Why was Magic better than Bird?

[Vyle203]

I was perusing the Top 10 list thread, and I noticed that there was only one list(that I saw) that had Bird ranked higher than Magic. It wasn't mine, so I'm not arguing. But as a relatively younger poster(I didn't really start watching basketball until '95 or so), I'm curious as to the reasoning.

Bird was a better scorer, better rebounder, obviously much better from 3, and so far as I can tell from what ive seen, they were both very good defensively.

Is Magic the consensus better of the two because of the rings? The fact that he was 2-1 vs Bird in the Finals? The assists?

I'd like to know, especially from people who watched them play in real time, why Magic is almost always considered better?

If they were playing today, do you think Bird's skill set would be more valuable than Magic's?

Discuss..

 

[TJL]

They were pretty even, and when two players are pretty even it comes down to titles, and not only does it come down it to titles they played head to head in multiple championships and Magic got the upper hand.

But I wouldn't really say as a player that Magic was better, but he has a better resume.

 

[shopson67]

Magic gets bonus points for being a unique player (oversized point guard), whereas Bird was just an elite, but not freakish forward.

 

[Vyle203]

They were pretty even, and when two players are pretty even it comes down to titles, and not only does it come down it to titles they played head to head in multiple championships and Magic got the upper hand.

But I wouldn't really say as a player that Magic was better, but he has a better resume.

I get that, and that's why I have him ahead of Bird myself, just curious if that's the majority of people's rationale.

 

[trojanfan12]

Pretty much agree with what @Lavar Ball said.

I got to watch Magic and Bird literally from the Michigan St./Indiana St. NCAA Championship game all the way through their entire careers. It's hands down my favorite era of any sport.

Magic and Bird were both amazing players and even if you hated the team they played on, you had to respect them both.

Bird was a better scorer and rebounder, Magic was a better passer and had better handles. Neither were great defenders, but they weren't bad. They both played good team defense.

End of the day, I think Magic gets the edge because of rings and because Magic beat him 3-1 in head to head titles (when you include the NCAA matchup). Magic also had more finals appearances than Bird.

 

[Vyle203]

Magic gets bonus points for being a unique player (oversized point guard), whereas Bird was just an elite, but not freakish forward.

Makes sense, I don't necessarily like that in a who's more GOAT discussion, but I understand.

 

[TJL]

Magic gets bonus points for being a unique player (oversized point guard), whereas Bird was just an elite, but not freakish forward.

You know who the next great oversized PG is?

Spoiler

 

[TJL]

My boy Larry was ugly as fuck but he gave 0 fucks

 

[knowyourenemy]

I was perusing the Top 10 list thread, and I noticed that there was only one list(that I saw) that had Bird ranked higher than Magic. It wasn't mine, so I'm not arguing. But as a relatively younger poster(I didn't really start watching basketball until '95 or so), I'm curious as to the reasoning.

Bird was a better scorer, better rebounder, obviously much better from 3, and so far as I can tell from what ive seen, they were both very good defensively.

Is Magic the consensus better of the two because of the rings? The fact that he was 2-1 vs Bird in the Finals? The assists?

I'd like to know, especially from people who watched them play in real time, why Magic is almost always considered better?

If they were playing today, do you think Bird's skill set would be more valuable than Magic's?

Discuss..

I have to say -- on second thought, I probably should have included Bird in my top 10.

 

[JOZ]

nobody has ever been better than bird!

nor will they be!

 

[RP-29]

One other thing that was a tiebreaker for me: Magic had the ball in his hands on every possession. The Celts wanted to get Larry the ball on every possession, but Magic was the Showtime engine.

 

[TJL]

I have to say -- on second thought, I probably should have included Bird in my top 10.

You should have done a lot of things different with your top 10 [no offense]

 

[TJL]

nobody has ever been better than bird!

nor will they be!

 

[Vyle203]

You know who the next great oversized PG is?

Spoiler

 

[knowyourenemy]

You should have done a lot of things different with your top 10 [no offense]

You're right. Having Garnett as the only Celtics player in the top 10 felt wrong to begin with. I focused too much on figuring out a way to put LeBron ahead of Jordan that I screwed it up. I should have just bit the bullet and ranked LeBron first.

 

[TJL]

You're right. Having Garnett as the only Celtics player in the top 10 felt wrong to begin with. I focused too much on figuring out a way to put LeBron ahead of Jordan that I screwed it up. I should have just bit the bullet and ranked LeBron first.

I was jk, I actually liked that it was different.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

White men can't jump. That's why.

 

[Vyle203]

Pretty much agree with what @Lavar Ball said.

I got to watch Magic and Bird literally from the Michigan St./Indiana St. NCAA Championship game all the way through their entire careers. It's hands down my favorite era of any sport.

Magic and Bird were both amazing players and even if you hated the team they played on, you had to respect them both.

Bird was a better scorer and rebounder, Magic was a better passer and had better handles. Neither were great defenders, but they weren't bad. They both played good team defense.

End of the day, I think Magic gets the edge because of rings and because Magic beat him 3-1 in head to head titles (when you include the NCAA matchup). Magic also had more finals appearances than Bird.

Good stuff.

 

[Vyle203]

White men can't jump. That's why.

Hey! You take that racist crap back to the AL Central thread!

 

[LogicMan]

I lean towards Magic a little. But this is a argument of hair splitting. Bird was a phenomenal passer, not just a good passer. In the last24 seconds of any game you wanted Larry with the ball over anyone in that era.