LeBron vs Bird vs Magic - Whose PRIME was better?

[insidious301]

Regular-Season Numbers

1983-1991 Magic Johnson: 20 PPG, 13 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL on 52/31/86 splits
1981-1989 Larry Bird: 25 PPG, 7 AST, 10 REB, 2 STL on 50/37/89 splits
2009-2018 LeBron James: 27PPG, 8 AST, 8 REB, 2 STL on 53/35/75 splits

Same Years in the Playoffs

20 PPG, 13 AST, 7 REB, 2STL on 51/24/85 splits (Magic)
25 PPG, 7 AST, 11 REB, 2 STL on 48/35/89 splits (Bird)
29 PPG, 7 AST, 9 REB, 2 STL on 51/34/74 splits (LeBron)

Notable Awards, Honors and Championships during their primes

3 MVP, 1 FMVP, 9 All-NBA First Team, 3 Championships (Magic)
3 MVP, 2 FMVP, 8 All-NBA First team, 3 All-Defensive Second Team, 3 Championships (Bird)
4 MVP, 3 FMVP, 10, All-NBA First team, 6 All-Defensive Team -- 5 First Team/1 Second Team, 3 Championships (LeBron)

Other Stats, Misc Info

Prime Magic led the league in assists 4 of those 9 seasons (the other 5 seasons he was second). And led the league in Triple Doubles 7 of those 9 seasons. Prime Magic also holds the record for playoff assists (303 assists in 1988). The next 2-5 players? They're all Magic.

Prime Bird led the league in BPM for 4 straight years and was second the following two years in 1987 and 1988.

Prime LeBron led the league in PER 6 straight years and led the league in BPM 5 straight years. Prime Lebron also has the greatest single-season BPM (2009).

Conclusion

All three players were GREAT. Whose prime ranks BEST though?

[SouBeachTalents]

LeBron
Bird
Magic

[Carbine]

This would be a more interesting debate if it were PEAK.

Lebrons is the answer here though, no doubt.

[tpols]

Bird is the best.

He's basically a super Dirk and we've already seen what happened there.

[insidious301]

This would be a more interesting debate if it were PEAK.

Lebrons is the answer here though, no doubt.

Disagree. I believe their prime's are very close, just like their peaks. Your comment would make sense if this were a CAREER ranking,

[Ghost1]

[insidious301]

Bird is the best.

He's basically a super Dirk and we've already seen what happened there.

A super Dirk? I like that.

If you're including defense and playmaking, I don't know if that's the most accurate comparison though. How close do you view Dirk and Lebron since you went with Bird here?

[tpols]

A super Dirk? I like that.

If you're including defense and playmaking, I don't know if that's the most accurate comparison though. How close do you view Dirk and Lebron since you went with Bird here?

Yea basically Dirk + better passing and trash talk. A meaner, better version.

Dirk led two teams to the Finals through a brutal gauntlet with Jason Terry as his best help. One was last rank assists and the other was top ranked so he fits in any system. He's beaten H2H in the playoffs Kobe, Lebron, Wade, Duncan, Garnett, Durant ...superstar talent. I really think he could beat and/or hang with just about any superstar in history sans MJ or Bird, and even then he'd make it close.

[Roundball_Rock]

LeBron
Bird
Magic

This, with the caveat that when we are talking this level of greatness we are splitting hairs in terms of prime play. Career wise, LeBron's longevity clearly separates him from the other two.

[Shooter]

Wasn't Larry Bird outscored by his own teammate in three of his five Finals?! Including back to back Finals (1985 and 1986)?

#NoThanks

I know how much we value scoring around here.

LeBron
Magic
Bird

[SouBeachTalents]

Wasn't Larry Bird outscored by his own teammate in three of his five Finals?! Including back to back Finals (1985 and 1986)?

#NoThanks

I know how much we value scoring around here.

LeBron
Magic
Bird

You're gonna use that argument then rank Magic above Bird

[Carbine]

LeBrons prime really dates back to '06 though, not sure why we're cutting out three of his best seasons.

[insidious301]

Yea basically Dirk + better passing and trash talk. A meaner, better version.

Dirk led two teams to the Finals through a brutal gauntlet with Jason Terry as his best help. One was last rank assists and the other was top ranked so he fits in any system. He's beaten H2H in the playoffs Kobe, Lebron, Wade, Duncan, Garnett, Durant ...superstar talent. I really think he could beat and/or hang with just about any superstar in history sans MJ or Bird, and even then he'd make it close.

You're right. Dirk faced really good competition and held his own. His matchups with Duncan were great. When you say sans Bird/Jordan though, you don't include Magic or Lebron in that discussion. Why? Not that I have a problem with that, but I also want to know your reasoning.

LeBrons prime really dates back to '06 though, not sure why we're cutting out three of his best seasons.

Some people don't believe that. You can include those years if it makes you feel better, but his prime years vary with certain posters.

2009 is the consensus though.

[tpols]

You're right. Dirk faced really good competition and held his own. His matchups with Duncan were great. When you say sans Bird/Jordan though, you don't include Magic or Lebron in that discussion. Why? Not that I have a problem with that, but I also want to know your reasoning.

You could probably lump magic in there too. But I feel like MJ and Bird are the two GOAT's after watching and reading so much about all the best players. As far as Lebron goes... I mean... an end prime Dirk demolished him at his peak against incredible odds. Imagine if Dirk had Wade Bosh Mike Miller and Lebron had chandler kidd terry. Imagine if Dirk had manu and tony parker instead of josh howard and jason terry. And I like Terry man... he's awesome, but those guys his competition had as teammates were superstars. And he beat his contemporaries anyway. If the help was even? I think Dirk would beat Lebron handily, and we already have proof that he could because he did. It's not even a hypothetical.

[Omar Johnson]

LeBron has the best then Magic then Bird