larry bird finals record

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. Both teams could have easily succeeded in taking the Eastern Conference Finals. It went back and forth but the Celtics were able to walk away with a massive victory to seal the series. Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Times, But Magic Johnson Won The Head-To-Head Matchups . The Bullets were the 8th seed in the East winning only 35 regular season games and finishing last in the Atlantic division. He stayed loyal to the Celtics throughout his entire career and they were the team that reaped the benefits of his five NBA Finals appearances and three NBAchampionships. Bird vs. Magic: Stats, Rings & Head-to-Head Record | Heavy.com His performances included scoring 60 points against the Hawks which is still a Boston record to this day. Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. 0:49. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Aside from stats, Larry Bird was a winner, bringing home multiple championship rings during his time with the Celtics. May 12, 2022. Larry, to his credit, was phenomenal. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. 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. This series prompted Bird to quote, Thats God disguised as Michael Jordan. Michael averaged 43 points through the three-game series. 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. This series was a rematch of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics after their rivalry was revived in 1979 with the Magic JohnsonLarry Bird pair entering the league. Do you have a blog? Reliving the almost-perfect championship series stint authored by Larry 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. And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. Thanks in main to two close overtime wins, Boston won the series in seven games despite Bird struggling in the deciding game. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! Chicago Bulls 3-0, 1986 Conference Semis: Celtics def. Jayson Tatum passed Celtics legend Larry Bird (1987-88) last night with his 34th 30-point game of the 2022-23 season. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first . Bostons setbacks didnt end on the basketball court. Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. It was yet again against the Lakers and they split the first two games 1-1. By: HoopsHype. 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. The NBA Finals series was closer than either of the Conference Finals. The 1986 team is among the greatest teams to ever take the hardwood. 1956 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. So for an entire decade, the NBA Finals included one of the two marquee franchises. 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. Chicago Bulls 4-1, 1981 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. M.L. Carr on Lakers vs. Celtics 1984 Finals being epic - Basketball Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After Him. 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. Larry averaged 27-10-6. The Celtics had hope they could avenge the loss of two years prior. Adding one more hall of famer, Bill Walton, put this team over the top. Larry Bird Net Worth. The first happened in 1985, a year after the Celtics had defeated the Lakers in the finals. The Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. The 1987 NBA Finals again saw the Los Angeles Lakers up against Birds Celtics. Magic vs. Bird: Reliving rivalry 40 Years after first NBA matchup 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. 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. The Cs closed it out winning game four by 3 points. Despite this, Bird did not win any championships during his college career. Larry Bird NBA Finals Stats | StatMuse Bird's Pacers fell in the East finals in '98 and '99, then came up short in the NBA Finals in 2000 against the Los Angeles Lakers. It's clear the two dominated the decade, but who got the better of who? At the end of the season, Bird was named Coach of the Year. It brought Bird his third and final NBA Championship. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? He instead enrolled at the smaller Indiana State University. FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. 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 . The three finals victories are outlined above, but Bird also had two finals losses. Navigation Toggle NBA. The NBA unveiled two new postseason awards on Thursday morning: the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and Western Conference Finals MVP. While everyone has their own favorite NBA players, its impossible to argue with Larry Birds position in the all-time basketball pantheon. Larry Bird: Career retrospective | Yardbarker Finally, lets discuss the NBA Finals. Background. talent just don't get it. 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. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. Bird was Finals MVP in the teams victories over the Houston Rockets in 1986 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984. How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? - Basketball Noise Boston Celtics, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 1978 NBA Draft, Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1998 (Full List), More Larry Bird pages at Sports Reference. 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. Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. How to say Basketball in different languages? Bird: "So you're overpaid.". Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. Birds Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. He finished 1986 with averages of 25-10-7. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The top 31 players and coaches, In 1981, the Celtics beat a Houston Rockets team featuring, In 1984, Birds Celtics beat the Showtime Lakers featuring, In 1986 the Celtics defeated a pretty different Houston Rockets squad. 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. The series was not a close one: the Cs took a 3-0 lead before Milwaukee won their second home game to stay alive. You have to really understand the circumstances in each Finals run and see how he ended up with the record that he has right now. This was the Celtics' first appearance in The Finals since their 1976 championship winning team against the Phoenix Suns.The Celtics were not quite the same team as five years before, as they added the likes of Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale, a trio that would come to be known as "The Big Three." M. L. Carr, Cedric Maxwell, and Nate Archibald were also capable players off the . During that year Lesley Visser, Stockton's wife, became the first woman to cover the NBA Finals for CBS. He held this role for five seasons before being offered the Indiana Pacers head coach role. In Game 4, the Lakers had a five-point game lead with less than a minute to play, but made several execution errors, including Magic Johnson's bad pass to Robert Parish late in the fourth quarter, and missing two crucial free throws in OT as the Celtics tied the game and then came away with a 129-125 victory in overtime. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. 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. Top 15 Worst NBA Finals Performances by a Star - TheSportster 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. Houston lost a close game 1 then won a tight game 2 in Boston. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Larry Bird age, height, weight, net worth 2023, wife, kids, gay No one thought we could beat the Lakers. Houston Rockets 4-2, who would briefly play with Bird later in his career, the greatest non-final series in NBA history, Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn. The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. Both times it was to his rival dating back to college: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. us, College: Larry Bird, the former basketball player for NBA's Boston Celtics, is a true icon in the world of basketball. While that body of work would give anyone the right to too their own horn, Larry Legend took a different course of action. The type of player who didnt even care about stats but always seemed to put up the most absurd statlines ever seen. We present them here for purely educational purposes. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. Magic Johnson Finals Record Vs Larry Bird | StatMuse 2022-23 Season Schedule; Fast forward a couple of seasons and Bird marched his team back into the 1984 postseason. After going 33-0, Bird led his team to the final of the tournament where he faced off against Magic Johnson and Michigan State. Who Did Larry Bird Lose To In the NBA Finals? Required fields are marked *. This Finals had everything. Boston won two close ones to start the series before Washington stole game three by 3 points. Summary: Larry Bird's Finals Record. Larry Joe Bird. What is Larry Bird's record in the NBA Finals? - Quora 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. Do you have a sports website? 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. Bird finished second in the MVP voting to Malone and was unable to lead the Celtics back to the Conference Finals. Maybe you lived through the glory days of the 1980s Celtics but you cant quite remember how Bird got his rings. Bird averaged 27.2 points, 9.6 boards and 7.0 assists for the series. J Erving, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He has been an NBA champion in 1981, 1984 and 1986 out of which he was the NBA Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986. 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. Is it tied to championships? The Cs won a couple home games to start the series then lost a close one on the road. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, Larry Bird Championship #3: 1986 Boston Celtics, 1986 First Round: Celtics def. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. In the game, the Lakers rallied to cut a 14-point-deficit to three with one minute remaining when Cedric Maxwell knocked the ball away from Magic Johnson. The Celtics won the third and final title of the Bird era with a victory over the twin towers of the Houston Rockets. Many were expecting another Lakers-Celtics matchup, but it just wasnt in the cards this Finals. After a tough seven game series in the conference finals against the Sixers, Boston advanced to the finals to face the Rockets. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. 2 NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986) 3 NBA Most Valuable Player (1984-1986) . Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn. Bird retired from the NBA in 1992 and immediately took up an advisory role with the Boston Celtics. The Lakers and the Celtics met again in 1987 where the Lakers won in six games. In their professional careers, Bird played for the Boston Celtics and Magic played for the Los Angeles . You can only imagine how fiery this rivalry was, with two consecutive seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals. Head-to-Head Regular Season Stats. 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. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! Its surprising that he wasnt able to win at least one more, though three championships nowadays is something that is wildly difficult to do, its no feat to be taken lightly. 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. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? The Sixers took an 89-82 lead with five+ minutes to go. Jelani Scott. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Game 4 of the 1984 Finals marked the last Finals game to go into overtime until Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals. Larry Legend also sank 42 of 47 foul shots in the pressure-packed series (89.4 . . 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. Atlanta Hawks 4-1, 1986 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. 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. The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Lakers in 1983 and the Detroit Pistons snuck by the Lakers in 1989. However, the Lakers suffered a key injury when their 3rd leading scorer, Jamaal Wilkes (17 PPG) was ruled out of the finals. The game was also marked by Celtic forward Kevin McHale's clothesline take-down of Laker forward Kurt Rambis on a breakaway layup which triggered the physical aspect of the rivalry. These performances earned Bird his second MVP award. Of the subsequent finals, Basketbawful writes, "the Lakers played great and the Boston bench sucked. In retirement, though, Larry Legend managed to take things down a notch. . After altering wins with the Lakers, the Celtics won Game 7 and the series with a score of 111102. Bird is a universally known NBA legend and is often credited with the NBAs explosion of popularity in the 1980s. 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. 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. The Celtics next opponent was the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that swept them the year earlier. Trailing in game 4, Kevin McHale clothes lined Kurt Rambis to spark the Cs to victory. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. He banked in a shot with a minute to go to put the Cs ahead for good and they won 91-90. The Celtics entered the next season off a high, cruising into the NBA playoffs and sweeping Cleveland in the opening series. Larry Bird won three championships as a player, but did not win any as a coach. Among his accomplishments, Bird set the new single-game franchise record for points. Tree had famously bit Danny Ainge in a playoff fight three seasons prior. The Celtics won the Finals convincingly 4-2. Answer (1 of 43): To start by answering the question, I'd say - yes. The Celtics snuck past the Philadelphia 76ers in 7 games after the Sixers had taken a 3-1 lead to open the series. Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. In Game 6, the Lakers evened the series with a 119-108 victory. The famous forward might not have been the most athletic man ever to hit the hardwood, but that wasnt a problem. The Celtics took seven games to defeat Bernard Kings Knicks in the conference semifinals. 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) . His accolades are countless, with the former Indiana State man being an NBA legend. His first MVP award was in 1984. Everything you wanted to know about Indiana legend Larry Bird That's the first time the (80's) Lakers ever encountered that, someone stronger minded. Same ammount of titles, Lebron has more MVP's and FMVP's, played longer etc. 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. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. That NCAA tournament final is one of the most iconic games in college basketball history. One of the most exciting 3-0 series in league history, the Celtics made quick work of the up-and-coming Bulls featuring a young Michael Jordan. 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. NAME. He averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 boards and 3.6 assists per game for the series. This Rockets team still had Robert Reid but now also featured Rodney McCray. The Eastern Conference Finals were much more difficult. This cost the Lakers valuable depth, as James Worthy, a key contributor off the bench, would now have to start in Wilkes' place. Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Larry Bird's NBA Finals record is 3-2. 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. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Bird averaged 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game for the series. Hakeem was no slouch, averaging the most points and rebounds in the NBA playoffs. "[3] The teams met again in the 1985 finals, which the Lakers won 42. Milwaukee Bucks 4-0, 1986 NBA Finals: Celtics def. 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. More player info WATCH: Every play by Larry Bird in the 1981 NBA Finals vs. the Rockets AP Was There: Bird beats Magic in 1st Finals showdown - USA Today The Celtics won a very close game 3 in Houston to take control of the series with a 3-1 lead. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Data Provided By Larry Bird News, Biography, NBA Records, Stats & Facts - Sportskeeda Finals stats: 19.4 points, 11.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds in 50 games Finals rank: . The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. Though just looking at his record can get a bit confusing. Between the two players, they won eight NBA titles, five Finals MVP awards, six league MVP . Larry Bird: Biography. He was the only NBA Rookie of the Year, MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the . Here's when Larry Bird, Magic Johnson learned they have a lot - Yahoo Both these players were representing teams from their home States, adding extra spice to the whole thing. 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. How Did The Legendary Rivalry of Magic Johnson And Larry Bird Turned 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.. With Kareem ageing, the Celtics hoped that they could win the finals. The Laker momentum was stalled, and Larry Bird came up with a crucial jumper over Magic Johnson with 16 seconds remaining in overtime, then M.L. Despite playing for another five seasons after his last title, Bird would retire with three NBA championships. I am fully convinced that anyone under the age of 40 will never admit Larry Bird was a better player than Stephen Curry. It gave Bird his first finals loss in his third appearance. The Celtics won the Finals in six games to cap off a season that . Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. All rights reserved. Larry Bird of the Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Lakers, Malcolm Emmons and MPS - USA TODAY Sports. The Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere. Jayson Tatum's 25th birthday | ksdk.com The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. How many games did Larry Bird field goal miss a season due to injury? The Bucks now featured a young Terry Cummings along with Paul Pressey and Sidney Moncrief. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. . Please check your email for a confirmation. The game was known as the "Heat Game", as it was played under 97F (36C) heat, and without any air conditioning, at Boston Garden. The Boston Celtics won the 1981 NBA Championship in six games giving Larry Bird his first NBA title. Larry Bird's Stats For Each Season: Consistency Was The Key, He 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. However, this was not the case. The kick-off of one of the greatest rivalries of all time. Now, the explanation. 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. Sadly for Bird, Michigan State were just too much for him as the Spartans ran out 75-64 winners. Former Celtics player M.L. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 1979-80 season with high . The Celtics took four games to get by the Bullets in the first round best-of-five series. Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. He was named NBA Head Coach of the Year in 1998. The 1984 championship series scored high TV ratings. In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. He was one member of the greatest rivalry in the leagues history between himself and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic Johnson. NBA unveils two new postseason awards named after Larry Bird, Magic

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