larry bird finals record larry bird finals record

Background. Johnson won 11 of those games, posting averages of 19.4 points, 11.5 assists and 6.8 rebounds in their head-to-head matchups compared to 21.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game for Bird. 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. Milwaukee Bucks 4-1, 1984 NBA Finals: Celtics def. The first round was a 3-1 victory over the Washington Bullets. It went back and forth but the Celtics were able to walk away with a massive victory to seal the series. . The 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell led the team in scoring after saying something like Get on my back boys before the game. 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 | Net Worth, Salary, And Career Earnings The Indiana-born was the highest-paid rookie of the year, with $3.25 million an average of $650,000 a year in a 5-year contract with the Celtics.Bird had played 879 games in his career until his retirement in 1992.. Larry Bird Championship #1: 1981 Boston Celtics, 1981 Conference Semis: Celtics def. Bird also won Finals MVP in 1986 when he scored 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out 10 assists and had 2.7 steals per game. Larry Bird was born on as Larry Joe Bird to parents: Georgia and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird, a veteran of the Korean War.He attended Springs Valley High School. At 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 metres), Erving played forward and was noted for his fast breaks, balletic leaps toward the basket . 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. Pretty good matchup between he and MJ. 0:00. Navigation Toggle NBA. Bird averaged 28.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the Cs. The Lakers destroyed the Cs in their first home game 137-104 in game 3. As for their averages, Johnson posted 20.7 points, 13.5 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game in their head-to-head matchups in the Finals compared to Bird's 25.3 points, 11.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists. Larry averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in this series. Birds Celtics also defeated a very different Rockets team in 1981. 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. It was also the first of three NBA Finals meetings between the Celtics and Lakers during the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson era. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 when his Celttics defeated the Lakers in seven games. New York also featured Bill Cartwright and Rory Sparrow. Larry Bird starred at Indiana State University before joining the NBA's Boston Celtics in 1979. . 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. Take a look below. The last four games all came down to the last shot, with all the games being decided by two points or less. 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. Bird: "So you're overpaid.". * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. 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. Carr revealed that the motto of the 1983-84 Celtics was Dont be denied, and the team ended up winning the championship that no one thought they would win. I wrote about his record in the NBA Finals here. Marques Johnson and Sidney Moncrief led the Bucks. The Celtics got the better of their Showtime Lakers rivales in a heated seven game series to claim the 1984 NBA Title. The Cs shut the door at home in game 5 winning 115-108. Larry Bird and Earvin Magic Johnson helped define the modern NBA with their individual brilliance and team success in the 1980s. The kick-off of one of the greatest rivalries of all time. 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. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. 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. Unlike some of the other players that have gone down in NBA History, Larry didnt leave his team whatsoever. In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. 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. . Big Names Off the Bench: Jerry Sichting, Bill Walton and Scott Wedman. Larry Bird's NBA Finals record is 3-2. After dispatching MJ, the Cs cruised by Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semis. Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. 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. This was the last NBA Finals to use the 22111 format until 2014. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. The next year, the NBA Finals switched to the 2-3-2 format with Game 5 going to the team without home-court advantage, which continued through 2013. Bird won the first Finals meeting between them in 1984 and Johnson won the two others; one in 1985, the other in 1987. The Cs were heavily favored and had won 10 straight vs the Rockets, but Houston put up more of a fight than expected. 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. Have the Phoenix Suns ever won the NBA title? Larry Bird, the former basketball player for NBA's Boston Celtics, is a true icon in the world of basketball. More player info In Game 3, the Lakers raced to an easy 137-104 victory as Magic Johnson dished out 21 assists, an NBA Finals record. J Erving, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In Birds rookie season in the league, he helped lead the Boston Celtics all the way into the Eastern Conference Finals. Philadelphia 76ers 4-3, 1981 NBA Finals: Celtics def. The Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals in 1984, 1985, and 1987 with Bird and Cooper going at it. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). However, this was not the case. Despite excellent performances in his first two seasons, Indiana State had very little success. Join our linker program. . By: HoopsHype. 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. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. They snuck into the playoffs because of a weak Central division. The trade signaled a transition period, as some of the key players from the first two championships gave way to younger talent. 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. When discussing his legacy with Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press (h/t the Daily Hampshire Gazette), Bird didnt take much time to sing his own praises. 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. The Hawks also still had good rebounder Tree Rollis. It was an offensive and defensive clinic. He tied it up with two free throws with 3 minutes to go. Larry Bird is 6-9. Which NBA Team had the Most Hall of Famers for one Season. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. 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. Hakeem was no slouch, averaging the most points and rebounds in the NBA playoffs. However, despite sweeping the Bulls in the first round again, they had serious issues the next few. Required fields are marked *. The Celtics next opponent was the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that swept them the year earlier. Larry Bird is one of the ten greatest players in the history of the NBA. The Celtics again saw their Eastern Conference rivals matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks. This series prompted Bird to quote, Thats God disguised as Michael Jordan. Michael averaged 43 points through the three-game series. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! The couple has two adopted children named Conner Mariah.. Family. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Celtics in the conference finals before losing to the Lakers in the 1980 NBA Finals, with Johnson earning Finals MVP honors for his Game 6 performance. 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. Both times it was to his rival dating back to college: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. October 9, 2019. He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. Despite a back injury in the 1985 offseason, Bird averaged 25.8 points, 9.8 rebound and 6.8 assists per game and for the third straight season, the Celtics finished top of the Eastern Conference. FTA complete back to 1948-49. Boston's most crucial addition was Dennis Johnson, whom they acquired from the Phoenix Suns in the offseason in hopes of addressing their porous back-court defense. Larry Bird: Biography. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. 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. It must have lit a fire underneath Larry because he didnt let anything get in his way during his sophomore season. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. Hey, it's enough to make Allen Iverson burn his Celtics throwbacks. Larry Bird is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. 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. This was brought on after Ralph had an altercation with a Boston player in game five. Cedric Maxwell, Larry Birds teammate, was awarded Finals MVP with 18-9-3. So as it seems unlikely for Bird to ever coach again, Larry Bird has never won a championship as a coach. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Bird has four siblings' all brothers named Mike . Or maybe youre a younger fan wondering if Bird really deserves his place in the Pantheon of basketball greats. Boston entered the new decade by winning the 1981 NBA Finals. Between 1980 and 1989, there were only two seasons that ended with someone other than Johnson or Bird winning the title. And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. Coopers. With Kareem ageing, the Celtics hoped that they could win the finals. Amazing! Only the strong survive. The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Lakers in 1983 and the Detroit Pistons snuck by the Lakers in 1989. The Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere. 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. 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. Despite the similarities, the Lakers won the series in six games. 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. Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the finals in 1982 and 1983, winning in the former. Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! 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 . Birds 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, Larry Bird Championship #3: 1986 Boston Celtics, 1986 First Round: Celtics def. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. During the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Kansas City Kings in three, the Dallas Mavericks in five, and the Phoenix Suns in six. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? 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. Los Angeles Lakers in 7 games (4 wins, 3 losses) * 1985: Los Angeles Lak. You can read up on all three of Larry Birds incredible championships below. 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. Maybe you lived through the glory days of the 1980s Celtics but you cant quite remember how Bird got his rings. 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 individual performance was recognised all across the NBA as he helped Boston to a then record breaking 67-15 regular season record. Certain completely unbiased fans, like myself, rank him very highly in that top ten. That NCAA tournament final is one of the most iconic games in college basketball history. Milwaukee Bucks 4-0, 1986 NBA Finals: Celtics def. The Lakers were indeed the thoroughbreds that year. They were the thoroughbreds, we were the Clydesdales., It was a very physical series, and thats exactly what we wanted because we knew thats the only way we could beat those guys. Birds great performances in games one and six helped lead the Celtics to the title and Bird claimed his first NBA Championship in 1981. It was clear that the Celtics were mentally exhausted after playing that many games in such a short span, which resulted in the Lakers beating Bird and the Celtics in six quick games. Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. He was the only NBA Rookie of the Year, MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the . So for an entire decade, the NBA Finals included one of the two marquee franchises. The games were close enough but never really in doubt.