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 1984 championship series scored high TV ratings. 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. Bird won three in a row between 1983 and 1986, whereas Johnson closedthe decade out with a pair ofMVP awards. Indiana State University, High School: 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. At the risk of boring you with a list of his all-time accomplishments, well run through an abbreviated version of Birds body of work. 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 . In MVP voting, Bird dominated the competition as he took home his third straight MVP award. The Bullets featured Jeff Ruland a really good, likely underrated, player who was at his peak. Birds 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? Larry Bird Boston Celtics Autographed Wilson Replica - Walmart he was voted the NBA Finals MVP. 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. The Celtics made short work of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning in five games. Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). His first MVP award was in 1984. Hakeem was no slouch, averaging the most points and rebounds in the NBA playoffs. This struggle did not deter Bird. Los Angeles Lakers in 7 games (4 wins, 3 losses) * 1985: Los Angeles Lak. It was a tough six game slugfest with the Houston Rockets but Bird and company were just too good. The Pacers had two pretty comfortable series to begin the 1998 post season with wins over the Cavaliers and the Knicks. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? 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. Larry Bird is one of the ten greatest players in the history of the NBA. The Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere. Featuring prime Larry Legend, apex Kevin Mchale, Robert Parish, and Dennis 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. Bird and the Celtics lined up against the Los Angeles Lakers who took them to seven games. Between the two players, they won eight NBA titles, five Finals MVP awards, six league MVP . The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Larry led the team to a Game 7 victory while averaging 26-13-5, putting up a great stat line of 23-11-5 with 5 steals in the deciding Game 7. They were the thoroughbreds, we were the Clydesdales., It was a very physical series, and thats exactly what we wanted because we knew thats the only way we could beat those guys. The Celtics were led by Bird, who won his first MVP award, and was complemented by 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell, first-time all-star and Sixth Man Award winner Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Gerald Henderson and Danny Ainge. They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. It's clear the two dominated the decade, but who got the better of who? The couple has two adopted children named Conner Mariah.. Family. The Cs closed it out winning game four by 3 points. The Lakers fell in the Western Conference finals to a new team that sprung up seemingly out of nowhere. Bird's 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson , 1985 & 1987. 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. Games. The NBA Finals series was closer than either of the Conference Finals. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Celtics in the conference finals before losing to the Lakers in the 1980 NBA Finals, with Johnson earning Finals MVP honors for his Game 6 performance. 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. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first . 1984 NBA Finals - Wikipedia And they werent. us, College: AP Was There: Bird beats Magic in 1st Finals showdown - USA Today 6-9 , 220lb (206cm, 99kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info. The Celtics won the Finals in six games to cap off a season that . Bird's 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). The Celtics were led by Cedric Maxwell who had 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as they came away with a 111-102 victory. [1] The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. It gave Bird his first finals loss in his third appearance. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Larry Bird of the Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Lakers, Malcolm Emmons and MPS - USA TODAY Sports. Larry Bird was a star. With a new head coach in KC Jones and plenty of uncertainties, Carr said their motto for the season was Dont be denied. Required fields are marked *. Tree had famously bit Danny Ainge in a playoff fight three seasons prior. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. The Cs shut the door at home in game 5 winning 115-108. 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. But it is also quite possible even probable that Larry Bird cost the Celtics the 1985 NBA championship.". M.L. Carr on Lakers vs. Celtics 1984 Finals being epic - Basketball What are the abbreviations on the NBA table. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! He averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 . Larry Bird stats . The top 31 players and coaches, In 1981, the Celtics beat a Houston Rockets team featuring, In 1984, Birds Celtics beat the Showtime Lakers featuring, In 1986 the Celtics defeated a pretty different Houston Rockets squad. Who is the highest paid NBA player in the 2021-2022 Season? December 7, Take a look below. Game 4 of the 1984 Finals marked the last Finals game to go into overtime until Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals. New York also featured Bill Cartwright and Rory Sparrow. The Celtics won the series, with Bird getting a triple double in the deciding game six. Get the latest news on Larry Bird, biographical info . Bird won two finals against very different Houston Rockets teams and one against the Showtime Lakers featuring Kareem and Magic. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Head to Head: Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. The Celtics had lost to the Lakers in the finals the previous year, but this time their opposition was the Houston Rockets. The Celtics swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The league had changed the Finals homecourt schedule to the 2-3-2 format that year, allowing the team with the lesser record (LA) to host the middle three games. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. Bird had a good series in other categories, but did not score at his normal rate. Top 15 Worst NBA Finals Performances by a Star - TheSportster In the first two NBA matchups between Bird and Magic . Bird was named Finals MVP after averaging 27.4 points, 14.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in the series. 1981 NBA Finals - Wikipedia Safe to say he absolutely dominated in every facet of the game for that second ring. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. Jayson Tatum's 25th birthday | ksdk.com If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. But what is Larry Birds record in the NBA Finals? Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. Larry led the way and averaged 27-14-4 to lead the team to the championship, along with his first Finals MVP. At the macro level, the famous won three titles with the Boston Celtics. The Celtics swept the Bulls after getting a bye in the first round for winning the Atlantic Division. Im kind of country, she explained. 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. But it was in 1986 when the Celtics faced the Houston Rockets for the championship when Bird . Former Celtics player M.L. Do you have a blog? Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. 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. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. The Cs closed it out with a lopsided victory in game 5. It's an era thing. Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Times, But Magic Johnson Won The Head-To-Head Matchups . He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. 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. He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. The Bucks, coached by Celtics legend Don Nelson, won the Central Division title in 1984. Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird's rivalry - Sportskeeda Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. He was one member of the greatest rivalry in the leagues history between himself and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic Johnson. This was Birds last season with Indiana State as he had been drafted by the Celtics in 1978, but chose to play out one final year with his college instead of going straight to the NBA. His individual performance was recognised all across the NBA as he helped Boston to a then record breaking 67-15 regular season record. Despite getting swept in the 1983 NBA Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers entered the season among the favorites to win the title. Stephen Curry is now a career 21-4 (.840) in playoff series - Reddit However, despite sweeping the Bulls in the first round again, they had serious issues the next few. . 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 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. The Bulls lost Michael Jordan for most of this season to a foot injury and they were mostly terrible, finishing 4th in the Central Division. The Celtics ended the series shooting 52% from the field while holding the Bucks to 44% shooting. NBA Finals: Ranking the top Finals performers in NBA history - HoopsHype Throughout the season, he showed that he was the reigning MVP and had an excellent statistical season. 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. Many were expecting another Lakers-Celtics matchup, but it just wasnt in the cards this Finals. Here's when Larry Bird, Magic Johnson learned they have a lot - Yahoo According to Basketball Reference, Johnson and Bird played against each other 18 times in the regular season throughout their careers. Bird does not have any titles outside of the NBA, despite making the NCAA tournament final in 1979. Fans gave Bird a standing ovation when he was introduced. Larry averaged 27-10-7 and led the Celtics with 36 points in a game-five win that saw the Celtics beat the Hawks by 33 points. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? 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 . The first round was a 3-1 victory over the Washington Bullets. While everyone has their own favorite NBA players, its impossible to argue with Larry Birds position in the all-time basketball pantheon. Jayson Tatum passed Celtics legend Larry Bird (1987-88) last night with Tatum and the rest of his team are eager to avenge the loss in the Finals . Birds third and final NBA championship came in 1986. Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? Bird averaged 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game for the series. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. This Finals had everything. The Celtics won game 2 at home but lost two games in Philly to fall behind 3-1. He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half. While he didnt change who he was if anything, the Hick from French Lick was remarkably consistent he had an incredibly low-key take when it came to his own legacy. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Birds Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. 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. Larry Bird could do it all on the basketball court. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. The Boston Celtics were matched up against the Houston Rockets, led by Hall of Famer Moses Malone. What is Larry Bird's Record in the NBA Finals? Scoring the rivalry: How Magic Johnson and Larry Bird played in their In the playoffs, the team went 15-3 en route to winning the championship. Coopers. And, as if that wasn't enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. The Lakers destroyed the Cs in their first home game 137-104 in game 3. 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. Below you can see the playoff results for all of Birds Celtics teams. Only the strong survive. This was the last of Larrys three straight MVP seasons. After the game, Larry Bird said his team played like "sissies" in an attempt to light a fire under his teammates. The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. The game after setting an NBA finals record for made threes with eight in game 2 against the Lakers in 2010, Ray Allen . Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986) . The Lakers were coached by Pat Riley and also featured defensive ace Michael Cooper, a young. In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. Atlanta Hawks 4-1, 1986 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. 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. It was one of the most dominant playoff runs that we had ever seen in basketball at this time and it was hard to imagine them as anything other than favorites entering that series against the Rockets, a team that they already beat in the championship before. The series was the eighth time in NBA history that the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA finals, with Boston winning each time, and the first championship that the Celtics claimed at home since 1966. The #1 and #2 seeds were set to face off in the Conference Finals. Between 1980 and 1989, there were only two seasons that ended with someone other than Johnson or Bird winning the title. Find out more. He was the only NBA Rookie of the Year, MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the . The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. Navigation Toggle NBA. 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. larry bird finals record - josieya Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. Bird created a very good team. Which NBA Team had the Most Hall of Famers for one Season. He averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists for the series. 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. The Competitive Drive Between Bird And Bird By Eric Simonon Bird: "So you're overpaid.". These performances earned Bird his second MVP award. Despite good performances from Bird, Magic Johnson outplayed him as the jumbo sized Lakers guard won finals MVP. It went back and forth but the Celtics were able to walk away with a massive victory to seal the series. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? After the game a Laker fan threw a beer at Celtics guard M.L. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. While Bird did not have the finals success of a Jordan or Russell, he still had a better record than greats including LeBron and Wilt. Amazing! Shoots: Only game 3 finished within ten points with the Cs winning 111-107. Click the links to read up on the Finals records of the best players in league history. Bird averaged 25.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game for the series. Having finished second in MVP voting the prior year, Bird dominated the season and the voting. His performances included scoring 60 points against the Hawks which is still a Boston record to this day. Larry Bird. The Cs won in a blowout in game 3 in Houston before Houston tied it up with a tight win in game 4.
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