When Robert Horry averaged at least 24 minutes per game in the playoffs, his teams won six league titles in 11 seasons. [86][87][88] He was selected to 12 NBA All-Star teams. [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. 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]. When it comes to the 80s decade, he is in the conversation for the best overall player. However, Birds individual success was marred by the Celtics not making the NBA Finals. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Finals MVP: Cedric Maxwell (17.7 / 9.5 / 2.8) 1981 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Moses Malone (562) 1985 Finals 1987 Finals. Bird had two triple-doubles in the series to secure his second NBA Finals MVP award. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. [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. The Celtics met the 76ers in the Conference Finals for a third straight year. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones record set in 1965. He remains the last player to record the MVP Award for three consecutive seasons. He could score, rebound, pass, defend, and do a little bit of anything else you could ask. From NBA.com Staff September 14, 2021 2:10 PM [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. RELATED: The complete results from the best #MarchMadnessMoments bracket. [108], At the 2019 NBA Awards, Bird received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (shared with Magic Johnson). Stats: 28.1 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 7.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG, Awards And Achievements: All-Star, All-NBA First Team, Three-Point Contest Champion, 50-40-90 Club. He was named NBA Coach of the Year for the 19971998 season and later led the Pacers to a berth in the 2000 NBA Finals. 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. 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. 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. . His Competitiveness Has Taken Its Toll. The swagger from Bird remained in full force. The Celtics trailed 3-1 in the series but won the next three games to play the Rockets in the NBA Finals. 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. During the 1992 Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bird missed four of the seven games due to recurring back problems. Stats: 23.6 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG, Awards And Achievements: All-Star, All-NBA First Team, All-Defensive Second Team. Magic led the team in scoring this time but was still joined by the same stars: Kareem, James Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper. ", "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? Postseason stats/game: 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals. The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. In an effort to stop Bird, Bradley coach Dick Versace installed what was referred to as the "Bird's Nest Defense," where two defenders would guard Bird and the other three defenders would cover the four other Sycamores. Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013,[6] and remained in that role until 2017. [39] In the Conference Finals, the Celtics faced the 76ers for the third consecutive year, losing in seven games. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. [3], Bird scored 24.3 points per game in his career on a .496 field goal percentage, an .886 free throw percentage, and a .376 percentage on three-point shots. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: Find out more. Larry Bird. Bird, however . The Celtics won the series in six games. Discover Larry Bird's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. Who Did Larry Bird Lose To In the NBA Finals? Hodges said of Bird, "His only personal goal this year was to lead the nation in rebounds. Larry Bird had a 99-65 record in the playoffs in his career. Bird led the Celtics to another deep playoff run. 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. ", "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. Data Provided By [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. Compare LeBron James and Larry Bird careers through the years of your choosing. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnson's skin. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 30 on ESPN SportsCentury's list of 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th century. Do you have a sports website? RPG. 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 . 6.3. [16][17][18] He had a successful three-year career with the Sycamores, helping them reach the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history with a 330 record where they played the 1979 championship game against Michigan State. 1983-84 Larry Bird, Boston Celtics. Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. But they have . All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. [80][81] He was inducted into the Hall of Fame again in 2010, as a member of the "Dream Team". [85], Bird has been described as one of the greatest basketball players and greatest shooters of all time. Playoffs: PTS, FG, FT, FTA, 3P, 3PA complete all-time. They each had charisma, deft shooting touch, extraordinary passing skills, and team-oriented mindset that ignited their team and the crowd. The team improved its win total by 32 games from the year before he was drafted and finished first in the Eastern Conference. 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. NAME. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird . [22] He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. Finals MVP: Cedric Maxwell(17.7/9.5/2.8), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. His effort helped to overcome a 47-point performance by Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins. [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. He scored 49 points in a double-overtime win over the Trail Blazers. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Once he entered his 30s, . Compare Magic Johnson and Larry Bird careers through the years of your choosing. No other player has multiple 45-plus-point games with a buzzer-beater. All three were named to the All-Star Game. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. Titles did indeed come in 1981, 1984, and 1986, and Boston also played in the 1985 and 1987 Finals. The main reason the Celtics were able to sustain a long run of success was because of Bird. 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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. 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. We had guys last year who didn't care about passing. Do you have a blog? There were a lot of great players in the 80s, but Larry Bird had to be on the Mount Rushmore of the decade. "By noon, Bird appeared at a press conference, a rarity in his scheme of things. 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. The Celtics started the season 29-5, but Bird had to miss 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back. 1980 Finals 1982 Finals. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Bird finished second in the MVP voting to Malone and was unable to lead the Celtics back to the Conference Finals. [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. Bird, Larry (1989), Drive: The Story of My Life. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. In the semifinals, the Celtics missed Bird in Game 1, where Detroit won. Bird was named Finals MVP behind 27.4 points, 14 . Rookie of the Year. [62], Despite the intensity of their rivalry, Bird and Johnson became friends off the court. Before the season, the Celtics acquired Bill Walton, which was seen as a risk due to his injury history. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The team made the playoffs for an 11th straight season. That came in spite of Bird playing with a fracture in his left thumb in the Final Four after getting hurt against Arkansas. Join our linker program. Rockets vs. Celtics. Here are some of the records and historical rankings that Larry Bird achieved at Indiana State: Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote after watching him in the Final Four: "I could not believe The Bird. Join our linker program. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. MJ looked up to Bird when he came into the league. [89] Bird won three NBA championships (in 1981, 1984, and 1986) with the Celtics[83] and won two NBA Finals MVP Awards. 6'9" (2.06m) . 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. [2] Bird was a 12-time NBA All-Star, won two NBA Finals MVP awards and received the NBA Most Valuable Player Award three consecutive times (19841986), making him the only forward in league history to do so. Their rivalry continued on in the revived CelticsLakers Rivalry in the NBA. Forum; InsideHoops Main Basketball Forums; NBA Forum; Larry Bird is the 2nd best player in the history Bird was often checked by Magic Johnson in Michigan State's 2-3 matchup zone in theepic clash of two all-time greats. Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists in the Finals on his way to winning Finals MVP. It helped the Celtics overcome 47 points from Dominique Wilkins. Bird had an average of 10.0 rebounds per game for his career and 6.3 assists. Below you can see the playoff results for all of Birds Celtics teams. Nine days later, he recorded his first 30-point game. Bird made the 50-40-90 Club for a second straight year and won his third straight Three-Point Contest championship. Do you have a blog? 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). [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. HEIGHT. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The season for Bird was limited to six games. You said there will be another Larry Bird. When media outlets conduct their all-time great lists, Bird is spotted on those lists every time. 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. Stats: 29.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG. [97] He accomplished this feat twice. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. That went to Bird's teammate Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell. [76] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame called the team "the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet". Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Among his accomplishments, Bird set the new single-game franchise record for points. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. 2023 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four. Find out more. ", -Magic Johnson, as quoted at Bird's retirement party. Magic Johnson: 9 (1980, 1982-1985, 1987-1989, 1991) Larry Bird: 5 (1981, 1984-1987) Indiana State University, High School: But everyone knows why Indiana State is where it is. [121], In 1975, Bird married Janet Condra. 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. [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. [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. [9] He has four brothers and a sister. He owns a master's degree in special education and teaches English. Sam Smith. Most Improved Player. At least partially as a result of this, he experienced back problems for the remainder of his career. [7], Bird was born in West Baden Springs, Indiana, to Georgia (ne Kerns) and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird, a veteran of the Korean War. Find out more. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are two of the biggest rivals in NBA history. With the Celtics out of the championship, it marked the first time in five years the Celtics didnt make it. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 10.0. 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. Larry Bird, in full Larry Joe Bird, (born December 7, 1956, West Baden, Indiana, U.S.), American basketball player who led the Boston Celtics to three National Basketball Association (NBA) championships (1981, 1984, and 1986) and is considered one of the greatest pure shooters of all time. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. He considered Bird to be the greatest basketball player of all time. Larry Bird is 6-9. It was the first All-Defensive honor for Bird, on top of averaging nearly 23 points per game. Bird ultimately finished ninth in the MVP voting, while McHale was sixth in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. . NAME DATE SEASON SERIES TM OPP MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% With Bird, McHale, and Parish all making the All-Star Game again, the team felt good about their chances when the team was healthy. The Celtics were unable to repeat as champions. Finals MVP: Larry Bird(27.4/14.0/3.6), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. [24][14][25] Shortly afterwards, NBA draft eligibility rules were changed to prevent teams from drafting players before they were ready to sign, a rule known as the Bird Collegiate Rule. [10], Bird received a scholarship to play college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974. They thought scoring was more important, but passing is important.". the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. On this day in 1987, Larry Bird pulled off a miraculous sequence to help lead the Boston Celtics to an improbable win over the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Totals; Per Game; Per 36 Minutes; Per 100 Possessions; Advanced; East Conf 1st Round. Larry Bird went 3-2 in his five NBA Finals appearances. Checkout the latest stats of Larry 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. Skip to primary navigation; . And it went down to the last shot of the game. He finished that game with 47 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. 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. You can see stats, Championships, awards and more. Bird was rated the greatest NBA small forward of all time by Fox Sports in 2016. In, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 21:21. The season saw a lot of ups. Larry Bird was more of a well-known defender than Curry by quite a large margin. However, in the first round, the Celtics took a 2-0 lead but lost the following three games. The 19871988 season was the highest-scoring season of Bird's career. Career Stats Game Log Splits. It set up an NBA Finals with the Houston Rockets. [119] Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013. ", Indiana State teammate Carl Nicks: "It's a tremendous feeling to play with him he brings out the best in everybody. Also, no other player has ever won consecutive games at the buzzer like Bird did in January 1985. He was named NBA Head Coach of . Physical education Bird married Janet Condra Houston Rockets and teaches English was more of a defender... 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