BIrd averaged 27.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.0 assist per game for the series. The Bulls had swept the Knicks 2-0 in a best-of-three first round. Larry Bird: Biography. The Cs were heavily favored and had won 10 straight vs the Rockets, but Houston put up more of a fight than expected. These performances earned Bird his second MVP award. Even from his first season with Indiana State, Birds performances were exceptional. 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. Same ammount of titles, Lebron has more MVP's and FMVP's, played longer etc. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? 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. Head to Head: Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. Why did David Stern Veto the Chris Paul to the Lakers Trade? 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. The first round was a 3-1 victory over the Washington Bullets. Game 4 of the 1984 Finals marked the last Finals game to go into overtime until Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals. . Larry Bird Reacts to Eastern Conference Finals MVP Trophy Named After Him. more information Accept. Houston Rockets in 6 games (4 wins, 2 losses) * 1984: Boston Celtics def. Birds Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. The three finals victories are outlined above, but Bird also had two finals losses. The Celtics star received 52 first placed votes, with second place Bernard King only getting eleven. In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs. Bird retired from the NBA in 1992 and immediately took up an advisory role with the Boston Celtics. The Sixers took an 89-82 lead with five+ minutes to go. 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. Larry averaged 27-10-7 and led the Celtics with 36 points in a game-five win that saw the Celtics beat the Hawks by 33 points. In Game 3, the Lakers raced to an easy 137-104 victory as Magic Johnson dished out 21 assists, an NBA Finals record. In the 198384 season, the Celtics won 62 games to lead the league. The game was known as the "Heat Game", as it was played under 97F (36C) heat, and without any air conditioning, at Boston Garden. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? 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 Houston Rockets were mostly a completely different team from the Moses Malone-led Rockets of the 1981 Finals. The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. The Knicks were led by the explosive scorer Bernard King, who averaged 29-5-3 in the series. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Trailing in game 4, Kevin McHale clothes lined Kurt Rambis to spark the Cs to victory. What are the abbreviations on the NBA table. 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. Hey, it's enough to make Allen Iverson burn his Celtics throwbacks. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazing! 0:49. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. His first MVP award was in 1984. 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. Bill Walton needed a change of scenery when he was in San Diego and Red Auerbach provided that for him in Boston. Which NBA Team had the Most Hall of Famers for one Season. Larry is a three time NBA MVP consecutively from 1984-86, which is still a record. We have seen some teams lose in the NBA Finals off of some injuries and other situations leading up to it that the box score doesnt show, so lets dive into Birds record. The Cs closed it out with a lopsided victory in game 5. While he didnt change who he was if anything, the Hick from French Lick was remarkably consistent he had an incredibly low-key take when it came to his own legacy. Safe to say he absolutely dominated in every facet of the game for that second ring. Chicago Bulls 3-0, 1986 Conference Semis: Celtics def. They were defeated by the Golden State Warriors in six games. No matter which side of the aisle you find yourself on, though, Larry Bird has you covered. This Finals had everything. The Bullets featured Jeff Ruland a really good, likely underrated, player who was at his peak. He was the NBA Finals MVP in 1981, and the . 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). The Celtics took four games to get by the Bullets in the first round best-of-five series. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. As with many teams in the 1990s, the Pacers were stopped by the Chicago Bulls, losing the series in seven games as the Bulls did not lose a home game in the series. It must have lit a fire underneath Larry because he didnt let anything get in his way during his sophomore season. Between the two players, they won eight NBA titles, five Finals MVP awards, six league MVP . When discussing his legacy with Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press (h/t the Daily Hampshire Gazette), Bird didnt take much time to sing his own praises. That might seem unbelievable this is coming from a man who famously asked his Three-Point Contest peers who was coming in second but it largely fits within Birds character. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. 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. us, College: In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career. Fast forward a couple of seasons and Bird marched his team back into the 1984 postseason. The Lakers, no slouch themselves, had Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthey, and Bob McAdoo. 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. Birds college career as a whole was exceptional. But does that record provide a fair verdict on James' performance in the NBA Finals? Bird was very honest when taking up the role saying he would only coach the team for three years. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Celtics in the conference finals before losing to the Lakers in the 1980 NBA Finals, with Johnson earning Finals MVP honors for his Game 6 performance. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. One of the ongoing debates within the world of sports centers around how you define greatness. All three broke into laughter, led by Russell's infamous cackle. Nobody thought that the Celtics would beat the Lakers in 1984. Who is the highest paid NBA player in the 2021-2022 Season? Los Angeles Lakers 4-3, Larry Bird Championship #3: 1986 Boston Celtics, 1986 First Round: Celtics def. Larry Mangurian announced that he was selling the team because of difficulties with the owners of the Boston Garden. Furthermore, Johnson and Bird earned five of the 10 MVP awards handed out during the 1980s. Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. 0:00. Bird: "So you're overpaid.". But what is Larry Birds record in the NBA Finals? No one thought we could beat the Lakers. Houston Rockets 4-2, who would briefly play with Bird later in his career, the greatest non-final series in NBA history, Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn. Birds 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson, 1985 & 1987. Of the subsequent finals, Basketbawful writes, "the Lakers played great and the Boston bench sucked. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. The Celtics again saw their Eastern Conference rivals matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks. This site is a participant in the Impact Affiliate Platform which is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Fanatics.com . While the 22111 format remained intact for the remainder of the playoff rounds, the 232 format would be used until 2013. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Summary: Larry Bird's Finals Record. 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. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. In the playoffs, the team went 15-3 en route to winning the championship. Despite excellent performances in his first two seasons, Indiana State had very little success. What are the abbreviations on the NBA table. Despite good performances from Bird, Magic Johnson outplayed him as the jumbo sized Lakers guard won finals MVP. Bird was Finals MVP in the teams victories over the Houston Rockets in 1986 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984. It didnt take the Lakers long to learn, but in that series, it was the element of surprise that we needed. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 when his Celttics defeated the Lakers in seven games. . The Lakers were coming off a four-game sweep by the Philadelphia 76ers in the previous year's finals. The Celtics won the Finals convincingly 4-2. 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. Amazing! Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. Birds missed game winner in game four turned out to be vital in the series as the Lakers did not let their 3-1 lead slip, winning the series in six games. The Cs won a couple home games to start the series then lost a close one on the road. 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. Two years after his first finals loss to the Lakers, the re-match was on. Copyright 2023 Sports Nostalgia HQ | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. The Rockets swept the Sacramento Kings in round 1, then took six games to get by a fun Denver Nuggets team starring Alex English and Fat Lever. He was pre-knee injury at this point and averaged 26 per game in the regular season and 29 per game in this series. You can only imagine how fiery this rivalry was, with two consecutive seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. No stats available. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. Dominique was an offensive force, but, unlike MJ, he was not noted for doing much else . Coming off the back of a disappointing loss to the Lakers in the finals, many people saw Bird taking a step back going into the 1985-86 season. The American greatest basketball still worked as a coach and executive in the NBA, which had indeed led him to get over the low . Though just looking at his record can get a bit confusing. In Game 7, the heat that was an issue in Game 5 was not as bad (indoor temperatures hovered around 91F (33C) during the game, due to additional fans being brought in to try to cool the air). Larry led the way with an average of 25 points per game. This cost the Lakers valuable depth, as James Worthy, a key contributor off the bench, would now have to start in Wilkes' place. Keep reading to learn more about each championship win, the series leading up to the finals, and each Larry Bird championship season. Larry Bird of the Celtics and Magic Johnson of the Lakers, Malcolm Emmons and MPS - USA TODAY Sports. Bird and the Celtics lined up against the Los Angeles Lakers who took them to seven games. 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. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! Data Provided By Thanks for signing up. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. Larry Bird could do it all on the basketball court. By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. Bird outscored Dr. J 26.7 to 19.9 ppg in the series, led all players in rebounds and was second on Boston in assists. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The teams traded games throughout the series. Stephen Curry is now a career 21-4 (.840) in playoff series. It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams. Jelani Scott. Jordan scored an all-time playoff record in game 2: 63 points. Key Names off the Bench: Kevin McHale, Gerald Henderson, Rick Robey and M.L. In Birds rookie season in the league, he helped lead the Boston Celtics all the way into the Eastern Conference Finals. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. The Celtics won the first three games by an average of 6 points before the Hawks got their only win at home. He tied it up with two free throws with 3 minutes to go. 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, "Here Are Some Final Facts on NBA Playoffs", Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1984_NBA_Finals&oldid=1141615206, 20th century in Los Angeles County, California, Basketball competitions in Inglewood, California, May 1984 sports events in the United States, June 1984 sports events in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, No. 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. more information Accept. The Houston Rockets were led by their Twin Towers, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. This was the last of Larrys three straight MVP seasons. Larry Birds Celtics lost two NBA Finals. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Fanatics.com and other companies linked to on this site. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. Despite the similarities, the Lakers won the series in six games. There are so many different titles that Bird has. In terms of individual honors, he won the 1979-80 Rookie of the Year title, claimed three MVP crowns, and earned two NBA Finals MVP nods. Referee Hugh Evans became dehydrated and fainted at one point in the first half. Whether he makes an All-Defense team this season remains to be seen, but few wings in the association deserve more recognition than McDaniels this campaign. October 9, 2019. So, for me, being back in the old Boston Garden for Game 7, with twelve seconds left on the clock, and knowing that we were going to be world champions when absolutely no one gave us a chance but usthat is the thing that I remember the most.. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. NY Knicks 4-3, 1984 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. His performances helped to take the Celtics to 62 wins in the regular season, topping the NBA. 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. The Celtics had lost to the Lakers in the finals the previous year, but this time their opposition was the Houston Rockets. The following year, the NBA Finals format was changed to 232 after Red Auerbach complained about the constant travelling during the Finals. The 1987 Finals was the culmination of Magic and Bird's decade-long rivalry that dominated the NBA. With Kareem ageing, the Celtics hoped that they could win the finals. Those other two times? In his first season as Pacers coach, Indiana finished third in the east, having finished tenth the prior season. It was yet again against the Lakers and they split the first two games 1-1. In the Western Conference Finals the Rockets handled the defending champion Lakers in five games. In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. I am fully convinced that anyone under the age of 40 will never admit Larry Bird was a better player than Stephen Curry. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half. The games were closer than youd expect for a 1 seed vs 8 seed series. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Birds Pacers swept the Bucks and the Sixers in the first two rounds of the playoffs and looked likely to make it to the finals as they came up against the eight seed New York Knicks in the conference finals. [1] The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. That's the first time the (80's) Lakers ever encountered that, someone stronger minded. He was named NBA Head Coach of the Year in 1998. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.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 75-64. How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? Featuring prime Larry Legend, apex Kevin Mchale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. According to Basketball Reference, Johnson and Bird played against each other 18 times in the regular season throughout their careers. . 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. In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Washington Bullets in four, the New York Knicks in seven, and the Milwaukee Bucks in five. 1983: Moses Malone: C: Then head coach Bill Fitch resigned as head coach despite having the second-best coaching record in the NBA during his four-year stint in Boston. The Conference Semifinals was a seven-game series against the Knicks, which ended with Boston winning 4-3. Birds third and final NBA championship came in 1986. Only the strong survive. Regular Season Record: 62-20 (The Celtics tied with 76ers for 1st in the Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference and the NBA but the Cs got the #1 seed in a tiebreaker by winning the last game of the season vs the Sixers).
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