The Celtics met the 76ers in the Conference Finals for a third straight year. Manufacturer: The Star Co. Nicknamed "The Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The Spartans won 75-64 in the highest-rated and most-watched college basketball game ever. This injury was the main reason for his retirement after the following season. [43] Boston came back to win the game, eventually winning the series in seven. [84], "Larry, you only told me one lie. He had off-season surgery to remove a disc from his back, but his back problems continued and he missed 37 games during the 199192 season. Most Improved Player. Bird won Finals MVP in 1984 when his Celttics defeated the Lakers in seven games. Indiana State nearly became the most recent undefeated national champion, reaching the 1979 national title game with a 33-0 record. [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. Forum; InsideHoops Main Basketball Forums; NBA Forum; Larry Bird is the 2nd best player in the history The team made the playoffs for an 11th straight season. Larry Bird is 6-9. [86][87][88] He was selected to 12 NBA All-Star teams. 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. What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnson's skin. His stats back up that statement as well. Bernard Cardinal Law, Larry Bird and Mayor Raymond L. Flynn. In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pistons, with five seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Boston trailing the Pistons 107106, Bird stole an inbound pass. Larry Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists in 6 games in the 1986 NBA Finals. . Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners. but, still, those stats are unreal. 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. 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. [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. He played for the Celtics during his entire professional career (13 seasons), leading them to five NBA finals appearances and three NBA championships. Nonetheless, during the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. Kyle Daubs has 15 years' worth of writing experience for numerous sports sites. Hodges allowed Bird to sleep in, which annoyed the folks who sponsored the brunch and the award, and some in the media. In the playoffs, the Celtics took on a very tough Detroit Pistons team in the Conference Finals. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? The season for Bird was limited to six games. December 7, The Celtics trailed 3-1 in the series but won the next three games to play the Rockets in the NBA Finals. In 1981, the Celtics beat a Houston Rockets team featuring, In 1984, Birds Celtics beat the Showtime Lakers featuring, In 1986 the Celtics defeated a pretty different Houston Rockets squad. Stats: 19.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG. 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. . [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. Parish averaged a double-double and remained a defensive force. Bird has been voted to both the 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998. ", "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. Career: 1979-92 (13 seasons) Career Stats Game Log Splits. It marked the first . In the Celtics 1981 Championship, Bird did not win Finals MVP. Larry, there will never, ever be another Larry Bird. Larry Bird was one of the clutchest players in NBA history. Tied for eighth all-time in career rebounding . He was selected to play in 12 All-Star games. He was named NBA Head Coach of . Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In 2003, Bird was named president of basketball operations for the Pacers, holding the position until retiring in 2012. 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. Hodges said of Bird, "His only personal goal this year was to lead the nation in rebounds. '", 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. Larry Bird totals for the NBA season and Playoffs, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and other categories, year by year and career numbers. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. On August 18, 1992, Bird announced his retirement. In the end, he remains one of the all-time greats. Bird had a double-double in all five NCAA tournament games he played in that year. By that time Bird's scoring . Bird was rated the greatest NBA small forward of all time by Fox Sports in 2016. [10], Bird received a scholarship to play college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974. 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. [96] Bird was the first player in NBA history to shoot 50% or better on field goals, 40% on three-pointers, and 90% on free-throws in a single NBA season while achieving the league minimum for makes in each category. 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. His teams' overall record in finals games was 16-15. Bird was named Finals MVP behind 27.4 points, 14 . He was inducted into the Hall of Fame . But does that record provide a fair verdict on James' performance in the NBA Finals? He was selected to the All-Star Game but didnt play due to a back injury. 1981-82 Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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 was voted onto the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in NBA History list in 1996, and consequently the 75th Anniversary Team list in 2021. [119] Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013. Right, Born: [25], In his rookie season (19791980), Bird immediately transformed the Celtics into a title contender. With the Celtics out of the championship, it marked the first time in five years the Celtics didnt make it. Background. Winning Time again explored the Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird narrative in its season finale. Nine days later, he recorded his first 30-point game. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Before the season, the Celtics acquired Bill Walton, which was seen as a risk due to his injury history. He was named Rookie of the Year . 10 attempts), Indiana State-record 83.3 free throw percentage in an NCAA tournament game (min. Bird returned to the Pacers as president of basketball operations in 2013,[6] and remained in that role until 2017. But everyone knows why Indiana State is where it is. Do you have a sports website? They remained married for less than a year. In addition, the NBA clutch stats show Jordan is the only player in NBA history to record back-to-back 50-point games in the playoffs. [7], Bird was born in West Baden Springs, Indiana, to Georgia (ne Kerns) and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird, a veteran of the Korean War. 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. . 2 seed. . He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, dished out 3.6 assists and had 2.1 steals per game. From NBA.com Staff September 14, 2021 2:10 PM Bird passed Otis Birdsong to become the NCAA's fifth-leading scorer of all-timewith a free throw early in the championship game. 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. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird finished runner-up in the MVP voting as well. [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. [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. [62], Despite the intensity of their rivalry, Bird and Johnson became friends off the court. It set up an NBA Finals with the Houston Rockets. 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. That went to Birds teammate. 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. He then led his team to an undefeated regular season. 3940. Discover Larry Bird's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. However, in the first round, the Celtics took a 2-0 lead but lost the following three games. However, something was noticeably wrong with Larry during the playoffs. 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. 24.3. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, former coach and former executive. The team improved its win total by 32 games from the year before he was drafted and finished first in the Eastern Conference. Finals MVP: Larry Bird(27.4/14.0/3.6), Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. 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 . Stats; Standings; Teams; Players; All-Star . . He had the ability to play the small and power forward positions. When it comes to the 80s decade, he is in the conversation for the best overall player. 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. [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. This was the Celtics' first appearance in The Finals since their 1976 championship winning team against the Phoenix Suns.The Celtics were not quite the same team as five years before, as they added the likes of Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale, a trio that would come to be known as "The Big Three." M. L. Carr, Cedric Maxwell, and Nate Archibald were also capable players off the . Player Stats. He also won his third straight MVP, which is the last time an NBA player has accomplished this. Find out more. [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. Stats & Championships . But they have . April 14, 2017 2:34 PM EDT. The first was on February 14, 1986 in an overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers. [114] He was named the NBA Coach of the Year for his efforts. In the playoffs, the Bird lost just one game in the first three rounds. "[70] Their rivalry began in college, when Larry Bird and Indiana State lost to Magic Johnson and Michigan State in the NCAA Championship game. Bird averaged 24.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.5 assists in the Finals on his way to winning Finals MVP. Data Provided By the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB . Among his other stats, he averaged a career shooting percentage of 49.6% and shot 88.6% from the free-throw line. Postseason stats/game: 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals. 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. Finals Appearances. The season saw Bird make the 50-40-90 Club for the first time in his career. Bird made the 50-40-90 Club for a second straight year and won his third straight Three-Point Contest championship. Growing up in French Lick, Indiana, he was a local basketball star. 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. Once he entered his 30s, . The next year he attended the smaller Indiana State University, ultimately playing three years for the Sycamores. [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. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. [80][81] He was inducted into the Hall of Fame again in 2010, as a member of the "Dream Team". The trio became a dangerous big three that helped the Celtics stay competitive in the NBA. Bird won the MVP award three times but also was runner-up four times. [82] In 1999, Bird ranked No. [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. * Larry Bird was injured and missed the playoffs in 1989. [110], The Celtics employed Bird as a special assistant in the team's front office from 1992 until 1997. 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. You said there will be another Larry Bird. Sam Smith. Not since Bill Russell squared off against Wilt Chamberlain had professional basketball enjoyed such a marquee matchup. [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. [92] Bird is also remembered as one of the foremost clutch performers in the history of the NBA; he was known for his excellent play in high-stakes, high-pressure situations. Bird won two finals against very different Houston Rockets teams and one against the Showtime Lakers featuring Kareem and Magic. [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. In 1987 the Lakers once again beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Bulls Vs. Celtics Playoff History. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Bird had to undergo surgery for bone spurs in both of his heels. 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. 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. [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. His NBA years : from 1980 to 1992 Larry Bird NBA Stats Summary : 1984 Star Larry Bird #5 Playoff Stats Boston Celtics HOF NM-MT Free Shipping! Learn more and register, Kansas City Kings vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 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. 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. eventually winning the series in seven. The Celtics won the series in six games, but Bird did not win Finals MVP, which was rewarded to Cedric Maxwell. Stats: 19.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG. 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. Bird was a Swiss army knife. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Larry Birds finals record was 3-2. Bird led the Celtics to another deep playoff run. He considered Bird to be the greatest basketball player of all time. 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) . Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. At 35, LeBron is by far the oldest player to have such a postseason. However, Birds individual success was marred by the Celtics not making the NBA Finals. They thought scoring was more important, but passing is important.". These are Birds stats and achievements season by season. Larry. Checkout the latest stats of Larry Bird. Stats: 20.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.7 BPG. "Larry Bird Ball" was the most popular sport in Terre Haute. I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. [8], The game achieved the highest-ever television rating for a college basketball game, in large part because of the matchup between Bird and Spartans' point guard Earvin "Magic" Johnson,[11] a rivalry that lasted throughout their professional careers. Shoots: Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. [22] He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. Totals; Per Game; Per 36 Minutes; Per 100 Possessions; Advanced; East Conf 1st Round. ", -Magic Johnson, as quoted at Bird's retirement party. Michael Jordan*. In fact, the five oldest players to do it are, in order, 2020 LeBron, 2018 LeBron, 2017 LeBron, 2016 LeBron and 2010 Kobe, who . There were a lot of great players in the 80s, but Larry Bird had to be on the Mount Rushmore of the decade. Bird was selected with the No. Who Did Larry Bird Lose To In the NBA Finals? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Johnson appeared at Bird's retirement ceremony on February 4, 1993, and emotionally described Bird as a "friend forever".[63]. Two-time Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame inductee: College Basketball Hall of Fame (class of 2006). 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. Join our linker program. [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. Also, no other player has ever won consecutive games at the buzzer like Bird did in January 1985. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. 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. They have two adopted children, Conner and Mariah. [133], Bird married Dinah Mattingly in 1989. NAME. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. 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. Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. It was also the last time the team made the NBA Finals with Bird leading the way. Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? Bird. Rockets vs. Celtics. With five seconds left in Game 5, Birds pass to Dennis Johnson to set up the game-winner saved the series. Language: English. Graded: No. We present them here for purely educational purposes. [23], Bird was selected by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft. [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. . Their rivalry continued on in the revived CelticsLakers Rivalry in the NBA. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. [8] Bird's parents were of Irish, Scottish and some Native American descent. Or write about sports? [104], Bird was known for his trash-talking on the court and is remembered as one of the most notable trash-talkers of his era. FGA, TRB, AST complete back to 1962-63. [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. Do you have a blog? He won the Rookie of the Year award, 3 MVP awards, 2 Finals MVP awards and 3 NBA championships. Finals MVP. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. [89] Bird won three NBA championships (in 1981, 1984, and 1986) with the Celtics[83] and won two NBA Finals MVP Awards. Ultimately, the Cavaliers rallied to win the series in seven games, which ended their career of Bird. Statistically, Larry Bird had just finished his most productive season (29.9 ppg, 52 FG%, 92 FT%, 9 rpg, 6 apg) in the NBA. Bird and Magic met a few times after that, and it's wild to see two legends of the . Players simply weren't allowed to launch 3's non stop back then. . His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first . MJ looked up to Bird when he came into the league. He averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 897 regular-season games. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. Bird won two finals vs the Houston Rockets and one vs the LA Lakers. League Champion: Boston Celtics. Free shipping. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: [45] The performance came just nine days after Kevin McHale set the previous Celtics record for points in a game with 56. Forward Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. Larry Bird's career NBA stats. [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. RELATED: The complete results from the best #MarchMadnessMoments bracket. The injuries to Bird did not necessarily end his career, but they made it difficult for Bird to regain his superstar form. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. PPG. Join our linker program. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. 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. Larry Bird. With the Celtics down by one point, and less than 10 seconds left, Bird missed a potential go-ahead layup after his shot was blocked. 'Coach, I'm dead,' moaned Bird. He earned the honors 3 years straight from 1982 through 1984. You can watch the full replay of the '79 title game below. 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. During the season, Bird set a new franchise record for points with 60 points against the Hawks. The Celtics won the series in six games. [71], Journalists speculated that Bird and Magic represented different contrasts, such as clashes between Celtics and Lakers, between East and West, and between Blacks and Whites. Do you have a sports website? Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. [42] Bird was named Finals MVP behind 27.4 points, 14 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. 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 Finals MVP: Cedric Maxwell (17.7 / 9.5 / 2.8) 1981 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Moses Malone (562) [61] The historical rift between the teams, which faced each other several times in championship series of the 1960s, fueled fan interest in the rivalry. What Was John Havliceks Finals Record? It is sports data record for points with 60 points against the Portland Trail Blazers straight Three-Point Contest championship 1.0... Parents were of Irish, Scottish and some in the MVP voting as well have two adopted children, and... Basketball star Fame ( class of 2006 ) his efforts the Celtics-Lakers rivalry is national... 1St round Johnson became friends off the court tournament game ( min also the last time the improved. Our partners years for the best # MarchMadnessMoments bracket browsing experience possible finished first in the time... Next three games 2006 ) East Conf 1st round to both the 50th and 75th teams. He earned the honors 3 years straight from 1982 through 1984 rallied to win the.. Straight year and won his third straight Three-Point Contest championship and seasons from the past 88. Former coach and former executive and won his third straight MVP, which was to... In an NCAA tournament game ( min for points with 60 points against the Showtime Lakers Kareem! Teams and was inducted into the league the 50th and 75th Anniversary teams and one vs the LA.. 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