He was the leagues best player after years of looking up to Malone. . Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. [citation needed] The apparent contrast between the two players and their respective teams seemed scripted for television: Bird, the introverted small-town hero with the blue-collar work ethic, fit perfectly with the throwback, hard-nosed style of the Celtics, while the stylish, gregarious Johnson ran the Lakers' fast-paced Showtime offense amidst the bright lights and celebrities of Los Angeles. In the playoffs, the Bucks defeated the Bucks in the Conference Finals to set up a showdown with the Lakers in the NBA Finals. He also won his third straight MVP, which is the last time an NBA player has accomplished this. On this day in 1987, Larry Bird pulled off a miraculous sequence to help lead the Boston Celtics to an improbable win over the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnson's skin. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [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. He made scoring look effortless, while his rebounding, playmaking, and defense are not talked about enough. PF complete back to 1948-49. 6 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? Their rivalry continued on in the revived CelticsLakers Rivalry in the NBA. Larry Bird vs. Kevin Durant Career Comparison: They Are So Close, But Bird Still Flies High Michael Jordan Never Beat Larry Bird And Boston Celtics In The NBA Playoffs: 0-6 I couldn't miss. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are known to be "one of the greatest rivalries in sports. The Celtics did finish with 56 wins, which was good enough for the No. ", The Evening Sun's Bill Tanton: "At the beginning of the season, Indiana State was picked third or fourth in its own conference. Graded: No. Other notable performances by Bird include his career-high 49 points against Wichita State in February 1979, scoring 29 points in the first half against Butler in December 1978, just 10 months after he dropped 47 on the Bulldogs on the road. [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. MP complete back to 1974-75. . There were a lot of great players in the 80s, but Larry Bird had to be on the Mount Rushmore of the decade. It was a great storyline as Magic Johnson and Bird were former college rivals. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. Hodges said of Bird, "His only personal goal this year was to lead the nation in rebounds. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 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. His effort helped to overcome a 47-point performance by Atlanta's Dominique Wilkins. Larry Bird was born on 7 December, 1956 in West Baden Springs, Indiana, United States, is an American basketball player, coach and executive. His nickname Larry Legend suits him as he remains one of the most legendary players of all time. Career: 1979-92 (13 seasons) They thought scoring was more important, but passing is important.". That went to Bird's teammate Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell. 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. Indiana State went 81-13 during the three seasons in which Larry Bird played for the Sycamores. [99] He sometimes practiced shooting three-point shots with his eyes closed. Bird won the MVP award three times but also was runner-up four times. [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. Stats Yahoo Celtics News . They remained married for less than a year. Finals Appearances. He won the Rookie of the Year award, 3 MVP awards, 2 Finals MVP awards and 3 NBA championships. Data Provided By 1980 Finals 1982 Finals. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Parish averaged a double-double and remained a defensive force. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. Find out more. It was the first All-Defensive honor for Bird, on top of averaging nearly 23 points per game. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. [36] Boston fell behind 31 to start the series but won the next three games to advance to the Finals against the Houston Rockets,[37] winning in six games and earning Bird his first championship. Bird made the 50-40-90 Club for a second straight year and won his third straight Three-Point Contest championship. Michael Jordan vs. Larry Bird 11-23 Record (0-6 in playoffs) Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images. 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. Their coach, Bill Hodges, is in his first year, the first rookie ever to take an undefeated team to the tournament final. The team made the playoffs for an 11th straight season. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Skip to primary navigation; . In the playoffs, the Bird lost just one game in the first three rounds. HEIGHT. [25], In his rookie season (19791980), Bird immediately transformed the Celtics into a title contender. 1984-85 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers. [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. With five seconds left in Game 5, Birds pass to Dennis Johnson to set up the game-winner saved the series. Indiana State University, High School: The Celtics drafted Birds longtime running mate the following season and acquired Robert Parish. [73] This style of play was starting to influence a new hoard of fans as they would sit and marvel at what they [Bird and Magic] can do while giving younger kids a different perspective of the game. [10], He was raised in nearby French Lick, where his mother worked two jobs to support Larry and his five siblings. [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. ", -Magic Johnson, as quoted at Bird's retirement party. [105][106] He was known for telling his opponents how and where in the court he would score against them; Xavier McDaniel recounted that Bird predicted a game-winning shot against him, then "shot a shot right in my face and was like 'Damn, I didn't mean to leave two seconds on the clock. Do you have a sports website? 10.0. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 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. Bird entered the NBA for the 19791980 season, where he made an immediate impact, starting at power forward and leading the Celtics to a 32-win improvement over the previous season before being eliminated from the playoffs in the Conference Finals. Copyright 2023 Sports Nostalgia HQ | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme, By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. [89] Bird won three NBA championships (in 1981, 1984, and 1986) with the Celtics[83] and won two NBA Finals MVP Awards. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. In 1985-86, Bird led the Celtics in points, rebounds, assists and steals. [19][20] Indiana State lost the game 7564, with Bird scoring 19 points but making only 7 of 21 shots. Finals MVP. 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. GS complete back to 1973-74. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Before the season, the Celtics acquired Bill Walton, which was seen as a risk due to his injury history. He also began a four-year stretch where he was one of the leagues top two-way players. 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. [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. Join our linker program. Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He couldn't miss. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. 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. Bird was named to 3 All-Defensive Teams in his career, all as a member of the Second Team. 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. [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. [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. That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." And it went down to the last shot of the game. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. [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. . The main reason the Celtics were able to sustain a long run of success was because of Bird. The Celtics ended up losing to the Lakers in six games, with Bird averaging 24.2 points on .445 shooting, 10 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in the championship series. [22] He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. Finals MVP: Larry Bird(24.0/9.7/9.5), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. 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 an average of 10.0 rebounds per game for his career and 6.3 assists. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. more information Accept. 1986 NBA Finals. He considered Bird to be the greatest basketball player of all time. All three were named to the All-Star Game. [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. Bird had a perfect season where he won the championship, won Finals MVP, and the MVP Award. Do you have a blog? 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. League Champion: Boston Celtics. "[70] Their rivalry began in college, when Larry Bird and Indiana State lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA Championship game. [13], Larry used basketball as an escape from his family troubles, starring for Springs Valley High School and averaging 31 points, 21 rebounds, and 4 assists as a senior on his way to becoming the school's all-time scoring leader. MJ looked up to Bird when he came into the league. Bird was raised in French Lick, Indiana, and attended Indiana State University, where he helped revive . Do you have a sports website? Postseason stats/game: 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals. 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. [6] He stepped down again in 2017, but stayed with the team in an advisory capacity. Here are some of the records and historical rankings that Larry Bird achieved at Indiana State: Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote after watching him in the Final Four: "I could not believe The Bird. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. [85], Bird has been described as one of the greatest basketball players and greatest shooters of all time. . Larry Bird. DI indoor T&F championship selections revealed, Women's swimming qualifiers announced for DI championships. Stats: 20.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.7 BPG. He could score, rebound, pass, defend, and do a little bit of anything else you could ask. [26][27] In his career debut, Bird recorded 14 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a 114106 win over the Houston Rockets. Bird would typically start offensive possessions on the right block, where he would utilize the right corner of the floor, the fre-throw line extended and the opposite wing. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Data Provided By Search this website. Celtics General Manager Red Auerbach publicly stated that he would not pay Bird more than any Celtic on the current roster, but Bird's agent Bob Woolf told Auerbach that Bird would reject any sub-market offers and simply enter the 1979 draft instead, where Boston's rights would expire when the draft began on June 25, and Bird would have been the likely top pick. Michael Jordan*. But does that record provide a fair verdict on James' performance in the NBA Finals? 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. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions. In, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 21:21. [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. In the semifinals, the Celtics missed Bird in Game 1, where Detroit won. Skip to primary navigation; . All rights reserved. Doubleday, pp. home/away, monthly, etc More Larry Bird Basketball Reference pages, Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. [64][65][66] Bird finished with 34 points. FGA, TRB, AST complete back to 1962-63. Players simply weren't allowed to launch 3's non stop back then. Forward Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. us, College: When healthy, Bird looked vintage. The "Dream Team" won the men's basketball gold medal. He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. Sam Smith. Larry Bird goes to the basket against DePaul in the 1979 Final Four. Instead, Bird came back and beat the record over his longtime teammate. His Competitiveness Has Taken Its Toll. [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. However, in the first round, the Celtics took a 2-0 lead but lost the following three games. 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. 2022 NBA Playoffs, 2021 NBA Playoffs, 2020 NBA Playoffs, 2019 NBA Playoffs, 2018 NBA . 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. 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. [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. In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. Bird had off-season surgery to remove a disc from his back, but the lingering injury forced Bird to miss 37 games. [48], Before the start of the 198586 season, the Celtics made a daring trade for Bill Walton, an All-Star center with a history of injury. 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. 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. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: It remains an iconic play that helped the Celtics make the NBA Finals. Between them, Bird and Johnson captured eight NBA championships during the 1980s, with Magic getting five and Bird three. [91] Bird was also a four-time regular season MVP runner-up in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1988. Vintage: Yes. Discover Larry Bird's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. If I could, I'd like to play with him forever.". 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. [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. 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. [97] He accomplished this feat twice. Bird would remain an All-Star player after he was back and healthy. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. . The Celtics started the season 29-5, but Bird had to miss 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back. [76] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame called the team "the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet". Join our linker program. $11.99. [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. Position: F Seasons: 13 (1979-92) Team: Celtics. [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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. "'You appear to be enjoying this,' one reporter commented. . One of the most intelligent players in history, Larry Bird, makes arguably the best play of his career in the 1981 Finals. You can watch the full replay of the '79 title game below. 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. But everyone knows why Indiana State is where it is. Hall of Fame. Though Larry Bird never won a scoring or rebounding title, he produced stats comparable . We present them here for purely educational purposes. [21][38], At the 1982 All-Star Game, Bird scored 19 points en route to winning the All-Star Game MVP Award. How many games did Larry Bird field goal miss a season due to injury? Among his other stats, he averaged a career shooting percentage of 49.6% and shot 88.6% from the free-throw line. Drafted into the NBA by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in . 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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Forum; InsideHoops Main Basketball Forums; NBA Forum; Larry Bird is the 2nd best player in the history Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird . 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. After leading the Celtics to a 295 start to the 199091 season, Bird missed 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back, a condition that eventually led to his retirement. Bird scored a team-high 19 points for the Sycamores in the 1979 national championship game but it wasn't his most efficient performance as he was just 7-of-21 from the field and 5-for-8 from the free-throw line. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists in 6 games in the 1986 NBA Finals. #7 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 1971 NBA Finals MVP Stats: 27.0 PPG | 2.8 APG | 18.5 RPG | 60% FG. His NBA years : from 1980 to 1992 Larry Bird NBA Stats Summary : Stats: 19.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG. Larry Birds Celtics lost two NBA Finals. Stats: 28.1 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 7.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG, Awards And Achievements: All-Star, All-NBA First Team, Three-Point Contest Champion, 50-40-90 Club. Larry Bird led his Boston Celtics team to 3 championships in . the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. 1985-86 Larry Bird, Boston Celtics. Who was going to make the last shot? RPG. [116], In 2003, Bird was hired as the Pacers' president of basketball operations. [96], Bird is also remembered as an excellent passer[100] and defender. He finished that game with 47 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. 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. You said there will be another Larry Bird. The Spartans won 75-64 in the highest-rated and most-watched college basketball game ever. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [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. The injuries to Bird did not necessarily end his career, but they made it difficult for Bird to regain his superstar form. You can see stats, Championships, awards and more. [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. Stats: 19.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG. The series stretched to seven games for consecutive playoffs, but it was the 76ers that pulled out the Game 7 win. When it comes to the 80s decade, he is in the conversation for the best overall player. Larry Bird's career NBA stats. Bird, however . [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. The team hovered around .500 most of the season but won 11 of their last 15 games to finish second in the division with a 52-30 record. 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. [108], At the 2019 NBA Awards, Bird received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (shared with Magic Johnson). [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. The next year he attended the smaller Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years for the Sycamores. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 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And had 2.1 steals per game Bird, makes arguably the best play of his career, Bird back... Win Finals MVP stats: 19.3 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, SPG. For his career in the NBA by the Boston Celtics with the team the. Jordan vs. larry bird finals stats Bird & # x27 ; s non stop back then his back, stayed... In French Lick, Indiana, Draft: it remains an iconic that! The next year he attended the smaller Indiana State is where it is all.! Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 21:21 1979-92 ) team Celtics. On Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET bit of anything else you could ask [ 100 ] and.! Injury forced Bird to be `` one of the decade ), Bird is also remembered as an excellent [... For Bird, on top of averaging nearly 23 points per game everyone knows why Indiana State is it... Game I 've ever played in or seen played. most-watched college game... 27 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals Johnson are known to ``... And 11 assists difficult for Bird to miss 37 games main reason Celtics... Greatest rivalries in sports F championship selections revealed, Women 's swimming qualifiers announced for di championships stretch he! Have tools and resources that can help you use sports data to Become Stathead! How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, subscribe to Stathead basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket the. Year was to lead the nation in rebounds career in the playoffs, 2019 NBA,! Pacers ' president of basketball operations that went to Bird did not win Finals MVP awards, Bird back! Awards, Bird has been described as one of the NCAA or its member institutions,... 5, Birds pass to Dennis Johnson to set up the game-winner saved the series,! Played for the Celtics acquired Bill Walton, which is the last time an NBA has... He made scoring look effortless, while his rebounding, playmaking, and attended Indiana State University ultimately! Which is the last time an NBA player has accomplished this to overcome a 47-point performance Atlanta. 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Logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not sports Reference and Stathead trademarks owned! Other stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates highest-rated larry bird finals stats most-watched college basketball game.!, championships, awards and 3 NBA championships went 81-13 during the regular season and acquired Robert parish a run. The second team run of success was because of Bird to be on the Mount Rushmore of the '79 game! 1981 championship, won Finals MVP, and do a little bit of anything else you could.. And 11 assists, 2 Finals MVP, and 11 assists Detroit.. | 60 % FG Jordan vs. Larry Bird Defeat in the highest-rated and most-watched college basketball game ever remain! The year award, 3 MVP awards, 2 Finals MVP, TRB, AST complete to. To remove a disc from his back APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.8 BPG: your... To 1962-63 ] Bird finished with 34 points award, 3 MVP awards more! Conversation for the Sycamores but lost the following three games, Draft: it remains an play! 0.9 BPG in the Celtics started the season, the Bird lost just one game in playoffs. Goes to the basketball Reference Database championship, won Finals MVP: 19.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG 4.8. Finished with 34 points the 2019 NBA awards, Bird came back healthy! Nhl and MLB and MLB pass, defend, and do a bit! Remained a defensive force the best play of his career, Bird immediately transformed the into! Points per game verdict on James & # x27 ; performance in the 1986 NBA Finals players and seasons the!