I got Magic over Bird by a hair.
Would be interested in a poll to see what the consensus actually is, nationwide
Tbh a lot of older players don't have Jordan as their #1. And the ones that do list him as the GOAT are mainly players whose prime were in the 90s. There are exceptions of course, but I guarantee you that Magic in 1988 didn't think Jordan was a better player than him Dr. J don't have him as his #1. Gervin doesn't. Oscar doesn't. Wilt didn't and neither does Kareem. The ones running the narrative are mainly the people that lost to him in the 90s.
Objectively why would Isaiah consider him the GOAT? Bird whooped his ass. Bird is the one who made the steal in perhaps the worst moment of Isaiah's career. When Isaiah came around, Jordan wasn't even in the league.Bird was a champion. Magic was a champion and Isiah had nothing. He wanted to be like those guys. In Isaiah's prime, Jordan was an afterthought. He broke his foot. Got swept. Got swept again. And the Bulls weren't considered a great team because they didn't win anything. When you think of the 80s, what teams do you think of? Lakers, Celtics, Pistons, 76ers, Rockets. I might put the Bulls behind even the Hawks and the Bucks. In Isaiah's mind, Jordan didn't win anything during what he believed to be the Golden Age of basketball.
But now Isiah has to listen to the media kick him down again and again because he doesn't kiss the ring. I about threw up when Skip said that the second greatest point guard of all time, ZEKE, didn't make the Dream Team because he wasn't good enough. Dude probably fantasizes about Mike being with his wife; I'm not even sure he doesn't call out Michael's name in the middle of the horizontal dance with his lady
I got Magic over Bird by a hair.
Would be interested in a poll to see what the consensus actually is, nationwide
Consensus nationwide
"The black guy"
Something doesn't add up that Lakers had Kareem and Magic and were about even with the Celtics.
Team A
Kareem + Bird
Vs
Team B
McHale + Magic
What happens
Last edited by FrostKing; 05-01-2020 at 09:17 PM.
He had the back end of Kareem's prime and the twilight. Not Milwaukee Kareem.
And Parish was not exactly Joel Anthony or something, he was pretty good.
Overall , i think Magic had a slight edge in talent on his teams..
I've been thinking about this lately and I think you are right. Whatever era they played in is what era they will choose from as their GOAT pick.
Few exceptions here or there....like Isiah who picks Lebron just to piss off Jordan. I don't think he actually means it, he's trolling
Or maybe he objectively thinks Lebron is better than Jordan
Isiah is 3-1 against Jordan, I think he’s ok
Bird doesn't either despite the myth people like to perpetuate.
81-84/85; Kareem better than McHale.
By 86, McHale was better. But that was one whole season. By the 87 playoffs, McHale had a career altering foot fracture.
Also, let's note that Earvin had Worthy, an athletic wing/big. Bird never had that type of talent to work with. He would have with Bias, but then he died.
Bias dying while the Lakers got M. Thompson for peanuts and AC Green in the draft was a gamechanger. Up to that point, Bird was 3-3 with Magic even being in the much stronger conference and the Lakers on league welfare.
To be fair, Pippen and Grant were not mature players for the first two series they played in. Jordan was armed with butter knives in those series. And everybody knows it.
When Bird says Jordan is actually God in disguise, I think it's a safe assumption.
What have you heard to the contrary?
Maybe he is like Trump and plays both sides of the issues. No firm convictions.
https://sports.yahoo.com/isiah-thoma...213947721.htmlHere is what Thomas told Sports Illustrated following Jordan’s retirement from the Bulls in 1999:
“From all the players I have seen and played against, he’s definitely the best player ever. A lot of people like to argue this guy was better or this guy was better. But every player you think of there was some weaknesses and deficiencies in their game. He has the complete package in all facets of his offensive game, and when you break him down defensively, he’s also the best defensive player in the game. ... He should be remembered as the greatest of all time.”
It seems his opinion has changed with time, just as he has adjusted his reasoning for not shaking Jordan’s hand after the 1991 Eastern Conference finals. Being called “an a--hole” can make you rethink quite a bit.
i firmly believe if you replace magic with bird on those showtime teams, they win 6-7 championships
bird was a flat out better basketball player. but since magic has "ringzzzzzzzzzzz" everyone wants to give him the edge
but just watching the two of them, taking rings and accomplishments out of the picture, its unquestionable bird was more skilled, more clutch, and at least equal if not a better leader. magic simply had much more talented teams, and was in the weaker conference by far
I mean Bird also praised Harden and Thompson so anything is possible
It's not. It's total hyperbole. Jordan nut huggers need to stop pretending that's Bird's endorsement of him as GOAT.
He was being complimentary about the player for the one game he just played.
Magic: 9 Finals appearances, 5 rangs. Beat Bird twice, beat the Bad Boys twice, beat Philly.
Bird: 5 Finals appearances, 3 rangs. Beat Magic once, beat the Rockets twice
Advantage: Magic Johnson
But team sports and Magic played in weaker conference. Key differences between them is that Bird was much better shooter and smarter defender
Magic called Bird the greatest basketball player ever at his retirement ceremony only weeks before that goat comment to Jordan.
Real Magic said Bird was GOAT.
Paid-off Magic said Jordan was GOAT.
He beat the "better conference" 5 times in a decade. He beat your boy TWICE in the FinalsPERID
By Stern stealing Game 5 from Boston in 85 and his company men stealing Game 4 in Boston in 87. Not to mention 88 was stolen from the Pistons. Lakers weren't really a championship team after 80 and 82. And those were weaker years for the 80's frankly.
Meh Detroit came a phantom foul away from beating the 88 Lakers. I don't think they'd have much of a chance against the 83 Sixers or 86 Celtics, but the Pistons' 89 team would have a great shot in any other year that decade. That team was deep and had so many quality bigs. Very underrated IMO.
Bird has more T-cells too and didn't have the gay gene to pass to his kid.
True true
Lakers did it. Not Magic alone. It's not tennis or boxing
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