. 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. He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. Im kind of country, she explained. His accolades are countless, with the former Indiana State man being an NBA legend. Jayson Tatum passed Celtics legend Larry Bird (1987-88) last night with his 34th 30-point game of the 2022-23 season. He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. 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. The NBA unveiled two new postseason awards on Thursday morning: the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and Western Conference Finals MVP. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. Larry Bird and Earvin Magic Johnson helped define the modern NBA with their individual brilliance and team success in the 1980s. 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 . Adding one more hall of famer, Bill Walton, put this team over the top. Larry Bird then married Dinah Mattingly on September 30, 1989, who he met while studying at the Indiana State University. With Kareem ageing, the Celtics hoped that they could win the finals. Of the subsequent finals, Basketbawful writes, "the Lakers played great and the Boston bench sucked. The three finals victories are outlined above, but Bird also had two finals losses. Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn. Larry Bird won three championships as a player, but did not win any as a coach. The Eastern Conference Finals were much more difficult. While that body of work would give anyone the right to too their own horn, Larry Legend took a different course of action. The Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. 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. 1981 was against the Houston Rockets where Cedric Maxwell was the NBA Finals MVP. 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. Find out more. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. The Lakers defeated the Celtics in the finals twice, preventing Bird from having any more NBA titles. It brought Bird his third and final NBA Championship. Birds third and final NBA championship came in 1986. Larry Bird picked up the 1984 MVP award and led his Celtics to the first seed in the Eastern Conference with a 62-20 overall record. She reported on the Celtics' sideline while Pat O'Brien reported on the Lakers' sideline. Bird was very honest when taking up the role saying he would only coach the team for three years. 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Certain completely unbiased fans, like myself, rank him very highly in that top ten. The Cs closed it out with a lopsided victory in game 5. Bird is a universally known NBA legend and is often credited with the NBAs explosion of popularity in the 1980s. We have seen some teams lose in the NBA Finals off of some injuries and other situations leading up to it that the box score doesnt show, so lets dive into Birds record. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. 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. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. The Celtics ended up shedding the ghosts of the last season and convincingly won 4-1. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. Aside from the two stars, the teams were among the most stacked in history. In this first iconic matchup, eight Hall of Famers saw play. The East's award is named after Larry Bird and the West's after Magic Johnson. Simmons says that he got the idea from watching basketball and looking at player statistics. Throughout the season, he showed that he was the reigning MVP and had an excellent statistical season. 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. The games were closer than youd expect for a 1 seed vs 8 seed series. Bird won their first meeting in seven games, winning the NBA Finals MVP. Despite good performances from Bird, Magic Johnson outplayed him as the jumbo sized Lakers guard won finals MVP. NAME. 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. Fans gave Bird a standing ovation when he was introduced. You can read up on all three of Larry Birds incredible championships below. Larry Bird, the former basketball player for NBA's Boston Celtics, is a true icon in the world of basketball. Finally, lets discuss the NBA Finals. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. He was the NBA Finals MVP in 1981, and the . Houston lost a close game 1 then won a tight game 2 in Boston. During a mid-1980's game vs. Utah when Bird was torching the Jazz, Larry looked over at . We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. The teams traded games throughout the series. He held this role for five seasons before being offered the Indiana Pacers head coach role. 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. Keep reading to learn more about each championship win, the series leading up to the finals, and each Larry Bird championship season. In 1979, Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird faced off for the first time in the NBA. 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. Referee Hugh Evans became dehydrated and fainted at one point in the first half. Which NBA Team had the Most Hall of Famers for one Season. Take a look below. 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 . Background. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Safe to say he absolutely dominated in every facet of the game for that second ring. Both teams could have easily succeeded in taking the Eastern Conference Finals. What are the abbreviations on the NBA table. This Rockets team still had Robert Reid but now also featured Rodney McCray. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 when his Celttics defeated the Lakers in seven games. Game 4 of the 1984 Finals marked the last Finals game to go into overtime until Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals. 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. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. The Cs shut the door at home in game 5 winning 115-108. FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. Celtics Starters: Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. The Celtics again saw their Eastern Conference rivals matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. The Houston Rockets were led by their Twin Towers, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. As weve mentioned, all these players were inducted into the Hall of Fame. he was voted the NBA Finals MVP. This was brought on after Ralph had an altercation with a Boston player in game five. Remember, Boston selected Larry in the 1978 draft but decided to return to Indiana State for his senior season. Only the strong survive. Larry Bird's NBA Finals record is 3-2. They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. 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. The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. However, this changed in the 1979 season when Birds Indiana State qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. The NBA Finals series was closer than either of the Conference Finals. Navigation Toggle NBA. The Celtics took four games to get by the Bullets in the first round best-of-five series. . In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. Larry Birds Celtics made the Finals in 1985 and 1987 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: How to say Basketball in different languages? At the end of the season, Bird was named Coach of the Year. J Erving, The Sixers swept a weak Indiana Pacers team in round 1 (2-0) then went seven games to defeat a tough Milwaukee Bucks team starring Bob Lanier, Marques Johnson and. 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. The Lakers and the Celtics met again in 1987 where the Lakers won in six games. . On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . Birds college career as a whole was exceptional. Los Angeles Lakers in 7 games (4 wins, 3 losses) * 1985: Los Angeles Lak. Boston also had to deal with the impending free agency of Kevin McHale and Larry Bird. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The couple has two adopted children named Conner Mariah.. Family. 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. These Knicks really were Bernard Kings team. 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. The Celtics had Larry Bird as their centerpiece and posted a record of 67-15, including an NBA record 40 wins at home. The Larry Bird Finals Record was first recorded by Bill Simmons in his book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game. Bird set a career-high with 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks during the 1984-85 season. Also, Bird pushed Michael Cooper to the baseline following the inbound play during the second quarter. The Celtics won the series, with Bird getting a triple double in the deciding game six. 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). The Celtics had hope they could avenge the loss of two years prior. Larry Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 & 1986, the trophy would go to his teammate Cedric Maxwell in 1981. Carr as he left the floor, causing him to label the series "all-out-war.". Or maybe youre a younger fan wondering if Bird really deserves his place in the Pantheon of basketball greats. Larry Bird Owns Many Records, But Only One Unique One Bird owns a unique NBA record. The 1984 NBA Finals was the first championship meeting between old rivals Boston and Los Angeles since 1969. The Pacers had two pretty comfortable series to begin the 1998 post season with wins over the Cavaliers and the Knicks. 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. By: HoopsHype. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. All three broke into laughter, led by Russell's infamous cackle. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. As the reigning rookie of the year, Bird led the Celtics to the finals, beginning with a sweep of the Bulls. Bird had a good series in other categories, but did not score at his normal rate. The Lakers were coming off a four-game sweep by the Philadelphia 76ers in the previous year's finals. 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. . It was also the first of three NBA Finals meetings between the Celtics and Lakers during the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson era. Both times it was to his rival dating back to college: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. 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. Bird averaged 25.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game for the series. Before the season began, the Lakers traded long-time guard Norm Nixon to the San Diego Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Byron Scott. Bird and the Celtics lined up against the Los Angeles Lakers who took them to seven games. 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 is one of the ten greatest players in the history of the NBA. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. 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. Another book that demonstrated the competitive drive amongst athletes was, Magic/ Bird written by Eric Simonson. Houston Rockets 4-2, Larry Bird Championship #2: 1984 Boston Celtics, 1984 First Round: Celtics def. Please check your email for a confirmation. The last four games all came down to the last shot, with all the games being decided by two points or less. It was Boston's worst playoff defeat in franchise history to that date. If you remember, there was Kevin McHales hit on Kurt Rambis, and there was Larry Bird bumping Michael Cooper out of bounds. "[3] The teams met again in the 1985 finals, which the Lakers won 42. And they werent. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. Bird averaged 24 points per game as Boston won the series in six to net him his THIRD ring. NY Knicks 4-3, 1984 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. Aside from stats, Larry Bird was a winner, bringing home multiple championship rings during his time with the Celtics. Cedric Maxwell, Larry Birds teammate, was awarded Finals MVP with 18-9-3. The Bucks swept the Nets in the first round then took seven games to get by a tough Sixers squad starring a young. However, this was not the case. The Celtics entered the next season off a high, cruising into the NBA playoffs and sweeping Cleveland in the opening series. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. That NCAA tournament final is one of the most iconic games in college basketball history. After . A superstar. Johnson and Bird met at the NBA Finals three times in 1984, 1985 and 1987. Amazing! The Celtics then knocked the 76ers off once again, this time in five games and advanced to the Finals for the second time in as many years. Bird's 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson , 1985 & 1987. Among his accomplishments, Bird set the new single-game franchise record for points. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Magic gets the edge because he finished his career stronger, he was able to get/maybe steal from Charles Barkley the 1990 MVP, and he got the Lakers to another finals in 91, after 88 and the injuries Boston was done being any kind of serious contender they never got past the second round again for the rest of Larry Bird's time but if you're talkin Peak vs. Thanks in main to two close overtime wins, Boston won the series in seven games despite Bird struggling in the deciding game. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. It went back and forth but the Celtics were able to walk away with a massive victory to seal the series. The Bucks now featured a young Terry Cummings along with Paul Pressey and Sidney Moncrief. Or write about sports? 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. Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. 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 Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere. This was the last NBA Finals to use the 22111 format until 2014. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.In the final game of the tournament, Larry Bird and his erstwhile unbeaten Indiana State Sycamores lost to Magic Johnson and his Michigan State Spartans by the score of 75-64. The kick-off of one of the greatest rivalries of all time. Larry, to his credit, was phenomenal. 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. Below you can see the playoff results for all of Birds Celtics teams. He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. 1984 was against the Los Ange. Why did the Philadelphia 76ers trade Charles Barkley to the Phoenix Suns? Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana In Game 6, the Lakers evened the series with a 119-108 victory. 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. It must have lit a fire underneath Larry because he didnt let anything get in his way during his sophomore season. In 1987 the Lakers once again beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals. The 86 Celtics are in the conversation for best team ever with Bill Walton joining Bird, Robert Parish and. 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. This was the last of Larrys three straight MVP seasons. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, Larry Bird Championship #3: 1986 Boston Celtics, 1986 First Round: Celtics def. 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 Pacers got their revenge on the Knicks, winning the eastern conference finals in six games to go up against the Lakers. However, its the only individual award Cedric Maxwell won in his career. Larry led the way with an average of 25 points per game. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. If you were wondering about his career numbers while we wrap this up, he averaged 24.3 points, 10 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. Carr stole James Worthy's inbounds pass followed by a dunk to seal the win. As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. In his career, Larry Bird won three NBA regular season MVP awards. Despite this, Bird did not win any championships during his college career. Bird averaged 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game for the series. Game 7 at the Boston Garden was one for the ages! Cedric Maxwell averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists to win Finals MVP. Do you have a sports website? Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the finals in 1982 and 1983, winning in the former. Indiana took Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Big Names Off the Bench: Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge, Quinn Buckner, Scott Wedman. Houston had a tough road to the Finals: they beat the defending champion Lakers featuring both. The Celtics made short work of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning in five games. But it was in 1986 when the Celtics faced the Houston Rockets for the championship when Bird . The Hawks also still had good rebounder Tree Rollis. Shoots: Johnson evened the series after helping the LA . It was a tough six game slugfest with the Houston Rockets but Bird and company were just too good. The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Lakers in 1983 and the Detroit Pistons snuck by the Lakers in 1989. In the 198384 season, the Celtics won 62 games to lead the league. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. Larry Bird's continuing influence on the game of basketball crossed a new threshold . . The Celtics had lost to the Lakers in the finals the previous year, but this time their opposition was the Houston Rockets. 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 . How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? 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 . Here are some of the records and historical rankings that Larry Bird achieved at Indiana State: A member of the 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound club: 2,850 points and 1,247 rebounds Indiana State's all . The 1986 team is among the greatest teams to ever take the hardwood. Known as "Larry Legend," Bird has achieved incredible success in his career, earning multiple awards and holding numerous records. Their rivalry was second to none and saw them meet up in the NBA Finals three times. However, the Lakers suffered a key injury when their 3rd leading scorer, Jamaal Wilkes (17 PPG) was ruled out of the finals. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? Magic led the team in scoring this time but was still joined by the same stars: Kareem, James Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper. 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. In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. The American greatest basketball still worked as a coach and executive in the NBA, which had indeed led him to get over the low . 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. The type of player who didnt even care about stats but always seemed to put up the most absurd statlines ever seen. Hey, it's enough to make Allen Iverson burn his Celtics throwbacks. The following year, the NBA Finals format was changed to 232 after Red Auerbach complained about the constant travelling during the Finals. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. The Celtics swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. FTA complete back to 1948-49. 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. Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. Fast forward a couple of seasons and Bird marched his team back into the 1984 postseason. Larry Bird starred at Indiana State University before joining the NBA's Boston Celtics in 1979. . He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half. The Cs took game 5 at home behind Larry Birds 34 points and 17 boards. The Celtics swept the Bulls after getting a bye in the first round for winning the Atlantic Division. New York also featured Bill Cartwright and Rory Sparrow. In Game 3, the Lakers raced to an easy 137-104 victory as Magic Johnson dished out 21 assists, an NBA Finals record. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 197980 season with high expectations. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. He joined the Celtics a year later. This book highlighted the rivalry between Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson throughout their respected basketball careers. Though just looking at his record can get a bit confusing. 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. He was one member of the greatest rivalry in the leagues history between himself and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic Johnson. Celtics Starters: Gerald Henderson, Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird, Cedric Maxwell and Robert Parish. Seriously, check out his Basketball Reference page. He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. 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. 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. Larry Bird is 6-9. Birds Celtics also defeated a very different Rockets team in 1981. At the macro level, the famous won three titles with the Boston Celtics. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points.