Head-to-Head: Games Played Between Larry Bird and John Salley

This is the detail of NBA games in which Larry Bird and John Salley played against each other, including head-to-head record, stats average, game highs and game-by-game data both in the Regular Season and Playoffs.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season / Games against each other

They faced each other a total of 34 times in NBA games. Larry Bird has a 18-16 winning record over John Salley, but John Salley won more matchups in the Playoffs for a 10-8 postseason record.

Games Played Against Each Other

Larry Bird
vs.
John Salley
NBA Timeline:
1946-47
2023-24
Larry Bird:
1979-80 to 1991-92
John Salley:
1986-87 to 1999-00
34 Games played
16 in Regular Season
18 in Playoffs

Summary of Victories

 Games Won in
Regular Season		 in
Playoffs
Larry Bird
18
10
8
John Salley
16
6
10

Stats in Games Between Them

Averages
Player
 Points Rebounds AssistsStealsBlocks
Larry Bird 22.7 9.0 6.5 1.21.0
John Salley 7.2 5.5 1.10.61.5
Game Highs
Player
 Points Rebounds AssistsStealsBlocks
Larry Bird 37 17 13 55
John Salley 17 12 4 25
Games with better stats than the other player...
Player
 Points Rebounds AssistsStealsBlocks
Larry Bird 32

games		 29

games		 33

games		 16

games		9

games
John Salley 1

game 		2

games		 0

games		 6

games		14

games
Both had same stat 1

game		 3

games		 1

game		 12

games		11

games

Head To Head Games Played: One by One

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1986-87 Season
Game
  
Player
 Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF Min
FG
%
3PT
%
FT
%
Nov. 15, 1986
1. Celtics 118   Larry Bird 26 10 4 0 1 4 1 45 7-14 .500 2-3 .667 10-11 .909
Pistons 111   John Salley 13 5 1 0 1 0 3 22 5-10 .500 0-0 - 3-5 .600
Mar. 01, 1987
2. Celtics 112   Larry Bird 23 5 9 0 2 1 2 43 7-17 .412 0-2 .000 9-10 .900
Pistons 102   John Salley 2 4 3 2 3 0 5 23 1-4 .250 0-0 - 0-0 -
Apr. 03, 1987
3. Celtics 119   Larry Bird 31 3 8 0 1 2 6 33 13-21 .619 1-2 .500 4-4 1.000
OT Pistons 115   John Salley 6 1 0 0 1 0 3 10 3-3 1.000 0-0 - 0-0 -
1987 Playoffs - Eastern Conference Finals
Game
  
Player
 Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF Min
FG
%
3PT
%
FT
%
May. 19, 1987
4. Celtics 104   Larry Bird 18 16 11 2 1 6 4 44 7-22 .318 0-3 .000 4-4 1.000
Pistons 91   John Salley 7 6 1 0 0 3 5 25 3-5 .600 0-0 - 1-3 .333
May. 21, 1987
5. Celtics 110   Larry Bird 31 9 12 0 0 0 1 47 10-23 .435 2-5 .400 9-11 .818
Pistons 101   John Salley 2 7 1 0 0 1 5 27 1-6 .167 0-0 - 0-2 .000
May. 23, 1987
6. Celtics 104   Larry Bird 17 11 6 0 0 5 3 30 6-14 .429 0-0 - 5-6 .833
Pistons 122   John Salley 14 7 1 1 0 1 3 28 4-8 .500 0-0 - 6-6 1.000
May. 24, 1987
7. Celtics 119   Larry Bird 16 7 4 0 0 3 1 33 8-16 .500 0-2 .000 0-0 -
Pistons 145   John Salley 4 1 1 0 1 0 3 21 2-5 .400 0-0 - 0-0 -
May. 26, 1987
8. Celtics 108   Larry Bird 36 12 9 1 1 5 1 47 12-25 .480 0-2 .000 12-12 1.000
Pistons 107   John Salley 7 8 2 0 0 1 6 17 3-8 .375 0-0 - 1-2 .500
May. 28, 1987
9. Celtics 105   Larry Bird 35 9 2 1 1 0 4 47 14-20 .700 0-0 - 7-7 1.000
Pistons 113   John Salley 4 4 0 1 1 0 4 24 2-4 .500 0-0 - 0-0 -
May. 30, 1987
10. Celtics 117   Larry Bird 37 9 9 0 2 3 3 48 13-24 .542 1-2 .500 10-10 1.000
Pistons 114   John Salley 7 7 0 0 0 0 4 23 2-4 .500 0-0 - 3-6 .500
1987-88 Season
Game
  
Player
 Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF Min
FG
%
3PT
%
FT
%
Dec. 04, 1987
11. Celtics 105   Larry Bird 27 9 3 1 1 4 4 33 13-22 .591 0-0 - 1-2 .500
Pistons 128   John Salley 16 10 3 1 1 1 3 26 6-10 .600 0-0 - 4-5 .800
Jan. 13, 1988
12. Celtics 143   Larry Bird 28 7 13 0 0 0 2 32 9-22 .409 2-4 .500 8-8 1.000
Pistons 105   John Salley 6 3 1 1 4 1 5 19 0-0 - 0-0 - 6-6 1.000
Jan. 29, 1988
13. Celtics 108   Larry Bird 25 11 8 2 0 2 1 39 11-18 .611 0-0 - 3-3 1.000
Pistons 125   John Salley 10 11 2 1 3 0 4 26 4-6 .667 0-0 - 2-4 .500
Feb. 28, 1988
14. Celtics 101   Larry Bird 26 9 9 0 0 4 2 43 10-22 .455 1-1 1.000 5-5 1.000
Pistons 106   John Salley 10 5 1 0 0 1 0 23 4-5 .800 0-0 - 2-2 1.000
Apr. 01, 1988
15. Celtics 121   Larry Bird 32 11 5 1 0 1 1 44 11-22 .500 2-4 .500 8-8 1.000
Pistons 110   John Salley 7 3 0 0 2 1 3 24 3-6 .500 0-0 - 1-1 1.000
Apr. 19, 1988
16. Celtics 121   Larry Bird 22 4 9 1 4 0 0 38 7-13 .538 0-0 - 8-9 .889
Pistons 110   John Salley 10 4 2 0 1 0 5 24 4-9 .444 0-0 - 2-2 1.000
1988 Playoffs - Eastern Conference Finals
Game
  
Player
 Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF Min
FG
%
3PT
%
FT
%
May. 25, 1988
17. Celtics 96   Larry Bird 20 9 6 2 2 2 3 44 8-20 .400 1-2 .500 3-5 .600
Pistons 104   John Salley 10 3 1 0 1 2 5 21 5-6 .833 0-0 - 0-2 .000
May. 26, 1988
18. Celtics 119   Larry Bird 18 12 8 2 3 2 5 54 6-20 .300 0-1 .000 6-7 .857
2OT Pistons 115   John Salley 11 12 1 1 3 2 6 31 4-6 .667 0-0 - 3-3 1.000
May. 28, 1988
19. Celtics 94   Larry Bird 18 11 8 3 0 1 3 45 6-17 .353 0-1 .000 6-6 1.000
Pistons 98   John Salley 3 9 0 1 2 0 2 30 1-2 .500 0-0 - 1-2 .500
May. 30, 1988
20. Celtics 79   Larry Bird 20 10 6 1 3 2 5 39 7-15 .467 1-2 .500 5-6 .833
Pistons 78   John Salley 6 8 1 1 0 0 5 28 2-6 .333 0-0 - 2-4 .500
Jun. 01, 1988
21. Celtics 96   Larry Bird 27 17 4 5 1 2 3 49 9-25 .360 0-1 .000 9-9 1.000
OT Pistons 102   John Salley 4 9 0 1 0 2 5 29 1-4 .250 0-0 - 2-2 1.000
Jun. 03, 1988
22. Celtics 90   Larry Bird 16 14 5 3 2 2 3 44 4-17 .235 0-0 - 8-10 .800
Pistons 95   John Salley 5 4 2 0 5 0 5 28 1-4 .250 0-0 - 3-4 .750
1988-89 Season
Game
  
Player
 Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF Min
FG
%
3PT
%
FT
%
Nov. 11, 1988
23. Celtics 107   Larry Bird 24 10 6 1 1 1 2 35 8-14 .571 0-0 - 8-9 .889
Pistons 116   John Salley 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 21 0-1 .000 0-0 - 0-0 -
1989-90 Season
Game
  
Player
 Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF Min
FG
%
3PT
%
FT
%
Nov. 18, 1989
24. Celtics 86   Larry Bird 22 4 3 0 0 4 4 38 8-18 .444 2-3 .667 4-4 1.000
Pistons 103   John Salley 4 2 0 1 5 1 4 27 2-7 .286 0-0 - 0-0 -
Mar. 30, 1990
25. Celtics 123   Larry Bird 33 9 7 1 5 2 3 46 12-23 .522 2-6 .333 7-7 1.000
Pistons 111   John Salley 6 4 1 1 0 0 2 26 3-7 .429 0-0 - 0-0 -
Apr. 03, 1990
26. Celtics 82   Larry Bird 19 9 5 2 1 1 3 42 5-13 .385 1-2 .500 8-8 1.000
Pistons 93   John Salley 2 4 0 0 3 1 2 23 1-4 .250 0-0 - 0-0 -
1990-91 Season
Game
  
Player
 Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF Min
FG
%
3PT
%
FT
%
Dec. 14, 1990
27. Celtics 108   Larry Bird 16 11 4 4 1 2 1 43 7-13 .538 2-5 .400 0-0 -
Pistons 100   John Salley 10 8 0 2 2 2 2 29 4-9 .444 0-0 - 2-6 .333
1991 Playoffs - Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game
  
Player
 Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF Min
FG
%
3PT
%
FT
%
May. 09, 1991
28. Celtics 109   Larry Bird 16 8 5 0 1 1 3 42 7-15 .467 1-1 1.000 1-2 .500
Pistons 103   John Salley 2 4 1 1 0 0 3 18 0-0 - 0-0 - 2-2 1.000
May. 11, 1991
29. Celtics 115   Larry Bird 10 7 4 1 0 1 3 33 4-11 .364 1-3 .333 1-3 .333
Pistons 83   John Salley 12 6 1 1 0 0 3 23 5-13 .385 0-0 - 2-5 .400
May. 13, 1991
30. Celtics 97   Larry Bird 13 6 4 3 0 1 1 44 4-10 .400 0-0 - 5-5 1.000
Pistons 104   John Salley 3 3 1 0 3 1 3 18 0-1 .000 0-0 - 3-6 .500
May. 15, 1991
31. Celtics 111   Larry Bird 16 5 5 1 0 1 2 41 7-18 .389 0-3 .000 2-2 1.000
Pistons 116   John Salley 10 0 1 0 3 0 3 20 4-6 .667 0-0 - 2-4 .500
May. 17, 1991
32. Celtics 113   Larry Bird 12 4 4 2 0 0 3 45 4-14 .286 0-0 - 4-4 1.000
OT Pistons 117   John Salley 12 8 0 0 1 1 5 29 5-7 .714 0-0 - 2-4 .500
1991-92 Season
Game
  
Player
 Pts Reb Ast Stl Blk TO PF Min
FG
%
3PT
%
FT
%
Mar. 20, 1992
33. Celtics 104   Larry Bird 21 12 8 1 0 4 1 41 8-21 .381 2-4 .500 3-3 1.000
OT Pistons 99   John Salley 17 7 4 0 4 1 1 39 7-18 .389 0-0 - 3-4 .750
Mar. 27, 1992
34. Celtics 106   Larry Bird 21 6 7 1 1 0 1 39 6-18 .333 2-4 .500 7-7 1.000
Pistons 87   John Salley 4 5 4 2 1 1 2 27 1-3 .333 0-0 - 2-4 .500
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