Yet some people would pick LeBron over Bird?? ("Heat" game)

[SHAQisGOAT]

[B]Let's look back at game5 of the 1984 Finals, temperature was at about 98

[VIntageNOvel]

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img837/8089/4yc.gif

[atljonesbro]

Why did you post that in bold? Doesn't male your point any more valid and makes it hard to read and not want to take you seriously.

[juju151111]

[QUOTE=SHAQisGOAT][B]Let's look back at game5 of the 1984 Finals, temperature was at about 98

[NumberSix]

Yeah, but Bird definitely pussed out with that back injury though.


:rolleyes:

[SHAQisGOAT]

Why did you post that in bold? Doesn't male your point any more valid and makes it hard to read and not want to take you seriously.

Let's look back at game5 of the 1984 Finals, temperature was at about 98

[stalkerforlife]

Bird > Bron

Don't believe the hype, kids.

[atljonesbro]

[QUOTE=SHAQisGOAT]Let's look back at game5 of the 1984 Finals, temperature was at about 98

[SHAQisGOAT]

I agree with everything you said, but LJ>Bird. Noting you said changed that

In your (ignorant) mind though.



Yeah, but Bird definitely pussed out with that back injury though.


:rolleyes:

Playing some years with back troubles (like a beast I might add), then coming back for 3 more (pretty good) seasons and the Olympics, after back (and ankles) surgery = pussying out? Right... :rolleyes:

LeBron (or probably most players for that matter) going through the same "stuff" as Bird wouldn't even be playing anymore, or at least not playing nearly as well, or giving the same as Larry still would.. :oldlol:

[BasedTom]

Think long term. Isiah and Bird both retired relatively early because of injury and lots of mileage. Can the Heat win the game with Lebron playing on one leg? Maybe, but it wouldn't be worth winning 1 game if it means making his injury worse.

Derrick Rose tore an ACL playing garbage time against the Sixers. I don't think anyone wants to teak unnecessary risks.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Think long term. Isiah and Bird both retired relatively early because of injury and lots of mileage. Can the Heat win the game with Lebron playing on one leg? Maybe, but it wouldn't be worth winning 1 game if it means making his injury worse.

Derrick Rose tore an ACL playing garbage time against the Sixers. I don't think anyone wants to teak unnecessary risks.

[B]You don't think long term in the NBA Finals, shit :facepalm This is what it's all about, one game or even one moment can change it all, that's what great ones are made of, that's what "made" dudes like Bird, Isiah or Jordan. Intangibles also matter in sports, some of those dudes played through extremely difficult "situations" and still came through... At the end of the day it's all about the present, all about the win, can't be thinking on that long term stuff, can't be acting like a *****.
Yet some people wanna say "oh gimme Bron look at his athleticism", motha****in Larry Bird was playing on 98

[LeBird]

As a big Bird fan, I think the timing of this post is somewhat opportunistic. The guy had cramps and couldn't move. Bird was incredible though.

[tanner892]

Bird didn't inject needles in his butthole for gains

[BasedTom]

[QUOTE=SHAQisGOAT][B]You don't think long term in the NBA Finals, shit :facepalm This is what it's all about, one game or even one moment can change it all, that's what great ones are made of, that's what "made" dudes like Bird, Isiah or Jordan. Intangibles also matter in sports, some of those dudes played through extremely difficult "situations" and still came through...
Yet some people wanna say "oh gimme Bron look at his athleticism", motha****in Larry Bird was playing on 98

[iamgine]

[QUOTE=SHAQisGOAT][B]Let's look back at game5 of the 1984 Finals, temperature was at about 98

[juju151111]

In your (ignorant) mind though.




Playing some years with back troubles (like a beast I might add), then coming back for 3 more (pretty good) seasons and the Olympics, after back (and ankles) surgery = pussying out? Right... :rolleyes:

LeBron (or probably most players for that matter) going through the same "stuff" as Bird wouldn't even be playing anymore, or at least not playing nearly as well, or giving the same as Larry still would.. :oldlol:

How am I ignorant. I thought that before today. One game doesn't change that

[SHAQisGOAT]

As a big Bird fan, I think the timing of this post is somewhat opportunistic. The guy had cramps and couldn't move. Bird was incredible though.

Opportunistic as to what? I'm just stating facts and giving some of my thoughts after something that just happened. It is what it is, I'm not making stuff up, and this is the biggest stage of them all.

Yea, but then again what about when Bird had a totally ****ed up back (amongst other "things") and couldn't even practice, overweight with little mobility left???

[SHAQisGOAT]

How am I ignorant. I thought that before today. One game doesn't change that

So you were ignorant before today? :confusedshrug: Who said a game changes anything? Read my OP's last paragraph also.

[TheReal Kendall]

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img837/8089/4yc.gif

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

[Black and White]

As a big Bird fan, I think the timing of this post is somewhat opportunistic. The guy had cramps and couldn't move. Bird was incredible though.

Pauk on damage control

[SHAQisGOAT]

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img837/8089/4yc.gif

Would be perfect for this thread if the dude with the locks had Bird's face :lol

Anyways, like I've said, Finals ain't over yet, Spurs still got to get it done and Heat and Lebron are still "playing".. Doesn't change what happened and what I've said though. Moving on..

[Just2McFly]

if bird got a cramp, he would have to sit... if they didnt go away he couldnt play, end of story

[LeBird]

Opportunistic as to what? I'm just stating facts and giving some of my thoughts after something that just happened. It is what it is, I'm not making stuff up, and this is the biggest stage of them all.

Yea, but then again what about when Bird had a totally ****ed up back (amongst other "things") and couldn't even practice, overweight with little mobility left???

As I say, I'm a Bird fan. I think the fact that he ****ed up his back and was still probably the best player in the league in probably the toughest era is a testament to how great he was.

I just think people never really know the extent of injuries till after the fact. It's also a different era where the players' health is monitored greatly. Lebron probably lives and dies on the advice of the Miami heat docs. Whereas in the past, they probably had more of a license to ignore it and play on. Also, who knows if playing on would have injured him even more and ruined his series or perhaps even next season?

It's terrible that it happened, but people wanting to judge Lebron are being a bit opportunistic with it. Injuries happen to the best, even the greatest. There wasn't a case of Lebron being a mental midget, that's not even for debate here really. They were winning and looking the better team.


Pauk on damage control

Moron, I'm not Pauk and I'm probably one of, if not the, biggest Bird fan here.

[SHAQisGOAT]

if bird got a cramp, he would have to sit... if they didnt go away he couldnt play, end of story

[B]Shit, I can sit here and say Bird played through worse... Plus, show me an example where Bird had to check himself out because of cramps (or even where Bird checked himself out of game period, not returning..). Also, y'all ****** wanna talk about athleticism this and that but Bron couldn't handle the "heat"??? Bird was looking fresh, playing heavy minutes while murking the Lakers in the Finals, with the temperature at 98

[played0ut]

Fun fact since we're talking about bird. Even with his bum back (he was apparently lying down for 85% of the flight during olympics), Malone said Bird was one of the better players on the team.

[NumberSix]

This will be pretty funny when Heat in 6.

[Black and White]

Moron, I'm not Pauk and I'm probably one of, if not the, biggest Bird fan here.

Wrong, ShaqisGoat is a bigger Bird fan than you are.

Give it up, Pauk

[SHAQisGOAT]

Fun fact since we're talking about bird. Even with his bum back (he was apparently lying down for 85% of the flight during olympics), Malone said Bird was one of the better players on the team.

Still doing this at 35, with a ****ed up back, after back and ankles surgeries, couldn't even practice much, little mobility left and overweight:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0qCAw_hoAA

[SHAQisGOAT]

This will be pretty funny when Heat in 6.

:rolleyes:

Assuming that even happens, how so? It doesn't change anything that I've just said, it doesn't change what happened before and the clear facts.

And I've also said that the Finals ain't over yet, not even about that or about down-right hating... Yet y'all Lebron's stans staying salty af :oldlol:

[juju151111]

So you were ignorant before today? :confusedshrug: Who said a game changes anything? Read my OP's last paragraph also.
How am I ignorant once again. I know what Bird accomplishments and how great he was. I just think LJ is better 4 MVps,2 finals MVP, and very comparable stats slight edge to LJ

[atljonesbro]

SHAQisGOAT is just threaten that his childhood hero is challenged by LeBron. Bird is not playing through those cramps, that's 100% fact. No need to be delusional. He wouldn't be able to move. Him trying to play would be incredibly selfish as he'd pretty much be in one place all game making it 4 v 5.

[tpols]

Id have to be on crack to do that

[SHAQisGOAT]

How am I ignorant once again. I know what Bird accomplishments and how great he was. I just think LJ is better 4 MVps,2 finals MVP, and very comparable stats slight edge to LJ

Basically because of stuff like that... Stating accolades/acomplishments with basically no 'context', and then talking about "slight edge in stats". I rather watch both play (extensively if possible), put everything into context and on the right perspective, look at their whole careers, what they've done, what they were doing at their best and against the best, recognize their impact, their overall game/talent/skill/intangibles, so on..

Don't take it as an offense though, none of that.

[atljonesbro]

Basically because of stuff like that... Stating accolades/acomplishments with basically no 'context', and then talking about "slight edge in stats". I rather watch both play (extensively if possible), put everything into context and on the right perspective, look at their whole careers, what they've done, what they were doing at their best and against the best, recognize their impact, their overall game/talent/skill/intangibles, so on..

Don't take it as an offense though, none of that.
So instead of using logic and factually information you want to make lazy arguments? Gotcha.

[SHAQisGOAT]

SHAQisGOAT is just threaten that his childhood hero is challenged by LeBron. Bird is not playing through those cramps, that's 100% fact. No need to be delusional. He wouldn't be able to move. Him trying to play would be incredibly selfish as he'd pretty much be in one place all game making it 4 v 5.

[B]Very threatened, wouldn't even be able to sleep :rolleyes: :facepalm :oldlol: I'm not like any of you stans, and at the end of the day, people who know their shit will still tell you Bird's peak/prime > LeBron's, can't change that...

I can also say Bird played through worse, and plenty of times playing great. Oh and again, game5 of the 1984 NBA Finals? Bird played 42 minutes at 98

[Keno]

lol. bird is a toothpick, lebron is a 280lb monster. and lebron also played something called defense, something bird wasn't familiar with.

[SHAQisGOAT]

using logic and factually information

= being ignorant (coming from you)

[Keno]

lebron had back injuries earlier in the season and he played through them. lebron > bird.

[Quickening]

Hasn't LeBron already played as many elite years as what that weak body bird did, Brb back hurting a little, Brb can't play

[SHAQisGOAT]

lol. bird is a toothpick, lebron is a 280lb monster. and lebron also played something called defense, something bird wasn't familiar with.

[B]Toothpick that muscled Laimbeer in the post, bullied Jordan or Rodman down-low, made Barkley fall while Chuck was holding on to him trying to prevent a game-winner (couldn't), was getting checked by Mahorn and still come back playing greater, couldn't be taken down by Moses and Barkley together, made Tom Chambers look like a fool, made and1 gamewinners while getting tackled by Larry Nance, played 42 great minutes under 98

[masonanddixon]

No one who knows anything about basketball thinks Lebron should be mentioned in the same breath as Bird.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Hasn't LeBron already played as many elite years as what that weak body bird did, Brb back hurting a little, Brb can't play

[B]Bron playing in the 80s with much more physicality and contact, getting checked by bigger and real bigmen, no access to modern medicine and all those other luxuries (yea everything you can think of), playoffs against GOAT teams, playing games with 98

[atljonesbro]

[QUOTE=SHAQisGOAT][B]Bron playing in the 80s with much more physicality and contact, getting checked by bigger and real bigmen, no access to modern medicine and all those other luxuries (yea everything you can think of), playoffs against GOAT teams, playing games with 98

[SHAQisGOAT]

You definitely are threatened by LeBron's skill. Your posts reek of insecurity. LeBron > Bird. Deal with it. Already more longevity at 29 with better stats and more accomplishments. No debate with another championship this year.

Please stop with the ignorance, please :rolleyes: :facepalm :lol

[atljonesbro]

Please stop with the ignorance, please :rolleyes: :facepalm :lol
Just bitter that a younger guy is taking over your childhood hero's spot in history. Can't let go of the past.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Just bitter that a younger guy is taking over your childhood hero's spot in history. Can't let go of the past.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/2010/writers/jack_mccallum/08/15/hof.wrapup/bird-pippen-col-getty.jpg

Yea very bitter :rolleyes: Won't even sleep tonight.

You're the one who's incredibly salty :lol Facts are there buddy, I can't change them

[305Baller]

[QUOTE=SHAQisGOAT][B]Let's look back at game5 of the 1984 Finals, temperature was at about 98

[pauk]

Sure, playing in temperatures like that is what everybody has done and everybody has played through some pains here n there.... but you are missing a point here, the CRAMP point... did any of those players manage to actually play through cramps? Like say Bird?

Nobody in the history of any type of sport managed to cramp up and somehow still.... play through it... not that i know of at least...

Have you ever actually had a cramp? Imagine trying to walk like that? Better yet sprint and jump around like normal.... you cant MOVE, its literally impossible, that is the problem.... Its not the pain that is the problem, Lebron could have easily played through that i think, if he could MOVE....

[tpols]

[QUOTE=SHAQisGOAT][B]Let's look back at game5 of the 1984 Finals, temperature was at about 98

[zoom17]

Lebron>Bird

[DonDadda59]

Sure, playing in temperatures like that is what everybody has done and everybody has played through some pains here n there.... but you are missing a point here, the CRAMP point... did any of those players manage to actually play through cramps? Like say Bird?

Nobody in the history of any type of sport managed to cramp up and somehow still.... play through it... not that i know of at least...

Have you ever actually had a cramp? Imagine trying to walk like that? Better yet sprint and jump around like normal.... you cant MOVE, its literally impossible, that is the problem.... Its not the pain that is the problem, Lebron could have easily played through that i think, if he could MOVE....

http://www.totalprosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2zoktxy.gif

Bron asked to be taken out originally because the Spurs were 'tryna smoke him out', like they were on some George Bush bullshit (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNaAMK0NGJI) and he was Osama Bin Laden n shit :facepalm

[masonanddixon]

Sure, playing in temperatures like that is what everybody has done and everybody has played through some pains here n there.... but you are missing a point here, the CRAMP point... did any of those players manage to actually play through cramps? Like say Bird?

Nobody in the history of any type of sport managed to cramp up and somehow still.... play through it... not that i know of at least...

Have you ever actually had a cramp? Imagine trying to walk like that? Better yet sprint and jump around like normal.... you cant MOVE, its literally impossible, that is the problem.... Its not the pain that is the problem, Lebron could have easily played through that i think, if he could MOVE....

Players cramp up all the time in tennis and are able to pull through and finish or win the match

[Black and White]

Sure, playing in temperatures like that is what everybody has done and everybody has played through some pains here n there.... but you are missing a point here, the CRAMP point... did any of those players manage to actually play through cramps? Like say Bird?

Nobody in the history of any type of sport managed to cramp up and somehow still.... play through it... not that i know of at least...

Have you ever actually had a cramp? Imagine trying to walk like that? Better yet sprint and jump around like normal.... you cant MOVE, its literally impossible, that is the problem.... Its not the pain that is the problem, Lebron could have easily played through that i think, if he could MOVE....

I understand cramp can stop you in game, but a lower back injury can end your career, Bird deserves that credit.

[Kvnzhangyay]

Lebron has surpassed Bird in every single aspect of the game... :facepalm :facepalm

[pauk]

http://www.totalprosports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2zoktxy.gif

Bron asked to be taken out originally because the Spurs were 'tryna smoke him out', like they were on some George Bush bullshit (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNaAMK0NGJI) and he was Osama Bin Laden n shit :facepalm

He was just joking around with the mic, long before he felt any cramps... and with the Heat on a comfortable lead...

:confusedshrug:

[Black and White]

He was just joking around with the mic, long before he felt any cramps... and with the Heat on a comfortable lead...
:confusedshrug:

What game were you watching?

[pauk]

I understand cramp can stop you in game, but a lower back injury can end your career, Bird deserves that credit.

Absolutely and he sure does. But you are seriously underestimating what a cramp is especially on your legs or entire body......... A weak back gives you mostly pain, but you can at least play through it because you can move fighting through the pain which comes and goes, its annoying, its tough, but you can perfectly move until it maybe occasionally locks up or does that more often unbearably until you have to just quit... but when a cramp kicks in, it locks that specific limb up, there is nothing to do but immediately QUIT.... screw the pain, but you cant move that freakin muscle an inch..... Many people have even died when cramping up, like drowning when swimming, hell, you can have your leg amputated and still not drown and swim back..... but when your body cramps (locks up) you become disabled, its IMPOSSIBLE to try and "fight through it".....

In a single game nothing impacts your movement more than cramp except for the extreme stuff like a completely snapped leg or something of that nature, its not the pain, its the DISABILITY that makes moving around impossible..... you can ask any player on this planet & he will tell you what is worse having in a game.... pain or not being able to move.... better yet every game / entire career, holy god, can you imagine? Then you wouldnt even be in the NBA, but in a hospital, wheelchair or something....

...and please dont call me a Lebron apologiser or think im making some excuses for this game, i am talking about what a cramp does to you and YES Lebron had one in this game.... it means nothing more than that.... did it impact the game? Well, sure.... but it is what it is....

[GimmeThat]

At that point of the game
even with Bird on the court playing through a cramp
(which he may very possible could because of his ability to shoot)

it still wasn't going to be enough to help the Heat win


Because you can't have a defensive impact by just standing around.

But you can as an offensive player.

[BigMacAttack]

Lebron has surpassed Bird in every single aspect of the game... :facepalm :facepalm


What about shooting? ****en pathetic stan.

[Kvnzhangyay]

What about shooting? ****en pathetic stan.


In 1981 Bird averaged 15 ppg on .419 shooting and .46% TS lmfao even worse than bran's 17ppg 2011

1983- .47ts% playoffs

1985- .527 ts playoffs

1988-.538 ts% in playoffs


Lebron reg season shooting %= .497, .341
Bird reg season shooting %= .496, .376

I h8 people that didnt even watch Bird acting like they did lmfao :lol

[pauk]

At that point of the game
even with Bird on the court playing through a cramp
(which he may very possible could because of his ability to shoot)

it still wasn't going to be enough to help the Heat win


Because you can't have a defensive impact by just standing around.

But you can as an offensive player.

Yea... sounds logical... :P

No but seriously though **** Lebron but from my own experience i freakin hate cramps more than anything, i mean when you REALLY think about it... it has to be the biggest WTF thing that NATURALLY happens to literally every single human at any time........ one minute you feel like the healthiest man on earth then its like you got stabbed with a knife on your quad for example and your leg feels its stuck deep down in some concrete and next thing you know everything is back to normal, like it all was just a nightmare you just woke up from........ wait, actually, you get that in your sleep aswell, you ever woke up from cramps at night?.......

it just... trolls with you....

[GimmeThat]

Yea... sounds logical... :P

No but seriously though **** Lebron but from my own experience i freakin hate cramps more than anything, i mean when you REALLY think about it... it has to be the biggest WTF thing that NATURALLY happens to literally every single human at any time........ one minute you feel like the healthiest man on earth then its like you got stabbed with a knife on your quad for example and your leg feels its stuck deep down in some concrete and next thing you know everything is back to normal, like it all was just a nightmare you just woke up from........ wait, actually, you get that in your sleep aswell, you ever woke up from cramps at night?.......

it just... trolls with you....

I thought that the biggest WTF thing that NATURALLY happens to literally every single human at any time was hunger and/or thirst.


that's given the assumption we all breath fresh air.

[LeBird]

Lebron has surpassed Bird in every single aspect of the game... :facepalm :facepalm

If anything, there are more things Bird is superior than Lebron than the other way round in terms of actual basketball. Unless you mean like stupid arguments like "Bird's only got 3 rings, Lebron's gonna get more".

[coin24]

Bird >>> bran

Only complete fu*tards would think otherwise.:lol

[coin24]

Yea... sounds logical... :P

No but seriously though **** Lebron but from my own experience i freakin hate cramps more than anything, i mean when you REALLY think about it... it has to be the biggest WTF thing that NATURALLY happens to literally every single human at any time........ one minute you feel like the healthiest man on earth then its like you got stabbed with a knife on your quad for example and your leg feels its stuck deep down in some concrete and next thing you know everything is back to normal, like it all was just a nightmare you just woke up from........ wait, actually, you get that in your sleep aswell, you ever woke up from cramps at night?.......

it just... trolls with you....

Yeah I'm guessing fapping cramps from watching too much bran can be brutal:cheers:

[Kvnzhangyay]

If anything, there are more things Bird is superior than Lebron than the other way round in terms of actual basketball. Unless you mean like stupid arguments like "Bird's only got 3 rings, Lebron's gonna get more".

Please name them and I will do my best to refute them

[inclinerator]

1 game

[SHAQisGOAT]

Please name them and I will do my best to refute them

Shooting from pretty much everywhere, post-game, footwork, soft-touch from close range with both hands, pure passing, rebounding and hustle availability, better team and post-defense (Bron's better overall on D though, mostly because of athleticism), most intangibles such as clutchness, mental toughness, agressiveness, leadership, IQ, cout-awareness.
Also, he could dominate in pretty much any way on offense, no clear strategy against a guy like him, he could adjust to any offensive/defensive strategy and could mesh with any type of teammate, knew when to step down and when to step up, and never needed to overhandle the ball, no wasted motion, executed quickly didn't change (for the worse) the "game" of some of his best teammates...


Most of those categories are pretty much irrefutable but g'head...

[SHAQisGOAT]

1 game

Meaning?

I was comparing "similar" games, mostly to get y'all stans mad (succeeded)... I also brought up many other examples throughout their whole careers, and different other "things", but boil it down to one game. I even mentioned that the Finals are not over yet :rolleyes: :facepalm

[chris02jammers]

Bron over bird... any given day and time...

[Kvnzhangyay]

Shooting from pretty much everywhere, post-game, footwork, soft-touch from close range with both hands, pure passing, rebounding and hustle availability, better team and post-defense (Bron's better overall on D though, mostly because of athleticism), most intangibles such as clutchness, mental toughness, agressiveness, leadership, IQ, cout-awareness.
Also, he could dominate in pretty much any way on offense, no clear strategy against a guy like him, he could adjust to any offensive/defensive strategy and could mesh with any type of teammate, knew when to step down and when to step up, and never needed to overhandle the ball, no wasted motion, executed quickly didn't change (for the worse) the "game" of some of his best teammates...


Most of those categories are pretty much irrefutable but g'head...





ALl of the underlined thigns are all incredibly debateable, especially clutchness. I mean, people act like Bird hasn't been absolute crap in the finals either

[zoom17]

Lebron only 29 buy the time most people will have him over Bird sorry OP you're fighting a losing battle:oldlol:

[salwan]

Bird >>>LeBron. Nothing new op

[cltcfn2924]

lol. bird is a toothpick, lebron is a 280lb monster. and lebron also played something called defense, something bird wasn't familiar with.


Really now. Check the stats is all I can say. SPG, RPG, just check 'em all. Neither are great 1 on 1 defenders, in spite of what you Lebron lickers think. Just watch the game, Lebron constantly gets abused. He makes his bacon cheating the lanes.

[K Xerxes]

LeBron carries more mileage than probably anyone ever since he came into the league. He's played in almost every game possible since the beginning of 2011, including Olympics. Your body is your body, there is nothing 'mental' included about playing through something like this. You can't. If you can barely move, you are a huge detriment to your team, even if you're the best player on the planet. The criticism he is receiving is honestly perplexing.

[Micku]

ALl of the underlined thigns are all incredibly debateable, especially clutchness. I mean, people act like Bird hasn't been absolute crap in the finals either

Even shooting? Why do you think LBJ is better at shooting when LBJ shoots about 38.53 from midrange this year and he isn't better than Bird at the FT shooting either.

Granted we don't have the stats for Bird. All we have to do is watch how he play and see where his shots mostly come from.

Dirk is a guy who pretty much is a better shooter than LBJ anywhere from the floor too. Destroys him at the midrange game, and pretty much equal at close range except when it comes to finishing at the rim.

[Choke]

Bird >>>>>>> LeChoke

[HoopsFanNumero1]

What a terrible poster :facepalm you wait for the opportunity for Lebron to get injured so you can start slobbering all over your idol. I swear, most of you old guys are senile.

[LeBird]

Please name them and I will do my best to refute them

Let's start with these:

Shooting: mid-range, 3 point, free throw - the only thing Lebron is better is driving to the basket.
Rebounding: not even close; Bird could bang with some of the greatest of all time (almost outrebounded Moses in the finals)
Passing: With far less possession of the ball, has almost the same amount of assists

[Champ]

ALl of the underlined thigns are all incredibly debateable, especially clutchness. I mean, people act like Bird hasn't been absolute crap in the finals either

Which finals would say Bird was "absolute crap" in?

[Champ]

I think it's also important to note that the "Heat Game" was probably the biggest game for Bird in his career up to that point. In addition to being a statement game for the series, this was Bird staking his claim to being unarguably the best player in the game at the time and possibly the best forward ever. The stakes were incredibly high for him.

Thirty years later, it's hard to imagine the magnitude of this historic game if you weren't actually around at the time.

In some ways it reminds me of LeBron's Game 6 against the Celtics, which was really a game-changer in a career that had previously been discredited not for talent, but for a perceived lack of ability to come through when it mattered most. But like all the greats, both were able to rise to the challenge when this kind of situation called for it.

I do think Bird was born and raised with an inherent "toughness" that was a product of his harsh upbringing, whereas LeBron was more coddled as a superstar in the making. This discrepancy may lead many to believe that Bird had more mental toughness, along the media imagery of the whole hick, country boy thing. But whether we're talking Magic, Jordan, or any other all-time great, their mental approach to the game is probably far more similar than the media would lead us to believe. I think all great athletes have to bring this to the table when competing at such a high level.

To his credit, LeBron's come around, and dramatic antics aside, has proven his mental toughness over the long haul.

Still, different players from different generations with differing attitudes. This is why it's always so difficult to measure players across eras.

[Warfan]

Nothing wrong with thinking bron is the better player. I could make a good case for either of them. Seems like OP is saying it isn't debatable, which is bullshit.

[BoutPractice]

Although thinking that Bird is better than LeBron is perfectly reasonable, that specific comparison tells us absolutely nothing. Zero.

If Bird had had similar cramps, he would have stopped playing, of course... the same goes for Jordan. LeBron's performance before the cramps was actually not much worse than Bird's, statistically speaking (not quite the same impact but still). Despite the heat, he was having a good game compared to most other players on the court, and compared to most of his games vs the Spurs last year. The lack of AC didn't affect his game, only his body.

By the way, if you're interested, here are some of the statlines from the "Heat" game:

Magic - 10 points and 13 assists on 3 of 9 shooting in 39 minutes
Kareem - 19 points and 7 rebounds on 7 of 25 (!) shooting in 35 minutes

Both players are often seen as top 5 and a case has been made for Kareem as the GOAT... both had a worse performance than LeBron last night... and yet LeBron's standing should be negatively affected compared to players from that elite group from that game alone?