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. [26][27] In his career debut, Bird recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a 114106 win over the Houston Rockets. NAME. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. [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. So when Bird was awarded a brand new car for his heroic efforts in the 1986 NBA Finals, he was immediately hoping to trade it away for something much simpler a single basketball. Their rivalry continued on in the revived CelticsLakers Rivalry in the NBA. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. The Celtics did finish with 56 wins, which was good enough for the No. [12] Georgia and Joe divorced when Larry was in high school, and Joe died by suicide about a year later. That went to Bird's teammate Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell. 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. The series stretched to seven games for consecutive playoffs, but it was the 76ers that pulled out the Game 7 win. [101] In recognition of his defensive abilities, Bird was named to three All-Defensive Second Teams. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. The Spartans won 75-64 in the highest-rated and most-watched college basketball game ever. [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. [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 Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. 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. His Competitiveness Has Taken Its Toll. 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. [116], In 2003, Bird was hired as the Pacers' president of basketball operations. The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnson's skin. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? [10], He was raised in nearby French Lick, where his mother worked two jobs to support Larry and his five siblings. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [97] He accomplished this feat twice. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Join our linker program. Stats: 19.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG. 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. 1982-83 Moses Malone, Philadelphia 76ers. [86], Bird was widely considered one of Red Auerbach's favorite players. The second occurred on December 13, 1989 in a win over the Seattle SuperSonics (40 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists). All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. He returned to the team later in the season but also had back problems as well. 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. [69] Following Bird's departure, the Celtics promptly retired his jersey number 33. Larry. Playoffs: PTS, FG, FT, FTA, 3P, 3PA complete all-time. GS complete back to 1973-74. 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. [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. The season saw a lot of ups. Bird was rated the greatest NBA small forward of all time by Fox Sports in 2016. The season for Bird was limited to six games. Bird was named to 3 All-Defensive Teams in his career, all as a member of the Second Team. Stats: 25.8 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG, Awards And Achievements: NBA Champion, Finals MVP, MVP, All-Star, All-NBA First Team, Three-Point Contest Champion. Isn't 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 7 assists per game one of the coolest statlines for an NBA playoff series ever?A quote from Larry Bird's book "Drive" co. Bird had a double-double in all five NCAA tournament games he played in that year. From 1984 to 1986, no one in the NBA could top him, and he racked up quite a bit of hardware. [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. [25], In his rookie season (19791980), Bird immediately transformed the Celtics into a title contender. Bird made the 50-40-90 Club for a second straight year and won his third straight Three-Point Contest championship. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Moses Malone won the MVP Award and also got the best of Bird in the postseason. [21] He eventually finished runner-up in Most Valuable Player Award voting to Moses Malone. Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. I couldn't miss. [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. [21] Boston advanced through the playoffs to earn a rematch with the Lakers, this time losing in six games. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 1 in the country, and they are one win from the title. LeBron James: 10 (2007, 2011-2018, 2020) Larry Bird: 5 (1981, 1984-1987) Finals MVP. [108], At the 2019 NBA Awards, Bird received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (shared with Magic Johnson). In case you still didn't know, Larry Bird wasn't big on material possessions. Bird owns four buzzer-beaters and in each of those moments the Celtics trailed when he took the clutch shot. Between them, Bird and Johnson captured eight NBA championships during the 1980s, with Magic getting five and Bird three. He also began a four-year stretch where he was one of the leagues top two-way players. [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. They remained married for less than a year. Bird won Naismith College Player of the Year. [133], Bird married Dinah Mattingly in 1989. He played both the small forward and power forward positions. The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. 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. 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. In 2003, Bird was named president of basketball operations for the Pacers, holding the position until retiring in 2012. Finals MVP: Larry Bird(27.4/14.0/3.6), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. With Bird back in the fold, the Celtics returned to the playoffs with hopes of a deep run. [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. Find out more. You can see stats, Championships, awards and more. The series stretched to seven games. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? [114] He was named the NBA Coach of the Year for his efforts. [86][87][88] He was selected to 12 NBA All-Star teams. [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. With his averages, he won Rookie of the Year. His effort helped to overcome a 47-point performance by Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins. Coopers. The 19871988 season was the highest-scoring season of Bird's career. Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log. Drafted into the NBA by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in . Larry Birds Finals record is in the lower half of the list of all-time greats below. Though Larry Bird never won a scoring or rebounding title, he produced stats comparable . [33][34][35] Behind Bird's leadership and Boston's upgraded roster, the Celtics again advanced to the Conference Finals for a rematch with the 76ers. [103] Bird was also referred to as "Larry Legend". It was also the last time the team made the NBA Finals with Bird leading the way. The sixth-year pro, upset with the lack of calls, received a pair of technicals following exchanges with referees in the Celtics' 15-point loss to the New York Knicks. On August 18, 1992, Bird announced his retirement. He remains the last player to record the MVP Award for three consecutive seasons. He finished that game with 47 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. Finals MVP: Larry Bird (24.0 / 9.7 / 9.5) 1986 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Hakeem Olajuwon (537) Indiana State University, High School: [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. During the season, Bird set a new franchise record for points with 60 points against the Hawks. [50] One of Bird's career highlights occurred at the 1986 NBA All-Star Weekend when he walked into the locker room at the inaugural Three-Point Shootout and asked who was going to finish second before winning the shootout. He was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. Parish averaged a double-double and remained a defensive force. Some believe that he is the greatest small forward to ever play in the NBA. Instead, Bird came back and beat the record over his longtime teammate. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. '", 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. . That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are two of the biggest rivals in NBA history. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Magic got the upper hand against Bird, beating him in 1985 and 1987, while Bird beat Magic in 1984. 1956 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. NAME DATE SEASON SERIES TM OPP MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% Bird and McHale remained a dangerous duo, each averaging over 20 points per game. 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. That came in spite of Bird playing with a fracture in his left thumb in the Final Four after getting hurt against Arkansas. Washington Bullets vs. Boston Celtics; inWest Baden,Indiana The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. 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