Larry Bird

Boston Celtics (1979-1992)

USA (1992) 

3-time NBA MVP (’84, ’85, ’86)

3-time NBA Champion (’81, ’84, ’86)

2-time NBA Finals MVP (’84, ’86)

9-time All-NBA 1st Team (’80, ’81, ’82, ’83, ’84, ’85, ’86, ’87, ’88)

1-time All-NBA 2nd Team (’90)

3-time All-Defensive 2nd Team (’82, ’83, ’84)

1980 NBA Rookie of the Year

12-time NBA All-Star

1982 All-Star Game MVP

2-time Member of the 50-40-90 club

NBA 75th Anniversary Team

1992 Olympic Gold Medal (USA)

Basketball Hall of Famer

It is probably impossible to overstate Larry Bird’s contributions to the game of basketball. From his storied career at Indiana State, to his legendary run in Boston and final statement on the Dream Team, Bird left behind a basketball legacy almost unrivaled. By the way, he also is the only man to be named NBA MVP, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year. Not bad for a “Hick from French Lick”.

Drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird decided to play his final season at Indiana State before actually signing with the pro club. The college basketball world greatly benefited from this decision as the 1979 title game between Bird’s Indiana State Sycamores and Magic Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans remains the highest rated college basketball game of all-time. We are mostly here to talk about Bird’s NBA career, though, so off we go.

Larry’s Boston tenure started with a bang, with him winning rookie of the year and the Celtics improving their record by 32 wins from the season before. The Celtics would make the eastern conference finals where they began an underrated rivalry with the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston lost in five games to the Sixers that year but got revenge and more in 1981. Down 3-1 in the series, Boston rallied to win three straight to win the east and earn their first finals berth since 1976. Bird was brilliant in the Philly series, averaging nearly 27 points per game and hitting the de facto game winner in game seven. The Celtics would go on to win the title, beating the Houston Rockets in six games.

In 1982, Bird averaged nearly 23, 11 and 6, but the Celtics would fall to Philly in another classic seven game series in the eastern conference finals. In 1983 the Milwaukee Bucks (with Bird missing a game due to injury and not playing up to his lofty standards all series) swept the Celtics in the second round. 1984 would be different, however, as Bird shined in the year that truly changed the league forever.

The NBA in 1984 was in a great spot after a mixed decade and a half filled with a merger, drug controversy and bogus “race issues”. The league was filled with loads of stars and its marquee franchises were at the peak of their powers as the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics were on a collision course for the NBA Finals. During the regular season, the Celtics compiled a 62-20 record before beating the Bullets, Knicks and Bucks on the way to the Finals. The Lakers held up their end of the bargain, setting up Bird v. Magic, five years on from their epic NCAA title game clash.

The 1984 Finals is perhaps the most important playoff series in league history. Television audiences grew immensely for CBS and the hype around the matchup was more akin to what we are used to now. Each game was like an event with its own story line. LA takes the first game in Boston, the Celtics then respond with a classic victory in game two. The Lakers rout the Celtics in game three in the Forum, Bird then calls his teammates “a bunch of sissies” before the Celtics respond with another classic win in game four. Boston wins game five, the Lakers take game six and the series fittingly goes seven games. The Celtics won the decider, 111-102, as Bird was named Finals MVP. Weeks later, the 1984 draft brought in some decent players, you might have even heard of a few of them.

The next two seasons Bird was named league MVP for the second and third time, a three-peat if you will, a feat no one has accomplished since then. In 1985, the Lakers got revenge, beating the Celtics in six games in the Finals. In 1986, Boston would win their third title of the decade with one of the best teams in the history of the league. Bill Walton was added to the team before the season, a risk that paid off and only added to the Celtics already ridiculous collection of passing brilliance. Boston went 67-15 that season then rolled through the playoffs, going 15-3, beating Houston in the Finals. Bird was outstanding in game six, scoring 29 points, with 11 rebounds, 12 assists and three steals, taking his perch atop the game.

In 1987, Magic Johnson put together his own MVP campaign, then symbolically grabbed the torch from Bird as the league’s best player with his iconic “baby skyhook” in game four of the ’87 Finals. That is not to say Bird had some sort of off year though. He finished the season with 50-40-90 shooting percentages and averaged better than 28 points per game with 15.2 win shares and a 26.4 PER. Outrageous season, really. His 1988 campaign was probably even better; 29.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 52.7, 41.4, 91.6 shooting percentages, 15 win shares and 27.8 PER.

The first nine years of Larry Bird’s career really are remarkable. His teams won three titles, made two Finals and three conference finals appearances. He was an All-Star and All-NBA 1st team in every season from ’80-‘88, a wild accomplishment. The man was a shooting assassin of the highest level, a clutch performer unrivaled and a legendary trash talker. His defense was underrated, rebounding better than people realize and was a brilliant passer. Larry Bird was truly a complete player.

Unfortunately, it is the last four years of his career, hampered by almost constant injuries that keep him from climbing even higher on this list. In 1989 he only played six games and missed the playoffs. He responded with a great season in ’90, playing 75 games and leading the league in free throw percentage at 93%. In ’91 Bird missed 22 games but helped lead the Celtics to the second round with a throwback performance, scoring 32 points in game five of the first round against Indiana. The ’92 season would end up being Bird's last, as he averaged just over 20 points per game in 45 games.

Larry Bird’s basketball career wasn’t over quite yet, though. In the summer of ’92 Larry Legend played for The Dream Team and won a gold medal in Barcelona. It was the perfect way to cap off a one of a kind career.

Other accomplishments that didn’t factor into this ranking

1998 NBA Coach of the Year (Indiana Pacers)

2012 NBA Executive of the Year (Indiana Pacers)

His #33 is retired by the Boston Celtics

3-time NBA 3-point shootout champion (’86, ’87, ’88)

2-time Consensus 1st Team All-American (Indiana State, ’78, ’79)

1979 National Player of the Year (Indiana State)