Hall of Fame. 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. Despite this, Bird did not win any championships during his college career. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. Amazing! The teams traded games throughout the series. In his career, Larry Bird won three NBA regular season MVP awards. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 1979-80 season with high . Larry Joe Bird. The Bucks swept the Nets in the first round then took seven games to get by a tough Sixers squad starring a young. 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. JJ Redick Tried to Clarify His Stance on Larry Bird and '80s Basketball Larry, to his credit, was phenomenal. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. One of the most exciting 3-0 series in league history, the Celtics made quick work of the up-and-coming Bulls featuring a young Michael Jordan. 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. The NBA Playoffs saw some change this year, with the tournament expanding to 16-teams and the four-round knockout we see today. The Knicks were led by the explosive scorer Bernard King, who averaged 29-5-3 in the series. 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. NY Knicks 4-3, 1984 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. 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. 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. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. 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. How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? 9 John Vanak (alternate, replaced Evans), This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:16. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. By: HoopsHype. He has been an NBA champion in 1981, 1984 and 1986 out of which he was the NBA Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986. In the game, the Lakers rallied to cut a 14-point-deficit to three with one minute remaining when Cedric Maxwell knocked the ball away from Magic Johnson. Throughout the season, he showed that he was the reigning MVP and had an excellent statistical season. Larry Bird then married Dinah Mattingly on September 30, 1989, who he met while studying at the Indiana State University. Jayson Tatum's 25th birthday | ksdk.com Who is the highest paid NBA player in the 2021-2022 Season? Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Even with Jordan exploding, only game two was close at 135-131. 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. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. What is Larry Bird's record in the NBA Finals? - Quora I wrote about his underrated defense here. Their rivalry was second to none and saw them meet up in the NBA Finals three times. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. (the Lakers) learned a valuable lesson. Milwaukee Bucks 4-0, 1986 NBA Finals: Celtics def. 0:00. 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. 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. He banked in a shot with a minute to go to put the Cs ahead for good and they won 91-90. Larry Birds NBA Finals record is 3-2. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. Larry Bird [2023 Update]: Wife, Net worth & Family - Players Bio The Pacers had two pretty comfortable series to begin the 1998 post season with wins over the Cavaliers and the Knicks. This cost the Lakers valuable depth, as James Worthy, a key contributor off the bench, would now have to start in Wilkes' place. It brought Bird his third and final NBA Championship. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Bird averaged 25.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game for the series. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? Houston Rockets in 6 games (4 wins, 2 losses) * 1984: Boston Celtics def. Larry Bird and Earvin Magic Johnson helped define the modern NBA with their individual brilliance and team success in the 1980s. Bird won three in a row between 1983 and 1986, whereas Johnson closedthe decade out with a pair ofMVP awards. Game 4 of the 1984 Finals marked the last Finals game to go into overtime until Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals. 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. Game 7 at the Boston Garden was one for the ages! 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. December 7, Larry averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in this series. Larry Bird is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. 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. Regardless, Johnson and Bird are widelyregarded as beingtwo of thegreatest players to have ever played the gameand they made for one of the greatest rivalries, one that will never be forgotten. 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. 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). He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. The Larry Bird Finals Record is a statistic of the player who most often wins the NBA Finals. The couple has two adopted children named Conner Mariah.. Family. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana Both teams could have easily succeeded in taking the Eastern Conference Finals. During that year Lesley Visser, Stockton's wife, became the first woman to cover the NBA Finals for CBS. Larry Bird is 6-9. Shoots: At the end of the season, Bird was named Coach of the Year. Answer (1 of 2): Larry Bird has been in the NBA Finals 5 times as a player, all while playing with the Boston Celtics. James Posey shared the culture that made the 2008 Boston Celtics experience so unique. 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. Magic Johnson Finals Record Vs Larry Bird | StatMuse The Sixers took an 89-82 lead with five+ minutes to go. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Larry Birds Celtics lost two NBA Finals. Bird averaged 24.2 points,10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in the 1983-84 season. All three broke into laughter, led by Russell's infamous cackle. In other words, he noticed that some . Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. He finished 1986 with averages of 25-10-7. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. But what is Larry Birds record in the NBA Finals? The Cs shut the door at home in game 5 winning 115-108. NBA Awards - Finals MVP - National Basketball Association - ESPN Not only did he possess the skillset to thrive, but he had more than enough confidence to put any opponent in their place. He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. The Cs closed it out with a lopsided victory in game 5. 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. The 1987 Finals was the culmination of Magic and Bird's decade-long rivalry that dominated the NBA. 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. His back suffered major issues, as he injured it building on his farm. NBA unveils two new postseason awards named after Larry Bird, Magic 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. This struggle did not deter Bird. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. "[3] The teams met again in the 1985 finals, which the Lakers won 42. Bill Walton needed a change of scenery when he was in San Diego and Red Auerbach provided that for him in Boston. How to say Basketball in different languages? Thanks for signing up. Houston had a tough road to the Finals: they beat the defending champion Lakers featuring both. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! No matter which side of the aisle you find yourself on, though, Larry Bird has you covered. The big reason of course for this is Magic Johnson and the Lakers. James has as many series losses in the Finals as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird combined. Larry Bird was a star. . Why did David Stern Veto the Chris Paul to the Lakers Trade? Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. 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. The Bullets were the 8th seed in the East winning only 35 regular season games and finishing last in the Atlantic division. Unfortunately, the team was defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers in five games and they were sent home. The Celtics struggled to slow down finals MVP Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bird struggled compared to his incredibly high standards. Larry Bird Vs Magic Johnson : r/nba - Reddit The Philidelphia 76ers were led by NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, and Darryl Dawkins. The Bucks now featured a young Terry Cummings along with Paul Pressey and Sidney Moncrief. 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. One of the ongoing debates within the world of sports centers around how you define greatness. In addition to Nique, the Hawks starred Kevin Willis. The Celtics beat the Lakers 4-3, winning by nine points in the deciding Game 7. Magic vs. Bird: Reliving rivalry 40 Years after first NBA matchup Simmons says that he got the idea from watching basketball and looking at player statistics. His first run to the NBA Finals came in his second season, averaging 21-11-5 with 2 steals a game. He instead enrolled at the smaller Indiana State University. Larry is a three time NBA MVP consecutively from 1984-86, which is still a record. At 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 metres), Erving played forward and was noted for his fast breaks, balletic leaps toward the basket . In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. Finally, lets discuss the NBA 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. 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. During a mid-1980's game vs. Utah when Bird was torching the Jazz, Larry looked over at . The games were not much closer than the series itself. 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. Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. Celtics-Lakers Rivalry | Basketball Wiki | Fandom Larry averaged 23-13-7 on his way to a four-game sweep. Larry Birds Finals record is in the lower half of the list of all-time greats below. In the game the Lakers answered the Celtics' rough tactics when Laker forward James Worthy shoved Cedric Maxwell into a basket support. Larry Bird was one of the most polished rookies to enter the league and was great for the Celtics right from game one. Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. Larry Bird - 1981 Finals (All Points + Passing & Rebounding) From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. Atlanta Hawks 4-1, 1986 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. Those other two times? NAME. 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. In Birds rookie season in the league, he helped lead the Boston Celtics all the way into the Eastern Conference Finals. Carr as he left the floor, causing him to label the series "all-out-war.". All the playoff action was documented on the 1984 NBA Season documentary Pride and Passion, narrated by Dick Stockton. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. Celtics Starters: Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. Larry Bird Boston Celtics Autographed Wilson Replica - Walmart Larry Bird News, Biography, NBA Records, Stats & Facts - Sportskeeda He and Chauncey Billups are the only two retired players to win Finals MVP but not to make the Hall of Fame. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. After a tough seven game series in the conference finals against the Sixers, Boston advanced to the finals to face the Rockets. 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 . In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. Take a look below. In 1980, 1982, 1985 and 1988, Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to championships, winning three Finals MVPs along the way. The Celtics had Larry Bird as their centerpiece and posted a record of 67-15, including an NBA record 40 wins at home. 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. As someone who watched Bird play and has now researched and written more than a half dozen articles about his career, I can help you out. This Finals had everything. Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Larry Bird in 2023. 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!). The Lakers, no slouch themselves, had Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthey, and Bob McAdoo. In 1981, 1984 and 1986, it was Bird who led the Boston Celtics to championships, with him taking home two Finals MVP awards. 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. Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? What is Larry Bird's Record in the NBA Finals? Things werent as cheerful from this point forward for Boston though. The Los Angeles Lakers won both games in the regular season series: The Lakers opened the series with a 115-109 victory at Boston Garden.

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