The Rockets fought back to win handily in game 5 at home but the Celtics closed out the series in game 6 in the Boston Garden to take their third title of the Bird era. The Bulls had swept the Knicks 2-0 in a best-of-three first round. The Lakers were indeed the thoroughbreds that year. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Take a look below. Sadly, after that Finals loss, Bird never made it into another Finals series. However, despite sweeping the Bulls in the first round again, they had serious issues the next few. How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? 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. The Knicks were led by the explosive scorer Bernard King, who averaged 29-5-3 in the series. All three broke into laughter, led by Russell's infamous cackle. The following season, the Celtics did end up losing to the Philadelphia 76ers after winning their first-round series against the Washington Bullets (what a team name!). The next year, the NBA Finals switched to the 2-3-2 format with Game 5 going to the team without home-court advantage, which continued through 2013. Larry Bird's Stats For Each Season: Consistency Was The Key, He Cedric 'Cornbread' Maxwell speaks out on GOAT, today's NBA, Larry Bird All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Which Player has Played in the Most NBA Finals Games? At the risk of boring you with a list of his all-time accomplishments, well run through an abbreviated version of Birds body of work. Before the season began, the Lakers traded long-time guard Norm Nixon to the San Diego Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Byron Scott. BIrd averaged 27.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.0 assist per game for the series. In the game, the Lakers rallied to cut a 14-point-deficit to three with one minute remaining when Cedric Maxwell knocked the ball away from Magic Johnson. 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. As weve mentioned, all these players were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The East's award is named after Larry Bird and the West's after Magic Johnson. Which player is ultimately better all-time is a different conversationbecause that includes a lot more than their individual matchups. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. In his first trip to the NBA Finals, Tatum averaged 21.5 points, seven assists and 6.8 rebounds, but the Celtics came up short. Larry Birds Finals record is in the lower half of the list of all-time greats below. 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. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Larry Joe Bird. Larry Bird News, Biography, NBA Records, Stats & Facts - Sportskeeda Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. It was Boston's worst playoff defeat in franchise history to that date. It must have lit a fire underneath Larry because he didnt let anything get in his way during his sophomore season. 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. Johnson was called "Tragic Johnson" by Celtics fans due to the two crucial errors he committed in Game 4 (the Parish steal, followed by two botched free throws in OT). Fitch went on to say that Mangurians decision to sell the team was the backbreaker and that he would have reconsidered his resignation had the team not been put up for sale. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. Small Forward and Power Forward His individual performance was recognised all across the NBA as he helped Boston to a then record breaking 67-15 regular season record. Click the links to read up on the Finals records of the best players in league history. He instead enrolled at the smaller Indiana State University. Bird was named Finals MVP after averaging 27.4 points, 14.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in the series. How to say Basketball in different languages? he guided the Pacers to a 58-24 record, which was the best in franchise history at the time. Larry Bird. Top 15 Worst NBA Finals Performances by a Star - TheSportster If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 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.. His back suffered major issues, as he injured it building on his farm. You can only imagine how fiery this rivalry was, with two consecutive seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals. In other words, he noticed that some . The NBA Playoffs saw some change this year, with the tournament expanding to 16-teams and the four-round knockout we see today. The following year, the NBA Finals format was changed to 232 after Red Auerbach complained about the constant travelling during the Finals. Chicago Bulls 3-0, 1986 Conference Semis: Celtics def. The Cs were heavily favored and had won 10 straight vs the Rockets, but Houston put up more of a fight than expected. Bird vs. Magic: Stats, Rings & Head-to-Head Record | Heavy.com 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. You can't tell the story of the 1980s without Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Birds college career as a whole was exceptional. The kick-off of one of the greatest rivalries of all time. He finished 1986 with averages of 25-10-7. Malone is an underrated player, not as well-known as he should be. That went to Birds teammate. Only game 3 finished within ten points with the Cs winning 111-107. In his second season with the Celtics, Boston finished first in the East as they had done the previous year. Bird won three in a row between 1983 and 1986, whereas Johnson closedthe decade out with a pair ofMVP awards. Bird created a very good team. In Game 6, the Lakers evened the series with a 119-108 victory. The Celtics again saw their Eastern Conference rivals matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks. Magic vs. Bird: Reliving rivalry 40 Years after first NBA matchup Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. 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's career NBA stats. His career was cut dramatically short by injury. The Celtics ended up shedding the ghosts of the last season and convincingly won 4-1. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. 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 banked in a shot with a minute to go to put the Cs ahead for good and they won 91-90. Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. The top 31 players and coaches, The Bulls featured Reggie Theus and Artis Gilmore (. Larry Bird - College Basketball At Sports-Reference The Celtics swept the Bulls after getting a bye in the first round for winning the Atlantic Division. 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. The Celtics won a very close game 3 in Houston to take control of the series with a 3-1 lead. 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. After altering wins with the Lakers, the Celtics won Game 7 and the series with a score of 111102. Karl Malone believes LeBrons greatness is there to appreciate, not to hate. Copyright 2023 Sports Nostalgia HQ | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. . The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. 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. Hey, it's enough to make Allen Iverson burn his Celtics throwbacks. Do you have a blog? The Celtics beat the Lakers 4-3, winning by nine points in the deciding Game 7. 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. Fast forward a couple of seasons and Bird marched his team back into the 1984 postseason. Im kind of country, she explained. In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career. The Bucks were no match for the Celtics, and this spelled the end of a competitive Bucks team that fizzled out after this season. In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Washington Bullets in four, the New York Knicks in seven, and the Milwaukee Bucks in five. How Larry Bird was robbed of the 1981 NBA playoff and - CelticsBlog As the reigning rookie of the year, Bird led the Celtics to the finals, beginning with a sweep of the Bulls. This was Birds last finals appearance, meaning that he went to five NBA finals overall, winning 3. Michael Cooper Explains What Made Larry Bird 'Larger Than Life' - MSN Everything you wanted to know about Indiana legend Larry Bird Data Provided By Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game for the series. Michael Jordans First Championship: An Epic Run! Carr. 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. 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. Larry Bird age, height, weight, net worth 2023, wife, kids, gay It brought Bird his third and final NBA Championship. Big Names Off the Bench: Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge, Quinn Buckner, Scott Wedman. Bird only averaged 15 points per game throughout the series but he did drop a series high 27 points in Game 6 to officially send the Rockets packing, as Bird won his first chip. In the Western Conference Finals the Rockets handled the defending champion Lakers in five games. The game was known as the "Heat Game", as it was played under 97F (36C) heat, and without any air conditioning, at Boston Garden. 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) . In 1987 the Lakers once again beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals. The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. The rules shift was a big factor . Throughout the season, he showed that he was the reigning MVP and had an excellent statistical season. Marques Johnson and Sidney Moncrief led the Bucks. The Western Conference Finals also led to one of the greatest game-winners ever. Having finished second in MVP voting the prior year, Bird dominated the season and the voting. . Noise Group Limited is a UK registered company. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. The Celtics stayed unbeaten all-time in home Game 7s with a clear cut 111-102 victory. Larry Bird [2023 Update]: Wife, Net worth & Family - Players Bio talent just don't get it. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! Things werent as cheerful from this point forward for Boston though. Jayson Tatum passed Larry Bird for the most 30 point games The Cs won in a blowout in game 3 in Houston before Houston tied it up with a tight win in game 4. May 12, 2022. Allen Iverson Jersey Mitchell and Ness: A Complete Guide.
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