Hot takes you would defend like Brandon Marshall

[Professor Emeritus]

Bird in his rookie season went to the ECF with a Celtics roster that missed the playoffs the year before

That's not true.

* Tiny Archibald, a HOF point guard and best player on the roster before Bird got there, had missed the entire previous year with injury.
* Rick Robey, a solid role player center who averaged 12-7-2, had missed most of the previous year due to injury.
* M.L. Carr, a very good veteran who had averaged 19-7-3 and 2nd-team All-Defensive for Detroit the previous year, was signed as a free agent.
* Pete Maravich, who was getting old but still a solid scorer averaging 17-3-3 for Utah, was picked up at midseason.
* Gerald Henderson was signed as a free agent.


In other words, their top 2 starters and their top 4 guys off the bench were new that year. They basically added 5 double-digit scorers.

 

[KidJSoul]

Peyton Manning got a HUGE pass for that interception he threw in that Saints Super Bowl

If ANY QB threw that pick 6... they would be CRUCIFIED

 

[fifth column]

This isn't the first time I've seen you argue this.
I'm just waiting for all these coli experts to come up with a counter.

The only thing you ever see people say is

"Bbbbut Jordan!!!"

Alright. Really well thought out argument brehs.

Busy work nonsense

 

[KidJSoul]

Talent wasn’t near the level in 2000’s back in the early 80s breh. Come on man smarten up for once

The fukk you're talking about smarten up? He said Bird played with 5 HOF to denigrate him, and I'm saying that argument doesn't work because he led his team to the ECF before some of those HOFs even got there

That's not true.

* Tiny Archibald, a HOF point guard and best player on the roster before Bird got there, had missed the entire previous year with injury.
* Rick Robey, a solid role player center who averaged 12-7-2, had missed most of the previous year due to injury.
* M.L. Carr, a very good veteran who had averaged 19-7-3 and 2nd-team All-Defensive for Detroit the previous year, was signed as a free agent.
* Pete Maravich, who was getting old but still a solid scorer averaging 17-3-3 for Utah, was picked up at midseason.
* Gerald Henderson was signed as a free agent.


In other words, their top 2 starters and their top 4 guys off the bench were new that year. They basically added 5 double-digit scorers.

This is a good argument. So the roster was better, but it was still a dramatic turnaround, and Birds impact cant be understated

 

[fifth column]

Do you nikkas really get this upset when folks think Bron is the goat?

bron the goat fukk what anyone says

MJ is the goat until a real authentic not forced challenger comes along

 

[fifth column]

Talent wasn’t near the level in 2000’s back in the early 80s breh. Come on man smarten up for once

So Bird was ahead of his time then

 

[Cadillac]

if carmelo would have worked on his game. The Bron vs Melo rivalry would have served as a proper Bird vs Magic successor.

not really something i think would be contested by many as i seen some who agree. but some people think Melo was never close to bron's level at any point so...

but if carmelo would have improved in other aspects, whether in playmaking, how to impact the game, making himself all around. He prolly would have had a better career and would serve as a more proper rival to Lebron

instead of that rivalry having to fall on Durant as the premier rival SF who is 4 years younger in age and initiation in the league to Bron. Due to Melo not living up to that role

 

[Rell84shots]

Lebron eclipsed Jordan years ago yet people are too caught up in the allure of Jordan to admit it. The cultural impact is the only thing that Lebron can’t match.

Another one is that the argument can be made that CP3 is a top 10-15 player of all time IMO. Too bad injuries at the worst time changed the narrative.

Go to bed little one.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

This is a good argument. So the roster was better, but it was still a dramatic turnaround, and Birds impact cant be understated

Definitely, Bird was the primary impact. But at 23yo, why shouldn't he be able to lead his team to the ECF with a solid roster? It wasn't like he was a teenager, he was already a full-grown man with solid experience at that point. Guys coming out of college back then weren't the raw 19yo talents they are today, they were mature players who had solid competition and coaching for 3-4 years before they entered the league at 21/22 years old. You look at Kareem, Magic, Bird, MJ, Hakeem, they were all already star players from their rookie year, just like you would expect a top-flight player today to start reaching their star potential by 21 or 22.


Also look at the NBA that year. Phoenix led by Paul Westphal was a WCSF team. Milwaukee led by Marques Johnson was a WCSF team. Atlanta led by John Drew/Eddie Johnson was a 50-win ECSF team. Seattle led by Gus Williams/Dennis Johnson (the defending champs!!!) was a WCF team. Outside the Sixers (Dr. J and a solid group of role players/borderline stars) and the Lakers (stacked with Kareem/Magic/Wilkes/Nixon/Cooper), none of the lineups was very impressive. League was thin as hell, it didn't take much to make a conference finals.

MJ is the goat until a real authentic not forced challenger comes along

Rent free.

 

[Flex Grossman]

if carmelo would have worked on his game. The Bron vs Melo rivalry would have served as a proper Bird vs Magic successor.

not really something i think would be contested by many as i seen some who agree. but some people think Melo was never close to bron's level at any point so...

but if carmelo would have improved in other aspects, whether in playmaking, how to impact the game, making himself all around. He prolly would have had a better career and would serve as a more proper rival to Lebron

instead of that rivalry having to fall on Durant as the premier rival SF who is 4 years younger in age and initiation in the league to Bron. Due to Melo not living up to that role

Melo should’ve won ROY, and they were only 1 year apart in age. Bron blew past him in the next couple years tho.

 

[fifth column]

Definitely, Bird was the primary impact. But at 23yo, why shouldn't he be able to lead his team to the ECF with a solid roster? It wasn't like he was a teenager, he was already a full-grown man with solid experience at that point. Guys coming out of college back then weren't the raw 19yo talents they are today, they were mature players who had solid competition and coaching for 3-4 years before they entered the league at 21/22 years old. You look at Kareem, Magic, Bird, MJ, Hakeem, they were all already star players from their rookie year, just like you would expect a top-flight player today to start reaching their star potential by 21 or 22.


Also look at the NBA that year. Phoenix led by Paul Westphal was a WCSF team. Milwaukee led by Marques Johnson was a WCSF team. Atlanta led by John Drew/Eddie Johnson was a 50-win ECSF team. Seattle led by Gus Williams/Dennis Johnson (the defending champs!!!) was a WCF team. Outside the Sixers (Dr. J and a solid group of role players/borderline stars) and the Lakers (stacked with Kareem/Magic/Wilkes/Nixon/Cooper), none of the lineups was very impressive. League was thin as hell, it didn't take much to make a conference finals.




Rent free.

As Brandon Marshall remember, weirdo get Brons imaginary fingers out your mouth

 

[Wandissimo]

Jordan ain’t shyt without his supporting cast; especially Pippen .

 

[Wandissimo]

Back from the dead

“Save that shyt” is one of the greatest songs of all time.

 

[inndaskKy]

Russ and Giannis’ MVPs for 16-17 and 18-19 should’ve been Harden’s.

Steph's first too, let's not revise history now

 

[Leasy]

McNabb would of had multiple super bowls if Andy just got him 1 reciever throughout his career