Happy Birthday Larry Bird...the GOAT imo.
- Thread starter Chuckinden
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Maybe brain is a bad choice of words, but you will have to admit he did not have the athleticism that those other guys had he made up for it with strong determination and hard work, with the exception of Jordan he would be in my opinion the greatest.
This might be the dumbest thing I've ever read in my life.
Loved the story K.C. Jones told when he said If someone could hit a half court shot they wouldn’t practice that day, He said Bird, picked up a ball, took the shot and turned around and walked off the court as the ball swished through the hoop.
I wonder how many people in this thread have actually watched Bird or MJ play live? Anyone can go to YouTube and watch highlights, but actually seeing them during the course of a game and evaluating them against LeBron is the only way you would have a credible opinion. If you haven’t watched MJ, you can’t come in a thread and claim LeBron to be the GOAT. For my money and based on my experience seeing both Jordan and LeBron, Jordan is clearly ahead of him. But I am too young to weigh in on how he stands up against Bird, Magic, Kareem, Wilt, etc. You can’t merely cite rings or stats because those were different eras and different games, and stats obviously don’t tell the entire story. They matter, but belong as more of a comprehensive analysis.
Most people know about Bird's bad back but most dont know Bird mangled his finger as a college senior playing softball and it was on his shooting hand. It left him with an index finger that wouldn't bend. Bird has said himself that he was much better shooter in college. Can you imagine Larry Bird as a pro that was even better as a shooter. Kareem was asked once who was the best player he ever played against and he said " It could have been Larry Bird. He could do everything". Magic said there will never ever be another Larry Bird. Kareem also said when asked who the GOAT was that we will never know. Some of the stories they tell about Bird calling his shots are just insane.
Im 67 and Ive seen a lot of great players and there is no question Bird is one of the greatest to ever play..
Im 67 and Ive seen a lot of great players and there is no question Bird is one of the greatest to ever play..
Plus, during the eighties there were really only four great teams in the decade. Celtics, Lakers, Sixers, and eventually the Pistons. That was it. Almost all the biggest talent were on two teams so no wonder it was the same teams playing in the championship every year. The Lakers made the championship 9 times. Is that proof of how great they were or how weak the rest of the league was?
Dennis Rodman would be draped all over him, and Bird would holler for the ball by saying " I've got nobody guarding me." He was also known to ask the other team when he had the ball, " Ok, who wants it?" Bird was an absolute beast.
Don't know if he's the greatest, that covers a lot of ground that I've not been over, but of all the players I've watched during my lifetime, I'd rather watch Bird play over any other.
Chicago with Jordan never won a game vs. Birds time at the Celtics.
No where near. Lol. Yeah, he sucked. Better shooter, passer, and rebounder than jordan and lebron. I would go as far as to say he was better defender..best imho.
1986 celtics would have beaten the bulls. No doubt in my mind.
The drafting of Bird had an immediate impact on the Celtics.
Bird played for a title far earlier in his career than Jordan did though Jordan won more than Bird, yet he never beat Bird.
Jordan did not beat the Celtics or the Lakers in their prime. It was only after the end of the Bird-Johnson era of the NBA did Jordan's dominance come.
Better defender??? That’s just crazy talk. Jordan is top all time when it comes to perimeter defenders. LeBron was also quite good when he was engaged back in his Miami days. Bird was a far better defender than he gets credit for, but let’s not act like he played upper echelon defense night in and night out.
Bird told Robert Reid, who was a Houston Rocket with a background in ministry, that he should have stayed in preaching.
You can make the argument that water isn't wet but it doesn't make it so. At best Bird is top 15. There is no way that he was better than Wilt Chamberlin, Kareem, Bill Russell, Oscar Roberson, etc. LOL. You can't name a single thing that Bird did so well that required a rule change to prevent him from being unstoppable.
That's my problem with people trying to make that claim though. There's nothing to suggest that Bird worked harder or was more determined than Jordan or LeBron.
When people try to draw that line, it comes across like those guys were naturally great whereas Bird actually earned his and was smart and blah blah blah. It's insulting to other great players.
Especially because people define "athleticism" so narrowly. He wasn't as fast and didn't jump as high, sure. But he was taller, had incredible balance and natural hand-eye coordination, superhuman reaction time, and a more effortless jump shot. Repetition is important, but some guys are born better shooters than others, and Bird had that advantage coupled with all of his practice.
Ultimately, players are what they are. No one should get extra credit for being shorter or slower or whatever else. Bird was great because he was great. He isn't greater because he couldn't jump. He isn't smarter because he was slower, and guys like LeBron aren't less intelligent or dedicated because of physical traits.
Are you familiar with the history of the Celtics....or do you just hate Bird.
Isaiah Thomas said if you put him, Bird, Jordan and Magic in a room and only one could come out....it would be Bird.
Pat Riley Magic's Lakers coach: "If the game was on the line, I would want Jordan to shoot the ball. If my life was on the line, I would want Bird."
Cool. And if you put them on a basketball court, Jordan would beat the other two. The rest is worthless, intangible nonsense.
More familiar than you, I'd guess. Bird is my favorite player of all-time. Bird was drafted in the 78 draft and then played his senior year at Indiana State in the 78-79 season. So him being drafted was not an immediate impact. It took a year.
There is no way that Bird was better than Kobe. Bird couldn't play defense if his life depended on it. The refs allowed Bird to play zone when zone wasn't allowed in the NBA because there was no way for him to play man defense.
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I didn't say which is better tho I do have an opinion not stated. I simply stated I do NOT like MJ.
BTW Bird was definitely a better player in the 80's fwiw. Opinions and eras vary.
That is a good argument sure enough, I have never been a Lebron fan but I am confident he has worked hard and I used to read about Jordans training so I do believe they worked hard. I remember reading about Bird the morning of a game would be running the steps or shooting shot after shot and McHale would come in and Bird would ask where have you been and he would reply I have another life besides basketball, I do believe Bird had to work harder than those with more physical talents.
I'd like to hear your explanation of how he helped the Celtics(during a 29-53 season) when he was still playing for Indiana State.
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I thought the stories of Jordan's focus and determination were crazy too. Dude punched a team mate during a practice. His own team mate in practice. He accepted nothing short of perfection from himself and others.
Bird was great, an all-time player, but for me he's in the next tier of 5-10. Kareem, Jordan, LeBron, and Wilt are my top five.
Well Kareem played against that list with the exception of Russell and he said Bird was the best he played against. I think I will go with Kareem's opinion. Bird would have scored 30 against anyone on that list. Ewing said he destroyed the best defensive players in the league.
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