PlayerComparisons
International Vice-Captain
Two top 10 basketball players
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Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird
- Thread starter PlayerComparisons
- Start date
sayon basak
International Debutant
Magic Johnson is top 5 imo. Shaq vs Larry should be closer. Larry's career was a lot similar to shaq's.
Last edited:
h_hurricane
International Vice-Captain
How will they all fare in the cordon?
kyear2
International Coach
Don't know why I was expecting a serious comment
Coronis
International Coach
Yeah nah Magic is overrated. Acting like there’s any gap between him and Bird just doesn’t make sense to me tbh. I’ve always ranked them side by side and I’m always sad to see the gaps in other people’s rankings.
That aside, I still have Magic ahead by the smallest of margins. If you ask me which player I like more.. then that’s Larry.
Wonder if this following opinion would get any hate here - Kobe is easily the most overrated top player in basketball, and it got worse after his death sadly.
That aside, I still have Magic ahead by the smallest of margins. If you ask me which player I like more.. then that’s Larry.
Wonder if this following opinion would get any hate here - Kobe is easily the most overrated top player in basketball, and it got worse after his death sadly.
nightprowler10
Global Moderator
I've not really put much thought into Larry vs Bird, there's not much in it. But I think if I was forced to choose one I'd pick Larry Legend. Both were incredible team players, made everyone around them better, incredible BBIQ, but at their peaks one could dominate offensively with the ball much more so than the other. Having said that I think they're even again if you bring overall career into the picture as Larry's was cut short.
kyear2
International Coach
Starting with the highlighted part first, 100% agree. He's the most over rated great I can recall. He was horribly inefficient and was for some reason lauded for it.
Re Magic, he wasn't the greatest shooter nor defender but he was the ultimate playmaker. Agree he isn't that far from Larry Legend
Coronis
International Coach
Oh and an opportunity re: to talk about greatest players vs all time starting 5. Prime example is Magic and Steph imo.
shortpitched713
International Captain
I think he was always more or less deified and because he is considered the great bridge player between Jordan and Lebron. Always thought Shaq at his peak was more unstoppable than Kobe, personally.
His big Achlilles for me was lack of a mode when he wasn't taking over, he sort of just drifted in games. It seems when a play wasn't designed for him or he was being a decoy off the ball, his heart just wasn't in it, and he would simply conserve his energy. He was absolutely a great asset to have down the stretch of a game with his shot making though, no doubt.
kyear2
International Coach
It's either Magic and Bird
Or
Steph and Lebron
But can't say Magic automatically doesn't make a starting 5.
Also again, it depends on if we're making a 5 based on honors / merit / status or making one to play together.
Steph has only 1 MVP, not nearly enough all NBA teams and can't be rated higher based on accolades.
Starting 5 based on accolades and "greatness"
Kareem
Timmy
Lebron
MJ
Magic
Don't think that's even disputable, problem with that lineup is that lebron and Magic and Lebron cancels out each other and there's no shooting. Just means Steph comes in quickly off the bench. Both are defensive liabilities though.
Squad
Kareem
Duncan
Lebron
MJ
Magic
Shaq
Olajuwon
Steph
Gianis
KD
Bird
Kobe / Kawhi / Pippen / Stockton
capt_Luffy
Cricketer Of The Year
So like, team combination; and Magic being a tier ahead of Steph does not make him a shoo in AT team......
shortpitched713
International Captain
Also Kobe's defense was a noticeable step down from both Jordan and LeBron (for most of Lebron's career).
Coronis
International Coach
I’m sorry what? Maybe 5-6 years you could argue (and thats still relatively subjective) but that’s nowhere near most of LeFlop’s career.
shortpitched713
International Captain
Lebron's had a 21 year career to date fam. Earlier he has always been the go to defender down the stretch, guarding the best player at the end of games. And we know the defensive highlights from the 2016 finals.
Yes he's relatively ass in LA, defensively, but this is not the right part of career to look at him as a defender as a whole.
kyear2
International Coach
Kobe made all defensive first team about twice as much as Lebron.
Coronis
International Coach
Yeah and as I pointed out, LeBron was only a serious defender for a few years of his 21 year career.
I’m probably one of the biggest Kobe haters but there is no way LeBron can be considered a better defender.
Seems like you never saw Kobe and/or are buying into LeBron hype. Out of the top guys the only blokes I would confidently say he’s a better defender than are Magic and Bird guys like Steph, KD etc too.
LeBron only became a really good defender in his last few seasons with the Cavs and was great throughout Miami. Even if you want to exclude him slacking in the regular season when he returned to the Cavs you’ve still got over half his career where he wasn’t a good defender/didn’t try
shortpitched713
International Captain
I'm sorry, but those are not worthwhile accolades. Better defensive players tend to occupy the forward and center spots over guard spots. In addition, "name recognition" tended to be used a lot. I'm going with what I saw on the court. Lebron was a monster of a crunch time defender, as was Jordan. Kobe was a player whom it was a good idea to attack for most of the game.
Don't get me wrong, Kobe was a good defender, but it's crazy to think he was doing much effort other than opportunistic plays on that side of the court much of the time.
shortpitched713
International Captain
Lol, Kobe might be the guy I've seen more than out of any of the greats. I'm not a hater, Kobe was one of the best, but I do think he had some of the biggest weaknesses of the greats of my lifetime, which I also saw extensively.
He was one of the greatest ever offensively, and to make a clutch run individually, I'd say better than Jordan and about as good as Curry. But I can't just ignore the flaws.