Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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. 6.3. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Finals MVP: Larry Bird(27.4/14.0/3.6), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. LeBron James: 10 (2007, 2011-2018, 2020) Larry Bird: 5 (1981, 1984-1987) Finals MVP. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? Search this website. His NBA years : from 1980 to 1992 Larry Bird NBA Stats Summary : [108], At the 2019 NBA Awards, Bird received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (shared with Magic Johnson). In the commercial, Bird is practicing alone on a rural basketball court (in reality the court was one Bird had made on the property in French Lick that he had purchased for his mother), when Johnson pulls up in a sleek limousine and challenges him to a one-on-one match. During the 1980s, either Boston or Los Angeles appeared in every NBA Finals. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. 1985-86 Larry Bird, Boston Celtics. "At 9 o'clock yesterday [Bill] Hodges went to wake up Bird for a brunch at which he was to receive the Player of the Year Award. [111] In 1997, Bird accepted the position of coach of the Indiana Pacers[112] and said he would be on the job for no more than three years. Totals; Per Game; Per 36 Minutes; Per 100 Possessions; Advanced; East Conf 1st Round. [76] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame called the team "the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet". [97] He accomplished this feat twice. Despite failing to win the championship, Bird earned numerous year-end awards and honors for his outstanding play, including the Naismith College Player of the Year Award. Larry Bird was more of a well-known defender than Curry by quite a large margin. In, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 21:21. Finals MVP. Scoring Title. 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 83.3 free throw percentage in an NCAA tournament game (min. You can watch the full replay of the '79 title game below. Regular Season MVP. Bird was selected with the No. [53] On March 10, 1986, Bird scored 50 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 5 assists in a 115116 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. This season was a precursor for a string of successes that no other player has matched in league history. "He's a great passer and an excellent rebounder. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. . [86][87][88] He was selected to 12 NBA All-Star teams. ", -Magic Johnson, as quoted at Bird's retirement party. [61] The historical rift between the teams, which faced each other several times in championship series of the 1960s, fueled fan interest in the rivalry. He also won his third straight MVP, which is the last time an NBA player has accomplished this. The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. We present them here for purely educational purposes. He returned to the team later in the season but also had back problems as well. Data Provided By Bird won two finals vs the Houston Rockets and one vs the LA Lakers. "By noon, Bird appeared at a press conference, a rarity in his scheme of things. [21] In the playoffs, the Celtics avenged their loss from the year before to the Bucks, winning in five games in the Conference Finals to advance to the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. Data Provided By This was the Celtics' first appearance in The Finals since their 1976 championship winning team against the Phoenix Suns.The Celtics were not quite the same team as five years before, as they added the likes of Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale, a trio that would come to be known as "The Big Three." M. L. Carr, Cedric Maxwell, and Nate Archibald were also capable players off the . 1986 NBA Finals. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. '", Indiana State coach Bill Hodges on the notion that man-to-man defenses might slow Bird down: "If we go against a UCLA or a Notre Dame later on and they play man-to-man, that's when you'll see how tough Larry really is. 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. The next year he attended the smaller Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years for the Sycamores. The team remains one of the greatest overall teams in the history of the NBA. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Stats: 21.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.6 BPG, Awards And Achievements: All-Star, All-NBA First Team, Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie First Team. It remains an iconic play that helped the Celtics make the NBA Finals. [21][38], At the 1982 All-Star Game, Bird scored 19 points en route to winning the All-Star Game MVP Award. [90] Bird won three consecutive regular season MVP awards; as of 2020, the only other players to accomplish this feat are Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. Sport: Basketball. [77], Bird was voted onto the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team list in 1996,[78][79] and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. [73] This style of play was starting to influence a new hoard of fans as they would sit and marvel at what they [Bird and Magic] can do while giving younger kids a different perspective of the game. 1981 NBA Finals. Learn more and register, Kansas City Kings vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 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. The Celtics trailed 3-1 in the series but won the next three games to play the Rockets in the NBA Finals. [7], Bird was born in West Baden Springs, Indiana, to Georgia (ne Kerns) and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird, a veteran of the Korean War. Bird won 3 MVP Awards, was selected to play in 12 All-Star Games, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1998. All rights reserved. 24.3. Data Provided By The Celtics were the No. He played for the Celtics during his entire professional career (13 seasons), leading them to five NBA finals appearances and three NBA championships. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. [20] For his college career, he averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game,[21] leading the Sycamores to an 8113 record during his tenure. In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pistons, with five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Boston trailing the Pistons 107106, Bird stole an inbound pass. He's added four more since (in the 2015 playoffs vs. Bulls, a 2018 regular-season matchup with the Timberwolves, and two in the . [8], The game achieved the highest-ever television rating for a college basketball game, in large part because of the matchup between Bird and Spartans' point guard Earvin "Magic" Johnson,[11] a rivalry that lasted throughout their professional careers. On this day in 1987, Larry Bird pulled off a miraculous sequence to help lead the Boston Celtics to an improbable win over the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. [109] Since 2022, the NBA will award the MVPs for the Conference Finals; the Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy is named in Bird's honor, while the Western Conference trophy is named after Johnson. Nine days later, he recorded his first 30-point game. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. He was selected to the All-Star Game but didnt play due to a back injury. Larry Bird played in the NCAA tournament just once, in 1979, but he made the most of it. [19][20] Indiana State lost the game 7564, with Bird scoring 19 points but making only 7 of 21 shots. After leading the Celtics to a 295 start to the 199091 season, Bird missed 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back, a condition that eventually led to his retirement. [citation needed] The apparent contrast between the two players and their respective teams seemed scripted for television: Bird, the introverted small-town hero with the blue-collar work ethic, fit perfectly with the throwback, hard-nosed style of the Celtics, while the stylish, gregarious Johnson ran the Lakers' fast-paced Showtime offense amidst the bright lights and celebrities of Los Angeles. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Finals Appearances. This time, he could say he was truly the best player in the league from start to finish. 1983-84 Larry Bird, Boston Celtics. Bulls Vs. Celtics Playoff History. Stats: 24.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG, Awards And Achievements: All-Star, All-NBA Second Team. The second occurred on December 13, 1989 in a win over the Seattle SuperSonics (40 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists). ", The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton: "At the beginning of the season, Indiana State was picked third or fourth in its own conference. [92] Bird is also remembered as one of the foremost clutch performers in the history of the NBA; he was known for his excellent play in high-stakes, high-pressure situations. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 when his Celttics defeated the Lakers in seven games. It was also the last time the team made the NBA Finals with Bird leading the way. Graded: No. Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 21:21, retired by Springs Valley High Blackhawks, 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, United States men's national basketball team, List of career achievements by Larry Bird, List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association players with most points in a game, List of National Basketball Association players with most steals in a game, List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders, List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career scoring leaders, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds, "Big Threes Beyond the Boston Celtics & Miami Heat: 50 Best Trios in NBA History", Fox Sports: Top 10 small forwards in NBA history, "Larry Bird resigns as Indiana Pacers president for second time", Larry Bird: Hall of Fame Basketball Superstar, "EDDIE BIRD HAS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW AT INDIANA STATE", "Boston's Larry Bird, in what may be his finest season, gets Red Auerbach's voteover Bill Russellas the best ever", "Throwback Thursday: Celtics Draft Larry Bird Sixth Overall", "The story of how rookie phenom Larry Bird led the NBA's greatest turnaround season", "Larry Bird's baseball career: A lofty .500 batting average", "Houston Rockets at Boston Celtics Box Score, October 12, 1979", "Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics Box Score, November 14, 1979", "Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics Box Score, November 23, 1979", "5 best players in Boston Celtics history", "NBA expert panel: Warriors not the greatest of all time, or even No. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. [20] Bird also appeared in one game for the baseball team, going 1-for-2 with 2 RBI. "[70] Their rivalry began in college, when Larry Bird and Indiana State lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA Championship game. 6 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. Hodges said of Bird, "His only personal goal this year was to lead the nation in rebounds. With that said, the following three years were legendary. [69] Following Bird's departure, the Celtics promptly retired his jersey number 33. The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. 1 in the country, and they are one win from the title. When they reached the NBA Finals, the Celticshampered by devastating injurieslost to a dominant Lakers team that had won 65 games during the season. [11] Bird has said that being poor as a child still motivates him "to this day". The Spartans won 75-64 in the highest-rated and most-watched college basketball game ever. Bird averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in the NBA Finals. You can see stats, Championships, awards and more. Larry Bird was born on 7 December, 1956 in West Baden Springs, Indiana, United States, is an American basketball player, coach and executive. Stats: 19.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG. . Bird had a double-double in all five NCAA tournament games he played in that year. If I could, I'd like to play with him forever.". He was named NBA Coach of the Year for the 19971998 season and later led the Pacers to a berth in the 2000 NBA Finals. [115] Bird then led the Pacers to consecutive Central Division titles in 1999 and 2000 and a berth in the 2000 NBA Finals. The team hovered around .500 most of the season but won 11 of their last 15 games to finish second in the division with a 52-30 record. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Bird has been voted to both the 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998. When healthy, Bird looked vintage. Cedric Maxwell collected the 1981 Finals MVP over his Celtic teammate because he averaged more points (17.7) than Bird (15.3) during the Finals and shot the ball better (56.8 percent) than him (41 . Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. In 1987 the Lakers once again beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Bird was named to 3 All-Defensive Teams in his career, all as a member of the Second Team. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. However, Birds individual success was marred by the Celtics not making the NBA Finals. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice as a playerfirst in 1998 as an individual, and again in 2010 as a member of the "Dream Team". Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? The Boston Celtics star aimed to live a simple life despite earning $24 million over his 13-year playing career. Johnson scored 24 points and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. ", The New York Times' Dave Anderson: "[Bill] Hodges likes to say that his primary contribution to the Sycamores this season has been 'not messing up Larry Bird. . Just a few weeks later, he recorded his first triple-double of his career with 23 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 assists in a win over the Pistons. "Larry Bird Ball" was the most popular sport in Terre Haute. Amazing! . We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. League Champion: Boston Celtics. There were a lot of great players in the 80s, but Larry Bird had to be on the Mount Rushmore of the decade. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? Right, Born: [39][41], Bird was named MVP of the 198384 season with averages of 24.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. The Celtics failed to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in five years, losing to the Pistons in six games during the Eastern Conference Finals. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Celtics General Manager Red Auerbach publicly stated that he would not pay Bird more than any Celtic on the current roster, but Bird's agent Bob Woolf told Auerbach that Bird would reject any sub-market offers and simply enter the 1979 draft instead, where Boston's rights would expire when the draft began on June 25, and Bird would have been the likely top pick. [3], A versatile player at both forward positions, he could play both inside and outside, being one of the first players in the league to take advantage of the newly adopted three-point line. [33][34][35] Behind Bird's leadership and Boston's upgraded roster, the Celtics again advanced to the Conference Finals for a rematch with the 76ers. [30], With averages of 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game for the season, he was selected to the All-Star Team and named Rookie of the Year. Finals MVP: Larry Bird (24.0 / 9.7 / 9.5) 1986 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Hakeem Olajuwon (537) Who Did Larry Bird Lose To In the NBA Finals? [57], The '86 Celtics are commonly ranked as one of the greatest basketball teams of all time, with the Boston Globe's Peter May and Grantland's Bill Simmons listing them at number one. Once he entered his 30s, . [62], Despite the intensity of their rivalry, Bird and Johnson became friends off the court. Defensive Player of Year. Learn more and register, 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. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 1982-83 Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers. By that time Bird's scoring . Bird was a Swiss army knife. Statistically, Larry Bird had just finished his most productive season (29.9 ppg, 52 FG%, 92 FT%, 9 rpg, 6 apg) in the NBA. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. He owns a master's degree in special education and teaches English. It helped the Celtics overcome 47 points from Dominique Wilkins. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. At 35, LeBron is by far the oldest player to have such a postseason. For his career, Bird averaged 1.7 SPG and 0.8 BPG during the regular season and 1.8 SPG and 0.9 BPG in the playoffs. 2 RBI and 0.9 BPG in the NCAA tournament games he played in the NBA Johnson, as at! Throw percentage in an NCAA tournament games he played in the playoffs the Mount Rushmore of the NBA.! The court friends off the court Reference LLC [ 87 ] [ 87 ] [ 88 he... But he made the most popular sport in Terre Haute this time, Who has the most rings the. 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