Larry Bird

On the off chance that Larry Bird missed an open jumper, he was ready with the perfect method of atonement. In his second professional season and first trip to the NBA Finals, Bird personified hustle in Game 1 against the Houston Rockets when he was off the mark from just inside the 3-point arc and chased down his own miss. In one fluid motion, the 12-time All-Star grabbed his own misfire in midair, switched hands and smoothly flicked the putback attempt into the basket. The 24-year-old Bird barely missed a triple-double, posting 18 points, 21 rebounds and nine assists as the Boston Celtics secured a thrilling 98-95 victory on May 5, 1981. The Celtics would go on to win the series in six games, the first of three titles for Bird and the franchise in the 1980s.

Championship Year