of the Year title, claimed three MVP crowns, and earned two NBA Finals MVP nods. Larry Legend also sank 42 of 47 foul shots in the pressure-packed series (89.4 . Right, Born: Adding one more hall of famer, Bill Walton, put this team over the top. This site is a participant in the Impact Affiliate Platform which is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Fanatics.com . The following season, the Celtics did end up losing to the Philadelphia 76ers after winning their first-round series against the Washington Bullets (what a team name!). Larry was no slouch, averaging 15-15-7 in a 4-2 series win. When discussing his legacy with Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press (h/t the Daily Hampshire Gazette), Bird didnt take much time to sing his own praises. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. Houston had a tough road to the Finals: they beat the defending champion Lakers featuring both. Learn more and register, International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. The first series matched Boston up with the Chicago Bulls. He and Chauncey Billups are the only two retired players to win Finals MVP but not to make the Hall of Fame. Larry Bird is one of the ten greatest players in the history of the NBA. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. The Celtics had Larry Bird as their centerpiece and posted a record of 67-15, including an NBA record 40 wins at home. Bird averaged 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game for the series. It was a tough six game slugfest with the Houston Rockets but Bird and company were just too good. Bird created a very good team. Tatum and the rest of his team are eager to avenge the loss in the Finals . However, its the only individual award Cedric Maxwell won in his career. Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals . The Celtics then knocked the 76ers off once again, this time in five games and advanced to the Finals for the second time in as many years. It was yet again against the Lakers and they split the first two games 1-1. * 1981: Boston Celtics def. Sadly, after that Finals loss, Bird never made it into another Finals series. Required fields are marked *. Larry averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in this series. While Bird did not have the finals success of a Jordan or Russell, he still had a better record than greats including LeBron and Wilt. The Lakers destroyed the Cs in their first home game 137-104 in game 3. Bird did not technically average a triple double for the series because both his rebounds and assists were slightly below 10 and Ive rounded them, but, still, those stats are unreal. The Knicks were led by the explosive scorer Bernard King, who averaged 29-5-3 in the series. Jordan averaged an insane 43.7 points, 5.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds for this. Bird won three titles with the Celtics in 1981, 1984 and 1986, earning Finals MVP honors in the latter two. Which player is ultimately better all-time is a different conversationbecause that includes a lot more than their individual matchups. The Lakers took game 1 in Boston and looked like they made take a commanding 2-0 lead when Gerald Henderson stole the ball and the series. Fitch went on to say that Mangurians decision to sell the team was the backbreaker and that he would have reconsidered his resignation had the team not been put up for sale. Larry led the way with an average of 25 points per game. After dispatching MJ, the Cs cruised by Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semis. At the end of the season, Bird was named Coach of the Year. In Game 7, the heat that was an issue in Game 5 was not as bad (indoor temperatures hovered around 91F (33C) during the game, due to additional fans being brought in to try to cool the air). She reported on the Celtics' sideline while Pat O'Brien reported on the Lakers' sideline. Which Player has Played in the Most NBA Finals Games? Bird, who was selected 6th in the 1978 NBA draft but committed back to Indiana State for his senior season, was named Rookie of the Year after leading the Celtics to a 32-game turnaround from the previous year, going from 29 to 61 wins. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The couple has two adopted children named Conner Mariah.. Family. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! Johnson was called "Tragic Johnson" by Celtics fans due to the two crucial errors he committed in Game 4 (the Parish steal, followed by two botched free throws in OT). Answer (1 of 2): Larry Bird has been in the NBA Finals 5 times as a player, all while playing with the Boston Celtics. The 1984 NBA Finals was the first championship meeting between old rivals Boston and Los Angeles since 1969. Even from his first season with Indiana State, Birds performances were exceptional. In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. Even when he found fame and fortune, the NBA star never forgot his humble roots. Boston Celtics, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 1978 NBA Draft, Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1998 (Full List), More Larry Bird pages at Sports Reference. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The Bucks now featured a young Terry Cummings along with Paul Pressey and Sidney Moncrief. Get the latest news on Larry Bird, biographical info . Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 . It's an era thing. Two-time National Basketball Association champion Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell points to the pillars of the game when it comes to the question, "Who is the greatest NBA player of all time?" "I measure it by those who changed the game," said the former Boston Celtics standout on Sunday afternoon while taking part in the Legends & Stars Sports Expo at Batavia Downs Gaming. That's the first time the (80's) Lakers ever encountered that, someone stronger minded. It featured the first time that Larry Bird met Magic Johnson in the NBA Finals, their first head-to-head championship meeting since the 1979 NCAA title game. Those other two times? Larry Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 & 1986, the trophy would go to his teammate Cedric Maxwell in 1981. Larry Bird won the NBA Finals MVP two times. Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). Bird's Boston Celtics won the NBA championship three times during his career (1981 and '86 vs. the Houston Rockets, '84 vs. the Los Angeles Lakers), and Bird won Finals MVP in '84 and '86. Bird scored almost 26 points per game in winning his third-straight MVP award. . His accolades are countless, with the former Indiana State man being an NBA legend. How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? In his second season with the Celtics, Boston finished first in the East as they had done the previous year. The Bucks took them to seven games before they were able to advance and the Pistons took them to seven in the Conference Finals. He was the NBA Finals MVP in 1981, and the . The Boston Celtics were matched up against the Houston Rockets, led by Hall of Famer Moses Malone. Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After Him. Despite this, Bird did not win any championships during his college career. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. The Celtics won the series, with Bird getting a triple double in the deciding game six. The Celtics won the third and final title of the Bird era with a victory over the twin towers of the Houston Rockets. After the game a Laker fan threw a beer at Celtics guard M.L. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, Larry Bird Championship #3: 1986 Boston Celtics, 1986 First Round: Celtics def. Both these players were representing teams from their home States, adding extra spice to the whole thing. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. Despite home wins in games three and five, the Pacers lost the series in six games, with Shaq and Kobe just being too much for Indianas stars. Bird's Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. It didnt take the Lakers long to learn, but in that series, it was the element of surprise that we needed. In Game 5, the Celtics took a 3-2 series lead with a 121-103 victory, as Larry Bird scored 34 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. Bird outscored Dr. J 26.7 to 19.9 ppg in the series, led all players in rebounds and was second on Boston in assists. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. More player info Bird set a career-high with 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks during the 1984-85 season. Boston won two close ones to start the series before Washington stole game three by 3 points. The Celtics stayed unbeaten all-time in home Game 7s with a clear cut 111-102 victory. By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. Keep reading to learn more about each championship win, the series leading up to the finals, and each Larry Bird championship season. Referee Hugh Evans became dehydrated and fainted at one point in the first half. Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. Larry is a three time NBA MVP consecutively from 1984-86, which is still a record. Known as "Larry Legend," Bird has achieved incredible success in his career, earning multiple awards and holding numerous records. The Celtics swept the Bulls after getting a bye in the first round for winning the Atlantic Division. It featured the first time that Larry Bird met Magic Johnson in the NBA Finals, their first head-to-head championship meeting since the 1979 NCAA title game. In other words, he noticed that some . . The Bucks were led in the series, as they had been in the regular season, by wing Marques Johnson and Hall of Fame guard Sidney Moncrief. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. Hakeem was no slouch, averaging the most points and rebounds in the NBA playoffs. Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. That might seem unbelievable this is coming from a man who famously asked his Three-Point Contest peers who was coming in second but it largely fits within Birds character. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? The first two meetings of the season between Cleveland and Boston took OT, but the Celtics were able to sneak a 117-113 win at home. Carr stole James Worthy's inbounds pass followed by a dunk to seal the win. The Lakers drew first blood but Boston evened the series in Game 2. He averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 boards and 3.6 assists per game for the series. In the final game of the tournament, Larry Bird and his erstwhile unbeaten Indiana State Sycamores lost to Magic Johnson and his Michigan State Spartans by the score of 7564. Birds missed game winner in game four turned out to be vital in the series as the Lakers did not let their 3-1 lead slip, winning the series in six games. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. We had Larry Bird, Kevin Mchale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson on the Celtics. Larry led the way and averaged 27-14-4 to lead the team to the championship, along with his first Finals MVP. As weve mentioned, all these players were inducted into the Hall of Fame. NAME. Arrives by Wed, Mar 15 Buy Larry Bird Boston Celtics Autographed Wilson Replica Basketball with "HOF 1998" Inscription - Limited Edition of 133 at Walmart.com . The Celtics got the better of their Showtime Lakers rivales in a heated seven game series to claim the 1984 NBA Title. If you are interested in Larry Bird Championships, you might be interested in checking out some of these posts I have written about Larry Legend. Sadly for Bird, Michigan State were just too much for him as the Spartans ran out 75-64 winners. The three finals victories are outlined above, but Bird also had two finals losses. All-NBA First-Teamers NOT in the Hall of Fame, Basketball Positions 101: Understanding the Different Roles on the Court, The Best NBA Players to NOT Make the Hall of Fame, The Best All-Defensive Team in NBA History, The All-Time Worst NBA Finals Performances by a Superstar by Position. The Bullets also had rookie Jeff Malone, who was a backup at this point but would go on to be a star, and future Piston Bad Boy Rick Mahorn. Fox believes the Westbrook is the most scrutinized player in the NBA, while also stating that everyone inside the league loves Westbrook, regardless of what the outside perception may be, Arenas believes that the Grizzlies should ignore Morant's actions because every other team would and he's a productive player for them, Tim Hardaway told his favorite Run TMC story involving Don Nelson which resulted to an unforgettable moment for the group. 2022-23 Season Schedule; Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. The type of player who didnt even care about stats but always seemed to put up the most absurd statlines ever seen. His individual performance was recognised all across the NBA as he helped Boston to a then record breaking 67-15 regular season record. Thanks for signing up. The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. He averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game across his three seasons, winning Naismith College Player of the Year in 1979. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Bird has four siblings' all brothers named Mike . Johnson and Bird met at the NBA Finals three times in 1984, 1985 and 1987. There were three Larry Bird championships with the Boston Celtics: in 1981, 1984 and 1986. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. Despite good performances from Bird, Magic Johnson outplayed him as the jumbo sized Lakers guard won finals MVP. The American greatest basketball still worked as a coach and executive in the NBA, which had indeed led him to get over the low . Bird averaged 24.2 points,10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in the 1983-84 season. The Hawks also still had good rebounder Tree Rollis. It went back and forth but the Celtics were able to walk away with a massive victory to seal the series. In 1980, 1982, 1985 and 1988, Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to championships, winning three Finals MVPs along the way. Larry Bird said there were 'obvious' differences between himself and Magic Johnson. Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. Instead of battling fatigue and exhaustion from their grueling Semi-Finals series, they went on to beat the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird. The Celtics again saw their Eastern Conference rivals matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks. Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log. Larry Birds NBA Finals record is 3-2. The last four games all came down to the last shot, with all the games being decided by two points or less. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. Though just looking at his record can get a bit confusing. Between the two players, they won eight NBA titles, five Finals MVP awards, six league MVP . The Western Conference Finals also led to one of the greatest game-winners ever. Houston Rockets in 6 games (4 wins, 2 losses) * 1984: Boston Celtics def. Celtics Starters: Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. After altering wins with the Lakers, the Celtics won Game 7 and the series with a score of 111102. Larry wouldnt have been a controversial choice, but Cedric Maxwell was the emotional center of the Celtics and meant so much to the teams culture. The Houston Rockets have long been a sneakily dangerous team even when they were losing, dating from when the Rockets faced the Boston Celtics in the 1981 NBA Finals with a losing record. I am fully convinced that anyone under the age of 40 will never admit Larry Bird was a better player than Stephen Curry. They were the thoroughbreds, we were the Clydesdales., It was a very physical series, and thats exactly what we wanted because we knew thats the only way we could beat those guys. The Cs won games five and six by two points each to reach game 7. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. It must have lit a fire underneath Larry because he didnt let anything get in his way during his sophomore season. Born in Indiana in 1956, Larry Bird began playing basketball at a young age. The 1984 championship series scored high TV ratings. This Finals had everything. In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics behind FInals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This book highlighted the rivalry between Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson throughout their respected basketball careers. At that time, Bird also expressed unhappiness over Mangurians decision to sell the team, and he was one of the players who defended Fitch after they were swept by the Bucks. In the playoffs, the team went 15-3 en route to winning the championship. Two superstars, Magic and Larry, and the two most iconic teams in the leagues history, the Lakers and the Celtics. 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. While that body of work would give anyone the right to too their own horn, Larry Legend took a different course of action. Johnson won 11 of those games, posting averages of 19.4 points, 11.5 assists and 6.8 rebounds in their head-to-head matchups compared to 21.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game for Bird. The game was known as the "Heat Game", as it was played under 97F (36C) heat, and without any air conditioning, at Boston Garden. The Celtics made short work of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning in five games. The three finals victories are outlined above, but Bird also had two finals losses. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Larry Bird beat iconic NBA players on his way to three NBA championships including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Hakeem Olajuwon. While he didnt change who he was if anything, the Hick from French Lick was remarkably consistent he had an incredibly low-key take when it came to his own legacy. Before the season began, the Lakers traded long-time guard Norm Nixon to the San Diego Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Byron Scott. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. Larry Birds First NBA Championship 1981. But does that record provide a fair verdict on James' performance in the NBA Finals? As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. Why did David Stern Veto the Chris Paul to the Lakers Trade? In Birds rookie season in the league, he helped lead the Boston Celtics all the way into the Eastern Conference Finals. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. Indiana State University, High School: Bill suffered through injuries for much of his career but appeared in 80 games for the Celtics. The game after setting an NBA finals record for made threes with eight in game 2 against the Lakers in 2010, Ray Allen . Larry Bird was born on as Larry Joe Bird to parents: Georgia and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird, a veteran of the Korean War.He attended Springs Valley High School. Head-to-Head Regular Season Stats. Meanwhile, the Clydesdales, AKA the Celtics, were coming off a season where they went 56-26 and were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in round 2 of the playoffs. During that year Lesley Visser, Stockton's wife, became the first woman to cover the NBA Finals for CBS. The Celtics blew out Houston in game 5 behind a big effort from Cedric Maxwell and then took a big lead and held on to win in game 6. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana The rules shift was a big factor . Larry Bird won three championships as a player, but did not win any as a coach. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right. The Lakers fell in the Western Conference finals to a new team that sprung up seemingly out of nowhere. However, this was not the case. Coming off the back of a disappointing loss to the Lakers in the finals, many people saw Bird taking a step back going into the 1985-86 season. Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. How many games did Larry Bird field goal miss a season due to injury? The Laker momentum was stalled, and Larry Bird came up with a crucial jumper over Magic Johnson with 16 seconds remaining in overtime, then M.L. FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. He was named NBA Head Coach of the Year in 1998. In addition to Nique, the Hawks starred Kevin Willis. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. It was also the first of three NBA Finals meetings between the Celtics and Lakers during the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson era. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. Unlike some of the other players that have gone down in NBA History, Larry didnt leave his team whatsoever. But what is Larry Birds record in the NBA Finals? The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Lakers in 1983 and the Detroit Pistons snuck by the Lakers in 1989. In Game 2, the Lakers led 113-111 with 18 seconds left when Gerald Henderson stole a James Worthy pass to score a game tying layup. This series was a rematch of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics after their rivalry was revived in 1979 with the Magic JohnsonLarry Bird pair entering the league. Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were carrying their teams on the offensive [] According to Basketball Reference, Johnson and Bird played against each other 18 times in the regular season throughout their careers. The Bucks won a five-game series over the Hawks to start the playoffs and got by Darryl Dawkins and his NJ Nets in round 2. Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. He held this role for five seasons before being offered the Indiana Pacers head coach role. Celtics Starters: Gerald Henderson, Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird, Cedric Maxwell and Robert Parish. The Boston Celtics legend is one of three players in NBA history to win three straight MVPs, and he helped the C's win three championships in the 1980s.. Bird, along with Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson, helped take the NBA to another level. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: The Celtics did not warm up with their sweat pants on because of extreme heat, and an oxygen tank was provided to give air to an aging Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. May 12, 2022. Also, Bird pushed Michael Cooper to the baseline following the inbound play during the second quarter. The league had changed the Finals homecourt schedule to the 2-3-2 format that year, allowing the team with the lesser record (LA) to host the middle three games. As with many teams in the 1990s, the Pacers were stopped by the Chicago Bulls, losing the series in seven games as the Bulls did not lose a home game in the series. Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. Some notable games between the two of them: At least when it comes to how they fared in theirhead-to-head matchups. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Jelani Scott. Games. Bird won two finals against very different Houston Rockets teams and one against the Showtime Lakers featuring Kareem and Magic. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. In Game 7, the Celtics got 24 points from Cedric Maxwell and 22 from DJ with Bird scoring 20 as they won the game 111-102 and the series for Bostons 15th NBA title. Bird's 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. Larry Bird was one of the most polished rookies to enter the league and was great for the Celtics right from game one.

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