In 1987 the Lakers once again beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log. The Philidelphia 76ers were led by NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, and Darryl Dawkins. His individual performance was recognised all across the NBA as he helped Boston to a then record breaking 67-15 regular season record. The Bucks, coached by Celtics legend Don Nelson, won the Central Division title in 1984. Birds 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson, 1985 & 1987. Both teams could have easily succeeded in taking the Eastern Conference Finals. Data Provided By How to say Basketball in different languages? Larry Bird won three NBA championships in his basketball career. The 1984 NBA Finals was the first championship meeting between old rivals Boston and Los Angeles since 1969. Safe to say he absolutely dominated in every facet of the game for that second ring. Bostons setbacks didnt end on the basketball court. In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Johnson won 11 of those games, posting averages of 19.4 points, 11.5 assists and 6.8 rebounds in their head-to-head matchups compared to 21.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game for Bird. Larry Bird | Boston Celtics | NBA.com NBA unveils two new postseason awards named after Larry Bird, Magic However, despite sweeping the Bulls in the first round again, they had serious issues the next few. Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. Larry Bird (Larry Legend; The Hick from French Lick) Position: Forward 6-9, 220lb (206cm, 99kg) School: Indiana State (Men) Draft: Boston Celtics, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 1978 NBA draft. Unfortunately for the Pacers and Larry Bird, the Lakers were just too much for the Pacers. Marques Johnson and Sidney Moncrief led the Bucks. At that time, Bird also expressed unhappiness over Mangurians decision to sell the team, and he was one of the players who defended Fitch after they were swept by the Bucks. Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. This struggle did not deter Bird. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. 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. While the 22111 format remained intact for the remainder of the playoff rounds, the 232 format would be used until 2013. In Game 5, the Celtics took a 3-2 series lead with a 121-103 victory, as Larry Bird scored 34 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. He tied it up with two free throws with 3 minutes to go. It was Boston's worst playoff defeat in franchise history to that date. Larry Mangurian announced that he was selling the team because of difficulties with the owners of the Boston Garden. The Bullets were the 8th seed in the East winning only 35 regular season games and finishing last in the Atlantic division. The Lakers, no slouch themselves, had Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthey, and Bob McAdoo. In Game 2, the Lakers led 113-111 with 18 seconds left when Gerald Henderson stole a James Worthy pass to score a game tying layup. The 1985 NBA Finals & Brawling Larry Bird Larry Bird won his first NBA Finals MVP. Also, Bird pushed Michael Cooper to the baseline following the inbound play during the second quarter. The Detroit Pistons took two games off them in the second round but it didnt matter, Bird averaged 28 points per game as they won in six. Some notable games between the two of them: At least when it comes to how they fared in theirhead-to-head matchups. What are the abbreviations on the NBA table. Larry Bird Net Worth. NAME DATE SEASON SERIES TM OPP REC W% MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% PF +/-Magic Johnson: 5/27/1984: 1983-84 . In his last season as the teams head coach, Birds Pacers were the number one seed in the east and were not really tested throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs. It's clear the two dominated the decade, but who got the better of who? Amazing! In 1980, 1982, 1985 and 1988, Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to championships, winning three Finals MVPs along the way. Houston lost a close game 1 then won a tight game 2 in Boston. Despite a back injury in the 1985 offseason, Bird averaged 25.8 points, 9.8 rebound and 6.8 assists per game and for the third straight season, the Celtics finished top of the Eastern Conference. Get the latest news on Larry Bird, biographical info . There's always a mystique about players that played before the 90's because we don't have all the data, stats etc as we have to. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. . He has been an NBA champion in 1981, 1984 and 1986 out of which he was the NBA Finals MVP in 1984 and 1986. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. Now, the explanation. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: And after watching the Lakers face the Philadelphia 76ers twice during the 1982 and 1983 Finals, they were determined to win in 84. Bird: "So you're overpaid.". We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The #1 and #2 seeds were set to face off in the Conference Finals. Bird won three titles with the Celtics in 1981, 1984 and 1986, earning Finals MVP honors in the latter two. The Celtics made short work of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning in five games. Larry Bird then married Dinah Mattingly on September 30, 1989, who he met while studying at the Indiana State University. Copyright 2023 Sports Nostalgia HQ | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information Accept. Atlanta Hawks 4-1, 1986 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. Is it tied to championships? The series was not a close one: the Cs took a 3-0 lead before Milwaukee won their second home game to stay alive. Despite just reaching the finals, Bird stuck to his word and resigned shortly after the finals, taking up the role of Pacers president of basketball operations in 2003. * 1981: Boston Celtics def. Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals . This Rockets team still had Robert Reid but now also featured Rodney McCray. The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 198384 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. The Lakers took game 1 in Boston and looked like they made take a commanding 2-0 lead when Gerald Henderson stole the ball and the series. Larry Bird [2023 Update]: Wife, Net worth & Family - Players Bio After dispatching MJ, the Cs cruised by Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semis. Not that there was anything to really worry about for him, it really just added a chip on his shoulder to come back and perform to a high standard. Among his accomplishments, Bird set the new single-game franchise record for points. Bird picked up his first Finals MVP honurs. Julius Erving, in full Julius Winfield Erving II, byname Doctor J, (born February 22, 1950, Roosevelt, New York, U.S.), American collegiate and professional basketball player who was one of the most colourful and exciting figures in the game during the 1970s and '80s. Aside from stats, Larry Bird was a winner, bringing home multiple championship rings during his time with the Celtics. After the game, Larry Bird said his team played like "sissies" in an attempt to light a fire under his teammates. Being the reigning MVP, there were big expectations for Bird in the 1984-85 season. But does that record provide a fair verdict on James' performance in the NBA Finals? The Celtics won the Finals in six games to cap off a season that . We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. Allen Iverson Jersey Mitchell and Ness: A Complete Guide. "Wilt . They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Larry Bird's continuing influence on the game of basketball crossed a new threshold . Same ammount of titles, Lebron has more MVP's and FMVP's, played longer etc. Aside from the two stars, the teams were among the most stacked in history. All three broke into laughter, led by Russell's infamous cackle. At the end of the season, Bird was named Coach of the Year. Julius Erving | Biography, Stats, & Facts | Britannica There were three Larry Bird championships with the Boston Celtics: in 1981, 1984 and 1986. How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? The Conference Semifinals was a seven-game series against the Knicks, which ended with Boston winning 4-3. The 1987 NBA Finals again saw the Los Angeles Lakers up against Birds Celtics. Fans gave Bird a standing ovation when he was introduced. However, this was not the case. This series was an eye-opener into how good the Celtics were this season. But what is Larry Birds record in the NBA Finals? Boston entered the new decade by winning the 1981 NBA Finals. Bird vs. Magic: Stats, Rings & Head-to-Head Record | Heavy.com Larry Bird stats . Larry Bird - Stats, Age & Height - Biography However, its the only individual award Cedric Maxwell won in his career. Larry Bird was born on as Larry Joe Bird to parents: Georgia and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird, a veteran of the Korean War.He attended Springs Valley High School. . Birds mother, Georgia, once said that she couldnt fathom he sons NBA salary and, despite his earning power, insisted that she wasnt out buying expensive clothes. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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. In 1979, Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird faced off for the first time in the NBA. The game after setting an NBA finals record for made threes with eight in game 2 against the Lakers in 2010, Ray Allen . J Erving, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Milwaukee Bucks 4-1, 1984 NBA Finals: Celtics def. The Celtics had Larry Bird as their centerpiece and posted a record of 67-15, including an NBA record 40 wins at home. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. Larry is a three time NBA MVP consecutively from 1984-86, which is still a record. The first round was a 3-1 victory over the Washington Bullets. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The games were not much closer than the series itself. The Celtics swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Larry averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in this series. This book highlighted the rivalry between Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson throughout their respected basketball careers. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. 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. Game 7 at the Boston Garden was one for the ages! Dominique was an offensive force, but, unlike MJ, he was not noted for doing much else . 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. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! Larry Bird | Net Worth, Salary, And Career Earnings The Indiana-born was the highest-paid rookie of the year, with $3.25 million an average of $650,000 a year in a 5-year contract with the Celtics.Bird had played 879 games in his career until his retirement in 1992.. What is Larry Bird's Record in the NBA Finals? 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. The expected CelticsLakers finals, however, never happened. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. The Cs were heavily favored and had won 10 straight vs the Rockets, but Houston put up more of a fight than expected. In Birds career with Indiana State he did not ever win a championship. Larry Bird age, height, weight, net worth 2023, wife, kids, gay Many were expecting another Lakers-Celtics matchup, but it just wasnt in the cards this Finals. 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. They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. The Houston Rockets have long been a sneakily dangerous team even when they were losing, dating from when the Rockets faced the Boston Celtics in the 1981 NBA Finals with a losing record. . Bill suffered through injuries for much of his career but appeared in 80 games for the Celtics. 1983: Moses Malone: C: The Lakers drew first blood but Boston evened the series in Game 2. Even from his first season with Indiana State, Birds performances were exceptional. Michael Cooper Explains What Made Larry Bird 'Larger Than Life' - MSN Its surprising that he wasnt able to win at least one more, though three championships nowadays is something that is wildly difficult to do, its no feat to be taken lightly. Bird averaged 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game for the series. Hey, it's enough to make Allen Iverson burn his Celtics throwbacks. Larry Joe Bird (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right 6-9, 220lb (206cm, 99kg) . It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. Larry Joe Bird. the Celtics posted a 61-21 record and defeated the Houston Rockets to take the first NBA . The Bucks won a five-game series over the Hawks to start the playoffs and got by Darryl Dawkins and his NJ Nets in round 2. We had Larry Bird, Kevin Mchale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson on the Celtics. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right. The Celtics then took the series lead for the first time by winning Game 5 but the thoroughbred Lakers sent the series to a Game 7 with their own double-digit win. In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Washington Bullets in four, the New York Knicks in seven, and the Milwaukee Bucks in five. Home; Tickets; Schedule. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. One of the most feared competitors during the 1980s was Larry Bird, who won three championships with the Celtics during the decade, destroying teams through his versatile style and killer, lights-out shooting. Stephen Curry is now a career 21-4 (.840) in playoff series. With Kareem ageing, the Celtics hoped that they could win the finals. Furthermore, Johnson and Bird earned five of the 10 MVP awards handed out during the 1980s. The 10 Best NBA Players That Larry Bird Beat In The NBA Finals - MSN Magic Johnson's rivalry with Larry Bird sparked greatest NBA Finals A superstar. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. Larry Bird's Celtics made the Finals in 1985 and 1987 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird retired from the NBA in 1992 and immediately took up an advisory role with the Boston Celtics. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics won game 2 at home but lost two games in Philly to fall behind 3-1. In retirement, though, Larry Legend managed to take things down a notch. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! As someone who watched Bird play and has now researched and written more than a half dozen articles about his career, I can help you out. 6-9 , 220lb (206cm, 99kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info. The Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. Bird is a universally known NBA legend and is often credited with the NBAs explosion of popularity in the 1980s. . . 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. Jayson Tatum passed Celtics legend Larry Bird (1987-88) last night with In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics behind FInals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He finished 1986 with averages of 25-10-7. Reflecting back on the series, Magic Johnson said ". He averaged a career-high 29.9 points that year, falling just five points . Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Times, But Magic Johnson Won The Head-To-Head Matchups . They easily won their first round series against the Washington Bullets as they were named at that time, then advanced and knocked off the New York Knicks in a seven-game series. Maxwell later claimed he said something like that but not quite so family friendly. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. How Did The Legendary Rivalry of Magic Johnson And Larry Bird Turned Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs. Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After Him. He held this role for five seasons before being offered the Indiana Pacers head coach role. The Celtics had hope they could avenge the loss of two years prior. Maybe you lived through the glory days of the 1980s Celtics but you cant quite remember how Bird got his rings. Known as "Larry Legend," Bird has achieved incredible success in his career, earning multiple awards and holding numerous records. But it was in 1986 when the Celtics faced the Houston Rockets for the championship when Bird . Boston Celtics, 1st round (6th pick, 6th overall), 1978 NBA Draft, Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1998 (Full List), More Larry Bird pages at Sports Reference. But it is also quite possible even probable that Larry Bird cost the Celtics the 1985 NBA championship.". Jordan scored an all-time playoff record in game 2: 63 points. 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. Im kind of country, she explained. You can read up on all three of Larry Birds incredible championships below. . Sadly, after that Finals loss, Bird never made it into another Finals series. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: In Game 6, the Lakers evened the series with a 119-108 victory. When Larry Bird Began His Coaching Career, He Revealed - Sportscasting This was Birds last finals appearance, meaning that he went to five NBA finals overall, winning 3. The Celtics next opponent was the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that swept them the year earlier. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Big Names Off the Bench: Jerry Sichting, Bill Walton and Scott Wedman. The game was known as the "Heat Game", as it was played under 97F (36C) heat, and without any air conditioning, at Boston Garden. 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. Birds 3 wins came against the Rockets (1981 & 1986) and the Lakers (1984). Larry Birds Celtics lost two NBA Finals. The Lakers were coached by Pat Riley and also featured defensive ace Michael Cooper, a young. The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. Johnson evened the series after helping the LA . The Celtics star received 52 first placed votes, with second place Bernard King only getting eleven. . The Celtics got the better of their Showtime Lakers rivales in a heated seven game series to claim the 1984 NBA Title. Click the links to read up on the Finals records of the best players in league history. The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. The three finals victories are outlined above, but Bird also had two finals losses. LeBron James' teams have met or exceeded expectations in NBA Finals 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. Seriously, check out his Basketball Reference page. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. Bird does not have any titles outside of the NBA, despite making the NCAA tournament final in 1979. What is Larry Birds Record in the NBA Finals? Bird's 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson , 1985 & 1987. Despite playing for another five seasons after his last title, Bird would retire with three NBA championships. Your email address will not be published. It's an era thing. Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. Those other two times? Larry Bird said there were 'obvious' differences between himself and Magic Johnson. The Celtics ended the series shooting 52% from the field while holding the Bucks to 44% shooting. Navigation Toggle NBA. 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. Im not a guy that talks about my past because I always look to the future, but you really sit down and look at it, Ive been involved in a lot, its pretty nice, the forward simply explained. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird's rivalry - Sportskeeda In the game the Lakers answered the Celtics' rough tactics when Laker forward James Worthy shoved Cedric Maxwell into a basket support. 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. The Celtics won the Finals convincingly 4-2. 1984 NBA Finals - Wikipedia Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. Background. If you remember, there was Kevin McHales hit on Kurt Rambis, and there was Larry Bird bumping Michael Cooper out of bounds. The Hawks also still had good rebounder Tree Rollis. He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. Carr as he left the floor, causing him to label the series "all-out-war.". 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.
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