These Dirk v Bird comparisons are getting embarrassing

[Finkelskyhook]

I'm just glad to see Dirk evolve to the point where we're someone is even bringing this up. 

I'm not crazy about the comparisons....But Dirk is an old-school basketball player.  It's nice to see him teach the chosen ones.

I'm not crazy about the comparisons.....But the 4th quarter of game 2 was Birdesque.

[tenn_smoothie]

people tend to forget what an absolute animal Larry Bird was on the boards ..........

1981 finals vs moses malone - 15 rebounds / game

1984 finals vs lakers - 14 rebounds / game

career - 10 rebounds / game

but more than stats are the intangibles ...........

Bird spent his career winning big games, big playoffs & titles - he had something special inside him that set him apart.
 
Dirk has spent his career scoring a whole lot of points and
losing a whole lot of playoffs he was supposed to win.

[Yogi]

Larry is legendary, but Dirk's not too shabby.  They play different positions and have different bodies, but you can definitely compare their shooting.  If you absolutely need a bucket, Larry gets a slight edge.  But Dirk is the better 3 point shooter.  He shoots a lot more at a higher percentage. (Larry's absolute FG% is higher from the field)  The only real number that matters though is Larry 3 and Dirk 0.  

[LilRip]

comparisons aside, nice to see Dirk getting some recognition. he's a beast and is def. one of the most underrated players in the league before this Finals. people watch the previous playoffs performances and see the losing and judge him solely on that. yikes!

and btw, it's hard to win the Finals when the 3 officials are in the Heat's pocket. and when Josh Howard doesn't even give you a chance to win because he blows your last timeout.

[PosImpos]

people tend to forget what an absolute animal Larry Bird was on the boards ..........

1981 finals vs moses malone - 15 rebounds / game

1984 finals vs lakers - 14 rebounds / game

career - 10 rebounds / game

but more than stats are the intangibles ...........

Bird spent his career winning big games, big playoffs & titles - he had something special inside him that set him apart.
 
Dirk has spent his career scoring a whole lot of points and
losing a whole lot of playoffs he was supposed to win.

This is true.  With fairness to Dirk, though, when has he ever played with a player as great as McHale, Parish, or Maxwell?  He probably hasn't even played with anybody as good as Dennis Johnson.  

When a player doesn't win as much as you expect, you can't pin it all on him.  Even great players can't do it by themselves (Jordan never won with no help).

[TitleMaster]

Dirk Nowitzki is a jacked up Raef LaFrenz. That's about it. A tall white guy with an outside shot.

If Dirk was Bird, Dallas would have won in '06 or perhaps, one of the teams with Nash might have gone to the WCF. But one thing's for sure, they wouldn't have been swept by the Warriors in the 1st round.

Bird was a consummate post up player with a great outside shot along along with all the rebounding and passing skills, unlike anyone else.

With Bird on the Mavs, Mark Cuban would simply need to recruit a defensive backup PF and a defensive backup wingman, and the Mavs could possibly take it all. This would be a poor man's Cedric Maxwell and a poor man's Mark Bowen. Yes, they wouldn't need added bench players of even that caliber.

[LilRip]

Dirk Nowitzki is a jacked up Raef LaFrenz. That's about it. A tall white guy with an outside shot.

If Dirk was Bird, Dallas would have won in '06 or perhaps, one of the teams with Nash might have gone to the WCF. But one thing's for sure, they wouldn't have been swept by the Warriors in the 1st round.

Bird was a consummate post up player with a great outside shot along along with all the rebounding and passing skills, unlike anyone else.

With Bird on the Mavs, Mark Cuban would simply need to recruit a defensive backup PF and a defensive backup wingman, and the Mavs could possibly take it all. This would be a poor man's Cedric Maxwell and a poor man's Mark Bowen. Yes, they wouldn't need added bench players of even that caliber.

a jacked up Raef Lafrentz??? lol! and no, Bird wouldn't have won in '06. That was the worst Finals officiating i've ever seen and the epitome of 5v8. Miami didn't deserve to win that year over the Mavs.

[CelticsFanNC]

  To me what separates Bird from all of his contemporaries in any greatest of all-time conversation was his through the roof BBIQ. 

  You don't get to the NBA unless you are a pretty amazing athlete.  With that said Larry Bird couldn't run fast or jump high but he could run forever.  His game was completely below the rim yet he was still in his prime as dominant as anyone who has ever played and did it in every meaningful facet of the game.

 He rebounded at a very high level against guys who were bigger, stronger and could jump through the roof because he mastered boxing out.  He passed as well as any PG who's ever played and did so with a Globe-Trotter-esque flair and unparalleled court vision.

  He began his career just as the 3pt shot was introduced into the NBA and while his percentage from there doesn't compare to some who have played since him he was taking those shots with guys draped all over him.  Most of his contemporaries weren't being guarded as closely from deep as Bird was.

  In the clutch he didn't just beat you with a jump shot although he did that plenty.  He'd also beat you in the low post, or with an amazing no look pass, a rebound amongst the trees or an impossible defensive play.

  I just think, out of necessity, Larry Bird had to think the game better then anyone else has before him or since.  He couldn't rely on his athletic ability because the players he played against were better athletes then he was.  He beat you with his basketball mind.  If there is such a thing as a basketball genius it was Larry Bird.

[scaryjerry]

people tend to forget what an absolute animal Larry Bird was on the boards ..........

1981 finals vs moses malone - 15 rebounds / game

1984 finals vs lakers - 14 rebounds / game

career - 10 rebounds / game

but more than stats are the intangibles ...........

Bird spent his career winning big games, big playoffs & titles - he had something special inside him that set him apart.
 
Dirk has spent his career scoring a whole lot of points and
losing a whole lot of playoffs he was supposed to win.

Dirk has knocked out Tim Duncan in his prime, on the spurs homecourt in a game 7, where he had 37 points and 15 rebounds ( spurs were defending champs with the best record in the league)
He demolished KG when KG was in minny in the playoffs in  A SWEEP, etc
sure, lets forget

Also, Dirk as a "lead dog" has done far more than any of our big 3, and like Pierce has been committed to 1 franchise

[PortCelt]

It's a more interesting debate today than it was when Max started it years ago.

LB won 3 MVP's, Dirk 1 ... Dirk is the all time best 7ft. pure shooter, but overall they're pretty close in terms of offense ...

FG Pct -- Bird 496 to .476.

3-pt pct -- Nowitzki 381 to .376.

FT pct. -- Bird 888 to .877.

Career scoring -- Bird 24.3 to 23.0.

Bottom line is Bird and Magic played an historic role in terms of rescuing the NBA from the malaise of the 70's. Bird's passion, leadership, passing skills and his work ethic are incomparable.

The real question may be would you take 9 productive years of Bird (before his injury) vs. 11 of Dirk's best? I still think Bird is a cut above.

[mostofusrsad]

For example:

Dirk Nowitzki vs. Larry Bird: Who Truly Is the Better of the Two?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/723111-dirk-nowitzki-vs-larry-bird-who-truly-is-the-better-of-the-two

With all due respect to one of the NBA's finest, Mr. Larry Bird, who was in a class of his own. The title of "The White Mamba" between these two, has got to go to Dirk Nowitzki.

I love Dirk, but these comparisons are ridiculous. I'd bet my life this author never saw a single game Larry played in.

bird led teams to championships novinski has not...case closed.

[painter33]

Bird played his last few seasons with horrendous back problems so any career stats comparisons are skewed.  Bird scared opponents while Dirk's just wonder which Dirk will show up - the soft one or the one that goes after it - Bird always played at full intensity, and as a result teams knew he was going to do everything he could to beat them.  Bird made teammates better; Dirk plays his game and doesn't elevate anyone else's game.  Larry was a "legend" while playing; Dirk is a good player.  Bird played the physical game and the mental game, not just his own, but he got into the heads of a lot of opponents over the years to the point where they were just talking to themselves instead of worrying about their own performance.   Maybe in a couple of years Dirk and Donatas Motiejunas will be compared to one another - but Motiejunas will not likely be compared to Bird. 

[gar]

Bird himself said he was flattered by the comparisons with Dirk. That is the first time I have heard anything like that from him and speaks volumes. Dirk works hard, plays hard and has an amazing shot. Bird's craftiness with and without the ball is unparalleled; but Dirk is a gifted and very disciplined player and anyone who questions that after the playoffs and finals is just not paying attention.

[BballTim]

Bird himself said he was flattered by the comparisons with Dirk. That is the first time I have heard anything like that from him and speaks volumes. Dirk works hard, plays hard and has an amazing shot. Bird's craftiness with and without the ball is unparalleled; but Dirk is a gifted and very disciplined player and anyone who questions that after the playoffs and finals is just not paying attention.

  Dirk is a gifted player but, seriously, he's no Larry Bird, not really close.

[Roy H.]

Bird himself said he was flattered by the comparisons with Dirk. That is the first time I have heard anything like that from him and speaks volumes. Dirk works hard, plays hard and has an amazing shot. Bird's craftiness with and without the ball is unparalleled; but Dirk is a gifted and very disciplined player and anyone who questions that after the playoffs and finals is just not paying attention.

  Dirk is a gifted player but, seriously, he's no Larry Bird, not really close.

Yeah, Larry has talked repeatedly about how it's this generation of stars' time to shine.  He's just giving Dirk props, and is staying classy.

Note that Larry never said that Dirk was better, or as good, as him, though.  Rather, he talked about being flattered to still be remembered, basically.