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He held this role for five seasons before being offered the Indiana Pacers head coach role. Known as "Larry Legend," Bird has achieved incredible success in his career, earning multiple awards and holding numerous records. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! May 12, 2022. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics won the Finals convincingly 4-2. Larry averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in this series. Larry Bird's career NBA stats. 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. 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 If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. Bird averaged 25.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game for the series. It went back and forth but the Celtics were able to walk away with a massive victory to seal the series. Ruland, a center, averaged 22 points and 12 boards for the season. The #1 and #2 seeds were set to face off in the Conference Finals. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. He averaged a career-high 29.9 points that year, falling just five points . 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. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. Larry Bird won three championships as a player, but did not win any as a coach. Certain completely unbiased fans, like myself, rank him very highly in that top ten. However, this changed in the 1979 season when Birds Indiana State qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. Larry, to his credit, was phenomenal. Larry Birds First NBA Championship 1981. The Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere. He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. Your email address will not be published. Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. BIrd averaged 27.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.0 assist per game for the series. Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. What are the abbreviations on the NBA table. I wrote about his record in the NBA Finals here. 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 . And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. He averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 boards and 3.6 assists per game for the series. In Birds career with Indiana State he did not ever win a championship. The game was known as the "Heat Game", as it was played under 97F (36C) heat, and without any air conditioning, at Boston Garden. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. Larry Bird of the Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Lakers, Malcolm Emmons and MPS - USA TODAY Sports. 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. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. Bird was very honest when taking up the role saying he would only coach the team for three years. The Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals in 1984, 1985, and 1987 with Bird and Cooper going at it. 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. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first . One of the ongoing debates within the world of sports centers around how you define greatness. Paul George: 'I still believe we're gonna be a tough team to beat in seven games', Gilbert Arenas on Ja Morant: 'When we young, we do stupid sh**', Shai Gilgeous-Alexander not on injury report, Erik Spoelstra refuses to comment on when Kyle Lowry will return, Stephen Curry, Andre Iguodala probable for Sunday against Lakers, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. This Rockets team still had Robert Reid but now also featured Rodney McCray. Bird poured in 39 in game 7 to lead the Cs to 30.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 7.1 assists for the series. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. The Celtics star received 52 first placed votes, with second place Bernard King only getting eleven. Larry Bird Owns Many Records, But Only One Unique One Bird owns a unique NBA record. Bird does not have any titles outside of the NBA, despite making the NCAA tournament final in 1979. The Celtics ended up shedding the ghosts of the last season and convincingly won 4-1. Many were expecting another Lakers-Celtics matchup, but it just wasnt in the cards this Finals. All three broke into laughter, led by Russell's infamous cackle. Im kind of country, she explained. Shoots: I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. he was voted the NBA Finals MVP. Larry Bird Championship #1: 1981 Boston Celtics, 1981 Conference Semis: Celtics def. In the first two NBA matchups between Bird and Magic . Two years after his first finals loss to the Lakers, the re-match was on. Larry Bird is 6-9. Or write about sports? This was the last NBA Finals to use the 22111 format until 2014. Larry averaged 23-13-7 on his way to a four-game sweep. The Bullets were the 8th seed in the East winning only 35 regular season games and finishing last in the Atlantic division. Larry Bird is one of the ten greatest players in the history of the NBA. Seriously, check out his Basketball Reference page. 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. Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. He was the NBA Finals MVP in 1981, and the . All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Boston won two close ones to start the series before Washington stole game three by 3 points. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! The Celtics had hope they could avenge the loss of two years prior. 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. Larry Bird's Celtics made the Finals in 1985 and 1987 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. 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. At 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 metres), Erving played forward and was noted for his fast breaks, balletic leaps toward the basket . Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. The teams traded games throughout the series. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Despite good performances from Bird, Magic Johnson outplayed him as the jumbo sized Lakers guard won finals MVP. Bird averaged 28.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the Cs. Bird had a good series in other categories, but did not score at his normal rate. Bird averaged 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game for the series. But what is Larry Birds record in the NBA Finals? Fans gave Bird a standing ovation when he was introduced. 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. Carr. The Eastern Conference Finals were much more difficult. However, despite sweeping the Bulls in the first round again, they had serious issues the next few. It was an offensive and defensive clinic. 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. 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. Despite this, Bird did not win any championships during his college career. You can only imagine how fiery this rivalry was, with two consecutive seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals. . Bird retired from the NBA in 1992 and immediately took up an advisory role with the Boston Celtics. 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. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird. Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. Your email address will not be published. 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. The trade signaled a transition period, as some of the key players from the first two championships gave way to younger talent. Which Player has Played in the Most NBA Finals Games? Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. The NBA Playoffs saw some change this year, with the tournament expanding to 16-teams and the four-round knockout we see today. Fox believes the Westbrook is the most scrutinized player in the NBA, while also stating that everyone inside the league loves Westbrook, regardless of what the outside perception may be, Arenas believes that the Grizzlies should ignore Morant's actions because every other team would and he's a productive player for them, Tim Hardaway told his favorite Run TMC story involving Don Nelson which resulted to an unforgettable moment for the group. 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. Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. Boston entered the new decade by winning the 1981 NBA Finals. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: Birds great performances in games one and six helped lead the Celtics to the title and Bird claimed his first NBA Championship in 1981. Furthermore, Johnson and Bird earned five of the 10 MVP awards handed out during the 1980s. 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. . the Celtics posted a 61-21 record and defeated the Houston Rockets to take the first NBA . This Finals had everything. 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 Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. His first MVP award was in 1984. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The first round was a 3-1 victory over the Washington Bullets. Tatum and the rest of his team are eager to avenge the loss in the Finals . While the 22111 format remained intact for the remainder of the playoff rounds, the 232 format would be used until 2013. At the end of the season, Bird was named Coach of the Year. Larry Bird and Earvin Magic Johnson helped define the modern NBA with their individual brilliance and team success in the 1980s. Sadly for Bird, the Pacers lost the series in six games. What surprises me more, though, is that former NBA player, 38-year-old JJ Redick, can't admit that the NBA of the 1980s was more physical than the game played today.. Nearly two weeks ago, Redick caused a stir by saying Bird shouldn't be considered . 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. I am fully convinced that anyone under the age of 40 will never admit Larry Bird was a better player than Stephen Curry. The Celtics ended the series shooting 52% from the field while holding the Bucks to 44% shooting. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The Larry Bird Finals Record was first recorded by Bill Simmons in his book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. Which player is ultimately better all-time is a different conversationbecause that includes a lot more than their individual matchups. Larry averaged 27-10-6. 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. Is it tied to championships? No one thought we could beat the Lakers. 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). Larry Bird is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. 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. The top 31 players and coaches, In 1981, the Celtics beat a Houston Rockets team featuring, In 1984, Birds Celtics beat the Showtime Lakers featuring, In 1986 the Celtics defeated a pretty different Houston Rockets squad. Boston had lost the previous two matchups to the Cavs and they were hungry for revenge last night. In Birds rookie season in the league, he helped lead the Boston Celtics all the way into the Eastern Conference Finals. The Western Conference Finals also led to one of the greatest game-winners ever. 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. 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. Some notable games between the two of them: At least when it comes to how they fared in theirhead-to-head matchups. . Nevertheless, it is rare to see a player dominate in so many areas of the game, theres no wonder why the Celtics made multiple deep playoff runs. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. He instead enrolled at the smaller Indiana State University. In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career. 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. The famous forward might not have been the most athletic man ever to hit the hardwood, but that wasnt a problem.