SI: Bird better than Lebron

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Scottie Pippen but no Big Fundamental or Mailman.

Holy shit! I didn't realize he put Scottie Pippen at #8. TLF must be smoking that good shit.

 

[HammerDown]

LOL @ Doobs

 

[HuskerCradle2Grave]

Great mid range jump shot, great fast break, above average passer, above average defender, good perimeter shooter.

You just described Bird. Except Bird's mid range and perimeter shot is better. And actually Bird was a sublime passer too. Give yourself a treat and go to YouTube and look up Larry Bird passes.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Comparing players from different generations is pointless. Game is so much different now than it used to be... there's really no point.

 

[HammerDown]

Comparing players from different generations is pointless. Game is so much different now than it used to be... there's really no point.

Agreed. These big babies now wouldn't last 10 min in the 1988 NBA.

 

[thunderc]

No question who the better athlete is. Bird gets every single intangible however and don't even talk about who you want to be in the trenches with during tough times. Bird hands down.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

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

I told you that I knew I was forgetting a few, but before I would list Lebron, the answer is yes to Tim Duncan and Tony Parker and possibly Steve Nash, Karl Malone, Stocton and Robinson

 

[Leroy Brown]

Lebron, but just the fact that it's close is a testament of Bird's greatness.

One thing people somehow forget when waxing nostalgic of the 80's: no one played defense until Detroit.

Now they fouled hard when they wanted to and occasionally had a good scrap, but you were a fool if you thought it was anything resembling 90's-current defense going on back when Nique and Bird were dueling...and TLF's reasoning/ranking is just too ridiculous to acknowledge.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

How many players flopped on this guy?

Well my response would be for the same reason my siblings or myself didn't have temper tantrums growing up. Mom would tell us to shut up or she would give us a reason to scream - lol. Translation, they never had a chance to flop - he knocked them down long before that opportunity came along and the refs would tell them to shut up, get up and get back in the game. No harm and no foul

 

[Rex Racer]

This.

Anyone who says Lebron is better than Bird isn't old enough to have watched the Birdman.

1.) MJ
2.) Magic
3.) Bird
...everyone else.

Bird is superior to Lebron in every meaningful way.

No love for "THE" Bill Russell, huh?

 

[HammerDown]

One thing people somehow forget when waxing nostalgic of the 80's: no one played defense until Detroit.

 

[Leroy Brown]

Truth hurts...Alex English was routinely putting up 40 back then. Watch these games before Pistons' style defense came into prominence...it was a glorified scrimmage in terms of defensive intensity for the vast majority of a game. The video nor the numbers lie. Watch the Nique'-Bird deul. Now both of them hit some great shots in that game, but you have no filter of realism if there isn't a bunch of shots there where you say "how the fuck did he get that wide open?" Watch how many jumpers Nique steps into, like it was warmups.


Watch how much 'toughness' these guys exhibit when 'fighting' through screens. It's hilarious. I understand, everyone has these ideas of their youth, hell, I was watching ball with my dad back then as a young pup, and thought the same thing because I remember seeing guys like Bird and Magic get into fights. One thing kept bothering me though: how the hell were there so many 147-134 games, no OT, back then if back then defense was so tough? Then I watch some old Lakers-Celtics Finals games on VHS as an adult after having watched Detroit, Chicago, New York and Miami in the 90's and the truth was self evident: THOSE MOFOS DIDN'T D-UP UNTIL THE LAST FIVE MINUTES OF A GAME.

 

[trojanfan12]

Lebron's a great player, but I'd take Bird without a second thought.

 

[uofmarmyguy]

Wilt?

I was just thinking, a man who holds 68 NBA records is not in top 10?

WTF?!?!?!

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I was just thinking, a man who holds 68 NBA records is not in top 10?

WTF?!?!?!

I forgot about Wilt, but honestly I think there are at least 20 or more players that I would put ahead of Lebron James in the top players of the NBA. When I made my list, I tried to make it clear I knew I was forgetting names and was trying to make a point, but Wilt Chamberlain would be in that list and in time I think Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul will also be on the list ahead of LJ

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

LeBrons a much better athlete.
Bird a better basketball player.
Both have the ability to dominate/ control games and be the best player on championship teams.
Who would I rather have?
I'll take whoever you don't want.

Also, as much as I dislike James for several reasons, I remember well when Bird didn't take off his warm up jacket when he won the 3 pt contest during the all star break.

If James did the same thing in an event, he'd get hammered for it.

 

[Inimical]

I forgot about Wilt, but honestly I think there are at least 20 or more players that I would put ahead of Lebron James in the top players of the NBA. When I made my list, I tried to make it clear I knew I was forgetting names and was trying to make a point, but Wilt Chamberlain would be in that list and in time I think Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul will also be on the list ahead of LJ

Well if you put Shaq in that Era he has 50,000 points, 500,000 rebounds and 1 million blocks.

 

[Inimical]

Agreed. These big babies now wouldn't last 10 min in the 1988 NBA.

You can thank Stern for the pussification of the league.

 

[HammerDown]

I was just thinking, a man who holds 68 NBA records is not in top 10?

WTF?!?!?!

No room for him. Gotta make room for Scottie and Isiah.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

Late to the thread
But LEBRON wins this hands down if you are using statistics.


Bird has a lot of era adjusted scoring numbers.
The PER is not a perfect stat, but it helps neutralize the scoring fests of defense optional 1980s.


PER is by far and away the best indicator of statistical worth outside of the era adjustments.
It completely neutralizes any era inflated stats.


For example, in Birds best scoring years.
The dead last team scoring average in the entire freaking league for all team was 105.2 a game.
That was considered plodding offense in 1985.


Lebron crushes Bird badly in PER.
That is the only stat that truly helps compare different eras of playing style.