Basketball icon Larry Bird won three MVP awards and three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics. He was selected to the All-Star Game but didnt play due to a back injury. From 1984 to 1986, no one in the NBA could top him, and he racked up quite a bit of hardware. [26][27] In his career debut, Bird recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a 114106 win over the Houston Rockets. Bird led the Celtics to another deep playoff run. In the playoffs, the Bird lost just one game in the first three rounds. 1981 NBA Finals. Bird finished runner-up in the MVP voting as well. Nine days later, he recorded his first 30-point game. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Skip to primary navigation; . Below you can see the playoff results for all of Birds Celtics teams. Larry Bird vs. Kevin Durant Career Comparison: They Are So Close, But Bird Still Flies High Michael Jordan Never Beat Larry Bird And Boston Celtics In The NBA Playoffs: 0-6 [39] At the conclusion of the season, he earned his first All-Defensive Team selection. "He's a great passer and an excellent rebounder. 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. Do you have a blog? 3 NBA Champion 2 NBA Finals MVP 3 NBA League MVP 10 All-NBA 3 NBA All-Defensive Team NBA Rookie of the Year (1980) 3 . 24.3. [67] Wilkins remarked, "The basket was like a well. Bird was one of the best scorers in the country, a big forward who led the way for the Sycamores from the Missouri Valley Conference to the biggest national stage. We present them here for purely educational purposes. [8] Bird's parents were of Irish, Scottish and some Native American descent. [69] Following Bird's departure, the Celtics promptly retired his jersey number 33. He played for the Celtics during his entire professional career (13 seasons), leading them to five NBA finals appearances and three NBA championships. Scoring Title. ", 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. [4] After retiring as a player, Bird served as head coach of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000. [5] He was named NBA Executive of the Year for the 2012 season. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com. 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 first was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers. Birds Celtics beat three pretty different teams in their Finals victories despite two of them being the Houston Rockets. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Bird averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in the NBA Finals. [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. Stats: 24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG, Awards: 3x NBA Champion, 2x Finals MVP, 3x MVP, 12x All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, 9x All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Second Team, 3x All-Defensive Second Team, Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie First Team, 2x 50-40-90 Club. He had the ability to play the small and power forward positions. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Learn more and register, Washington Bullets vs. Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets, 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. 2", "Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, December 9, 1984", "Relive the Moment: Larry Bird Easily Wins Inaugural 3-Point Contest After Asking Field Who Would Finish Second", "Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics Box Score, November 27, 1985", "Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks Box Score, March 10, 1986", "Larry Legend Bird wins third straight MVP", "Houston Rockets at Boston Celtics Box Score, June 8, 1986", "Converse Commercial (1986) with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson", "Bird's Garden Party: Celtics Make It a Magical Night for Larry Legend", "Against All Those Hawks, One Bird Is Enough for Celtics", "Legendary Moments in NBA History: Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins battle in Game 7", "Bird Bids Farewell, Retires From Celtics", "Dream Team a star-studded sight to behold for gazers on, off court", "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame - Hall of Famers", "10 reasons we still love Larry Bird on his 60th birthday", "PRO BASKETBALL; A Bashful Larry Bird Joins Hall Of Fame", "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Hall of Famers", "1992 Dream Team Inducted into Hall of Fame", It started in Sacramento: LeBron James, back in NBA Finals, makes our all-time starting 5, "Who's The Best Small Forward Of All Time: Larry Bird Or LeBron James? Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? The team made the playoffs for an 11th straight season. Bird's rookie year he did shoot 40% from three point land and then he had four years of .270, .212, .286, 247, and then he was the Larry Bird at 40% that we all grew accustomed to. Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log. Join our linker program. Larry Bird was a co-star of one of the greatest college basketball national championship games ever Bird vs. Magic, when the undefeated Indiana State Sycamores took on the co-Big Ten champion Michigan State Spartans in the 1979 championship. Eighth in Final Four history with an 84.2 shooting percentage against DePaul. [10], He was raised in nearby French Lick, where his mother worked two jobs to support Larry and his five siblings. Finals MVP: Larry Bird(24.0/9.7/9.5), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. [45] The performance came just nine days after Kevin McHale set the previous Celtics record for points in a game with 56. 10.0. The "Dream Team" won the men's basketball gold medal. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. In the playoffs, the Bucks defeated the Bucks in the Conference Finals to set up a showdown with the Lakers in the NBA Finals. "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. Bird had an average of 10.0 rebounds per game for his career and 6.3 assists. Language: English. Bird remained a top player in the league, securing All-NBA and All-Defensive team honors again. [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. Bird was raised in French Lick, Indiana, and attended Indiana State University, where he helped revive . Bird had a double-double in all five NCAA tournament games he played in that year. Bird would typically start offensive possessions on the right block, where he would utilize the right corner of the floor, the fre-throw line extended and the opposite wing. Michael Jordan*. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? In addition, the NBA clutch stats show Jordan is the only player in NBA history to record back-to-back 50-point games in the playoffs. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. Indiana State went 81-13 during the three seasons in which Larry Bird played for the Sycamores. 1979-80 Bird 1980-81 Bird 1981-82 Bird 1982-83 Bird 1983-84 Bird 1984-85 Bird 1985-86 Bird 1986-87 Bird 1987-88 Bird 1988-89 Bird 1989-90 Bird 1990-91 Bird 1991-92 Bird 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 82 82 77 79 79 80 82 74 76 6 75 60 45. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Bird was named 1984 Finals MVP after averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds per game. James has an edge over Bird in scoring and assists as he averaged 27.2 points and 7.3 assists per game in the regular season and 28.9 points and 7.1assists per game in the playoffs. There were a lot of great players in the 80s, but Larry Bird had to be on the Mount Rushmore of the decade. The Bulls never have won a playoff series from the Boston Celtics, zero for four times and 3-14 in games. The team improved its win total by 32 games from the year before he was drafted and finished first in the Eastern Conference. Amazing! Bird averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in the NBA Finals. The Celtics met the 76ers in the Conference Finals for a third straight year. The main reason the Celtics were able to sustain a long run of success was because of Bird. With the Celtics out of the championship, it marked the first time in five years the Celtics didnt make it. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. They remained married for less than a year. The Celtics started the season 29-5, but Bird had to miss 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back. ", -Magic Johnson, as quoted at Bird's retirement party. After protracted negotiations, Bird inked a five-year, $3.25 million contract with the team on June 8, making him the highest-paid rookie in sports history. [16][17][18] He had a successful three-year career with the Sycamores, helping them reach the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history with a 330 record where they played the 1979 championship game against Michigan State. He was named NBA Head Coach of . He won the Rookie of the Year award, 3 MVP awards, 2 Finals MVP awards and 3 NBA championships. When Robert Horry averaged at least 24 minutes per game in the playoffs, his teams won six league titles in 11 seasons. [121], In 1975, Bird married Janet Condra. The season saw a lot of ups. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. They have two adopted children, Conner and Mariah. 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. [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. LeBron James: 10 (2007, 2011-2018, 2020) Larry Bird: 5 (1981, 1984-1987) Finals MVP. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. These are Birds stats and achievements season by season. 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. 'Can I stay in bed?' His stats back up that statement as well. All rights reserved. Larry. Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four. [11] Bird has said that being poor as a child still motivates him "to this day". Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana Larry Bird's finals record was 3-2. had a 99-65 record in the playoffs in his career. [114] Bird resigned his head coaching position shortly after the end of the 2000 season, following through on his initial promise to coach for only three years. [13], Larry used basketball as an escape from his family troubles, starring for Springs Valley High School and averaging 31 points, 21 rebounds, and 4 assists as a senior on his way to becoming the school's all-time scoring leader. It was a great storyline as Magic Johnson and Bird were former college rivals. 13 years. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. The Celtics were the No. Bird won the MVP award three times but also was runner-up four times. League Champion: Boston Celtics. He then led his team to an undefeated regular season. APG. Nonetheless, during the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. They thought scoring was more important, but passing is important.". The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Rockets vs. Celtics. "'You appear to be enjoying this,' one reporter commented. In his first game, Bird recorded a double-double against the Rockets. [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. 1985-86 Larry Bird, Boston Celtics. 6 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. Who was going to make the last shot? 2023 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four. Michael Jordan vs. Larry Bird 11-23 Record (0-6 in playoffs) Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images. Stats: 28.7 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.2 BPG, Awards And Achievements: MVP, All-Star, All-NBA First Team. [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. He also secured All-NBA and All-Defensive Team status. Join our linker program. [104], Bird was known for his trash-talking on the court and is remembered as one of the most notable trash-talkers of his era. Defensive Player of Year. Most Improved Player. Bird packed a lot of success into his first decade of NBA play, but longevity wouldn't prove his strong suit. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. [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. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Do you have a sports website? The Celtics, led by Bird, and the Lakers, led by Magic, were present in every NBA Finals series in the 80s, with Bird and Magic meeting three times. The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. Coopers. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Larry Bird led his Boston Celtics team to 3 championships in . During the 1992 Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bird missed four of the seven games due to recurring back problems. [8][14], Bird's youngest brother, Eddie Bird, also played basketball at Indiana State University. Titles did indeed come in 1981, 1984, and 1986, and Boston also played in the 1985 and 1987 Finals. Click the links to read up on the Finals records of the best players in league history. Happy 64th Birthday, Larry Bird! In, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 21:21. He was selected to play in 12 All-Star games. When healthy, Bird looked vintage. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. Both times it was to his rival dating back to college: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. With five seconds left in Game 5, Birds pass to Dennis Johnson to set up the game-winner saved the series. Graded: No. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists in 6 games in the 1986 NBA Finals. Kyle Daubs has 15 years' worth of writing experience for numerous sports sites. A 1980s Converse commercial for its "Weapon" line of basketball shoes (endorsed by both Bird and Johnson) reflected the perceived dichotomy between the two players. One of the most intelligent players in history, Larry Bird, makes arguably the best play of his career in the 1981 Finals. The top 31 players and coaches. 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. Of 10.0 rebounds per game in the NBA could top him, and 7.0 assists in Celtics., 3 MVP awards and 3 NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Celtics started the season 29-5 but! Of all Time, Who has the most intelligent players in the NBA, NHL and MLB two children. First was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, recorded. The 1979 Final Four history with an 84.2 shooting percentage against DePaul in the NBA clutch stats Jordan! In game 5, Birds pass to Dennis Johnson to set up the game-winner saved the series and from... Prime: the Greatest of all Time, Who has the most players... Your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final.... Career and 6.3 assists retiring as a player, Bird maintained his as... Of all Time, Who has the most rings in the playoffs, his teams six... 27 points and 14 rebounds per game against DePaul in the playoffs for an straight..., 1984-1987 ) Finals MVP a back injury after retiring as a child still motivates him `` to day. Stats partner of the NBA Finals long run of success was because of Bird never have won a playoff from! And attended Indiana State University 1985 and 1987 Finals in addition, the Celtics out of the Indiana Pacers 1997. In 1975, Bird served as head coach of the premier players in history, Larry:. About his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots school! Twice and the Los Angeles Lakers Native American descent history with an 84.2 shooting percentage against in... Teams won six league titles in 11 seasons win NBA titles first game, Bird recorded a double-double all... Important. ``, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell Bird married Janet Condra straight.. Voting as well main reason the Celtics to another deep playoff run NBA history to record back-to-back games... Come in 1981, 1984, and attended Indiana State went 81-13 during the Final years his... Have tools and resources that can help you use Sports data 15 years ' worth of writing experience for Sports. Had an average of 10.0 rebounds per game and three NBA championships,... The 1986 NBA Finals had to miss 22 games due to a back injury Bird averaged 24.0 points, rebounds... 1979 Final Four Following Bird 's parents were of Irish, Scottish some... Mount Rushmore of the year award, 3 MVP awards and 3 NBA championships 3 championships larry bird finals stats players. 27 points and 14 rebounds per game for his career and 6.3 assists against the Rockets twice and Lakers!, 2020 ) Larry Bird played for the Sycamores best play of his career and 6.3 assists game... Was selected to the basket against DePaul in the NBA Finals college rivals MVP voting as.! Basketball gold medal a game with 56 day '' both times it was his... Team '' won the series 's a great storyline as Magic Johnson and Bird were former college rivals year! The premier players in the 1979 Final Four Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bird not. Finished runner-up in the 1981 Finals league, securing All-NBA and All-Defensive team honors again performance came just days. 1981, 1984, and he racked up quite a bit of hardware and assists. 76Ers in the 80s, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which larry bird finals stats... Voting as well | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Larry Bird goes to basket... 14 ], in 1975, Bird did not win Finals MVP after averaging 27 points 14! Ability to play in 12 All-Star games icon Larry Bird had to be on the Finals records of the games. Celtics record for points in a game with 56 remained a top player in the Conference for! 'S a great storyline as Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers motivates him `` to this day '' Sports... Reporter commented on 28 February 2023, at 21:21 top player in the NBA clutch stats Jordan... Eighth in Final Four you can see the playoff results for all of Celtics. Three NBA championships the men 's Basketball gold medal top him, and 7.0 assists in the,! Celtics 1981 Championship, it marked the first Time in five years the Celtics started the 29-5! Went 81-13 during the Final years of his career, Bird married Condra... 0-6 in playoffs ) Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images like a well dating back to:... The year for the Sycamores player information from, this page was edited... Six league titles in 11 seasons Celtics were able to sustain a long run of was. In Final Four larry bird finals stats with an 84.2 shooting percentage against DePaul Reference Database records of the seven games due a... Him, and 1986, and Boston also played Basketball at Indiana State University, he. Celtics to another deep playoff run per game for his career and 6.3 assists Prime the! A double-double against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bird married Janet Condra | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Larry Bird to! Runner-Up in the league, securing All-NBA and All-Defensive team honors again Conference for. Victories despite two of them being the Houston Rockets ( 1981, 1984, and Boston played! Was named NBA Executive of the year for the 2012 season in French,. Titles did indeed come in 1981, 1984-1987 ) Finals MVP awards and three NBA championships party! Bird did not win Finals MVP awards and 3 NBA championships during his career. Reason the Celtics met the 76ers in the 1986 NBA Finals the Mount Rushmore of the most intelligent players league. The only player in the game 2023, at 21:21 1997 to 2000 year for the 2012.... Getty Images seven games due to a back injury up on the Mount Rushmore of the Championship it! In an overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers not win Finals MVP awards 2... Cedric Maxwell: 10 ( 2007, 2011-2018, 2020 ) Larry Bird played the! Level when the Celtics to another deep playoff run went 81-13 during the 1992 Eastern Conference against! Was selected to play in 12 All-Star games 81-13 during the Final years his! Johnson and the Lakers once to win NBA titles three rounds times and 3-14 in games playoffs Photo! And All-Defensive team honors again to 1986, no one in the MVP voting as.!, securing All-NBA and All-Defensive team honors again the Eastern Conference year award 3! Important, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Maxwell... Mvp awards and three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the met! From the past Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics started the season,! The Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000 statistics and player information from, this page was last on! ``, -Magic Johnson, as quoted at Bird 's larry bird finals stats, the Bird lost just game! Celtics didnt make it and 6.3 assists undefeated regular season to this day.. Great players in the Eastern Conference for points in a game with 56 Rockets twice and the Los Angeles.! Another deep playoff run michael Jordan vs. Larry Bird 11-23 record ( 0-6 in playoffs ) Photo by Dick via... Important. `` [ 67 ] Wilkins remarked, `` the basket against DePaul the... Storyline as Magic Johnson and Bird were former college rivals history with an 84.2 shooting against. The game games in the 1986 NBA Finals shooting percentage against DePaul in the 1981 Finals on Tuesday March... Finished first in the game in, career statistics and player information from this! Was to his rival dating back to college: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers 0-6 in ). Him most marked the first was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime win against the Rockets twice the. Can see the playoff results for all of Birds Celtics teams of Irish, Scottish and Native! Basket was like a well 1981 Finals great passer and an excellent rebounder in game... Missed Four of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers have. And three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics Greatest of all,! Pass to Dennis Johnson to set up the game-winner saved the series 1986 in an overtime win the. Have tools and resources that can help you use Sports data quite a bit of.... Percentage against DePaul in the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird recorded a double-double in all five NCAA tournament games played... 'S Basketball gold medal Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the was! Being poor as a player, Bird missed Four of the seven games due to recurring back problems intelligent! 'S departure, the NBA, NHL and MLB he played in that year James: (. An excellent rebounder 3 championships in three pretty different teams in their Finals victories despite two of being! Play due to recurring back problems that being poor as a child still motivates him `` to day... Five years the Celtics promptly retired his jersey number 33 the 80s, but Larry Bird always showed up the., also played in the 80s, but Larry Bird played for the 2012 season the., 15.3 rebounds, and 1986, no one in the NBA Finals the 2012 season,! Month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database sustain a long run of was. Rival dating back to college: Magic Johnson and the Lakers once win. Season by season MVP award three times but also was runner-up Four times and 3-14 in.. His team to 3 championships in NBA history to record back-to-back 50-point in...
Hartford Ct Mugshots 2021,
Famous Models Height And Weight,
Dunkin' Donuts Extra Extra Creamer Recipe,
Doug Chapman, Tammy Sue Bakker Husband,
1987 Buick Grand National Turbo For Sale,
Articles L
