However, the Lakers suffered a key injury when their 3rd leading scorer, Jamaal Wilkes (17 PPG) was ruled out of the finals. 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. The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. Required fields are marked *. The Celtics won the Finals in six games to cap off a season that . After . NBA unveils two new postseason awards named after Larry Bird, Magic Who is the highest paid NBA player in the 2021-2022 Season? In terms of individual honors, he won the 1979-80 Rookie of the Year title, claimed three MVP crowns, and earned two NBA Finals MVP nods. (the Lakers) learned a valuable lesson. 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. Head-to-Head Regular Season Stats. The Celtics eventually prevailed in overtime 124-121, thanks to Scott Wedman's game-winning shot from the baseline with 14 ticks left. At the macro level, the famous won three titles with the Boston Celtics. Home; Tickets; Schedule. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. His career was cut dramatically short by injury. Having finished second in MVP voting the prior year, Bird dominated the season and the voting. Summary: Larry Bird's Finals Record. His first run to the NBA Finals came in his second season, averaging 21-11-5 with 2 steals a game. Larry Bird Net Worth. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? The game was known as the "Heat Game", as it was played under 97F (36C) heat, and without any air conditioning, at Boston Garden. Answer (1 of 2): Larry Bird has been in the NBA Finals 5 times as a player, all while playing with the Boston Celtics. What is Larry Bird's record in the NBA finals? - Quora 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. The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. 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. 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. Birds 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). Larry Bird is 6-9. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right. But it was in 1986 when the Celtics faced the Houston Rockets for the championship when Bird . Bird vs. Magic: Stats, Rings & Head-to-Head Record | Heavy.com The East's award is named after Larry Bird and the West's after Magic Johnson. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird's rivalry - Sportskeeda Larry Bird Boston Celtics Autographed Wilson Replica - Walmart The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first . What is Larry Birds Record in the NBA Finals? Safe to say he absolutely dominated in every facet of the game for that second ring. Pretty good matchup between he and MJ. Birds great performances in games one and six helped lead the Celtics to the title and Bird claimed his first NBA Championship in 1981. Bird averaged 24 points per game as Boston won the series in six to net him his THIRD ring. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. 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. Fast forward a couple of seasons and Bird marched his team back into the 1984 postseason. Certain completely unbiased fans, like myself, rank him very highly in that top ten. Johnson was called "Tragic Johnson" by Celtics fans due to the two crucial errors he committed in Game 4 (the Parish steal, followed by two botched free throws in OT). The top 31 players and coaches, The Bulls featured Reggie Theus and Artis Gilmore (. Johnson and Bird met at the NBA Finals three times in 1984, 1985 and 1987. 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. But it is also quite possible even probable that Larry Bird cost the Celtics the 1985 NBA championship.". 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. After dispatching MJ, the Cs cruised by Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semis. The Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals in 1984, 1985, and 1987 with Bird and Cooper going at it. The series was not a close one: the Cs took a 3-0 lead before Milwaukee won their second home game to stay alive. 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. How to say Basketball in different languages? Bird did not technically average a triple double for the series because both his rebounds and assists were slightly below 10 and Ive rounded them, but, still, those stats are unreal. Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. Do you have a sports website? No one thought we could beat the Lakers. He has been an NBA champion in 1981, 1984 and 1986 out of which he was the NBA Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986. The Celtics won the Finals convincingly 4-2. 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. Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). It's an era thing. Bird set a career-high with 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks during the 1984-85 season. Scoring the rivalry: How Magic Johnson and Larry Bird played in their Cedric Maxwell, Larry Birds teammate, was awarded Finals MVP with 18-9-3. talent just don't get it. Fitch went on to say that Mangurians decision to sell the team was the backbreaker and that he would have reconsidered his resignation had the team not been put up for sale. The Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere. The games were not much closer than the series itself. Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. In the final game of the tournament, Larry Bird and his erstwhile unbeaten Indiana State Sycamores lost to Magic Johnson and his Michigan State Spartans by the score of 7564. The Hawks also still had good rebounder Tree Rollis. Check out stats on every National Basketball Association Finals MVP winner on ESPN.com. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. 1981 was against the Houston Rockets where Cedric Maxwell was the NBA Finals MVP. Remember, Boston selected Larry in the 1978 draft but decided to return to Indiana State for his senior season. . Celtics Starters: Tiny Archibald, Chris Ford, Larry Bird, Cedric Cornbread Maxwell and Robert Parish. By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. 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. The Cs closed it out winning game four by 3 points. The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Lakers in 1983 and the Detroit Pistons snuck by the Lakers in 1989. Nobody thought that the Celtics would beat the Lakers in 1984. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. 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. Take a look below. How Did The Legendary Rivalry of Magic Johnson And Larry Bird Turned How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? The Celtics made short work of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning in five games. And, as if that wasn't enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. Even from his first season with Indiana State, Birds performances were exceptional. 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. Bird is a universally known NBA legend and is often credited with the NBAs explosion of popularity in the 1980s. 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. he guided the Pacers to a 58-24 record, which was the best in franchise history at the time. . Houston Rockets 4-2, Larry Bird Championship #2: 1984 Boston Celtics, 1984 First Round: Celtics def. 1956 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. 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. Magic Johnson Finals Record Vs Larry Bird | StatMuse The Cs were heavily favored and had won 10 straight vs the Rockets, but Houston put up more of a fight than expected. He was one member of the greatest rivalry in the leagues history between himself and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic Johnson. Furthermore, Johnson and Bird earned five of the 10 MVP awards handed out during the 1980s. He tied it up with two free throws with 3 minutes to go. Allen Iverson Jersey Mitchell and Ness: A Complete Guide. The Cs shut the door at home in game 5 winning 115-108. The Celtics took four games to get by the Bullets in the first round best-of-five series. This was Birds last finals appearance, meaning that he went to five NBA finals overall, winning 3. The 86 Celts, in the conversation for the greatest team of all time, defeated Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest player of all time, in the first round. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. 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). That's the first time the (80's) Lakers ever encountered that, someone stronger minded. The Lakers destroyed the Cs in their first home game 137-104 in game 3. That went to Birds teammate. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 1979-80 season with high . 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. 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. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? 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. Larry Bird NBA Finals Stats | StatMuse When Larry Bird Began His Coaching Career, He Revealed - Sportscasting The Celtics snuck past the Philadelphia 76ers in 7 games after the Sixers had taken a 3-1 lead to open the series. After a tough seven game series in the conference finals against the Sixers, Boston advanced to the finals to face the Rockets. 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. Below you can see the playoff results for all of Birds Celtics teams. Larry Bird Had a Perfectly Understated Response While Discussing His Finals stats: 19.4 points, 11.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds in 50 games Finals rank: . 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. Traditional So for an entire decade, the NBA Finals included one of the two marquee franchises. 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 reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. He was the NBA Finals MVP in 1981, and the . Stephen Curry is now a career 21-4 (.840) in playoff series. In his second season with the Celtics, Boston finished first in the East as they had done the previous year. He swept through the Bulls the next year, then beat the Atlanta Hawks in five games, then swept the Bucks. You can't tell the story of the 1980s without Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. This cost the Lakers valuable depth, as James Worthy, a key contributor off the bench, would now have to start in Wilkes' place. Larry Bird Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more The Philidelphia 76ers were led by NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, and Darryl Dawkins. However, this changed in the 1979 season when Birds Indiana State qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. Then head coach Bill Fitch resigned as head coach despite having the second-best coaching record in the NBA during his four-year stint in Boston. Larry Bird's Famous Wife Not Everyone Knows - msn.com We present them here for purely educational purposes. Both these players were representing teams from their home States, adding extra spice to the whole thing. In his last season as the teams head coach, Birds Pacers were the number one seed in the east and were not really tested throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs. FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. During the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Kansas City Kings in three, the Dallas Mavericks in five, and the Phoenix Suns in six. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. Navigation Toggle NBA. Sadly for Bird, the Pacers lost the series in six games. Which player is ultimately better all-time is a different conversationbecause that includes a lot more than their individual matchups. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. The Bucks took them to seven games before they were able to advance and the Pistons took them to seven in the Conference Finals. 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. Sadly for Bird, Michigan State were just too much for him as the Spartans ran out 75-64 winners. The following year, the NBA Finals format was changed to 232 after Red Auerbach complained about the constant travelling during the Finals. more information Accept. And after watching the Lakers face the Philadelphia 76ers twice during the 1982 and 1983 Finals, they were determined to win in 84. His performances helped to take the Celtics to 62 wins in the regular season, topping the NBA. Celtics Starters: Gerald Henderson, Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird, Cedric Maxwell and Robert Parish. In 1980, 1982, 1985 and 1988, Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to championships, winning three Finals MVPs along the way. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. The Bucks now featured a young Terry Cummings along with Paul Pressey and Sidney Moncrief. 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. However, despite sweeping the Bulls in the first round again, they had serious issues the next few. Everything you wanted to know about Indiana legend Larry Bird He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. 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. 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. Reflecting back on the series, Magic Johnson said ". Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The three finals victories are outlined above, but Bird also had two finals losses. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. FTA complete back to 1948-49. The Celtics won a very close game 3 in Houston to take control of the series with a 3-1 lead. Jayson Tatum passed Larry Bird for the most 30 point games Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana 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 . If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics behind FInals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Games. 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. Shoots: Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Times, But Magic Johnson Won The Head-To-Head Matchups . He was named NBA Head Coach of the Year in 1998. I wrote about his underrated defense here. Between 1980 and 1989, there were only two seasons that ended with someone other than Johnson or Bird winning the title. Larry Bird's 1986 Playoff Stats . 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. But does that record provide a fair verdict on James' performance in the NBA Finals? The Celtics entered the next season off a high, cruising into the NBA playoffs and sweeping Cleveland in the opening series. They snuck into the playoffs because of a weak Central division. Birds Pacers swept the Bucks and the Sixers in the first two rounds of the playoffs and looked likely to make it to the finals as they came up against the eight seed New York Knicks in the conference finals. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Larry Bird - Wikipedia Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. 6-9 , 220lb (206cm, 99kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. However, its the only individual award Cedric Maxwell won in his career. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 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 9 John Vanak (alternate, replaced Evans), This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:16. The Celtics won the third and final title of the Bird era with a victory over the twin towers of the Houston Rockets. In addition to Nique, the Hawks starred Kevin Willis. Larry is a three time NBA MVP consecutively from 1984-86, which is still a record. Larry Joe Bird. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 when his Celttics defeated the Lakers in seven games. Only the strong survive. 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. How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? - Basketball Noise He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half. May 12, 2022. Both teams could have easily succeeded in taking the Eastern Conference Finals. Trailing in game 4, Kevin McHale clothes lined Kurt Rambis to spark the Cs to victory. The Celtics won the first three games by an average of 6 points before the Hawks got their only win at home. He averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 . And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. Reliving the almost-perfect championship series stint authored by Larry Referee Hugh Evans became dehydrated and fainted at one point in the first half. Even when he found fame and fortune, the NBA star never forgot his humble roots. 0:49. Larry Bird stats . Among his accomplishments, Bird set the new single-game franchise record for points. Bird: "So you're overpaid.". 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. Aside from the two stars, the teams were among the most stacked in history. 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 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. 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. The Pacers had two pretty comfortable series to begin the 1998 post season with wins over the Cavaliers and the Knicks. Do you have a blog? 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 beat iconic NBA players on his way to three NBA championships including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Hakeem Olajuwon. Boston entered the new decade by winning the 1981 NBA Finals. Here's when Larry Bird, Magic Johnson learned they have a lot - Yahoo The big reason of course for this is Magic Johnson and the Lakers. They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. 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). 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. As of 2023, Larry Bird's net worth is around $80 million; he has different income sources. Larry led the way with an average of 25 points per game. In the Western Conference Finals the Rockets handled the defending champion Lakers in five games. The games were closer than youd expect for a 1 seed vs 8 seed series. The Cs won in a blowout in game 3 in Houston before Houston tied it up with a tight win in game 4. 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 averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. MUMBAI, India Twenty-seven years after Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and the "Dream Team" made the world fall in love with the game of basketball in 1992, India showed its adoration for the Boston Celtics great during the first NBA India Games last week. * 1981: Boston Celtics def. After going 33-0, Bird led his team to the final of the tournament where he faced off against Magic Johnson and Michigan State. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. His team mate Cedric Maxwell won MVP. . There are so many different titles that Bird has. . Magic led the Lakers to victory at home in game 6, setting the stage for a Boston Garden Game 7. Born in Indiana in 1956, Larry Bird began playing basketball at a young age. Bird averaged 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game for the series. As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. The Celtics then took the series lead for the first time by winning Game 5 but the thoroughbred Lakers sent the series to a Game 7 with their own double-digit win. The 1986 team is among the greatest teams to ever take the hardwood. The Cs took game 5 at home behind Larry Birds 34 points and 17 boards. The Houston Rockets have long been a sneakily dangerous team even when they were losing, dating from when the Rockets faced the Boston Celtics in the 1981 NBA Finals with a losing record. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. Which NBA Team had the Most Hall of Famers for one Season. Larry Bird: College basketball stats, best moments, quotes While everyone has their own favorite NBA players, its impossible to argue with Larry Birds position in the all-time basketball pantheon. Larry Bird is one of the ten greatest players in the history of the NBA. It must have lit a fire underneath Larry because he didnt let anything get in his way during his sophomore season. Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. In his career, Larry Bird won three NBA regular season MVP awards. 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 . 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. Amazing! Houston had a tough road to the Finals: they beat the defending champion Lakers featuring both. In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career.