Editing Larry Bird (section)

====Late career (1988–1992)====
The 1987–88 season was the highest-scoring season of Bird's career. In Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the [[Atlanta Hawks]], Bird shot 9-of-10 from the floor in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 points in that quarter and lifting the Celtics to a series-clinching victory.<ref>{{cite news |title = Celtics' Mr. Clutch Downs the Hawks |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/23/sports/nba-playoffs-celtics-mr-clutch-downs-the-hawks.html |newspaper = [[The New York Times]] |date = May 23, 1988 |access-date = May 9, 2022 |archive-date = March 11, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220311115008/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/23/sports/nba-playoffs-celtics-mr-clutch-downs-the-hawks.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Against All Those Hawks, One Bird Is Enough for Celtics |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-23-sp-2200-story.html |newspaper = [[Los Angeles Times]] |date = May 23, 1988 |access-date = May 9, 2022 |archive-date = May 10, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220510021707/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-05-23-sp-2200-story.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = HAWKS CAN'T REWRITE CELTICS' SCRIPT |url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-05-24-8801020065-story.html |newspaper = [[The Chicago Tribune]] |date = May 23, 1988 |access-date = May 9, 2022 |archive-date = May 10, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220510021707/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-05-24-8801020065-story.html |url-status = live }}</ref> Bird finished with 34 points. His effort helped to overcome a 47-point performance by Atlanta's [[Dominique Wilkins]].<ref>{{cite web |title = Legendary Moments in NBA History: Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins battle in Game 7 |url = https://www.nba.com/news/legendary-moments-larry-bird-dominique-wilkins-celtics-hawks-1988-game-7 |publisher = [[National Basketball Association]] |date = May 22, 2018 |access-date = May 9, 2022 |archive-date = May 10, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220510021707/https://www.nba.com/news/legendary-moments-larry-bird-dominique-wilkins-celtics-hawks-1988-game-7 |url-status = live }}</ref> Wilkins remarked, "The basket was like a well. I couldn't miss. He couldn't miss. And it went down to the last shot of the game. Who was going to make the last shot? That's the greatest game I've ever played in or seen played." The Celtics failed to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in five years, losing to the Pistons in six games during the Eastern Conference Finals.

Bird's [[1988–89 NBA season|1988–89 season]] ended after six games when he had bone spurs surgically removed from both of his heels.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = The Bird is Grounded |url = https://vault.si.com/vault/1988/11/28/the-bird-is-grounded-the-struggling-celtics-have-lost-larry-bird-to-bone-spurs-until-at-least-march |magazine = [[Sports Illustrated]] |date = November 28, 1988 |access-date = May 9, 2022 |archive-date = May 10, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220510022505/https://vault.si.com/vault/1988/11/28/the-bird-is-grounded-the-struggling-celtics-have-lost-larry-bird-to-bone-spurs-until-at-least-march |url-status = live }}</ref> Bird returned to the Celtics in 1989, but debilitating back problems and an aging Celtic roster prevented him from regaining his prime form. Nonetheless, during the final years of his career, Bird maintained his status as one of the premier players in the game. In his final three seasons with the Celtics, Bird averaged over 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists per game, shot better than 45% from the field, and led the Celtics to playoff appearances.

After leading the Celtics to a 29–5 start to the [[1990–91 NBA season|1990–91 season]], Bird missed 22 games due to a compressed nerve root in his back, a condition that eventually led to his retirement. Bird had off-season surgery to remove a disc from his back, but his back problems continued and Bird missed 37 games during the [[1991–92 NBA season|1991–92 season]]. During the 1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the [[1991–92 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]], Bird missed four of the seven games due to recurring back problems.

During Bird's final two seasons when he had serious back problems, the Celtics went 71–28 when he played. Without Bird, they had a 30–29 record, further demonstrating his importance and game-changing ability while on the court.<ref>{{cite web |title = The Boston Celtics had a 10-12 record without Larry Bird in 1990-91. |url = https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=celtics+record+without+larry+bird+90-91 |publisher = StatMuse |access-date = September 9, 2023 |archive-date = October 8, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231008073737/https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=celtics+record+without+larry+bird+90-91 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = 1990-91 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats |url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1991.html |publisher = Basketball-Reference.com |access-date = September 9, 2023 |archive-date = October 8, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231008073732/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1991.html |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = The Boston Celtics had a 20-17 record without Larry Bird in 1991-92. |url = https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=celtics+record+without+larry+bird+91-92 |publisher = StatMuse |access-date = September 9, 2023 |archive-date = October 8, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231008073734/https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=celtics+record+without+larry+bird+91-92 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = 1991-92 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats |url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1992.html |publisher = Basketball-Reference.com |access-date = September 9, 2023 |archive-date = August 23, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230823130303/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/1992.html |url-status = live }}</ref>

On August 18, 1992, Bird announced his retirement from the NBA.<ref>{{cite news |title = Bird Bids Farewell, Retires From Celtics |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1992/08/19/bird-bids-farewell-retires-from-celtics/c6856473-4bdf-4901-9cc5-48f1681924a4/ |newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] |date = August 19, 1992 |access-date = May 9, 2022 }}</ref> Following Bird's departure, the Celtics promptly retired his jersey number 33.