I write about games, players and seasons from the past. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Instead, Bird came back and beat the record over his longtime teammate. Bird was also a member of the gold medal-winning 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team known as the "Dream Team". Find out more. His effort helped to overcome a 47-point performance by Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: His nickname Larry Legend suits him as he remains one of the most legendary players of all time. Manufacturer: The Star Co. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Join our linker program. All rights reserved. Larry Bird totals for the NBA season and Playoffs, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and other categories, year by year and career numbers. 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. Bird would typically start offensive possessions on the right block, where he would utilize the right corner of the floor, the fre-throw line extended and the opposite wing. You can see stats, Championships, awards and more. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Once he entered his 30s, . Happy 64th Birthday, Larry Bird! With that said, the following three years were legendary. Or write about sports? Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? He was selected to play in 12 All-Star games. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones record set in 1965. [86], Bird was widely considered one of Red Auerbach's favorite players. That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." [56] Bird averaged 24 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game for the championship round. In his first game, Bird recorded a double-double against the Rockets. The season finished with a national championship game match-up of Indiana State against Michigan State and featured a highly anticipated match-up of Bird against Michigan State great Magic Johnson, thus beginning a career-long rivalry that the two shared for over a decade. It marked the first . Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. That came in spite of Bird playing with a fracture in his left thumb in the Final Four after getting hurt against Arkansas. Who was going to make the last shot? Learn more and register, International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, 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. Some believe that he is the greatest small forward to ever play in the NBA. Andy Wittry has written for Stadium, SI.com, Sporting News, the Indianapolis Star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Do you have a blog? 6 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. Larry Bird played in the NCAA tournament just once, in 1979, but he made the most of it. where they fell to the Michigan State Spartans. While Indiana State coach Bill Hodges was frustrated with the style of defense, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, Bird wasn't concerned about his lack of shots. [54], With averages of 25.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists, and 2 steals per game, Bird became just the third player in NBA history to win three consecutive MVP Awards. They remained married for less than a year. 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. '", Indiana State coach Bill Hodges on the notion that man-to-man defenses might slow Bird down: "If we go against a UCLA or a Notre Dame later on and they play man-to-man, that's when you'll see how tough Larry really is. With Bird back in the fold, the Celtics returned to the playoffs with hopes of a deep run. Nonetheless, during the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. 13 years. December 7, Bird averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in the NBA Finals. [89] Bird won three NBA championships (in 1981, 1984, and 1986) with the Celtics[83] and won two NBA Finals MVP Awards. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Larry Bird. Indiana State University, High School: The first regular-season game between the Celtics and the Lakers in the 198788 season proved to be a classic with Magic Johnson banking in an off-balance shot from near the three-point line at the buzzer for a 115114 Lakers win at Boston Garden. Data Provided By Here are some of the awards Larry Bird won in college: However, Bird was all business in spite of the awards he won and the fanfare he received. Kyle Daubs has 15 years' worth of writing experience for numerous sports sites. With five seconds left in Game 5, Birds pass to Dennis Johnson to set up the game-winner saved the series. [8] He returned to French Lick, enrolling at Northwood Institute (now Northwood University) in nearby West Baden, and working municipal jobs for a year before enrolling at Indiana State University in Terre Haute in 1975. [118] On June 27, 2012, a day before the 2012 NBA draft, Bird and the Pacers announced that they would be parting ways; Bird said that health issues were among the reasons for his departure. Bird recorded three 40 point triple double games in his professional career. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Bird. Rockets vs. Celtics. [120] He continued to serve as an advisor until July, 2022, when he "stepped back from maintaining an active role with the Indiana Pacers". 'Can I stay in bed?' [57], The '86 Celtics are commonly ranked as one of the greatest basketball teams of all time, with the Boston Globe's Peter May and Grantland's Bill Simmons listing them at number one. . Finals MVP: Larry Bird (27.4 / 14.0 / 3.6) 1984 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Larry Bird (632) TRB: Larry Bird (252) AST: Magic Johnson (284) WS: Larry Bird (4.7) More playoffs info. "Larry Bird Ball" was the most popular sport in Terre Haute. Other notable performances by Bird include his career-high 49 points against Wichita State in February 1979, scoring 29 points in the first half against Butler in December 1978, just 10 months after he dropped 47 on the Bulldogs on the road. In the semifinals, the Celtics missed Bird in Game 1, where Detroit won. [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. Johnson appeared at Bird's retirement ceremony on February 4, 1993, and emotionally described Bird as a "friend forever".[63]. #7 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 1971 NBA Finals MVP Stats: 27.0 PPG | 2.8 APG | 18.5 RPG | 60% FG. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. What Was John Havliceks Finals Record? He averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 897 regular-season games. Defensive Player of Year. [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. Bird has appeared in three movies, each time playing himself: Bird's likeness has appeared in several video games. FGA, TRB, AST complete back to 1962-63. [74], Bird and Magics presence on the court was only a small part of their contribution to basketball, as their rivalry changed the landscape of the NBA, transforming it from a struggling, barely profitable league into a highly visible, financial and marketing dream for teams and players alike. When healthy, Bird looked vintage. In the commercial, Bird is practicing alone on a rural basketball court (in reality the court was one Bird had made on the property in French Lick that he had purchased for his mother), when Johnson pulls up in a sleek limousine and challenges him to a one-on-one match. [60], Throughout the 1980s, contests between the Celtics and the Lakersboth during the regular season and in the Finalsattracted enormous television audiences. Team: Compare Magic Johnson and Larry Bird careers through the years of your choosing. Larry Bird led his Boston Celtics team to 3 championships in . He also secured All-NBA and All-Defensive Team status. [67] Wilkins remarked, "The basket was like a well. In eight games, Bird averaged 8.4 points. Search this website. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Larry Bird's Career Record vs. NBA Legends: He Beat Michael Jordan 23 Times, But Magic Johnson Won The Head-To-Head Matchups, Shaquille O'Neal's Stats For Each Season: The Most Dominant Player In NBA History, Magic Johnson's Stats For Each Season: The Greatest Point Guard In NBA History, Charles Barkley's Stats For Each Season: One Of The Best Players To Never Win A Ring, David Robinson's Stats For Each Season: The Admiral Is One Of The Most Underrated Players In NBA History. PPG. . Finals Appearances. Larry Bird. [47], During the 1985 offseason, Bird injured his back shoveling crushed rock to create a driveway at his mother's house. Stats: 22.9 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG, Awards And Achievements: All-Star, All-Star Game MVP, All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive Second Team. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. Join our linker program. The trio became a dangerous big three that helped the Celtics stay competitive in the NBA. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. He averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 . [62], Despite the intensity of their rivalry, Bird and Johnson became friends off the court. 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. 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. 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]. Bird and Magic met a few times after that, and it's wild to see two legends of the . 3940. With the upgraded roster, the Celtics advanced to the Conference Finals again to play the 76ers. 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. Birds Celtics beat three pretty different teams in their Finals victories despite two of them being the Houston Rockets. The Celtics were the No. Who Did Larry Bird Lose To In the NBA Finals? [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. He's added four more since (in the 2015 playoffs vs. Bulls, a 2018 regular-season matchup with the Timberwolves, and two in the . Between them, Bird and Johnson captured eight NBA championships during the 1980s, with Magic getting five and Bird three. 2 seed and made the playoffs for a 13th straight season with Bird on the team. RPG. [8][14], Bird's youngest brother, Eddie Bird, also played basketball at Indiana State University. It set up a rematch with the Pistons in the Conference Finals, where the Pistons won in six games. These are Birds stats and achievements season by season. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Finals stats: 28.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 55 games Finals rank: . Skip to primary navigation; . The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. home/away, monthly, etc More Larry Bird Basketball Reference pages, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. Forum; InsideHoops Main Basketball Forums; NBA Forum; Larry Bird is the 2nd best player in the history The Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals to set up a rematch with the Lakers. King 8. ", 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. [98] Bird won NBA three-point-shooting contests in three consecutive years. Michael Jordan vs. Larry Bird 11-23 Record (0-6 in playoffs) Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images. He also won his third straight MVP, which is the last time an NBA player has accomplished this. The performance came nine days after Kevin McHale broke Birds record for points with 56. Data Provided By [91] Bird was also a four-time regular season MVP runner-up in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1988. On August 18, 1992, Bird announced his retirement. All rights reserved. [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. [25], In his rookie season (19791980), Bird immediately transformed the Celtics into a title contender. [36] Boston fell behind 31 to start the series but won the next three games to advance to the Finals against the Houston Rockets,[37] winning in six games and earning Bird his first championship. In case you still didn't know, Larry Bird wasn't big on material possessions. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. His career averages were 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in 897 regular season games. [11] Bird has said that being poor as a child still motivates him "to this day". Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Hodges said of Bird, "His only personal goal this year was to lead the nation in rebounds. He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. In the end, he remains one of the all-time greats. [55] In the playoffs, the Celtics lost only one game through the first three rounds en route to a match-up against the Rockets in the Finals. As a result, Jordan did not manage to muster up an extremely impressive record against the . The swagger from Bird remained in full force. 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. [39] At the conclusion of the season, he earned his first All-Defensive Team selection. The Celtics failed to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in five years, losing to the Pistons in six games during the Eastern Conference Finals. Do you have a sports website? Bird was raised in French Lick, Indiana, and attended Indiana State University, where he helped revive . 1982-83 Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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? Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. Bird, Larry (1989), Drive: The Story of My Life. His stats back up that statement as well. 1983-84 Larry Bird, Boston Celtics. Bird scored a team-high 19 points for the Sycamores in the 1979 national championship game but it wasn't his most efficient performance as he was just 7-of-21 from the field and 5-for-8 from the free-throw line. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. [117] After the 20112012 NBA season, Bird was named NBA Executive of the Year, becoming the only man in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year. [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. Bird passed Otis Birdsong to become the NCAA's fifth-leading scorer of all-timewith a free throw early in the championship game. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird would remain an All-Star player after he was back and healthy. After leading the Celtics to a 295 start to the 199091 season, Bird missed 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back, a condition that eventually led to his retirement. [21] In the playoffs, the Celtics avenged their loss from the year before to the Bucks, winning in five games in the Conference Finals to advance to the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. 1956 Graded: No. Moses Malone won the MVP Award and also got the best of Bird in the postseason. He is a graduate of Indiana University. 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. [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. Larry Bird had a 99-65 record in the playoffs in his career. 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. [99] He sometimes practiced shooting three-point shots with his eyes closed. Stats; Standings; Teams; Players; All-Star . Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 1981 NBA Finals. [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. The playoffs saw some testy times. [64][65][66] Bird finished with 34 points. The season for Bird was limited to six games. Growing up in French Lick, Indiana, he was a local basketball star. [48], Before the start of the 198586 season, the Celtics made a daring trade for Bill Walton, an All-Star center with a history of injury.