Amazing Larry Bird stat note

[Bano114]

Out of the 5 major stats, Points, Rebounds, Assists, Steals and Blocks. Larry Bird is only in the top 25 in one of those catagories. That was points. He is 25th on the list for all time leaders in points.

The guy is considered one of the greatest of all time by many people but was he really that dominant? For a guy regarded as highly as him you would think he would be on/higher up on some of those lists. I mean, he played 13 years which is a good length for a career.

Can anyone explain this?

Is is the awards/championships that make everyone believe he is so great? Let's face it, he is a great player. But is he a dominant player?

I love Bird and his style of play this is just something I looked up and found suprising.

http://espn.go.com/nba/history/leaders

This is the list of all time leaders in catagories.

[Hammertime]

Yay. Another thread whose sole arguments are brought to you by basketball-reference.com

[DuMa]

Most players who get those stats are either super athletic and/or extremely smart basketball players. Bird wasnt super athletic so by default he was extremely smart. You can pretty much argue the case that he was one of the most smartest basketball players on the court of all time. He was just one step ahead of everyone most of the time in his career. That was the key

[Bano114]

Most players who get those stats are either super athletic and/or extremely smart basketball players. Bird wasnt super athletic so by default he was extremly smart. You can pretty much argue the case that he was one of the most smartest basketball players on the court of all time. He was just one step ahead of everyone most of the time in his career. That was the key

Thanks. That makes a lot of sense. Especially considering the fact that the guy could tell his defender what he was doing and still score.

[jlauber]

Even more amazing are his career playoff stats, including PER (for those that value it.) He cracks the top-25 in ppg, at #24 (23.76), but that is about it.

Once again, and carrying my argument from another thread...Kobe is a better player, in terms of career, than Bird was.

[Penny37]

Out of the 5 major stats, Points, Rebounds, Assists, Steals and Blocks. Larry Bird is only in the top 25 in one of those catagories. That was points. He is 25th on the list for all time leaders in points.

The guy is considered one of the greatest of all time by many people but was he really that dominant? For a guy regarded as highly as him you would think he would be on/higher up on some of those lists. I mean, he played 13 years which is a good length for a career.

Can anyone explain this?

Is is the awards/championships that make everyone believe he is so great? Let's face it, he is a great player. But is he a dominant player?

I love Bird and his style of play this is just something I looked up and found suprising.

http://espn.go.com/nba/history/leaders

This is the list of all time leaders in catagories.

If you really have to question whether or not Bird was a dominant player, then you obviously have never watched him play.

[HisJoeness]

Larry's back was done for the last 3-5 years of his career so that's why his raw numbers may not stand up to other legends. But make no mistake this dude was dominant. From 1981-86 he was the best basketball player in the world.

[Batz]

What's so special about top 25?

[joshwake]

he was probably the most clutch player to ever play in the NBA. You have to actually have watched him play basketball to know this though.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Lie-Statis...4925563&sr=8-1

everyone on ISH should read that book.

[dyna]

Bird>Lebron, Kobe, Wade

[unknown101]

What's so special about top 25?

I think that was just picked because that was what the link showed. Something I noticed in that list... Hakeem is in the top 10 in steals blocks and points, and 11th in rebounds. Only other player close to being in the top 25 in all 4 is KG who is 50 steals away.

[maxwellcu]

Do these people even watch or like basketball, or are they ONLY interested in statistical analysis?

Stats are a great tool, but if your stat tells you that Larry Bird isn't an all-time great, then you are looking into the numbers waaaaaaay too much.

[SEEBASS1234]

This message is hidden because jlauber is on your ignore list.

he is on kobe stan mode because durant got knocked out

[jlauber]

he was probably the most clutch player to ever play in the NBA. You have to actually have watched him play basketball to know this though.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Lie-Statis...4925563&sr=8-1

everyone on ISH should read that book.

You better take a closer look at Bird in his five NBA Finals. A case could be made that he was only the best player on the court in those five Finals, in ONE...and that was in 83-84 when LA should have SWEPT Boston in the first four games.

[Bernie Nips]

According to your logic, Kevin Garnett = GOAT.

I mean, he's in the top 25 in 3 of those categories, will probably end up top 25 in steals as well... and he's also got a very respectable amount of assists (especially for a big man).

Stats don't tell everything.