Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. You can watch the full replay of the '79 title game below. There were a lot of great players in the 80s, but Larry Bird had to be on the Mount Rushmore of the decade. Bird was raised in French Lick, Indiana, and attended Indiana State University, where he helped revive . For his career, Bird averaged 1.7 SPG and 0.8 BPG during the regular season and 1.8 SPG and 0.9 BPG in the playoffs. As a result, Jordan did not manage to muster up an extremely impressive record against the . This was the Celtics' first appearance in The Finals since their 1976 championship winning team against the Phoenix Suns.The Celtics were not quite the same team as five years before, as they added the likes of Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale, a trio that would come to be known as "The Big Three." M. L. Carr, Cedric Maxwell, and Nate Archibald were also capable players off the . Bird finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Bird scored a team-high 19 points for the Sycamores in the 1979 national championship game but it wasn't his most efficient performance as he was just 7-of-21 from the field and 5-for-8 from the free-throw line. The Celtics reached the playoffs in . 1 in the country, and they are one win from the title. The dramatic play saved the series for the Celtics. That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." The Celtics avoided an upset bid by the Pacers and won the full five games. [21][38], At the 1982 All-Star Game, Bird scored 19 points en route to winning the All-Star Game MVP Award. Bird would remain an All-Star player after he was back and healthy. 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. Birds Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. It's because of Bird. Parish averaged a double-double and remained a defensive force. Cedric Maxwell won the finals MVP award, but Bird averaged 21.9 points, 14 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game during the playoffs. His stats back up that statement as well. [39] In the Conference Finals, the Celtics faced the 76ers for the third consecutive year, losing in seven games. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. [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. Once he entered his 30s, . He finished that game with 47 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. NBA Finals. In his first game, Bird recorded a double-double against the Rockets. Highly recruited, he initially signed to play college basketball for coach Bob Knight of the Indiana Hoosiers, but Bird dropped out after one month and returned to French Lick to attend a local community college. Among his accomplishments, Bird set the new single-game franchise record for points. [42] Bird was named Finals MVP behind 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. [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. They each had charisma, deft shooting touch, extraordinary passing skills, and team-oriented mindset that ignited their team and the crowd. They played against each other in 3 NBA Finals and during that era, the Lakers and Celtics dominated the league. APG. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the second round against the Hawks, Bird shot 9 of 10 from the field in the fourth quarter to score 20 points to lead the Celtics to a Game 7 win. The Celtics trailed 3-1 in the series but won the next three games to play the Rockets in the NBA Finals. Rookie of the Year. Bird ultimately finished ninth in the MVP voting, while McHale was sixth in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. The Celtics ended up losing to the Lakers in six games, with Bird averaging 24.2 points on .445 shooting, 10 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in the championship series. [45] The performance came just nine days after Kevin McHale set the previous Celtics record for points in a game with 56. Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013,[6] and remained in that role until 2017. Indiana State nearly became the most recent undefeated national champion, reaching the 1979 national title game with a 33-0 record. "[70] Their rivalry began in college, when Larry Bird and Indiana State lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA Championship game. If I could, I'd like to play with him forever.". He averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 897 regular-season games. Indiana State University, High School: With Bird, McHale, and Parish all making the All-Star Game again, the team felt good about their chances when the team was healthy. Forward Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. [21] In the Conference Finals, Boston was eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers. [56] Bird averaged 24 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game for the championship round. Bird's 198889 season ended after six games when he had bone spurs surgically removed from both of his heels. Search this website. In a way, this season started at the beginning of an end. Graded: No. All rights reserved. In the playoffs, the Celtics took on a very tough Detroit Pistons team in the Conference Finals. Defensive Player of Year. Do you have a sports website? Larry Bird stats. 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. Larry Bird. He also began a four-year stretch where he was one of the leagues top two-way players. "Larry Bird Ball" was the most popular sport in Terre Haute. Larry Birds Finals record is in the lower half of the list of all-time greats below. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. The Celtics made the Conference Finals before losing to the 76ers. But they have . Bird was named 1984 Finals MVP after averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds per game. You can see stats, Championships, awards and more. 1981-82 Magic Johnson, Los . (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: With that said, Bird was an All-Star and defended his title as Three-Point Contest Champion. Basketball icon Larry Bird won three MVP awards and three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics. Bird. They remained married for less than a year. The team was defeated in the semifinals by the Milwaukee Bucks. The season saw Bird make the 50-40-90 Club for the first time in his career. League Champion: Boston Celtics. Bird owns four buzzer-beaters and in each of those moments the Celtics trailed when he took the clutch shot. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? In 1987 the Lakers once again beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals. An Amazing 8-0! Or write about sports? Happy 64th Birthday, Larry Bird! 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. All rights reserved. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 1979-80 season with high . [105][106] He was known for telling his opponents how and where in the court he would score against them; Xavier McDaniel recounted that Bird predicted a game-winning shot against him, then "shot a shot right in my face and was like 'Damn, I didn't mean to leave two seconds on the clock. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first . . . While Indiana State coach Bill Hodges was frustrated with the style of defense, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, Bird wasn't concerned about his lack of shots. 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 School: Indiana StatePosition: ForwardHeight: 6-9Weight: 220 poundsYears active: 1976-79NCAA tournament record: 4-1Career averages: 30.3 points per game, 13.3 rebounds per game, 4.6 assists per game, 53.3% shooting. 1984-85 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. [133], During his professional career with the Celtics, Bird lived in the Boston suburb of Brookline, Massachusetts.[134]. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 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 . Growing up in French Lick, Indiana, he was a local basketball star. The swagger from Bird remained in full force. He remains the last player to record the MVP Award for three consecutive seasons. Find out more. He was selected to the All-Star Game but didnt play due to a back injury. FGA, TRB, AST complete back to 1962-63. [2] Bird was a 12-time NBA All-Star, won two NBA Finals MVP awards and received the NBA Most Valuable Player Award three consecutive times (19841986), making him the only forward in league history to do so. [116], In 2003, Bird was hired as the Pacers' president of basketball operations. The Bulls never have won a playoff series from the Boston Celtics, zero for four times and 3-14 in games. He even plays defense, although that's not what's causing the NBA Boston Celtics to salivate over him.". Finals Appearances. In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics behind FInals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Data Provided By "He's a great passer and an excellent rebounder. Compare LeBron James and Larry Bird careers through the years of your choosing. He chose to play out his final season at Indiana State, so he played the following season. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. The season saw a lot of ups. [64][65][66] Bird finished with 34 points. After leading the Celtics to a 295 start to the 199091 season, Bird missed 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back, a condition that eventually led to his retirement. Titles did indeed come in 1981, 1984, and 1986, and Boston also played in the 1985 and 1987 Finals. [36] Boston fell behind 31 to start the series but won the next three games to advance to the Finals against the Houston Rockets,[37] winning in six games and earning Bird his first championship. Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. 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. All rights reserved. He had the ability to play the small and power forward positions. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. He then led his team to an undefeated regular season. [133], Bird married Dinah Mattingly in 1989. Larry Bird's finals record was 3-2. 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. $11.99. [102] Bird's humble roots were the source of his most frequently used moniker, "The Hick from French Lick". I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. 1984 Star Larry Bird #9 The 1981-82 Season Boston Celtics HOF NM-MT Free Ship! He played most of his career with forward Kevin McHale and center Robert Parish, considered by some to be the greatest front court in NBA history. [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. (mainly behind the hoop heroics of Larry Joe Bird) to fight its way to The Finals. Bird led the Celtics to another deep playoff run. He also secured All-NBA and All-Defensive Team status. The Spartans won 75-64 in the highest-rated and most-watched college basketball game ever. Season started at the beginning of an end than you can see stats, Championships, awards and NBA! 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