How Many NBA Rings Does Larry Bird Have?
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Larry Bird is one of the most iconic players in NBA history. He led the Boston Celtics to three NBA championships and is considered one of the best players of all time. So, how many NBA rings does Larry Bird have?
Larry Bird’s NBA Career
Larry Bird is a retired American basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year after his first season, then NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) three consecutive times (1984-1986), and played on the 1992 United States Olympic gold medal-winning team known as the “Dream Team”. During his career, Bird helped the Celtics win three NBA championships (1981, 1984, and 1986).
Bird’s rookie season
Larry Bird was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the sixth pick in the 1978 NBA draft. He quickly became one of the best players in the league, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 21.3 points per game, 10.4 rebounds per game, and 4.5 assists per game. Bird helped lead the Celtics to the NBA Finals in his second season, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. In his third season, Bird won his first of three straight NBA MVP Awards and led the Celtics to another NBA Finals appearance, this time defeating the Lakers in seven games to win their first championship since 1969.
Bird’s second season
Larry Bird’s second season was even better than his first. He averaged 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, and was again named to the All-Star team. The Celtics finished the season with a 61-21 record, the best in the NBA. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks in seven games. Despite the loss, Bird was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row.
Bird’s third season
In Bird’s third season, he again averaged 24.2 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, and 6.6 assists per game. He was again named to the All-Star team and the All-NBA First Team. He helped lead the Celtics to a 60-22 record, which was the best in the NBA. In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the first round, and then took down the Philadelphia 76ers in five games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They then faced off against the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pistons had swept the Celtics in the regular season, but Bird and company were able to turn things around in the playoffs. The series went to seven games, but the Celtics eventually won 105-103 on a last second shot by Bird to take the series. They were then matched up against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers in what many consider to be one of the greatest NBA Finals ever played. The series went to seven games once again, but this time it was Johnson who hit a last second shot to win it for his team. The Celtics lost 107-106, and Bird was named MVP of the series despite being on the losing team.
Bird’s NBA Championships
Larry Bird is an American retired professional basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Due to his accomplishments and leadership, he is considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Now let’s take a look at how many NBA championship rings Larry Bird has.
Bird’s first championship
In his first season, Bird won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after averaging 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He helped lead the Celtics to a 61-21 record, the second-best in the NBA behind the Los Angeles Lakers, earning him a spot on the NBA All-Star Team. Bird’s play focused on outside shooting, quick slashing to the basket, and providing tight defense against some of the league’s strongest players such as Julius Erving and Magic Johnson. The Celtics reached the 1980 NBA Finals where they faced the Lakers. In Game 1, Bird had a triple double with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists as the Celtics won 108–102. He then scored 34 points in Game 2 as Boston evened the series at 1–1 with a 102–91 victory; however, he missed Games 3 and 4 due to a sprained ankle
Bird’s second championship
In 1986, the Celtics again finished the regular season with a 67–15 record, good for second place in the Eastern Conference behind the Milwaukee Bucks. The Celtics then went on to defeat the Bucks in five games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, before prevailing against the Atlanta Hawks in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics then won their 16th NBA Championship, defeating the Houston Rockets in six games. In Game 6 of that series, Bird made a now-famous steal of an inbounds pass from Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon with under a minute remaining and the Celtics clinging to a one-point lead. The steal resulted in a breakaway layup by teammate Djordjevic that gave Boston a 106–104 lead with 50 seconds left. After Ralph Sampson missed a potential game-tying jumper at the other end, Dennis Johnson made two free throws with 20 seconds remaining to seal the victory and give Boston their 16th NBA title. Bird was named MVP of both the regular season and postseason.
Bird’s third championship
The Boston Celtics won their third consecutive NBA championship in 1981, defeating the Houston Rockets in six games. Larry Bird was named the Finals MVP for the second time, averaging 21.3 points, 14 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game.
Bird’s Legacy
Larry Bird is one of the most successful basketball players of all time. He has won three NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVPs, and three NBA MVP awards. But how many NBA rings does Larry Bird have?
Bird’s impact on the NBA
Larry Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He was a 12-time NBA All-Star, and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player three times. He played his entire professional career for the Boston Celtics, and helped lead the team to three NBA championships.
After his retirement from playing in 1992, Bird became a head coach in the NBA. He led the Indiana Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1998 and 1999. In 2003, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
In recent years, Bird has been working as the president of basketball operations for the Indiana Pacers. He is credited with turning the team around, and they are currently one of the best teams in the NBA.
Larry Bird is arguably one of the most impactful players in NBA history. His legacy will continue to live on for many years to come.
Bird’s place in NBA history
Bird’s place in NBA history is cemented by his three championships, his two Finals MVPs, and his iconic No. 33 jersey that hangs in the rafters of the TD Garden.
But beyond his on-court accomplishments, Bird is also remembered for his intense competitiveness, which was on full display during the infamous “Malice at the Palace” brawl in 2004.
During that dustup, Bird was seen calmly walking away from the melee while everyone else was scrambling to break it up. That incident only added to Bird’s legend, as it showed that even at age 50, he still had the heart of a champion.