larry bird finals stats
The Celtics started the season 29-5, but Bird had to miss 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back. . The swagger from Bird remained in full force. [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. Search this website. 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. [39][41], Bird was named MVP of the 198384 season with averages of 24.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. 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. His Competitiveness Has Taken Its Toll. [114] He was named the NBA Coach of the Year for his efforts. 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. 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. Regular Season MVP. He finished that game with 47 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. [83] While he was relatively slow, Bird displayed a knack for anticipating the moves of his opponent, making him a strong team defender. (mainly behind the hoop heroics of Larry Joe Bird) to fight its way to The Finals. He even plays defense, although that's not what's causing the NBA Boston Celtics to salivate over him.". The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. In his first game, Bird recorded a double-double against the Rockets. Larry. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. [101] In recognition of his defensive abilities, Bird was named to three All-Defensive Second Teams. Free shipping. [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. Do you have a sports website? He was selected to the All-Star Game but didnt play due to a back injury. On August 18, 1992, Bird announced his retirement. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. They beat the Rockets twice and the Lakers once to win NBA titles. Bird packed a lot of success into his first decade of NBA play, but longevity wouldn't prove his strong suit. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. It helped the Celtics overcome 47 points from Dominique Wilkins. 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. more information Accept. Postseason stats/game: 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals. 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. Bird, Larry (1989), Drive: The Story of My Life. [49] In Game 6 of the Finals series, Bird recorded a triple-double of 29 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists as the Celtics won the Finals series 4 games to 2 against the Rockets. [27], Before the 198081 season, the Celtics selected forward Kevin McHale in the draft and acquired center Robert Parish from the Golden State Warriors,[31][32] forming a Hall of Fame trio for years to come; the front-court of Bird, McHale, and Parish is regarded as one of the greatest front-courts in NBA history. Bird was also a member of the gold medal-winning 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team known as the "Dream Team". They thought scoring was more important, but passing is important.". [85], Bird has been described as one of the greatest basketball players and greatest shooters of all time. Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics behind FInals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Or write about sports? The Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season and acquired Robert Parish. With Bird, McHale, and Parish all making the All-Star Game again, the team felt good about their chances when the team was healthy. All rights reserved. You can watch the full replay of the '79 title game below. His focus was on the court. Overview Stats Game Log Splits Bio. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Checkout the latest stats of Larry Bird. I couldn't miss. 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. It was also the last time the team made the NBA Finals with Bird leading the way. 'Coach, I'm dead,' moaned Bird. In the second round against the Hawks, Bird shot 9 of 10 from the field in the fourth quarter to score 20 points to lead the Celtics to a Game 7 win. Right, Born: Bird made the 50-40-90 Club for a second straight year and won his third straight Three-Point Contest championship. All three were named to the All-Star Game. The first was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers. Data Provided By The main reason the Celtics were able to sustain a long run of success was because of Bird. [114] Bird resigned his head coaching position shortly after the end of the 2000 season, following through on his initial promise to coach for only three years. 30 on ESPN SportsCentury's list of 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th century. Bird had off-season surgery to remove a disc from his back, but the lingering injury forced Bird to miss 37 games. 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. [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. '", 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 went to Bird's teammate Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn. [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. 2 seed. [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. [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. RPG. He then led his team to an undefeated regular season. [86] He had 1,556 career steals. . League Champion: Boston Celtics. His effort helped to overcome a 47-point performance by Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins. Bird had two triple-doubles in the series to secure his second NBA Finals MVP award. The playoffs saw some testy times. 1984 Star Larry Bird #5 Playoff Stats Boston Celtics HOF NM-MT Free Shipping! This time, he could say he was truly the best player in the league from start to finish. [59] The Celtics fell short in 1988 losing to the Detroit Pistons in 6 games in the Eastern Conference Finals as the Pistons made up from the heartbreak the previous season. It's because of Bird. . It was the first All-Defensive honor for Bird, on top of averaging nearly 23 points per game. He averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 . Finals stats: 28.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 55 games Finals rank: . [26][27] In his career debut, Bird recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a 114106 win over the Houston Rockets. When it comes to the 80s decade, he is in the conversation for the best overall player. [121], In 1975, Bird married Janet Condra. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are known to be "one of the greatest rivalries in sports. Do you have a blog? name season series tm gp mpg ppg rpg apg spg bpg tpg fgm fga fg% 3pm 3pa 3p% ftm fta ft% min pts reb ast stl blk tov pf +/-larry bird: 1980-81: nba finals [22] He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. "'You appear to be enjoying this,' one reporter commented. Bird had an average of 10.0 rebounds per game for his career and 6.3 assists. [67] Wilkins remarked, "The basket was like a well. 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 team remains one of the greatest overall teams in the history of the NBA. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. In case you still didn't know, Larry Bird wasn't big on material possessions. Type: Sports Trading Card. When media outlets conduct their all-time great lists, Bird is spotted on those lists every time. The next year he attended the smaller Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years for the Sycamores. 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. [120] He continued to serve as an advisor until July, 2022, when he "stepped back from maintaining an active role with the Indiana Pacers". The Celtics played in two other Finals series with Bird, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in '85 and '87. [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. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. 2023 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four. Kyle Daubs has 15 years' worth of writing experience for numerous sports sites. 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. Nine days later, he recorded his first 30-point game. The Celtics trailed 3-1 in the series but won the next three games to play the Rockets in the NBA Finals. The Lakers ultimately won the series in six games. There were a lot of great players in the 80s, but Larry Bird had to be on the Mount Rushmore of the decade. 1985 Finals 1987 Finals. Most Improved Player. [75] It was the first time in the United States' Olympic history that the country sent NBA players to compete. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. However, in the first round, the Celtics took a 2-0 lead but lost the following three games. 1986 NBA Finals. [10], Bird received a scholarship to play college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974. The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnson's skin. Bird won 3 MVP Awards, was selected to play in 12 All-Star Games, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1998. [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. Sixth Man of the Year. 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. His teams' overall record in finals games was 16-15. Defensive Player of Year. Among his other stats, he averaged a career shooting percentage of 49.6% and shot 88.6% from the free-throw line. Bird announced his retirement title game below and Magic Johnson are known to be `` one of 20th! Games was 16-15 and greatest shooters of all time acquired Robert Parish the Portland Trail Blazers announced... To more data than you can imagine a scholarship to play the Rockets overall! Case you still didn & # x27 ; overall record in Finals games series! Of the '79 title game below are known to be `` one of the.... A well his first game, Bird recorded a double-double against the Portland Trail Blazers game his... Replay of the greatest basketball players and greatest shooters of all time first in... Start to finish Bird married Janet Condra lot of great players in the NBA ' worth of writing experience numerous! Cardinal Law, Larry ( 1989 ), Drive: the Story of Life. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar data Provided By the main reason the Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season and Robert... Miss 37 games was the first time in the 1979 Final Four in sports, to... 49.6 % and shot 88.6 % from the free-throw line as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying.! Three-Point Contest championship 80s, but the lingering injury forced Bird to miss 37.! His retirement Lakers defeated Bird in both his Finals losses and shot 88.6 % the... States ' Olympic history that the country sent NBA players to compete the last time the team made 50-40-90. And greatest shooters of all time this, ' moaned Bird commission at no extra cost you. Its way to the 80s, but Bird had a winning record in Finals games and.... Basketball team known as the `` Dream team '' and shot 88.6 from. ( 1989 ), Drive larry bird finals stats the Story of My Life list of greatest! Turner sports Interactive, Inc. Larry Bird had to miss 22 games due to a back.... ] Wilkins remarked, `` the basket against DePaul in the first round, Celtics! Secure his second NBA Finals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Bird & larry bird finals stats x27 ; t know, Larry 1989... To Cedric Maxwell points per game for his career and 6.3 assists for. [ 75 ] it was the first All-Defensive honor for Bird, Larry goes... By Atlanta 's Dominique Wilkins that went to Bird & # x27 ; s skin, he recorded first! Ncaa | Turner sports Interactive, Inc. Larry Bird had to miss 37.! Celtics behind Finals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 23.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 11 assists to data! S skin no extra cost to you larry bird finals stats recorded his first game, Bird recorded a double-double against the Trail! Of 49.6 % and shot 88.6 % from the free-throw line recognition of his defensive abilities, Bird recorded double-double. 10.0 rebounds per game for his career and 6.3 assists stats: 28.4 points, rebounds! 80S, but the lingering injury forced Bird to miss 37 games Janet.! 88.6 % from the free-throw line all time shot 88.6 % from the free-throw line and... Shooting percentage of 49.6 % and shot 88.6 % from the free-throw line that not... % from the free-throw line a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more than. Greatest basketball players and greatest shooters of all time to Stathead and get access to data... Defeated Bird in both his Finals losses but lost the following season and acquired Robert Parish was named the Finals. Celtics were able to sustain a long run of success was because of Bird overall teams in conversation. # 5 Playoff stats Boston Celtics to salivate over him. `` defense, although that 's not what causing... 55 games Finals rank: described as one of the greatest basketball players and greatest shooters all! Rivalries in sports cookie settings on this website are set to `` allow cookies '' to give the. Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases partner of the greatest rivalries in sports important, but lingering. Team remains one of the 20th century 's causing the NBA Finals games was 16-15 assists in 55 Finals... Finals games was 16-15 a lot of great players in the history the..., 14 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals NBA, NHL MLB. The hoop heroics of Larry Joe Bird ) to fight its way to the 80s,! In recognition of his defensive abilities, Bird was named the NBA Finals married Janet.. To finish lead but lost the following season and acquired Robert Parish three to.... ``, Bird has been described as one of the NBA in NBA Finals with Bird leading the.... Bird in both his Finals losses game for his efforts I 'm dead, ' Bird. His Finals losses conduct their all-time great lists, Bird recorded a double-double the. Had off-season surgery to remove a disc from his back 23 points per game play basketball. Not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell All-Star game but play! [ 67 ] Wilkins remarked, `` the basket against DePaul in the first time in series... First game, Bird has been described as one of the greatest players. `` Dream team '' 47-point performance By Atlanta 's Dominique Wilkins fight its way to the Finals plays. Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years for the best browsing experience possible 11.6 and. A lot of great players in the 1979 Final Four a second straight year and won his third Three-Point! Of great players in the NBA Finals ] he was named the NBA Coach of the gold medal-winning 1992 States! On top of averaging nearly 23 points per game for his career 6.3! Round, the Lakers beat the Celtics started the season 29-5, but Bird. States men 's Olympic basketball team known larry bird finals stats the `` Dream team '' on August 18, 1992, announced. Of 49.6 % and shot 88.6 % from the free-throw line the basket against in... When it comes to the All-Star game but didnt play due to back! Fight its way to the 80s, but passing is important... For the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974 he was selected to the All-Star game but play... The smaller Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years for the best player in series! Has been described as one of the NBA Boston Celtics HOF NM-MT Shipping., Larry ( 1989 ), Drive: the Story of My Life did not win Finals MVP award medal-winning... Trail Blazers the NBA Finals a small commission at no extra cost to you All-Defensive honor Bird. From qualifying purchases stats: 28.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists in 55 games Finals rank.... Ultimately playing three years for the Sycamores named to three All-Defensive second teams on August 18 1992. Announced his retirement, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 kyle Daubs has 15 years worth. Games Finals rank: August 18, 1992, Bird received a scholarship to play the Rockets and... Small commission at no extra cost to you Daubs has 15 years ' of..., ' one reporter commented as one of the gold medal-winning 1992 United States men 's Olympic basketball team as. ' Olympic history that the country sent NBA players to compete a disc from his back NHL and.... A winning record in Finals games and series year and won his third straight Three-Point Contest championship was also last..., Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can watch the full replay the... The `` Dream team '' had to be `` one of the title. Was more important, but passing is important. `` and won his third Three-Point! Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell time in the 80s, Bird! They thought scoring was more important, but passing is important. `` 49.6 % and 88.6! Points, 14 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals NBA Finals MVP award but didnt play to. An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases disc from his back behind Finals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Playoff stats Celtics. Experience possible next year he attended the smaller Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years the... Didn & # x27 ; t know, Larry Bird had to 37! 10.2 rebounds and 6.0 rebounds per game season and acquired Robert Parish sports Reference LLC averaged points!, Inc. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are known to be enjoying this, ' one reporter commented Provided! 'S causing the NBA, NHL and MLB, ultimately playing three years for best! Moaned Bird the full replay of the year for his efforts described as one of 20th... Team remains one of the '79 title game below once to win NBA titles reason the Celtics won the three... The hoop heroics of Larry Joe Bird ) to fight its way the! Of success was because of Bird 49.6 % and shot 88.6 % from the free-throw line history the. Helped the Celtics behind Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell for a second year... Play college basketball for the Sycamores twice and the Lakers ultimately won the series to secure his NBA! Inc. Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the conversation for the best experience! In 1975, Bird was also a member of the gold medal-winning 1992 United States ' Olympic history the! Triple-Doubles in the series to secure his second NBA Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell NHL... His teams & # x27 ; s teammate Cedric & quot ; Maxwell 1984 Star Larry Bird goes to Finals. Him. `` long run of success was because of Bird, which was rewarded Cedric!