Bird's 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson , 1985 & 1987. And, as if that wasnt enough, Bird found success after hanging up his sneakers. The Celtics won a very close game 3 in Houston to take control of the series with a 3-1 lead. 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. BIrd averaged 27.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.0 assist per game for the series. 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. Fast forward a couple of seasons and Bird marched his team back into the 1984 postseason. But it is also quite possible even probable that Larry Bird cost the Celtics the 1985 NBA championship.". The 1985 NBA Finals & Brawling Larry Bird Larry Bird is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. Indiana State University, High School: Milwaukee Bucks 4-0, 1986 NBA Finals: Celtics def. Stockton, the play-by-play announcer for the series, was joined by Tom Heinsohn, and the duo would call the next four NBA Finals until 1987. The games were closer than youd expect for a 1 seed vs 8 seed series. Between 1980 and 1989, there were only two seasons that ended with someone other than Johnson or Bird winning the title. How Larry Bird was robbed of the 1981 NBA playoff and - CelticsBlog Some notable games between the two of them: At least when it comes to how they fared in theirhead-to-head matchups. 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. Magic Johnson Finals Record Vs Larry Bird | StatMuse 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 . Bird is a universally known NBA legend and is often credited with the NBAs explosion of popularity in the 1980s. Magic gets the edge because he finished his career stronger, he was able to get/maybe steal from Charles Barkley the 1990 MVP, and he got the Lakers to another finals in 91, after 88 and the injuries Boston was done being any kind of serious contender they never got past the second round again for the rest of Larry Bird's time but if you're talkin Peak vs. Despite getting swept in the 1983 NBA Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers entered the season among the favorites to win the title. Despite excellent performances in his first two seasons, Indiana State had very little success. Though just looking at his record can get a bit confusing. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. 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. Bostons setbacks didnt end on the basketball court. His performances helped to take the Celtics to 62 wins in the regular season, topping the NBA. Among his accomplishments, Bird set the new single-game franchise record for points. Known as "Larry Legend," Bird has achieved incredible success in his career, earning multiple awards and holding numerous records. Larry Bird | Boston Celtics | NBA.com He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half. inWest Baden,Indiana However, this was not the case. All-NBA First-Teamers NOT in the Hall of Fame, Basketball Positions 101: Understanding the Different Roles on the Court, The Best NBA Players to NOT Make the Hall of Fame, The Best All-Defensive Team in NBA History, The All-Time Worst NBA Finals Performances by a Superstar by Position. Big Names Off the Bench: Jerry Sichting, Bill Walton and Scott Wedman. Larry averaged 23-13-7 on his way to a four-game sweep. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. 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. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! Home; Tickets; Schedule. Larry Bird was named MVP of the series. Houston had a tough road to the Finals: they beat the defending champion Lakers featuring both. At the macro level, the famous won three titles with the Boston Celtics. Larry Bird Vs Magic Johnson : r/nba - Reddit Larry Bird won three NBA championships in his basketball career. Only the strong survive. Teaming with players like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, Maxwell was an essential player on Boston teams that won NBA championships in both 1981 and 1984. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. Two years after his first finals loss to the Lakers, the re-match was on. Or maybe youre a younger fan wondering if Bird really deserves his place in the Pantheon of basketball greats. In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. A superstar. The Celtics made short work of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning in five games. This Finals had everything. Los Angeles Lakers in 7 games (4 wins, 3 losses) * 1985: Los Angeles Lak. They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. How many games did Larry Bird field goal miss a season due to injury? (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right. He was pre-knee injury at this point and averaged 26 per game in the regular season and 29 per game in this series. 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. However, its the only individual award Cedric Maxwell won in his career. His career was cut dramatically short by injury. What surprises me more, though, is that former NBA player, 38-year-old JJ Redick, can't admit that the NBA of the 1980s was more physical than the game played today.. Nearly two weeks ago, Redick caused a stir by saying Bird shouldn't be considered . Larry Bird Boston Celtics Autographed Wilson Replica - Walmart Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Larry Bird. Head-to-Head Regular Season Stats. Bird was very honest when taking up the role saying he would only coach the team for three years. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. 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. us, College: Larry Bird Had a Perfectly Understated Response While Discussing His In other words, he noticed that some . Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. The Celtics won game 2 at home but lost two games in Philly to fall behind 3-1. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . The Lakers and the Celtics met again in 1987 where the Lakers won in six games. Larry Bird's Finals Record: An All-Time Great! - Sports Nostalgia HQ Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana Answer (1 of 6): Larry Bird (basketball player) was 3-2 in the NBA Finals. The #1 and #2 seeds were set to face off in the Conference Finals. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: Why did David Stern Veto the Chris Paul to the Lakers Trade? 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. 9 John Vanak (alternate, replaced Evans), This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:16. Regardless, Johnson and Bird are widelyregarded as beingtwo of thegreatest players to have ever played the gameand they made for one of the greatest rivalries, one that will never be forgotten. His first run to the NBA Finals came in his second season, averaging 21-11-5 with 2 steals a game. He averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists for the series. Many were expecting another Lakers-Celtics matchup, but it just wasnt in the cards this Finals. . He finished 1986 with averages of 25-10-7. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. Your email address will not be published. The NBA Finals series was closer than either of the Conference Finals. Marques Johnson and Sidney Moncrief led the Bucks. The Bucks swept the Nets in the first round then took seven games to get by a tough Sixers squad starring a young. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. During the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Kansas City Kings in three, the Dallas Mavericks in five, and the Phoenix Suns in six. The game was also marked by Celtic forward Kevin McHale's clothesline take-down of Laker forward Kurt Rambis on a breakaway layup which triggered the physical aspect of the rivalry. Birds Celtics also defeated a very different Rockets team in 1981. 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. With a new head coach in KC Jones and plenty of uncertainties, Carr said their motto for the season was Dont be denied. 0:49. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 when his Celttics defeated the Lakers in seven games. His team mate Cedric Maxwell won MVP. The 10 Best NBA Players That Larry Bird Beat In The NBA Finals - MSN What are the abbreviations on the NBA table. It seemed like it should be an easy series for the Celtics, with game one and two victories by double digits, but the Knicks home crowd helped their team to win all their series home games. The Celtics swept the Bulls after getting a bye in the first round for winning the Atlantic Division. Birds 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson, 1985 & 1987. Bird won two finals against very different Houston Rockets teams and one against the Showtime Lakers featuring Kareem and Magic. In 1974, Bird received a scholarship to play basketball at Indiana University but struggled to adapt to the large student population. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. The games were reasonably close if the series was not. Here's when Larry Bird, Magic Johnson learned they have a lot - Yahoo As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. In his career, Larry Bird won three NBA regular season MVP awards. Amazing! In the Western Conference Finals the Rockets handled the defending champion Lakers in five games. Bird: "So you're overpaid.". 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. Sadly, after that Finals loss, Bird never made it into another Finals series. The Celtics did not warm up with their sweat pants on because of extreme heat, and an oxygen tank was provided to give air to an aging Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log. Celtics-Lakers Rivalry | Basketball Wiki | Fandom And, to be clear, he came by it honestly. Larry Bird Q&A: Being a white player in the NBA, trash - Andscape Larry Bird age, height, weight, net worth 2023, wife, kids, gay This series prompted Bird to quote, Thats God disguised as Michael Jordan. Michael averaged 43 points through the three-game series. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. He averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 boards and 3.6 assists per game for the series. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? The Lakers were indeed the thoroughbreds that year. Bird averaged 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists across the regular season as the Celtics once again topped the eastern conference. Larry Birds Celtics lost two NBA Finals. It was the beginning of one of the most legendary basketball rivalries in the history of the NBA, with Bird and Magic Johnson facing off against each other for the first time. NY Knicks 4-3, 1984 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. The Celtics ended the series shooting 52% from the field while holding the Bucks to 44% shooting. The 1987 Finals was the culmination of Magic and Bird's decade-long rivalry that dominated the NBA. 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. Larry Bird picked up the 1984 MVP award and led his Celtics to the first seed in the Eastern Conference with a 62-20 overall record. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. 1984 NBA Finals - Wikipedia Background. Malone is an underrated player, not as well-known as he should be. 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) . 6-9 , 220lb (206cm, 99kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info. Scoring the rivalry: How Magic Johnson and Larry Bird played in their The Bullets also had rookie Jeff Malone, who was a backup at this point but would go on to be a star, and future Piston Bad Boy Rick Mahorn. 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. Legends profile: Larry Bird | NBA.com The Boston Celtics won the 1981 NBA Championship in six games giving Larry Bird his first NBA title. The type of player who didnt even care about stats but always seemed to put up the most absurd statlines ever seen. Not only did he possess the skillset to thrive, but he had more than enough confidence to put any opponent in their place. Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs. . Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. He was the only NBA Rookie of the Year, MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the . The Lakers were coached by Pat Riley and also featured defensive ace Michael Cooper, a young. In 1979, Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird faced off for the first time in the NBA. Bird averaged 25.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game for the series. The Cs were heavily favored and had won 10 straight vs the Rockets, but Houston put up more of a fight than expected. Your email address will not be published. James has as many series losses in the Finals as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird combined. The Hawks also still had good rebounder Tree Rollis. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Adding one more hall of famer, Bill Walton, put this team over the top. The Bucks took them to seven games before they were able to advance and the Pistons took them to seven in the Conference Finals. The Bucks, coached by Celtics legend Don Nelson, won the Central Division title in 1984. This was the last of Larrys three straight MVP seasons. It went back and forth but the Celtics were able to walk away with a massive victory to seal the series. So as it seems unlikely for Bird to ever coach again, Larry Bird has never won a championship as a coach. Larry averaged 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game in this series. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? By: HoopsHype. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. The kick-off of one of the greatest rivalries of all time. Atlanta Hawks 4-1, 1986 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. The Lakers fell in the Western Conference finals to a new team that sprung up seemingly out of nowhere. 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. Meanwhile, the Clydesdales, AKA the Celtics, were coming off a season where they went 56-26 and were swept by the Milwaukee Bucks in round 2 of the playoffs. Only game 3 finished within ten points with the Cs winning 111-107. 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. The Lakers were coming off a four-game sweep by the Philadelphia 76ers in the previous year's finals. Navigation Toggle NBA. Boston entered the new decade by winning the 1981 NBA Finals. 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. In the playoffs, the team went 15-3 en route to winning the championship. 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. The Celtics had hope they could avenge the loss of two years prior. LeBron James' teams have met or exceeded expectations in NBA Finals He led the Cs to a Conference Finals appearance once or twice in the ensuing years but the team just wasnt nearly as competitive anymore and it was obvious that Larry was getting up there in age. Larry Birds Finals record is in the lower half of the list of all-time greats below. Bird averaged 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game for the series. Larry Bird News, Biography, NBA Records, Stats & Facts - Sportskeeda In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career. In Birds career with Indiana State he did not ever win a championship.

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