LeBron vs. Bird / '14 Heat vs '86 Celtics.

[Koufax]

Would Bird be as good as LeBron if he had taken as many, uh, dietary supplements as LeBron?  It would be a closer match, that's for sure.  While LeBron is very gifted, not all of those gifts came from mother nature.

 

[johnmd20]

Would Bird be as good as LeBron if he had taken as many, uh, dietary supplements as LeBron?  It would be a closer match, that's for sure.  While LeBron is very gifted, not all of those gifts came from mother nature.

 
No, he wouldn't, HGH or not. Come on.

 

[jon abbey]

Peak LeBron with any four dudes is better than peak Jordan with any four dudes, and I think that matters. 

 
I'm as big a LBJ fan as anyone here, and I'm not sure this is true. What Jordan was a genius at was managing the game from the opening tip, he knew when to get his teammates involved and when to take over and his relentless sociopathic need to win was unparalleled in my memory (young Kobe was maybe the closest).
 
Another thing to keep in mind is that Jordan always had to defend a perimeter player, and this was before zone defenses were allowed. So once Jordan was established as the best player in the league, guys would go at him every single game with their best efforts, because they knew that even a few great plays against Jordan would impress people for the rest of their lives. Jordan met this challenge virtually every game, his ongoing focus was pretty remarkable. 

 

[luckiestman]

Would Bird be as good as LeBron if he had taken as many, uh, dietary supplements as LeBron?  It would be a closer match, that's for sure.  While LeBron is very gifted, not all of those gifts came from mother nature.

 
 
I don;t care about the PED thing. He isnt the only one using, so it is still a level playing field. Larry was probably doing handfuls of coke. Bird was awesome, even though it is only 20 - 30 years ago, I find it hard to compare. The game has changed a lot.
 
Jordan is simultaneously great (top 5 all time) and the most overrated player in the history of sports. He retires and the Bulls win 55 games.  

 

[Koufax]

It's not a level playing field when trying to compare one era against another. 

 

[Kliq]

Jordan is the best basketball player of all-time, if you think LeBron is/was better than him you are wrong.

 

[mandro ramtinez]

 
Jordan is simultaneously great (top 5 all time) and the most overrated player in the history of sports. He retires and the Bulls win 55 games.  

Works both ways though, his first full season back (admittedly an expansion year), the Bulls went from 47 wins to 72.

 

[luckiestman]

Works both ways though, his first full season back (admittedly an expansion year), the Bulls went from 47 wins to 72.

 
 
Rodman also added

 

[slamminsammya]

 
 
Rodman also added

According to Neal Paine, Rodman is the best player ever.

 

[Nick Kaufman]

 
No, he wouldn't, HGH or not. Come on.

 
HGH or not? So HGH doesn't do anything for his strength, explosiveness and ability to bang down low? That body ain't natural for sure. And it's not like every NBAer does them. Durant doesn't seem like someone who's done PED's for example.

 

[luckiestman]

 
HGH or not? So HGH doesn't do anything for his strength, explosiveness and ability to bang down low? That body ain't natural for sure. And it's not like every NBAer does them. Durant doesn't seem like someone who's done PED's for example.

Don't blame LeBron for other dudes not doing PEDs. That's on them if they don't want to go all in on what it takes to win.

 

[Nick Kaufman]

Don't blame LeBron for other dudes not doing PEDs. That's on them if they don't want to go all in on what it takes to win.

 
Seriously?

 

[luckiestman]

 
Seriously?

My post is written to be a little comical but yeah, I do not care about PED accusations. People try to get an edge at the highest level when money is on the line. I'm not going to cry for dudes that don't use what is available. The only people that think this stuff is unhealthy are soccer moms or Ben Affleck after school special aficionados.

 

[GeorgeCostanza]

My post is written to be a little comical but yeah, I do not care about PED accusations. People try to get an edge at the highest level when money is on the line. I'm not going to cry for dudes that don't use what is available. The only people that think this stuff is unhealthy are soccer moms or Ben Affleck after school special aficionados.

I watched that Ben Affleck roid movie in health class in HS 20 or so years ago. Blast from the past.

 

[jablo1312]

Jordan is the best basketball player of all-time, if you think LeBron is/was better than him you are wrong.

 
Glad you clarified that one for us /thread

 

[Bunt4aTriple]

Unrelated Jordan question: ESPN has thing on the homepage commemorating the 24th anniversary of Jordan switching hands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7vsjOHq5E0
Was it necessary?  It seems like he had a sure thing if he just kept on going.

 

[jmcc5400]

Yeah, Magic, "it's still 1-1."  I'm sure the Lakers will win the next three games. 

 

[cardiacs]

Unrelated Jordan question: ESPN has thing on the homepage commemorating the 24th anniversary of Jordan switching hands.

Was it necessary?  It seems like he had a sure thing if he just kept on going.

It was just for show. Jordan did hundreds of things more impressive. Actually the three most widely rebroadcast highlights of his are annoying to me in one way or another

 

[PedroKsBambino]

Unrelated Jordan question: ESPN has thing on the homepage commemorating the 24th anniversary of Jordan switching hands.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7vsjOHq5E0
Was it necessary?  It seems like he had a sure thing if he just kept on going.

 
This has eternally been my comment on that play.

 

[GeorgeCostanza]

I think he thought Perkins was going to make more of a play for the ball than he did.

This is my favorite Jordan highlight of all time

http://youtu.be/OJUNVTiqtDY