The NBA Thread (24 Viewers)

[acmilan]

That's fair. It's your opinion and i respect that.

Just like i wouldn't take any other player over T-Mac

Edit: Lebron is superior to Bird in any basketball metric you like to chose.

And this with the NBA in the 80s playing at a higher pace, defense schemes not as good as now.

Sorry, mate, but that's just random and stupid.
LeBron's stats will always be defined by the soft, defense-optional era of basket he's played in for most, if not all, of his career. Not to mention the utter lack of competition in the East for the past 5-6 years, while LeBron was playing on super-teams, which have been his "career-making"/"legacy" years.

And that last part is just plain moronic - if anything, defenses were much, much tougher in the 80s and the 90s. Schemes may not have been as complicated as they seem today but that's because defenders had a lot more freedom back in those days and the deck was stacked vs the offense.
Today's schemes seem complex only because they try to find ways around the existing rules that have made the game soft and easy for offenses ... without much success, obviously.
More complicated defensive schemes are also much more difficult to implement properly as players find them difficult to follow and way too often they just stop bothering playing defense altogether.
It doesn't matter how complicated a defensive scheme may seem on paper, if the end result of all that is bad, virtually nonexistent, defending.
More "complicated" doesn't equal "better" and today it's literally an open-lane-to-the-rim type of basket and hardly anyone even bothers to play defense anymore.

Like I said - the one time LeBron got to test himself vs anything closely resembling an 80s/90s style defense was in the 2011 NBA finals. He got used and abused in that series, just plain embarrassed.
If you've ever wondered how LeBron would have looked playing in the 80s and 90s, look no further than that 2011 series for a decent example. I am not saying it was a perfect example because defenses in the 80s and 90s were even tougher to breakdown because they had the rules on their side, unlike the Spurs in 2011.

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I would put Bird on the level of Magic. Doesn't mean that I think that Bird is better, because I don't. I will always say that Magic was better. But on the same level of greatness? Definitely.

Does that make me a bonehead Lakers fan?

But you can also make the argument that Magic joined a team that already had Kareem, Wilkes, and Norm Nixon.

Who did Bird have on the Celtics when he joined? McHale, Ainge, DJ and Parish didn't get there until after

McHale and Parish didn't come until after the 1st season was over. A season where Bird transformed a 30 win team to a 60 win team. But the point being, is that the Celtics were not a ready made Championship team the way the Lakers were.

Put Larry on the Lakers in his rookie year. Do you think the Lakers win the title? They most likely would.

I've already stated that I think that Magic is better than Bird. I also stated that I think he is on the same level. Most people would agree,including Magic. It just seems to me that your levels that you are putting these players on are razor thin.

Ooops, somebody got stopped right in their tracks ...

@Post Ironic - go get that clown suite ready, mate, and don't forget to put on those big-ass shoes too

 

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[Post Ironic]

This from the guy who thinks 80s basketball had good defence.

No coincidence that Bird and the Celtics disappeared from relevance as soon as scoring dropped and teams started playing real defence in the late 80s.

But continue making an ass of yourself.

 

[Gagi]

Can't wait to see this in the NBA

I don't like the Clippers at all, but I have to support Teo. I'm so glad he chose NBA.

Clippers got a huge player there on a cheap deal. True, his D is not great, but he will have Beverly next to him, just like in Oly.

The level of respect this guy has in Euro basketball is crazy. CSKA fans worship him. And it's not easy to keep your place there and they tried everything to keep him.

I was hoping for Denver, so he can play with Jok.

 

[KB824]

This from the guy who thinks 80s basketball had good defence.

No coincidence that Bird and the Celtics disappeared from relevance as soon as scoring dropped and teams started playing real defence in the late 80s.

But continue making an ass of yourself.

Shhhhhhh

my love.


Let us go and watch Lonzo

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This from the guy who thinks 80s basketball had good defence.

No coincidence that Bird and the Celtics disappeared from relevance as soon as scoring dropped and teams started playing real defence in the late 80s.

But continue making an ass of yourself.

Shhhhhhh

my love.


Let us go and watch Lonzo

 

[KB824]

Summer league or not, you HAVE to hit those open shots, kid.

Oh well, on to the next one

 

[acmilan]

This from the guy who thinks 80s basketball had good defence.

No coincidence that Bird and the Celtics disappeared from relevance as soon as scoring dropped and teams started playing real defence in the late 80s.

But continue making an ass of yourself.

Bird hurt his back in '85 and that injury progressively grew worse during the 2nd half of the 80s, eventually ending his career. By the late 80s he was already half the player he had been before the injury, playing thru back pain and missing many games at a time, while the rest of the Celtics roster was ageing quickly.

You know, sometimes it helps to know what you are talking about as opposed to just blurt out some hot garbage just for the sake of saying something.

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Only a bonehead Celtics fan would put Bird on the same level as Kareem or Magic

Both are clearly above Bird, and it's not even close.

Magic: 5 titles, 3x finals mvp, 3x regular season mvp.
Kareem: 6 titles, 2x finals mvp, 6x regular season mvp.
Bird: 3 titles, 2x finals mvp, 3x regular season mvp

Dude is clearly behind both.

1)MJ
2)Kareem
3)Magic
4)Bird
....



If Magic and Bird had played longer and not had the injury problems, maybe they pass Kareem, but that's not how history played itself out.

Below those 4 you have Russell, Wilt, Duncan, Shaq, Kobe, Lebron, and a few others in whatever order is wanted. Lebron likely finishes his career in the Magic to Bird area, because he'll have the volume of Kareem, but I doubt he wins the titles and finals/regular season mvps to get to Kareem tier greatness.

So, let me see if I got this right - I am a Celtics homer for putting Bird anywhere near Jabbar's and Magic's level but you, the Lakers fan, have a perfectly valid and fair point in claiming that he isn't even in the same zip code?

Bitch, please ...

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But in the top 5ish players the margins are always razor thin.

Bird was amazing. I love the guy even if I despise the Celtics. But Magic won more, both on a team level and an individual level. That separates them for me. As well as Magic holding the 2-1 advantage in head to head finals.

So, you ridiculed me for even suggesting that Bird may be anywhere near Jabbar's and Magic's level ... and then come up with this shit above.

Seriously, mate, do you not even try to think like a step or two ahead before making one of your dumb-ass comments. I mean what the hell, can you really not keep track of the garbage you come up with?

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Summer league or not, you HAVE to hit those open shots, kid.

Oh well, on to the next one

Man, I know it's summer league and all, but that was ... underwhelming, to say the least.

That 2018 Lakers pick is starting to look preeeety good right now

 

[Post Ironic]

at the Skip Bayless wannabe talking about others spewing garbage.

Everyone knows Bird hurt his back, dumbass. Figures you would the injury excuse

Do you know what a major part of being an all-time great is? Longevity.

Hence the reason Bird and Magic aren't on Kareem's level. And hence the reason Bird isn't on Magic's level. Bird had a fantastic half-dozen years. And that's it. Went ghost-mode after, and failed in the post-season every year. Magic dominated for an entire decade. Won more titles. Sad story on the injuries bro. Gimme some more excuses please.

Next you can try to argue Bobby Orr over Gretzky.

 

[acmilan]

at the Skip Bayless wannabe talking about others spewing garbage.

Everyone knows Bird hurt his back, dumbass. Figures you would the injury excuse

Do you know what a major part of being an all-time great is? Longevity.

Hence the reason Bird and Magic aren't on Kareem's level. And hence the reason Bird isn't on Magic's level. Bird had a fantastic half-dozen years. And that's it. Went ghost-mode after, and failed in the post-season every year. Magic dominated for an entire decade. Won more titles. Sad story on the injuries bro. Gimme some more excuses please.

Next you can try to argue Bobby Orr over Gretzky.

you should consider writing shorter posts, that way there is less of a chance you'd contradict yourself. Hint: That last one was still too long. (Russell > Jordan > Jordan ...)

"razor thin margins"

P.S. Bird was still one of the very best in the NBA even in the late 80s, while playing with back-pain. That just go to show who he was when fully healthy.

 

[KB824]

It's one game, from the summer league. I'm not going to freak out about it. I'm not looking at him to be taking 15 shots per game anyway. You could see his court awareness and passing ability, in spite of his shooting line

 

[Osman]

Let us go and watch Lonzo

airball 3s

 

[GordoDeCentral]

Shhhhhhh

my love.


Let us go and watch Lonzo

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Shhhhhhh

my love.


Let us go and watch Lonzo

 

[Osman]

It's one game, from the summer league. I'm not going to freak out about it. I'm not looking at him to be taking 15 shots per game anyway. You could see his court awareness and passing ability, in spite of his shooting line

Summer league means shit, seen crappy players dominate the heck outta it, and Lonzo is pass first player who needs to be a leader, but no one gonna let him lead as rookie in his first game. Especially summer league where they really dont play team ball because players are just focused on impressing to get chance for spots.


But still, absolutely garbage shooting. 2-15 Fg, 1-11 3's. Maybe try something different kid.

 

[GordoDeCentral]

you should consider writing shorter posts, that way there is less of a chance you'd contradict yourself. Hint: That last one was still too long. (Russell > Jordan > Jordan ...)

"razor thin margins"

P.S. Bird was still one of the very best in the NBA even in the late 80s, while playing with back-pain. That just go to show who he was when fully healthy.

Nigga you wasnt even in Boston when bird plied his trade

 

[Osman]

Nigga you wasnt even in Boston when bird plied his trade

 

[GordoDeCentral]

 

[Osman]

Mifune Personification of:

 

[GordoDeCentral]

Mifune Personification of:

Is that @Maddy

 

[Osman]

Yeah, getting prepared to face off with @Zacheryah

 

[KB824]

Summer league means shit, seen crappy players dominate the heck outta it, and Lonzo is pass first player who needs to be a leader, but no one gonna let him lead as rookie in his first game. Especially summer league where they really dont play team ball because players are just focused on impressing to get chance for spots.


But still, absolutely garbage shooting. 2-15 Fg, 1-11 3's. Maybe try something different kid.

My main concern with his shooting last night is where he was shooting from.

Several times, the ball swung back to him and he was wide open for a 3, but instead of taking 1 dribble and shooting from just behind the arc, he took shots 5 feet behind the 3 point line.

 

[Osman]

My main concern with his shooting last night is where he was shooting from.

Several times, the ball swung back to him and he was wide open for a 3, but instead of taking 1 dribble and shooting from just behind the arc, he took shots 5 feet behind the 3 point line.

Yeah kinda akward for sure.

This is a pattern for the ball brothers bad habits, they think they can take deep 3s with ease so will try them no matter what. His youngest brother Lamelo is the worst at it if you watch clips, there is no talk of sweet spot 3s or knowing your smart shot selection, just arrogance to think they can drain it from anywhere.