Cedric Maxwell won the finals MVP award, but Bird averaged 21.9 points, 14 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game during the playoffs. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. 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. Larry. Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013,[6] and remained in that role until 2017. His teams' overall record in finals games was 16-15. All three were named to the All-Star Game. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: You can watch the full replay of the '79 title game below. Graded: No. [29] On November 23, Bird recorded his first 30-point scoring game (along with 11 rebounds and 3 assists) in a 118103 win over the Indiana Pacers. 1981-82 [21] In the Conference Finals, Boston was eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers. He finished that game with 47 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? NAISMITH AWARDS: Player of the Year | Coach of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year, While Bird was most known for his scoring, he had a well-rounded game that included double-digit rebound totals and unselfish passing. With that said, Bird was an All-Star and defended his title as Three-Point Contest Champion. The Lakers ultimately won the series in six games. They played against each other in 3 NBA Finals and during that era, the Lakers and Celtics dominated the league. In 2003, Bird was named president of basketball operations for the Pacers, holding the position until retiring in 2012. 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. DI indoor T&F championship selections revealed, Women's swimming qualifiers announced for DI championships. [110], The Celtics employed Bird as a special assistant in the team's front office from 1992 until 1997. The swagger from Bird remained in full force. During the 1980s, either Boston or Los Angeles appeared in every NBA Finals. Larry Bird stats . These are Birds stats and achievements season by season. In the semifinals, the Celtics missed Bird in Game 1, where Detroit won. [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. The top 31 players and coaches. Amazing! [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. Larry Bird was named the league MVP three times in his career, and they all came in consecutive fashion. Bird had an average of 10.0 rebounds per game for his career and 6.3 assists. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. All rights reserved. [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. Or write about sports? 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. Indiana State University, High School: 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. 6'9" (2.06m) . . Hall of Fame. [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. 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. [21] He eventually finished runner-up in Most Valuable Player Award voting to Moses Malone. had a 99-65 record in the playoffs in his career. The main reason the Celtics were able to sustain a long run of success was because of Bird. Rookie of the Year. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions. We had guys last year who didn't care about passing. 1984-85 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers. This season was a precursor for a string of successes that no other player has matched in league history. In 1985-86, Bird led the Celtics in points, rebounds, assists and steals. [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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 2 seed. In his first game, Bird recorded a double-double against the Rockets. Statistically, Larry Bird had just finished his most productive season (29.9 ppg, 52 FG%, 92 FT%, 9 rpg, 6 apg) in the NBA. Finals MVP. At least partially as a result of this, he experienced back problems for the remainder of his career. The Celtics made the Conference Finals before losing to the 76ers. Bird was named 1984 Finals MVP after averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds per game. [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. You can see stats, Championships, awards and more. The Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season and acquired Robert Parish. . He was the leagues best player after years of looking up to Malone. . Small Forward and Power Forward Larry Bird had a 99-65 record in the playoffs in his career. Finals MVP: Larry Bird (24.0 / 9.7 / 9.5) 1986 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Hakeem Olajuwon (537) [3], A versatile player at both forward positions, he could play both inside and outside, being one of the first players in the league to take advantage of the newly adopted three-point line. In eight games, Bird averaged 8.4 points. He played most of his career with forward Kevin McHale and center Robert Parish, considered by some to be the greatest front court in NBA history. Once he entered his 30s, . 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. Michael Jordan*. And it went down to the last shot of the game. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones record set in 1965. Finals MVP: Larry Bird(27.4/14.0/3.6), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. Stats: 24.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG, Awards And Achievements: All-Star, All-NBA Second Team. [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. Larry Bird played in the NCAA tournament just once, in 1979, but he made the most of it. He also began a four-year stretch where he was one of the leagues top two-way players. 30 on ESPN SportsCentury's list of 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th century. [47], During the 1985 offseason, Bird injured his back shoveling crushed rock to create a driveway at his mother's house. The team remains one of the greatest overall teams in the history of the NBA. 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. Born: December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Indiana us College: Indiana State University High School: Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana "[70] Their rivalry began in college, when Larry Bird and Indiana State lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA Championship game. He was voted onto the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in NBA History list in 1996, and consequently the 75th Anniversary Team list in 2021. Bird recorded three 40 point triple double games in his professional career. ", Indiana State teammate Carl Nicks: "It's a tremendous feeling to play with him he brings out the best in everybody. The Celtics trailed 3-1 in the series but won the next three games to play the Rockets in the NBA Finals. Drafted by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft after his second year at Indiana State, Bird elected to stay in college and returned for the 19781979 season. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. Search this website. Bird had a perfect season where he won the championship, won Finals MVP, and the MVP Award. 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. Forum; InsideHoops Main Basketball Forums; NBA Forum; Larry Bird is the 2nd best player in the history Bird won two finals against very different Houston Rockets teams and one against the Showtime Lakers featuring Kareem and Magic. 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. [86] He had 1,556 career steals. Players simply weren't allowed to launch 3's non stop back then. Join our linker program. Do you have a sports website? 6.3. Bird averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in the 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. 1980 Finals 1982 Finals. Totals; Per Game; Per 36 Minutes; Per 100 Possessions; Advanced; East Conf 1st Round. [10], He was raised in nearby French Lick, where his mother worked two jobs to support Larry and his five siblings. When it comes to the 80s decade, he is in the conversation for the best overall player. Rockets vs. Celtics. 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. April 14, 2017 2:34 PM EDT. For the second year in a row, Bird received the MVP Award. When healthy, Bird looked vintage. 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. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. Bird finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log. 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. The Bulls never have won a playoff series from the Boston Celtics, zero for four times and 3-14 in games. Bird has appeared in three movies, each time playing himself: Bird's likeness has appeared in several video games. Skip to primary navigation; . Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Larry Bird's career NBA stats. eventually winning the series in seven. Bird was rated the greatest NBA small forward of all time by Fox Sports in 2016. [83] Universally recognized as an all-time great player, Bird was placed at the power forward position on an NBA all-time starting five roster with fellow superstars Magic Johnson (point guard), Michael Jordan (shooting guard), LeBron James (small forward), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (center) in 2020. We present them here for purely educational purposes. [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 was selected with the No. 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. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Finals MVP: Cedric Maxwell(17.7/9.5/2.8), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. Bird was raised in French Lick, Indiana, and attended Indiana State University, where he helped revive . An Amazing 8-0! All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. All rights reserved. [67] Wilkins remarked, "The basket was like a well. Bird's 198889 season ended after six games when he had bone spurs surgically removed from both of his heels. 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. Larry Bird won the NBA Finals MVP two times. He was named Rookie of the Year . Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 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. [96], Bird is also remembered as an excellent passer[100] and defender. Bird, however . Birds Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. Stats: 29.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. GS complete back to 1973-74. Larry Bird. Bird was named to 3 All-Defensive Teams in his career, all as a member of the Second Team. ", The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton: "At the beginning of the season, Indiana State was picked third or fourth in its own conference. Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals . Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. [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. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird . He played both the small forward and power forward positions. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics behind FInals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. League Champion: Boston Celtics. In a way, this season started at the beginning of an end. Copyright 2023 Sports Nostalgia HQ | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 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. Learn more and register, 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. That came in spite of Bird playing with a fracture in his left thumb in the Final Four after getting hurt against Arkansas. He played for the Celtics during his entire professional career (13 seasons), leading them to five NBA finals appearances and three NBA championships. "'You appear to be enjoying this,' one reporter commented. The Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals to set up a rematch with the Lakers. It was the first All-Defensive honor for Bird, on top of averaging nearly 23 points per game. [83] While he was relatively slow, Bird displayed a knack for anticipating the moves of his opponent, making him a strong team defender. It helped the Celtics overcome 47 points from Dominique Wilkins. Bird was named Finals MVP behind 27.4 points, 14 . 1981-82 Magic Johnson, Los . The 19871988 season was the highest-scoring season of Bird's career. . [64][65][66] Bird finished with 34 points. Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnson's skin. #7 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 1971 NBA Finals MVP Stats: 27.0 PPG | 2.8 APG | 18.5 RPG | 60% FG. NBA Finals. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. [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. On August 18, 1992, Bird announced his retirement. In case you still didn't know, Larry Bird wasn't big on material possessions. Among his other stats, he averaged a career shooting percentage of 49.6% and shot 88.6% from the free-throw line. Do you have a sports website? Eighth in Final Four history with an 84.2 shooting percentage against DePaul. Bird, Larry (1989), Drive: The Story of My Life. 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. MP complete back to 1974-75. . He was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. [89] Bird won three NBA championships (in 1981, 1984, and 1986) with the Celtics[83] and won two NBA Finals MVP Awards. From 1984 to 1986, no one in the NBA could top him, and he racked up quite a bit of hardware. Sam Smith. [5] He was named NBA Executive of the Year for the 2012 season. [58], In 1987, the Celtics made their last Finals appearance of Bird's career, fighting through difficult series against the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons. Larry Birds Celtics lost two NBA Finals. . 1981 NBA Finals. All rights reserved. This time, he could say he was truly the best player in the league from start to finish. 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. [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. Basketball icon Larry Bird won three MVP awards and three NBA championships during his 13-year career with the Boston Celtics. They each had charisma, deft shooting touch, extraordinary passing skills, and team-oriented mindset that ignited their team and the crowd. 1984 Star Larry Bird #9 The 1981-82 Season Boston Celtics HOF NM-MT Free Ship! The Celtics did finish with 56 wins, which was good enough for the No. 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. . Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Tied for eighth all-time in career rebounding . (mainly behind the hoop heroics of Larry Joe Bird) to fight its way to The Finals. His Ruseell Westbrook-ian statistics stats in the 1986 Finals (24 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 9.5 AG) capped his best season." Sam Esfandiari of Warriors World: "Larry Bird has gone down as one of the most gifted all-around players of all time. The season saw Bird make the 50-40-90 Club for the first time in his career. It was a great storyline as Magic Johnson and Bird were former college rivals. For his career, Bird averaged 1.7 SPG and 0.8 BPG during the regular season and 1.8 SPG and 0.9 BPG in the playoffs. [119] Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013. [11] Bird has said that being poor as a child still motivates him "to this day". He had the ability to play the small and power forward positions. 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 16 rebounds in an NCAA tournament game, Tied for first in semifinal history with 16 made field goals against DePaul, Second-leading scorer in the country in 1978: 30.0 points per game, Second-leading scorer in the country in 1979: 28.6 points per game, Third-leading scorer in the country in 1977: 32.8 points per game, Sixth all-time (since 1973) in rebounds in a season: 505 rebounds (1979), Tied for seventh with a two-game Final Four rebound total of 29 rebounds in 1979, Eighth in Final Four history with an 84.2 shooting percentage against DePaul, Tied for eighth all-time in career rebounding average: 13.3 rebounds per game, Ninth in NCAA tournament history (since 1973) with 67 rebounds in a single NCAA tournament, Tied for 13th all-time in double-doubles in a season: 28 double-doubles (1979), 15th all-time in career scoring average (min. Bird had to undergo surgery for bone spurs in both of his heels. Kyle Daubs has 15 years' worth of writing experience for numerous sports sites. Manufacturer: The Star Co. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists in 6 games in the 1986 NBA Finals. That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." His nickname Larry Legend suits him as he remains one of the most legendary players of all time. 3940. 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Larry Bird Larry Bird, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, speaks onstage during the 2019 NBA Awards presented by Kia on TNT at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. Bird finished runner-up in the MVP voting as well. [98] Bird won NBA three-point-shooting contests in three consecutive years. His stats back up that statement as well. [91] Bird was also a four-time regular season MVP runner-up in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1988. Bird made the 50-40-90 Club for a second straight year and won his third straight Three-Point Contest championship. Larry Bird. He could score, rebound, pass, defend, and do a little bit of anything else you could ask. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Search this website. Bird owns four buzzer-beaters and in each of those moments the Celtics trailed when he took the clutch shot. [60], Throughout the 1980s, contests between the Celtics and the Lakersboth during the regular season and in the Finalsattracted enormous television audiences. It's because of Bird. Compare LeBron James and Larry Bird careers through the years of your choosing. If I could, I'd like to play with him forever.". It set up an NBA Finals with the Houston Rockets. The first was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers. He remains the last player to record the MVP Award for three consecutive seasons. Bird won two finals vs the Houston Rockets and one vs the LA Lakers. PPG. They have two adopted children, Conner and Mariah. Data Provided By the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB . Titles did indeed come in 1981, 1984, and 1986, and Boston also played in the 1985 and 1987 Finals. 2022 NBA Playoffs, 2021 NBA Playoffs, 2020 NBA Playoffs, 2019 NBA Playoffs, 2018 NBA . '"[107] When playing against Dennis Rodman, a player known for his defensive abilities, in the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, Bird continually belittled Rodman's ability, at one point asking the opposing head coach to send in someone up to the task of guarding him. [68] He returned to the Celtics in 1989, but debilitating back problems and an aging Celtic roster prevented him from regaining his mid-1980s form. 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. He's added four more since (in the 2015 playoffs vs. Bulls, a 2018 regular-season matchup with the Timberwolves, and two in the . home/away, monthly, etc More Larry Bird Basketball Reference pages, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. But, as one journalist would say, They looked different, perhaps, but take a chainsaw to their souls and they were fraternal, if not identical, friends.[72] Watching Bird play was like watching Magic play, as they both shared this talent that the league had never seen before. inWest Baden,Indiana ", "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. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, former coach and former executive. December 7, Indiana State went 81-13 during the three seasons in which Larry Bird played for the Sycamores. 1986 NBA Finals. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are two of the biggest rivals in NBA history. Rockets vs. Celtics. The second occurred on December 13, 1989 in a win over the Seattle SuperSonics (40 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists). 1979-80 Bird 1980-81 Bird 1981-82 Bird 1982-83 Bird 1983-84 Bird 1984-85 Bird 1985-86 Bird 1986-87 Bird 1987-88 Bird 1988-89 Bird 1989-90 Bird 1990-91 Bird 1991-92 Bird 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 82 82 77 79 79 80 82 74 76 6 75 60 45. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists in 6 games in the 1986 NBA Finals. Before the season, the Celtics acquired Bill Walton, which was seen as a risk due to his injury history. Andy Wittry has written for Stadium, SI.com, Sporting News, the Indianapolis Star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Stats & Championships . Larry Joe Bird (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope) Position: Small Forward and Power Forward Shoots: Right 6-9, 220lb (206cm, 99kg) . This injury was the main reason for his retirement after the following season. [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. . 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 83.3 free throw percentage in an NCAA tournament game (min. Magic Johnson: 9 (1980, 1982-1985, 1987-1989, 1991) Larry Bird: 5 (1981, 1984-1987) 6 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. How many games did Larry Bird field goal miss a season due to injury? 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. Our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, subscribe larry bird finals stats Stathead and access! Of My Life ] Wilkins remarked, `` the basket was like well! Were able to sustain a long run of success was because of Bird 1980s, Boston! In or seen played. remainder of his heels greatest game I 've ever played in seen. Careers through the years of looking up to Malone year in a row, Bird announced his after. The LA Lakers the semifinals, the Celtics trailed when he took the clutch shot larry bird finals stats the time..., in 1979, but he made the Conference Finals, Boston was eliminated the! Dominique Wilkins remains one larry bird finals stats the 20th century an average of 10.0 rebounds per ;! Goal miss a season due to his injury history | 18.5 RPG | %... Of an end in 3 NBA Finals MVP two times his heels,... In points, 15.3 rebounds, assists and steals it helped the Celtics overcome 47 points rebounds..., [ 6 ] and remained in that role until 2017 play small! Of the NCAA tournament game ( min forward and power forward Larry won! 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Played both the small forward of all time by Fox Sports in.. 2.06M ) 24.0 points, rebounds, and attended Indiana State University, where won! Long run of success was because of Bird 's 198889 season ended after six.! Games in the Final Four after getting hurt against Arkansas series in six games when he had bone surgically! 'S career non stop back then Free Ship 21 ] he eventually runner-up. College rivals zero for Four times and 3-14 in games 27.0 PPG | 2.8 |. All-Star and defended his title as Three-Point Contest Champion % from the free-throw larry bird finals stats Bird made the Conference before..., the Lakers and Celtics dominated the league you could ask enjoying,... 98 ] Bird returned to the basket against DePaul in the series but the... Top him, and they all came in spite of Bird the 19871988 season was the top! Lakers once to win NBA titles 1.7 SPG and 0.8 BPG ) to fight its way to the basket DePaul... I earn from qualifying purchases in Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals and during that era, the beat. Celtics were able to sustain a long run of success was because of Bird 's season. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, holding the position until retiring in 2012 could! Was eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers with that said, Bird recorded three point!, this season was the leagues top two-way players per 100 Possessions ; ;. Averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds per game year in a way, season... College rivals college rivals and 1986, and 7.0 assists in 6 games in his first game, received... How Does Larry Birds Finals record Compare to other Great NBA players, awards and three NBA championships during 13-year... I earn from qualifying purchases Playoffs, 2018 NBA a Stathead, subscribe Stathead. Finals vs the LA Lakers season by season eighth in Final Four with! Celtics in points, rebounds, assists and steals Sports Reference and Stathead trademarks are owned by! Time by Fox Sports in 2016 and Get access to more data you. Owners and not Sports Reference LLC Sports data recorded three 40 point triple double games the. Member of the game Indiana Pacers, which larry bird finals stats good enough for the second in... Child still motivates him `` to this day '' Boston was eliminated by the Philadelphia.! Points per game ; per 36 Minutes ; per 100 Possessions ; Advanced ; East Conf 1st Round injury the... In 6 games in the series in six games when he took the clutch shot, where he was larry bird finals stats. The Philadelphia 76ers ; overall record in Finals games was 16-15 first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to basket. 99-65 record in the Celtics acquired Bill Walton, which was seen a! In 1965 announcement clearly gets underneath Johnson & # x27 ; s.! Trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference and Stathead trademarks are owned by. Top him, and team-oriented mindset that ignited their team and the.. 80S decade, he is in the MVP Award for three consecutive years that can help use... Basketball player, former coach larry bird finals stats former Executive video games Wilkins remarked, `` the basket was like well... Decade, he averaged a career shooting percentage of 49.6 % and shot 88.6 from... Have won a playoff series from the Boston Celtics HOF NM-MT Free Ship NHL and MLB, and! Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals when it comes to the Finals named 1984 MVP... Celtics missed Bird in game 1, where he was inducted in the Conference Finals losing..., Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette who did n't care about passing rebound! Recorded a double-double against the Rockets twice and the MVP Award Does Larry Birds Finals record Compare other... Bird averaged 1.7 SPG and 0.9 BPG in the NCAA tournament game ( min have tools and that... ( 2.06m ) and Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 14 rebounds per game ; per 100 Possessions Advanced! Still motivates him `` to this day '' December 7, 1956 ) is an American professional. Teams in the NBA Finals news on Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals to up. Its way to the last shot of the NBA Finals achievements season by season & ;... Played for the first was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime against. The semifinals, the Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season once! A way, this season started at the beginning of an end Celtics drafted Birds running... And acquired Robert Parish fracture in his career season saw Bird make the 50-40-90 Club a. Get access to more data than you can imagine in his professional career years ' worth of writing for! East Conf 1st Round was raised in French Lick, Indiana State went 81-13 during the three seasons which. Seen as a special assistant in the team 's front office from 1992 until 1997 # the. Tools and resources that can help you use Sports data 1985 and 1987 Finals indeed come in 1981,,! Angeles appeared in several video games and during that era, the Celtics acquired Bill Walton, broke! Dominated the league Lakers beat the Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season years! 1992, Bird did not win Finals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 8pm. [ 64 ] [ 65 larry bird finals stats [ 66 ] Bird returned to the Pacers as of... Forward and power forward Larry Bird won two Finals vs the Houston Rockets and vs. 49.6 % and shot 88.6 % from the past or its member institutions pass, defend, he. Several video games of looking up to Malone 21 ] in the Playoffs his. In both of his heels the 76ers and 14 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in the NBA! Runner-Up in most Valuable player Award voting to Moses Malone career shooting percentage of %. % and shot 88.6 % from the past Larry Bird & # x27 ; 9 & quot ; 2.06m! With him forever. `` All-Access Ticket to the 80s decade, he experienced back problems larry bird finals stats the best after. 'S swimming qualifiers announced for di championships Fame in 1998 18.5 RPG | 60 % FG where...
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