[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. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Magic Johnson: 9 (1980, 1982-1985, 1987-1989, 1991) Larry Bird: 5 (1981, 1984-1987) They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. In the playoffs, the Celtics swept the Pacers in the first round and took a 2-1 series lead over the Cavaliers in the semifinals. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. eventually winning the series in seven. The 19871988 season was the highest-scoring season of Bird's career. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Small Forward and Power Forward Larry Bird stats . Doubleday, pp. Bird had a double-double in all five NCAA tournament games he played in that year. [92] Bird is also remembered as one of the foremost clutch performers in the history of the NBA; he was known for his excellent play in high-stakes, high-pressure situations. Learn more and register, Kansas City Kings vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 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. ", 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. 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. He's added four more since (in the 2015 playoffs vs. Bulls, a 2018 regular-season matchup with the Timberwolves, and two in the . Nonetheless, during the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. 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. The first was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers. All rights reserved. He had off-season surgery to remove a disc from his back, but his back problems continued and he missed 37 games during the 199192 season. Larry Bird, Forward Larry Bird was as cold-blooded as they come. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. [54], With averages of 25.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists, and 2 steals per game, Bird became just the third player in NBA history to win three consecutive MVP Awards. With the back injury forcing Bird out, the Celtics struggled with him, not on the floor. Johnson appeared at Bird's retirement ceremony on February 4, 1993, and emotionally described Bird as a "friend forever".[63]. Bird owns four buzzer-beaters and in each of those moments the Celtics trailed when he took the clutch shot. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. [86], Bird was widely considered one of Red Auerbach's favorite players. Bird passed Otis Birdsong to become the NCAA's fifth-leading scorer of all-timewith a free throw early in the championship game. In the playoffs, the Bird lost just one game in the first three rounds. 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. The season saw a lot of ups. Stats: 19.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG. ", Indiana State teammate Carl Nicks: "It's a tremendous feeling to play with him he brings out the best in everybody. FGA, TRB, AST complete back to 1962-63. Bird had off-season surgery to remove a disc from his back, but the lingering injury forced Bird to miss 37 games. Finals MVP: Larry Bird (24.0 / 9.7 / 9.5) 1986 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Hakeem Olajuwon (537) It helped the Celtics overcome 47 points from Dominique Wilkins. The series stretched to seven games for consecutive playoffs, but it was the 76ers that pulled out the Game 7 win. Stats: 29.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG. 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. [25], In his rookie season (19791980), Bird immediately transformed the Celtics into a title contender. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Stats & Championships . In the semifinals, the Celtics missed Bird in Game 1, where Detroit won. 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. [110], The Celtics employed Bird as a special assistant in the team's front office from 1992 until 1997. [59] The Celtics fell short in 1988 losing to the Detroit Pistons in 6 games in the Eastern Conference Finals as the Pistons made up from the heartbreak the previous season. . Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. Bird won 3 MVP Awards, was selected to play in 12 All-Star Games, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1998. Larry, there will never, ever be another Larry Bird. Sixth Man of the Year. The Celtics reached the playoffs in . . [46] At the conclusion of the year, Bird was named MVP for the second consecutive season behind averages of 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. [56] Bird averaged 24 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game for the championship round. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. One of the most intelligent players in history, Larry Bird, makes arguably the best play of his career in the 1981 Finals. The season for Bird was limited to six games. Compare Magic Johnson and Larry Bird careers through the years of your choosing. And it went down to the last shot of the game. Overview Stats Game Log Splits Bio. LeBron James: 10 (2007, 2011-2018, 2020) Larry Bird: 5 (1981, 1984-1987) Finals MVP. In eight games, Bird averaged 8.4 points. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. 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. It was a great storyline as Magic Johnson and Bird were former college rivals. [96] Bird was the first player in NBA history to shoot 50% or better on field goals, 40% on three-pointers, and 90% on free-throws in a single NBA season while achieving the league minimum for makes in each category. Both times it was to his rival dating back to college: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics met the 76ers in the Conference Finals for a third straight year. Their friendship blossomed when the two players worked together to film the Converse commercial, which depicted them as archenemies. 2 seed. It remains an iconic play that helped the Celtics make the NBA Finals. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? ", The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton: "At the beginning of the season, Indiana State was picked third or fourth in its own conference. These are Birds stats and achievements season by season. Bird was named Finals MVP behind 27.4 points, 14 . 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. Totals; Per Game; Per 36 Minutes; Per 100 Possessions; Advanced; East Conf 1st Round. Other notable performances by Bird include his career-high 49 points against Wichita State in February 1979, scoring 29 points in the first half against Butler in December 1978, just 10 months after he dropped 47 on the Bulldogs on the road. Larry Bird Larry Bird, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, speaks onstage during the 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia on TNT at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. [42] In Game Four, the Lakersled by Bird's college rival Magic Johnsonwere on the verge of taking a commanding 31 series lead before a flagrant foul was committed on Kurt Rambis that resulted in a brawl and caused the Lakers to lose their composure. [citation needed] The apparent contrast between the two players and their respective teams seemed scripted for television: Bird, the introverted small-town hero with the blue-collar work ethic, fit perfectly with the throwback, hard-nosed style of the Celtics, while the stylish, gregarious Johnson ran the Lakers' fast-paced Showtime offense amidst the bright lights and celebrities of Los Angeles. 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. In the playoffs, the Bucks defeated the Bucks in the Conference Finals to set up a showdown with the Lakers in the NBA Finals. When they reached the NBA Finals, the Celticshampered by devastating injurieslost to a dominant Lakers team that had won 65 games during the season. [76] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame called the team "the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet". When Robert Horry averaged at least 24 minutes per game in the playoffs, his teams won six league titles in 11 seasons. Their coach, Bill Hodges, is in his first year, the first rookie ever to take an undefeated team to the tournament final. Bird averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in the series. We present them here for purely educational purposes. [83] While he was relatively slow, Bird displayed a knack for anticipating the moves of his opponent, making him a strong team defender. The Spartans won 75-64 in the highest-rated and most-watched college basketball game ever. 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. Find out more. But does that record provide a fair verdict on James' performance in the NBA Finals? Bird entered the NBA for the 19791980 season, where he made an immediate impact, starting at power forward and leading the Celtics to a 32-win improvement over the previous season before being eliminated from the playoffs in the Conference Finals. [8] Bird's parents were of Irish, Scottish and some Native American descent. 13 years. Bird had a perfect season where he won the championship, won Finals MVP, and the MVP Award. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana 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. 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. The Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season and acquired Robert Parish. Or write about sports? But, as one journalist would say, They looked different, perhaps, but take a chainsaw to their souls and they were fraternal, if not identical, friends.[72] Watching Bird play was like watching Magic play, as they both shared this talent that the league had never seen before. Find out more. [86] He had 1,556 career steals. 1985 Finals 1987 Finals. 1 in the country, and they are one win from the title. They have two adopted children, Conner and Mariah. He chose to play out his final season at Indiana State, so he played the following season. By that time Bird's scoring . 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 . All three were named to the All-Star Game. . [6] He stepped down again in 2017, but stayed with the team in an advisory capacity. '"[107] When playing against Dennis Rodman, a player known for his defensive abilities, in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, Bird continually belittled Rodman's ability, at one point asking the opposing head coach to send in someone up to the task of guarding him. Photo: Michael Kovac In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pistons, with five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Boston trailing the Pistons 107106, Bird stole an inbound pass. [28] On November 14, 1979, Bird recorded his first career triple-double with 23 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists in a 115111 win over the Detroit Pistons. Hodges allowed Bird to sleep in, which annoyed the folks who sponsored the brunch and the award, and some in the media. [29] On November 23, Bird recorded his first 30-point scoring game (along with 11 rebounds and 3 assists) in a 118103 win over the Indiana Pacers. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Also, no other player has ever won consecutive games at the buzzer like Bird did in January 1985. [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. [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. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first . This season was a precursor for a string of successes that no other player has matched in league history. Click the links to read up on the Finals records of the best players in league history. He returned to the team later in the season but also had back problems as well. Bird has appeared in three movies, each time playing himself: Bird's likeness has appeared in several video games. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Find out more. Data Provided By Scoring Title. Playoffs: PTS, FG, FT, FTA, 3P, 3PA complete all-time. Discover Larry Bird's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. inWest Baden,Indiana [83] Universally recognized as an all-time great player, Bird was placed at the power forward position on an NBA all-time starting five roster with fellow superstars Magic Johnson (point guard), Michael Jordan (shooting guard), LeBron James (small forward), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (center) in 2020. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. [21] Boston advanced through the playoffs to earn a rematch with the Lakers, this time losing in six games. All rights reserved. 3940. League Champion: Boston Celtics. 1981 NBA Finals. Type: Sports Trading Card. [10], He was raised in nearby French Lick, where his mother worked two jobs to support Larry and his five siblings. He was the leagues best player after years of looking up to Malone. Skip to primary navigation; . 76Ers that pulled out the game helped the Celtics make the NBA Finals, starting their... 8Pm ET, Conner and Mariah best players in league history of the best players in history, Bird. ( 19791980 ), Bird was limited to six games won 75-64 in the Finals! Conner and Mariah Fame called the team `` the greatest collection of Basketball on. ( 1981, 1984-1987 ) Finals MVP, and they are one win from the title Otis Birdsong to a... Stats and achievements season by season they come assists in the season for Bird was limited to six.. 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