The Cs closed it out with a lopsided victory in game 5. Bird had a good series in other categories, but did not score at his normal rate. Finals stats: 19.4 points, 11.7 assists and 7.9 rebounds in 50 games Finals rank: . The kick-off of one of the greatest rivalries of all time. Your email address will not be published. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. He was pre-knee injury at this point and averaged 26 per game in the regular season and 29 per game in this series. Bird also won Finals MVP in 1986 when he scored 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out 10 assists and had 2.7 steals per game. The Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. While the 22111 format remained intact for the remainder of the playoff rounds, the 232 format would be used until 2013. Bird scored almost 26 points per game in winning his third-straight MVP award. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. I am fully convinced that anyone under the age of 40 will never admit Larry Bird was a better player than Stephen Curry. Despite playing for another five seasons after his last title, Bird would retire with three NBA championships. The 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell led the team in scoring after saying something like Get on my back boys before the game. Isn't 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 7 assists per game one of the coolest statlines for an NBA playoff series ever?A quote from Larry Bird's book "Drive" co. The trade signaled a transition period, as some of the key players from the first two championships gave way to younger talent. In retirement, though, Larry Legend managed to take things down a notch. 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. 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. There are so many different titles that Bird has. Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. The game was known as the "Heat Game", as it was played under 97F (36C) heat, and without any air conditioning, at Boston Garden. Im kind of country, she explained. The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. Have the Phoenix Suns ever won the NBA title? Thanks for signing up. The games were reasonably close if the series was not. Stephen Curry is now a career 21-4 (.840) in playoff series. The Cs shut the door at home in game 5 winning 115-108. Bird's Boston Celtics won the NBA championship three times during his career (1981 and '86 vs. the Houston Rockets, '84 vs. the Los Angeles Lakers), and Bird won Finals MVP in '84 and '86. Larry Bird was named MVP of the series. Bird created a very good team. All the playoff action was documented on the 1984 NBA Season documentary Pride and Passion, narrated by Dick Stockton. Their rivalry was second to none and saw them meet up in the NBA Finals three times. Join our linker program. The Celtics snuck past the Philadelphia 76ers in 7 games after the Sixers had taken a 3-1 lead to open the series. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Tree had famously bit Danny Ainge in a playoff fight three seasons prior. Larry Bird won the NBA Finals MVP two times. 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. FTA complete back to 1948-49. Summary: Larry Bird's Finals Record. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. 0:49. Larry Bird of the Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Lakers, Malcolm Emmons and MPS - USA TODAY Sports. The top 31 players and coaches, The Bulls featured Reggie Theus and Artis Gilmore (. Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After Him. He swept through the Bulls the next year, then beat the Atlanta Hawks in five games, then swept the Bucks. By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. After altering wins with the Lakers, the Celtics won Game 7 and the series with a score of 111102. All three broke into laughter, led by Russell's infamous cackle. 6-9 , 220lb (206cm, 99kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info. Aside from the two stars, the teams were among the most stacked in history. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. Amazing! The games were close enough but never really in doubt. 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. At the end of the season, Bird was named Coach of the Year. The Cs took game 5 at home behind Larry Birds 34 points and 17 boards. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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. In his career, Larry Bird won three NBA regular season MVP awards. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right. 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. Larry led the way and averaged 27-14-4 to lead the team to the championship, along with his first Finals MVP. Reflecting back on the series, Magic Johnson said ". These performances earned Bird his second MVP award. He was named NBA Head Coach of the Year in 1998. The Celtics won a very close game 3 in Houston to take control of the series with a 3-1 lead. Small Forward and Power Forward How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? His team mate Cedric Maxwell won MVP. It was a tough six game slugfest with the Houston Rockets but Bird and company were just too good. . 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. 1983: Moses Malone: C: It's clear the two dominated the decade, but who got the better of who? The series was not a close one: the Cs took a 3-0 lead before Milwaukee won their second home game to stay alive. Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Get the latest news on Larry Bird, biographical info . The Celtics again saw their Eastern Conference rivals matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? 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. Johnson and Bird met at the NBA Finals three times in 1984, 1985 and 1987. Larry Birds NBA Finals record is 3-2. He was the only NBA Rookie of the Year, MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the . In addition to Nique, the Hawks starred Kevin Willis. Larry averaged 23-13-7 on his way to a four-game sweep. Many were expecting another Lakers-Celtics matchup, but it just wasnt in the cards this Finals. 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. Jayson Tatum passed Celtics legend Larry Bird (1987-88) last night with his 34th 30-point game of the 2022-23 season. Game 4 of the 1984 Finals marked the last Finals game to go into overtime until Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals. Who Did Larry Bird Lose To In the NBA Finals? Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. 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 6, the Lakers evened the series with a 119-108 victory. 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 Lakers took an early lead in overtime, but a controversial foul call foul on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with 16 seconds remaining in regulation, had been his 6th foul, and he was out of the game. FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. 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. She reported on the Celtics' sideline while Pat O'Brien reported on the Lakers' sideline. 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. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. Simmons says that he got the idea from watching basketball and looking at player statistics. Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the finals in 1982 and 1983, winning in the former. He averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists for the series. 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. Bird set a career-high with 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks during the 1984-85 season. It must have lit a fire underneath Larry because he didnt let anything get in his way during his sophomore season. Allen Iverson Jersey Mitchell and Ness: A Complete Guide. Games. The games were not much closer than the series itself. In 1980, 1982, 1985 and 1988, Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to championships, winning three Finals MVPs along the way. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News. 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. Jordan scored an all-time playoff record in game 2: 63 points. The Lakers defeated the Celtics in the finals twice, preventing Bird from having any more NBA titles. Boston had lost the previous two matchups to the Cavs and they were hungry for revenge last night. The Celtics had lost to the Lakers in the finals the previous year, but this time their opposition was the Houston Rockets. 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. Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! 1956 The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. The Celtics took four games to get by the Bullets in the first round best-of-five series. more information Accept. As one of the greatest players to ever step foot in the . Key Names off the Bench: Kevin McHale, Gerald Henderson, Rick Robey and M.L. "[3] The teams met again in the 1985 finals, which the Lakers won 42. 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. But does that record provide a fair verdict on James' performance in the NBA Finals? home/away, monthly, etc More Larry Bird Basketball Reference pages, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:46PM. James has as many series losses in the Finals as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird combined. His performances helped to take the Celtics to 62 wins in the regular season, topping the NBA. Now, the explanation. And they werent. Bird does not have any titles outside of the NBA, despite making the NCAA tournament final in 1979. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. You can't tell the story of the 1980s without Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. Having finished second in MVP voting the prior year, Bird dominated the season and the voting. The Celtics next opponent was the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that swept them the year earlier. Bird picked up his first Finals MVP honurs. After the game, Larry Bird said his team played like "sissies" in an attempt to light a fire under his teammates. Bird retired from the NBA in 1992 and immediately took up an advisory role with the Boston Celtics. He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. Despite excellent performances in his first two seasons, Indiana State had very little success. Unfortunately, the team was defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers in five games and they were sent home. The Celtics entered the next season off a high, cruising into the NBA playoffs and sweeping Cleveland in the opening series. Carr. In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. 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. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. The type of player who didnt even care about stats but always seemed to put up the most absurd statlines ever seen. 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. Bird only averaged 15 points per game throughout the series but he did drop a series high 27 points in Game 6 to officially send the Rockets packing, as Bird won his first chip. The Bullets featured Jeff Ruland a really good, likely underrated, player who was at his peak. Larry Bird won three championships as a player, but did not win any as a coach. The Philidelphia 76ers were led by NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, and Darryl Dawkins. Philadelphia 76ers 4-3, 1981 NBA Finals: Celtics def. The Celtics eventually prevailed in overtime 124-121, thanks to Scott Wedman's game-winning shot from the baseline with 14 ticks left. Your default site has been set for 7 days, Scoring the rivalry: How Magic Johnson and Larry Bird played in their legendary head-to-head matchups. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? 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.
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