larry bird finals record larry bird finals record

Both these players were representing teams from their home States, adding extra spice to the whole thing. Not only did he possess the skillset to thrive, but he had more than enough confidence to put any opponent in their place. It's clear the two dominated the decade, but who got the better of who? In Game 3, the Lakers raced to an easy 137-104 victory as Magic Johnson dished out 21 assists, an NBA Finals record. NY Knicks 4-3, 1984 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. Birds Celtics also defeated a very different Rockets team in 1981. 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). His individual performance was recognised all across the NBA as he helped Boston to a then record breaking 67-15 regular season record. In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Washington Bullets in four, the New York Knicks in seven, and the Milwaukee Bucks in five. 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. The games were reasonably close if the series was not. Which NBA Team had the Most Hall of Famers for one Season. The league had changed the Finals homecourt schedule to the 2-3-2 format that year, allowing the team with the lesser record (LA) to host the middle three games. 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. But what is Larry Birds record in the NBA Finals? It was a tough six game slugfest with the Houston Rockets but Bird and company were just too good. Answer (1 of 2): Larry Bird has been in the NBA Finals 5 times as a player, all while playing with the Boston Celtics. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Tatum and the rest of his team are eager to avenge the loss in the Finals . Indiana took Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. Head-to-Head Regular Season Stats. Jordan scored an all-time playoff record in game 2: 63 points. The Bucks now featured a young Terry Cummings along with Paul Pressey and Sidney Moncrief. How to say Basketball in different languages? Trailing in game 4, Kevin McHale clothes lined Kurt Rambis to spark the Cs to victory. Los Angeles Lakers in 7 games (4 wins, 3 losses) * 1985: Los Angeles Lak. . 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. By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. Bostons setbacks didnt end on the basketball court. Head to Head: Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. Instead of battling fatigue and exhaustion from their grueling Semi-Finals series, they went on to beat the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. Im not a guy that talks about my past because I always look to the future, but you really sit down and look at it, Ive been involved in a lot, its pretty nice, the forward simply explained. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. It did not slow Bird down as he won a title the next season with the now legendary 86 Celtics. Birds college career as a whole was exceptional. NAME. Aside from stats, Larry Bird was a winner, bringing home multiple championship rings during his time with the Celtics. Simmons says that he got the idea from watching basketball and looking at player statistics. FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. Larry Birds Finals record is in the lower half of the list of all-time greats below. 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 Larry Birds NBA Finals record is 3-2. Thanks for signing up. It brought Bird his third and final NBA Championship. What are the abbreviations on the NBA table. Who Did Larry Bird Lose To In the NBA Finals? Home; Tickets; Schedule. This struggle did not deter Bird. The Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. Larry Bird won the NBA Finals MVP two times. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? During a mid-1980's game vs. Utah when Bird was torching the Jazz, Larry looked over at . 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. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Why did David Stern Veto the Chris Paul to the Lakers Trade? The 1987 Finals was the culmination of Magic and Bird's decade-long rivalry that dominated the NBA. Which Player has Played in the Most NBA Finals Games? If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Birds great performances in games one and six helped lead the Celtics to the title and Bird claimed his first NBA Championship in 1981. 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. 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. more information Accept. The Celtics did not warm up with their sweat pants on because of extreme heat, and an oxygen tank was provided to give air to an aging Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. inWest Baden,Indiana Bird won their first meeting in seven games, winning the NBA Finals MVP. the Celtics posted a 61-21 record and defeated the Houston Rockets to take the first NBA . Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Bird scored almost 26 points per game in winning his third-straight MVP award. 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. Larry Legend also sank 42 of 47 foul shots in the pressure-packed series (89.4 . Jayson Tatum passed Celtics legend Larry Bird (1987-88) last night with his 34th 30-point game of the 2022-23 season. This was the last of Larrys three straight MVP seasons. 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. 1983: Moses Malone: C: 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 expected CelticsLakers finals, however, never happened. . Big Names Off the Bench: Jerry Sichting, Bill Walton and Scott Wedman. 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. The Eastern Conference Finals were much more difficult. The first happened in 1985, a year after the Celtics had defeated the Lakers in the finals. Bird was Finals MVP in the teams victories over the Houston Rockets in 1986 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984. The Sixers took an 89-82 lead with five+ minutes to go. It was yet again against the Lakers and they split the first two games 1-1. Sadly, after that Finals loss, Bird never made it into another Finals series. Former Celtics player M.L. The Hawks also still had good rebounder Tree Rollis. 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. That went to Birds teammate. "[3] The teams met again in the 1985 finals, which the Lakers won 42. The games were close enough but never really in doubt. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. He joined the Celtics a year later. Larry Bird's Celtics made the Finals in 1985 and 1987 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird was very honest when taking up the role saying he would only coach the team for three years. 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!). Their rivalry was second to none and saw them meet up in the NBA Finals three times. Larry Bird won three championships as a player, but did not win any as a coach. Data Provided By The Bulls had swept the Knicks 2-0 in a best-of-three first round. Another book that demonstrated the competitive drive amongst athletes was, Magic/ Bird written by Eric Simonson. The Western Conference Finals also led to one of the greatest game-winners ever. His performances included scoring 60 points against the Hawks which is still a Boston record to this day. I am fully convinced that anyone under the age of 40 will never admit Larry Bird was a better player than Stephen Curry. This was the last NBA Finals to use the 22111 format until 2014. Houston Rockets 4-2, Larry Bird Championship #2: 1984 Boston Celtics, 1984 First Round: Celtics def. Do you have a blog? However, the Lakers suffered a key injury when their 3rd leading scorer, Jamaal Wilkes (17 PPG) was ruled out of the finals. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. 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. Maybe you lived through the glory days of the 1980s Celtics but you cant quite remember how Bird got his rings. It was also the first of three NBA Finals meetings between the Celtics and Lakers during the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson era. 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. Sadly for Bird, the Pacers lost the series in six games. Those other two times? Even with Jordan exploding, only game two was close at 135-131. Adding one more hall of famer, Bill Walton, put this team over the top. 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. 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics behind FInals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Larry averaged 27-10-6. 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. While the 22111 format remained intact for the remainder of the playoff rounds, the 232 format would be used until 2013. The Celtics made short work of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning in five games. The games were not much closer than the series itself. Finals stats: 19.4 points, 11.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds in 50 games Finals rank: . Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics won the Finals convincingly 4-2. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. The Celtics struggled to slow down finals MVP Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bird struggled compared to his incredibly high standards. Bird's 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). The Celtics won the Finals in six games to cap off a season that . Born in Indiana in 1956, Larry Bird began playing basketball at a young age. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? 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). Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were carrying their teams on the offensive [] During the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Kansas City Kings in three, the Dallas Mavericks in five, and the Phoenix Suns in six. Larry Bird is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right. The American greatest basketball still worked as a coach and executive in the NBA, which had indeed led him to get over the low . 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. Boston won two close ones to start the series before Washington stole game three by 3 points. 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. Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. 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. 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. Carr stole James Worthy's inbounds pass followed by a dunk to seal the win. "Wilt . (the Lakers) learned a valuable lesson. They were defeated by the Golden State Warriors in six games. 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. In their professional careers, Bird played for the Boston Celtics and Magic played for the Los Angeles . He swept through the Bulls the next year, then beat the Atlanta Hawks in five games, then swept the Bucks. He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the finals in 1982 and 1983, winning in the former. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. Have the Phoenix Suns ever won the NBA title? Bird won the first Finals meeting between them in 1984 and Johnson won the two others; one in 1985, the other in 1987. The first series matched Boston up with the Chicago Bulls. The Celtics stayed unbeaten all-time in home Game 7s with a clear cut 111-102 victory. The Celtics blew out Houston in game 5 behind a big effort from Cedric Maxwell and then took a big lead and held on to win in game 6. Bird became only the third player in NBA history to win three titles in a row. However, despite sweeping the Bulls in the first round again, they had serious issues the next few. 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. 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 . Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: 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. 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. Nobody thought that the Celtics would beat the Lakers in 1984. Both times it was to his rival dating back to college: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! Averaging 30-10-7 with 3 steals. After altering wins with the Lakers, the Celtics won Game 7 and the series with a score of 111102. Despite this, Bird did not win any championships during his college career. Bird does not have any titles outside of the NBA, despite making the NCAA tournament final in 1979. Larry Bird is 6-9. The Cs shut the door at home in game 5 winning 115-108. His back suffered major issues, as he injured it building on his farm. Which player is ultimately better all-time is a different conversationbecause that includes a lot more than their individual matchups. At the macro level, the famous won three titles with the Boston Celtics. 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. Larry Bird's 1986 Playoff Stats . 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. The Lakers fell in the Western Conference finals to a new team that sprung up seemingly out of nowhere. With a new head coach in KC Jones and plenty of uncertainties, Carr said their motto for the season was Dont be denied. J Erving, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Among his accomplishments, Bird set the new single-game franchise record for points. The Cs closed it out winning game four by 3 points. Larry Bird and Earvin Magic Johnson helped define the modern NBA with their individual brilliance and team success in the 1980s. Hall of Fame. The Bucks took them to seven games before they were able to advance and the Pistons took them to seven in the Conference Finals. Larry Mangurian announced that he was selling the team because of difficulties with the owners of the Boston Garden. Larry Bird starred at Indiana State University before joining the NBA's Boston Celtics in 1979. . No one thought we could beat the Lakers. Take a look below. Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log. Only the strong survive. 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. 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. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. 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. Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. 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 won his first NBA Finals MVP. The rules shift was a big factor . The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. Larry Bird was one of the most polished rookies to enter the league and was great for the Celtics right from game one. 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. The Cs were heavily favored and had won 10 straight vs the Rockets, but Houston put up more of a fight than expected. His career was cut dramatically short by injury. 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. The Celtics swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics won the series, with Bird getting a triple double in the deciding game six. 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. Small Forward and Power Forward Please check your email for a confirmation. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. December 7, . . Milwaukee Bucks 4-1, 1984 NBA Finals: Celtics def. Who is the highest paid NBA player in the 2021-2022 Season? 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. She reported on the Celtics' sideline while Pat O'Brien reported on the Lakers' sideline. Larry Bird then married Dinah Mattingly on September 30, 1989, who he met while studying at the Indiana State University. Bird averaged 24.2 points,10.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game in the 1983-84 season. Game 4 of the 1984 Finals marked the last Finals game to go into overtime until Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals. 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. That's the first time the (80's) Lakers ever encountered that, someone stronger minded. Or maybe youre a younger fan wondering if Bird really deserves his place in the Pantheon of basketball greats. 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. . During that year Lesley Visser, Stockton's wife, became the first woman to cover the NBA Finals for CBS. 1984 was against the Los Ange. The Celtics swept the Bulls after getting a bye in the first round for winning the Atlantic Division. Larry Birds First NBA Championship 1981. Larry Bird of the Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Lakers, Malcolm Emmons and MPS - USA TODAY Sports. Even from his first season with Indiana State, Birds performances were exceptional. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Bird has four siblings' all brothers named Mike . The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 198384 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. Thanks in main to two close overtime wins, Boston won the series in seven games despite Bird struggling in the deciding game. Despite getting swept in the 1983 NBA Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers entered the season among the favorites to win the title. 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. Larry Bird Championship #1: 1981 Boston Celtics, 1981 Conference Semis: Celtics def. 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. How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. Background. . And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. But it is also quite possible even probable that Larry Bird cost the Celtics the 1985 NBA championship.". He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. 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. And after watching the Lakers face the Philadelphia 76ers twice during the 1982 and 1983 Finals, they were determined to win in 84. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? He averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 boards and 3.6 assists per game for the series. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Bird finished second in the MVP voting to Malone and was unable to lead the Celtics back to the Conference Finals. The series was not a close one: the Cs took a 3-0 lead before Milwaukee won their second home game to stay alive. The Lakers destroyed the Cs in their first home game 137-104 in game 3. Bird won three titles with the Celtics in 1981, 1984 and 1986, earning Finals MVP honors in the latter two. Coming off the back of a disappointing loss to the Lakers in the finals, many people saw Bird taking a step back going into the 1985-86 season. 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. Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. As weve mentioned, all these players were inducted into the Hall of Fame. He averaged a career-high 29.9 points that year, falling just five points . How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? 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. The Bulls lost Michael Jordan for most of this season to a foot injury and they were mostly terrible, finishing 4th in the Central Division. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Find out more. In his second season with the Celtics, Boston finished first in the East as they had done the previous year. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. Larry Bird said there were 'obvious' differences between himself and Magic Johnson. As one of the greatest players to ever step foot in the . Atlanta Hawks 4-1, 1986 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. Larry Bird beat iconic NBA players on his way to three NBA championships including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Hakeem Olajuwon. Though just looking at his record can get a bit confusing. 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. He finished 1986 with averages of 25-10-7. 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. It was one of the most dominant playoff runs that we had ever seen in basketball at this time and it was hard to imagine them as anything other than favorites entering that series against the Rockets, a team that they already beat in the championship before. 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. 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.