How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Your email address will not be published. My favorite quotes about Larry Bird - CelticsBlog The Celtics had hope they could avenge the loss of two years prior. 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. 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 . Bird has four siblings' all brothers named Mike . Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. 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. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? Sadly, after that Finals loss, Bird never made it into another Finals series. Larry Bird's Famous Wife Not Everyone Knows - msn.com 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). Larry Bird won his first NBA Finals MVP. Which player is ultimately better all-time is a different conversationbecause that includes a lot more than their individual matchups. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. 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. Cedric 'Cornbread' Maxwell speaks out on GOAT, today's NBA, Larry Bird FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. Larry Bird was named MVP of the series. 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. 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. This was Birds last finals appearance, meaning that he went to five NBA finals overall, winning 3. The Bucks, coached by Celtics legend Don Nelson, won the Central Division title in 1984. Birds Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. The Detroit Pistons took two games off them in the second round but it didnt matter, Bird averaged 28 points per game as they won in six. 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 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. Some notable games between the two of them: At least when it comes to how they fared in theirhead-to-head matchups. 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 Birds NBA Finals record is 3-2. Im kind of country, she explained. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana Reliving the almost-perfect championship series stint authored by Larry Larry Bird News, Biography, NBA Records, Stats & Facts - Sportskeeda 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 Bird | Net Worth, Salary, And Career Earnings The Indiana-born was the highest-paid rookie of the year, with $3.25 million an average of $650,000 a year in a 5-year contract with the Celtics.Bird had played 879 games in his career until his retirement in 1992.. Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Times, But Magic Johnson Won The Head-To-Head Matchups . Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log | Basketball-Reference.com Larry wouldnt have been a controversial choice, but Cedric Maxwell was the emotional center of the Celtics and meant so much to the teams culture. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first . 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. Who is the highest paid NBA player in the 2021-2022 Season? As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. AP Was There: Bird beats Magic in 1st Finals showdown - USA Today (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. In their professional careers, Bird played for the Boston Celtics and Magic played for the Los Angeles . Fast forward a couple of seasons and Bird marched his team back into the 1984 postseason. Bird was Finals MVP in the teams victories over the Houston Rockets in 1986 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984. The three finals victories are outlined above, but Bird also had two finals losses. The famous forward might not have been the most athletic man ever to hit the hardwood, but that wasnt a problem. This book highlighted the rivalry between Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson throughout their respected basketball careers. Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. The 1984 championship series scored high TV ratings. Boston finished with a 62-20 regular season record and got their revenge on the Bucks, whom they beat 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals. No matter which side of the aisle you find yourself on, though, Larry Bird has you covered. The Cs shut the door at home in game 5 winning 115-108. The Lakers were indeed the thoroughbreds that year. He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? . Top 15 Worst NBA Finals Performances by a Star - TheSportster The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. His back suffered major issues, as he injured it building on his farm. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. Larry Bird's Stats For Each Season: Consistency Was The Key, He You can read up on all three of Larry Birds incredible championships below. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 when his Celttics defeated the Lakers in seven games. Bird created a very good team. The Cs won games five and six by two points each to reach game 7. After altering wins with the Lakers, the Celtics won Game 7 and the series with a score of 111102. The first happened in 1985, a year after the Celtics had defeated the Lakers in the finals. Born in Indiana in 1956, Larry Bird began playing basketball at a young age. Carr. Bill Walton needed a change of scenery when he was in San Diego and Red Auerbach provided that for him in Boston. In the Western Conference Finals the Rockets handled the defending champion Lakers in five games. Chicago Bulls 3-0, 1986 Conference Semis: Celtics def. October 9, 2019. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: NAME DATE SEASON SERIES TM OPP REC W% MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% PF +/-Magic Johnson: 5/27/1984: 1983-84 . He tied it up with two free throws with 3 minutes to go. 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. Shoots: The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. The #1 and #2 seeds were set to face off in the Conference Finals. Larry Bird then married Dinah Mattingly on September 30, 1989, who he met while studying at the Indiana State University. I wrote about his underrated defense here. Right, Born: He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half. Milwaukee Bucks 4-0, 1986 NBA Finals: Celtics def. It didnt take the Lakers long to learn, but in that series, it was the element of surprise that we needed. Larry Bird Vs Magic Johnson : r/nba - Reddit Birds Celtics beat three pretty different teams in their Finals victories despite two of them being the Houston Rockets. Net Worth, Salary & Earnings of Larry Bird in 2023. Head to Head: Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson | Stathead.com 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 last four games all came down to the last shot, with all the games being decided by two points or less. 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. 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. Bird's 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson , 1985 & 1987. Game 7 at the Boston Garden was one for the ages! 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. Two-time National Basketball Association champion Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell points to the pillars of the game when it comes to the question, "Who is the greatest NBA player of all time?" "I measure it by those who changed the game," said the former Boston Celtics standout on Sunday afternoon while taking part in the Legends & Stars Sports Expo at Batavia Downs Gaming. Larry averaged 23-13-7 on his way to a four-game sweep. With Kareem ageing, the Celtics hoped that they could win the finals. The Boston Celtics won the 1981 NBA Championship in six games giving Larry Bird his first NBA title. He and Chauncey Billups are the only two retired players to win Finals MVP but not to make the Hall of Fame. 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. "Wilt . The Conference Semifinals was a seven-game series against the Knicks, which ended with Boston winning 4-3. Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? The 1987 NBA Finals again saw the Los Angeles Lakers up against Birds Celtics. Larry, to his credit, was phenomenal. Ruland, a center, averaged 22 points and 12 boards for the season. 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. Some of Johnson's notable performances against Bird: As for some of Bird's notable performances against Johnson: Johnson and Bird played against each other 19 times in the playoffs over the course of three NBA Finals. The expected CelticsLakers finals, however, never happened. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 197980 season with high expectations. Bird's Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. But what is Larry Birds record in the NBA Finals? The NBA Playoffs saw some change this year, with the tournament expanding to 16-teams and the four-round knockout we see today. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. The Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. 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. He was one member of the greatest rivalry in the leagues history between himself and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic Johnson. The teams traded games throughout the series. This Finals had everything. 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. Background. Larry averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in this series. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. Larry Bird: Biography. The Celtics snuck past the Philadelphia 76ers in 7 games after the Sixers had taken a 3-1 lead to open the series. Bird averaged 24 points per game as Boston won the series in six to net him his THIRD ring. 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. 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. 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. Being the reigning MVP, there were big expectations for Bird in the 1984-85 season. Larry Bird | Bio-married, divorce, affair, children - Playerswiki These Knicks really were Bernard Kings team. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. Bird and the Celtics lined up against the Los Angeles Lakers who took them to seven games. Games. . The East's award is named after Larry Bird and the West's after Magic Johnson. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. Larry Bird Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more Bird averaged 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game for the series. Cedric Maxwell, Larry Birds teammate, was awarded Finals MVP with 18-9-3. 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. However, despite sweeping the Bulls in the first round again, they had serious issues the next few. Bird won their first meeting in seven games, winning the NBA Finals MVP. Larry Bird [2023 Update]: Wife, Net worth & Family - Players Bio 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. 1981 was against the Houston Rockets where Cedric Maxwell was the NBA Finals MVP. Between 1980 and 1989, there were only two seasons that ended with someone other than Johnson or Bird winning the title. When Larry Bird Began His Coaching Career, He Revealed - Sportscasting I write about games, players and seasons from the past. Not that there was anything to really worry about for him, it really just added a chip on his shoulder to come back and perform to a high standard. The Cs closed it out winning game four by 3 points. The 1984 NBA Finals was the first championship meeting between old rivals Boston and Los Angeles since 1969. 2 NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986) 3 NBA Most Valuable Player (1984-1986) . Larry Bird's NBA Finals record is 3-2. The Celtics beat the Lakers 4-3, winning by nine points in the deciding Game 7. 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. Allen Iverson Jersey Mitchell and Ness: A Complete Guide. Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). Carr as he left the floor, causing him to label the series "all-out-war.". 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. 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 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. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. Larry Bird won the NBA Finals MVP two times. Hall of Fame. At the macro level, the famous won three titles with the Boston Celtics. Head-to-Head Regular Season Stats. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. The following year, the NBA Finals format was changed to 232 after Red Auerbach complained about the constant travelling during the Finals. Bird, who was selected 6th in the 1978 NBA draft but committed back to Indiana State for his senior season, was named Rookie of the Year after leading the Celtics to a 32-game turnaround from the previous year, going from 29 to 61 wins. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! Larry Bird picked up the 1984 MVP award and led his Celtics to the first seed in the Eastern Conference with a 62-20 overall record. In 1981, 1984 and 1986, it was Bird who led the Boston Celtics to championships, with him taking home two Finals MVP awards. If you are interested in Larry Bird Championships, you might be interested in checking out some of these posts I have written about Larry Legend. 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. Or write about sports? One of the ongoing debates within the world of sports centers around how you define greatness. 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. The top 31 players and coaches, The Bulls featured Reggie Theus and Artis Gilmore (. Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986) . The Bucks swept the Nets in the first round then took seven games to get by a tough Sixers squad starring a young. more information Accept. Bird won the first Finals meeting between them in 1984 and Johnson won the two others; one in 1985, the other in 1987. Fans gave Bird a standing ovation when he was introduced. The Cs closed it out with a lopsided victory in game 5. Larry Bird's continuing influence on the game of basketball crossed a new threshold . 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. Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were carrying their teams on the offensive [] The Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. . The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Lakers in 1983 and the Detroit Pistons snuck by the Lakers in 1989. 9 John Vanak (alternate, replaced Evans), This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:16. It was Boston's worst playoff defeat in franchise history to that date. Indiana State University, High School: In Birds rookie season in the league, he helped lead the Boston Celtics all the way into the Eastern Conference Finals. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, Larry Bird Championship #3: 1986 Boston Celtics, 1986 First Round: Celtics def. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. Magic led the team in scoring this time but was still joined by the same stars: Kareem, James Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. It brought Bird his third and final NBA Championship. The Houston Rockets were led by their Twin Towers, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. We had Larry Bird, Kevin Mchale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson on the Celtics. The Cs were heavily favored and had won 10 straight vs the Rockets, but Houston put up more of a fight than expected. The 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell led the team in scoring after saying something like Get on my back boys before the game. Larry Bird Net Worth. 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. Larry Bird Boston Celtics Autographed Wilson Replica - Walmart The first series matched Boston up with the Chicago Bulls. And, to be clear, he came by it honestly. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. . Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. The first round was a 3-1 victory over the Washington Bullets. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 1979-80 season with high . The Celtics won game 2 at home but lost two games in Philly to fall behind 3-1. Big Names Off the Bench: Jerry Sichting, Bill Walton and Scott Wedman. Get to know Larry Bird: Stats, records and more - RSN This series prompted Bird to quote, Thats God disguised as Michael Jordan. Michael averaged 43 points through the three-game series. Tatum and the rest of his team are eager to avenge the loss in the Finals . It's clear the two dominated the decade, but who got the better of who? As one of the greatest players to ever step foot in the . Home; Tickets; Schedule. Larry Bird is one of the few basketball players in history that are widely recognized even by people who dont even know the sport. Referee Hugh Evans became dehydrated and fainted at one point in the first half. The Celtics won the Finals in six games to cap off a season that . 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 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. Game 4 of the 1984 Finals marked the last Finals game to go into overtime until Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals. Here are some of the records and historical rankings that Larry Bird achieved at Indiana State: A member of the 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound club: 2,850 points and 1,247 rebounds Indiana State's all . How to say Basketball in different languages? Despite playing for another five seasons after his last title, Bird would retire with three NBA championships. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! Hakeem was no slouch, averaging the most points and rebounds in the NBA playoffs. Celtics Starters: Tiny Archibald, Chris Ford, Larry Bird, Cedric Cornbread Maxwell and Robert Parish. Unlike some of the other players that have gone down in NBA History, Larry didnt leave his team whatsoever. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Larry pushed the Celtics out of the second round with an easy 4-1 series win over the Atlanta Hawks, led at the time by Dominique Wilkins. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Larry Bird, the former basketball player for NBA's Boston Celtics, is a true icon in the world of basketball. 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. Things werent as cheerful from this point forward for Boston though. It was clear that the Celtics were mentally exhausted after playing that many games in such a short span, which resulted in the Lakers beating Bird and the Celtics in six quick games. The Celtics entered the next season off a high, cruising into the NBA playoffs and sweeping Cleveland in the opening series. Bostons setbacks didnt end on the basketball court. So lets look at the 1984 NBA season. . Jordan averaged an insane 43.7 points, 5.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds for this. 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. Houston Rockets 4-2, Larry Bird Championship #2: 1984 Boston Celtics, 1984 First Round: Celtics def. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. Jayson Tatum passed Larry Bird for the most 30 point games
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