larry bird finals record larry bird finals record

The Eastern Conference Finals were much more difficult. The Houston Rockets were led by their Twin Towers, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. Bird's Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After Him. 6-9 , 220lb (206cm, 99kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info. Maybe you lived through the glory days of the 1980s Celtics but you cant quite remember how Bird got his rings. 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. Bird was very honest when taking up the role saying he would only coach the team for three years. . 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. The Celtics won the first three games by an average of 6 points before the Hawks got their only win at home. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Who is the highest paid NBA player in the 2021-2022 Season? 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. His team mate Cedric Maxwell won MVP. At the macro level, the famous won three titles with the Boston Celtics. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. Boston won two close ones to start the series before Washington stole game three by 3 points. Despite getting swept in the 1983 NBA Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers entered the season among the favorites to win the title. Remember, Boston selected Larry in the 1978 draft but decided to return to Indiana State for his senior season. Michael Cooper Backs Larry Bird and Blasts JJ Redick, Calling Him a Poor Mans Danny Ainge. More player info His first run to the NBA Finals came in his second season, averaging 21-11-5 with 2 steals a game. The Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. Bill Walton needed a change of scenery when he was in San Diego and Red Auerbach provided that for him in Boston. Celtics Starters: Gerald Henderson, Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird, Cedric Maxwell and Robert Parish. Home; Tickets; Schedule. One of the most feared competitors during the 1980s was Larry Bird, who won three championships with the Celtics during the decade, destroying teams through his versatile style and killer, lights-out shooting. Bird retired from the NBA in 1992 and immediately took up an advisory role with the Boston Celtics. Larry Bird was named MVP of the series. Bird does not have any titles outside of the NBA, despite making the NCAA tournament final in 1979. The famous forward might not have been the most athletic man ever to hit the hardwood, but that wasnt a problem. Malone is an underrated player, not as well-known as he should be. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Peak, Bird was better imo He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. 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. Larry Birds Finals record is in the lower half of the list of all-time greats below. 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. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? How to say Basketball in different languages? And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird. The Bulls had swept the Knicks 2-0 in a best-of-three first round. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. talent just don't get it. Bird's 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson , 1985 & 1987. Julius Erving, in full Julius Winfield Erving II, byname Doctor J, (born February 22, 1950, Roosevelt, New York, U.S.), American collegiate and professional basketball player who was one of the most colourful and exciting figures in the game during the 1970s and '80s. Aside from the two stars, the teams were among the most stacked in history. Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Larry Bird in 2023. Amazing! While that body of work would give anyone the right to too their own horn, Larry Legend took a different course of action. It's clear the two dominated the decade, but who got the better of who? At 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 metres), Erving played forward and was noted for his fast breaks, balletic leaps toward the basket . What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? In the playoffs, the team went 15-3 en route to winning the championship. Ruland, a center, averaged 22 points and 12 boards for the season. In other words, he noticed that some . I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. Larry averaged 23-13-7 on his way to a four-game sweep. In 1987 the Lakers once again beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Now, the explanation. 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 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. The Boston Celtics won the 1981 NBA Championship in six games giving Larry Bird his first NBA title. Fast forward a couple of seasons and Bird marched his team back into the 1984 postseason. 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. They snuck into the playoffs because of a weak Central division. Cedric Maxwell, Larry Birds teammate, was awarded Finals MVP with 18-9-3. Larry Birds First NBA Championship 1981. The games were close enough but never really in doubt. He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half. 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. The type of player who didnt even care about stats but always seemed to put up the most absurd statlines ever seen. The Larry Bird Finals Record is a statistic of the player who most often wins the NBA Finals. However, this was not the case. During a mid-1980's game vs. Utah when Bird was torching the Jazz, Larry looked over at . 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. Your email address will not be published. Larry Bird: Biography. 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. [1] The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Carr stole James Worthy's inbounds pass followed by a dunk to seal the win. The Knicks had slipped past a young Detroit Pistons team featuring Kelly Tripucka, Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer in five games in the first round. Magics Michigan State team won the game 75-64, preventing Bird from winning a title for Indiana State. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. Of the subsequent finals, Basketbawful writes, "the Lakers played great and the Boston bench sucked. 1956 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. In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. In 1981, 1984 and 1986, it was Bird who led the Boston Celtics to championships, with him taking home two Finals MVP awards. Referee Hugh Evans became dehydrated and fainted at one point in the first half. The big reason of course for this is Magic Johnson and the Lakers. Your email address will not be published. The Sixers took an 89-82 lead with five+ minutes to go. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Another book that demonstrated the competitive drive amongst athletes was, Magic/ Bird written by Eric Simonson. 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. 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. Johnson and Bird met at the NBA Finals three times in 1984, 1985 and 1987. This cost the Lakers valuable depth, as James Worthy, a key contributor off the bench, would now have to start in Wilkes' place. Same ammount of titles, Lebron has more MVP's and FMVP's, played longer etc. Also, Bird pushed Michael Cooper to the baseline following the inbound play during the second quarter. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 197980 season with high expectations. Larry Bird was a star. Los Angeles Lakers in 7 games (4 wins, 3 losses) * 1985: Los Angeles Lak. Larry Bird then married Dinah Mattingly on September 30, 1989, who he met while studying at the Indiana State University. 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. Bird averaged 27.2 points, 9.6 boards and 7.0 assists for the series. 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). The Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere. Head to Head: Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. New York also featured Bill Cartwright and Rory Sparrow. Bird had a good series in other categories, but did not score at his normal rate. In Birds career with Indiana State he did not ever win a championship. The following year, the NBA Finals format was changed to 232 after Red Auerbach complained about the constant travelling during the Finals. In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Required fields are marked *. Larry Birds NBA Finals record is 3-2. . Larry Bird was one of the most polished rookies to enter the league and was great for the Celtics right from game one. Larry led the way and averaged 27-14-4 to lead the team to the championship, along with his first Finals MVP. According to Basketball Reference, Johnson and Bird played against each other 18 times in the regular season throughout their careers. While the 22111 format remained intact for the remainder of the playoff rounds, the 232 format would be used until 2013. The #1 and #2 seeds were set to face off in the Conference Finals. Larry Bird won three championships as a player, but did not win any as a coach. One of the ongoing debates within the world of sports centers around how you define greatness. His career was cut dramatically short by injury. In MVP voting, Bird dominated the competition as he took home his third straight MVP award. In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. he was voted the NBA Finals MVP. In 1986, they failed a third straight NBA Finals meeting (it was later accomplished 31 years later by the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors), as the Lakers were eliminated in the Conference Finals by the Houston Rockets. Despite the similarities, the Lakers won the series in six games. It went back and forth but the Celtics were able to walk away with a massive victory to seal the series. But it is also quite possible even probable that Larry Bird cost the Celtics the 1985 NBA championship.". Larry Bird. It gave Bird his first finals loss in his third appearance. Larry Bird is 6-9. 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. 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. Chicago Bulls 4-1, 1981 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. . Despite good performances from Bird, Magic Johnson outplayed him as the jumbo sized Lakers guard won finals MVP. The Celtics beat the Lakers 4-3, winning by nine points in the deciding Game 7. Big Names Off the Bench: Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge, Quinn Buckner, Scott Wedman. The Cs took game 5 at home behind Larry Birds 34 points and 17 boards. 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. Finally, lets discuss the NBA Finals. 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. 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. Bird and the Celtics lined up against the Los Angeles Lakers who took them to seven games. After the game a Laker fan threw a beer at Celtics guard M.L. 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. It did not slow Bird down as he won a title the next season with the now legendary 86 Celtics. His accolades are countless, with the former Indiana State man being an NBA legend. Being the reigning MVP, there were big expectations for Bird in the 1984-85 season. Join our linker program. The Larry Bird Finals Record was first recorded by Bill Simmons in his book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. 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 . Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). As the reigning rookie of the year, Bird led the Celtics to the finals, beginning with a sweep of the Bulls. Jordan averaged an insane 43.7 points, 5.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds for this. more information Accept. Birds Pacers swept the Bucks and the Sixers in the first two rounds of the playoffs and looked likely to make it to the finals as they came up against the eight seed New York Knicks in the conference finals. The Lakers defeated the Celtics in the finals twice, preventing Bird from having any more NBA titles. Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. The game was known as the "Heat Game", as it was played under 97F (36C) heat, and without any air conditioning, at Boston Garden. Larry Birds Celtics made the Finals in 1985 and 1987 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Hall of Fame. 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 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. He joined the Celtics a year later. Larry Bird starred at Indiana State University before joining the NBA's Boston Celtics in 1979. . 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 . The Celtics won the Finals in six games to cap off a season that . Larry Bird and Earvin Magic Johnson helped define the modern NBA with their individual brilliance and team success in the 1980s. Many were expecting another Lakers-Celtics matchup, but it just wasnt in the cards this Finals. It's an era thing. The NBA Playoffs saw some change this year, with the tournament expanding to 16-teams and the four-round knockout we see today. 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. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, "Here Are Some Final Facts on NBA Playoffs", Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1984_NBA_Finals&oldid=1141615206, 20th century in Los Angeles County, California, Basketball competitions in Inglewood, California, May 1984 sports events in the United States, June 1984 sports events in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, No. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. The Celtics swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bucks now featured a young Terry Cummings along with Paul Pressey and Sidney Moncrief. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! The trade signaled a transition period, as some of the key players from the first two championships gave way to younger talent. Milwaukee Bucks 4-0, 1986 NBA Finals: Celtics def. By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. Bird won two finals against very different Houston Rockets teams and one against the Showtime Lakers featuring Kareem and Magic. Find out more. The Celtics got the better of their Showtime Lakers rivales in a heated seven game series to claim the 1984 NBA Title. Summary: Larry Bird's Finals Record. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? 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. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . The 1986 team is among the greatest teams to ever take the hardwood. In retirement, though, Larry Legend managed to take things down a notch. Houston Rockets 4-2, Larry Bird Championship #2: 1984 Boston Celtics, 1984 First Round: Celtics def. Boston had lost the previous two matchups to the Cavs and they were hungry for revenge last night. The Celtics ended the series shooting 52% from the field while holding the Bucks to 44% shooting. Unlike some of the other players that have gone down in NBA History, Larry didnt leave his team whatsoever. 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 the game the Lakers answered the Celtics' rough tactics when Laker forward James Worthy shoved Cedric Maxwell into a basket support. 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 Bird is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. 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. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! Indiana took Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Larry Bird's career NBA stats. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! Unfortunately, the team was defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers in five games and they were sent home. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs. Not only did he possess the skillset to thrive, but he had more than enough confidence to put any opponent in their place. In addition to Nique, the Hawks starred Kevin Willis. However, this changed in the 1979 season when Birds Indiana State qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. The Bucks swept the Nets in the first round then took seven games to get by a tough Sixers squad starring a young. The teams traded games throughout the series. 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!). I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. Do you have a sports website? It was a tough six game slugfest with the Houston Rockets but Bird and company were just too good. Among his accomplishments, Bird set the new single-game franchise record for points. Milwaukee Bucks 4-1, 1984 NBA Finals: Celtics def. He tied it up with two free throws with 3 minutes to go. May 12, 2022. Not that there was anything to really worry about for him, it really just added a chip on his shoulder to come back and perform to a high standard. If you remember, there was Kevin McHales hit on Kurt Rambis, and there was Larry Bird bumping Michael Cooper out of bounds. James Posey shared the culture that made the 2008 Boston Celtics experience so unique. The Pacers got their revenge on the Knicks, winning the eastern conference finals in six games to go up against the Lakers. The Bucks, coached by Celtics legend Don Nelson, won the Central Division title in 1984. Magic led the Lakers to victory at home in game 6, setting the stage for a Boston Garden Game 7. 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. The Celtics won the third and final title of the Bird era with a victory over the twin towers of the Houston Rockets. 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 Bird won his first NBA Finals MVP. 0:00. Despite playing for another five seasons after his last title, Bird would retire with three NBA championships. The Celtics won game 2 at home but lost two games in Philly to fall behind 3-1. Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? 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 must have lit a fire underneath Larry because he didnt let anything get in his way during his sophomore season. Is it tied to championships? Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. . Sadly for Bird, the Pacers lost the series in six games. The 1984 NBA Finals was the first championship meeting between old rivals Boston and Los Angeles since 1969. Which NBA Team had the Most Hall of Famers for one Season. 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 .