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  1. #31
    NBA Legend Jailblazers7's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    I think its a toss up. Bird had maybe the best peak of all time in the mid-80s. The guy can carry an offense and still hold his own as a defender because of his IQ on the court. He is more limited than Duncan in terms of size and athleticism but makes up for it in skill.

    Duncan is a great defender and the best offensive post player of the past two 10-15 years. Shaq was more dominant due to his physicality but Duncan's skills on the block trump his. Really good passer too. Championship center piece style big who can anchor both ends of the floor.

    I'd prob lean Duncan just because of the value of post player and because I've seen a lot more of his play. Grew up watching Duncan compared to watching some reruns of Bird so I don't think I can rate Bird accurately.

    When ISHers make all time greatest lists these two are usually seperated by like 3-5 spots so not sure how ppl are going to say its not even close.

  2. #32
    NBA Legend Jailblazers7's Avatar
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    Default

    No, I meant hold his own as in not being a liability on defense. That "more limited" comment was meant just as players in general, not as defenders. Guess I should have been more clear there.

  3. #33
    I rule the local playground
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    Quote Originally Posted by Kovach
    Apart from early 00's Lakers no team stands a chance against those Sixers and Bucks teams.
    Lol, the mighty Don Nelson Bucks.
    What did those teams do to separate themselves from teams like the 99-00 Trailblazers, the early 00s-Sacto Kings, the 05-06 Mavs, the Mid-00s Suns.

    And the 76ers were, while great, clearly less dominating than the Shaq/Kobe Lakers. And no, even fo fo fo won't change that.
    Last edited by brain drain; 03-16-2013 at 12:36 PM.

  4. #34
    Decent playground baller Kovach's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    Quote Originally Posted by brain drain
    Lol, the mighty Don Nelson Bucks.
    What did those teams do to separate themselves from teams like the 99-00 Trailblazers, the early 00s-Sacto Kings, the 05-06 Mavs, the Mid-00s Suns.
    Had much more firepower. And also had the 6th guy that would start for any of those teams. They were the team with most wins of that decade for a good reason.
    Last edited by Kovach; 03-16-2013 at 12:40 PM.

  5. #35
    Facts Are Misleading
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    If you break it down to careers, Tim Duncan wins easily.

    If you break it down to who you would want to build your team around, Tmmy probably wins that one.

    If you break it down to who had the most impact (the only thing that matters) in their peak, it could go either way.

  6. #36
    The Special One k0kakw0rld's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    Quote Originally Posted by Rysio
    bird easily. bird is a legend he could do anything on the court. only thing duncan can do is play defense the rest of his game is average at best.
    I strongly disagree. He plays the fundamentals, which led him to have a more than impressive career. 20.1 ppg 11.2 rpg 3.1 apg .507 fg% as a big man this is terrific. 2 MVPs 4 Rings 3 FMVPs If I have to start a franchise I will pick Duncan in a heartbeat. (Love Bird tho, who doesn't)

    Tim Duncan has a better career than Bird.\

    Anyway 4 > 3 nuffa said

  7. #37
    Dunking on everybody in the park
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    Duncan. Best player in his era.

  8. #38
    College superstar kNicKz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    you all need to watch every magic vs. bird game then come back to this thread. Duncan has never been in a battle like that. Duncan is top 10 all time and an amazing player whose ATG stock never ceases to rise but if I'm in the playoffs I'm taking a prime Larry Bird. That man was a GUNNER, straight up. Duncan couldn't guard Larry Bird

  9. #39
    3-time NBA All-Star IGOTGAME's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    Quote Originally Posted by kNicKz
    you all need to watch every magic vs. bird game then come back to this thread. Duncan has never been in a battle like that. Duncan is top 10 all time and an amazing player whose ATG stock never ceases to rise but if I'm in the playoffs I'm taking a prime Larry Bird. That man was a GUNNER, straight up. Duncan couldn't guard Larry Bird
    are you 12?

  10. #40
    College superstar kNicKz's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird


  11. #41
    I can dunk Tking714's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    Quote Originally Posted by Rysio
    bird easily. bird is a legend he could do anything on the court. only thing duncan can do is play defense the rest of his game is average at best.

  12. #42
    Linja Status Whoah10115's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    Quote Originally Posted by DMAVS41
    You either didn't watch Bird or haven't paid attention to Duncan to think it's absurd to say Duncan.

    I could give you a ton of reasons, but winning 4 titles and winning 50 or more games 14 consecutive years (never been done before...previous high was 12)...all while playing with by far the least amount of help any superstar to win that amount has had...I'll take Duncan.

    I can't even imagine what the results would have been like if Duncan had played on teams even close to as talented as Bird's Celtics.


    They don't win in 81, much less in 84.


    Duncan has been a much different player since 2005. You could take the injuries that he kept hushed when going back to 2005, but since then his role and option status has been the been one of the guys on the team, in an equal opportunity offense. Which is fine, Jordan had the same thing happen in 1991. But his court status was still the #1 guy. Duncan was the best player and a player within the system. From 2005/06 on he was nowhere near the same player. The offense did not go thru him the same way and he didn't have the level of responsibility that is associated with his peak. He always played the right way but he was much more conservative from then on. Honestly, a valid reason (as justification) could very well have been not having Robinson next to him and instead of having Nesterovic, then Oberto, and also backups who weren't that good. Of course, much of this would have been avoided if he moved to center, but I digress...


    Duncan straight up is not close to Bird. And the thought is ridiculous. He has a list of accomplishments that make it sound valid but he's float out not as good and didn't have as much impact. He has more longevity, but not enough to discount that Bird was easily a better player. Bird had better teams and he also had more than twice the competition. If Duncan was on teams as good as the ones Bird was on then Duncan wouldn't have stood out as much.
    Last edited by Whoah10115; 03-16-2013 at 03:59 PM.

  13. #43
    I rule the local playground
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    Quote Originally Posted by Whoah10115
    They don't win in 81, much less in 84.


    Duncan has been a much different player since 2005. You could take the injuries that he kept hushed when going back to 2005, but since then his role and option status has been the been one of the guys on the team, in an equal opportunity offense. Which is fine, Jordan had the same thing happen in 1991. But his court status was still the #1 guy. Duncan was the best player and a player within the system. From 2005/06 on he was nowhere near the same player. The offense did not go thru him the same way and he didn't have the level of responsibility that is associated with his peak. He always played the right way but he was much more conservative from then on. Honestly, a valid reason (as justification) could very well have been not having Robinson next to him and instead of having Nesterovic, then Oberto, and also backups who weren't that good. Of course, much of this would have been avoided if he moved to center, but I digress...


    Duncan straight up is not close to Bird. And the thought is ridiculous. He has a list of accomplishments that make it sound valid but he's float out not as good and didn't have as much impact. He has more longevity, but not enough to discount that Bird was easily a better player. Bird had better teams and he also had more than twice the competition. If Duncan was on teams as good as the ones Bird was on then Duncan wouldn't have stood out as much.
    If Bird had that much more impact, it would show in the stats. Maybe you're misguided by looking at raw stats, but when you're looking at pace-adjusted stats, that's simply not the case.

    Duncan has been every bit as impactful as Bird, and then some.

    And using the "if Duncan had been on teams as good as Bird's"-argument is a boomerang. If Bird's teams were much better than Duncan's and if Bird was a better player than Duncan, then how on earth did Duncan manage to win more titles than Bird? O yeah, because he played in a diluted league and only had to play against weak opponents like the Shaq/Kobe Lakers and the Webber/Peja/Divac Kings, the Amare/Nash/Matrix Suns, Dirk's Mavs and some other slouch teams.

  14. #44
    I make 50-feet jumpers Odinn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    At their best, Larry Bird is the better one. It's very very close. But I think it's clear. Although, I think Duncan is the better playoff performer. And it's clearer than Bird being the better player. Remember he never lost a first-round series in his prime? He won it all with one of the weakest casts for a championship team. Aside from 2003 title, his 2001 and 2002 casts wasn't good. Bunch of old perimeter guys, 35+ year old DRob and inexperienced Parker and he made those teams 58W team and 2nd round team. And he was eliminated by the team has one of the best duos in history. The only thing which can be called a choke-job was 2004 playoffs 2nd round series against the Lakers. He was always as good as he's supposed to be. Or even better.

    Like I said, Larry Bird is the better when it comes to peaks and he should be ranked higher in goat lists.
    But acting like Duncan is nowhere near Larry Bird? That's just wrong.

  15. #45
    NBA Legend CavaliersFTW's Avatar
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    Default Re: Tim Duncan vs Larry Bird

    Quote Originally Posted by Bucket_Nakedz
    one of these dudes is unquestionably the greatest white basketball player ever. so tell me, who is better between the two?
    Duncan is white?

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