How many rings larry bird got

The first regular season game between the Celtics and the Lakers in the —88 season proved to be a classic with Magic Johnson banking in an off balance shot from near the three-point line at the buzzer for a — Lakers win at Boston Garden. Not since Bill Russell squared off against Wilt Chamberlain had professional basketball enjoyed such a marquee matchup.

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.

A s Converse commercial for its "Weapon" line of basketball shoes endorsed by both Bird and Johnson reflected the perceived dichotomy between the two players. In the commercial, Bird is practicing alone on a rural basketball court when Johnson pulls up in a sleek limousine and challenges him to a one-on-one match.

Despite the intensity of their rivalry, Bird and Johnson became friends off the court. Their friendship blossomed when the two players worked together to film the Converse commercial, which depicted them as archenemies. Johnson appeared at Bird's retirement ceremony on February 4, and emotionally described Bird as a "friend forever".

In , Bird had the best statistical season of his career, but 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. Bird started the —89 season with Boston, but ended his season after six games to have bone spurs surgically removed from both of his heels.

He returned to the Celtics in , but debilitating back problems and an aging Celtic roster prevented him from regaining his mids form. Nonetheless, through the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. Bird led the Celtics to playoff appearances in each of those three seasons. Bird's body, however, continued to break down. He had been bothered by back problems for years, and his back became progressively worse. After leading the Celtics to a 29—5 start to the —91 season , he missed 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back, a condition that would eventually lead to his retirement.

He had off-season surgery to remove a disc from his back, but his back problems continued and he missed 37 games during the —92 season. His past glory would be briefly rekindled, however, in a game that season in which he scored 49 points in a double-overtime victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. During the Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers , Bird missed four of the seven games in the series due to those recurring back problems.

It was the first time in America's Olympic history that the country sent professional basketball players to compete. The " Dream Team " won the men's basketball gold medal.

He finished his career with averages of more than 24 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists per game, while shooting Following Bird's departure, the Celtics promptly retired his jersey number The book chronicles his life and career up to the NBA season.

The Celtics employed Bird as a special assistant in the team's front office from until In , Bird accepted the position of coach of the Indiana Pacers and said he would be on the job for no more than three years. Despite having no previous coaching experience, Bird led the Pacers to a 58—24 record—the franchise's best as an NBA team at the time—in the —98 season , and pushed the Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals.

He then led the Pacers to two consecutive Central Division titles in and , and a berth in the NBA finals in Bird resigned as Pacers coach shortly after the end of the season, following through on his initial promise to coach for only three years. In , he returned as the Pacers' President of Basketball Operations, where he oversees team personnel and coaching moves, as well as the team's draft selections. Bird promoted David Morway to general manager in , but Bird still has the final say in basketball matters.

Larry, you only told me one lie. You said there will be another Larry Bird. The two adopted a son and daughter, Conner and Mariah. He was briefly married to first wife Janet Condra from and has a daughter with her named Corrie. We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives.

Hailed as the greatest winner in sports, Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to an unprecedented 11 championships in 13 seasons. The wife of U. President Lyndon B. Johnson, Lady Bird Johnson served as first lady from to Earvin "Magic" Johnson dominated the court as one of the world's best basketball players for more than a decade.

The forward battled back injuries during the last portion of his career. Without Bird, the league may have never taken off the way it did. Follow more updates from Sportscasting on our Facebook page. Home NFL. Larry Bird 8. NBA Timeline:. Playoffs Played Larry Bird. All-Star Games Larry Bird. Assists Leader Larry Bird. Steals Leader Larry Bird. Rookie of The Year Larry Bird. Points Per Game Larry Bird. Rebounds Per Game Larry Bird. Assists Per Game Larry Bird.

Steals Per Game Larry Bird. Blocks Per Game Larry Bird. Total Points Larry Bird. Total Rebounds Larry Bird. Total Assists Larry Bird.