5 steps james better then bird this must be a joke, and morey list cp3 in his prime is not a best pg in last ten years parker now is better then cp3 in his prime
Objectively - It's not really close between James and Bird as far as who was a better NBA player. You can argue that Bird was a better pure shooter (though he didn't shoot with the volume that today's 3 point shooters do...) and a better passer (which is highly subjective). The mythical unstoppable Larry Bird exists in imagination. LeBron outweighs him by 20-30 lbs and beats him in every other category and it's not even close for most of them. In terms of achievements - none of Larry's seasons ever has come close to the last 5-6 LeBron years - that run of dominance is matched only by Wilt and Jordan, statistically; and Wilt was playing agaisnt a bunch of garbage in the early 60's.
He might have been considering fit though, and his team needs 3pt shooting at that position. Magic wasnt a very good 3pt shooter.
Bird was a better rebounder. Also, Bird being the better shooter probably makes him a better fit for a team with Jordan and Magic because playing off the ball is going to be huge with those two dominating the ball.
Don't forget, these guys have to play defense too. Even if Bird and LeBron are a wash offensively, LeBron is at least 3-4 times better than Bird defensively. LeBron can guard all 5 positions. I don't see Bird guarding a point guard, PF, or a Center. That's why you pick LeBron over Bird, every-single-time. Period.
I'm shaking my head at those of you picking Larry Bird over LeBron because you are all forgetting Defense. Here is a direct quote from Charles Barkley: "As long as Bird is around I will only be the second-worst defensive player in basketball." ~ Charles Barkley
LeBron can't hold all five positions if there are going to be real centers playing. Bird would likely be a better fit next to ball dominant guys like Jordan and Magic and would also give better spacing for guys like Dream and Barkley to operate down low.
Bird really racked up the rebounds but to be honest I kind of question the legitimacy of his rebounds. He averaged 10 a game, which is far higher than any perimeter player in recent years. Given that he was a kind of scrawny guy by BBall standards, I think his rebounding numbers were more a product of pace and his team role. Its hard to believe Bird is a better rebounder than LeBron. And Bird IS a better shooter and that would make him a better fit on a stacked team, but I still think LeBron is FAR better than Bird, more than enough so to make up for the difference in shooting ability. LeBron is a far better defender, a better passer, much better finisher (led the NBA in fg% at the rim this season at 72%) and is arguably the best player in the fast break ever. Not to mention that the NBA is much stronger now than it was in the 80s. Offensive efficiency is actually lower in today's NBA despite NBA players becoming so much more athletic than ever before. And if you consider advanced stats like RAPM based on plus/minus, LeBron holds the highest of all time at +11.9, whereas Bird never had higher that +6
I hate hearing Duncan at the 4 for tops of all time greats. He never carried a team the way Karl Malone did, Barkley did or even a Shawn Kemp did. I'm sure a lot of you remember Shawn Kemp. Can you imagine what he would do to Tim in his prime? I'd take Dirk, Karl Malone, Elvin Hayes and Barkley in their primes over Tim in his. Duncan's success has been completely supported by the Spurs organization. They've run the best organization in basketball for the last 12 to 15 years. You could even argue the last 20 years because those teams during the Rockets championships were easily good enough to win it all if Olajuwon didn't get in the way. Robinson, Rodman, Sean Elliot, Vinny Del Negro, Avery Johnson, Chuck Person, J.R. Reid, Doc Rivers... that was a solid team. Spurs, all time top 5 franchises. Duncan was a big part of it, but getting Tony Parker and Ginobli was just as big.
LeBron and Bird are a wash offensively, Bird obviously the better shooter but LeBron is at least 3-4 times a better defender than Bird. Bird is probably the worst defending all time great in history. For all of you who chose Bird over LeBron without considering defense, please rep me with an apology for bringing it to you attention.
Pace doesn't explain the difference in rebounding between the two because Bird is also a better rebounder when you look at advanced statistics like rebounding percentage. Scheme is probably a factor though. I still think I'd take Bird on the Jordan, Magic, Hakeem, Barkley team because you have no great long range shooters in that starting lineup if you don't take Bird. If I was going to take LeBron I'd have to consider Stockton at the point.
I would hope that everybody that took Bird over LeBron did so knowing that LeBron was the much better defender. Bird and LeBron are a wash offensively depending on how they are being played and used. Let's not forget that the Spurs were a few made free throws away from beating a LeBron led team based on a strategy that involved giving LeBron open jumpers all game.
Yeah but if you look at their comments, none of them mentioned defense. They all mentioned spacing the floor, shooting, clutchness, etc... so I think they forgot about defense. LeBron is arguably the best defender in NBA history. Nobody could guard as many positions as him across the board.
physiologically Bird dominates Lebron like no other. Bird would destroy Lebron's confidence in the 4th quarter and render him useless. Bird was the greatest mental assassin the game has ever seen. Even Jordan couldn't touch bird there.
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Those are the reasons you are going to list if you are going to take Bird. You think they didn't factor in defense just because they don't add that LeBron would be the better defender? LeBron can't guard legitimate 4s or 5s. He didn't hold Hibbert when he was causing problems in the ECF and he wasn't guarding Duncan when he was dominating in the Finals. LeBron happens to play in an era where so many of the positions are merged so he is able to guard most players. If you are going to put him up against real 4s and 5s in a greatest of all time scenario he is going to be in trouble.
