The Detroit Pistons took two games off them in the second round but it didnt matter, Bird averaged 28 points per game as they won in six. Magics Michigan State team won the game 75-64, preventing Bird from winning a title for Indiana State. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. In 1987 the Lakers once again beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Shoots: 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. He was named NBA Head Coach of the Year in 1998. Bird's 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson , 1985 & 1987. Carr stole James Worthy's inbounds pass followed by a dunk to seal the win. He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half. In his first season as Pacers coach, Indiana finished third in the east, having finished tenth the prior season. That's the first time the (80's) Lakers ever encountered that, someone stronger minded. The NBA Playoffs saw some change this year, with the tournament expanding to 16-teams and the four-round knockout we see today. Funny story about that series, Boston was actually down 3-1 entering Game 5, and Bird ended up dropping 32, 25 and 23 points in each of those games to rally off three straight wins and advance his team to the Finals. By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. . 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 The Knicks were led by the explosive scorer Bernard King, who averaged 29-5-3 in the series. Take a look below. Chicago Bulls 3-0, 1986 Conference Semis: Celtics def. It did not slow Bird down as he won a title the next season with the now legendary 86 Celtics. Coopers. Same ammount of titles, Lebron has more MVP's and FMVP's, played longer etc. Small Forward and Power Forward The Boston Celtics won the 1981 NBA Championship in six games giving Larry Bird his first NBA title. 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. During a mid-1980's game vs. Utah when Bird was torching the Jazz, Larry looked over at . Aside from stats, Larry Bird was a winner, bringing home multiple championship rings during his time with the Celtics. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. The games were closer than youd expect for a 1 seed vs 8 seed series. The Lakers were coming off a four-game sweep by the Philadelphia 76ers in the previous year's finals. 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. 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. Averaging 30-10-7 with 3 steals. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Bird won their first meeting in seven games, winning the NBA Finals MVP. This series prompted Bird to quote, Thats God disguised as Michael Jordan. Michael averaged 43 points through the three-game series. 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. He finished 1986 with averages of 25-10-7. Michael Cooper Backs Larry Bird and Blasts JJ Redick, Calling Him a Poor Mans Danny Ainge. He averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 boards and 3.6 assists per game for the series. Despite getting swept in the 1983 NBA Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers entered the season among the favorites to win the title. Cedric Maxwell, Larry Birds teammate, was awarded Finals MVP with 18-9-3. 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. 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. This was a fantastic series overall. Birds third and final NBA championship came in 1986. As one of the greatest players to ever step foot in the . 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. Fast forward a couple of seasons and Bird marched his team back into the 1984 postseason. Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Times, But Magic Johnson Won The Head-To-Head Matchups . 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. The last four games all came down to the last shot, with all the games being decided by two points or less. The rules shift was a big factor . In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. 1983: Moses Malone: C: Larry Bird was named MVP of the series. 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. Larry Bird Net Worth. So as it seems unlikely for Bird to ever coach again, Larry Bird has never won a championship as a coach. us, College: The Celtics won the Finals convincingly 4-2. 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 . Data Provided By The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs. Seriously, check out his Basketball Reference page. While everyone has their own favorite NBA players, its impossible to argue with Larry Birds position in the all-time basketball pantheon. 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. Two years after his first finals loss to the Lakers, the re-match was on. The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. 0:00. The 1987 Finals was the culmination of Magic and Bird's decade-long rivalry that dominated the NBA. Bird had a good series in other categories, but did not score at his normal rate. The first happened in 1985, a year after the Celtics had defeated the Lakers in the finals. This was brought on after Ralph had an altercation with a Boston player in game five. The American greatest basketball still worked as a coach and executive in the NBA, which had indeed led him to get over the low . Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986) . Larry wouldnt have been a controversial choice, but Cedric Maxwell was the emotional center of the Celtics and meant so much to the teams culture. Ruland, a center, averaged 22 points and 12 boards for the season. The Cs closed it out with a lopsided victory in game 5. Isn't 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 7 assists per game one of the coolest statlines for an NBA playoff series ever?A quote from Larry Bird's book "Drive" co. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? Larry Joe Bird (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right 6-9, 220lb (206cm, 99kg) . Tatum and the rest of his team are eager to avenge the loss in the Finals . Larry Bird's Celtics made the Finals in 1985 and 1987 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. More player info Bird's Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. 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. FTA complete back to 1948-49. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. I am fully convinced that anyone under the age of 40 will never admit Larry Bird was a better player than Stephen Curry. It was an offensive and defensive clinic. 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. With a new head coach in KC Jones and plenty of uncertainties, Carr said their motto for the season was Dont be denied. Remember, Boston selected Larry in the 1978 draft but decided to return to Indiana State for his senior season. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. Trailing in game 4, Kevin McHale clothes lined Kurt Rambis to spark the Cs to victory. Birds 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. Maybe you lived through the glory days of the 1980s Celtics but you cant quite remember how Bird got his rings. The Celtics struggled to slow down finals MVP Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bird struggled compared to his incredibly high standards. Tree had famously bit Danny Ainge in a playoff fight three seasons prior. Big Names Off the Bench: Jerry Sichting, Bill Walton and Scott Wedman. Bird picked up his first Finals MVP honurs. 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. The Celtics again saw their Eastern Conference rivals matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks. His first MVP award was in 1984. Birds Celtics beat three pretty different teams in their Finals victories despite two of them being the Houston Rockets. The Lakers destroyed the Cs in their first home game 137-104 in game 3. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. 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. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. Or maybe youre a younger fan wondering if Bird really deserves his place in the Pantheon of basketball greats. 1984 was against the Los Ange. 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. December 7, The Celtics swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Peak, Bird was better imo The Bucks took them to seven games before they were able to advance and the Pistons took them to seven in the Conference Finals. He has been an NBA champion in 1981, 1984 and 1986 out of which he was the NBA Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986. Better than MJ, LeBron, Kareem, Larry and Magic.If you take out Steph's games with an NBA75 teammate (KD), Steph's Playoff Win% is 48-26 (.649), which is still better than Duncan, Kobe and Larry Bird's with all their NBA75 teammates. As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. Its pretty easy to forget how many times Bird has been in the NBA Finals with all of the many accolades and unbelievably, but true, stories about him. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird. The first round was a 3-1 victory over the Washington Bullets. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. 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. Former Celtics player M.L. Right, Born: 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. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Larry Bird won his first NBA Finals MVP. In 1981, 1984 and 1986, it was Bird who led the Boston Celtics to championships, with him taking home two Finals MVP awards. Larry Mangurian announced that he was selling the team because of difficulties with the owners of the Boston Garden. 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. Unfortunately for the Pacers and Larry Bird, the Lakers were just too much for the Pacers. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. . Magic led the Lakers to victory at home in game 6, setting the stage for a Boston Garden Game 7. His performances helped to take the Celtics to 62 wins in the regular season, topping the NBA. 2022-23 Season Schedule; Pretty good matchup between he and MJ. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird averaged 24 points per game as Boston won the series in six to net him his THIRD ring. Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After Him. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right. Even from his first season with Indiana State, Birds performances were exceptional. Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? he guided the Pacers to a 58-24 record, which was the best in franchise history at the time. Larry Bird won three championships as a player, but did not win any as a coach. The Lakers drew first blood but Boston evened the series in Game 2. The Celtics won game 2 at home but lost two games in Philly to fall behind 3-1. 1981 was against the Houston Rockets where Cedric Maxwell was the NBA Finals MVP. The Celtics snuck past the Philadelphia 76ers in 7 games after the Sixers had taken a 3-1 lead to open the series. 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. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? His career was cut dramatically short by injury. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In their professional careers, Bird played for the Boston Celtics and Magic played for the Los Angeles . The Lakers defeated the Celtics in the finals twice, preventing Bird from having any more NBA titles. However, this was not the case. How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? Thanks in main to two close overtime wins, Boston won the series in seven games despite Bird struggling in the deciding game. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. He was the NBA Finals MVP in 1981, and the . 2 NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986) 3 NBA Most Valuable Player (1984-1986) . Indiana State University, High School: The Bucks now featured a young Terry Cummings along with Paul Pressey and Sidney Moncrief. In retirement, though, Larry Legend managed to take things down a notch. Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). 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. 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. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. 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. Celtics Starters: Tiny Archibald, Chris Ford, Larry Bird, Cedric Cornbread Maxwell and Robert Parish. Who Did Larry Bird Lose To In the NBA Finals? Larry Legend also sank 42 of 47 foul shots in the pressure-packed series (89.4 . There's always a mystique about players that played before the 90's because we don't have all the data, stats etc as we have to. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. In the 198384 season, the Celtics won 62 games to lead the league. Bird has four siblings' all brothers named Mike . This Finals had everything. Jelani Scott. Head to Head: Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. You can only imagine how fiery this rivalry was, with two consecutive seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals. Teaming with players like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, Maxwell was an essential player on Boston teams that won NBA championships in both 1981 and 1984. His back suffered major issues, as he injured it building on his farm. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. 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!). These Knicks really were Bernard Kings team. Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. Cedric Maxwell averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists to win Finals MVP. Many were expecting another Lakers-Celtics matchup, but it just wasnt in the cards this Finals. . But it was in 1986 when the Celtics faced the Houston Rockets for the championship when Bird . Jayson Tatum passed Celtics legend Larry Bird (1987-88) last night with his 34th 30-point game of the 2022-23 season. Navigation Toggle NBA. The Philidelphia 76ers were led by NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, and Darryl Dawkins. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. 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 . It was yet again against the Lakers and they split the first two games 1-1. There were three Larry Bird championships with the Boston Celtics: in 1981, 1984 and 1986. The Cs were heavily favored and had won 10 straight vs the Rockets, but Houston put up more of a fight than expected. It's an era thing. Larry led the way with an average of 25 points per game. As of 2023, Larry Bird's net worth is around $80 million; he has different income sources. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? Bill Walton needed a change of scenery when he was in San Diego and Red Auerbach provided that for him in Boston. 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. So for an entire decade, the NBA Finals included one of the two marquee franchises. he was voted the NBA Finals MVP. The 1987 NBA Finals again saw the Los Angeles Lakers up against Birds Celtics. Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the finals in 1982 and 1983, winning in the former. Throughout the season, he showed that he was the reigning MVP and had an excellent statistical season. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? 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. 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. 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. Both these players were representing teams from their home States, adding extra spice to the whole thing. 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. 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 . Those other two times? 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. Game 7 at the Boston Garden was one for the ages! The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and 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. The Celtics were led by Cedric Maxwell who had 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as they came away with a 111-102 victory. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. Even with Jordan exploding, only game two was close at 135-131. . 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. The Houston Rockets were led by their Twin Towers, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. Bird averaged 24.2 points,10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in the 1983-84 season. Larry Bird said there were 'obvious' differences between himself and Magic Johnson. Do you have a sports website? Bostons setbacks didnt end on the basketball court. Johnson and Bird met at the NBA Finals three times in 1984, 1985 and 1987. Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. All rights reserved. All the playoff action was documented on the 1984 NBA Season documentary Pride and Passion, narrated by Dick Stockton. Despite good performances from Bird, Magic Johnson outplayed him as the jumbo sized Lakers guard won finals MVP. . Philadelphia 76ers 4-3, 1981 NBA Finals: Celtics def. The #1 and #2 seeds were set to face off in the Conference Finals. The Boston Celtics were matched up against the Houston Rockets, led by Hall of Famer Moses Malone. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, Larry Bird Championship #3: 1986 Boston Celtics, 1986 First Round: Celtics def. The Lakers, no slouch themselves, had Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthey, and Bob McAdoo. No stats available. And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. Sadly, after that Finals loss, Bird never made it into another Finals series. Learn more and register, International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. The trade signaled a transition period, as some of the key players from the first two championships gave way to younger talent. In 1979, Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird faced off for the first time in the NBA. Key Names off the Bench: Kevin McHale, Gerald Henderson, Rick Robey and M.L. 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 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. Hakeem was no slouch, averaging the most points and rebounds in the NBA playoffs. Boston had lost the previous two matchups to the Cavs and they were hungry for revenge last night. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. When asked about what he remembers most about beating the Lakers in the 1984 NBA Finals, Carrs reply was: The final seconds of Game 7. Should individual honors and scoring records take precedence? I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. Milwaukee Bucks 4-1, 1984 NBA Finals: Celtics def. 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. In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. Despite excellent performances in his first two seasons, Indiana State had very little success. Join our linker program. In the Western Conference Finals the Rockets handled the defending champion Lakers in five games. 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. Houston Rockets 4-2, Larry Bird Championship #2: 1984 Boston Celtics, 1984 First Round: Celtics def. But it is also quite possible even probable that Larry Bird cost the Celtics the 1985 NBA championship.". How to say Basketball in different languages? 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. Reflecting back on the series, Magic Johnson said ". Houston had a tough road to the Finals: they beat the defending champion Lakers featuring both. Or write about sports? Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. Both teams could have easily succeeded in taking the Eastern Conference Finals. Allen Iverson Jersey Mitchell and Ness: A Complete Guide. In this first iconic matchup, eight Hall of Famers saw play. Larry is a three time NBA MVP consecutively from 1984-86, which is still a record. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). This series was an eye-opener into how good the Celtics were this season. Bird's Boston Celtics won the NBA championship three times during his career (1981 and '86 vs. the Houston Rockets, '84 vs. the Los Angeles Lakers), and Bird won Finals MVP in '84 and '86. Unfortunately, the team was defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers in five games and they were sent home. How many games did Larry Bird field goal miss a season due to injury? The Celtics ended the series shooting 52% from the field while holding the Bucks to 44% shooting.

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