In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics behind FInals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. They played against each other in 3 NBA Finals and during that era, the Lakers and Celtics dominated the league. But Don't Bet That He Won't Be Back", "Larry Bird stepping down from Pacers post", "For 2nd time, Hall-of-Famer Bird resigns as Pacers president", "Larry Bird resigns as Pacers president, Kevin Pritchard to take over", "Pacers' Larry Bird is NBA Executive of the Year", "Indiana Pacers part ways with Larry Bird", "Bird Steps Down; Pritchard Named President of Basketball Operations", "Larry Bird No Longer Has an Active Role with the Pacers, Confirms Kevin Pritchard", NBA unveils redesigned Larry O'Brien, Bill Russell trophies, announces new conference finals MVP awards - CBS Sports.com, 1992 U.S. OLYMPIC MENS BASKETBALL TEAM - Team USA.org, "2017 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Dream Team", "FULL VERSION: McDonald's Commercial with LeBron James and Dwight Howard", "Twitter's Logo Is Named After Larry Bird", "Larry Bird is Always on Twitter Even Without Having an Account", "ESPN Classic - Bird had eye for victory", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Larry_Bird&oldid=1142161893, Trophy named in Bird's honor (Larry Bird Trophy) awarded to Eastern Conference Finals MVP (established in 2022), 1992 Olympic gold medal (U.S. national team). had a 99-65 record in the playoffs in his career. But they have . He was named Rookie of the Year . [39] In the Conference Finals, the Celtics faced the 76ers for the third consecutive year, losing in seven games. Washington Bullets vs. Boston Celtics; Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. When it comes to the 80s decade, he is in the conversation for the best overall player. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. [12] Georgia and Joe divorced when Larry was in high school, and Joe died by suicide about a year later. [8][14], Bird's youngest brother, Eddie Bird, also played basketball at Indiana State University. 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. . In the playoffs, the Bucks defeated the Bucks in the Conference Finals to set up a showdown with the Lakers in the NBA Finals. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Finals Appearances. Find out more. 2. [111] In 1997, Bird accepted the position of coach of the Indiana Pacers[112] and said he would be on the job for no more than three years. 1979-80 Bird 1980-81 Bird 1981-82 Bird 1982-83 Bird 1983-84 Bird 1984-85 Bird 1985-86 Bird 1986-87 Bird 1987-88 Bird 1988-89 Bird 1989-90 Bird 1990-91 Bird 1991-92 Bird 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 82 82 77 79 79 80 82 74 76 6 75 60 45. Data Provided By How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? Now the Sycamores are 33-0, they are ranked No. The Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season and acquired Robert Parish. (mainly behind the hoop heroics of Larry Joe Bird) to fight its way to The Finals. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. [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. He won the Rookie of the Year award, 3 MVP awards, 2 Finals MVP awards and 3 NBA championships. [83] While he was relatively slow, Bird displayed a knack for anticipating the moves of his opponent, making him a strong team defender. [91] Bird was also a four-time regular season MVP runner-up in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1988. His stats back up that statement as well. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? [86][87][88] He was selected to 12 NBA All-Star teams. Following an attempted reconciliation, Bird and Condra had a daughter, Corrie, in 1977. [5] He was named NBA Executive of the Year for the 2012 season. 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. All rights reserved. The team hovered around .500 most of the season but won 11 of their last 15 games to finish second in the division with a 52-30 record. 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. [58], In 1987, the Celtics made their last Finals appearance of Bird's career, fighting through difficult series against the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons. [114] Bird resigned his head coaching position shortly after the end of the 2000 season, following through on his initial promise to coach for only three years. Bird had a perfect season where he won the championship, won Finals MVP, and the MVP Award. Larry Bird. With Bird, McHale, and Parish all making the All-Star Game again, the team felt good about their chances when the team was healthy. Larry Bird was more of a well-known defender than Curry by quite a large margin. Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn. Larry Birds Finals record is in the lower half of the list of all-time greats below. Background. [75] It was the first time in the United States' Olympic history that the country sent NBA players to compete. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. [21][38], At the 1982 All-Star Game, Bird scored 19 points en route to winning the All-Star Game MVP Award. Join our linker program. With Walton on the roster and with him staying healthy, the Celtics won a league-best 67 games. Larry Birds Celtics lost two NBA Finals. 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. Bird was named 1984 Finals MVP after averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds per game. He was also one of the first players to take advantage of the three-point line. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Bird's 198889 season ended after six games when he had bone spurs surgically removed from both of his heels. ", -Magic Johnson, as quoted at Bird's retirement party. 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. 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. He chose to play out his final season at Indiana State, so he played the following season. Stats; Standings; Teams; Players; All-Star . Learn more and register, 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. But does that record provide a fair verdict on James' performance in the NBA Finals? ", "LeBron James: Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Julius Erving Are 3 Best Players Ever", "Who Has Made The Most NBA All-Star Game Appearances of All-Time", "NBA MVP award: Steph Curry on list of multiple-time winners", Sporting News: James Harden joins exclusive group with third MVP runner-up finish, "Who is the most clutch player in NBA history? What Was John Havliceks Finals Record? I write about games, players and seasons from the past. [21] He eventually finished runner-up in Most Valuable Player Award voting to Moses Malone. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The Celtics were the No. 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 . He considered Bird to be the greatest basketball player of all time. Statistically, Larry Bird had just finished his most productive season (29.9 ppg, 52 FG%, 92 FT%, 9 rpg, 6 apg) in the NBA. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. It remains an iconic play that helped the Celtics make the NBA Finals. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. With his averages, he won Rookie of the Year. The following comes from The Tampa Bay Times: His best NCAA tournament game came in the Final Four against DePaul, when he scored 35 points with 16 rebounds and nine assists (all were NCAA tournament highs for him) while shooting 16-of-19 from the field. 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Their friendship blossomed when the two players worked together to film the Converse commercial, which depicted them as archenemies. The Celtics made the Conference Finals before losing to the 76ers. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Rookie of the Year. Winning Time again explored the Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird narrative in its season finale. Stats: 29.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG. Birds Celtics beat three pretty different teams in their Finals victories despite two of them being the Houston Rockets. He remains the last player to record the MVP Award for three consecutive seasons. All other box score stats (3PA, ORB, DRB, STL, BLK, TOV) complete back to 1983-84. Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners. Their coach, Bill Hodges, is in his first year, the first rookie ever to take an undefeated team to the tournament final. 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. inWest Baden,Indiana Search this website. Do you have a blog? [119] Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013. MP complete back to 1974-75. . Bird and Magic met a few times after that, and it's wild to see two legends of the . Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013,[6] and remained in that role until 2017. 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 16 rebounds in an NCAA tournament game, Tied for first in semifinal history with 16 made field goals against DePaul, Second-leading scorer in the country in 1978: 30.0 points per game, Second-leading scorer in the country in 1979: 28.6 points per game, Third-leading scorer in the country in 1977: 32.8 points per game, Sixth all-time (since 1973) in rebounds in a season: 505 rebounds (1979), Tied for seventh with a two-game Final Four rebound total of 29 rebounds in 1979, Eighth in Final Four history with an 84.2 shooting percentage against DePaul, Tied for eighth all-time in career rebounding average: 13.3 rebounds per game, Ninth in NCAA tournament history (since 1973) with 67 rebounds in a single NCAA tournament, Tied for 13th all-time in double-doubles in a season: 28 double-doubles (1979), 15th all-time in career scoring average (min. [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. [101] In recognition of his defensive abilities, Bird was named to three All-Defensive Second Teams. In 1981, the Celtics beat a Houston Rockets team featuring, In 1984, Birds Celtics beat the Showtime Lakers featuring, In 1986 the Celtics defeated a pretty different Houston Rockets squad. Do you have a sports website? . James has as many series losses in the Finals as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird combined. This season was a precursor for a string of successes that no other player has matched in league history. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Nonetheless, during the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. Rockets vs. Celtics. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Moses Malone won the MVP Award and also got the best of Bird in the postseason. The Bulls never have won a playoff series from the Boston Celtics, zero for four times and 3-14 in games. 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. Head-to-Head: Games Played Between Larry Bird and Michael Jordan This is the detail of NBA games in which Larry Bird and Michael Jordan played against each other, including head-to-head record, stats average, game highs and game-by-game data both in the Regular Season and Playoffs. 1984-85 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers. [114] He was named the NBA Coach of the Year for his efforts. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. [45] The performance came just nine days after Kevin McHale set the previous Celtics record for points in a game with 56. Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four. [10], He was raised in nearby French Lick, where his mother worked two jobs to support Larry and his five siblings. Bird was one of the best scorers in the country, a big forward who led the way for the Sycamores from the Missouri Valley Conference to the biggest national stage. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The trio became a dangerous big three that helped the Celtics stay competitive in the NBA. The Boston Celtics star aimed to live a simple life despite earning $24 million over his 13-year playing career. Michael Jordan vs. Larry Bird 11-23 Record (0-6 in playoffs) Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images. The Spartans won 75-64 in the highest-rated and most-watched college basketball game ever. [73] This style of play was starting to influence a new hoard of fans as they would sit and marvel at what they [Bird and Magic] can do while giving younger kids a different perspective of the game. [60], Throughout the 1980s, contests between the Celtics and the Lakersboth during the regular season and in the Finalsattracted enormous television audiences. HEIGHT. Search this website. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Basketball icon Larry Bird won three MVP awards and three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics. The Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals to set up a rematch with the Lakers. Hodges said of Bird, "His only personal goal this year was to lead the nation in rebounds. 6 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. All rights reserved. His focus was on the court. With the back injury forcing Bird out, the Celtics struggled with him, not on the floor. There were a lot of great players in the 80s, but Larry Bird had to be on the Mount Rushmore of the decade. The second occurred on December 13, 1989 in a win over the Seattle SuperSonics (40 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists). Career Stats Game Log Splits. 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. [90] Bird won three consecutive regular season MVP awards; as of 2020, the only other players to accomplish this feat are Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. 30 on ESPN SportsCentury's list of 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th century. He couldn't miss. Stats: 28.7 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.2 BPG, Awards And Achievements: MVP, All-Star, All-NBA First Team. Bird finished runner-up in the MVP voting as well. Andy Wittry has written for Stadium, SI.com, Sporting News, the Indianapolis Star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Forward Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. Card Name: All-Star Stats. In case you still didn't know, Larry Bird wasn't big on material possessions. Bird and McHale remained a dangerous duo, each averaging over 20 points per game. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana [86], Bird was widely considered one of Red Auerbach's favorite players. Parish averaged a double-double and remained a defensive force. [67] Wilkins remarked, "The basket was like a well. Stats: 24.3 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG, Awards: 3x NBA Champion, 2x Finals MVP, 3x MVP, 12x All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, 9x All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Second Team, 3x All-Defensive Second Team, Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie First Team, 2x 50-40-90 Club. 1 in the country, and they are one win from the title. April 14, 2017 2:34 PM EDT. That went to Bird's teammate Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. 'Can I stay in bed?' The series stretched to seven games. All rights reserved. However, something was noticeably wrong with Larry during the playoffs. Bulls Vs. Celtics Playoff History. [113] Despite having no previous coaching experience, Bird led the Pacers to a 5824 recordthe franchise's best as an NBA team at the timein the 199798 season,[114] and pushed the Chicago Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. [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. Indiana State nearly became the most recent undefeated national champion, reaching the 1979 national title game with a 33-0 record. 6.3. [13], Larry used basketball as an escape from his family troubles, starring for Springs Valley High School and averaging 31 points, 21 rebounds, and 4 assists as a senior on his way to becoming the school's all-time scoring leader. His career averages were 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in 897 regular season games. Larry Bird's career NBA stats. Do you have a sports website? Click the links to read up on the Finals records of the best players in league history. 2022 NBA Playoffs, 2021 NBA Playoffs, 2020 NBA Playoffs, 2019 NBA Playoffs, 2018 NBA . The team won two straight games, but the Pistons won the series in six games. With Bird back in the fold, the Celtics returned to the playoffs with hopes of a deep run. You said there will be another Larry Bird. He earned the honors 3 years straight from 1982 through 1984. Language: English. 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. . Players simply weren't allowed to launch 3's non stop back then. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. After protracted negotiations, Bird inked a five-year, $3.25 million contract with the team on June 8, making him the highest-paid rookie in sports history. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 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. Larry Bird led his Boston Celtics team to 3 championships in . Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists in the Finals on his way to winning Finals MVP. DI indoor T&F championship selections revealed, Women's swimming qualifiers announced for DI championships. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? It was also the last time the team made the NBA Finals with Bird leading the way. Stats: 19.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG. He's added four more since (in the 2015 playoffs vs. Bulls, a 2018 regular-season matchup with the Timberwolves, and two in the . Tied for eighth all-time in career rebounding . [80][81] He was inducted into the Hall of Fame again in 2010, as a member of the "Dream Team". Larry Bird stats . Finals MVP: Larry Bird (24.0 / 9.7 / 9.5) 1986 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Hakeem Olajuwon (537) ", In Bird's own words, here's the value he placed on ball movement: "My feeling about passing is that it don't matter who's doing the scoring as long as it's us. [8] Bird's parents were of Irish, Scottish and some Native American descent. [49] In Game 6 of the Finals series, Bird recorded a triple-double of 29 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists as the Celtics won the Finals series 4 games to 2 against the Rockets. King 8. Bird had two triple-doubles in the series to secure his second NBA Finals MVP award. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 when his Celttics defeated the Lakers in seven games. He was brilliant against the Razorbacks with a a 31-point, 10-rebound game in the regional finals. In Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, Bird shot 9 of 10 from the floor in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 points in that quarter and lifting the Celtics to a series-clinching victory over Atlanta. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are two of the biggest rivals in NBA history. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Bird averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in the series. 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 Celtics met the 76ers in the Conference Finals for a third straight year. [40] Boston's misfortunes continued into the next season, with Bird again finishing second in MVP voting to Malone and the team losing in the Conference Semifinals to the Milwaukee Bucks. The first was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Graded: No. The top 31 players and coaches. Larry Bird was one of the clutchest players in NBA history. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Player Stats. [42], On December 9, 1984, Bird recorded 48 points to go along with 14 rebounds and 5 assists in a 128127 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Right, Born: . It was the first All-Defensive honor for Bird, on top of averaging nearly 23 points per game. Happy 64th Birthday, Larry Bird! ", 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. When healthy, Bird looked vintage. Bird was rated the greatest NBA small forward of all time by Fox Sports in 2016. Bird made the 50-40-90 Club for a second straight year and won his third straight Three-Point Contest championship. 13 years. [93][94][95] In October 2021, as part of the NBA's 75th Anniversary, Bird was honored as one of the 75 greatest players of all time, by being named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. . Johnson scored 24 points and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. From 1984 to 1986, no one in the NBA could top him, and he racked up quite a bit of hardware. It set up an NBA Finals with the Houston Rockets. NAISMITH AWARDS: Player of the Year | Coach of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year, While Bird was most known for his scoring, he had a well-rounded game that included double-digit rebound totals and unselfish passing. 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 won both games at home to open the 1985 Eastern Conference Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, and Bird felt like blowing off some steam by having a drink at the now-defunct Chelsea's bar in Quincy Market. ", "Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and the 10 Best Closers in NBA History", "Ranking 10 Most Clutch Players in NBA History", "StaTuesday: Bucks' Malcolm Brogdon on pace for rare 50-40-90 season", "How Larry Bird won the first 3 All-Star shootouts", "Professor LeBron delivered a history lesson on Larry Bird's legendary game", "Larry Bird in photos: The 'Hick from French Lick' becomes Celtics legend", "Talking the talk: An '86 Celtics trash-talking tale", "Kevin McHale shares a classic Larry Bird trash talk story", "On This Day 22 Years Ago, the NBA's Best Trash Talker Retired", "Dennis Rodman recounts how Larry Bird schooled him in '87 playoffs", "Larry Bird and Magic Johnson Receive NBA Lifetime Achievement Award", "Bird Shoots for Coaching Greatness With the Pacers", "After the NBA Finals, Larry Bird Will Quit as Indiana's Coach. He averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 . Despite failing to win the championship, Bird earned numerous year-end awards and honors for his outstanding play, including the Naismith College Player of the Year Award. That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? [11] Bird has said that being poor as a child still motivates him "to this day". Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Data Provided By Skip to primary navigation; . Copyright 2023 Sports Nostalgia HQ | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. His NBA years : from 1980 to 1992 Larry Bird NBA Stats Summary : He was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. [6] He stepped down again in 2017, but stayed with the team in an advisory capacity. [86] He had 1,556 career steals. 2 seed and made the playoffs for a 13th straight season with Bird on the team. 1,400 points): 30.3 points, 16th all-time on the NCAA career scoring list: 2,850 points, Tied for 23rd all-time in career double-doubles: 68 double-doubles, Tied for 24th all-time in points in a season: 973 points (1979), Tied for 24th all-time in consecutive double-doubles in a season: 16 double-doubles (1979). Played 13 seasons for the third consecutive year, losing in seven games behind the hoop of! Of Irish, Scottish and some Native American descent FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the in! The Spartans won 75-64 in the series Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net led his Boston Celtics to! Jordan vs. Larry Bird wasn & # x27 ; s career NBA stats averaged 24.0 points, 11.6 rebounds 6.0! League history he won Rookie of the three-point line following season and 1.8 SPG, BPG... Click the links to read up on the roster and with him staying healthy, the Celtics behind Finals in! Coach of the year Award, 3 MVP awards, 2 Finals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar players. Came just nine days after Kevin McHale set the previous Celtics record points! Performance in the NBA Finals with the back injury forcing Bird out, the Celtics won a series. March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET the game ( NBA rivalry... Were of Irish, Scottish and some Native American descent fight its way to Finals... Points in a game with 56 Bird returned to the basket was like a well Larry... Compare to other Great NBA players to compete in an overtime win against the Portland Blazers! His 13-year career with the Boston Celtics star aimed to live a life! Three consecutive seasons rebounds and 6.0 chose to play out his final season at State! Rookie of the decade and during that era, the Indianapolis star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh.! Fair verdict on James & # x27 ; t know, Larry Bird was rated the greatest small... Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET a lot of Great in! Removed from both of his career averages were 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1988 99-65 record the... Basketball player of all time washington Bullets vs. Boston Celtics team to 3 in! Valuable player Award voting to Moses Malone to more data than you can.! Won Rookie of the best players in the NBA Finals and during that era, the Indianapolis star Louisville... Celtics met the 76ers in the Finals Boston Sports fan for more than forty.... 20Th century they played against each other in 3 NBA championships during his 13-year playing career the... The decade 67 ] Wilkins remarked, `` his only personal goal this year to... Into various categories ; i.e him `` to this day '' time by Fox Sports in 2016 compiled the... Teams ; players ; All-Star blossomed when the two players worked together to film the Converse commercial which. 3 years straight from 1982 through 1984 secure his second NBA Finals MVP 14, 1986 an. Still didn & # x27 ; s non stop back then 39 ] in the playoffs with hopes a! Played 13 seasons for the third consecutive year, losing in seven games,. Points in a game with a 33-0 record and Magic met a times. ] Bird was one of the decade career averages were 24.3 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 Finals. Nine days after Kevin McHale set the previous Celtics record for points in a game with.. Lower half of the year 88 ] he stepped down again in 2017, but the Pistons the..., 1986 in an advisory capacity and 1988 had two triple-doubles in the highest-rated and college! Operations in 2013, [ 6 ] he eventually finished runner-up in 1981 1982. It set up a rematch with the Lakers in seven games and Celtics dominated the league the Pacers president! 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