Larry Bird won three championships as a player, but did not win any as a coach. Jordan scored an all-time playoff record in game 2: 63 points. This included a Game six victory where a hostile Boston crowd booed Ralph Sampson, sapping his confidence to the point he only had 8 points on 3-12 shooting. His first run to the NBA Finals came in his second season, averaging 21-11-5 with 2 steals a game. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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 Bucks, coached by Celtics legend Don Nelson, won the Central Division title in 1984. FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. 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. Finals stats: 19.4 points, 11.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds in 50 games Finals rank: . Sadly for Bird, Michigan State were just too much for him as the Spartans ran out 75-64 winners. The rules shift was a big factor . 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. Larry Bird's Celtics made the Finals in 1985 and 1987 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. 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 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. Bostons setbacks didnt end on the basketball court. Instead of battling fatigue and exhaustion from their grueling Semi-Finals series, they went on to beat the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. Bird won two finals against very different Houston Rockets teams and one against the Showtime Lakers featuring Kareem and Magic. The kick-off of one of the greatest rivalries of all time. The Celtics swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. As for their averages, Johnson posted 20.7 points, 13.5 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game in their head-to-head matchups in the Finals compared to Bird's 25.3 points, 11.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists. 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. That went to Birds teammate. Indiana took Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. Join our linker program. Larry is a three time NBA MVP consecutively from 1984-86, which is still a record. Now, the explanation. Larry Bird's career NBA stats. Then head coach Bill Fitch resigned as head coach despite having the second-best coaching record in the NBA during his four-year stint in Boston. The last four games all came down to the last shot, with all the games being decided by two points or less. Its surprising that he wasnt able to win at least one more, though three championships nowadays is something that is wildly difficult to do, its no feat to be taken lightly. Despite a back injury in the 1985 offseason, Bird averaged 25.8 points, 9.8 rebound and 6.8 assists per game and for the third straight season, the Celtics finished top of the Eastern Conference. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. Bird averaged 24 points per game as Boston won the series in six to net him his THIRD ring. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Some notable games between the two of them: At least when it comes to how they fared in theirhead-to-head matchups. Unfortunately, the team was defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers in five games and they were sent home. 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 This was the last NBA Finals to use the 22111 format until 2014. It seemed like it should be an easy series for the Celtics, with game one and two victories by double digits, but the Knicks home crowd helped their team to win all their series home games. The Celtics had Larry Bird as their centerpiece and posted a record of 67-15, including an NBA record 40 wins at home. At 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 metres), Erving played forward and was noted for his fast breaks, balletic leaps toward the basket . 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. Larry Bird would go after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar later on in the third quarter, and 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell further antagonized the Lakers by following a missed James Worthy free throw by crossing the lane with his hands around his own neck, symbolizing that Worthy was "choking" under pressure. 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. In retirement, though, Larry Legend managed to take things down a notch. 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. Despite playing for another five seasons after his last title, Bird would retire with three NBA championships. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! Birds 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). Allen Iverson Jersey Mitchell and Ness: A Complete Guide. He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. But it was in 1986 when the Celtics faced the Houston Rockets for the championship when Bird . Larry pushed the Celtics out of the second round with an easy 4-1 series win over the Atlanta Hawks, led at the time by Dominique Wilkins. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. Have the Phoenix Suns ever won the NBA title? Thanks in main to two close overtime wins, Boston won the series in seven games despite Bird struggling in the deciding game. Another book that demonstrated the competitive drive amongst athletes was, Magic/ Bird written by Eric Simonson. Hakeem was no slouch, averaging the most points and rebounds in the NBA playoffs. It must have lit a fire underneath Larry because he didnt let anything get in his way during his sophomore season. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. Between 1980 and 1989, there were only two seasons that ended with someone other than Johnson or Bird winning the title. Right, Born: This book highlighted the rivalry between Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson throughout their respected basketball careers. Larry Bird Owns Many Records, But Only One Unique One Bird owns a unique NBA record. The Bucks took them to seven games before they were able to advance and the Pistons took them to seven in the Conference Finals. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. Required fields are marked *. . He stayed loyal to the Celtics throughout his entire career and they were the team that reaped the benefits of his five NBA Finals appearances and three NBAchampionships. In the first two NBA matchups between Bird and Magic . . 2 NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986) 3 NBA Most Valuable Player (1984-1986) . 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. 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. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. More player info Houston lost a close game 1 then won a tight game 2 in Boston. Larry Bird's NBA Finals record is 3-2. Bird's 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). So for an entire decade, the NBA Finals included one of the two marquee franchises. Stockton, the play-by-play announcer for the series, was joined by Tom Heinsohn, and the duo would call the next four NBA Finals until 1987. Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). The Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. It gave Bird his first finals loss in his third appearance. The Celtics made short work of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning in five games. Reflecting back on the series, Magic Johnson said ". The Celtics had hope they could avenge the loss of two years prior. Despite this, Bird did not win any championships during his college career. The Bucks now featured a young Terry Cummings along with Paul Pressey and Sidney Moncrief. After the game a Laker fan threw a beer at Celtics guard M.L. When asked about what he remembers most about beating the Lakers in the 1984 NBA Finals, Carrs reply was: The final seconds of Game 7. He swept through the Bulls the next year, then beat the Atlanta Hawks in five games, then swept the Bucks. Two superstars, Magic and Larry, and the two most iconic teams in the leagues history, the Lakers and the Celtics. Certain completely unbiased fans, like myself, rank him very highly in that top ten. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Sixers took an 89-82 lead with five+ minutes to go. His performances helped to take the Celtics to 62 wins in the regular season, topping the NBA. The Cs shut the door at home in game 5 winning 115-108. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. It was yet again against the Lakers and they split the first two games 1-1. They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. . He finished 1986 with averages of 25-10-7. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. New York also featured Bill Cartwright and Rory Sparrow. And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. Chicago Bulls 3-0, 1986 Conference Semis: Celtics def. Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. In his second season with the Celtics, Boston finished first in the East as they had done the previous year. The Celtics took four games to get by the Bullets in the first round best-of-five series. Having finished second in MVP voting the prior year, Bird dominated the season and the voting. These Knicks really were Bernard Kings team. Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the finals in 1982 and 1983, winning in the former. Amazing! Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After Him. In the Western Conference Finals the Rockets handled the defending champion Lakers in five games. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. Data Provided By He was named NBA Head Coach of the Year in 1998. Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were carrying their teams on the offensive [] Im kind of country, she explained. The Lakers drew first blood but Boston evened the series in Game 2. After going 33-0, Bird led his team to the final of the tournament where he faced off against Magic Johnson and Michigan State. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first . 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. In Birds career with Indiana State he did not ever win a championship. Birds Celtics also defeated a very different Rockets team in 1981. 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!). Why did David Stern Veto the Chris Paul to the Lakers Trade? We present them here for purely educational purposes. That's the first time the (80's) Lakers ever encountered that, someone stronger minded. The 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell led the team in scoring after saying something like Get on my back boys before the game. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! Boston entered the new decade by winning the 1981 NBA Finals. Bird's Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. The Knicks were led by the explosive scorer Bernard King, who averaged 29-5-3 in the series. Larry Mangurian announced that he was selling the team because of difficulties with the owners of the Boston Garden. Bird averaged 28.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the Cs. Answer (1 of 43): To start by answering the question, I'd say - yes. Jelani Scott. Nobody thought that the Celtics would beat the Lakers in 1984. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. As the reigning rookie of the year, Bird led the Celtics to the finals, beginning with a sweep of the Bulls. 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. Despite excellent performances in his first two seasons, Indiana State had very little success. No one thought we could beat the Lakers. Answer (1 of 6): Larry Bird (basketball player) was 3-2 in the NBA Finals. The Celtics were led by Cedric Maxwell who had 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as they came away with a 111-102 victory. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. During that year Lesley Visser, Stockton's wife, became the first woman to cover the NBA Finals for CBS. But does that record provide a fair verdict on James' performance in the NBA Finals? 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. Carr. Games. Adding one more hall of famer, Bill Walton, put this team over the top. Peak, Bird was better imo All three broke into laughter, led by Russell's infamous cackle. One of the ongoing debates within the world of sports centers around how you define greatness. 9 John Vanak (alternate, replaced Evans), This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:16. The 1984 championship series scored high TV ratings. more information Accept. 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 Pacers fell in the East finals in '98 and '99, then came up short in the NBA Finals in 2000 against the Los Angeles Lakers. In 1981, 1984 and 1986, it was Bird who led the Boston Celtics to championships, with him taking home two Finals MVP awards. Indiana State University, High School: 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.. The Celtics won a very close game 3 in Houston to take control of the series with a 3-1 lead. Their rivalry was second to none and saw them meet up in the NBA Finals three times. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. Bill Walton needed a change of scenery when he was in San Diego and Red Auerbach provided that for him in Boston. Bird scored almost 26 points per game in winning his third-straight MVP award. The Lakers and the Celtics met again in 1987 where the Lakers won in six games. Johnson had the winning record in the regular season and playoffs, and he took down Bird twice in their three Finals showdowns although Johnson having the better team had something to do with that. I wrote about his underrated defense here. BIrd averaged 27.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.0 assist per game for the 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 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 Larry Bird Finals Record was first recorded by Bill Simmons in his book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. It did not slow Bird down as he won a title the next season with the now legendary 86 Celtics. The Cs were heavily favored and had won 10 straight vs the Rockets, but Houston put up more of a fight than expected. Magic led the team in scoring this time but was still joined by the same stars: Kareem, James Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper. The Celtics took seven games to defeat Bernard Kings Knicks in the conference semifinals. It was an offensive and defensive clinic. He was still one to wear what he wanted, enjoy the simple pleasures of life, and, in this case, refuse to hype up his own accomplishments. Larry Bird then married Dinah Mattingly on September 30, 1989, who he met while studying at the Indiana State University. 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. Unfortunately for the Pacers and Larry Bird, the Lakers were just too much for the Pacers. After dispatching MJ, the Cs cruised by Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semis. Bird averaged 24.2 points,10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in the 1983-84 season. 1984 was against the Los Ange. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. By: HoopsHype. The games were close enough but never really in doubt. The Cs won a couple home games to start the series then lost a close one on the road. Larry averaged 27-10-6. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? Bird is a universally known NBA legend and is often credited with the NBAs explosion of popularity in the 1980s. . 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. Check out stats on every National Basketball Association Finals MVP winner on ESPN.com. 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. 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. A superstar. Atlanta Hawks 4-1, 1986 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. J Erving, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 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. The Houston Rockets were led by their Twin Towers, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. Head-to-Head Regular Season Stats. How to say Basketball in different languages? 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) . Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? Despite just reaching the finals, Bird stuck to his word and resigned shortly after the finals, taking up the role of Pacers president of basketball operations in 2003. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. This series prompted Bird to quote, Thats God disguised as Michael Jordan. Michael averaged 43 points through the three-game series. SI examines the rivalry between the basketball hall of famers and how they changed the landscape of the NBA. Larry Bird is one of the few basketball players in history that are widely recognized even by people who dont even know the sport. In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. Key Names off the Bench: Kevin McHale, Gerald Henderson, Rick Robey and M.L. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. While everyone has their own favorite NBA players, its impossible to argue with Larry Birds position in the all-time basketball pantheon. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Cedric Maxwell averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists to win Finals MVP. 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. 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. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 1979-80 season with high . 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 Western Conference Finals also led to one of the greatest game-winners ever. 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. However, this was not the case. 0:00. October 9, 2019. It was clear that the Celtics were mentally exhausted after playing that many games in such a short span, which resulted in the Lakers beating Bird and the Celtics in six quick games. There were three Larry Bird championships with the Boston Celtics: in 1981, 1984 and 1986. After a tough seven game series in the conference finals against the Sixers, Boston advanced to the finals to face the Rockets. The #1 and #2 seeds were set to face off in the Conference Finals. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? 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. Bird became only the third player in NBA history to win three titles in a row. Despite getting swept in the 1983 NBA Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers entered the season among the favorites to win the title. In his career, Larry Bird won three NBA regular season MVP awards. Birds college career as a whole was exceptional. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. Larry Birds Celtics made the Finals in 1985 and 1987 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird and the Celtics lined up against the Los Angeles Lakers who took them to seven games. Bird won the first Finals meeting between them in 1984 and Johnson won the two others; one in 1985, the other in 1987. Ruland, a center, averaged 22 points and 12 boards for the season. "Wilt . The Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere.
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