The Hick from French Lick

[78]

Not even close in terms of hand size.

Can we agree hand size includes fingers?

You just got a handjob.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Can we agree hand size includes fingers?

You just got a handjob.

Pretty easy to see Magic who is 2 or 3 feet behind Bird and MJ still has bigger hands despite the being in the background....looks like he could crush MJ's head like a peanut...

 

[78]

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Pretty easy to see Magic who is 2 or 3 feet behind Bird and MJ still has bigger hands despite the being in the background....looks like he could crush MJ's head like a peanut...

You want big hands, these are BIG HANDS!

 

[deuce]

Crete gets worked up about nothing, so easily.....

I've never said Bird is the greatest just like I don't think Magic was the GOAT........ Impossible to compare different eras, positions and team-mates.

Based on winning Championships alone, Bill Russell would have to get the vote...... but I don't think he's the greatest.

 

[Minister of Information]

Larry Bird is, if anything, underrated.

 

[YLGator]

Was really the golden age of the NBA. For a few years, we had the all time greatest point guard, the all time greatest small forward and the greatest player of all time, all playing at the same time against each other.

 

[T REX]

Was really the golden age of the NBA. For a few years, we had the all time greatest point guard, the all time greatest small forward and the greatest player of all time, all playing at the same time against each other.

And the ratings reflect it.

 

[Marine1]

What separated Larry and Magic is how they kept improving year after year. Just when you thought they were at the top of their game....they came back from the off season even better.

For me I pick Magic first if I’m building a team. MJ was more athletic and more talented overall. But nobody made their team better like Magic. He won 5 titles and played in 9 finals competing with the Celtics, the 83 76’ers, and later the pistons and the Bulls. That’s a gauntlet. The Lakers best teams and the Celtics best teams in the 80’s were better than the Bulls 72 win team. If those Bulls played in the 80’s they come away with just 2-3 championships.

That’s how great those teams were. Those finals were wars.

 

[stephenPE]

This is good stuff. I must have missed it when it took off. Best basketball player? BILL fckn Russell. He ran out of ring fingers. WIthout him the Celtics were good. With him unbeatable. Even won two NCAA titles at no where state.
This was when the NBA had 8 teams and not watered down with 30 teams. Played real big boy basketball without extra steps and sht like that. Oscar averaged a triple double. Amazing player. Wilt. Kareem. Bill Walton healthy may have been the best all round center of all.

Bird and Magic are first team. Jordan has to be. Crete mentioned Wes Unseld. what a BADAZZZ he was. Old school basketball was fun. Knicks with Frazier and Bradley and company. I been watching basketball since the 60s. I saw most of them play. Hands down most amazing and fun to watch player was Pete Maravich.. Saw him in Gville drop 50 on us. He was real fphcknn magic with a basketball..........
one more thing. What Bird Magic and MJ had was the ability to make their team mates play better.
They wanted to win (bottom line) and that was they made crystal clear. They were busting their ass or making it fun and you better get on board or gtf off the court.........Russell was that way.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I heard Dr J and Burp Bielema were the best bouncy ball players.

 

[78]

What separated Larry and Magic is how they kept improving year after year. Just when you thought they were at the top of their game....they came back from the off season even better.

For me I pick Magic first if I’m building a team. MJ was more athletic and more talented overall. But nobody made their team better like Magic. He won 5 titles and played in 9 finals competing with the Celtics, the 83 76’ers, and later the pistons and the Bulls. That’s a gauntlet. The Lakers best teams and the Celtics best teams in the 80’s were better than the Bulls 72 win team. If those Bulls played in the 80’s they come away with just 2-3 championships.

That’s how great those teams were. Those finals were wars.

Jordan alone, a playoff-record 63 points, took the best of the Celtics teams, the '86 champion, to OT that year. He hadn't played all year due to a broken bone in his foot. He was surrounded by a bunch of stiffs.

Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Kukoc and Kerr? I'm pretty sure they could have taken either the Celts or Lakers.

 

[T REX]

This is good stuff. I must have missed it when it took off. Best basketball player? BILL fckn Russell. He ran out of ring fingers. WIthout him the Celtics were good. With him unbeatable. Even won two NCAA titles at no where state.
This was when the NBA had 8 teams and not watered down with 30 teams. Played real big boy basketball without extra steps and sht like that. Oscar averaged a triple double. Amazing player. Wilt. Kareem. Bill Walton healthy may have been the best all round center of all.

Bird and Magic are first team. Jordan has to be. Crete mentioned Wes Unseld. what a BADAZZZ he was. Old school basketball was fun. Knicks with Frazier and Bradley and company. I been watching basketball since the 60s. I saw most of them play. Hands down most amazing and fun to watch player was Pete Maravich.. Saw him in Gville drop 50 on us. He was real fphcknn magic with a basketball..........
one more thing. What Bird Magic and MJ had was the ability to make their team mates play better.
They wanted to win (bottom line) and that was they made crystal clear. They were busting their ass or making it fun and you better get on board or gtf off the court.........Russell was that way.

Russell played with 5 or 6 other HOF'ers…if anyone is guilty of being surrounded by great players...it was him. Sorry dude.

 

[78]

Defensive matchups:

Longley on Parish (advantage Parish)
Rodman on McHale (advantage Rodman)
Pippen on Bird (pick 'em)
Jordan on Ainge (Jordan)
Harper on Johnson (advantage Harper)

Parish on Longley (Parish)
McHale on Rodman (McHale)
Bird on Pippen (Pippen)
Ainge on Jordan (lol)
Johnson on Harper (pick 'em)

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Defensive matchups:

Longley on Parish (advantage Parish)
Rodman on McHale (advantage Rodman)
Pippen on Bird (pick 'em)
Jordan on Ainge (Jordan)
Harper on Johnson (advantage Harper)

Parish on Longley (Parish)
McHale on Rodman (McHale)
Bird on Pippen (Pippen)
Ainge on Jordan (lol)
Johnson on Harper (pick 'em)

What’s the second set, offensive matchups?

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Ainge on Jordan (lol)

Yeah, this equals 60 points for Jordan. Or however many he wants to score.

They'd have to give him help, which I assume would be McHale, which means more lol.

 

[Marine1]

Jordan alone, a playoff-record 63 points, took the best of the Celtics teams, the '86 champion, to OT that year. He hadn't played all year due to a broken bone in his foot. He was surrounded by a bunch of stiffs.

Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Kukoc and Kerr? I'm pretty sure they could have taken either the Celts or Lakers.

No....very doubtful they would have won many of the 8 championships the Lakers and Celtics won in that stretch. Maybe 1 from each. All great teams though.

 

[stephenPE]

Russell played with 5 or 6 other HOF'ers…if anyone is guilty of being surrounded by great players...it was him. Sorry dude.

I will give you Cousy and Havlicek as true HOF's with Russell. The other guys did not have HOF stats. The rings and their association with Russell helped them a lot. Sam Jones did averaged almost 18pts a game. That wont get you into the HOF nowdays. Cousy was not winning any NBA titles till Russell took over the inside. He was so dominate on the boards and on def and starting the break. I bet if you could ask Red Auerbach he would tell you who the greatest was and he was a basketball savant. You have to remember he almost single handedly won two NCAA titles at the Univ. Of San Frisco who never before BR and not since been a basketball power.

Year Team GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1957† Boston 10 40.9 .365 .508 24.4 3.2 13.9
1958 Boston 9 39.4 .361 .606 24.6 2.7 15.1
1959† Boston 11 45.1 .409 .612 27.7 3.6 15.5
1960† Boston 13 44.0 .456 .707 25.8 2.9 18.5
1961† Boston 10 46.2 .427 .523 29.9 4.8 19.1
1962† Boston 14 48.0 .458 .726 26.4 5.0 22.4
1963† Boston 13 47.5 .453 .661 25.1 5.1 20.3
1964† Boston 10 45.1 .356 .552 27.2 4.4 13.1
1965† Boston 12 46.8 .527 .526 25.2 6.3 16.5
1966† Boston 17 47.9 .475 .618 25.2 5.0 19.1
1967 Boston 9 43.3 .360 .635 22.0 5.6 10.6
1968† Boston 19 45.7 .409 .585 22.8 5.2 14.4
1969† Boston 18 46.1 .423 .506 20.5 5.4 10.8
Career 165 45.4 .430 .603 24.9

4.7 16.2

These are Russell stats in the playoff when they completely dominated the NBA chck out his reb. assist and even pts. They dont show shots blocked or altered. Nobody dominated a game like he did.......maybe Wilt in stats but he won like two rings and won with Baylor and West I think.

On February 14, 2009, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award would be renamed the "Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award" in honor of the 11-time NBA champion......11 rings........I think one as the Celtic coach

 

[78]

I will give you Cousy and Havlicek as true HOF's with Russell. The other guys did not have HOF stats. The rings and their association with Russell helped them a lot. Sam Jones did averaged almost 18pts a game. That wont get you into the HOF nowdays. Cousy was not winning any NBA titles till Russell took over the inside. He was so dominate on the boards and on def and starting the break. I bet if you could ask Red Auerbach he would tell you who the greatest was and he was a basketball savant. You have to remember he almost single handedly won two NCAA titles at the Univ. Of San Frisco who never before BR and not since been a basketball power.

Year Team GP MPG FG% FT% RPG APG PPG
1957† Boston 10 40.9 .365 .508 24.4 3.2 13.9
1958 Boston 9 39.4 .361 .606 24.6 2.7 15.1
1959† Boston 11 45.1 .409 .612 27.7 3.6 15.5
1960† Boston 13 44.0 .456 .707 25.8 2.9 18.5
1961† Boston 10 46.2 .427 .523 29.9 4.8 19.1
1962† Boston 14 48.0 .458 .726 26.4 5.0 22.4
1963† Boston 13 47.5 .453 .661 25.1 5.1 20.3
1964† Boston 10 45.1 .356 .552 27.2 4.4 13.1
1965† Boston 12 46.8 .527 .526 25.2 6.3 16.5
1966† Boston 17 47.9 .475 .618 25.2 5.0 19.1
1967 Boston 9 43.3 .360 .635 22.0 5.6 10.6
1968† Boston 19 45.7 .409 .585 22.8 5.2 14.4
1969† Boston 18 46.1 .423 .506 20.5 5.4 10.8
Career 165 45.4 .430 .603 24.9

4.7 16.2

These are Russell stats in the playoff when they completely dominated the NBA chck out his reb. assist and even pts. They dont show shots blocked or altered. Nobody dominated a game like he did.......maybe Wilt in stats but he won like two rings and won with Baylor and West I think.

On February 14, 2009, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award would be renamed the "Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award" in honor of the 11-time NBA champion......11 rings........I think one as the Celtic coach

25 rebounds per game over a career. That's flipping ridiculous.

 

[stephenPE]

No wonder that fast break with Cousy was so devastating. He had the ball out to them before the def. could turn around.
Most basketball fans see offense and the ball going in the basket. Def. is half the game. Russell proved it every night. He studied
the ball movement off the rim. He usually knew where it was going before it hit the rim. Throw in his 7 4 wingspan and at least 40+ vertical leap and you had the perfect def player. He didnt slap the ball out of bounds for effect on blocked shots. He blocked them to gain possession.
You have to realize he was going up against the most dominate and imposing figure of all time in Wilt. 11 rings to 2.

On the hardwood, he was considered the consummate defensive center, noted for his unmatched defensive intensity, his stellar basketball IQ and his sheer will to win.[32] Russell excelled at playing man-to-man defense, blocking shots, and grabbing defensive and offensive rebounds.[1] Opponent Wilt Chamberlain said Russell's timing as a shot-blocker was unparalleled.[85] Bill Bradley—Russell's erstwhile Knicks opponent—wrote in 2009 that Russell "was the smartest player ever to play the game [of basketball]".[86] He also could score with putbacks and made mid-air outlet passes to point guard Bob Cousy for easy fast break points.[1] He also was known as a fine passer and pick-setter, featured a decent left-handed hook shot and finished strong on alley oops.[32]


A bronze statue of Russell in Boston, 2013
In his career, Russell won five regular season MVP awards (1959, 1961–63, 1965)—tied with Michael Jordan for second all-time behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's six awards