LeBron vs Larry Bird 1 on 1

[Ca$H]

I think LeBron would destroy Bird. He would score on him at will on offense and lock him down on defense.

[Kblaze8855]

Better defenders than Lebron didnt lock him down I dont see why he would.

[Living Being]

I think LeBron would destroy Bird. He would score on him at will on offense and lock him down on defense.
Unintentional trolling?

How would he lock down Bird? Bird could drive, post up, or just shoot any shot over LeBron no matter how difficult.
Bird would back off him on D and force him to shoot. He would choke.

[Le Shaqtus]

It's almost even, but I give the edge to Bird because of his broader offensive move set.

[Magic 32]

http://igohardnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/136715261_crop_650x440.jpg

[Rose'sACL]

It will be close. Lebron would win given that he is a better defender. Even though bird's offensive moves were better, lebron would score because of his quickness. guys like lebron are very hard to win against in a 1 on 1. he has the size with quickness. you need a young guy like butler to play D against him to stop him 1 on 1

[OldSkoolball#52]

Better defenders than Lebron didnt lock him down I dont see why he would.


I didnt know there was any data on Bird vs opponents in games of 1 on 1 basketball lol.

Also, who ever guarded Bird that was a better defender than Lebron?


Bird would probably fare better against Lebron than just about anyone else with such a physical/athletic disadvantage because hes just such a gamer, but come on. In one on one, Lebron would crush Bird. He could just back him down or blow by him every time. On defense, Lebron could at least block Bird some of the times, with his advantage in arm length and vertical.

Its not like it matters tho. 1 on 1 with a basketball is not really the actual sport of basketball. Its not the game that (most) professionals spent their time practicing and developing. So those comparisons are pretty irrelevant. Unless youre a fan of players like Melo, Kobe, Iverson etc

[TheReturn]

Lebron would kill Bird in a 1 on 1.

Basketball is 5 on 5 though.

[buddha]

http://igohardnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/136715261_crop_650x440.jpg

:roll: :roll:

[Solefade]

with all due respect






ain't no white boy beating one of the best athletes we've ever seen

[ConanRulesNBC]

I think LeBron would destroy Bird. He would score on him at will on offense and lock him down on defense.

:roll:

[#number6ix#]

No one really knows who would win so let's just stop pretending like we do

[ConanRulesNBC]

with all due respect






ain't no white boy beating one of the best athletes we've ever seen

Wow... that was racist. Larry Bird > LeBron James. Easily.

[LAZERUSS]

One-on-one? I don't know, nor do I care. Basketball is a team game. Among many skills, Bird was a master at moving without the ball. And, like Lebron, he was capable of playing 40 mpg. And only needing a split second to get his shot, Bird would get his points.

At the other end, Lebron would need to not only get past Bird, but other defenders, as well.

Of course, both have proven to be among the greatest "team" players of all-time, so the OP is moot.

[Living Being]

with all due respect

ain't no white boy beating one of the best athletes we've ever seen
http://www.mobygames.com/images/shots/l/214332-jordan-vs-bird-one-on-one-genesis-screenshot-jordan-watches.gif
http://img.squakenet.com/snapshot/860/3128-OneonOneJordanVsBird.jpg

[Cangri]

1 on 1 Lebron can guard Bird but Bird can't guard Lebron.

[pauk]

Better defenders than Lebron didnt lock him down I dont see why he would.

I love Bird but come one man? Better SF defenders than Lebron who used to guard Bird? In the 80s? Can you give me one name? Have a hard time recalling any better SF defenders than Lebron in the 80s ... There was indeed perhaps some better defender in the 80s, but none could have guarded Bird better than Lebron.... they were to tall or to undersized like the 6'5/170lbs Cooper.... all were mismatches... Pippen was around, but im not entirely sure that rookie/soph was a better defender...

Hm.. who could it be.. are you maybe thinking of Bobby Jones? He had the size / strength to guard Bird... but Bobby was way out of his prime and retired in the early 80s...

Even if you want to have it your way, then lets just say Lebron would be able to guard Bird much better than Bird could guard him..... agree? :)

[2010splash]

This is basically like comparing Jordan to Kobe. Though they are the two best ever at their positions, one player is clearly much better and more dominant than the other. LeBron would make an absolute mockery out of Bird.

[red1]

This is basically like comparing Jordan to Kobe. Though they are the two best ever at their positions, one player is clearly much better and more dominant than the other. LeBron would make an absolute mockery out of Bird.
:oldlol: this fggt over here

[2010splash]

What part of it is wrong d*ckface? :roll:

[tikay0]

ISH officially turned into the Justin Bieber era of NBA fans. :facepalm

[red1]

What part of it is wrong d*ckface? :roll:

This is basically like comparing Jordan to Kobe. Though they are the two best ever at their positions, one player is clearly much better and more dominant than the other. LeBron would make an absolute mockery out of Bird.
:roll: everything. and d*ckface is a terrilble insult you embarrassing fggt

[2010splash]

:roll: everything. and d*ckface is a terrilble insult you embarrassing fggt
Yet you can't name a single thing wrong with it. F-cking retard lmao!:roll: "Terrible insult." :roll:

[red1]

Yet you can't name a single thing wrong with it. F-cking retard lmao!:roll: "Terrible insult." :roll:
"one player is clearly much better and more dominant than the other"
"lebron would make an absolute mockery of bird"

Lebron couldnt even outscore jason terry let alone dirk. How is he going to compete with a better version of dirk?

:roll:

[aj1987]

Not sure who would win, but I don't see Bird stopping Lebron. Too strong and too fast for Bird. Due to the strength mismatch, Lebron might be able to get a few stops on Bird.

On the other hand, Bird is a much better shooter than Lebron.

[2010splash]

"one player is clearly much better and more dominant than the other"
"lebron will make an absolute mockery of bird"

Lebron couldnt even outscore jason terry let alone dirk. How is he going to compete with a better version of dirk?

:roll:
LeBron abuses guys like Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Ron Artest, Luol Deng and other elite and athletic defenders, yet you think an unathletic, slow, small and terrible defender in Larry Bird stands a chance against LeBron?:roll:

Logic clearly isn't your strong suit. I'm out.

[red1]

LeBron abuses guys like Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Ron Artest, Luol Deng and other elite and athletic defenders, yet you think an unathletic, slow, small and terrible defender in Larry Bird stands a chance against LeBron?:roll:

Logic clearly isn't your strong suit. I'm out.
you are overrating lebron

[mugiwara]

If you play basketball you know that if there are two players of similar size and skill the game can go anyway. Why are people going out and disrespecting bird? Bird has a competitive edge that lebron seems to not have, in basketball mental toughness and belief in yourself eclipses athleticism and potential every time. The man played a game only finishing with his left for the sake of it i mean cmon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R76nMD8buR8

[tikay0]

Just because you guys perceive Lebron as this 1 on 1 master doesn't make it true.

[kNicKz]

with all due respect






ain't no white boy beating one of the best athletes we've ever seen

http://bradnehring.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/alg_mavs_trophy_dirk_kidd.jpg

it's ironic because a poor mans bird beat Lebron in the finals :roll:

One on One to 11: Bird 11-4

[LeBird]

If Bird could abuse Pippen and Jordan trying to shut him down, then Lebron can go down just as heavy.

Man-to-man defending is just not that big of a factor. A great offensive player is almost always going to get his. The defensive player may only slow him down a little.

I think it would be pretty even, not sure really. When you have players this great it often falls to who is feeling good on the day.

[Micku]

I love Bird but come one man? Better SF defenders than Lebron who used to guard Bird? In the 80s? Can you give me one name? Have a hard time recalling any better SF defenders than Lebron in the 80s ... There was indeed perhaps some better defender in the 80s, but none could have guarded Bird better than Lebron.... they were to tall or to undersized like the 6'5/170lbs Cooper.... all were mismatches... Pippen was around, but im not entirely sure that rookie/soph was a better defender...

Hm.. who could it be.. are you maybe thinking of Bobby Jones? He had the size / strength to guard Bird... but Bobby was way out of his prime and retired in the early 80s...

Even if you want to have it your way, then lets just say Lebron would be able to guard Bird much better than Bird could guard him..... agree? :)

Well, Larry Bird did say Michael Cooper was the person who guard him the toughest and the best. He did face against Paul Pressey, Dan Roundfield, Rodman, Okaley, Pippen, and Horace Grant.

Some of them like Pippen and Grant faced them out of his prime while they were in their prime, and when Bird was in his prime they were just starting out.

With that said though, Bird vs LeBron would be interesting. Both can win.

[Rasheed1]

Lebron would beat Bird 1 on 1 (probably pretty easily) but that doesnt mean too much.. Bird's value wasnt in his 1 on 1 skills.. it was his in floor knowledge and smarts during a game of 5 on 5 game. he was a crafty player who was always a step ahead of most players.. and he could shoot the lights out..

just have to respect Bird for what he was

[97 bulls]

If you play basketball you know that if there are two players of similar size and skill the game can go anyway. Why are people going out and disrespecting bird? Bird has a competitive edge that lebron seems to not have, in basketball mental toughness and belief in yourself eclipses athleticism and potential every time. The man played a game only finishing with his left for the sake of it i mean cmon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R76nMD8buR8
But this video is an exhibit of how well Bird played within a TEAM environment. Not one on one. One on one is a totally different animal. I just cant see Bird being able to take a player of Lebron James caliber off the dribble or post him up. And He sure as hell cant stay in front of James.

[97 bulls]

If Bird could abuse Pippen and Jordan trying to shut him down, then Lebron can go down just as heavy.

Man-to-man defending is just not that big of a factor. A great offensive player is almost always going to get his. The defensive player may only slow him down a little.

I think it would be pretty even, not sure really. When you have players this great it often falls to who is feeling good on the day.
In a game of 1 on 1? Dont be ridiculous. Bird doesnt have the ability to compete with James 1 on 1

[TheCorporation]

http://igohardnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/136715261_crop_650x440.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/2rp8i6t.jpg

[Pushxx]

Of course 97 bulls comes out of the woodwork to bash on Bird.

This is the same guy who said Gerald Green would beat Bird in 1-on-1.

Yes he said that. :lol :oldlol: Clueless hater.

[97 bulls]

Of course 97 bulls comes out of the woodwork to bash on Bird.

This is the same guy who said Gerald Green would beat Bird in 1-on-1.

Yes he said that. :lol :oldlol: Clueless hater.
And I stand by that.

[Kblaze8855]

Scottie Pippen, Derek Mckey, Rodney Mccray, Michael Jordan, Dennis rodman, Larry Nance, and Sidney Moncrief were all better on the ball defenders of a player like Bird than Lebron generally is.

Lebrons defense man to man is only exceptional on players he can back off from to prevent the drive but use his length and closeout speed to still contest the jumper against. He cant back off Bird. And while hes been good in the post vs physical players ive not seem him guard too many of the Bird type who specialize not in using physical ability to get a good shot...but in making what appears to be a bad shot.

Lebron either concedes looks in favor of not allowing drives, finds himself out of position and flat out allows the drive because he plays with rim protectors/floppers and he doesnt want to foul, or denies position on big bodied forwards and he fronts very well.

None of which I find too useful vs Bird. He already has the ball so there is no fronting him. You play off and hes making the jumper. You cant just let him blow by in a one on one game.

Ive not seen Lebron attempt to be a Bruce Bowenish "You shall not pass!" defender too often.

And if he tried I dont imagine it would work better than the others who played Bird to deny the jumper.

But one on one anyone could win. I remember a story on some Bulls scrub barely losing to Jordan one on one and getting refused a rematch.

Bill Walton told a story on being up like 10-2 on Bird on on one before Bird got it back and went 9 straight for the win. Clearly Walton at least hung in there.

On that level one on one....make it take it? Its anyones game.

[LeBird]

In a game of 1 on 1? Dont be ridiculous. Bird doesnt have the ability to compete with James 1 on 1

He shoots better, is a better post player and a good man-to-man defender...you make it sound like Bird wouldn't get a point.

[Greg Oden 50]

LECHOKE WILL CHOKE AGAINST BIRD :banana:

[ThaRegul8r]

1 on 1 with a basketball is not really the actual sport of basketball. Its not the game that (most) professionals spent their time practicing and developing. So those comparisons are pretty irrelevant.

This.

I've never understand why some people are so occupied with how so-and-so would do against so-and-so in a game of one-on-one, when any non-street basketball isn't one-on-one.

[97 bulls]

He shoots better, is a better post player and a good man-to-man defender...you make it sound like Bird wouldn't get a point.
Im not knocking Bird. 1 v 1 is about iso offense and man defense only. I just dont see Bird being able to stay in front of James or any atheltic player his height.

Now if James were 6'? Even with the same athleticism, hed have no shot vs Bird because of Birds jumper and post game.

[Micku]

This.

I've never understand why some people are so occupied with how so-and-so would do against so-and-so in a game of one-on-one, when any non-street basketball isn't one-on-one.

I disagree.

Some aspects of one on one basketball is played in professional sports as well as street ball. If some guy isn't a good defender that is guarding your good offensively player, they would give the good O player the ball to abuse him. You see this in the NBA and etc. Because this is the mistmatch.

One on one don't have a great impact in terms of team ball, but it does exists within the pros.

[LeBird]

Im not knocking Bird. 1 v 1 is about iso offense and man defense only. I just dont see Bird being able to stay in front of James or any atheltic player his height.

Now if James were 6'? Even with the same athleticism, hed have no shot vs Bird because of Birds jumper and post game.

You don't have to be taller or more physical to get past Lebron. You've boiled it down solely to athleticism. I've seen Bird abuse defenders using head and pump fakes. I forget who it was that said (he was a notable player) that he found it mentally exhausting marking Bird because he was so smart.

[miller-time]

I think people here think Bird was as stiff as he was on the Dream Team for his entire career. Sure he isn't the most athletic guy ever, but is capable of moving around the floor.

[rule1223]

in one-on-one, you need a consistent jumper, lebron definitely does not have that so im gonna take bird

[97 bulls]

You don't have to be taller or more physical to get past Lebron. You've boiled it down solely to athleticism. I've seen Bird abuse defenders using head and pump fakes. I forget who it was that said (he was a notable player) that he found it mentally exhausting marking Bird because he was so smart.
Im not implying Bird would score on James. My point is that Jame would fair much better in a 1 on 1 setting vs Bird because hes a much better iso player

[SHAQisGOAT]

I love Bird but come one man? Better SF defenders than Lebron who used to guard Bird? In the 80s? Can you give me one name? Have a hard time recalling any better SF defenders than Lebron in the 80s ... There was indeed perhaps some better defender in the 80s, but none could have guarded Bird better than Lebron.... they were to tall or to undersized like the 6'5/170lbs Cooper.... all were mismatches... Pippen was around, but im not entirely sure that rookie/soph was a better defender...

Hm.. who could it be.. are you maybe thinking of Bobby Jones? He had the size / strength to guard Bird... but Bobby was way out of his prime and retired in the early 80s...

Even if you want to have it your way, then lets just say Lebron would be able to guard Bird much better than Bird could guard him..... agree? :)

No, you love Lebron.

Dennis Rodman, Bobby Jones, Michael Cooper, Michael Jordan, Sidney Moncrief were all better on-ball defenders than Lebron and guarded Bird a whole lot, and Bird killed them a whole lot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msEmcemLR7M

Then you also had players like Rodney McCray, Larry Nance, Dan Roundfield, Buck Williams, Xavier McDaniel, who were great defensive players and also got murked by Bird.

Bobby retired in 1986 and was still a beast of a defender in the early 80's, like when Bird murked him and Julius in the 1981 ecf. Underrated af. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NxCr-3L8J4

Not too mention Bird still gave Pippen hell even as a shell under terrible conditions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzTffhlEvQg

6'5''/175lbs Cooper locked players much bigger like it ain't nothin to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7K-oa2bDFY

Lebron wouldn't be nothing new to Bird or close, and he wouldn't be able to stop Bird going through screens to shoot, or shooting over him in the post and so on.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Im not implying Bird would score on James. My point is that Jame would fair much better in a 1 on 1 setting vs Bird because hes a much better iso player

Can't see how he is, Bird was a better shooter, had better footwork, better postgame, better touch close to the basket, smarter also.

[andgar923]

All Bird has to do is back away and let him shoot.

[poido123]

Scottie Pippen, Derek Mckey, Rodney Mccray, Michael Jordan, Dennis rodman, Larry Nance, and Sidney Moncrief were all better on the ball defenders of a player like Bird than Lebron generally is.

Lebrons defense man to man is only exceptional on players he can back off from to prevent the drive but use his length and closeout speed to still contest the jumper against. He cant back off Bird. And while hes been good in the post vs physical players ive not seem him guard too many of the Bird type who specialize not in using physical ability to get a good shot...but in making what appears to be a bad shot.

Lebron either concedes looks in favor of not allowing drives, finds himself out of position and flat out allows the drive because he plays with rim protectors/floppers and he doesnt want to foul, or denies position on big bodied forwards and he fronts very well.

None of which I find too useful vs Bird. He already has the ball so there is no fronting him. You play off and hes making the jumper. You cant just let him blow by in a one on one game.

Ive not seen Lebron attempt to be a Bruce Bowenish "You shall not pass!" defender too often.

And if he tried I dont imagine it would work better than the others who played Bird to deny the jumper.

But one on one anyone could win. I remember a story on some Bulls scrub barely losing to Jordan one on one and getting refused a rematch.

Bill Walton told a story on being up like 10-2 on Bird on on one before Bird got it back and went 9 straight for the win. Clearly Walton at least hung in there.

On that level one on one....make it take it? Its anyones game.


Unfortunately, alot of kids on ISH will not understand this. This is 100% correct, and people need to realise that Bird had just as good if not better defenders on him as Lebron, but also smarter defenders and better interior defenses to stop the drives and also handchecking.

1 on 1 is not the way to compare the two, because either guy can win on their day. Bird was also ruthless with trash talk and very smart, something I would think a fragile minded Lebron would have a hard time dealing with.

As Ive said before, I think Lebron's ceiling is at 8 alltime, MJ, Kareem, Wilt, Russell, Bird, Shaq, Magic are in that tier above. Those guys had limited flaws and unbelievable peaks with a consistent killer instinct.

[lucky001]

One on one is meaningless.

Scott effing burrell was trouble for '96 MJ in their one on one matches.
Oh and MJ beat that gilchrist kid this year. Who knows who would win in larry vs lebron.

[DuMa]

1 on 1 is a terrible assessment of one's basketball skills.

[Kews1]

Larry Legend is probably the better player :bowdown:

[Mr. Jabbar]

Bird would sodomize lebron so badly nike would have to steal the tape

[bdreason]

LeBron certainly has the ability to beat Bird 1 v 1, but I think Bird is just too mentally tough and competitive to lose to LeBron.

To me, Jordan vs. Bird is a much better 1 v 1 matchup.

[poido123]

Bird would sodomize lebron so badly nike would have to steal the tape

:roll:

Trolling but true :lol: