1984 Larry Bird vs. 2012 LeBron James

[Lebron23]

Who's the better player? Bird won his first NBA Finals MVP in 1984 while LeBron won his first Finals MVP last year. Both Bird and LeBron won the Regular Season MVP.


Larry Bird





Regular Season

24.0 ppg on 49.2 FG%, 11.0 rpg, 6.6 apg, 1.8 spg, 0.9 bpg

Playoffs

27.5 ppg on 52.4 FG%, 11.0 rpg, 5.9 apg, 2.3 spg, 1.2 bpg

Finals

27.4 ppg on 48.6 FG%, 14.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.1 spg, 1.1 spg

Celtics beat the Bullets, Knicks, Bucks, and Lakers in the playoffs.


LeBron James



Regular Season

27.1 ppg on 53.2 FG%, 8.0 rpg, 6.2 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.8 bpg

Playoffs

30.3 ppg on 50 FG%, 9.7 rpg, 5.3 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.7 bpg

Finals

28.6 ppg on 47.4 FG%, 10.0 rpg, 7.4 apg, 1.6 spg, 0.4 bpg

Miami beat the Knicks, Pacers, Celtics and Thunder in the playoffs.

[ripthekik]

How about 2011 LeBron James

[NumberSix]

The king

[Deuce Bigalow]

Bird. 2012 was a lockout season (not that it doesn't count).
Bird's team beat the Showtime Lakers while Lebron's team beat the Thunder.

[D-Wade316]

The king

EASILY

[Kingwillball]

And This YEar Lebron Numbers In regular season even BETTER will see about Playoffs.

[Lebron23]

The king

Larry Legends thinks that LeBron just had the greatest playoffs run in NBA History.

http://www.complex.com/sports/2012/0...in-nba-history

[Money 23]

Bird's team beat the Showtime Lakers while Lebron's team beat the Thunder.

Thunder of 2012 were really nice, one of the best trios of all-time in my opinion. Very talented. It would be foolish to underrate that team.

But given the lock out which crippled a lot of teams due to injuries who didn't have freak genetic experiment athletes on their team (LeBron) ...

And like you said superior rebounding numbers, slightly less volume scoring, comparable assist numbers and the fact they beat an ALL TIME great Laker squad. I'm going with Larry Legend.

Maybe, 2013 LeBron will have a more separation in terms of stats and performance in the next playoffs.

[Round Mound]

1985-86 Bird Should Be The One in the Conversation. As an Impact Player...Lebron is Better but as a Team Player Bird Was the Best Ever.

[Pushxx]

MJ, Bird, Wilt, and Shaq have the best peaks ever.

Sure there are guys just below like KG, LeBron, and Hakeem, but those four have the best peaks in NBA history.

LeBron has still more to play of course, but the rules that benefit perimeter play in today's NBA make a big difference when it comes to Bird and MJ's peaks.

[Kingwillball]

MJ, Bird, Wilt, and Shaq have the best peaks ever.

Sure there are guys just below like KG, LeBron, and Hakeem, but those four have the best peaks in NBA history.

LeBron has still more to play of course, but the rules that benefit perimeter play in today's NBA make a big difference when it comes to Bird and MJ's peaks.

Lebron Will Join that Top Line if He is at this Level another 2 or 3 seasons.

[diamenz]

bird is the better team player imo, and worked better off the ball. a whole hell of a lot better off the ball. he was also a much more fluid player with better fundamentals.

i think lebron would take bird one on one though.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Stats are comparable, both had some good team mates around but this says it all

Celtics beat the Bullets, Knicks, Bucks, and Lakers in the playoffs.

Miami beat the Knicks, Pacers, Celtics and Thunder in the playoffs.

Plus Bird won mvp in a league with Magic, prime King, Moses, Kareem, Isiah, Erving, Dantley, Moncrief..

Also 1984 wasn't a lockout season and can't forget the tougher rules

[ripthekik]

Larry Legends thinks that LeBron just had the greatest playoffs run in NBA History.

http://www.complex.com/sports/2012/0...in-nba-history

best run.. against the worst opponents ever???
look at the east teams they play..

[Pacers4ever]

Thunder of 2012 were really nice, one of the best trios of all-time in my opinion. Very talented. It would be foolish to underrate that team.

But given the lock out which crippled a lot of teams due to injuries who didn't have freak genetic experiment athletes on their team (LeBron) ...

And like you said superior rebounding numbers, slightly less volume scoring, comparable assist numbers and the fact they beat an ALL TIME great Laker squad. I'm going with Larry Legend.

Maybe, 2013 LeBron will have a more separation in terms of stats and performance in the next playoffs.

He didn't actually say that and shouldn't when you factor the difference in pace between both leagues and in case you didn't know, it was faster in 1984.