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Originally Posted by pgardn
Kev this is all opinion and supposition on my part. The only thing that matters in the end is the ring. And Bird HAD to be on the Celtics team or they would not have those championships... imo.
Again. This is from a person who absolutley hated Bird... From the depths of my soul. He was a trash talker, dirty (at the appropriate times), but so unique. Bird showed that a forward could control a game. Anytime the Celtics had to have something done the ball was in his hands. He was the Man on that team. Its so obvious to me.
Bird was a revolution as was Magic. They changed the game. They played their positions in such a diff. manner than they had ever been played before. So even though they may not have been Michael, they had as much impact on the way the game is played.
Magic a 6' 9" Point??????? are you kidding. He took his idol, George Gervin, to a completely diff. level. (Gervin being one of the first tall guards that had a huge impact on the old ways of thinking... you cant be a guard, you are too tall). And his complete unselfishness and leadership made the Lakers. Then the guy plays CENTER when Kareem is hurt and scores forty against the sixers. GOOD LORD!
Bird. Controlled the flow of a game at a position that was not supposed to handle the ball that much. His movement without the ball, his passing, his superior intuition, made for a type of forward I doubt we see again. For God's sake he would lead the Celtics in rebounding and assists if he was not shooting well. He found some way to impact every important game.
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Pat...the facts I was referring to where the ones Chuck was stating about the changes in coaching and, in part, the role players involved. I agree with you on the fact that without Bird, the Celtics win nothing.
I doubt there is a bigger Larry Bird fan alive than me. I lived and died with the Celtics of the 80's and can honestly say that I have not watched a single NBA game, from start to finish, since LB retired.
To compare Larry and Magic to MJ is deceptive. Larry and Magic were the definition of TEAM players. I like MJ (he is a Tarheel
), but, IMO, he revolutionized the individual aspect of the game...and I mean that in a very negative context. His style of play has produced a generation of NBA players that are strictly interested in SELF...there is no team concept anymore.