Magic led the team in scoring this time but was still joined by the same stars: Kareem, James Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper. Dominique was an offensive force, but, unlike MJ, he was not noted for doing much else . However, this was not the case. Reflecting back on the series, Magic Johnson said ". The Western Conference Finals also led to one of the greatest game-winners ever. Larry was no slouch, averaging 15-15-7 in a 4-2 series win. The American greatest basketball still worked as a coach and executive in the NBA, which had indeed led him to get over the low . Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. home/away, monthly, etc More Larry Bird Basketball Reference pages, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:46PM. 1984 was against the Los Ange. Key Names off the Bench: Kevin McHale, Gerald Henderson, Rick Robey and M.L. Larry Mangurian announced that he was selling the team because of difficulties with the owners of the Boston Garden. Johnson evened the series after helping the LA . The Philidelphia 76ers were led by NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, and Darryl Dawkins. 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. It brought Bird his third and final NBA Championship. The first happened in 1985, a year after the Celtics had defeated the Lakers in the finals. Bird has four siblings' all brothers named Mike . In Game 3, the Lakers raced to an easy 137-104 victory as Magic Johnson dished out 21 assists, an NBA Finals record. 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 . This was a fantastic series overall. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. Remember, Boston selected Larry in the 1978 draft but decided to return to Indiana State for his senior season. Boston's most crucial addition was Dennis Johnson, whom they acquired from the Phoenix Suns in the offseason in hopes of addressing their porous back-court defense. Safe to say he absolutely dominated in every facet of the game for that second ring. He was the NBA Finals MVP in 1981, and the . His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. Bird averaged 24 points per game as Boston won the series in six to net him his THIRD ring. Larry Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 & 1986, the trophy would go to his teammate Cedric Maxwell in 1981. The series was full of things like that., We knew that we had to physically beat them because they had never played that kind of game. Larry Bird: Biography. 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. 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 . Boston won two close ones to start the series before Washington stole game three by 3 points. Larry Bird's career NBA stats. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . In Game 4, the Lakers had a five-point game lead with less than a minute to play, but made several execution errors, including Magic Johnson's bad pass to Robert Parish late in the fourth quarter, and missing two crucial free throws in OT as the Celtics tied the game and then came away with a 129-125 victory in overtime. In MVP voting, Bird dominated the competition as he took home his third straight MVP award. In the first two NBA matchups between Bird and Magic . In the 198384 season, the Celtics won 62 games to lead the league. Tatum and the rest of his team are eager to avenge the loss in the Finals . He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. Tree had famously bit Danny Ainge in a playoff fight three seasons prior. 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. Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the finals in 1982 and 1983, winning in the former. Unlike some of the other players that have gone down in NBA History, Larry didnt leave his team whatsoever. Chicago Bulls 4-1, 1981 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. Bird created a very good team. In 1981, 1984 and 1986, it was Bird who led the Boston Celtics to championships, with him taking home two Finals MVP awards. Small Forward and Power Forward Find out more. Larry Bird Owns Many Records, But Only One Unique One Bird owns a unique NBA record. She reported on the Celtics' sideline while Pat O'Brien reported on the Lakers' sideline. Averaging 30-10-7 with 3 steals. 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. So as it seems unlikely for Bird to ever coach again, Larry Bird has never won a championship as a coach. 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. May 12, 2022. The Celtics got the better of their Showtime Lakers rivales in a heated seven game series to claim the 1984 NBA Title. The Celtics swept the Bulls after getting a bye in the first round for winning the Atlantic Division. They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. As the reigning rookie of the year, Bird led the Celtics to the finals, beginning with a sweep of the Bulls. Or maybe youre a younger fan wondering if Bird really deserves his place in the Pantheon of basketball greats. Allen Iverson Jersey Mitchell and Ness: A Complete Guide. 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!). October 9, 2019. In his first season as Pacers coach, Indiana finished third in the east, having finished tenth the prior season. Bird averaged 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game for the series. BIrd averaged 27.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.0 assist per game for the series. The Lakers defeated the Celtics in the finals twice, preventing Bird from having any more NBA titles. In Birds career with Indiana State he did not ever win a championship. Or write about sports? The Celtics won the Finals in six games to cap off a season that . Cedric Maxwell averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists to win Finals MVP. Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. Big Names Off the Bench: Jerry Sichting, Bill Walton and Scott Wedman. Milwaukee Bucks 4-0, 1986 NBA Finals: Celtics def. Bird scored almost 26 points per game in winning his third-straight MVP award. Why did David Stern Veto the Chris Paul to the Lakers Trade? 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. It gave Bird his first finals loss in his third appearance. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. He shone as a head coach and executive for the Indiana Pacers; in fact, hes the only man in history to win Rookie of the Year, MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year. Simmons says that he got the idea from watching basketball and looking at player statistics. However, its the only individual award Cedric Maxwell won in his career. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. The Celtics again saw their Eastern Conference rivals matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks. Home; Tickets; Schedule. Milwaukee Bucks 4-1, 1984 NBA Finals: Celtics def. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. This was Birds last season with Indiana State as he had been drafted by the Celtics in 1978, but chose to play out one final year with his college instead of going straight to the NBA. Data Provided By 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 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. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 when his Celttics defeated the Lakers in seven games. 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. The games were closer than youd expect for a 1 seed vs 8 seed series. During a mid-1980's game vs. Utah when Bird was torching the Jazz, Larry looked over at . Unfortunately, the team was defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers in five games and they were sent home. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The Hawks also still had good rebounder Tree Rollis. He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. This Rockets team still had Robert Reid but now also featured Rodney McCray. The Rockets swept the Sacramento Kings in round 1, then took six games to get by a fun Denver Nuggets team starring Alex English and Fat Lever. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. Magic led the Lakers to victory at home in game 6, setting the stage for a Boston Garden Game 7. 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. Background. Bird won three titles with the Celtics in 1981, 1984 and 1986, earning Finals MVP honors in the latter two. Bird averaged 25.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game for the series. How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? 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. . Birds mother, Georgia, once said that she couldnt fathom he sons NBA salary and, despite his earning power, insisted that she wasnt out buying expensive clothes. 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. With Kareem ageing, the Celtics hoped that they could win the finals. 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. Amazing! Celtics Starters: Tiny Archibald, Chris Ford, Larry Bird, Cedric Cornbread Maxwell and Robert Parish. Bird won the first Finals meeting between them in 1984 and Johnson won the two others; one in 1985, the other in 1987. A year later, the Pacers would not have to worry about Michael Jordan as they returned to the playoffs, this time as the second seed in the east. According to Basketball Reference, Johnson and Bird played against each other 18 times in the regular season throughout their careers. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. Larry Bird's NBA Finals record is 3-2. Only game 3 finished within ten points with the Cs winning 111-107. In his last season as the teams head coach, Birds Pacers were the number one seed in the east and were not really tested throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs. Even with Jordan exploding, only game two was close at 135-131. SI examines the rivalry between the basketball hall of famers and how they changed the landscape of the NBA. Finals stats: 19.4 points, 11.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds in 50 games Finals rank: . Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? 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. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. Bird and the Celtics lined up against the Los Angeles Lakers who took them to seven games. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana It was one of the most dominant playoff runs that we had ever seen in basketball at this time and it was hard to imagine them as anything other than favorites entering that series against the Rockets, a team that they already beat in the championship before. 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. 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. Finally, lets discuss the NBA Finals. Carr as he left the floor, causing him to label the series "all-out-war.". The games were not much closer than the series itself. Three seasons later, the Celtics were in the finals again and this time they faced the Los Angeles Lakers and Magic Johnson for the first time. 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. What is Larry Birds Record in the NBA Finals? The Boston Celtics won the 1981 NBA Championship in six games giving Larry Bird his first NBA title. Chicago Bulls 3-0, 1986 Conference Semis: Celtics def. Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Times, But Magic Johnson Won The Head-To-Head Matchups . Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Im kind of country, she explained. The Lakers were coming off a four-game sweep by the Philadelphia 76ers in the previous year's finals. 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. Despite excellent performances in his first two seasons, Indiana State had very little success. It's clear the two dominated the decade, but who got the better of who? Houston Rockets in 6 games (4 wins, 2 losses) * 1984: Boston Celtics def. The trade signaled a transition period, as some of the key players from the first two championships gave way to younger talent. Larry averaged 23-13-7 on his way to a four-game sweep. 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. L.A. went on to blow out the Celtics in Game 3 but the resilient Celtics responded with a 129-125 OT win in Game 4 which was sealed by Carrs steal at the buzzer. Your email address will not be published. In his career, Larry Bird won three NBA regular season MVP awards. Their rivalry was second to none and saw them meet up in the NBA Finals three times. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. The type of player who didnt even care about stats but always seemed to put up the most absurd statlines ever seen. 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. Amazing! Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were carrying their teams on the offensive [] he was voted the NBA Finals MVP. 2 NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986) 3 NBA Most Valuable Player (1984-1986) . In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career. Larry led the way and averaged 27-14-4 to lead the team to the championship, along with his first Finals MVP. Of the subsequent finals, Basketbawful writes, "the Lakers played great and the Boston bench sucked. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Larry Bird could do it all on the basketball court. The Pacers had two pretty comfortable series to begin the 1998 post season with wins over the Cavaliers and the Knicks. The Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. The Cs closed it out with a lopsided victory in game 5. More player info Thanks for signing up. Carr. And they werent. the Celtics posted a 61-21 record and defeated the Houston Rockets to take the first NBA . Now, the explanation. 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. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. 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. NAME. Birds great performances in games one and six helped lead the Celtics to the title and Bird claimed his first NBA Championship in 1981. 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. . 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. Despite playing for another five seasons after his last title, Bird would retire with three NBA championships. How to say Basketball in different languages? And, as if that wasn't enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. Bird averaged 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists across the regular season as the Celtics once again topped the eastern conference. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 197980 season with high expectations. No one thought we could beat the Lakers. How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? In their professional careers, Bird played for the Boston Celtics and Magic played for the Los Angeles . Your email address will not be published. And after watching the Lakers face the Philadelphia 76ers twice during the 1982 and 1983 Finals, they were determined to win in 84. Ruland, a center, averaged 22 points and 12 boards for the season. The Lakers were indeed the thoroughbreds that year. I wrote about his record in the NBA Finals here. Larry Birds NBA Finals record is 3-2. Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. Have the Phoenix Suns ever won the NBA title? He joined the Celtics a year later. The Celtics won the Finals convincingly 4-2. The Celtics took seven games to defeat Bernard Kings Knicks in the conference semifinals. The 1986 team is among the greatest teams to ever take the hardwood.