SI: Bird better than Lebron

[Clayton]

Stats are very similar....

LeBron has a slight edge everywhere except in rebounding.

As for shooting, Bird was a slightly better 3-pt shooter then LeBron but was also much more selective (Bird averaged < 2 attempts per game, LeBron averaging > 4).

LeBron actually has pretty decisive edges when it comes to advanced stats, PER, true shooting%, effective fg%, win shares, etc.


For every young NBA fan naively dismissing Bird... there is an old NBA fan whose nostalgia is inflating Bird's status.

The stats are a little misleading in that the dont account for eras played in and level of competition. A good example of this is how much better Lebron got over his career while still being 'Lebron'.

Prime Lebron is arguably the best player ever in a vacuum.

Bird's game is from a different era where people were actually physical. Lebron's game wouldn't work in Bird's era because he would get hard fouled (see: what Chicago does) every time he drove and eventually he would've stopped driving. Lebron's defense, on the other hand, would've been ridiculous in the handcheck era.

Bird also didn't join Isiah Thomas or Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson. Lebron joining Wade immediately raises questions.

Bird is currently ahead of Lebron but Lebron's career will eventually be too hard to ignore. Lebron is in the same boat as Kobe, imo. He can't be one of the Legends but he'll have monster accolades.

 

[HammerDown]

The stats are a little misleading in that the dont account for eras played in and level of competition. A good example of this is how much better Lebron got over his career while still being 'Lebron'.

Prime Lebron is arguably the best player ever in a vacuum.

Bird's game is from a different era where people were actually physical. Lebron's game wouldn't work in Bird's era because he would get hard fouled (see: what Chicago does) every time he drove and eventually he would've stopped driving.

Bird also didn't join Isiah Thomas or Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson. Lebron joining Wade immediately raises questions.

Bird is currently ahead of Lebron but Lebron's career will eventually be too hard to ignore. Lebron is in the same boat as Kobe, imo. He can't be one of the Legends but he'll have monster accolades.

The Birdman did battle with The Bad Boyz.

/end of thread

Can you even IMAGINE the flopping?

 

[Sportsguy9695]

how can they compare bird and james. they play the game differently in my opinion. James likes to take it to the hole and dunk the ball. and bird was more of a shooter from the outside or shoot jump shots

 

[HammerDown]

how can they compare bird and james. they play the game differently in my opinion. James likes to take it to the hole and dunk the ball. and bird was more of a shooter from the outside or shoot jump shots

Really, because I see him settle for 18' jumpshots all the time. One things for sure, he wouldn't be roaming the lane against James Edwards, Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

 

[HammerDown]

LOL

 

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

The stats are a little misleading in that the dont account for eras played in and level of competition. A good example of this is how much better Lebron got over his career while still being 'Lebron'.

Prime Lebron is arguably the best player ever in a vacuum.

Bird's game is from a different era where people were actually physical. Lebron's game wouldn't work in Bird's era because he would get hard fouled (see: what Chicago does) every time he drove and eventually he would've stopped driving. Lebron's defense, on the other hand, would've been ridiculous in the handcheck era.

Bird also didn't join Isiah Thomas or Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson. Lebron joining Wade immediately raises questions.

Bird is currently ahead of Lebron but Lebron's career will eventually be too hard to ignore. Lebron is in the same boat as Kobe, imo. He can't be one of the Legends but he'll have monster accolades.

How so?

 

[Clayton]

How so?

Great mid range jump shot, great fast break, above average passer, above average defender, good perimeter shooter, they won a ton of games in a row and a championship playing defense on Tony Parker who was one of the top 4 or 5 players in the NBA that year. Considering how little the perimeter game mattered in previous eras, its hard to argue with how Lebron stacks up during his prime.

I actually think last year might have been the start of a new era where 3pt shots and deep lineups are the way to go. The Euro Step is a great equalizer.

 

[HammerDown]

"Try it again, bitch." - James Edwards after 'Bronbron's first flop

 

[Keeping it Ghetto]

If was going to make a list of the all time best players including Lebron


1. Larry Bird
2. Bill Russell
3. Magic Johnson
4. Kareem Abdul Jabaar
5. Michael Jordan
6. Jerry West
7. Isaiah Thomas
8. Scottie Pippen
9. Shaq Oneal
10. Kobe Bryant
11. Elgin Baylor
12. Lebron James(mabe because I think Im forgetting a few)


Truthfully I think Lebron really belongs at about #19. He's a good player, but he's just not the best ever and in the top 5. He just isn't

No Tim Duncan......Like they say everyone has an opinion.....and yours sucks!

 

[Inimical]

I farted twice reading this thread LOL. Doobs and hammer hilarious.

 

[Keeping it Ghetto]

Comparing Bird and Lebron is like comparing Bill Russell and Shaq....Yeah they played center but their games were different and they played in different eras.....you just cant do it...

 

[HammerDown]

No Tim Duncan......Like they say everyone has an opinion.....and yours sucks!

Scottie Pippen but no Big Fundamental or Mailman.

 

[Keeping it Ghetto]

Scottie Pippen but no Big Fundamental or Mailman.

Dont get me wrong either....Scottie is probably my second favorite player of all time but he isnt in the top 10 or hell even top 20....21-30 range i could see.

 

[HammerDown]

How many players flopped on this guy?

 

[MrHoople]

I just assumed everyone knew that Larry Bird was better than Lebron is now. Lebron would be crying when the game gets physical. Lebron has a good game, but Bird never gave up in the fourth quarter. Lebron by today's standards is in the top 15 to 20 players, but he is no Larry Bird.

Totally agree. Lebron is a great player but he's not on Bird's level when the game is on the line. Bird's shooting set him apart.

 

[HammerDown]

Why didn't guys flop during the Bird era?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Laimbeer to Lebron

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

 

[Center Ice]

Bird/Johnson

Say no more!!