As of 2023, Larry Bird's net worth is around $80 million; he has different income sources. The game after setting an NBA finals record for made threes with eight in game 2 against the Lakers in 2010, Ray Allen . This struggle did not deter Bird. 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. The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Lakers in 1983 and the Detroit Pistons snuck by the Lakers in 1989. Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn. If you were wondering about his career numbers while we wrap this up, he averaged 24.3 points, 10 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. Bird was named Finals MVP after averaging 27.4 points, 14.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in the series. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. In 1986, they failed a third straight NBA Finals meeting (it was later accomplished 31 years later by the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors), as the Lakers were eliminated in the Conference Finals by the Houston Rockets. No matter which side of the aisle you find yourself on, though, Larry Bird has you covered. The Sixers had an incredible roster featuring three Hall of Famers in Julius Dr. How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? The Celtics next opponent was the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that swept them the year earlier. In the Western Conference Finals the Rockets handled the defending champion Lakers in five games. From a statistical perspective, he also averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists across his career. Bird averaged 27.2 points, 9.6 boards and 7.0 assists for the series. Jordan averaged an insane 43.7 points, 5.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds for this. He joined the Celtics a year later. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. In Birds rookie season in the league, he helped lead the Boston Celtics all the way into the Eastern Conference Finals. Adding one more hall of famer, Bill Walton, put this team over the top. He was still one to wear what he wanted, enjoy the simple pleasures of life, and, in this case, refuse to hype up his own accomplishments. Houston lost a close game 1 then won a tight game 2 in Boston. 9 John Vanak (alternate, replaced Evans), This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:16. In the 198384 season, the Celtics won 62 games to lead the league. The Celtics swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Two superstars, Magic and Larry, and the two most iconic teams in the leagues history, the Lakers and the Celtics. Boston won two close ones to start the series before Washington stole game three by 3 points. Indiana took Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Tree had famously bit Danny Ainge in a playoff fight three seasons prior. The #1 and #2 seeds were set to face off in the Conference Finals. These Knicks really were Bernard Kings team. Larry Bird and Earvin Magic Johnson helped define the modern NBA with their individual brilliance and team success in the 1980s. Bird is a universally known NBA legend and is often credited with the NBAs explosion of popularity in the 1980s. 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). Sadly for Bird, Michigan State were just too much for him as the Spartans ran out 75-64 winners. As one of the greatest players to ever step foot in the . In retirement, though, Larry Legend managed to take things down a notch. The games were close enough but never really in doubt. Carr. Larry Bird is one of the greatest NBA players of all time. May 12, 2022. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. However, this changed in the 1979 season when Birds Indiana State qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. Celtics Starters: Tiny Archibald, Chris Ford, Larry Bird, Cedric Cornbread Maxwell and Robert Parish. 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. Allen Iverson Jersey Mitchell and Ness: A Complete Guide. He averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 boards and 3.6 assists per game for the series. 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. Larry Bird Championship #1: 1981 Boston Celtics, 1981 Conference Semis: Celtics def. The Celtics had hope they could avenge the loss of two years prior. This series prompted Bird to quote, Thats God disguised as Michael Jordan. Michael averaged 43 points through the three-game series. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. James Posey shared the culture that made the 2008 Boston Celtics experience so unique. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. He instead enrolled at the smaller Indiana State University. 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. Nobody thought that the Celtics would beat the Lakers in 1984. 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. Larry Birds First NBA Championship 1981. The Detroit Pistons took two games off them in the second round but it didnt matter, Bird averaged 28 points per game as they won in six. Traditional Magic led the Lakers to victory at home in game 6, setting the stage for a Boston Garden Game 7. There were three Larry Bird championships with the Boston Celtics: in 1981, 1984 and 1986. Magic led the team in scoring this time but was still joined by the same stars: Kareem, James Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper. Larry led the team to a Game 7 victory while averaging 26-13-5, putting up a great stat line of 23-11-5 with 5 steals in the deciding Game 7. more information Accept. Larry Bird starred at Indiana State University before joining the NBA's Boston Celtics in 1979. . In Game 4, the Lakers had a five-point game lead with less than a minute to play, but made several execution errors, including Magic Johnson's bad pass to Robert Parish late in the fourth quarter, and missing two crucial free throws in OT as the Celtics tied the game and then came away with a 129-125 victory in overtime. This included a Game six victory where a hostile Boston crowd booed Ralph Sampson, sapping his confidence to the point he only had 8 points on 3-12 shooting. One of the most exciting 3-0 series in league history, the Celtics made quick work of the up-and-coming Bulls featuring a young Michael Jordan. What are the abbreviations on the NBA table. The series was the eighth time in NBA history that the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA finals, with Boston winning each time, and the first championship that the Celtics claimed at home since 1966. Unfortunately for the Pacers and Larry Bird, the Lakers were just too much for the Pacers. As weve mentioned, all these players were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Celtics and the Lakers are the two most storied franchises in the NBA, and the rivalry has often been called the greatest 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. Stockton, the play-by-play announcer for the series, was joined by Tom Heinsohn, and the duo would call the next four NBA Finals until 1987. The Cs won games five and six by two points each to reach game 7. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. The couple has two adopted children named Conner Mariah.. Family. Games. The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. The Celtics won game 2 at home but lost two games in Philly to fall behind 3-1. This was the last of Larrys three straight MVP seasons. The games were closer than youd expect for a 1 seed vs 8 seed series. The game was also marked by Celtic forward Kevin McHale's clothesline take-down of Laker forward Kurt Rambis on a breakaway layup which triggered the physical aspect of the rivalry. The Celtics had Larry Bird as their centerpiece and posted a record of 67-15, including an NBA record 40 wins at home. As someone who watched Bird play and has now researched and written more than a half dozen articles about his career, I can help you out. Featuring prime Larry Legend, apex Kevin Mchale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson. Larry Bird won three championships as a player, but did not win any as a coach. Milwaukee Bucks 4-0, 1986 NBA Finals: Celtics def. This Finals had everything. The 1987 Finals was the culmination of Magic and Bird's decade-long rivalry that dominated the NBA. In 1980, 1982, 1985 and 1988, Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to championships, winning three Finals MVPs along the way. The Cs closed it out with a lopsided victory in game 5. Bird finished second in the MVP voting to Malone and was unable to lead the Celtics back to the Conference Finals. Your email address will not be published. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. By: HoopsHype. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. 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. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. New York also featured Bill Cartwright and Rory Sparrow. Larry Bird, the former basketball player for NBA's Boston Celtics, is a true icon in the world of basketball. In Game 3, the Lakers raced to an easy 137-104 victory as Magic Johnson dished out 21 assists, an NBA Finals record. Safe to say he absolutely dominated in every facet of the game for that second ring. Bird's Boston Celtics won the NBA championship three times during his career (1981 and '86 vs. the Houston Rockets, '84 vs. the Los Angeles Lakers), and Bird won Finals MVP in '84 and '86. The Lakers were coming off a four-game sweep by the Philadelphia 76ers in the previous year's finals. Not that there was anything to really worry about for him, it really just added a chip on his shoulder to come back and perform to a high standard. Things werent as cheerful from this point forward for Boston though. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But it is also quite possible even probable that Larry Bird cost the Celtics the 1985 NBA championship.". All rights reserved. The Cs turned up the D and Bird was everywhere. Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. The three finals victories are outlined above, but Bird also had two finals losses. After that the series was all Lakers, they won four of the next five games to end the series in six and hand Larry his first Finals loss. The Cs took game 5 at home behind Larry Birds 34 points and 17 boards. In this first iconic matchup, eight Hall of Famers saw play. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. James has as many series losses in the Finals as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird combined. The Bucks, coached by Celtics legend Don Nelson, won the Central Division title in 1984. However, this was not the case. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. The kick-off of one of the greatest rivalries of all time. Averaging 30-10-7 with 3 steals. However, despite sweeping the Bulls in the first round again, they had serious issues the next few. Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. Bird scored almost 26 points per game in winning his third-straight MVP award. 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. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana Despite excellent performances in his first two seasons, Indiana State had very little success. Between the two players, they won eight NBA titles, five Finals MVP awards, six league MVP . How Many Championships did Larry Bird win? With a new head coach in KC Jones and plenty of uncertainties, Carr said their motto for the season was Dont be denied. How many games did Larry Bird field goal miss a season due to injury? The games were reasonably close if the series was not. The games were not much closer than the series itself. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Atlanta Hawks 4-1, 1986 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. There are so many different titles that Bird has. Larry Bird's continuing influence on the game of basketball crossed a new threshold . Trailing in game 4, Kevin McHale clothes lined Kurt Rambis to spark the Cs to victory. He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. The Knicks were led by the explosive scorer Bernard King, who averaged 29-5-3 in the series. It was an offensive and defensive clinic. Those other two times? No stats available. Thanks for signing up. Larry Bird Owns Many Records, But Only One Unique One Bird owns a unique NBA record. The Celtics then took the series lead for the first time by winning Game 5 but the thoroughbred Lakers sent the series to a Game 7 with their own double-digit win. Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were carrying their teams on the offensive [] Do you have a sports website? 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. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. 1981 was against the Houston Rockets where Cedric Maxwell was the NBA Finals MVP. You can only imagine how fiery this rivalry was, with two consecutive seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals. This series was a rematch of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics after their rivalry was revived in 1979 with the Magic JohnsonLarry Bird pair entering the league.
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