My opinion is MJ
2007-03-23 16:45:41 · 19 answers · asked by brennan_pollock2000 1 in Sports ➔ Basketball
At all around b ball playing
2007-03-23 16:50:32 · update #1
MJ has more natural ability and skill, but Larry had one of the best basketball "heads" and his anticipation for where the ball was going to come off the rim was amazing. No way should he have gotten as many rebounds as he did. He too, was an awesome player.
2007-03-23 16:54:40 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Michael Jordan is a better scorer, individual defender and entertainer.
But I'd still pick Bird over him. Bird is better in making his TEAM better and here's proof. When Jordan joined the Bulls, they made the playoffs but still basically were a lousy team. In fact, Jordan's first winning season was in 1986-87, his third season. His first 50 win season was in 1987-88, when Pippen and Grant joined the team, (albeit as bench pining rookies). Without Jordan in 1994, the Bulls still thrived, winning 55 games and almost upsetting the Knicks in the playoffs.
Bird on the other hand, had to make do with much less personal talent. However, he was a true winner. In college, he was a one-man team that took Indiana State to it's first and only NCAA finals berth, losing to Magic Johnson's Michigan State Spartans. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1978 but stayed in College for one more year. During that year, the Celtics became the worst team in the NBA finishing at 29-53. After Bird joined the team, he almost single-handedly engineered a turnaround, leading Boston to 61 wins, at that time the biggest single season turnaround in history. By his second year, he teamed with Robert Parish and rookie Kevin McHale to win the championship. If it weren't for Magic's Lakers and Dr. J's 76ers, the Celtics would have won more championships. With all due respect to Jordan's opponents, how do you compare the 90s fodder that the Bulls faced to the 76ers and Lakers of the 80s?
Everyone mentions Jordan's 63 point playoff game against Boston in the 86 playoffs. People forget that Bird got a triple double and won the game.
If my life boiled down to one single shot being made or missed, I'd ask Larry Bird to take it.
2007-03-24 02:43:23 · answer #2 · answered by eclecticdoctor 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jordan was the better all-around player... but Bird tended to bring out the best in his teammates. The guys on his team that went to the 1979 NCAA final... were pretty ordinary players, except that they had Larry Bird passing them the ball. I never saw MJ pass the ball over his shoulder like he had eyes in the back of his head, like Bird did over and over again in 1979. It seemed like magic.
2007-03-23 16:55:48 · answer #3 · answered by cmor5859 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Larry Bird because say you were an NBA coach for any team and you got the first overall pick and say you needed a great three point shooter, amazing rebounder, really good ball controller and a nice slick passer I would choose bird over Jordan any day
2015-06-28 06:14:50 · answer #4 · answered by Bryce Kituskie 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's easy--Michael Jordan. But you have to give credit to Larry Bird for being the best white man to ever play the game.
2007-03-23 17:11:30 · answer #5 · answered by minna 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No doubt Michael "Air" Jordan is the king of basketball. He will be brought up in every conversation about the best basketball player and that in itself is enough proof. To me however i feel like his brand of basketball is replicated by nearly every good player in the league today. Kobe, Lebron, Dwayne Wade, T-Mac ect;. All striving to be Jordan. Bird was so great because he was unique. A terrible athlete, slow, couldn't jump, but man could he play basketball.
THE BIRD MAN
2007-03-23 16:54:46 · answer #6 · answered by Nate 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jordan was a better athlete, I think Bird was a better basketball player. In my opinion, no one had more heart for the game. Bird didn't have a lot of talent, but he worked harder than everyone else, and he had a high basketball IQ.
2007-03-23 18:35:05 · answer #7 · answered by Brian D 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Michael Jordan-Not even close. Bird is a dufus from French Lick.
2007-03-23 16:50:25 · answer #8 · answered by NuncProTunc 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Although i hate how everything revolves around Jordan, I would take jordan. However if the question is Jordan or Kobe....Kobe.Say what you want but i trust Kobe more.
2007-03-23 16:50:03 · answer #9 · answered by Lakers Fan Till I Die 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
mj was the total package and had no weaknesses.
but bird was the most talented, non athletic player i had ever seen. he had it all...high bball IQ, killer instinct, tireless work ethic,clutch, etc. but he didnt have the athleticism (or big mitts as hands) that mj did.
2007-03-23 16:54:02 · answer #10 · answered by carlos l 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋