Tag: East finals MVP

Celtics legend Larry Bird reacts to news of new East finals MVP trophy being named for him

The Hick From French Lick HAD to take a shot at Magic Johnson here.

On Thursday morning, the NBA revealed a new series of awards to be granted to the best individual player and team from each respective conference finals series in each year’s postseason, with Boston Celtics legendary small forward Larry Bird having his name attached to the Eastern Conference Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

That same day, deputy league commissioner Mark Tatum made a call to a number of interested parties regarding the new series of hardware to be announced to give those people the news their names would be attached to the awards. The Hick From French Lick was on the call, and his reaction, captured on video, was shared by the league on Instagram.

“Thanks, Mark,” said Bird after hearing the news of his honoring the trophy of the conference he won three titles in. “I just wish I could win me one of those Magic Johnson trophies.”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CddoC6igLIk/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

“That would be the highlight of my career,” he joked, poking fun at his career-long rival and friend Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

Watch the clip above to see Bird’s full reaction to the news.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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NBA announces new trophies for conference champions, Most Valuable Players

Two fo the new awards have been named for Celtics legends.

The NBA announced on Thursday that it is expanding its universe of annual hardware awarded to the best of the best in the Eastern and Western Conference semifinals at the individual and team levels along. With it comes a minor reboot of the appearance of the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy for winning the 2022 NBA title and the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy, named for Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell.

Two of the four new awards bear the names of Boston legends to join Russell’s Finals MVP, with the league creating conference finals awards named for Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson (West), and for Celtics icon Larry Bird (East).

The NBA will also award a conference champion trophy to the top team from each conference, with the West being named after Milwaukee Bucks champion Oscar Robertson (the Bucks were in the West in his era) and Boston point guard luminary Bob Cousy.

Let’s take a look at the new trophies.