Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. In the end, he remains one of the all-time greats. Nonetheless, during the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. [29] On November 23, Bird recorded his first 30-point scoring game (along with 11 rebounds and 3 assists) in a 118103 win over the Indiana Pacers. It featured Bird walking into the locker room asking who was going to finish second in the Three-Point Contest. Do you have a blog? Larry Bird led his Boston Celtics team to 3 championships in . Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. They have two adopted children, Conner and Mariah. 30 on ESPN SportsCentury's list of 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th century. Data Provided By Larry Bird totals for the NBA season and Playoffs, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and other categories, year by year and career numbers. Bird packed a lot of success into his first decade of NBA play, but longevity wouldn't prove his strong suit. They each had charisma, deft shooting touch, extraordinary passing skills, and team-oriented mindset that ignited their team and the crowd. Among his accomplishments, Bird set the new single-game franchise record for points. [40] Boston's misfortunes continued into the next season, with Bird again finishing second in MVP voting to Malone and the team losing in the Conference Semifinals to the Milwaukee Bucks. When it comes to the 80s decade, he is in the conversation for the best overall player. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. [121], In 1975, Bird married Janet Condra. He was selected to play in 12 All-Star games. [83] While he was relatively slow, Bird displayed a knack for anticipating the moves of his opponent, making him a strong team defender. All rights reserved. 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. Doubleday, pp. [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. [75] It was the first time in the United States' Olympic history that the country sent NBA players to compete. Stats: 20.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.7 BPG. . In case you still didn't know, Larry Bird wasn't big on material possessions. Background. He then led his team to an undefeated regular season. . He is a graduate of Indiana University. more information Accept. [51][52], On November 27, 1985, Bird recorded 47 points to go along with 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a 132124 win over the Detroit Pistons. '"[107] When playing against Dennis Rodman, a player known for his defensive abilities, in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, Bird continually belittled Rodman's ability, at one point asking the opposing head coach to send in someone up to the task of guarding him. The performance came nine days after Kevin McHale broke Birds record for points with 56. Career: 1979-92 (13 seasons) Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones record set in 1965. 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. When Robert Horry averaged at least 24 minutes per game in the playoffs, his teams won six league titles in 11 seasons. 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. All rights reserved. He made scoring look effortless, while his rebounding, playmaking, and defense are not talked about enough. Larry Bird had a 99-65 record in the playoffs in his career. [70], In the summer of 1992, Bird joined Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and other NBA stars to play for the United States men's national basketball team in that year's Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. 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. Bird, however . [39] At the conclusion of the season, he earned his first All-Defensive Team selection. Do you have a blog? [27], Before the 198081 season, the Celtics selected forward Kevin McHale in the draft and acquired center Robert Parish from the Golden State Warriors,[31][32] forming a Hall of Fame trio for years to come; the front-court of Bird, McHale, and Parish is regarded as one of the greatest front-courts in NBA history. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. ", In Bird's own words, here's the value he placed on ball movement: "My feeling about passing is that it don't matter who's doing the scoring as long as it's us. 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. '", 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. . Falling out of bounds, Bird turned and passed the ball to teammate Dennis Johnson, who converted a game-winning 2-point layup with less than a second left. The "Dream Team" won the men's basketball gold medal. eventually winning the series in seven. Finals Appearances. Here are some of the records and historical rankings that Larry Bird achieved at Indiana State: Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote after watching him in the Final Four: "I could not believe The Bird. When they reached the NBA Finals, the Celticshampered by devastating injurieslost to a dominant Lakers team that had won 65 games during the season. "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. In the playoffs, the Bird lost just one game in the first three rounds. HEIGHT. He also won his third straight MVP, which is the last time an NBA player has accomplished this. Tied for eighth all-time in career rebounding . His nickname Larry Legend suits him as he remains one of the most legendary players of all time. Find out more. Larry Birds Celtics lost two NBA Finals. Finals MVP. home/away, monthly, etc More Larry Bird Basketball Reference pages, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. . Right, Born: [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. And it went down to the last shot of the game. [21] In the Conference Finals, Boston was eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers. Stats: 23.6 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG, Awards And Achievements: All-Star, All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive Second Team. Rockets vs. Celtics. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 1979-80 season with high . Other notable performances by Bird include his career-high 49 points against Wichita State in February 1979, scoring 29 points in the first half against Butler in December 1978, just 10 months after he dropped 47 on the Bulldogs on the road. Position: F Seasons: 13 (1979-92) Team: Celtics. Bird entered the NBA for the 19791980 season, where he made an immediate impact, starting at power forward and leading the Celtics to a 32-win improvement over the previous season before being eliminated from the playoffs in the Conference Finals. Team: [116], In 2003, Bird was hired as the Pacers' president of basketball operations. Stats: 29.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG. [62], Despite the intensity of their rivalry, Bird and Johnson became friends off the court. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 1986 NBA Finals. An Amazing 8-0! His Ruseell Westbrook-ian statistics stats in the 1986 Finals (24 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 9.5 AG) capped his best season." Sam Esfandiari of Warriors World: "Larry Bird has gone down as one of the most gifted all-around players of all time. [60], Throughout the 1980s, contests between the Celtics and the Lakersboth during the regular season and in the Finalsattracted enormous television audiences. In the playoffs, the Celtics swept the Pacers in the first round and took a 2-1 series lead over the Cavaliers in the semifinals. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. [55] In the playoffs, the Celtics lost only one game through the first three rounds en route to a match-up against the Rockets in the Finals. He was brilliant against the Razorbacks with a a 31-point, 10-rebound game in the regional finals. [9] He has four brothers and a sister. [117] After the 20112012 NBA season, Bird was named NBA Executive of the Year, becoming the only man in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year. Larry Bird's finals record was 3-2. Manufacturer: The Star Co. That went to Birds teammate. [50] One of Bird's career highlights occurred at the 1986 NBA All-Star Weekend when he walked into the locker room at the inaugural Three-Point Shootout and asked who was going to finish second before winning the shootout. Bird would remain an All-Star player after he was back and healthy. "He's 6-9, was the nation's second leading scorer and that's not all," wrote The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton. [86], Bird was widely considered one of Red Auerbach's favorite players. Finals MVP: Larry Bird(24.0/9.7/9.5), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. [113] Despite having no previous coaching experience, Bird led the Pacers to a 5824 recordthe franchise's best as an NBA team at the timein the 199798 season,[114] and pushed the Chicago Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. [119] Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013. Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. The Celtics reached the playoffs in . Hodges allowed Bird to sleep in, which annoyed the folks who sponsored the brunch and the award, and some in the media. Do you have a blog? That went to Bird's teammate Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell. Bulls Vs. Celtics Playoff History. Vintage: Yes. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. [20] Bird also appeared in one game for the baseball team, going 1-for-2 with 2 RBI. 1983-84 Larry Bird, Boston Celtics. Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists in the Finals on his way to winning Finals MVP. Copyright 2023 Sports Nostalgia HQ | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. [82] In 1999, Bird ranked No. The team remains one of the greatest overall teams in the history of the NBA. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists in leading the Celtics to the best record in the league and a 32-game improvement from the previous season. The Boston Celtics star aimed to live a simple life despite earning $24 million over his 13-year playing career. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Who was going to make the last shot? In his free time, he coaches high school cross country and track, as well as takes care of his two daughters. He could score, rebound, pass, defend, and do a little bit of anything else you could ask. [39] In the Conference Finals, the Celtics faced the 76ers for the third consecutive year, losing in seven games. [74], Bird and Magics presence on the court was only a small part of their contribution to basketball, as their rivalry changed the landscape of the NBA, transforming it from a struggling, barely profitable league into a highly visible, financial and marketing dream for teams and players alike. Larry. Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Times, But Magic Johnson Won The Head-To-Head Matchups, Shaquille O'Neal's Stats For Each Season: The Most Dominant Player In NBA History, Magic Johnson's Stats For Each Season: The Greatest Point Guard In NBA History, Charles Barkley's Stats For Each Season: One Of The Best Players To Never Win A Ring, David Robinson's Stats For Each Season: The Admiral Is One Of The Most Underrated Players In NBA History. Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird competed at just about everything, including drinking.In one such instance, though, it got Larry Legend in a world of trouble. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. James has as many series losses in the Finals as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird combined. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? Michael Jordan*. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. 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Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more than. States ' Olympic history that the country sent NBA players to compete the Three-Point Contest Finals, Bird... 9 ] he has four brothers and a sister ] at the conclusion of the all-time greats rebounds 6.0! In one game in the media touch, extraordinary passing skills, and mindset. Tournament, both entered the NBA larry Birds Finals record was 3-2 won six league in... 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the of...
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