• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Is Larry Bird a Top 10 NBA Player of all time?

calamity

calamity

Privileged
Supporting Member
DP Veteran
Monthly Donator
Joined
Feb 12, 2013
Messages
160,900
Reaction score
57,844
Gender
Undisclosed
Political Leaning
Centrist
Ok...the top 3 are the three J's: Jordan, Johnson and James. I don't think there is much argument there, except perhaps when discussing the order. Top five, IMO, gets rounded out by Kobe and Wilt. Although, some my disagree there.

After that, we have a lot of players to look at. Dr J & Shaq immediately come to mind. Both, IMO, were better than Larry. Where exactly does Larry fit in---best white player of all time?
 
I don't know exactly where I would put him but he would be somewhere in my top 10.

I find it difficult to compare today's basketball players with those back in Bird's day. It is nowhere near as physical a game as it used to be.
 
Bird is most certainly a Top Ten player and one of the greatest of all time. His all around skills - shooting, rebounding, passing and leadership on the court were amazing. If one does not believe that please do one simple thing for me: name me one NBA player who had better career numbers than Bird in all three of the major categories points per game, rebounds per game and assists per game.

And Bird is number 3 on the highest career winning percentage of Hall of Fame players and the two guys ahead of him - fellow Celtics from the Red Auerbach coaching era K C Jones and Tom Heinsohn - are not rated in the top 25 individual players all time. And the game is about winning above all else - or it should be at any rate.

Lets face it - he and Magic Johnson saved the NBA and elevated it to the glamour league it eventually became.
 
Last edited:
I think Bird definitely belongs somewhere in the Top 10.

Leadership, skills, intangibles.
 
calamity said:
Bird ahead of Russell and Kobe....James at 13? No way.
Click to expand...

Not my list. However, If you noticed all the guys above him no longer play. I'm sure that by the end of his career he will move way up that list.
 
calamity said:
Ok...the top 3 are the three J's: Jordan, Johnson and James. I don't think there is much argument there, except perhaps when discussing the order. Top five, IMO, gets rounded out by Kobe and Wilt. Although, some my disagree there.

After that, we have a lot of players to look at. Dr J & Shaq immediately come to mind. Both, IMO, were better than Larry. Where exactly does Larry fit in---best white player of all time?
Click to expand...

Jerry West has to be in this conversation. And remember, he played without the 3 pointer. His shooting was epic.

130528114807-jerry-west-01168771-nba-logo-single-image-cut.jpg
 
Last edited:
azgreg said:
I'm not a big basketball fan, but I'd put him there.

Here's Ranker's list.
Best NBA Players Of All Time
Click to expand...

Bird was better than Bill Russell? God no.

Bird was great but no he wasn't better than Russell or Kobe or even Duncan. And Oscar Robertson and Jerry West and James have to be in the Top 10 too.
 
calamity said:
Ok...the top 3 are the three J's: Jordan, Johnson and James. I don't think there is much argument there, except perhaps when discussing the order. Top five, IMO, gets rounded out by Kobe and Wilt. Although, some my disagree there.

After that, we have a lot of players to look at. Dr J & Shaq immediately come to mind. Both, IMO, were better than Larry. Where exactly does Larry fit in---best white player of all time?
Click to expand...

People forget how great Oscar Robertson was. Bird? Yes, top ten.
 
Jack Hays said:
People forget how great Oscar Robertson was. Bird? Yes, top ten.
Click to expand...
Yeah Robertson was great. For sure.

Someone above mentioned Jerry West. I forgot about him too. Hell of a ball player. Rick Barry too.
 
calamity said:
Yeah Robertson was great. For sure.

Someone above mentioned Jerry West. I forgot about him too. Hell of a ball player. Rick Barry too.
Click to expand...

Elgin Baylor...
 
calamity said:
Ok...the top 3 are the three J's: Jordan, Johnson and James. I don't think there is much argument there, except perhaps when discussing the order. Top five, IMO, gets rounded out by Kobe and Wilt. Although, some my disagree there.

After that, we have a lot of players to look at. Dr J & Shaq immediately come to mind. Both, IMO, were better than Larry. Where exactly does Larry fit in---best white player of all time?
Click to expand...

Am I blind or is everyone on this thread making top 10 lists without even mentioning Kareem?
 
Its kind of a silly premise comparing one to the other. You cant. Its all opinion...not quantifiable ability. You cant compare Kareem to Byrd. You cant compare Jordan to Kareem.

If you ask those that played against him and those that know the game...there is no doubt they would say Byrd is one of the greatest of all time. But really...theres one, and then there is everyone else.
 
I am not a big basketball fan but Kareem Abdul Jabbar is my all time fav....so fun to watch. AND he could play as a team member, unlike a lot of these guys now (KOBE).
 
calamity said:
Ok...the top 3 are the three J's: Jordan, Johnson and James. I don't think there is much argument there, except perhaps when discussing the order. Top five, IMO, gets rounded out by Kobe and Wilt. Although, some my disagree there.

After that, we have a lot of players to look at. Dr J & Shaq immediately come to mind. Both, IMO, were better than Larry. Where exactly does Larry fit in---best white player of all time?
Click to expand...

Before my time. I've always been a fan of lateral movement in sports. Iverson has that as the best ever for that category, imo. Same reason I liked Barry Sanders in football so much.

 
calamity said:
Ok...the top 3 are the three J's: Jordan, Johnson and James. I don't think there is much argument there, except perhaps when discussing the order. Top five, IMO, gets rounded out by Kobe and Wilt. Although, some my disagree there.

After that, we have a lot of players to look at. Dr J & Shaq immediately come to mind. Both, IMO, were better than Larry. Where exactly does Larry fit in---best white player of all time?
Click to expand...

I think Larry's top 10.

My top 10 is often revised. In no particular order: Russell, Wilt, Magic, Kareem, Bird, LeBron, Duncan, Jordan, Robertson, Scalabrine.

OK, just kidding on the last one. Probably Kobe, Baylor, Shaq or West.

Anagram said:
Am I blind or is everyone on this thread making top 10 lists without even mentioning Kareem?
Click to expand...

AHEM.
 
Fishking said:
Before my time. I've always been a fan of lateral movement in sports. Iverson has that as the best ever for that category, imo. Same reason I liked Barry Sanders in football so much.

Click to expand...


If Iverson was 5% better of a shooter, he'd be top-10 material. And also, not as much of a selfish turd.
 
Comparing players from the 80's to today's players is hard to do.

The defense owned everything inside the paint back then, and they let you know it.

The league doesn't have any Moses Malone's around these days.
 
Anagram said:
Am I blind or is everyone on this thread making top 10 lists without even mentioning Kareem?
Click to expand...

Absolutely one of the best
 
Fishking said:
Before my time. I've always been a fan of lateral movement in sports. Iverson has that as the best ever for that category, imo. Same reason I liked Barry Sanders in football so much.

Click to expand...


Imagine how great he would have been if he had Jordan's passion and work ethic.
 
Kobie said:
If Iverson was 5% better of a shooter, he'd be top-10 material. And also, not as much of a selfish turd.
Click to expand...

Too true, but he was one of the most exciting to watch just as a pure player. At least for me. Again, I've always loved lateral movement ability, so that's what gets me more than just pure shooting ability. Not many other players made people fall over and just look silly like Iverson did.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom