- Jun 12, 2016
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Larry Bird, GOAT?
- Thread starter deuce
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- Jun 11, 2014
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maybe the best showman, but really falls short in a lot of ways. Great scorer, but poor %. He also never made his teams better. Not to mention crappy defender. Ton of talent though.
- Jun 11, 2014
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There was a fair share of bruising involved. How many times did fights break out? And when they fouled they made sure you felt it.
- Jun 10, 2014
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It was never a game for sissies. but a lot of the incredible moves and passing have been replaced by bulldozing a defender to the basket like a running back in reverse. Then dunk.
- Jun 11, 2014
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I'm with you 100%. Not the mention the 4 step moves, palming the ball, etc. The 80's was such a fun time to watch.
gatorgrad'02
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- Aug 10, 2015
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Defenses have been hand cuffed, while the ball handler has been given nearly free reign. As great as MJ was, he's as responsible as anyone for the change in how the game is officiated and played. The NBA was messemized by MJ's ability to penetrate and finish. Rules were manipulated beginning in the late 80s/early 90s in an attempt to encourage more MJ-like players. While it resulted in more above the rim highlight reel play, I believe it ultimately dumbed down the game and backfired in a big way. On top of that, as others have mentioned, the expansion of the league has diluted talent quality to the point that I'm not sure the NBA could go back to officiating the game the way it used to. The overall skill level isn't there, as it has become a league of athletes instead of basketball players.
Don't get me wrong, there are still some amazingly gifted players in today's game. LeBron and Durant for example would be stars in any generation. It's the next tier of players where I believe the quality has dropped off.
- Jul 20, 2014
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I dont have time to explain the greatness of former basketball players but the greatest show on earth was Pete Maravich, a man that should have died before the age 25 with a bad heart, but played BB like a magician.
This was up near the top of this page...........I saw him play at UF in the old Alligator Alley had 52 that nite.
- Jun 12, 2014
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Last edited:
- Jul 20, 2014
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Pete was much more than that. Case in point. Clyde Walt Frazier was perennial all def. NBA guard.......Maravich scored 68 one night against them and him. They won the game.
Also, notice no 3pt line.........imagine what the guy scores with it. Do you see his shooting form. It is perfect on each jump shot. The fade away jumper. How do you guard that. Btw his vertical was not white boy vertical. He could get up. His peripheral vision was legendary. I will link a video of his great passing ability.
Also, notice no 3pt line.........imagine what the guy scores with it. Do you see his shooting form. It is perfect on each jump shot. The fade away jumper. How do you guard that. Btw his vertical was not white boy vertical. He could get up. His peripheral vision was legendary. I will link a video of his great passing ability.
- Jun 12, 2014
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- Jun 18, 2014
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Can Larry Bird play DT and does he have any eligibility left? If not, why are we talking about him?
- Jul 20, 2014
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Too bad. If you want to get the real feel for what he was in college beyond the few times Im guess you saw him look up an article in SI they wrote when he was a jr or sr. I read all his bio's. He was born with a real messed up heart and it should have killed him before he reached 30. He always looked anemic because his heart didnt function right. He searched for years for that perfect nutrition to be healthy when in reality he needed surgery. You should check out the most recent bio written about him. He was otherworld and even his NBA peers admitted he was one of the best if not the best. Team mates in the pros loved him cause he could get them ball. Erving played with him for a very short while and raved about his passing.
- Jun 12, 2014
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- Jun 12, 2014
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Larry Bird is my favorite player of all time I guess, because he got more out of less. He was an absolute assassin with the ball at the end of a close game.
MJ is the GOAT and it's not even close IMO. But that's why they make blue cars and red cars.
MJ is the GOAT and it's not even close IMO. But that's why they make blue cars and red cars.
- Jul 29, 2014
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I get where you're coming from but as a Lakers fan in the 80's and 90's they had James Worthy, Kareem, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper who were NBA All Star's multiple times.....yes Magic made them better but they were all talented players in their own right.
- Oct 5, 2014
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Pete Maravich was a great college player and entertainer. He was not as good at the professional level. Because of his heart condition he had some issues with stamina. I think that is one reason he did not play defense. He was resting and trying to catch his breath on defense. Maravich was 6' 5" but was very skinny and lanky. One can speculate on just how good Maravich could have been had he had a normally structured heart.
Larry Bird was better than Maravich. Look at some of the passes in the video. They were as good as anything that Maravich could do. Bird had way more stamina than Maravich and went 100% for the full game.
Larry Bird was better than Maravich. Look at some of the passes in the video. They were as good as anything that Maravich could do. Bird had way more stamina than Maravich and went 100% for the full game.
gatorgrad'02
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Bird would run two miles before games to "warm up."
- Jun 19, 2014
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Pistol is the best college player ever. If the 3-point line had been in play in college when he played, he would have averaged over 50 a game, his 44.2 won't ever be touched. Had he stayed sober, who knows what his pro career could have been.
My Top Ten all-time:
MJ
Magic
Wilt
Russell
Oscar
Dr. J.
Bird
Duncan
West
Olajuwon (research some of his stats, vastly underappreciated)
Kobe and MeBron and punk Curry don't qualify due to today's product reeking of ass.
My Top Ten all-time:
MJ
Magic
Wilt
Russell
Oscar
Dr. J.
Bird
Duncan
West
Olajuwon (research some of his stats, vastly underappreciated)
Kobe and MeBron and punk Curry don't qualify due to today's product reeking of ass.
