Unfortunately, the team was defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers in five games and they were sent home. His career was cut dramatically short by injury. Throughout the season, he showed that he was the reigning MVP and had an excellent statistical season. He made the Finals five times in his thirteen-year career, winning the championship in 1981, 1984, and 1986. Larry led the way and averaged 27-14-4 to lead the team to the championship, along with his first Finals MVP. Bird averaged 26.7 points, 13.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game for the series. Finally, lets discuss the NBA Finals. us, College: Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? Larry Bird averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 31 games in the NBA Finals in his career. After a tough seven game series in the conference finals against the Sixers, Boston advanced to the finals to face the Rockets. In this first iconic matchup, eight Hall of Famers saw play. Home; Tickets; Schedule. Despite home wins in games three and five, the Pacers lost the series in six games, with Shaq and Kobe just being too much for Indianas stars. Peak, Bird was better imo I have been a Boston sports fan for more than forty years. Bird created a very good team. The top 31 players and coaches, In 1981, the Celtics beat a Houston Rockets team featuring, In 1984, Birds Celtics beat the Showtime Lakers featuring, In 1986 the Celtics defeated a pretty different Houston Rockets squad. Larry Bird: Biography. Larry Bird, the former basketball player for NBA's Boston Celtics, is a true icon in the world of basketball. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. You can't tell the story of the 1980s without Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The Detroit Pistons took two games off them in the second round but it didnt matter, Bird averaged 28 points per game as they won in six. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! What Was Michael Jordans Playoff Record? His performances included scoring 60 points against the Hawks which is still a Boston record to this day. By: HoopsHype. Even when he found fame and fortune, the NBA star never forgot his humble roots. J Erving, The Sixers swept a weak Indiana Pacers team in round 1 (2-0) then went seven games to defeat a tough Milwaukee Bucks team starring Bob Lanier, Marques Johnson and. 1979-80 Bird 1980-81 Bird 1981-82 Bird 1982-83 Bird 1983-84 Bird 1984-85 Bird 1985-86 Bird 1986-87 Bird 1987-88 Bird 1988-89 Bird 1989-90 Bird 1990-91 Bird 1991-92 Bird 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 82 82 77 79 79 80 82 74 76 6 75 60 45. In Game 3, the Lakers raced to an easy 137-104 victory as Magic Johnson dished out 21 assists, an NBA Finals record. Big Names Off the Bench: Jerry Sichting, Bill Walton and Scott Wedman. Which player is ultimately better all-time is a different conversationbecause that includes a lot more than their individual matchups. Below you can see the playoff results for all of Birds Celtics teams. I write about games, players and seasons from the past. In total, Larry Bird went to five NBA finals in his career. The 1984 NBA Finals is considered one of the most epic series in league history. Larry averaged 27-10-6. Michael Jordans Prime: The Greatest of All Time, Who has the most rings in the NBA? The Bucks won a five-game series over the Hawks to start the playoffs and got by Darryl Dawkins and his NJ Nets in round 2. Bird averaged 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game for the series. After dispatching MJ, the Cs cruised by Dominique Wilkins and the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semis. Its surprising that he wasnt able to win at least one more, though three championships nowadays is something that is wildly difficult to do, its no feat to be taken lightly. Regular Season Record: 62-20 (The Celtics tied with 76ers for 1st in the Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference and the NBA but the Cs got the #1 seed in a tiebreaker by winning the last game of the season vs the Sixers). Those same Lakers defeated Bird in both his finals losses. Thanks in main to two close overtime wins, Boston won the series in seven games despite Bird struggling in the deciding game. NAME. more information Accept. Trailing in game 4, Kevin McHale clothes lined Kurt Rambis to spark the Cs to victory. The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 198384 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. Bird is a universally known NBA legend and is often credited with the NBAs explosion of popularity in the 1980s. Bird and the Celtics lined up against the Los Angeles Lakers who took them to seven games. Birds Boston Celtics finished 16-15 in NBA Finals games and 3-2 in NBA Finals series. The Lakers took game 1 in Boston and looked like they made take a commanding 2-0 lead when Gerald Henderson stole the ball and the series. Fox believes the Westbrook is the most scrutinized player in the NBA, while also stating that everyone inside the league loves Westbrook, regardless of what the outside perception may be, Arenas believes that the Grizzlies should ignore Morant's actions because every other team would and he's a productive player for them, Tim Hardaway told his favorite Run TMC story involving Don Nelson which resulted to an unforgettable moment for the group. It's clear the two dominated the decade, but who got the better of who? Sadly for Bird, the Pacers lost the series in six games. There's always a mystique about players that played before the 90's because we don't have all the data, stats etc as we have to. Larry Birds First NBA Championship 1981. No stats available. 1st seed in the West, 2nd best league record. Birds Pacers swept the Bucks and the Sixers in the first two rounds of the playoffs and looked likely to make it to the finals as they came up against the eight seed New York Knicks in the conference finals. Despite getting swept in the 1983 NBA Finals by the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers entered the season among the favorites to win the title. As of 2023, Larry Bird's net worth is around $80 million; he has different income sources. Bird had a good series in other categories, but did not score at his normal rate. The Cs closed it out winning game four by 3 points. The Rockets swept the Sacramento Kings in round 1, then took six games to get by a fun Denver Nuggets team starring Alex English and Fat Lever. more information Accept. Things werent as cheerful from this point forward for Boston though. The Celtics again saw their Eastern Conference rivals matching up against the Milwaukee Bucks. Have the Phoenix Suns ever won the NBA title? The Cs won a couple home games to start the series then lost a close one on the road. They were the thoroughbreds, we were the Clydesdales., It was a very physical series, and thats exactly what we wanted because we knew thats the only way we could beat those guys. Averaging 30-10-7 with 3 steals. Despite this, Bird did not win any championships during his college career. The Celtics next opponent was the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that swept them the year earlier. Even with Jordan exploding, only game two was close at 135-131. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Some of the greats Bird defeated in the playoffs include Moses Malone, Julius Dr. Fitch went on to say that Mangurians decision to sell the team was the backbreaker and that he would have reconsidered his resignation had the team not been put up for sale. The Lakers, no slouch themselves, had Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthey, and Bob McAdoo. Bill suffered through injuries for much of his career but appeared in 80 games for the Celtics. Larry Bird Championships: He Defeated the Best! This struggle did not deter Bird. (Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick, Kodak, The Great White Hope), Position: Larry Bird reached 5 NBA Finals, wining 3 and losing 2, he played his entire career with the Boston Celtics. In Game 6, the Lakers evened the series with a 119-108 victory. While everyone has their own favorite NBA players, its impossible to argue with Larry Birds position in the all-time basketball pantheon. He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half. Both teams could have easily succeeded in taking the Eastern Conference Finals. 1984: Larry Bird: Boston Celtics: No stats available. By the end of the 1984 season Bird had won his second NBA title, both with the Celtics. Indiana took Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. . Bird was named Finals MVP after averaging 27.4 points, 14.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in the series. At the macro level, the famous won three titles with the Boston Celtics. The Celtics struggled to slow down finals MVP Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Bird struggled compared to his incredibly high standards. In addition to Nique, the Hawks starred Kevin Willis. In the game, the Lakers rallied to cut a 14-point-deficit to three with one minute remaining when Cedric Maxwell knocked the ball away from Magic Johnson. Atlanta Hawks 4-1, 1986 Eastern Conference Final: Celtics def. There were three Larry Bird championships with the Boston Celtics: in 1981, 1984 and 1986. Cedric Maxwell averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists to win Finals MVP. Bird scored almost 26 points per game in winning his third-straight MVP award. We have seen some teams lose in the NBA Finals off of some injuries and other situations leading up to it that the box score doesnt show, so lets dive into Birds record. Magic beat Larry in their college showdown, but Bird made sure he got his revenge in 1984. Also, Bird pushed Michael Cooper to the baseline following the inbound play during the second quarter. Larry Bird is one of the few basketball players in history that are widely recognized even by people who dont even know the sport. In Game 2, the Lakers led 113-111 with 18 seconds left when Gerald Henderson stole a James Worthy pass to score a game tying layup. Tatum and the rest of his team are eager to avenge the loss in the Finals . The Celtics had Larry Bird as their centerpiece and posted a record of 67-15, including an NBA record 40 wins at home. 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, "Here Are Some Final Facts on NBA Playoffs", Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1984_NBA_Finals&oldid=1141615206, 20th century in Los Angeles County, California, Basketball competitions in Inglewood, California, May 1984 sports events in the United States, June 1984 sports events in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, No. Should individual honors and scoring records take precedence? Larry Bird Playoffs Game Log. This site is a participant in the Impact Affiliate Platform which is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Fanatics.com . His first MVP award was in 1984. Magic led the Lakers to victory at home in game 6, setting the stage for a Boston Garden Game 7. Bird outscored Dr. J 26.7 to 19.9 ppg in the series, led all players in rebounds and was second on Boston in assists. Bird won their first meeting in seven games, winning the NBA Finals MVP. Larry averaged 27-10-7 and led the Celtics with 36 points in a game-five win that saw the Celtics beat the Hawks by 33 points. On May 16, 1985 the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of . Johnson was called "Tragic Johnson" by Celtics fans due to the two crucial errors he committed in Game 4 (the Parish steal, followed by two botched free throws in OT). During the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Kansas City Kings in three, the Dallas Mavericks in five, and the Phoenix Suns in six. Background. In the final game of the tournament, Larry Bird and his erstwhile unbeaten Indiana State Sycamores lost to Magic Johnson and his Michigan State Spartans by the score of 7564. However, this was not the case. In Game 4, the Lakers had a five-point game lead with less than a minute to play, but made several execution errors, including Magic Johnson's bad pass to Robert Parish late in the fourth quarter, and missing two crucial free throws in OT as the Celtics tied the game and then came away with a 129-125 victory in overtime. The Celtics eventually prevailed in overtime 124-121, thanks to Scott Wedman's game-winning shot from the baseline with 14 ticks left. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. Im kind of country, she explained. Coming off the back of a disappointing loss to the Lakers in the finals, many people saw Bird taking a step back going into the 1985-86 season. * 1981: Boston Celtics def. The Lakers destroyed the Cs in their first home game 137-104 in game 3. Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. The Bullets were the 8th seed in the East winning only 35 regular season games and finishing last in the Atlantic division. The Bullets featured Jeff Ruland a really good, likely underrated, player who was at his peak. Click the links to read up on the Finals records of the best players in league history. Birds third and final NBA championship came in 1986. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. the Celtics posted a 61-21 record and defeated the Houston Rockets to take the first NBA . The Bucks, coached by Celtics legend Don Nelson, won the Central Division title in 1984. FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. I am fully convinced that anyone under the age of 40 will never admit Larry Bird was a better player than Stephen Curry. He was named NBA Head Coach of the Year in 1998. . He was one member of the greatest rivalry in the leagues history between himself and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Magic Johnson. The Celtics won a very close game 3 in Houston to take control of the series with a 3-1 lead. Who Did Larry Bird Defeat in the NBA Finals? Answer (1 of 43): To start by answering the question, I'd say - yes. In retirement, though, Larry Legend managed to take things down a notch. Bostons setbacks didnt end on the basketball court. Certain completely unbiased fans, like myself, rank him very highly in that top ten. Isn't 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 7 assists per game one of the coolest statlines for an NBA playoff series ever?A quote from Larry Bird's book "Drive" co. Larry wouldnt have been a controversial choice, but Cedric Maxwell was the emotional center of the Celtics and meant so much to the teams culture. The number two-seeded Bucks went down in a series sweep, with all five Celtics starters averaging double-digit points. It was clear that the Celtics were mentally exhausted after playing that many games in such a short span, which resulted in the Lakers beating Bird and the Celtics in six quick games. Larry Bird won the NBA Finals MVP two times. The first happened in 1985, a year after the Celtics had defeated the Lakers in the finals. The Pacers got their revenge on the Knicks, winning the eastern conference finals in six games to go up against the Lakers. Between 1980 and 1989, there were only two seasons that ended with someone other than Johnson or Bird winning the title. The Celtics blew out Houston in game 5 behind a big effort from Cedric Maxwell and then took a big lead and held on to win in game 6. The Bullets also had rookie Jeff Malone, who was a backup at this point but would go on to be a star, and future Piston Bad Boy Rick Mahorn. One of the most exciting 3-0 series in league history, the Celtics made quick work of the up-and-coming Bulls featuring a young Michael Jordan. Born in Indiana in 1956, Larry Bird began playing basketball at a young age. Milwaukee Bucks 4-1, 1984 NBA Finals: Celtics def. While the 22111 format remained intact for the remainder of the playoff rounds, the 232 format would be used until 2013. Larry is a three time NBA MVP consecutively from 1984-86, which is still a record. The Lakers were coming off a four-game sweep by the Philadelphia 76ers in the previous year's finals. NAME DATE SEASON SERIES TM OPP REC W% MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% PF +/-Magic Johnson: 5/27/1984: 1983-84 . We had Larry Bird, Kevin Mchale, Robert Parish, and Dennis Johnson on the Celtics. This cost the Lakers valuable depth, as James Worthy, a key contributor off the bench, would now have to start in Wilkes' place. In their professional careers, Bird played for the Boston Celtics and Magic played for the Los Angeles . The expected CelticsLakers finals, however, never happened. Now, the explanation. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Birds college career as a whole was exceptional. He won his second NBA Finals MVP. Larry Bird picked up the 1984 MVP award and led his Celtics to the first seed in the Eastern Conference with a 62-20 overall record. Sadly, after that Finals loss, Bird never made it into another Finals series. The Eastern Conference Finals were much more difficult. Larry Bird Stats and news - NBA stats and news on Boston Celtics Forward Larry Bird. Birds great performances in games one and six helped lead the Celtics to the title and Bird claimed his first NBA Championship in 1981. They lost twice to the same team: the Los Angeles Lakers. Not only did he possess the skillset to thrive, but he had more than enough confidence to put any opponent in their place. Nevertheless, it is rare to see a player dominate in so many areas of the game, theres no wonder why the Celtics made multiple deep playoff runs. Larry led the way with an average of 25 points per game. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum were carrying their teams on the offensive [] Carr revealed that the motto of the 1983-84 Celtics was Dont be denied, and the team ended up winning the championship that no one thought they would win. As weve mentioned, all these players were inducted into the Hall of Fame. He averaged 15.3 points, 15.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists for the series. The series was the eighth time in NBA history that the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA finals, with Boston winning each time, and the first championship that the Celtics claimed at home since 1966. This was Birds last season with Indiana State as he had been drafted by the Celtics in 1978, but chose to play out one final year with his college instead of going straight to the NBA. At the risk of boring you with a list of his all-time accomplishments, well run through an abbreviated version of Birds body of work. Birds 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson, 1985 & 1987. Larry Bird would go after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar later on in the third quarter, and 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell further antagonized the Lakers by following a missed James Worthy free throw by crossing the lane with his hands around his own neck, symbolizing that Worthy was "choking" under pressure. Small Forward and Power Forward Birds Celtics also defeated a very different Rockets team in 1981. . The Hawks also still had good rebounder Tree Rollis. Larry Bird was born on as Larry Joe Bird to parents: Georgia and Claude Joseph "Joe" Bird, a veteran of the Korean War.He attended Springs Valley High School. Despite the changes, it did not stop the Lakers from finishing with the best record (5428) in the Western Conference, powered by their one-two punch of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.In the final game of the tournament, Larry Bird and his erstwhile unbeaten Indiana State Sycamores lost to Magic Johnson and his Michigan State Spartans by the score of 75-64. Larry Bird had a winning record in NBA Finals games and series. The following year, the NBA Finals format was changed to 232 after Red Auerbach complained about the constant travelling during the Finals. It was also the first of three NBA Finals meetings between the Celtics and Lakers during the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson era. The trade signaled a transition period, as some of the key players from the first two championships gave way to younger talent. Washington Bullets 3-1, 1984 Conference Semis: Celtics def. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. The Lakers defeated the Celtics in the finals twice, preventing Bird from having any more NBA titles. In MVP voting, Bird dominated the competition as he took home his third straight MVP award. His teams overall record in finals games was 16-15. Larry Bird Owns Many Records, But Only One Unique One Bird owns a unique NBA record. J Erving, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Bird's 2 Finals losses both came against the Lakers and Magic Johnson , 1985 & 1987. As one of the greatest players to ever step foot in the . The first two meetings of the season between Cleveland and Boston took OT, but the Celtics were able to sneak a 117-113 win at home. Bird, who was selected 6th in the 1978 NBA draft but committed back to Indiana State for his senior season, was named Rookie of the Year after leading the Celtics to a 32-game turnaround from the previous year, going from 29 to 61 wins. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? In his first season as Pacers coach, Indiana finished third in the east, having finished tenth the prior season. Two superstars, Magic and Larry, and the two most iconic teams in the leagues history, the Lakers and the Celtics. Your email address will not be published. The Boston Celtics legend is one of three players in NBA history to win three straight MVPs, and he helped the C's win three championships in the 1980s.. Bird, along with Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson, helped take the NBA to another level. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. The series was full of things like that., We knew that we had to physically beat them because they had never played that kind of game. Its pretty easy to forget how many times Bird has been in the NBA Finals with all of the many accolades and unbelievably, but true, stories about him. Bird scored 53 points against the Indiana Pacers, which broke Sam Jones' record set in 1965. In the Western Conference Finals the Rockets handled the defending champion Lakers in five games. In 1981, 1984 and 1986, it was Bird who led the Boston Celtics to championships, with him taking home two Finals MVP awards. Data Provided By In the 198384 season, the Celtics won 62 games to lead the league. Here are some of Larry Bird's notable career achievements and statistics: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986) . "Wilt . Boston finished with a 62-20 regular season record and got their revenge on the Bucks, whom they beat 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals. The 1986 team is among the greatest teams to ever take the hardwood. After going 33-0, Bird led his team to the final of the tournament where he faced off against Magic Johnson and Michigan State. Bird set a career-high with 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks during the 1984-85 season. The Western Conference Finals also led to one of the greatest game-winners ever. The 1984 championship series scored high TV ratings. The games were not much closer than the series itself. That NCAA tournament final is one of the most iconic games in college basketball history. Bird finished second in the MVP voting to Malone and was unable to lead the Celtics back to the Conference Finals. The teams traded games throughout the series. While that body of work would give anyone the right to too their own horn, Larry Legend took a different course of action. Thanks for signing up. The Larry Bird Finals Record is a statistic of the player who most often wins the NBA Finals. Magic Johnson had an 11-8 record in the NBA Finals versus Larry Bird in his career. The Lakers fell in the Western Conference finals to a new team that sprung up seemingly out of nowhere. Springs Valley in French Lick, Indiana, Draft: The Bucks were no match for the Celtics, and this spelled the end of a competitive Bucks team that fizzled out after this season. The Celtics got the better of their Showtime Lakers rivales in a heated seven game series to claim the 1984 NBA Title. . Carr stole James Worthy's inbounds pass followed by a dunk to seal the win. Houston had gone 40-42 in the 1980-81 regular season compared to Boston's 62-20 season under second-year Celtics sensation Larry Bird you may have heard of him. Bird averaged 24 points per game as Boston won the series in six to net him his THIRD ring. Larry Birds Celtics made the Finals in 1985 and 1987 but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. SI examines the rivalry between the basketball hall of famers and how they changed the landscape of the NBA. Funny story about that series, Boston was actually down 3-1 entering Game 5, and Bird ended up dropping 32, 25 and 23 points in each of those games to rally off three straight wins and advance his team to the Finals. They snuck into the playoffs because of a weak Central division. talent just don't get it. He averaged 23.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.0 . Same ammount of titles, Lebron has more MVP's and FMVP's, played longer etc. So lets look at the 1984 NBA season. In the first two NBA matchups between Bird and Magic . While Bird did not have the finals success of a Jordan or Russell, he still had a better record than greats including LeBron and Wilt. he was voted the NBA Finals MVP. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Celtics Starters: Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. How Does Larry Birds Finals Record Compare to Other Great NBA Players? The series was not a close one: the Cs took a 3-0 lead before Milwaukee won their second home game to stay alive. And they werent. In 1987-88, Bird was the first Celtic ever to record a 40-20 game, with a 42-point, 20-rebound effort against Indiana. Despite good performances from Bird, Magic Johnson outplayed him as the jumbo sized Lakers guard won finals MVP. In his career, Larry Bird won three NBA regular season MVP awards. After that the series was all Lakers, they won four of the next five games to end the series in six and hand Larry his first Finals loss. The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Before the season began, the Lakers traded long-time guard Norm Nixon to the San Diego Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Byron Scott. In the Finals, Bird dropped a triple-double on the Rockets in a series-clinching Game 6, giving the Celtics another ring. Pretty good matchup between he and MJ. As it turned out, Chauncey Billups was right about KG getting in trouble for being too vocal. This was the Celtics' first appearance in The Finals since their 1976 championship winning team against the Phoenix Suns.The Celtics were not quite the same team as five years before, as they added the likes of Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale, a trio that would come to be known as "The Big Three." M. L. Carr, Cedric Maxwell, and Nate Archibald were also capable players off the . One of the most feared competitors during the 1980s was Larry Bird, who won three championships with the Celtics during the decade, destroying teams through his versatile style and killer, lights-out shooting. . They did make the playoffs the year after and many thought that they would easily repeat at first. These Knicks really were Bernard Kings team. The Celtics won the first three games by an average of 6 points before the Hawks got their only win at home. The Bucks took them to seven games before they were able to advance and the Pistons took them to seven in the Conference Finals. He was a monster, averaging 22-16 in this Finals series. Johnson evened the series after helping the LA . It was the same matchup with pretty much the same teams.