larry bird finals record

He held this role for five seasons before being offered the Indiana Pacers head coach role. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. New York also featured Bill Cartwright and Rory Sparrow. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. J Erving, The Sixers swept a weak Indiana Pacers team in round 1 (2-0) then went seven games to defeat a tough Milwaukee Bucks team starring Bob Lanier, Marques Johnson and. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. Tatum and the rest of his team are eager to avenge the loss in the Finals . The top 31 players and coaches, The Bulls featured Reggie Theus and Artis Gilmore (. J Erving, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 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. Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. Boston also had to deal with the impending free agency of Kevin McHale and Larry Bird. The next year, the NBA Finals switched to the 2-3-2 format with Game 5 going to the team without home-court advantage, which continued through 2013. 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. Larry led the team to a Game 7 victory while averaging 26-13-5, putting up a great stat line of 23-11-5 with 5 steals in the deciding Game 7. Should individual honors and scoring records take precedence? Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Despite getting swept in the 1983 NBA Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers entered the season among the favorites to win the title. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. Larry Bird said there were 'obvious' differences between himself and Magic Johnson. Larry Bird won his first NBA Finals MVP. What is Larry Birds Record in the NBA Finals? 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. They snuck into the playoffs because of a weak Central division. 1981 was against the Houston Rockets where Cedric Maxwell was the NBA Finals MVP. They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. In his first season as Pacers coach, Indiana finished third in the east, having finished tenth the prior season. 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. The trade signaled a transition period, as some of the key players from the first two championships gave way to younger talent. Birds great performances in games one and six helped lead the Celtics to the title and Bird claimed his first NBA Championship in 1981. He led the Cs to a Conference Finals appearance once or twice in the ensuing years but the team just wasnt nearly as competitive anymore and it was obvious that Larry was getting up there in age. After the game, Larry Bird said his team played like "sissies" in an attempt to light a fire under his teammates. Your default site has been set for 7 days, Scoring the rivalry: How Magic Johnson and Larry Bird played in their legendary head-to-head matchups. Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were carrying their teams on the offensive [] Jayson Tatum passed Celtics legend Larry Bird (1987-88) last night with his 34th 30-point game of the 2022-23 season. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Big Names Off the Bench: Jerry Sichting, Bill Walton and Scott Wedman. He finished 1986 with averages of 25-10-7. 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. The Celtics ended up shedding the ghosts of the last season and convincingly won 4-1. 0:00. Bird's Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. His first MVP award was in 1984. 2022-23 Season Schedule; 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. They were defeated by the Golden State Warriors in six games. The Lakers drew first blood but Boston evened the series in Game 2. Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. Things werent as cheerful from this point forward for Boston though. Carr stole James Worthy's inbounds pass followed by a dunk to seal the win. Jordan scored an all-time playoff record in game 2: 63 points. 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. Despite this, Bird did not win any championships during his college career. he guided the Pacers to a 58-24 record, which was the best in franchise history at the time. No stats available. James has as many series losses in the Finals as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird combined. So lets look at the 1984 NBA season. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 1979-80 season with high . Larry Bird of the Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Lakers, Malcolm Emmons and MPS - USA TODAY Sports. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. The Lakers took an early lead in overtime, but a controversial foul call foul on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with 16 seconds remaining in regulation, had been his 6th foul, and he was out of the game. The Celtics eventually prevailed in overtime 124-121, thanks to Scott Wedman's game-winning shot from the baseline with 14 ticks left. Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. The Cs closed it out with a lopsided victory in game 5. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. It was yet again against the Lakers and they split the first two games 1-1. Carr revealed that the motto of the 1983-84 Celtics was Dont be denied, and the team ended up winning the championship that no one thought they would win. Traditional Larry averaged 27-10-6. NAME DATE SEASON SERIES TM OPP REC W% MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% PF +/-Magic Johnson: 5/27/1984: 1983-84 . Houston had a tough road to the Finals: they beat the defending champion Lakers featuring both. Larry Bird is 6-9. Pretty good matchup between he and MJ. It was a tough six game slugfest with the Houston Rockets but Bird and company were just too good. He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. more information Accept. The Celtics swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. This was Birds last finals appearance, meaning that he went to five NBA finals overall, winning 3. However, the Lakers suffered a key injury when their 3rd leading scorer, Jamaal Wilkes (17 PPG) was ruled out of the finals. The last four games all came down to the last shot, with all the games being decided by two points or less. The Celtics next opponent was the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that swept them the year earlier. In 1979, Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird faced off for the first time in the NBA. Larry led the way with an average of 25 points per game. Whether he makes an All-Defense team this season remains to be seen, but few wings in the association deserve more recognition than McDaniels this campaign. The Pacers got their revenge on the Knicks, winning the eastern conference finals in six games to go up against the Lakers. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. The Cs closed it out winning game four by 3 points. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. This Finals had everything. At the risk of boring you with a list of his all-time accomplishments, well run through an abbreviated version of Birds body of work. 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. In his first trip to the NBA Finals, Tatum averaged 21.5 points, seven assists and 6.8 rebounds, but the Celtics came up short. Bird only averaged 15 points per game throughout the series but he did drop a series high 27 points in Game 6 to officially send the Rockets packing, as Bird won his first chip. Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. The 1986 team is among the greatest teams to ever take the hardwood. It didnt take the Lakers long to learn, but in that series, it was the element of surprise that we needed. The 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell led the team in scoring after saying something like Get on my back boys before the game. Carr as he left the floor, causing him to label the series "all-out-war.". Not only did he possess the skillset to thrive, but he had more than enough confidence to put any opponent in their place. Karl Malone believes LeBrons greatness is there to appreciate, not to hate. 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 . Bird does not have any titles outside of the NBA, despite making the NCAA tournament final in 1979. 1956 The 86 Celts, in the conversation for the greatest team of all time, defeated Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player of all time, in the first round. The Lakers destroyed the Cs in their first home game 137-104 in game 3. 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). Bird's 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson , 1985 & 1987. NAME. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986) . After . One of the ongoing debates within the world of sports centers around how you define greatness. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Tree had famously bit Danny Ainge in a playoff fight three seasons prior. So, for me, being back in the old Boston Garden for Game 7, with twelve seconds left on the clock, and knowing that we were going to be world champions when absolutely no one gave us a chance but usthat is the thing that I remember the most.. Keep reading to learn more about each championship win, the series leading up to the finals, and each Larry Bird championship season. It was also the first of three NBA Finals meetings between the Celtics and Lakers during the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson era. Games. Now, the explanation. Bird averaged 25.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game for the series. Their rivalry was second to none and saw them meet up in the NBA Finals three times. Larry Bird | Net Worth, Salary, And Career Earnings The Indiana-born was the highest-paid rookie of the year, with $3.25 million an average of $650,000 a year in a 5-year contract with the Celtics.Bird had played 879 games in his career until his retirement in 1992.. Seriously, check out his Basketball Reference page. Dominique was an offensive force, but, unlike MJ, he was not noted for doing much else . On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Cs won a couple home games to start the series then lost a close one on the road. Bird averaged 24.2 points,10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in the 1983-84 season. Chicago Bulls 4-1, 1981 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. Amazing! . Of the subsequent finals, Basketbawful writes, "the Lakers played great and the Boston bench sucked. In retirement, though, Larry Legend managed to take things down a notch. Sadly for Bird, the Pacers lost the series in six games. Fans gave Bird a standing ovation when he was introduced. This was the last of Larrys three straight MVP seasons. Birds Celtics also defeated a very different Rockets team in 1981. Bird: "So you're overpaid.". In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. The Bulls lost Michael Jordan for most of this season to a foot injury and they were mostly terrible, finishing 4th in the Central Division. At the end of the season, Bird was named Coach of the Year. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. 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. Larry Joe Bird (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right 6-9, 220lb (206cm, 99kg) . Boston entered the new decade by winning the 1981 NBA Finals. Despite the changes, it did not stop the Lakers from finishing with the best record (5428) in the Western Conference, powered by their one-two punch of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. Both these players were representing teams from their home States, adding extra spice to the whole thing. This Rockets team still had Robert Reid but now also featured Rodney McCray. The NBA Playoffs saw some change this year, with the tournament expanding to 16-teams and the four-round knockout we see today. Larry Birds First NBA Championship 1981. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana The Cs won in a blowout in game 3 in Houston before Houston tied it up with a tight win in game 4. Houston Rockets 4-2, Larry Bird Championship #2: 1984 Boston Celtics, 1984 First Round: Celtics def. He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. Only the strong survive. If you remember, there was Kevin McHales hit on Kurt Rambis, and there was Larry Bird bumping Michael Cooper out of bounds. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Both teams could have easily succeeded in taking the Eastern Conference Finals. The Rockets fought back to win handily in game 5 at home but the Celtics closed out the series in game 6 in the Boston Garden to take their third title of the Bird era. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. 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. The games were closer than youd expect for a 1 seed vs 8 seed series. (the Lakers) learned a valuable lesson. Better than MJ, LeBron, Kareem, Larry and Magic.If you take out Steph's games with an NBA75 teammate (KD), Steph's Playoff Win% is 48-26 (.649), which is still better than Duncan, Kobe and Larry Bird's with all their NBA75 teammates. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. Who is the highest paid NBA player in the 2021-2022 Season? Many were expecting another Lakers-Celtics matchup, but it just wasnt in the cards this Finals. The Celtics were led by Bird, who won his first MVP award, and was complemented by 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell, first-time all-star and Sixth Man Award winner Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Gerald Henderson and Danny Ainge. more information Accept. Head-to-Head Regular Season Stats. He was the only NBA Rookie of the Year, MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the . The #1 and #2 seeds were set to face off in the Conference Finals. 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. I wrote about his underrated defense here. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As weve mentioned, all these players were inducted into the Hall of Fame. Head to Head: Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. Its pretty easy to forget how many times Bird has been in the NBA Finals with all of the many accolades and unbelievably, but true, stories about him. As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. This struggle did not deter Bird. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Unfortunately for the Pacers and Larry Bird, the Lakers were just too much for the Pacers. The Celtics took seven games to defeat Bernard Kings Knicks in the conference semifinals. Bird scored almost 26 points per game in winning his third-straight MVP award. In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Washington Bullets in four, the New York Knicks in seven, and the Milwaukee Bucks in five. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. She reported on the Celtics' sideline while Pat O'Brien reported on the Lakers' sideline. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. . Game 4 of the 1984 Finals marked the last Finals game to go into overtime until Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals. Bird averaged 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game for the series. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? Answer (1 of 43): To start by answering the question, I'd say - yes. 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. Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After Him. By: HoopsHype. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The East's award is named after Larry Bird and the West's after Magic Johnson. Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. . Larry Bird, the former basketball player for NBA's Boston Celtics, is a true icon in the world of basketball. Boston finished with a 62-20 regular season record and got their revenge on the Bucks, whom they beat 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals. 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. Bird won the first Finals meeting between them in 1984 and Johnson won the two others; one in 1985, the other in 1987. Houston had gone 40-42 in the 1980-81 regular season compared to Boston's 62-20 season under second-year Celtics sensation Larry Bird you may have heard of him. While everyone has their own favorite NBA players, its impossible to argue with Larry Birds position in the all-time basketball pantheon. They easily won their first round series against the Washington Bullets as they were named at that time, then advanced and knocked off the New York Knicks in a seven-game series. The Celtics had lost to the Lakers in the finals the previous year, but this time their opposition was the Houston Rockets. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. He instead enrolled at the smaller Indiana State University. They quickly swept the Chicago Bulls, then marched down and knocked off the 76ers in a revenge series that wound up going into seven games. Larry Bird's 1986 Playoff Stats . And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. The Celtics then took the series lead for the first time by winning Game 5 but the thoroughbred Lakers sent the series to a Game 7 with their own double-digit win. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. Larry Mangurian announced that he was selling the team because of difficulties with the owners of the Boston Garden. He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. home/away, monthly, etc More Larry Bird Basketball Reference pages, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:46PM. Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Larry Bird in 2023. Simmons says that he got the idea from watching basketball and looking at player statistics. The Philidelphia 76ers were led by NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, and Darryl Dawkins. That went to Birds teammate. No one thought we could beat the Lakers. By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. December 7, With a new head coach in KC Jones and plenty of uncertainties, Carr said their motto for the season was Dont be denied. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! talent just don't get it. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.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 75-64. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Reflecting back on the series, Magic Johnson said ". Unlike some of the other players that have gone down in NBA History, Larry didnt leave his team whatsoever. Between 1980 and 1989, there were only two seasons that ended with someone other than Johnson or Bird winning the title. The Lakers defeated the Celtics in the finals twice, preventing Bird from having any more NBA titles. His back suffered major issues, as he injured it building on his farm. The Celtics won game 2 at home but lost two games in Philly to fall behind 3-1. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. In 1981, 1984 and 1986, it was Bird who led the Boston Celtics to championships, with him taking home two Finals MVP awards. 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. Even when he found fame and fortune, the NBA star never forgot his humble roots. And after watching the Lakers face the Philadelphia 76ers twice during the 1982 and 1983 Finals, they were determined to win in 84. Larry Bird is one of the ten greatest players in the history of the NBA. The Rockets fought back to win handily in game 5 at home but the Celtics closed out the series in game 6 in the Boston Garden to take their third title of the Bird era. If you were wondering about his career numbers while we wrap this up, he averaged 24.3 points, 10 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. 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. Houston Rockets 4-2, who would briefly play with Bird later in his career, the greatest non-final series in NBA history, Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn. The Cs shut the door at home in game 5 winning 115-108. All the playoff action was documented on the 1984 NBA Season documentary Pride and Passion, narrated by Dick Stockton. There's always a mystique about players that played before the 90's because we don't have all the data, stats etc as we have to. The Celtics swept the Bulls after getting a bye in the first round for winning the Atlantic Division. How to say Basketball in different languages? You can only imagine how fiery this rivalry was, with two consecutive seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals. This was a fantastic series overall. Check out stats on every National Basketball Association Finals MVP winner on ESPN.com. 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 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. Some of Johnson's notable performances against Bird: As for some of Bird's notable performances against Johnson: Johnson and Bird played against each other 19 times in the playoffs over the course of three NBA Finals. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Larry averaged 27-10-7 and led the Celtics with 36 points in a game-five win that saw the Celtics beat the Hawks by 33 points. Birds college career as a whole was exceptional. The Conference Semifinals was a seven-game series against the Knicks, which ended with Boston winning 4-3. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. 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 first happened in 1985, a year after the Celtics had defeated the Lakers in the finals. . Larry Bird starred at Indiana State University before joining the NBA's Boston Celtics in 1979. . However, this was not the case. Home; Tickets; Schedule. Larry Bird (Larry Legend; The Hick from French Lick) Position: Forward 6-9, 220lb (206cm, 99kg) School: Indiana State (Men) Draft: Boston Celtics, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 1978 NBA draft. . These performances earned Bird his second MVP award. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. In Game 6, the Lakers evened the series with a 119-108 victory. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best!

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