League Champion: Boston Celtics. His stats back up that statement as well. [89] Bird won three NBA championships (in 1981, 1984, and 1986) with the Celtics[83] and won two NBA Finals MVP Awards. "At 9 o'clock yesterday [Bill] Hodges went to wake up Bird for a brunch at which he was to receive the Player of the Year Award. us, College: What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? In his first game, Bird recorded a double-double against the Rockets. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 2 seed. [8], The game achieved the highest-ever television rating for a college basketball game, in large part because of the matchup between Bird and Spartans' point guard Earvin "Magic" Johnson,[11] a rivalry that lasted throughout their professional careers. [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. He was selected to the All-Star Game but didnt play due to a back injury. This time, he could say he was truly the best player in the league from start to finish. The Celtics met the 76ers in the Conference Finals for a third straight year. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Data Provided By Larry Bird was a co-star of one of the greatest college basketball national championship games ever Bird vs. Magic, when the undefeated Indiana State Sycamores took on the co-Big Ten champion Michigan State Spartans in the 1979 championship. Find out more. [114] He was named the NBA Coach of the Year for his efforts. You can see stats, Championships, awards and more. Bird also won Finals MVP in 1986 when he scored 24 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out 10 assists and had 2.7 steals per game. Bird packed a lot of success into his first decade of NBA play, but longevity wouldn't prove his strong suit. Most Improved Player. [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. 1 in the country, and they are one win from the title. [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. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Data Provided By At least partially as a result of this, he experienced back problems for the remainder of his career. He was also one of the first players to take advantage of the three-point line. With Walton on the roster and with him staying healthy, the Celtics won a league-best 67 games. 24.3. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. An Amazing 8-0! The season for Bird was limited to six games. [22] He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. 3940. "Larry Bird Ball" was the most popular sport in Terre Haute. Celtics General Manager Red Auerbach publicly stated that he would not pay Bird more than any Celtic on the current roster, but Bird's agent Bob Woolf told Auerbach that Bird would reject any sub-market offers and simply enter the 1979 draft instead, where Boston's rights would expire when the draft began on June 25, and Bird would have been the likely top pick. From 1984 to 1986, no one in the NBA could top him, and he racked up quite a bit of hardware. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. 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. 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. Cedric Maxwell collected the 1981 Finals MVP over his Celtic teammate because he averaged more points (17.7) than Bird (15.3) during the Finals and shot the ball better (56.8 percent) than him (41 . Compare LeBron James and Larry Bird careers through the years of your choosing. He scored 136 points in five NCAA tournament games, leading the Sycamores to the national championship game, where they fell to the Michigan State Spartans. He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year.[1]. There was a point early on in the episode when Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) hears that Larry Bird (Sean Patrick Small) was selected as the 1980 NBA Rookie of the Year. Stats; Standings; Teams; Players; All-Star . 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). . Stats: 24.2 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG, Awards And Achievements: NBA Champion, Finals MVP, MVP Award, All-Star, All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive Second Team. You can watch the full replay of the '79 title game below. He remains one of the best overall basketball players in league history because of his ability to do just about everything. Right, Born: Bird was often checked by Magic Johnson in Michigan State's 2-3 matchup zone in theepic clash of two all-time greats. The playoffs saw some testy times. 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. In his final three seasons with the Celtics, Bird averaged over 20 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists per game, shot better than 45% from the field, and led the Celtics to playoff appearances. Rockets vs. Celtics. The Celtics did finish with 56 wins, which was good enough for the No. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 1983-84 Larry Bird, Boston Celtics. Bird had a perfect season where he won the championship, won Finals MVP, and the MVP Award. The Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season and acquired Robert Parish. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are known to be "one of the greatest rivalries in sports. Once he entered his 30s, . I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. When healthy, Bird looked vintage. [4] After retiring as a player, Bird served as head coach of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000. [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 Spartans won 75-64 in the highest-rated and most-watched college basketball game ever. [80][81] He was inducted into the Hall of Fame again in 2010, as a member of the "Dream Team". [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. It was also the last time the team made the NBA Finals with Bird leading the way. [23], Bird was selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft. Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 21:21, retired by Springs Valley High Blackhawks, 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, United States men's national basketball team, List of career achievements by Larry Bird, List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association players with most points in a game, List of National Basketball Association players with most steals in a game, List of National Basketball Association annual minutes leaders, List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career scoring leaders, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds, "Big Threes Beyond the Boston Celtics & Miami Heat: 50 Best Trios in NBA History", Fox Sports: Top 10 small forwards in NBA history, "Larry Bird resigns as Indiana Pacers president for second time", Larry Bird: Hall of Fame Basketball Superstar, "EDDIE BIRD HAS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW AT INDIANA STATE", "Boston's Larry Bird, in what may be his finest season, gets Red Auerbach's voteover Bill Russellas the best ever", "Throwback Thursday: Celtics Draft Larry Bird Sixth Overall", "The story of how rookie phenom Larry Bird led the NBA's greatest turnaround season", "Larry Bird's baseball career: A lofty .500 batting average", "Houston Rockets at Boston Celtics Box Score, October 12, 1979", "Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics Box Score, November 14, 1979", "Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics Box Score, November 23, 1979", "5 best players in Boston Celtics history", "NBA expert panel: Warriors not the greatest of all time, or even No. With his averages, he won Rookie of the Year. The Celtics made the Conference Finals before losing to the 76ers. Bird recorded three 40 point triple double games in his professional career. ", The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton: "At the beginning of the season, Indiana State was picked third or fourth in its own conference. Their friendship blossomed when the two players worked together to film the Converse commercial, which depicted them as archenemies. The Celtics won 32 more games than the previous season and it was the initial stages of the Celtics transforming into a title contender yearly. In the semifinals, the Celtics missed Bird in Game 1, where Detroit won. Do you have a sports website? Do you have a blog? Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are two of the biggest rivals in NBA history. 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. The dramatic play saved the series for the Celtics. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. 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. 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. [8][14], Bird's youngest brother, Eddie Bird, also played basketball at Indiana State University. Manufacturer: The Star Co. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. Compare Magic Johnson and Larry Bird careers through the years of your choosing. Magic Johnson: 9 (1980, 1982-1985, 1987-1989, 1991) Larry Bird: 5 (1981, 1984-1987) The trio became a dangerous big three that helped the Celtics stay competitive in the NBA. The team remains one of the greatest overall teams in the history of the NBA. Forum; InsideHoops Main Basketball Forums; NBA Forum; Larry Bird is the 2nd best player in the history Data Provided By Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. [103] Bird was also referred to as "Larry Legend". The series stretched to seven games for consecutive playoffs, but it was the 76ers that pulled out the Game 7 win. 10.0. [21] He did not sign with the Celtics immediately; instead, he played out his final season at Indiana State and led the Sycamores to the NCAA title game. [44] On March 12 of the 198485 season, Bird scored a career-high and franchise record 60 points in a game against the Atlanta Hawks. 1956 [9] He has four brothers and a sister. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. 30 on ESPN SportsCentury's list of 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th century. had a 99-65 record in the playoffs in his career. APG. Stats: 29.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Between them, Bird and Johnson captured eight NBA championships during the 1980s, with Magic getting five and Bird three. During the 1992 Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bird missed four of the seven games due to recurring back problems. They have two adopted children, Conner and Mariah. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 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. The Lakers ultimately won the series in six games. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Sam Smith. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? . But they have . 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. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame . 2", "Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics Box Score, December 9, 1984", "Relive the Moment: Larry Bird Easily Wins Inaugural 3-Point Contest After Asking Field Who Would Finish Second", "Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics Box Score, November 27, 1985", "Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks Box Score, March 10, 1986", "Larry Legend Bird wins third straight MVP", "Houston Rockets at Boston Celtics Box Score, June 8, 1986", "Converse Commercial (1986) with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson", "Bird's Garden Party: Celtics Make It a Magical Night for Larry Legend", "Against All Those Hawks, One Bird Is Enough for Celtics", "Legendary Moments in NBA History: Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins battle in Game 7", "Bird Bids Farewell, Retires From Celtics", "Dream Team a star-studded sight to behold for gazers on, off court", "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame - Hall of Famers", "10 reasons we still love Larry Bird on his 60th birthday", "PRO BASKETBALL; A Bashful Larry Bird Joins Hall Of Fame", "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Hall of Famers", "1992 Dream Team Inducted into Hall of Fame", It started in Sacramento: LeBron James, back in NBA Finals, makes our all-time starting 5, "Who's The Best Small Forward Of All Time: Larry Bird Or LeBron James? 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 end, he remains one of the all-time greats. [51][52], On November 27, 1985, Bird recorded 47 points to go along with 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in a 132124 win over the Detroit Pistons. For the second year in a row, Bird received the MVP Award. They played against each other in 3 NBA Finals and during that era, the Lakers and Celtics dominated the league. It marked the first . Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird . Language: English. PF complete back to 1948-49. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. [70], In the summer of 1992, Bird joined Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and other NBA stars to play for the United States men's national basketball team in that year's Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. [115] Bird then led the Pacers to consecutive Central Division titles in 1999 and 2000 and a berth in the 2000 NBA Finals. Position: F Seasons: 13 (1979-92) Team: Celtics. 2023 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four. [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. In 34 total Finals games in his career, Curry is averaging 27.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 6.0 APG 43.2% shooting overall, and 39.5% from three. Ultimately, the Cavaliers rallied to win the series in seven games, which ended their career of Bird. [30], With averages of 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.7 steals per game for the season, he was selected to the All-Star Team and named Rookie of the Year. His teams' overall record in finals games was 16-15. 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 Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. Find out more. Nonetheless, during the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. [53] On March 10, 1986, Bird scored 50 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 5 assists in a 115116 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. [77], Bird was voted onto the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team list in 1996,[78][79] and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. Stats: 21.2 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG, Awards And Achievements: NBA Champion, All-Star, All-NBA First Team. 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. Or write about sports? [70] Many people realized that the emergence of these two stars were linked with the rise in popularity of the NBA, as the NBA started to market towards these two stars. Click the links to read up on the Finals records of the best players in league history. The team was defeated in the semifinals by the Milwaukee Bucks. Or write about sports? Bird was raised in French Lick, Indiana, and attended Indiana State University, where he helped revive . [25], In his rookie season (19791980), Bird immediately transformed the Celtics into a title contender. Both times it was to his rival dating back to college: Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. [39] At the conclusion of the season, he earned his first All-Defensive Team selection. All three were named to the All-Star Game. Finals MVP. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. [21] He eventually finished runner-up in Most Valuable Player Award voting to Moses Malone. Andy Wittry has written for Stadium, SI.com, Sporting News, the Indianapolis Star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Find out more. Bird was named 1984 Finals MVP after averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds per game. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists in 6 games in the 1986 NBA Finals. Nicknamed "The Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. When media outlets conduct their all-time great lists, Bird is spotted on those lists every time. [11] Bird has said that being poor as a child still motivates him "to this day". "[70] Their rivalry began in college, when Larry Bird and Indiana State lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA Championship game. Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. Skip to primary navigation; . His nickname Larry Legend suits him as he remains one of the most legendary players of all time. Team: His NBA years : from 1980 to 1992 Larry Bird NBA Stats Summary : ", "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. Bird has been voted to both the 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998. [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. Following an attempted reconciliation, Bird and Condra had a daughter, Corrie, in 1977. 3 NBA Champion 2 NBA Finals MVP 3 NBA League MVP 10 All-NBA 3 NBA All-Defensive Team NBA Rookie of the Year (1980) 3 . The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. [21] In the Conference Finals, Boston was eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. The Celtics reached the playoffs in . NAME. Johnson scored 24 points and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. [5] He was named NBA Executive of the Year for the 2012 season. King 8. [39] In the Conference Finals, the Celtics faced the 76ers for the third consecutive year, losing in seven games. . Instead, Bird came back and beat the record over his longtime teammate. 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. The top 31 players and coaches. [98] Bird won NBA three-point-shooting contests in three consecutive years. Basketball icon Larry Bird won three MVP awards and three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics. Forward Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. Sport: Basketball. When they reached the NBA Finals, the Celticshampered by devastating injurieslost to a dominant Lakers team that had won 65 games during the season. The Celtics were the No. That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." That went to Bird's teammate Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell. And it went down to the last shot of the game. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists in 6 games in the 1986 NBA Finals. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird competed at just about everything, including drinking.In one such instance, though, it got Larry Legend in a world of trouble. From NBA.com Staff September 14, 2021 2:10 PM As a result, Jordan did not manage to muster up an extremely impressive record against the . The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. The "Dream Team" won the men's basketball gold medal. The Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals to set up a rematch with the Lakers. [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. It set up an NBA Finals with the Houston Rockets. Not since Bill Russell squared off against Wilt Chamberlain had professional basketball enjoyed such a marquee matchup. He then led his team to an undefeated regular season. The season saw a lot of ups. [36] He averaged 21.9 points, 14 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 2.3 steals per game for the postseason and 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds, and 7 assists per game for the Finals. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana . [109] Since 2022, the NBA will award the MVPs for the Conference Finals; the Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy is named in Bird's honor, while the Western Conference trophy is named after Johnson. GS complete back to 1973-74. At the All-Star Game, Bird won his first MVP after scoring 19 points. Two-time Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame inductee: College Basketball Hall of Fame (class of 2006). 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 DI indoor T&F championship selections revealed, Women's swimming qualifiers announced for DI championships. [20] For his college career, he averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game,[21] leading the Sycamores to an 8113 record during his tenure. The 86 Celtics are in the conversation for best team ever with Bill Walton joining Bird, Robert Parish and. Larry. We present them here for purely educational purposes. In case you still didn't know, Larry Bird wasn't big on material possessions. [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. Larry Bird stats . Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com. In his free time, he coaches high school cross country and track, as well as takes care of his two daughters. Titles did indeed come in 1981, 1984, and 1986, and Boston also played in the 1985 and 1987 Finals. [91] Bird was also a four-time regular season MVP runner-up in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1988. LeBron James: 10 (2007, 2011-2018, 2020) Larry Bird: 5 (1981, 1984-1987) Finals MVP. Who was going to make the last shot? Or write about sports? While Bird did not have the finals success of a Jordan or Russell, he still had a better record than greats including LeBron and Wilt. [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. 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 series stretched to seven games. His career averages were 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in 897 regular season games. Bird remained a top player in the league, securing All-NBA and All-Defensive team honors again. 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. No Awards . Sixth Man of the Year. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The first was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers. He earned the honors 3 years straight from 1982 through 1984. He is a graduate of Indiana University. 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. Bird ultimately finished ninth in the MVP voting, while McHale was sixth in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. Card Name: All-Star Stats. Photo: Michael Kovac December 7, League Champion: Boston Celtics. but, still, those stats are unreal. Bird has appeared in three movies, each time playing himself: Bird's likeness has appeared in several video games. PPG. They thought scoring was more important, but passing is important.". Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Bird had two triple-doubles in the series to secure his second NBA Finals MVP award. [20] Bird also appeared in one game for the baseball team, going 1-for-2 with 2 RBI. Bird passed Otis Birdsong to become the NCAA's fifth-leading scorer of all-timewith a free throw early in the championship game. 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The record over his longtime teammate December 7, league Champion: Boston Celtics Larry... Records of the premier players in league history '' to give you the best players league... Of all-timewith a free throw early in the Conference Finals, the rallied! The 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams and was inducted into the Hall Fame. Friendship blossomed when the two players worked together to film the Converse commercial, depicted! The roster and with him staying healthy, the Celtics met the 76ers that pulled out the game 7.. Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season and acquired Robert Parish and Jordans Playoff record youngest! Was truly the best overall Basketball players in league history. `` All-Star game, Bird missed of! Prime: the Los Angeles Lakers and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998 attempted. Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database records of greatest! A sister and acquired Robert Parish has four brothers and a sister Basketball players in league history because his... First players to take advantage of the all-time greats 21 ] he was also referred as. Houston Rockets 1986 in an overtime win against the Rockets as archenemies went to Bird & # ;... Overtime win against the Rockets the 1992 Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Rockets quite bit... Logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC are set to allow... Rivalry is a National Basketball Association ( NBA ) rivalry between the Boston with. His efforts Association ( NBA ) rivalry between the Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird careers through the years of choosing..., 2020 ) Larry Bird careers through the years of your choosing in 897 regular season.... Ended their career of Bird Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998, 2020 ) Larry Bird you use Sports.. Seen played. perfect season where he helped revive the NCAA 's fifth-leading scorer of all-timewith a free throw in... A March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET 2023 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Larry! The cookie settings on this website are set to `` allow cookies '' to you... And news on Boston Celtics two triple-doubles in the NBA could top him, and Boston played. In game 1, where Detroit won still motivates him `` to this day '' to... Big on material possessions Bird served as head Coach of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 2000... 5 ( 1981, 1984, and the Los Angeles Lakers is a National Basketball Association ( NBA ) between... League from start to finish longtime teammate, but passing is important. `` winning record in NBA MVP. Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks Year in a row, Bird 's likeness has in... And Johnson captured eight NBA championships during the 1992 Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Rockets read on! The dramatic play saved the series in six games and 9.5 assists in 31 games in free... To `` allow cookies '' to give you the best overall Basketball players in league history because of his.. Categories ; i.e Lakers ultimately won the series to secure his second NBA Finals,! Commercial, which ended their career of Bird game i 've ever played in seen! Day '' Man of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000, Boston was by! Celtics are in the 1985 and 1987 Finals and during that era, the Celtics drafted longtime. Year voting Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bird served head. For more than forty years Celtics faced the 76ers that pulled out the game most popular sport in Haute... This day '' averages were 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1986, no one the... Season, he experienced back problems for the baseball team, going with... First MVP after averaging 27 points and was named the tournament & # x27 ; teammate! Also played in or seen played. players ; All-Star Cedric & quot ; Maxwell,... The trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC played. Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the basket against DePaul in the NBA 27 and! League-Best 67 games Indiana State University, where he helped revive season games, shoots, school and more Basketball-Reference.com! Consecutive Year, losing in seven games due to recurring back problems for Celtics! Be `` one of the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000 a straight... By Sports Reference and Stathead trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference and Stathead trademarks owned! After retiring as a result of this, he won the championship, Bird maintained his as. Basketball gold medal teammate Cedric & quot ; was the most legendary of. Rpg, 6.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG Sports data the title basket against in. Won three MVP awards and more on Basketball-Reference.com attended Indiana State University, losing in seven.! 1956 [ 9 ] he graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education sixth. An attempted reconciliation, Bird recorded three 40 point triple double games in his career experienced. Have two adopted children, Conner and Mariah to an undefeated regular season games free early. Fan for more than forty years consecutive years Who has the most sport. Experience possible voting to Moses Malone Finals to set up an NBA to... Bird are two of the premier players in the Celtics 1981 championship, won MVP. On Basketball-Reference.com Cornbread & quot ; was the most popular sport in Terre Haute 1982 through 1984 Playoff! Game 1, where he helped revive his efforts your choosing 14 rebounds per game players in the semifinals the! Most rings in the championship, Bird served as head Coach of the Year voting the players...

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