PickUp Game: Larry Bird VS Scottie Pippen

[97 bulls]

Bird could take a lot of ppl off the dribble. He's not Michael Jordan or LBJ good, but it's not like Bird was flawed in that area. He operated similar to Magic Johnson. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfLjD5ft6o4#t=01m24s

That was against Dominique Wilkins, who was more athletic and quicker than Bird. And look how he take the Pistons players off the dribble here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZQEkElyqAY


Larry Bird is a great one on one player. He also did similar things against Michael Cooper, who is one of the best perimeter defenders of all time. You shouldn't Bird looks fool you.

The question would be whatever if Bird could stay in front of Pippen? The answer would be yes and no. Bird did defend Wilkins, Worthy, and Dr. J in a few instances who are all better offensively and quicker than Pippen is. Bird never sucked at the defense, but he wasn't as good as Cooper or Pippen was. Bird was a good post defender tho. With that said, Pippen would blow by him a few times. Could Pippen stop Bird? Maybe contain like Cooper, but not stop him. And if Bird is shot is on, nothing Pippen could do about that since Bird is one of the best offensively.

Dominique Wilkins was a shitty defender in his own right. There was 1 play in the first vid where bird drove by wilkins.

That saying, I've seen a lot of clips and vids in this thread. We've probably seen about a good 100 or so highlights of shots bird has taken. I can count on one hand how many times he scored in what's considered an iso situation.

[97 bulls]

Another thing, a few clips (about 5) of bird taking a guy off the dribble is not an indication of his iso abilities. I believe we all can admit that pippens jumpshot was at best decent. As was his 3pt range. I could produce a lot of clips showing pippen hitting an outside jumpshot. But that does not mean he's a strong jumpshooter.

[Micku]

Dominique Wilkins was a shitty defender in his own right. There was 1 play in the first vid where bird drove by wilkins.

That saying, I've seen a lot of clips and vids in this thread. We've probably seen about a good 100 or so highlights of shots bird has taken. I can count on one hand how many times he scored in what's considered an iso situation.

Did you check the second vid?

But the fact that I'm trying to show you that Bird could take ppl one on one, I assume that you haven't really watched a lot of Bird. Especially by your comments after each vid. The only way you would have to see that Bird could take ppl one on one is by watching more games. Especially anytime he is guarded by Michael Cooper, Rodman or Paul Pressey or something.

Besides, you could just watch some old Celtics vs Bulls highlights when Pippen and Bird played against each other. Bird would sometimes play more PFish, so Pippen didn't really guard him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAOx36A48wU

It's a good vid. Pippen showed his quickness and in the open court and first step in that vid. Bird schooled him in the post or whatever. In that game Bird had 38 points on 50% shooting and Pippen had 22 points on 53%.

And besides, it's one on one. It's not like anything big. Pippen could very well beat Bird and as well as Bird could beat Pippen.

[32Dayz]

Prime Bird is an underrated athlete.

[La Frescobaldi]

Dominique Wilkins was a shitty defender in his own right. There was 1 play in the first vid where bird drove by wilkins.

That saying, I've seen a lot of clips and vids in this thread. We've probably seen about a good 100 or so highlights of shots bird has taken. I can count on one hand how many times he scored in what's considered an iso situation.

**********
Again, you cant find clips of Bird doing isos because the Celtics weren't stupid enough to throw their entire team out of balance by running isolation plays.

That was always considered a shoddy gameplan - either the guy was a ballhog, or his teammates were so pathetic they just crowded off.

And why would forwards dribble at the top of the key anyhow? Thats a recent downgrade of the league. Seeing Bynum run iso plays from the top of the key... Only an execrable coach would do that

[97 bulls]

Prime Bird is an underrated athlete.

Actually, I must say that watching these clips as a person critiqing as opposed to just a fan, I must admit birds athleticism is underrated.

[97 bulls]

**********
Again, you cant find clips of Bird doing isos because the Celtics weren't stupid enough to throw their entire team out of balance by running isolation plays.

That was always considered a shoddy gameplan - either the guy was a ballhog, or his teammates were so pathetic they just crowded off.

And why would forwards dribble at the top of the key anyhow? Thats a recent downgrade of the league. Seeing Bynum run iso plays from the top of the key... Only an execrable coach would do that

You're right. Iso ball isn't a better form of basketball, however in a game of 1 on 1 that all you have is isolations. There is no help defense, there is no screener, there is noone to pass it to. Its one players one on one skills vs anothers. It a players ability to play man defense vs anothers. You showed clips of team ball.

[AlphaWolf24]

Prime Scottie Pippen was one of the greatest defenders the NBA has ever seen....to go along with being a 25PPG offensive player...

while Bird was one of the greatest players ever....his passing would be useless...and his ability to rub off of screens would be non existent...

he would have to rely on his post game vs Pippen...

while Pippen's outside shooting was not as good....he was a better player off the dribble and a much faster player with the ball.

many people here are not really understanding 1 vs 1 basketball....Pippen wins this and many posters here would be shocked how much different 1 vs 1 is then a 5 on 5....


in fact in many 1 vs 1 tournaments ...the player who wins is usually not the best player in a team environment...



Pippen>Bird in this scenario.....alot of people here would be showed as fools.

[Round Mound]

Bird could not take "anyone" off the dribble. I posted this vid already, and I knew I wasn't gonna get a response cuz the truth hurts I guess. But here's a vid of pippen in the post defending, 6'10 260lbs chris webber, 7'0 260lb patrick ewing, juwan howard, charles barkley, larry johnson to name a few.


http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_u...?v=N9vFHYVXtRk

And please understand, these are great post players. Not some nobody like lefresco baldi posted as a testament to birds ability to take his man off the dribble.

And what is "leg length"? If your trying to imply that pippen would have problems with bird in the post due to bird 1 inch heith advantage, come on. Bird couldn't jump over a loaf of bread, pippen was an amazing jumper. And was great blocking jump shots.

Pippen himself said "Larry Bird is the Hardest Player to Defend"

Pippen never stopped Barkley when he was guarding him. Thats another Myth like that of Kevin McHale. Go Look at the Head to Heads

Bird had legs that where very strong he could post up PFs and schooled many like Horace Grant. Pippen would waste energly driving wise while Bird woul just force him to take far a way shots and himself he would post up and fadeway like crazy.

Pippen himsefl said Bird was the Best SF he Ever Guarded

[97 bulls]

Pippen himself said "Larry Bird is the Hardest Player to Defend"

Pippen never stopped Barkley when he was guarding him. Thats another Myth like that of Kevin McHale. Go Look at the Head to Heads

Bird had legs that where very strong he could post up PFs and schooled many like Horace Grant. Pippen would waste energly driving wise while Bird woul just force him to take far a way shots and himself he would post up and fadeway like crazy.

Pippen himsefl said Bird was the Best SF he Ever Guarded

Pippen never said bird was the toughest player he ever defended. Hell he defended jordan in practice every day.

I showed you clips of him guarding barkley. Did you watch the video? Ewing tried to back him down at 7 feet and tried to fade away, pippen still blocked his shot barkley tried to move him off the post cuz pippen was fronting him, and barkley couldn't. Granted noramally grant defended barkley, but those clips were more used to show that bird posting him up isn't a given.

And again, the contrast in this debate is that I posted clips of great low post big men trying to post up pippen (prime 28-30 yr old not a 22 year old kid pippen) without success. You guys have shown clips where either bird didn't do anything remotely close to what would be considered 1 on 1, IE the curls, picks, screens etc, or he beat really bad defenders off the dribble. Guys like brad sellers, dominique wilkins, and some white guy that I don't remember.

[97 bulls]

Another thing, I've tried to respond to everyone of these clips and videos. I haven't received one rebutal on the legitimacy of my POV based on the vids I posted. I'm gonna assume that you guys agree that pippen would have given bird all he could handle if bird tried to post him up.

[305Baller]

Early Bird would beat prime Pippen.

[Bigsmoke]

Once Bird gets the ball its over

[inclinerator]

right now? scottie pippen
prime, bird

[bwink23]

Prime Scottie Pippen was one of the greatest defenders the NBA has ever seen....to go along with being a 25PPG offensive player...

while Bird was one of the greatest players ever....his passing would be useless...and his ability to rub off of screens would be non existent...

he would have to rely on his post game vs Pippen...

while Pippen's outside shooting was not as good....he was a better player off the dribble and a much faster player with the ball.

many people here are not really understanding 1 vs 1 basketball....Pippen wins this and many posters here would be shocked how much different 1 vs 1 is then a 5 on 5....


in fact in many 1 vs 1 tournaments ...the player who wins is usually not the best player in a team environment...



Pippen>Bird in this scenario.....alot of people here would be showed as fools.

LOL at this dork talking like no one here has played a day of basketball in their lives.