Larry Bird

1979-1981: Early NBA career

The Boston Celtics selected Bird as their first-round draft pick in 1978, even though they were uncertain whether he would play his senior season at Indiana State or enter the NBA. Bird ultimately decided to stay another year at Indiana State, but the Celtics retained their exclusive right to sign him until the 1979 NBA Draft. Shortly before that deadline, Bird agreed to sign with Boston for a USD$650,000 a year contract, making him the highest-paid rookie in the history of the NBA.

Related Topics:
Boston Celtics - 1978 - NBA - 1979 NBA Draft - USD

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Bird's impact on the Celtics was immediate. The Celtics were 32-50 during the 1978-79 season, but with Bird the team improved to 61-21 in 1979-80, winning the league's Atlantic Division. Bird's collegiate rival, Magic Johnson, also had entered the NBA in 1979, joining the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite a strong rookie season from Johnson, Bird was named the league's 1979 Rookie of the Year and was voted onto the Eastern Conference All-Star team (an honor he would receive for each of his 12 full seasons in the NBA). For the 1979 season, Bird led the Celtics in scoring (21.3 points/game), rebounding (10.4 rebounds/game), steals (143), and minutes played (2,955) and was second in assists (4.5 assists/game) and three-pointers (58).

Related Topics:
Magic Johnson - NBA - Los Angeles Lakers - Eastern Conference

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Following the 1979-80 season, the Celtics acquired center Robert Parish and the draft rights to power forward Kevin McHale via a trade with the Golden State Warriors. With Bird at small forward, the additions of Parish and McHale gave Boston one of the more formidable frontcourts in the game. The three would anchor the Celtics throughout Bird's career.

Related Topics:
Center - Robert Parish - Power forward - Kevin McHale - Golden State Warriors - Small forward

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In Bird's first few seasons with the Celtics, his and their immediate rivals were Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers, with whom they would battle each year in the Eastern Conference finals.

Related Topics:
Julius Erving - Philadelphia 76ers

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In the 1980-81 season, Bird led the Celtics past the 76ers to the NBA Finals, where they defeated the Houston Rockets in six games. It would be the first of three championships for Bird's career, as well as the first of his five Finals appearances.

Related Topics:
NBA Finals - Houston Rockets

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