Kobe Bryant Vs Larry Bird

[Showtime]

So Kobe isn't going to be mentioned as a Legend after hes done playing.

Why do you guys continously refuse to put Kobe in the same class as Magic,Bird,Jordan,etc. when what Kobe has done so far in his career including his accomplishments is up there with those past legends.

That's just the point: what Kobe has accomplished so far in his career, which is more than most players, isn't in the same class as those players.

[lilojmayo]

What has Kobe done that is "up there" with Magic/Bird/Jordan?

youngest player to score 20000 points

[Showtime]

Bird was the star player but lets not forget his sidekicks for those Championships both are in the HOF.

When you look back on the Laker's 3Peat years from now outside of die hard basketball fans who lived through it they won't be able to name any other players except Kobe & Shaq from that team.

Names like Rick Fox,Derrick Fisher,and Samaki Walker aren't everlasting compared to that of McHale and Parrish.

I'm done because this has the potential to be debated to the death.

Kobe is a Living Legend.
If Kobe retired today he'd go down as the 2nd Greatest SG Of All-Time.

I'm sorry, but anybody know knows anything about basketball during that era will know who Glen Rice was, will understand what Horry brought to that team, will know what veteran presense Lindsey Hunter and Brian Shaw brought, and understood the contributions of other role players like Fisher and Fox. While Rice and Horry might not make the HOF, it still doesn't diminish them to irrelevance and "no name" status, just as DJ isn't forgotten on the Celtics.

[Da_Realist]

you can't forget that larry's teams were always stacked

So were most teams the Celtics faced.

[catquickspider]

So were most teams the Celtics faced.

so?

having a better team means you will look better and have an easier time
regardless of how tough the opponent is

[stephanieg]

Using accolades and awards to compare players is really, really dumb and has to stop.

[Showtime]

so?

having a better team means you will look better and have an easier time
regardless of how tough the opponent is

So does that mean that because the Lakers are stacked this year it makes Kobe look better? Didn't having Shaq make everybody look better? I mean, you can't have it both ways. If Bird isn't that good because he won with a stacked team, then the same should apply to everybody else who won with a stacked team.

[Sir Charles]

I figured that someone would call me out on that. I can't prove it....so there ya go. It's just my impression from watching them play. I saw Parish and Mchale as "reliable".

Agreed althoguh McHale in the Post was onstoppable Offensively (literally) and Top Interior Defender he couldn`t make others Better through Passing or do to Versatility...Shaq could...and that is why Shaq made Bryant Better...in teh same ways Bird made Parish totally and made McHale`s Job easier...

Bird > Bryant

[Da_Realist]

so?

having a better team means you will look better and have an easier time
regardless of how tough the opponent is

This makes no sense. Larry Bird had better teammates, but he had to compete in a league where all the top teams were also more talented than most teams Kobe has played against. The 80's Sixers, Bucks, Lakers then the late 80's Pistons were just a few of the teams Larry's Celtics had to knock off.

Besides, didn't Kobe play with Shaq for 8 years?

[Sir Charles]

Kobe. Better scorer, considerably better on-ball defender, and team/help defender. Hes not the passer Bird is but hes still one of the best non-pg passers in the entire league. Also draws just as much defensive coverage as Bird and generates just as much open looks for his teammates. Bird was the better long-range shooter, but Kobe is right there with him as a mid-range shooter. Kobe handles the ball better and is every bit as capable of being clutch.

How about saying...Larry Bird could Post Up and Score and Rebound on PFs...?
How about saying...Larry Bird had more ways to Score...other than Shooting from the Outside or Penetrating....?
How about saying...Larry Bird is the Best Rebounding SF in what...the Last 20 years?
How about saying...Lary Bird is the Greatest Clutch Shooter Ever and Last Second Performer Ever?
How aboyt saing...Larry Bird is the Greatest Passer without a Dribble in NBA History?
How about saying...Larry Bird`s B-Ball IQ, Intelligence, Court Awareness, Eye and Hands (both) Coordination + Body Movement is Probably the Best Seen in Baskeball History?

[Killer_Instinct]

youngest player to score 20000 points

You're an idiot. Your boyfriend hasn't accomplished 00.01 of what Kobe has, but Mayo>Kobe, right? Some morons should not be allowed to post.

[2LeTTeRS]

Kobe. Better scorer, considerably better on-ball defender, and team/help defender. Hes not the passer Bird is but hes still one of the best non-pg passers in the entire league. Also draws just as much defensive coverage as Bird and generates just as much open looks for his teammates. Bird was the better long-range shooter, but Kobe is right there with him as a mid-range shooter. Kobe handles the ball better and is every bit as capable of being clutch.

Kobe isn't a better scorer than Bird, and his questionable shot selection and the amount of times he breaks off the offense and just goes one on one makes him a worse offensive player than Bird. He has him on D though.

[Da_Realist]

Kobe. Better scorer, considerably better on-ball defender, and team/help defender. Hes not the passer Bird is but hes still one of the best non-pg passers in the entire league. Also draws just as much defensive coverage as Bird and generates just as much open looks for his teammates. Bird was the better long-range shooter, but Kobe is right there with him as a mid-range shooter. Kobe handles the ball better and is every bit as capable of being clutch.

There is a lot of subtlety in basketball that is not represented when you break players down like this. You gotta look at them as a complete player and judge by that.

Even with all his tools, Kobe is not the player Larry Bird was.

[big baller]

So far, Bird has had the better carrer....altho i would rather have kobe on my team than Bird. Y? Because Kobe has better athleticism, better clutch, better at going to the rim, and imo better 1 on 1 defender. Bird is a better shooter and rebounder....i really dont know who was the better passer. All i am trying to say here is tht Kobe is the better player, Bird has had the better career. This is in my own opinion, and everyone has thr opinions.

[juju151111]

I figured that someone would call me out on that. I can't prove it....so there ya go. It's just my impression from watching them play. I saw Parish and Mchale as "reliable".

Mchale thought KG his post moves(He never uses them now, but when he was on the wolves in his peim he did).U see bird give mchale some good passes, but thats because ur watching Bird highlights/Mchale was like tim duncan, but not has good.