What if you replaced Bill Russell with Birdman?

Zero.

Russell = HOF player, defensive player extraordinaire

Birdman= Pothead, good shot-blocker

Post defense is more than just shot-blocking. Just ask the Chuckwagon.

 

Celtics would probably never win a championship until Larry Bird came around.

Like said and done, one thing people completely take Russell for granted is the fact that he played with no blueprint and the fact that he took away Wilt's superpowers. He's the last player you can judge by using stats. However, his stats did always increase when the playoffs came around especially around Finals time. People constantly call Russell Overrated but typically those are usually the same idiots that judge everything using stats.

 

What a great post. I was just thinking last time I saw the Nuggets play that Birdman's leadership really reminded me of the great Bill Russell.

 

It makes more sense to compare Mutombo to Russell.

 

There must be more to this...please elaborate if possible.

 

Here's how Bill Simmons described Bill Russell's abilities for his time, in his Book of Basketball (keeping in mind that Simmons is an unabashed Celtics homer):

"Russell was like a left-handed, infinitely more cerebral Dennis Rodman, only if Rodman had Walton's passing talent, David Robinson's athletic ability and Michael Jordan's maniacal drive, and if Rodman could block shots like Josh Smith unleashed on the WNBA for an entire season."

Chris Andersen's got the shot-blocking and overall athletic ability (ability to jump start fast breaks), and I'll be generous too and give him the rebounding though he doesn't dominate in that department quite like Russell did.

In terms of leadership and competitiveness and basketball IQ? Russell probably set himself apart.

 

This is a joke, right?

 

If you're looking at it as simply transporting a player from present day to 40-50 years ago, if they're any good today they'd probably be elite back then. Yeah, including Andersen.

I mean, before Bill Russell there weren't any shot blockers. So you put Andersen on that team, and sure they'd be much better. Its hard to say definitely that Bill Russell's basketball abilities surpassed what Andersen is capable of. He played in a completely different league in terms of talent. But, again, its the mental aspect of the game which really set Russell apart, even compared to today's players.

 

http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=965303

So how many places did you post this at?

 

What if a mentally ill person asked about replacing Bill Russell with Birdman instead of asking about pointforwards?

 

Perfectly described.


Russell could actually improve alot of modern NBA teams who don't seem to focused on defense, rebounding, non-statistical plays, and sometimes winning.

 

What point are you trying to make? That those Celtics teams were so good that you can put Deke or Ben Wallace or Birdman on there and they'd still win 9 championships in a row? That Bill Russell was over-rated?

We've already had that thread here and the result was inconclusive. One can't pretend to have any knowledge of those Celtics teams or Bill Russell unless one was there to watch those games live.

 

Do the names George Mikan and Dolph Schayes ring a bell to you?????? No offense meant to you but it always surprises me when people diminish the accomplishments of athletes from generations before their own. Just because the modern game is different and has progressed from back then doesn't mean they didn't play back then also.

Normally when it appears a kid makes untrue statements, I consider the source, but I usually find your opinion worth reading whether I agree with it or not, so in that light you've been enlightened.

 

I'm pretty sure neither of those guys were shot-blockers, but if you have a source that says otherwise please let me know.

Edit: Well, his wikipedia page does say he was a shot-blocker, so I guess I stand corrected. I've read elsewhere that Russell was the first dominant shot blocker / defensive player.

 

Hmmm... what would happen if you put Birdman in the '60's with pot and LSD and free love and social unrest on one side and old-fashioned coaching on the other?

I'm guessing he would not tune in, turn on a lot, and end up dropping out to pursue his spiritual life.