Averaging 30-10-7 with 3 steals. Malone is an underrated player, not as well-known as he should be. Get the latest news on Larry Bird, biographical info . 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. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird's rivalry - Sportskeeda In the first two NBA matchups between Bird and Magic . Who is the highest paid NBA player in the 2021-2022 Season? In his first trip to the NBA Finals, Tatum averaged 21.5 points, seven assists and 6.8 rebounds, but the Celtics came up short. He banked in a shot with a minute to go to put the Cs ahead for good and they won 91-90. NAME. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. After . Jayson Tatum passed Larry Bird for the most 30 point games The Celtics then knocked the 76ers off once again, this time in five games and advanced to the Finals for the second time in as many years. Larry Bird NBA Finals Stats | StatMuse James has as many series losses in the Finals as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird combined. The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. Bird averaged 24 points per game as Boston won the series in six to net him his THIRD ring. Larry Bird beat iconic NBA players on his way to three NBA championships including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Hakeem Olajuwon. And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. It gave Bird his first finals loss in his third appearance. 1984 NBA Finals - Wikipedia 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. Bird created a very good team. Or write about sports? Larry Bird was one of the most polished rookies to enter the league and was great for the Celtics right from game one. Ruland, a center, averaged 22 points and 12 boards for the season. Get to know Larry Bird: Stats, records and more - RSN Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: It was an offensive and defensive clinic. The Lakers were coached by Pat Riley and also featured defensive ace Michael Cooper, a young. Michael Cooper Explains What Made Larry Bird 'Larger Than Life' - MSN 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. In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. If you were wondering about his career numbers while we wrap this up, he averaged 24.3 points, 10 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. However, the Lakers suffered a key injury when their 3rd leading scorer, Jamaal Wilkes (17 PPG) was ruled out of the finals. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. 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 Lakers) learned a valuable lesson. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. The Bucks were no match for the Celtics, and this spelled the end of a competitive Bucks team that fizzled out after this season. The NBA Finals series was closer than either of the Conference Finals. 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. Despite good performances from Bird, Magic Johnson outplayed him as the jumbo sized Lakers guard won finals MVP. The Celtics took seven games to defeat Bernard Kings Knicks in the conference semifinals. And they werent. Atlanta Hawks 4-1, 1986 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. At the macro level, the famous won three titles with the Boston Celtics. 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. The 86 Celtics are in the conversation for best team ever with Bill Walton joining Bird, Robert Parish and. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? Larry Bird is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. The Bucks took them to seven games before they were able to advance and the Pistons took them to seven in the Conference Finals. Bird won three in a row between 1983 and 1986, whereas Johnson closedthe decade out with a pair ofMVP awards. Certain completely unbiased fans, like myself, rank him very highly in that top ten. 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. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. Celtics Starters: Gerald Henderson, Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird, Cedric Maxwell and Robert Parish. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird. 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. Copyright 2023 Sports Nostalgia HQ | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Larry Bird was named MVP of the 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. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . Bird and the Celtics lined up against the Los Angeles Lakers who took them to seven games. Coopers. Copyright 2023 Sports Nostalgia HQ | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. 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 . They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. After the game, Larry Bird said his team played like "sissies" in an attempt to light a fire under his teammates. Pretty good matchup between he and MJ. 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. 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. In his first season as Pacers coach, Indiana finished third in the east, having finished tenth the prior season. The Bucks were led in the series, as they had been in the regular season, by wing Marques Johnson and Hall of Fame guard Sidney Moncrief. 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 had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. But what is Larry Birds record in the NBA Finals? The Celtics snuck past the Philadelphia 76ers in 7 games after the Sixers had taken a 3-1 lead to open the series. Larry Bird would go after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar later on in the third quarter, and 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell further antagonized the Lakers by following a missed James Worthy free throw by crossing the lane with his hands around his own neck, symbolizing that Worthy was "choking" under pressure. Larry Bird stats . Unfortunately, the team was defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers in five games and they were sent home. Born in Indiana in 1956, Larry Bird began playing basketball at a young age. The Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals in 1984, 1985, and 1987 with Bird and Cooper going at it. 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. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. The Celtics star received 52 first placed votes, with second place Bernard King only getting eleven. 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. M.L. Carr on Lakers vs. Celtics 1984 Finals being epic - Basketball Boston entered the new decade by winning the 1981 NBA Finals. In Game 6, the Lakers evened the series with a 119-108 victory. In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics behind FInals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Answer (1 of 2): Larry Bird has been in the NBA Finals 5 times as a player, all while playing with the Boston Celtics. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the finals in 1982 and 1983, winning in the former. Larry Mangurian announced that he was selling the team because of difficulties with the owners of the Boston Garden. This series was an eye-opener into how good the Celtics were this season. Have the Phoenix Suns ever won the NBA title? In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. The Lakers fell in the Western Conference finals to a new team that sprung up seemingly out of nowhere. FTA complete back to 1948-49. There were three Larry Bird championships with the Boston Celtics: in 1981, 1984 and 1986. Larry Bird | Bio-married, divorce, affair, children - Playerswiki However, despite sweeping the Bulls in the first round again, they had serious issues the next few. 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. Larry Bird starred at Indiana State University before joining the NBA's Boston Celtics in 1979. . Keep reading to learn more about each championship win, the series leading up to the finals, and each Larry Bird championship season. Here's when Larry Bird, Magic Johnson learned they have a lot - Yahoo Houston had a tough road to the Finals: they beat the defending champion Lakers featuring both. 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. 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. Which Player has Played in the Most NBA Finals Games? * 1981: Boston Celtics def. Unfortunately for the Pacers and Larry Bird, the Lakers were just too much for the Pacers. Marques Johnson and Sidney Moncrief led the Bucks. Despite this, Bird did not win any championships during his college career. Who Did Larry Bird Lose To In the NBA Finals? 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. The 1984 NBA Finals was the first championship meeting between old rivals Boston and Los Angeles since 1969. Or maybe youre a younger fan wondering if Bird really deserves his place in the Pantheon of basketball greats. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! In the game the Lakers answered the Celtics' rough tactics when Laker forward James Worthy shoved Cedric Maxwell into a basket support. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. 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!). Bird was Finals MVP in the teams victories over the Houston Rockets in 1986 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984. The Celtics ended the series shooting 52% from the field while holding the Bucks to 44% shooting. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. It brought Bird his third and final NBA Championship. Larry Birds Celtics lost two NBA Finals. In the playoffs, the team went 15-3 en route to winning the championship. Two superstars, Magic and Larry, and the two most iconic teams in the leagues history, the Lakers and the Celtics. home/away, monthly, etc More Larry Bird Basketball Reference pages, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:46PM. The couple has two adopted children named Conner Mariah.. Family. I wrote about his record in the NBA Finals here. 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. In 1981, 1984 and 1986, it was Bird who led the Boston Celtics to championships, with him taking home two Finals MVP awards. "Wilt . Houston lost a close game 1 then won a tight game 2 in Boston. Should individual honors and scoring records take precedence? Bird averaged 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game for the series. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. Which NBA Team had the Most Hall of Famers for one Season. talent just don't get it. Three seasons later, the Celtics were in the finals again and this time they faced the Los Angeles Lakers and Magic Johnson for the first time. Larry Bird's Famous Wife Not Everyone Knows - msn.com Bird averaged 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game for the series. Larry Birds Finals record is in the lower half of the list of all-time greats below. Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were carrying their teams on the offensive [] And, as if that wasn't enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. He and Chauncey Billups are the only two retired players to win Finals MVP but not to make the Hall of Fame. Larry led the way and averaged 27-14-4 to lead the team to the championship, along with his first Finals MVP. Larry, to his credit, was phenomenal. Is LeBron James better than Larry Bird? - Quora 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. The Bucks, coached by Celtics legend Don Nelson, won the Central Division title in 1984. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? AP Was There: Bird beats Magic in 1st Finals showdown - USA Today Larry Bird's 1986 Playoff Stats . While everyone has their own favorite NBA players, its impossible to argue with Larry Birds position in the all-time basketball pantheon. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right. The Competitive Drive Between Bird And Bird By Eric Simonon Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Fans gave Bird a standing ovation when he was introduced. How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. The Pacers had two pretty comfortable series to begin the 1998 post season with wins over the Cavaliers and the Knicks. As with many teams in the 1990s, the Pacers were stopped by the Chicago Bulls, losing the series in seven games as the Bulls did not lose a home game in the series. Birds third and final NBA championship came in 1986. His performances included scoring 60 points against the Hawks which is still a Boston record to this day. December 7, 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. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. The Celtics got the better of their Showtime Lakers rivales in a heated seven game series to claim the 1984 NBA Title. It did not slow Bird down as he won a title the next season with the now legendary 86 Celtics. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.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 75-64. The Cs closed it out winning game four by 3 points. Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? He won his second NBA Finals MVP. Larry Bird of the Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Lakers, Malcolm Emmons and MPS - USA TODAY Sports. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Which player is ultimately better all-time is a different conversationbecause that includes a lot more than their individual matchups. Larry Bird - Stats, Age & Height - Biography The trade signaled a transition period, as some of the key players from the first two championships gave way to younger talent. Larry Bird won three NBA championships in his basketball career. That's the first time the (80's) Lakers ever encountered that, someone stronger minded. Bird's Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, Larry Bird Championship #3: 1986 Boston Celtics, 1986 First Round: Celtics def. So for an entire decade, the NBA Finals included one of the two marquee franchises. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. You can read up on all three of Larry Birds incredible championships below. 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) . It was Boston's worst playoff defeat in franchise history to that date. . Bird became only the third player in NBA history to win three titles in a row. 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. Being the reigning MVP, there were big expectations for Bird in the 1984-85 season. The NBA Playoffs saw some change this year, with the tournament expanding to 16-teams and the four-round knockout we see today. 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. Many were expecting another Lakers-Celtics matchup, but it just wasnt in the cards this Finals. Small Forward and Power Forward 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. Data Provided By 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. The Lakers defeated the Celtics in the finals twice, preventing Bird from having any more NBA titles. 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. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2 NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986) 3 NBA Most Valuable Player (1984-1986) . They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Milwaukee Bucks 4-0, 1986 NBA Finals: Celtics def. Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. Fast forward a couple of seasons and Bird marched his team back into the 1984 postseason. NBA unveils two new postseason awards named after Larry Bird, Magic More player info Birds Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. What is Larry Bird's record in the NBA finals? - Quora By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. The games were closer than youd expect for a 1 seed vs 8 seed series. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 1979-80 season with high . The NBA unveiled two new postseason awards on Thursday morning: the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and Western Conference Finals MVP. The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Lakers in 1983 and the Detroit Pistons snuck by the Lakers in 1989. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. In 1980, 1982, 1985 and 1988, Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to championships, winning three Finals MVPs along the way. 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. 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 - College Basketball At Sports-Reference the Celtics posted a 61-21 record and defeated the Houston Rockets to take the first NBA . 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. It was yet again against the Lakers and they split the first two games 1-1. Larry Bird won the NBA Finals MVP two times. Larry Bird News, Biography, NBA Records, Stats & Facts - Sportskeeda In their professional careers, Bird played for the Boston Celtics and Magic played for the Los Angeles . Despite getting swept in the 1983 NBA Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers entered the season among the favorites to win the title. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. Birds 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson, 1985 & 1987. He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. Head to Head: Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson | Stathead.com In other words, he noticed that some . In the 198384 season, the Celtics won 62 games to lead the league. The Bullets were the 8th seed in the East winning only 35 regular season games and finishing last in the Atlantic division. This was the last NBA Finals to use the 22111 format until 2014. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. 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. Having finished second in MVP voting the prior year, Bird dominated the season and the voting. Then came the championship series. Michael Cooper Backs Larry Bird and Blasts JJ Redick, Calling Him a Poor Mans Danny Ainge. Fox believes the Westbrook is the most scrutinized player in the NBA, while also stating that everyone inside the league loves Westbrook, regardless of what the outside perception may be, Arenas believes that the Grizzlies should ignore Morant's actions because every other team would and he's a productive player for them, Tim Hardaway told his favorite Run TMC story involving Don Nelson which resulted to an unforgettable moment for the group. 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. Magic led the Lakers to victory at home in game 6, setting the stage for a Boston Garden Game 7. The game after setting an NBA finals record for made threes with eight in game 2 against the Lakers in 2010, Ray Allen . What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? What are the abbreviations on the NBA table. Larry averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in this series. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. Carr stole James Worthy's inbounds pass followed by a dunk to seal the win. His individual performance was recognised all across the NBA as he helped Boston to a then record breaking 67-15 regular season record. Birds 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log | Basketball-Reference.com On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Johnson and Bird met at the NBA Finals three times in 1984, 1985 and 1987. The Cs won a couple home games to start the series then lost a close one on the road. She reported on the Celtics' sideline while Pat O'Brien reported on the Lakers' sideline. . Stephen Curry is now a career 21-4 (.840) in playoff series - Reddit He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half. Larry Bird then married Dinah Mattingly on September 30, 1989, who he met while studying at the Indiana State University. Known as "Larry Legend," Bird has achieved incredible success in his career, earning multiple awards and holding numerous records. 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. That NCAA tournament final is one of the most iconic games in college basketball history. At 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 metres), Erving played forward and was noted for his fast breaks, balletic leaps toward the basket . he guided the Pacers to a 58-24 record, which was the best in franchise history at the time. The games were not much closer than the series itself. The Lakers drew first blood but Boston evened the series in Game 2. How Did The Legendary Rivalry of Magic Johnson And Larry Bird Turned 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. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Required fields are marked *. Adding one more hall of famer, Bill Walton, put this team over the top. Jayson Tatum's 25th birthday | ksdk.com What is Larry Bird's record in the NBA Finals? - Hoop Maestro In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. After altering wins with the Lakers, the Celtics won Game 7 and the series with a score of 111102. He was one member of the greatest rivalry in the leagues history between himself and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic Johnson. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. Larry averaged 27-10-6. The expected CelticsLakers finals, however, never happened. Everything you wanted to know about Indiana legend Larry Bird

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