Would you rather have 10 years of Bird or 16 years of Duncan?

[Smoke117]

I look at it like this:

Bird had more help and Duncan faced easier competition.

After arriving at this point I would choose Duncan, because of the longevity which this thread is based on.

Personally, my rankings go like this:

4. Duncan
5. Shaq
6. Bird

That is true that Bird faced much better competition. I think I would rather have 10 years of Bird because Bird in his first 9 years was an absolute monster. (it was his 10th season that he hurt his back and only played 6 games, so you cant' really go with 10 years) Duncan though around his 8-10 years started to decline from the super elite player he started out as and was starting to deal with injuries while Ginobili and Parker took on a heavier load as offensive players. His Longevity is amazing, but Larry in his first 9 years is the definitive better player compared to Duncan and his first 9 seasons. I'll take the better player, who won three back to back MVP's and possibly had his best season during his 9th season before he ****ed up his back in 89 myself.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

yeah they're both healthy, but Bird still only play as long as he did in real life..

Bird was the better scorer, better passer, better play maker, equal at rebounding

Well considering his back derailed his longevity, I am once again, taking Larry

[navy]

That is true that Bird faced much better competition.

He also had much more stacked teams when he won.

[SHAQisGOAT]

If Bird had more advanced medicine (same as Duncan) his career would've probably lasted longer. He was still really good at 35, playing with career ending injuries that left him somewhat overweight, unable to practice much and with little mobility, plus he never depended much on athleticism, was incredibly skilled, really tall and strong, so imagine the type of longevity he could've had at what level, something even similar to someone like Duncan. The injuries had to happen with his type of physicaly play, hustle and commitment, though, plus I've heard that even not playing basketball his back would've still ended screwed up.. but with medicine of nowadays, he could've lasted longer.

I'm gonna suppose we're not talking about every year at their best level but rather Bird's 1st 9 seasons vs Duncan's past 16 seasons... If so I'll probably take Bird; we're talking about 9 seasons averaging 25/10/6/2/1, with 4 peak seasons at around 28/10/7/2/1 on 51/41/90, instant greatness from the get-go turning a franchise around, unreal impact on the team, beastly overall with all the intangibles in the world, every season making all-nba 1st, only once out of the top3 in MVP voting and only twice out of the top2, some terrific playoff runs and leading teams to rings against amazing competition, he had some great teammates but was also playing in arguably the goat era on the goat conference, and on the goat era for SF's... That's too much to pass on, even for 6 more seasons of past-his-peak Duncan, which is still really good so that makes this extremely tough/close. And both had a tremendous primes but Bird's above there. It's very close and if I'll think more about it I can even change my mind but I'll say Bird.. just too much not to go with.

If in any way possible we could've had either player always at their best, it would be tough af as well because peak Bird > peak Duncan, but I would've gone with Duncan because his prime was also amazing and 6 more seasons is too much to go against.

[secund2nun]

16 of Duncan. If Duncan played for the Lakers, Celtics, or Knicks he would be ranked just as high as Bird. That's what a big market does for your legacy.

[Pushxx]

Bird.

[TheMarkMadsen]

Well considering his back derailed his longevity, I am once again, taking Larry

did you miss the part where I said Bird was better at a lot of things?

Don't know what the loling is about

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

did you miss the part where I said Bird was better at a lot of things?

Don't know what the loling is about

You misunderstood me. Without "injuries" I find any other answer to be laughable.. but thats just me

[TheMarkMadsen]

You misunderstood me. Without "injuries" I find any other answer to be laughable.. but thats just me

ohh i got ya

[SHAQisGOAT]

He also had much more stacked teams when he won.

What he did also "makes" people think that way. We can't forget..

The Celtics had the 2nd worst record in the league (and no tanking because Bird was already drafted, teams didn't do that to today's levels, as well) and were hitting rock bottom as a franchise before Larry got there, and with Bird and pretty much the same core roster they ended up with the best record and making the ECF.

In Bird's sophomore season, Cowens was gone and they got Robert Parish, who was never viewed as much with the Warriors and was already 27, and Bird led them to a championship while majorly outplaying MVP Julius Erving in the "real" Finals, the ECF, plus he should've gotten that FMVP in the Finals.

Look at the 1984 Playoffs, look at what Bird's teammates were doing in the regular-season and how they were really underperforming in the post-season.. Bird led the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, FG% and FT%, leading them all the way against great competition, think of how unreal is that, and he did more of the same in the Finals while they won over a better team on paper, that was playing better.

In 1986, healthy with a crazy roster, Bird at his peak just unreal, leading the team clicking on all levels he did what he had to.. leading arguably the GOAT team and destroying everyone in their way throughout the year, only losing once at home.
Lebron joined a stacked-ass roster and look at what happened in his 1st year, they never dominated like those C's against worse competition, just an example.

In 1988 they went 57-25 and made the ECF taking the Pistons to 6, while Bird was already dealing with all the "issues". In 1989 he was out with injury, and they went 42-40, getting swept in the 1st round, plus Reggie Lewis started his prime that year. Bird returns in 1990, not at the same level, and they still improve to 52-30 almost getting through the 1st round, following year they get 56W and reach the ECSF, with Bird far from his best level.
MJ retired and the Bulls won 2 less games, almost making the ECF, for example.
.......

And look at the teams he had to face, or the superstars at the top like Kareem, Magic, Moses, Erving, MJ, Wilkins, King......

-Tiny was a shell of his former self with the Celtics, after one tore and one ruptured ACL. Chances at HoF still but not even close to getting in so quickly if he never played with the C's and Bird.
-Parish, like I've said above, was never viewed as all that with the Warriors and he was already 26 or so. You can say he wouldn't be a HoF without playing alongside Larry with the Celtics, as some other really good centers in the 80s.
-Walton was still serviceable but was not even close to his best level, after serious injuries, and only played with the Celtics for one season.
-DJ's career was in "bad form" before he joined the Celtics, and, after he did, that helped to really cement his legacy, to make HoF.
-People would probably never even hear of Maxwell nowadays if he never played alongside Bird.
-McHale was drafted in 1980 and only coming to his own by 1984, he had an amazing peak but didn't last long due to injury. I reckon he would've been a HoF'er on most situations, at the least if his prime/peak lasted longer.
...........

Yet people many times only know how to say "Bird played with McHale, Parish, DJ, Tiny, Maxwell, Walton......", neglecting what he/they had to face in terms of teams and top superstars, how they were before him, what he did when he got there, what he "built", his factual unreal impact on the team, what he did for the franchise, what he "did" for those teammates, how he led them in numerous situations, and the level he was playing at...

[LAZERUSS]

Any GM would trade their eternal souls just for the second choice in that scenario...

[Mr. Incredible]

Duncan. The best PF to ever play.

[The-Legend-24]

Give me 10 years of any player over Duncan.

Except Wilt, that nikka was a straight up choker.

[LAZERUSS]

Give me 10 years of any player over Duncan.

Except Wilt, that nikka was a straight up choker.

This has to rank among the dumbest posts in ISH history...and that is saying a lot.

[T_L_P]

Give me 10 years of any player over Duncan.

Except Wilt, that nikka was a straight up choker.

You have so much contempt for him. Yet whenever you get called on it you run away.

Typical ISH troll.