What is Larry Bird's record in the NBA Finals? - Hoop Maestro The Lakers, no slouch themselves, had Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthey, and Bob McAdoo. Ruland, a center, averaged 22 points and 12 boards for the season. Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. Birds college career as a whole was exceptional. Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. But what is Larry Birds record in the NBA Finals? 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 . Larry Bird: Career retrospective | Yardbarker 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 Bird's Finals Record: An All-Time Great! - Sports Nostalgia HQ 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 7564. Furthermore, Johnson and Bird earned five of the 10 MVP awards handed out during the 1980s. Allen Iverson Jersey Mitchell and Ness: A Complete Guide. Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log | Basketball-Reference.com Bird's 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson , 1985 & 1987. While Bird did not have the finals success of a Jordan or Russell, he still had a better record than greats including LeBron and Wilt. The three finals victories are outlined above, but Bird also had two finals losses. The Bullets featured Jeff Ruland a really good, likely underrated, player who was at his peak. Only the strong survive. FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. 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. BOSTON (AP) June 12, 1984: The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-102 in Game 7 in the first NBA Finals between Boston's Larry Bird and Los Angeles' Magic Johnson . The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. 2 NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986) 3 NBA Most Valuable Player (1984-1986) . 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. The Celtics next opponent was the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that swept them the year earlier. The Hawks also still had good rebounder Tree Rollis. He averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists for the series. 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. And after watching the Lakers face the Philadelphia 76ers twice during the 1982 and 1983 Finals, they were determined to win in 84. The Houston Rockets were led by their Twin Towers, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. The Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals in 1984, 1985, and 1987 with Bird and Cooper going at it. In the first two NBA matchups between Bird and Magic . Who is the highest paid NBA player in the 2021-2022 Season? Required fields are marked *. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. The Celtics again saw their Eastern Conference rivals matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. But it was in 1986 when the Celtics faced the Houston Rockets for the championship when Bird . However, its the only individual award Cedric Maxwell won in his career. One of the ongoing debates within the world of sports centers around how you define greatness. Coopers. The NBA Playoffs saw some change this year, with the tournament expanding to 16-teams and the four-round knockout we see today. 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. If you remember, there was Kevin McHales hit on Kurt Rambis, and there was Larry Bird bumping Michael Cooper out of bounds. 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. The Celtics won the first three games by an average of 6 points before the Hawks got their only win at home. 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. 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. Is LeBron James better than Larry Bird? - Quora Here's when Larry Bird, Magic Johnson learned they have a lot - Yahoo He was pre-knee injury at this point and averaged 26 per game in the regular season and 29 per game in this series. Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986) . Which player is ultimately better all-time is a different conversationbecause that includes a lot more than their individual matchups. 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. After going 33-0, Bird led his team to the final of the tournament where he faced off against Magic Johnson and Michigan State. us, College: Larry Bird. Cedric Maxwell averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists to win Finals MVP. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. Bird won two finals against very different Houston Rockets teams and one against the Showtime Lakers featuring Kareem and Magic. He was the only NBA Rookie of the Year, MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the . . During a mid-1980's game vs. Utah when Bird was torching the Jazz, Larry looked over at . he guided the Pacers to a 58-24 record, which was the best in franchise history at the time. 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 series was the eighth time in NBA history that the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA finals, with Boston winning each time, and the first championship that the Celtics claimed at home since 1966. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. His first run to the NBA Finals came in his second season, averaging 21-11-5 with 2 steals a game. Larry averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in this series. The Cs won games five and six by two points each to reach game 7. 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!). Larry Bird Had a Perfectly Understated Response While Discussing His 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. The Celtics swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Sadly for Bird, Michigan State were just too much for him as the Spartans ran out 75-64 winners. The teams traded games throughout the series. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Bird is a universally known NBA legend and is often credited with the NBAs explosion of popularity in the 1980s. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. In his second season with the Celtics, Boston finished first in the East as they had done the previous year. I wrote about his record in the NBA Finals here. Tatum and the rest of his team are eager to avenge the loss in the Finals . In 1980, 1982, 1985 and 1988, Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to championships, winning three Finals MVPs along the way. Johnson and Bird met at the NBA Finals three times in 1984, 1985 and 1987. Do you have a sports website? Remember, Boston selected Larry in the 1978 draft but decided to return to Indiana State for his senior season. It was the beginning of one of the most legendary basketball rivalries in the history of the NBA, with Bird and Magic Johnson facing off against each other for the first time. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Chicago Bulls 4-1, 1981 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. 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. Throughout the season, he showed that he was the reigning MVP and had an excellent statistical season. Bird averaged 25.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game for the series. Finally, lets discuss the NBA Finals. Small Forward and Power Forward As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. Larry Birds Celtics lost two NBA Finals. Larry Legend also sank 42 of 47 foul shots in the pressure-packed series (89.4 . NY Knicks 4-3, 1984 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. Bird set a career-high with 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks during the 1984-85 season. The Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere. As weve mentioned, all these players were inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. Larry Birds First NBA Championship 1981. Larry Bird's NBA Finals record is 3-2. The Celtics made short work of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning in five games. Bird averaged 28.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists for the Cs. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: It was yet again against the Lakers and they split the first two games 1-1. Larry Bird: Biography. At the end of the season, Bird was named Coach of the Year. Bird averaged 24.2 points,10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in the 1983-84 season. Navigation Toggle NBA. At the macro level, the famous won three titles with the Boston Celtics. Peak, Bird was better imo 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 Bird's career NBA stats. NBA Awards - Finals MVP - National Basketball Association - ESPN At that time, Bird also expressed unhappiness over Mangurians decision to sell the team, and he was one of the players who defended Fitch after they were swept by the Bucks. The games were reasonably close if the series was not. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. That went to Birds teammate. Unfortunately for the Pacers and Larry Bird, the Lakers were just too much for the Pacers. 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. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The Celtics eventually prevailed in overtime 124-121, thanks to Scott Wedman's game-winning shot from the baseline with 14 ticks left. The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. Bird won three titles with the Celtics in 1981, 1984 and 1986, earning Finals MVP honors in the latter two. Bill Walton needed a change of scenery when he was in San Diego and Red Auerbach provided that for him in Boston. This was the last NBA Finals to use the 22111 format until 2014. It was a tough six game slugfest with the Houston Rockets but Bird and company were just too good. 0:49. Larry was no slouch, averaging 15-15-7 in a 4-2 series win. How Did The Legendary Rivalry of Magic Johnson And Larry Bird Turned Larry Bird's Stats For Each Season: Consistency Was The Key, He Bird retired from the NBA in 1992 and immediately took up an advisory role with the Boston Celtics. Bird was Finals MVP in the teams victories over the Houston Rockets in 1986 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984. How to say Basketball in different languages? How Many Games Did Larry Bird Miss A Season Due To Injury | StatMuse James has as many series losses in the Finals as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird combined. In Game 2, the Lakers led 113-111 with 18 seconds left when Gerald Henderson stole a James Worthy pass to score a game tying layup. My favorite quotes about Larry Bird - CelticsBlog Jelani Scott. Legends profile: Larry Bird | NBA.com 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. 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. 2022-23 Season Schedule; Larry Bird's Celtics made the Finals in 1985 and 1987 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, the explanation. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. 6-9 , 220lb (206cm, 99kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info. In 1987 the Lakers once again beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals. When Larry Bird Began His Coaching Career, He Revealed - Sportscasting 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. That's the first time the (80's) Lakers ever encountered that, someone stronger minded. Regular Season Record: 62-20 (The Celtics tied with 76ers for 1st in the Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference and the NBA but the Cs got the #1 seed in a tiebreaker by winning the last game of the season vs the Sixers). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. That NCAA tournament final is one of the most iconic games in college basketball history. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. Larry Bird could do it all on the basketball court. Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Houston Rockets 4-2, Larry Bird Championship #2: 1984 Boston Celtics, 1984 First Round: Celtics def. The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. Unlike some of the other players that have gone down in NBA History, Larry didnt leave his team whatsoever. 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. MUMBAI, India Twenty-seven years after Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and the "Dream Team" made the world fall in love with the game of basketball in 1992, India showed its adoration for the Boston Celtics great during the first NBA India Games last week. The Cs closed it out winning game four by 3 points. The Boston Celtics won the 1981 NBA Championship in six games giving Larry Bird his first NBA title. Both times it was to his rival dating back to college: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. Amazing! 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. He averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game across his three seasons, winning Naismith College Player of the Year in 1979. Bird scored almost 26 points per game in winning his third-straight MVP award. Those other two times? 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. Larry Bird is one of the ten greatest players in the history of the NBA. Larry Bird of the Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Lakers, Malcolm Emmons and MPS - USA TODAY Sports. Featuring prime Larry Legend, apex Kevin Mchale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson. Carr as he left the floor, causing him to label the series "all-out-war.". This was Birds last finals appearance, meaning that he went to five NBA finals overall, winning 3. The Celtics star received 52 first placed votes, with second place Bernard King only getting eleven. The Western Conference Finals also led to one of the greatest game-winners ever. Larry Bird Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. The Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. Bird's Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. The 1984 championship series scored high TV ratings. Sadly, after that Finals loss, Bird never made it into another Finals series. 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. Which Player has Played in the Most NBA Finals Games? 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. While everyone has their own favorite NBA players, its impossible to argue with Larry Birds position in the all-time basketball pantheon. He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. After that the series was all Lakers, they won four of the next five games to end the series in six and hand Larry his first Finals loss. Shoots: Houston lost a close game 1 then won a tight game 2 in Boston. Amazing! 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 Birds Finals record is in the lower half of the list of all-time greats below. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. 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. October 9, 2019. Check out stats on every National Basketball Association Finals MVP winner on ESPN.com. Boston also had to deal with the impending free agency of Kevin McHale and Larry Bird. Magic Johnson's rivalry with Larry Bird sparked greatest NBA Finals We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . The Lakers destroyed the Cs in their first home game 137-104 in game 3. He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. 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. 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. [1] The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Birds missed game winner in game four turned out to be vital in the series as the Lakers did not let their 3-1 lead slip, winning the series in six games. However, this was not the case. 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. Magics Michigan State team won the game 75-64, preventing Bird from winning a title for Indiana State. Larry Bird Net Worth. WATCH: Every play by Larry Bird in the 1981 NBA Finals vs. the Rockets He was the NBA Finals MVP in 1981, and the . The couple has two adopted children named Conner Mariah.. Family. Michael Cooper Explains What Made Larry Bird 'Larger Than Life' - MSN Trailing in game 4, Kevin McHale clothes lined Kurt Rambis to spark the Cs to victory. Bird averaged 24 points per game as Boston won the series in six to net him his THIRD ring. And, as if that wasn't enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. He banked in a shot with a minute to go to put the Cs ahead for good and they won 91-90. Do you have a blog? The Celtics ended up shedding the ghosts of the last season and convincingly won 4-1. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: Bill suffered through injuries for much of his career but appeared in 80 games for the Celtics.