Celtics Wire. Larry Bird was originally in the recruiting class of 1974. IU went 21-8 that season, finishing second in the Big Ten. 11 in the AP poll that season and finished the year ranked No. A defensive maven who stifled some of the best stars, Dennis Johnson was an All-Star, a Finals MVP and won three NBA titles. Their coach, Bill Hodges, is in his first year, the first rookie ever to take an undefeated team to the tournament final. Larry Bird is recognized as one of the greatest NBA players of all time. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Real men play with balls this size, Warn said, glaring at Bird. According to The New York Times, Hodges once said his primary contribution during Indiana States national runner-up season was not messing up Larry Bird.. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. With five seconds remaining and the Celtics trailing 107-106, Bird stole an Isiah Thomas inbounds pass and fed Dennis Johnson, whose layup gave Boston the win. Both Dinah and Larry studied at Indiana State University. IU would have definitely won 1 or 2 more titles had Bird stuck around and become the player he eventually did. 18 Alabama and No. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. "By noon, Bird appeared at a press conference, a rarity in his scheme of things. Here you have the answers. He led the league in free-throw percentage four times. 0:49. Boston survived a memorable Eastern Conference finals against Philadelphia in which the Celtics bounced back from a 3-1 deficit and posted come-from-behind victories in each of the last three games, then took the title over Moses Malone and the Houston Rockets in a six-game NBA Finals. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. By that time Birds scoring average had reached the mid-20s, and he was averaging upwards of seven assists. He was the heart and soul of the 1980s Celtics, leading them to three NBA championships while earning a reputation as one of the greatest players in league history. I think they may even have been on the floor together. At the time, Bird was a junior at Indiana State University and decided he wanted to play his senior year . An undefeated IU team with a healthy Scott May or Larry Bird, let alone both, wouldve made for a compelling matchup with Woodens final UCLA team. He starred in college at Indiana State, taking them to the NCAA final game in 1979, virtually as a one-man team. He was named NBA Head Coach of the Year in 1998. He was seemingly able to get almost any shot he wanted whether it was 30 seconds after the tip or with as much time left on the clock . His last-second heroics, ranging from seemingly impossible reverse layups to miraculous 35-foot bombs over multiple defenders, never ceased to amaze those who followed his career. Neither Birds hometown of French Lick nor West Baden had a daily newspaper at the time, nor was either home to a radio or TV station. 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. What if Larry Bird hadnt transferred from IU. Lets pick a winner in every mens college basketball conference tournament. But mostly he was bored. Then, however, a loud voice suddenly halted play. 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. . He was brilliant against the Razorbacks with a a 31-point, 10-rebound game in the regional finals. He once saw to it that McHale went for 40+ against Benson, ordering the guys to just feed the ball into Mchale every time down the floor. The Cavaliers won in seven games; Boston lost three of the four games couldnt play because of his back. Indiana State nearly became the most recent undefeated national champion, reaching the 1979 national title game with a 33-0 record. Born in 1956, in the state of Indiana, this player is known as the biggest reason behind why the Boston Celtics were led to the NBA championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. Maybe theres a chance that Bird filling Mays minutes wouldve led to one of the first Is the backup better than the starter? conversations, now famous on message boards regarding college quarterbacks. I just think when a man is open, he should get the ball whether it's 30 feet out on the wing or underneath. He's an impressive figure with incredible rivalries, but there are still tons of things that younger NBA fans should know about Larry Legend. He has compiled 1,556 steals, in addition to 755 blocks and 5,695 assists. Han slutade spela i NBA 1992. Wore the number 33 on his basketball jersey in high school, college and with the Boston Celtics. Larry Bird was drafted as the 6th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in 1978 before he went back to college for a final year. 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. When Walsh moved on to a similar role with the Knicks before the 2008-09 season, Bird gained complete control of the teams basketball operations and helped the Pacers end a four-year playoff drought in 2010-11. If the answer was yes, then theres a chance there would be national championship banners from 1975 and 1976 hanging inside Assembly Hall right now. But Bird finally came to Boston for the 1979-80 campaign and sparked one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in NBA history. In one of the only noteworthy gaffes of his career, Bird missed a routine layup in overtime that would have tied Game 4 of a playoff series with Cleveland that spring. Imagine Thomas, Bird and Magic on the same team. Bird once again led the team in points (21.2 ppg), rebounds (10.9 rpg), steals (161), and minutes (3,239). We had guys last year who didn't care about passing. Bird finished runner-up to Moses Malone for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, as he would the following year. In 1977-78 the Celtics had compiled a 32-50 record, their worst since 1949-50. He was also called Kodak by his first NBA coach, Bill Fitch, . There is the Larry Bird people know, the Boston Celtics legend, the hick from French Lick, the Indiana State University basketball king. It would have been easy for the story to end here, with a healthy round of shit-talking and little else. McHale just destroyed him. What if Sam Wyche didnt leave IU after only 1 season? Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. Does the most recognized team in Hoosier history double or even, gasp, triple, its national championship haul with Bird in Bloomington in the mid-to-late 70s? 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. Imagine what he wouldve done with a Hall-of-Fame head coach and future NBA players as teammates! Benson would do things like figure out which side of the court Bird was warming up on, for instance, then come over and take the ball away from him and order Bird off to the other end of the floor. Few played tougher than Bird, who would leap into crowds and over press tables for loose balls. Fans always seemed to be willing to give a ride to Birds parents, who couldnt afford a car of their own. When I started here, I wanted to see the high school, college and professional basketball worlds come together, and Bird symbolizes that. However, he was eligible to be drafted without applying for "hardship" because his original college class at Indiana University had graduated. Loved to watch him play. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Bob Knights worst team at IU, by record, was the 1977, post-title team. That was excellent. But everyone knows why Indiana State is where it is. The avid outdoorsman who also has a passion for country music, auto racing, golf and the St. Louis Cardinals has many interests. Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins battled each other during a classic Game 7 in 1988. Larry Bird SF #33. Check out the detailed 1977-78 Indiana State Sycamores Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com He averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 897 regular-season games. Birds legend was born in the tiny town of French Lick, snuggled in Indianas corn country, where his family led a spartan life. No-Trouble Returns upon All orders. Coming out of Springs Valley, Bird chose IU over Indiana State and Purdue after being pursued by more than 50 schools, according to The Herald (Jasper, Ind.). At different times, Bird has been quoted saying either Dennis Johnson or M.L. Birds status as an Indiana sports legend was cemented by the spring of 1979. Larry Bird's wife, Dinah Mattingly, is his high school sweetheart who got engaged and married the former NBA legend in 1989. Scott Horner. Bird, now 30 years old and with worsening back condition and foot problems as well, would not win a fourth championship ring. My goal is to . On February 6, 1988, Larry Bird won his 3rd consecutive 3-point Contest while still wearing his warm-up jacket. Larry Legend dragged a coach to the national championship game who later had a five-win season and a three-win season in something called the Trans America Athletic Conference while coaching Mercer. The couple has two adopted children named Conner Mariah.. Family. 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 . "All that shooting off the side of a barn turned into Bird becoming a high school star. Indiana womens basketball Q&A: HooplaWyatt on the Big Ten Tournament. He earned the Rookie of the Year honours and also led a mediocre team . An offseason trade with Golden State which that many consider the most lopsided in NBA history brought center Robert Parish and a future first-round pick (which became Kevin McHale) to Boston. Bird poured in 20 points in the final period to outdo his counterpart and lead the Celtics to victory even though he had bronchial pneumonia. It was merely an escalated version of Warns usual brand of teasing, but Bird had enough and was ready to prove a point. When talking about per game stats, Bird sports an average of 6.8 assists as well as 9.6 boards. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Lost to most people in the basketball statistics for the Springs Valley team that year, however, was a short piece in a Bedford newspaper that noted, "The freshman free-throw trophy was presented to Larry Bird. Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketballers of all time, it . 1 ranking. This blog is forever grateful for the meme template that sweet, sweet banner gave us. 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) . In the final, they played Michigan State, led by "Magic" Johnson, and together their rivalry would eventually be responsible for the resurgence of the NBA in the 1980s. "Larry Bird finishes things," said Dick Ballinger, the varsity head baseball coach at West Vigo High School in West Terre Haute, Indiana during the spring of 1979. As freshman and junior varsity statistics do not count toward official NCAA records, three playersPete Maravich, Oscar Robertson and Elvin Hayesonly had three seasons to compile their totals. As a senior, Bird became the schools all-time scoring champion and about 4,000 people attended his final home game. The Boston Celtics had selected him in the 1978 NBA Draft, hoping that Bird, who had become eligible for the NBA after his junior year, might forgo his senior season-but knowing he was worth the wait even if he didnt. Larry Bird - net worth, private life. Surgery to remove bone spurs from both heels limited Bird to only six games in 1988-89. Larry Bird was such a player. 'Coach, I'm dead,' moaned Bird. But there were plenty more heroics yet to come. Bird was 20, 21 and 22 years old when he eventually played college ball for Indiana State. The Official Store of the Larry Bird Indiana State Jersey for College. Larry Bird's career NBA stats. After working at municipal jobs for a year Bird enrolled at Indiana State and was accepted into their program. Before the draft, Larry Bird had just finished his junior year at Indiana State. Even if we dont rewrite Mays season-ending injury in this post, could Larry Bird have gone from being snubbed by the 15-player AP All-State Team one spring to a March Madness hero the next? Adding Bird to that IU team is almost an embarrassment of riches, giving the sports last undefeated champion a player who was named one of the top 15 players ever in the NCAA tournament during the 75 Years of March Madness Celebration in 2013. Home; Tickets; Schedule. ", The New York Times' Dave Anderson: "[Bill] Hodges likes to say that his primary contribution to the Sycamores this season has been 'not messing up Larry Bird. Indiana vs. Michigan State: Womens basketball game notes, how to watch, more, Everything you need to know about the Champs Big Ten tournament quarterfinal matchup, Three Things: Indiana mens basketball loses to Iowa 90-68, Indiana mens basketball collapses against Iowa 90-68, Indiana womens basketball: Big Ten awards announced. Bird missed 22 games in 1990-91 because of a compressed nerve root in his back, a condition that eventually forced his retirement. Birth Country: United States. On the day after his uniform was retired in basketball, Larry Bird took the field for both games of a doubleheader in baseball for the Indiana State Sycamores. Andy Wittry has written for Stadium, SI.com, Sporting News, the Indianapolis Star, Louisville Courier-Journal and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Learn more and register, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. He also owns Larry Birds Boston Connection, a hotel/restaurant in Terre Haute that also serves as a museum for many of his trophies and awards. Get to know Larry Bird: Stats, records and more, How the Celtics landed Larry Bird in the NBA Draft, 1988 NBA Playoff Highlights: Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins epic showdown, Celtics 75th Season: Bird-Dr. J fight adds to 76ers rivalry, Celtics 75th Season: Bird's debut, Ford sinks first NBA '3', Looking back on Larry Bird's steal against the Pistons, Bill Walton on what made Bird the best he ever played with, Bird's gutsy performance vs. Pacers in '91 series clincher, Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986), Three-time All-NBA Defensive Second Team (1982-84), Three-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1986-88). Bird was named the 1978-79 College Player of the Year and left Indiana State as the fifth-highest scorer in NCAA history. Theres no guarantee Bird wouldve stuck around for his senior season if he had stayed at IU, but doing so couldve allowed him to be the featured scorer on the Hoosiers if he wanted a larger share of shots after playing alongside Benson, the No. And in the 2000 NBA Finals, the Pacers succumbed in a six-game series to the Lakers, led by Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant, for the Lakers first of three consecutive titles. The Celtics beat the Houston Rockets in '81 with Maxwell and Larry Bird leading the way and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984 when Maxwell confidently told his teammates "to get on my back, boys" in the decisive . Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. The experience shook Bird. Larry Joe Bird (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick) Bats Left, Throws Left; Height 6' 9", Weight 220 lb. Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP. 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. All rights reserved. 'Can I stay in bed?' IU had three one-possession losses in the 1976-77 season and three defeats by two possessions. Recently crowned national champion N.C. State also joined the pursuit of Bird in mid-April 1974, right before he was slated to sign his National Letter of Intent with the Hoosiers. Odds & lines subject to change. Larry Bird Net Worth. Bird, the Coach of the Year in 1997-98, resigned as Pacers coach after Indianas Finals appearance. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Cathie. 0%, great for twelfth throughout MLB between eligible remedies. The pair made an agreement: A non-conference doubleheader was looming against Kentucky Wesleyan, a perfect low-risk opportunity to put Bird in a baseball uniform. So it is a moot point. It was interesting to me a I never knew that Larry Bird had signed to play for Indiana, and the story of how he ended up at Indiana Stateinteresting stuff! By. He was such a deadly shooter that he sometimes practiced 3-pointers with his eyes closed. Though Larry Bird never won a scoring or rebounding title, he produced stats comparable to those of the NBA's best and brightest through his well-rounded play, dizzying . Nearly 30 years ago, then-college basketball star Jamal Mashburn saw Larry Bird in a hotel prior to a week of scrimmages between The Dream Team and some of the country's top college players. "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. Birds concentration and composure were unmatched. His focus was on the court. Bird was so self-confident that he was known to waltz up to the opponents bench before tipoff and predict a 40-point performance for himself. He was selected to play in 12 All-Star games. Forward Larry Bird played 13 seasons for the Celtics. When the doubleheader was over, hed finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs while recording nine putouts from first base in the second game. Maybe in ways that we cant totally appreciate, measure or describe, the NCAA tournament might just be five percent less today if Bird never winds up in Terre Haute. For one day, Bird got to prove he wasnt just a basketball player icing up in the locker room; he was a star at anything he wanted to try. Bird nearly doubled the Sycamores' win total year-over-year from 13 to 25 after sitting out just one year in 1975-76, rather than two, after IU signed papers for Bird's release. Check out the top highlights and plays from Larry Bird's storied NBA career. UCLA beat Montana by just three points in its second tournament game, proving the Bruins were a resilient, but mortal, champion. Having grabbed 7,217 defensive rebounds and 1,757 offensive, Bird has accumulated 8,974 total rebounds during his NBA career. He did some commercials and appeared in a few films, including Michael JordansSpace Jam. Although Johnson also turned in an impressive first season for the NBA-champion Los Angeles Lakers, Bird was named Rookie of the Year and made the first of his 12 trips to the All-Star Game. Bird chose IU because he likes coach Bobby Knight, the players, the fans and the way they have things set up there, according to The Noblesville Ledger. He was out to embarrass him from the beginning buzzer to the end buzzer of every meeting. Maybe Bird wouldve spent the summer of 1975 celebrating the first of back-to-back national titles at IU, rather than playing for Hancock Construction, a state-champion AAU team sponsored by the mayor of Mitchell, Indiana, which was the only team capable of knocking off the mighty Indiana All-Stars in an exhibition. Home-game attendance hovered around 3,100 when Bird arrived at Indiana State, but as he had done in Springs Valley, Bird single-handedly packed the house and elevated his team to respectability and more. He was named the NL's Freshman of the Year after playing in his first All-Star game. See our ethics statement. They both finished their college playing careers in the spring of 1979. What if former IU football coach Clyde Smith hadnt resigned after an open and undercover campaign to oust him? When Bird elected to return to Indiana State for one more year, the Celtics dipped to 29-53. The small forward had just led Indiana State to a 33-1 season, with the teams sole loss coming to Magic Johnson and Michigan State. Bird finished with 49 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals. Despite joking that he hoped he could get the Xs and Os right in the huddle, and that he didnt draw up any plays with himself in them, Bird approached his new role with typical aww-shucks aplomb. 0:05. Bird earned an assortment of accolades during his time at Indiana State. NCAA Tournament. Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place. when they were picking teams! Check out 50 great assists by Larry Bird. He pulls people together. I also really believe he can be a heck of a coach. Would an 18-year-old Bird have been ready to take a complementary, if not starring, role as a freshman in the second or third weekend of the NCAA tournament? In reality, he spent most of the next five years in Florida, playing golf and taking it easy. Boston won, 152-148, in double overtime. Celtics Jamal Mashburn recalled how Larry Bird responded to trash-talk at a 'Dream Team' practice in 1992 "Hey Larry, you ain't hit a jumper since '84." He started his college career in the fall of 1979. When he talks, you come into his world. 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. Everyone remembers Michael Jordans decision to leave the Bulls and pursue a career in baseball, but it was Larry Bird who tried his hand at the game on April 28, 1979, and became a one-day legend in the process. Larry Bird played in the NCAA tournament just once, in 1979, but he made the most of it. IU peaked at No. One basketball coach, however, apparently missed the memo. Magic Johnson was in the class of 1977. The former NBA player met his second wife, Dinah Mattingly, at Indiana State. Now the Sycamores are 33-0, they are ranked No. Name: Larry Bird. In 1981-82, Bird made the first of his three consecutive appearances on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team even though he was relatively slow and not the greatest one-on-one defender, his anticipation and court sense made him peerless as a team defender.
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