Find out more. Skip to primary navigation; . [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. Cedric Maxwell collected the 1981 Finals MVP over his Celtic teammate because he averaged more points (17.7) than Bird (15.3) during the Finals and shot the ball better (56.8 percent) than him (41 . The Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season and acquired Robert Parish. Search this website. '", 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. Scoring Title. [49] The risk paid off; Walton's acquisition helped Boston win a league best 67 games. Photo: Michael Kovac [39] At the conclusion of the season, he earned his first All-Defensive Team selection. [86] He had 1,556 career steals. Stats: 19.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG. [116], In 2003, Bird was hired as the Pacers' president of basketball operations. The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. On August 18, 1992, Bird announced his retirement. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. [39] In the Conference Finals, the Celtics faced the 76ers for the third consecutive year, losing in seven games. 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 His stats back up that statement as well. He played for the Celtics during his entire professional career (13 seasons), leading them to five NBA finals appearances and three NBA championships. [74], Bird and Magics presence on the court was only a small part of their contribution to basketball, as their rivalry changed the landscape of the NBA, transforming it from a struggling, barely profitable league into a highly visible, financial and marketing dream for teams and players alike. When it comes to the 80s decade, he is in the conversation for the best overall player. [21][38], At the 1982 All-Star Game, Bird scored 19 points en route to winning the All-Star Game MVP Award. [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. No other player has multiple 45-plus-point games with a buzzer-beater. The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. Johnson appeared at Bird's retirement ceremony on February 4, 1993, and emotionally described Bird as a "friend forever".[63]. . Bird's 198889 season ended after six games when he had bone spurs surgically removed from both of his heels. He also began a four-year stretch where he was one of the leagues top two-way players. [45] The performance came just nine days after Kevin McHale set the previous Celtics record for points in a game with 56. He made scoring look effortless, while his rebounding, playmaking, and defense are not talked about enough. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? James has an edge over Bird in scoring and assists as he averaged 27.2 points and 7.3 assists per game in the regular season and 28.9 points and 7.1assists per game in the playoffs. Bird made the 50-40-90 Club for a second straight year and won his third straight Three-Point Contest championship. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Bird won two finals against very different Houston Rockets teams and one against the Showtime Lakers featuring Kareem and Magic. With Bird, McHale, and Parish all making the All-Star Game again, the team felt good about their chances when the team was healthy. He remains the last player to record the MVP Award for three consecutive seasons. Larry Bird had a 99-65 record in the playoffs in his career. The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnson's skin. December 7, 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. Kyle Daubs has 15 years' worth of writing experience for numerous sports sites. [22] He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. 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. [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. He scored 49 points in a double-overtime win over the Trail Blazers. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. [67] Wilkins remarked, "The basket was like a well. With Walton on the roster and with him staying healthy, the Celtics won a league-best 67 games. Larry Bird's finals record was 3-2. Forum; InsideHoops Main Basketball Forums; NBA Forum; Larry Bird is the 2nd best player in the history Defensive Player of Year. [96], Bird is also remembered as an excellent passer[100] and defender. Amazing! [102] Bird's humble roots were the source of his most frequently used moniker, "The Hick from French Lick". 'Can I stay in bed?' Data Provided By We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. 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. Moses Malone won the MVP Award and also got the best of Bird in the postseason. 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. In the playoffs, the Bucks defeated the Bucks in the Conference Finals to set up a showdown with the Lakers in the NBA Finals. 6 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. Finals MVP: Larry Bird (27.4 / 14.0 / 3.6) 1984 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Larry Bird (632) TRB: Larry Bird (252) AST: Magic Johnson (284) WS: Larry Bird (4.7) More playoffs info. Tied for eighth all-time in career rebounding . The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Join our linker program. They each had charisma, deft shooting touch, extraordinary passing skills, and team-oriented mindset that ignited their team and the crowd. It was a great storyline as Magic Johnson and Bird were former college rivals. [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. Larry Bird was one of the clutchest players in NBA history. The playoffs saw some testy times. Graded: No. He returned to the team later in the season but also had back problems as well. You can see stats, Championships, awards and more. Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? It featured Bird walking into the locker room asking who was going to finish second in the Three-Point Contest. 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. Larry Bird, Forward Larry Bird was as cold-blooded as they come. [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. Falling out of bounds, Bird turned and passed the ball to teammate Dennis Johnson, who converted a game-winning 2-point layup with less than a second left. The series stretched to seven games. In eight games, Bird averaged 8.4 points. Parish averaged a double-double and remained a defensive force. Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. Larry Bird always showed up at the highest level when the Celtics needed him most. Join our linker program. A 1980s Converse commercial for its "Weapon" line of basketball shoes (endorsed by both Bird and Johnson) reflected the perceived dichotomy between the two players. With the upgraded roster, the Celtics advanced to the Conference Finals again to play the 76ers. Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013,[6] and remained in that role until 2017. 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. In, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 21:21. [109] Since 2022, the NBA will award the MVPs for the Conference Finals; the Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy is named in Bird's honor, while the Western Conference trophy is named after Johnson. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. Their coach, Bill Hodges, is in his first year, the first rookie ever to take an undefeated team to the tournament final. Career: 1979-92 (13 seasons) 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 . But Don't Bet That He Won't Be Back", "Larry Bird stepping down from Pacers post", "For 2nd time, Hall-of-Famer Bird resigns as Pacers president", "Larry Bird resigns as Pacers president, Kevin Pritchard to take over", "Pacers' Larry Bird is NBA Executive of the Year", "Indiana Pacers part ways with Larry Bird", "Bird Steps Down; Pritchard Named President of Basketball Operations", "Larry Bird No Longer Has an Active Role with the Pacers, Confirms Kevin Pritchard", NBA unveils redesigned Larry O'Brien, Bill Russell trophies, announces new conference finals MVP awards - CBS Sports.com, 1992 U.S. OLYMPIC MENS BASKETBALL TEAM - Team USA.org, "2017 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Dream Team", "FULL VERSION: McDonald's Commercial with LeBron James and Dwight Howard", "Twitter's Logo Is Named After Larry Bird", "Larry Bird is Always on Twitter Even Without Having an Account", "ESPN Classic - Bird had eye for victory", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Larry_Bird&oldid=1142161893, Trophy named in Bird's honor (Larry Bird Trophy) awarded to Eastern Conference Finals MVP (established in 2022), 1992 Olympic gold medal (U.S. national team). He considered Bird to be the greatest basketball player of all time. Bird passed Otis Birdsong to become the NCAA's fifth-leading scorer of all-timewith a free throw early in the championship game. 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He had the ability to play the small and power forward positions. He was the leagues best player after years of looking up to Malone. The Celtics failed to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in five years, losing to the Pistons in six games during the Eastern Conference Finals. He was named NBA Head Coach of . 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. . Magic got the upper hand against Bird, beating him in 1985 and 1987, while Bird beat Magic in 1984. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. April 14, 2017 2:34 PM EDT. The team won two straight games, but the Pistons won the series in six games. He played both the small forward and power forward positions. The 86 Celtics are in the conversation for best team ever with Bill Walton joining Bird, Robert Parish and. Michael Jordan*. When healthy, Bird looked vintage. He was named Rookie of the Year . The Celtics were unable to repeat as champions. 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. Featured Image Photo Credit: Adapted from:Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. FlynnbyBoston City Archivesis licensed underCC BY 2.0. Bird and Magic met a few times after that, and it's wild to see two legends of the . Bird did not technically average a triple double for the series because both his rebounds and assists were slightly below 10 and Ive rounded them, but, still, those stats are unreal. [19][20] Indiana State lost the game 7564, with Bird scoring 19 points but making only 7 of 21 shots. [108], At the 2019 NBA Awards, Bird received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (shared with Magic Johnson). Once he entered his 30s, . [12] Georgia and Joe divorced when Larry was in high school, and Joe died by suicide about a year later. Bird. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. How Many Finals MVPs Does Larry Bird Have? Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). [76] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame called the team "the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet". But everyone knows why Indiana State is where it is. but, still, those stats are unreal. [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. Click the links to read up on the Finals records of the best players in league history. In the playoffs, the Bird lost just one game in the first three rounds. Learn more and register, Washington Bullets vs. Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets, 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. As a result, Jordan did not manage to muster up an extremely impressive record against the . Data Provided By . We present them here for purely educational purposes. 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. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: He remains one of the best overall basketball players in league history because of his ability to do just about everything. Most Improved Player. All rights reserved. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. That came in spite of Bird playing with a fracture in his left thumb in the Final Four after getting hurt against Arkansas. With the Celtics out of the championship, it marked the first time in five years the Celtics didnt make it. [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. Bird has appeared in three movies, each time playing himself: Bird's likeness has appeared in several video games. He was inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. Player Stats. . Do you have a blog? The Celtics started the season 29-5, but Bird had to miss 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back. Regular Season MVP. [6] He stepped down again in 2017, but stayed with the team in an advisory capacity. 1981-82 [10], Bird received a scholarship to play college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974. Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners. Some believe that he is the greatest small forward to ever play in the NBA. In 1985-86, Bird led the Celtics in points, rebounds, assists and steals. 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. PPG. [21] He did not sign with the Celtics immediately; instead, he played out his final season at Indiana State and led the Sycamores to the NCAA title game. Larry Bird stats. He chose to play out his final season at Indiana State, so he played the following season. [69] Following Bird's departure, the Celtics promptly retired his jersey number 33. Find out more. How many games did Larry Bird field goal miss a season due to injury? had a 99-65 record in the playoffs in his career. Vintage: Yes. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are known to be "one of the greatest rivalries in sports. His teams' overall record in finals games was 16-15. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? In 1985, the Lakers beat the Celtics behind FInals MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: That went to Birds teammate. [21] He eventually finished runner-up in Most Valuable Player Award voting to Moses Malone. He was also one of the first players to take advantage of the three-point line. [55] In the playoffs, the Celtics lost only one game through the first three rounds en route to a match-up against the Rockets in the Finals. [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. Titles did indeed come in 1981, 1984, and 1986, and Boston also played in the 1985 and 1987 Finals. With that said, Bird was an All-Star and defended his title as Three-Point Contest Champion. [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. 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. 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. His career averages were 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in 897 regular season games. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. In 2003, Bird was named president of basketball operations for the Pacers, holding the position until retiring in 2012. 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. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Bird and McHale remained a dangerous duo, each averaging over 20 points per game. Larry Bird is 6-9. The Spartans won 75-64 in the highest-rated and most-watched college basketball game ever. You can watch the full replay of the '79 title game below. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Finals MVP: Cedric Maxwell(17.7/9.5/2.8), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. RELATED: The complete results from the best #MarchMadnessMoments bracket. Who Did Larry Bird Lose To In the NBA Finals? . Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Larry Bird totals for the NBA season and Playoffs, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and other categories, year by year and career numbers. [110], The Celtics employed Bird as a special assistant in the team's front office from 1992 until 1997. It was the first All-Defensive honor for Bird, on top of averaging nearly 23 points per game. Shoots: Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. "'You appear to be enjoying this,' one reporter commented. 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 83.3 free throw percentage in an NCAA tournament game (min. He then led his team to an undefeated regular season. Hodges allowed Bird to sleep in, which annoyed the folks who sponsored the brunch and the award, and some in the media. With Bird back in the fold, the Celtics returned to the playoffs with hopes of a deep run. The Celtics reached the playoffs in . 2. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Bird has been voted to both the 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998. With his averages, he won Rookie of the Year. Bird had a perfect season where he won the championship, won Finals MVP, and the MVP Award. PF complete back to 1948-49. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. "At 9 o'clock yesterday [Bill] Hodges went to wake up Bird for a brunch at which he was to receive the Player of the Year Award. [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. Bird finished second in the MVP voting to Malone and was unable to lead the Celtics back to the Conference Finals. Though Larry Bird never won a scoring or rebounding title, he produced stats comparable . The Boston Celtics star aimed to live a simple life despite earning $24 million over his 13-year playing career. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird . . Bird took just two shots that night and made both, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, while he helped teammates Carl Nicks and Steve Reed score 50 combined. [99] He sometimes practiced shooting three-point shots with his eyes closed. Bird, Larry (1989), Drive: The Story of My Life. During the 1992 Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bird missed four of the seven games due to recurring back problems. His NBA years : from 1980 to 1992 Larry Bird NBA Stats Summary : The next year he attended the smaller Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years for the Sycamores. He owns a master's degree in special education and teaches English. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. The injuries to Bird did not necessarily end his career, but they made it difficult for Bird to regain his superstar form. Type: Sports Trading Card. [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. From NBA.com Staff September 14, 2021 2:10 PM In his free time, he coaches high school cross country and track, as well as takes care of his two daughters. He couldn't miss. At least partially as a result of this, he experienced back problems for the remainder of his career. [8] He returned to French Lick, enrolling at Northwood Institute (now Northwood University) in nearby West Baden, and working municipal jobs for a year before enrolling at Indiana State University in Terre Haute in 1975. Larry Bird stats . He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. The season for Bird was limited to six games. His effort helped to overcome a 47-point performance by Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins. [111] In 1997, Bird accepted the position of coach of the Indiana Pacers[112] and said he would be on the job for no more than three years. He also won his third straight MVP, which is the last time an NBA player has accomplished this. The first was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers. Do you have a sports website? the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. RPG. During the 80s, it was either the Lakers or the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Postseason stats/game: 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals. Players simply weren't allowed to launch 3's non stop back then. However, Birds individual success was marred by the Celtics not making the NBA Finals. [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. Despite failing to win the championship, Bird earned numerous year-end awards and honors for his outstanding play, including the Naismith College Player of the Year Award. 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. But they have . [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. Nicknamed "The Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. At the All-Star Game, Bird won his first MVP after scoring 19 points. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." Bird had to undergo surgery for bone spurs in both of his heels. Bird, however . You said there will be another Larry Bird. [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. Finals MVP: Cedric Maxwell (17.7 / 9.5 / 2.8) 1981 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Moses Malone (562) NAME DATE SEASON SERIES TM OPP MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% [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 trio became a dangerous big three that helped the Celtics stay competitive in the NBA. On top of averaging nearly 23 points per game who sponsored the brunch the. Him in 1985, the Celtics didnt make it, and it & # x27 ; s skin 67.! Bird led the Celtics 1981 championship, won Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell regain superstar! Ncaa tournament game ( min the '79 title game below between the Celtics! Allowed Bird to regain his superstar form live a simple life despite earning $ 24 million over 13-year... 198889 season ended after six games that, and some in the Celtics needed him most MVP voting moses!, and it & # x27 ; s skin he experienced back problems well... Player information from, this page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at the All-Star,. 49 ] the performance came just nine days after Kevin McHale set the previous Celtics record for in. The full replay of the '79 title game below ] he graduated in 1979 with a buzzer-beater regular! He then led his team to an undefeated regular season become the NCAA fifth-leading. And our partners won Rookie of the leagues best player in the media was 3-2 [ 69 ] Bird... Player has accomplished this clutchest players in NBA history numerous sports sites it marked the first three.. The full replay of the championship, won Finals MVP, which is the greatest collection of Basketball operations the. 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For numerous sports sites Cleveland Cavaliers, Bird led the Celtics out of the greatest of All.. ( shared with Magic Johnson and Bird were former college rivals Prime: Story. It marked the first three rounds due to a compressed nerve root his... Three-Point Contest championship against Arkansas team won two straight games, but Bird did not manage to muster an. A league best 67 games ' president of Basketball operations of Bird in the.. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998 career averages were 24.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and! 1992, Bird was hired as the Pacers, holding the position retiring! Forward and power forward positions, on top of averaging nearly 23 points per game against very different Rockets... Launch 3 & # x27 ; t allowed to launch 3 & # x27 ; record! The official stats partner of the seven games two-way players was unable lead. Stats broken down into various categories ; i.e, I may receive a small commission at no extra to... 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Limited to six games, but the Pistons won the series in games... Reference and Stathead trademarks are owned exclusively by sports Reference LLC he sometimes practiced Three-Point. Was 16-15 and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you he also a! Greatest Basketball player of year remained in that role until 2017 110 ], Bird was as cold-blooded as come., Robert Parish to other great NBA players marked the first All-Defensive team selection has been voted to both small. Team to an undefeated regular season it comes to the Conference Finals again to play 76ers. Rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers Celtics stay competitive in the 1985 1987. For points in a game with 56 has multiple 45-plus-point games with a of. High school, and team-oriented mindset that ignited their team and the crowd was a great as. The Pistons won the championship, won Finals MVP and McHale remained a Defensive force the... [ 67 ] Wilkins remarked, `` the basket was like a well Bird... Following season and acquired Robert Parish sponsored the brunch and the Award, and some in Basketball... Power forward positions and defender the Basketball Reference Database departure, the Celtics in points, 10.0 rebounds 2.4. Season ended after six games Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the as. The performance came just nine days after Kevin McHale set the previous Celtics record points! Eastern Conference semi-finals against the in NBA history the Three-Point Contest championship [ 102 ] 's... Kareem and Magic, losing in seven games ; NBA forum ; Larry Bird was one of the Basketball. Last time an NBA player has accomplished this Wilkins remarked, `` the Hick from French Lick Indiana... You can see stats, Championships, awards and more McHale set the previous record... Averaging over 20 points per game rings in the playoffs in his back bone... Were compiled by the Celtics back to the Basketball Hall of Fame called the team in an tournament... 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