LeBron F'ing James

[TexasGolf]

Bird is easily top 10....it is not even close. He was more than a great shooter, he was a leader, could pass, rebound, post up and block out, win games and championships...he did it all. He was better than Lebron in different ways. They both can take over a game, but Bird has much more experience.

Kobe is still the top of the game right now. Lebron has much to learn.

 

[Nuclear Bear]

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[TexasGolf]

Nuclear it is hard to compare post players to forwards. Again, Bird is a clear top 10. You could put Bird, IMO, right there with Hakeem (who I love growing up in Houston), Duncan, Shaq, West and even Magic.

 

[TexasGolf]

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[Nuclear Bear]

You do realize that Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale are both Hall of Famers?

Mchale was 1st or 2nd team All NBA for most of his career and while not as good as Tim Duncan had a very similar sort of game. Just impossible to stop in the low post. He was also typically on the All defensive team.




When I think of who in todays NBA I would compare to Mchale and Parrish the names that come to mind are Tim Duncan for Mchale and garnett for Parrish.

Mchale/Duncan- Unstoppable to defend in the low post

Parrish/Garnett- Defensive monsters.

With 4 titles to his name now you can begin to make a case for Kobe passing up Bird in an all time comparison.



Look, Im not saying that Larry Bird sucks or that he isnt great....you just cant say that he is without a doubt of the 10 best players to ever play...and then back off when I name you 10 that I think are better.

As great as Bird was...only Magic Johson played with a greater supporting cast.

I look at the players that I listed above...and I dont see how Bird is better than any of them. If you think he is better i would certainly love to see you make a definitive case on why Bird is better than Hakeem, Shaq or Tim Duncan.

Im gonna repeat what i said above...but Bird loses points with me in the all time debates by playing with two hall of famers in the post.

 

[TexasGolf]

IMO, without Bird those Celtic team do not win championships pure and simple, regardless of who was in the post.

Post players are good mostly because of excellent outside shooters. Maybe except for Hakeem in his prime...he was unstoppable for a few years there and you could not defend a turnaround baseline shot fading away. Post players get a double team, kick it out to great corner shooters hitting 3pts on you.

See SA with their great corner shooters....Manu, Parker, Finley etc....Duncan would not have been the same player w/out those guys to kick the ball too.

Bird was a guy you build a team around, same with Magic and Jordan...same with Kobe and Labron.

Bottom line if you were to build a team today around a few players, Jordan, Magic and Bird come to my mind first.