1984 Finals: Larry Bird Edges the Lakers for First FMVP

The 1984 NBA Finals was the first summit clash of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry in the 80s, and a microcosm of Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson. The series went seven games; Boston won Game 7 at home 111-102 to lift the trophy.

In the decider Bird contributed a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double and locked down Magic's key offense. Across the series he averaged 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists, carrying Boston on both ends. For that all-around dominance he won his first Finals MVP.

The trophy meant much to Boston: its first summit since 1976, and for Bird, the FMVP certified his leap from All-Star to "clutch man." From then, the Celtics-Lakers duel became the league's signature spectacle.

The 1984 title — among Boston's three 80s crowns (1981, 1984, 1986) — was the hardest-fought, a seven-game war over the Lakers that set Bird's tough-guy tone.

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