Larry Bird Three Consecutive MVPs

Lore & Background

Bird's third consecutive MVP award came in the 1985–86 season, when the Celtics won the NBA championship.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with a low, anticipatory vibration before tip-off, the air thick with the scent of popcorn and floor wax. Larry stood at the free-throw line, the leather ball spinning in his hands with a rhythm only he understood. The scoreboard clock ticked down, but time seemed to suspend itself around him. He wasn't just seeing the defense; he was reading their minds, predicting the shift before it happened. As he drove into the lane, the crowd's roar faded into a singular focus. He didn't need to force the shot; he simply knew where the ball needed to go. With a flick of his wrist, the swish echoed through the rafters, a perfect arc that sealed another night of dominance. The MVP trophy sat on a shelf in the locker room, a silent witness to the fact that while others chased stats, Bird was chasing history.

Reader's Guide

The 1985–86 Celtics are widely regarded among the greatest teams in NBA history. Larry Bird won his third consecutive MVP, and Bill Walton won the Sixth Man of the Year Award. The team set an NBA record with 40 home wins, a mark later matched by the San Antonio Spurs in 2016.

Did You Know?

• Larry Bird won his third consecutive MVP award in 1985–86.
• The Celtics' 40 home wins set an NBA record that was later matched by the San Antonio Spurs in 2016.
• Bill Walton won the Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1985–86.