How underrated is passing?

[sundizz]

Not assists per game, but passing?? (and I guess moving without the ball/cutting).

When I play amateur ball it amazes me how rare people can make a pass quickly or react and cut quickly. They simply don't do it. They need time to catch, to think and then to make a deliberate pass. Seems like that is true in the professional ranks too though (nowadays at least).

Who are some non pg hoopers of recent times that make a team a "team" and have that instinctual ability to be instant decision makers?

Diaw
D.Lee
Bogut
Ginobili
L.Walton

[Giaodollo]

Gasol Bros,
Love (Outlet passes is really underrated, maybe best ever at that.)
Noah
HAwes

Why are we only listing whities and french blacks (but let's be honest, french people are superior)?

[sundizz]

Well i'd say that is Jordan's fault lol. I'm sure most of the 80's black players were instinctual passers. Seems the modern era black players (changing now in the past 3 years or so with the new crop of players coming in) from 1996 to 2010 were taught with different principles (look to score aka AAU versus look to find the better option).

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Also, Splitter. Must be a Pop requisite from his bigs.

Varejao, McBob, West, Monroe, Zaza. Dem white and foreign guys. :applause: And West and Monroe.

Lot of talented passing wings.

Forgot KG is still playing....

[Akrazotile]

Read the title and immediately thought 'Diaw'.

First guy you listed :applause:

[Akrazotile]

Also one guy I feel is underrated in this aspect is D Wade. He's not a traditional 'distributor' but hes always been very good at making reaction passes. Someone passes to him, and before it gets to his hands hes already spotted someone else more open and zips it over to them. Both in half court and transition. Very good court awareness.

[inclinerator]

lebron james

[bdreason]

Nothing worse than playing pick-up ball with people who can't even pass into the post.

[TrueBlue89]

You're insane if LeBron James isn't in that team. He's by far the best passing non-PG player of all time.

[bdreason]

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/bdreason/nhrOV3z_zpsaxhbfjl4.gif (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/bdreason/media/nhrOV3z_zpsaxhbfjl4.gif.html)
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/bdreason/200_zpsskdjauu3.gif (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/bdreason/media/200_zpsskdjauu3.gif.html)

[Sakkreth]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv1qpF2AEgc

Yes not that recent, but it's too good :D

[dhsilv]

The ability to keep the ball moving without dribbling is so vastly undervalued. Everytime I point out a player is or is not a good passer, I see assist stats listed...like....wtf does that have to do with passing?

Guys like Lebron do not get enough credit for passing, they get way too much for assists however.

With teams no longer held to man to man the ability to move without the ball and to keep the ball moving are critical. Defenders as a result are getting run ragged.

[90sgoat]

Gasol Bros,
Love (Outlet passes is really underrated, maybe best ever at that.)
Noah
HAwes

Why are we only listing whities and french blacks (but let's be honest, french people are superior)?

It's not a co-incidence that whites and European (blacks) are the best team players.

European players usually come up through the club system and the big talents play pro-ball already at like 15-16, so they begin their career being the lowest in the hierachy. Kobe talked about this too. Euro teams make everyone understand and practice team play.

In the US all the good players, particularly blacks are allowed to dominate the ball all the time in AAU. White guys generally are more team oriented in my experience, where as a lot of blacks - not all by a longshot - care more about anklebreakers and in your face. You see this in other sports too like soccer, where Euro teams really focus on team play, while Brazilian and African teams focus on individual talent more.

In the past, there wasn't that big of a difference between 'white' and 'black' ball. In the 90s you'd see a guy like Dan Majerle playing very athletic and tough, while you had a guy like Reggie essentially playing the role of JJ Reddick off ball.

[90sgoat]

The ability to keep the ball moving without dribbling is so vastly undervalued. Everytime I point out a player is or is not a good passer, I see assist stats listed...like....wtf does that have to do with passing?

Guys like Lebron do not get enough credit for passing, they get way too much for assists however.

With teams no longer held to man to man the ability to move without the ball and to keep the ball moving are critical. Defenders as a result are getting run ragged.

What I would really like to see tracked in the NBA is hockey assists. This is so underrated for team success. Spurs almost always have a hockey assist, while teams like Cavs usually don't.

[BoutPractice]

It's not a co-incidence that whites and European (blacks) are the best team players.

European players usually come up through the club system and the big talents play pro-ball already at like 15-16, so they begin their career being the lowest in the hierachy. Kobe talked about this too. Euro teams make everyone understand and practice team play.

In the US all the good players, particularly blacks are allowed to dominate the ball all the time in AAU. White guys generally are more team oriented in my experience, where as a lot of blacks - not all by a longshot - care more about anklebreakers and in your face. You see this in other sports too like soccer, where Euro teams really focus on team play, while Brazilian and African teams focus on individual talent more.

In the past, there wasn't that big of a difference between 'white' and 'black' ball. In the 90s you'd see a guy like Dan Majerle playing very athletic and tough, while you had a guy like Reggie essentially playing the role of JJ Reddick off ball.
Noah is French but he's essentially a pure product of American ball (high school, college, and even the Rucker.).

So are LeBron, Chris Paul etc. Individual tendencies are more important than stereotypes.

[TiagoSimoes]

You're insane if LeBron James isn't in that team. He's by far the best passing non-PG player of all time.

no he isnt. Bird is superior to any non-PG

[T_L_P]

Ginobili's the greatest passing non-PG ever and it's not really close.

LeBron is an immensely gifted passer with great vision and instincts. But Manu blows him away.

[Kvnzhangyay]

no he isnt. Bird is superior to any non-PG

Bird has much better vision but didn't have the physical capability of Lebron to make passes fast enough for them to be most effective

[feyki]

Passing = [ (100/ ((p min/ tm min ) x off tot poss))) x ( 0.6 / ((lg ast + tm ast ) / (lg fgm + tm fgm))) ]

And yes , passing is underrate for Ws,ortg and PER(x2 underrate) .

[iamgine]

How underrated is the guy who is able to put himself in prime passing position.

[sdot_thadon]

It's definitely become underrated over time, seems like the iso era kinda changed everyone's perception to a warped sense of the game and how it's meant to be played. I also agree with the notion that passing is underrated and assists perhaps are a bit overrated now. Not because assists don't hold value, but they sort of devalue all the great passes that either lead to misses or even a hockey assist. An assist sort of asserts that a pass only has value if the recipient makes the shot, and that's not entirely true.

[chips93]

When I play amateur ball it amazes me how rare people can make a pass quickly or react and cut quickly. They simply don't do it. They need time to catch, to think and then to make a deliberate pass. Seems like that is true in the professional ranks too though (nowadays at least).



i think in the very recent past, team ball movement has become more emphasised, and the best teams are moving the ball better in recent times.

the kobe lakers, and the kg era celtics didnt move the ball as well as the current era spurs, or warriors.

guys like draymond green, demarre carroll, paul milsapp are getting paid these days because teams see the value in having smmart players who know how to cut, dribble and pass, which all facilitate ball movement.

maybe ball movement was better in the 80s, I cant really speak on that, but ball movement has definitely improved in recent years.

[Derka]

People who know basketball know good passing when they see it. If everyone else wants to underrate it, that's on them.

[kwajo]

no he isnt. Bird is superior to any non-PG
This.

Honourable Mention to Bill Walton as best passing big man.

[FreezingTsmoove]

They dont need time to catch and to think before making a pass r tard they are letting the play develop and running an offense :lol

Your not a professional basketball player, your playing with a bunch of low level athletes and guys who play once a month

[SHAQisGOAT]

Bird has much better vision but didn't have the physical capability of Lebron to make passes fast enough for them to be most effective

:roll:

Some bullshit talk right there...

Bird's the GOAT passing non-PG, it's clear as day...

Plus, he could show his full impact with or without the ball, could fit with any strategy alongside any teammate, and made passing infectious... No wonder that the '86 Celtics can be considered the GOAT passing team, lead by peak Bird.

[Kvnzhangyay]

:roll:

Some bullshit talk right there...

Bird's the GOAT passing non-PG, it's clear as day...
Plus, he could show his full impact with or without the ball, could fit with any strategy alongside any teammate, and made passing infectious... No wonder that the '86 Celtics can be considered the GOAT passing team, lead by peak Bird.

It's not bullshit when nearly all seniors (people who ACTUALLY watched prime Bird) say the same thing :confusedshrug:

I would imagine me, and most likely you, were only old enough to watch Bird in the early 90's

[TrueBlue89]

no he isnt. Bird is superior to any non-PG

:lol :lol :lol

LeBron is practically a PG out there. Bird can't run an offense like LBJ. Get outta here.


LeBron can literally make any pass imaginable and is the closest thing we've ever seen to Magic Johnson.

[SHAQisGOAT]

It's not bullshit when nearly all seniors (people who ACTUALLY watched prime Bird) say the same thing :confusedshrug:

Anyone who knows basketball and has seen enough from both... Can definitely tell that Bird's the better passer.

You talk about physicality gifts or whatever, save the bullshit talk for another person... You're gonna tell me that LeBron's a better passer than Magic because he was a better athlete or something? Please...

Bird had that QB arm, great strength and could throw it with precision... LeBron never made passes like this...

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-26-2015/xUbegY.gif

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-26-2015/EQv5ZB.gif

with the left hand
http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-26-2015/XDGeki.gif

behind the backboard
http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-26-2015/jRa5OV.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTI-Cmkp87A

Larry could make terrific passes, create tremendous basket opportunities in the same moment he gets the ball... Unreal basketball IQ, hand-eye coordination and passing skills...

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/nbacardDOTnet/zz%20NBA%20Photo%20Gallery/y%20Crazy%20Shot/Great%20Team%20Play/dj2bird2parish.gif~original

http://33.media.tumblr.com/7ce90e963834bbb792c11ab26af0eed1/tumblr_nj08fwL4901sdydefo1_400.gif

Plus, he could invent some ridiculous shit...

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/7-30-2015/Pwl8iv.gif

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-26-2015/pl4Gi1.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwo4vtaZmsY

Who else goes back and forth with Magic like this...

http://i40.tinypic.com/3094vf5.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o66NdFDHEQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gqDadqF3Ns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbFNQoY8RFk


LeBron has the athleticism to play PG while Larry didn't BUT Bird's a better (pure) passer than James.
Learn something, don't be ignorant...

[Jailblazers7]

i think in the very recent past, team ball movement has become more emphasised, and the best teams are moving the ball better in recent times.

the kobe lakers, and the kg era celtics didnt move the ball as well as the current era spurs, or warriors.

guys like draymond green, demarre carroll, paul milsapp are getting paid these days because teams see the value in having smmart players who know how to cut, dribble and pass, which all facilitate ball movement.

maybe ball movement was better in the 80s, I cant really speak on that, but ball movement has definitely improved in recent years.

I think a big part comes down to changes in play style. Passing is going to be a staple of winning teams right now where spacing and shooting are vital. You can have all the shooters in the world but it won't mean shit if you can find the open man.

80s was more open court, run-n-gun type play and a pass is always faster and more efficient than dribbling on a fast break. Plus, there were some crazy generational talents that were fantastic passers (Bird, Magic) which set the example for the league.

90s/00s were dominated by Jordan, Shaq, Kobe, AI, T-Mac, etc. And as we all know, this is a copy cat league so other teams tried to replicate the type of success those guys had on isos.

[Kvnzhangyay]

Anyone who knows basketball and has seen enough from both... Can definitely tell that Bird's the better passer.

You talk about physicality gifts or whatever, save the bullshit talk for another person... You're gonna tell me that LeBron's a better passer than Magic because he was a better athlete or something? Please...

Bird had that QB arm, great strength and could throw it with precision... LeBron never made passes like this...

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-26-2015/xUbegY.gif

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-26-2015/EQv5ZB.gif

with the left hand
http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-26-2015/XDGeki.gif

behind the backboard
http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-26-2015/jRa5OV.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTI-Cmkp87A

Larry could make terrific passes, create tremendous basket opportunities in the same moment he gets the ball... Unreal basketball IQ, hand-eye coordination and passing skills...

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/nbacardDOTnet/zz%20NBA%20Photo%20Gallery/y%20Crazy%20Shot/Great%20Team%20Play/dj2bird2parish.gif~original

http://33.media.tumblr.com/7ce90e963834bbb792c11ab26af0eed1/tumblr_nj08fwL4901sdydefo1_400.gif

Plus, he could invent some ridiculous shit...

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/7-30-2015/Pwl8iv.gif

http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-26-2015/pl4Gi1.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwo4vtaZmsY

Who else goes back and forth with Magic like this...

http://i40.tinypic.com/3094vf5.gif

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o66NdFDHEQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gqDadqF3Ns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbFNQoY8RFk


LeBron has the athleticism to play PG while Larry didn't BUT Bird's a better (pure) passer than James.
Learn something, don't be ignorant...

I don't think you've watched Bird then, other than highlights, if you truly think Bird is a better passer

The large of majority of people who were old enough concur that Lebron is a better passer; the majority of people with credibility believe Lebron to be better, that's just how it is, no matter what your opinion is

[SHAQisGOAT]

I don't think you've watched Bird then, other than highlights, if you truly think Bird is a better passer

The large of majority of people who were old enough concur that Lebron is a better passer; the majority of people with credibility believe Lebron to be better, that's just how it is, no matter what your opinion is

http://media.giphy.com/media/LUxOyzLDy9zpK/giphy.gif

All you can resort to though

http://www.thecoli.com/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/QbadP.png

Sad, little, ignorant child...

[Kvnzhangyay]

http://media.giphy.com/media/LUxOyzLDy9zpK/giphy.gif

All you can resort to though
http://www.thecoli.com/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/QbadP.png
Sad, little, ignorant child...


"All you can resort to though" is a GIF :roll:

The fact that you ignore my statement means you acknowledge it, just as how I acknowledge the highlights were real plays. It's just my argument nullifies your core assumption

I'm encompassing the views of multiple elders (Including co-workers/bosses at a boutique firm, a bulge bracket, and a senior home I volunteered at b4)

Not much else expected from someone who wasn't old enough to watch Bird in his prime

[SHAQisGOAT]

"All you can resort to though" is a GIF :roll:

The fact that you ignore my statement means you acknowledge it, just as how I acknowledge the highlights were real plays. It's just my argument nullifies your core assumption

Not much else expected from someone who wasn't old enough to watch Bird in his prime

:rolleyes:

I've posted numerous gifs/videos with Bird's passing skills, stuff that LeBron never did... Are you blind, son? :wtf:

:oldlol: I've watched Bird play... And again, people who know basketball and have seen enough from both, know that Bird was a better passer than LeBron... CLEAR to tell.

This "discussion" is futile though... No point in going at it with an ignorant, little kid.

[90sgoat]

I think a big part comes down to changes in play style. Passing is going to be a staple of winning teams right now where spacing and shooting are vital. You can have all the shooters in the world but it won't mean shit if you can find the open man.

80s was more open court, run-n-gun type play and a pass is always faster and more efficient than dribbling on a fast break. Plus, there were some crazy generational talents that were fantastic passers (Bird, Magic) which set the example for the league.

90s/00s were dominated by Jordan, Shaq, Kobe, AI, T-Mac, etc. And as we all know, this is a copy cat league so other teams tried to replicate the type of success those guys had on isos.

None of Jordan's championship teams were iso teams and second 3peat in particular was a great passing team. No one who watched that team would ever call it iso ball. They played beautiful passing basketball and were very exciting to watch.

[tmacattack33]

Igoudala
Lebron
Ginobli

Hawes
Noah
P Gasol
Diaw

Duncan is pretty good at it too.

Mike Miller has surprised me with his vision when he went to Miami and I actually started watching him...nobody ever said anything about his passing vision.

Evan Turner's vision is good too...too bad the other aspects of his game turned out to be terrible for a number two overall draft pick.

[GIF REACTION]

It is not underrated by any stretch

People talk about it all the damn time

[BarberSchool]

How underrated is the guy who is able to put himself in prime passing position.:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :applause: :applause: :applause: :bowdown:

[Derka]

"All you can resort to though" is a GIF :roll:

The fact that you ignore my statement means you acknowledge it, just as how I acknowledge the highlights were real plays. It's just my argument nullifies your core assumption

I'm encompassing the views of multiple elders (Including co-workers/bosses at a boutique firm, a bulge bracket, and a senior home I volunteered at b4)

Not much else expected from someone who wasn't old enough to watch Bird in his prime
Actually, he put up a post with a metric ton of proof to support his position. All you've offered is anecdotal nonsense. You don't have an argument, just an opinion.

[90sgoat]

You don't have an argument, just an opinion.

Millenials don't know the difference.

[pauk]

That is my favorite aspect of the game, especially im talking about Magic, Kidd, Maravich, Lebron, Bird, Nash, Ginobili, Penny, J-will etc. type of creative vast arsenal of raw passing skills & flamboyance... those dudes made passing very fun especially Magic...

[dhsilv]

What I would really like to see tracked in the NBA is hockey assists. This is so underrated for team success. Spurs almost always have a hockey assist, while teams like Cavs usually don't.

True but even back before this "era" you'd have Duncan doubled in the post, pass out, pump fake, pass, pump fake pass. Shoot. The play was all started by Duncan make a good pass out of a double, but there were 2 sometimes 3-4 more passes. That is the power of passing in any era. Once a team is off balance if you can use passing to your advantage you can get a wide open look nearly every time.

[Round Mound]

You're insane if LeBron James isn't in that team. He's by far the best passing non-PG player of all time.

That would be Larry Bird.

[dhsilv]

It is not underrated by any stretch

People talk about it all the damn time

Anything that doesn't show up in a box score gets underrated because we can't quantify it. The median and this board constantly discuss scoring without regards to how the play was setup and what created the shot. Serious basketball fans will discuss in, but those are extremely few and far between. Without straining Zach Lowe might be the only well known basketball writer who actually writes about how plays happen.

The fact that I can't remember the last article or story about great passing not centered around the assist is also telling. Even this thread has video after video of assists, not great passes in general.

[ClipperRevival]

Not assists per game, but passing?? (and I guess moving without the ball/cutting).

When I play amateur ball it amazes me how rare people can make a pass quickly or react and cut quickly. They simply don't do it. They need time to catch, to think and then to make a deliberate pass. Seems like that is true in the professional ranks too though (nowadays at least).

Who are some non pg hoopers of recent times that make a team a "team" and have that instinctual ability to be instant decision makers?

Diaw
D.Lee
Bogut
Ginobili
L.Walton

Definitely underrated. But not really surprising given this day and age of And 1 and anke breaker highlights, etc. But ball movement and body movement is probably the most overlooked aspect of offensive basketball today. If you can do both at a high level, you can have a lot of success, even with inferior talent.

The ability to play off ball is crucial. As is the abiltiy for the guy with the ball to find the open man when he's open for that split second when slashing/cutting. Timing. Flow. All of that comes into play as a unit.

[Fire Colangelo]

That would be Larry Bird.

Don't really want to get into this argument, since I think Bird and LeBron are equally great. But every single passing GIF you posted for Bird... LeBron could do.

First couple of GIFs were full court presses, LeBron has done them a million times in Miami.

Then you had a couple of behind the head/tip passes... that LeBron has done a couple of times as well........

Between the leg I haven't seen LeBron do, so the edge to Bird there. But LeBron is indefinitely a better drive and dish passer that's resulted in some important 3s for his teams.

I honestly don't get where this notion of Bird being so much better than LeBron is coming from.

[KevinNYC]

That would be Larry Bird.
LeBron is a very good passer but Bird is better. Manu and Walton are great as is Sabonis.

And I have see LeBron throw some great outlet passes.

Seen highlights of Maravich where I couldn't even understand what happened.

[ClipperRevival]

Don't really want to get into this argument, since I think Bird and LeBron are equally great. But every single passing GIF you posted for Bird... LeBron could do.

First couple of GIFs were full court presses, LeBron has done them a million times in Miami.

Then you had a couple of behind the head/tip passes... that LeBron has done a couple of times as well........

Between the leg I haven't seen LeBron do, so the edge to Bird there. But LeBron is indefinitely a better drive and dish passer that's resulted in some important 3s for his teams.

I honestly don't get where this notion of Bird being so much better than LeBron is coming from.

Great passing isn't just about the highlight reel stuff. That's just a tiny fraction of it. Great passing is about supreme awareness, feel for the game and vision and knowing where everyone is (your teammates and opponent) and getting the ball to your teammate at the right time. It could be something as simple as hitting a cutter at the right time. How many times do we see on TV a guy that is open but the guy with the ball simply wasn't aware of it? Or didn't get it to him at the right time? Timing, awareness, vision, etc all factor into being a great passer.

Bron is a very good passer but I think Bird just had the superior feel for the game.

[Dro]

Lebron a better passer than Bird? Really?

[sundizz]

Also, at the amateur level it is amazing how BAD people are at passing. It simply makes for a different game. It's almost risky to throw a pass because people can't catch it and people don't know how to quickly make a pass once they get it. I understand why a lot of NBA players growing up decided to shoot over double teams, or play AAU style growing up.

However, at the NBA level every single player is skilled enough to be able to catch/make a pass etc. The ones that have that special vision though are next level winners. Almost every winning team has players that understand good to great (except occasionally Kobe led or Bron led championship teams lol).

Those sort of other worldly players have such a negative impact on playground players. So glad Curry + Spurs + Suns came around to make passing cool again. It's been fun the past few years to play on playgrounds and be involved with games that have a lot more passing going on.

[Hey Yo]

:roll:

Some bullshit talk right there...

Bird's the GOAT passing non-PG, it's clear as day...

Plus, he could show his full impact with or without the ball, could fit with any strategy alongside any teammate, and made passing infectious... No wonder that the '86 Celtics can be considered the GOAT passing team, lead by peak Bird.
Bird didn't play with that many different teammates / starting lineups. There was much more chemistry on those 80's Boston teams than the juggling lineups LeBron has had to play with over the years.

[sundizz]

Bird didn't play with that many different teammates / starting lineups. There was much more chemistry on those 80's Boston teams than the juggling lineups LeBron has had to play with over the years.

Whatchu talking bout clown.....lebald chose to go to different teams. And his teammates were pretty much the same his entire time once he arrived\left\witnessed failure

[SHAQisGOAT]

Bird didn't play with that many different teammates / starting lineups. There was much more chemistry on those 80's Boston teams than the juggling lineups LeBron has had to play with over the years.

:rolleyes:

As a rookie, Bird led one of the GOAT turnaround seasons, with Boston having the same core roster as in the previous season... Their starting 5 in 1980:
Tiny
Ford
Maxwell
Bird
Cowens

Then in 1981 their main addition was Parish (to replace Cowens), who was already 27 and never viewed as all that... Bird leads them to the title.

Celtics starting 5 for their 1984 championship run:
Gerald Henderson
DJ
Maxwell
Bird
Parish

^KC Jones being the coach then, a very different coach than Bill Fitch (who was there before).
Henderson and DJ a much different backcourt than Tiny/Ford.
Maxwell was a shell of his former self on the offensive end.

Their starting 5 in 1986:
DJ
Ainge
Bird
McHale
Parish

^DJ their full-time PG then, Ainge much different than G Henderson, McHale hitting his prime was inserted into the starting lineup changing Bird's role ofc.

Bird as a complete shell of his former self was still their best player in 1991, when they won 56 games, then coached by Chris Ford, with this starting 5:
Shaw
Reggie Lewis
Kevin Gamble
Bird
Parish


So, he won 3 rings with different starting lineups, under two different coaches, with different "roles".
He got them from one of the worst to one of the best teams INSTANTLY, working with the same players as they had before.
He still led them to 50+W's in his last days, again with different lineup and coach.
He COMPLETELY turned around a franchise that was falling apart, building a dynasty from the ground up, even led what most call the GOAT team.

[Fire Colangelo]

Great passing isn't just about the highlight reel stuff. That's just a tiny fraction of it. Great passing is about supreme awareness, feel for the game and vision and knowing where everyone is (your teammates and opponent) and getting the ball to your teammate at the right time. It could be something as simple as hitting a cutter at the right time. How many times do we see on TV a guy that is open but the guy with the ball simply wasn't aware of it? Or didn't get it to him at the right time? Timing, awareness, vision, etc all factor into being a great passer.

Bron is a very good passer but I think Bird just had the superior feel for the game.

Agreed with the bolded, which is why I hate it when posters base their whole argument on a couple of GIFs.

[Hey Yo]

@SHAQisGOAT


So your using 1980,1984,1986 and 1991 for Birds different lineups?

c'mon...that doesn't compare to James' first 7 years and the non vets he played with like Larry did.

Besides..... this isn't about titles won and accomplishments. It's strictly about making great passes/ passing the ball.