Let's build the Warriors Eastside

[walker834]

That doesn't surprise me. I usually agree with what Ainge does but certain things I don't. When Curry starts doing stuff like this then maybe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtpjCnOoO1Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoGmMx8Ejrw

Bird did it year in year out in big games and clutch situations. Curry has not. Ainge's argument is the assortment of shots which doesn't hold water. Also the degree of difficulty which is arguable but Curry has not done what Bird did in his career.  Ainge was a combo guard like Curry and has more similarities to him probably why he likes him.  If you ask someone like Red or Heinsohn they might disagree.  Bird managed to do all that with very little lift as well.  He would still shoot it over people and rainbow it in. Bird also shot better percentages overall over a longer period of time.  Curry until the last couple years his percentages have not been that great.  Projecting maybe because Bird also took a while but Curry isn't there yet. Curry has had one of the best shooting seasons ever. 

[walker834]

Curry is quicker and more a new age  player with his ball moves.  I'm not seeing the assortment of shots.  Curry is primarily a 3 point shooter with dribble moves.  He's got a really deadly shot from 3 point range and he gets it up very quick.  I don't know what Aigne is talking about assortment of shots.  That's what I mean though and why Bird was a better shooter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwSTsVqLFvY

Bird shot the ball from all over the floor. Curry shoots the same shots primarily and Bird shot a better percentage overall taking a much wider variety of shots.  It's like Ray Bourque in hockey to me.  Bourque was a technician with his shot. No he didn't have the physical skills of players today but as far as fundamentals and accuracy as far as what he would do it was ridiculous.

[max215]

Bird eats  Curry.  There's no need to debate it really. People can have their silly arguments but anyone with any knowledge or eye for basketball would know this.  I'm amazed this even became a debate. People thought i was nose gaving when i said that when I wasn't even doing that.  I'm just more surprised there really are people who believe that. Sad really.

People like to use big words like nose gaving when who cares about that stuff.  I didn't even mean it like that.  Like  i said people think i'm doing i'm not. They also think Curry is a better shooter than bird. People say i'm romanticizing when it's pretty clear who really is delusional.  It's also clear who has a better sense of humor.  This stuff isn't rocket science.  It's nice to sound smart. It's better to actually be smart.

The game could be so much better too if players actually learned the game. The game itself has become too simplified. 3's and dunks.  Not enough in between.   Players are not nearly as intelligent as they used to be either.

Curry's game is so simplfied when Bird was something else.

You're trolling, right? I mean you have to be. The other posters clearly and explicitly stated it over and over again: NO ONE, not a single person here thinks Curry is the superior player. Some would argue (including myself) that Curry is the better shooter, but let me make it abundantly clear: no one is saying Curry is the superior player.

[Celtics18]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLxddAnK98w

[walker834]

I'm not trolling.  I gave my arguments.  Curry is quicker and has more lift.  Bird is a better shooter overall.  If Bird played today had that kind of lift and physical health of players today to go with his game he would be absolutely absurd.  Fundamentally Bird was a much better shooter.  P layers used to smoke cigarettes back then.  If Bird was as healthy as players today...  He was much better though in other ways.

Give Curry a pack of cigarettes and lets see him do that.  If Curry was playing during that time he would not be on bird's level.

Ainge's argument with Curry's assortment of shots does not hold water either. I completely disagree with Ainge and think he's silly there. That's the whole basis of my argument.

[max215]

I'm not trolling.  I gave my arguments.  Curry is quicker and has more lift.  Bird is a better shooter overall.  If Bird played today had that kind of lift and physical health of players today to go with his game he would be absolutely absurd.  Fundamentally Bird was a much better shooter.  P layers used to smoke cigarettes back then.  If Bird was as healthy as players today...  He was much better though in other ways.

Give Curry a pack of cigarettes and lets see him do that.  If Curry was playing during that time he would not be on bird's level.

Ainge's argument with Curry's assortment of shots does not hold water either. I completely disagree with Ainge and think he's silly there. That's the whole basis of my argument.

This has no pertinence to the argument whatsoever, not to mention that it's a ridiculous hypothetical that is not substantiated by any actual evidence.

[walker834]

Well the point is give me a player with Birds game and fundamentals with better health and todays game and then I will say they are better.  But to this point I haven't seen it.

I'm also talking about shooting.  I'm talking about Bird's ability to shoot the ball from all over the floor.

This is an issue with the nba today imo  is we haven't seen that combination. Players are more physically skilled and catered to but it's also to a detriment of other aspects of the game.

KObe Bryant is close in ways.  Curry is close in others. Dirk is close in others.  But overall there isn't a player like Bird as far as a shooter. Bird was like a combination of all 3 as far as a shooter but better.

Paul Pierce surprisingly is probably the closest but he isn't near Bird's level for the time.

[LarBrd33]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLxddAnK98w

Everyone seems to know this scene, but I don't know anyone who has seen the movie.

[Celtics18]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLxddAnK98w

Everyone seems to know this scene, but I don't know anyone who has seen the movie.

It's pretty corny as I remember (and am reminded by the youtube clips I just watched).  That scene was definitely the show stealer. 

[GC003332]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLxddAnK98w

Everyone seems to know this scene, but I don't know anyone who has seen the movie.

I have never seen the movie but I am even more glad now that Arnie dropped him off the cliff in Commando

[max215]

Well the point is give me a player with Birds game and fundamentals with better health and todays game and then I will say they are better.  But to this point I haven't seen it.

I'm also talking about shooting.  I'm talking about Bird's ability to shoot the ball from all over the floor.

This is an issue with the nba today imo  is we haven't seen that combination. Players are more physically skilled and catered to but it's also to a detriment of other aspects of the game.

KObe Bryant is close in ways.  Curry is close in others. Dirk is close in others.  But overall there isn't a player like Bird as far as a shooter. Bird was like a combination of all 3 as far as a shooter.

Now I'm not a big fan of his, but how about LeBron James?

James' career FG% - 49.6%

Bird's - 49.6%

James' career 3P% - 34.2%

Bird's - 37.6%

James' career 2P% - 53.5%

Bird's - 50.9%

James' PPG - 27.3

Bird's - 24.3

Now Bird was, without a shadow of a doubt, the better shooter of the two, but overall, their percentages are rather similar. LeBron is clearly adept at shooting from all over the floor, although to a lesser extent of Bird. While the refs do give LeBron calls, he also plays an extremely physical brand of basketball which you've continually reminisced about. There you have it: a Larry Bird-esque player in today's NBA.

[D.o.s.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLxddAnK98w

Everyone seems to know this scene, but I don't know anyone who has seen the movie.

It's pretty corny as I remember (and am reminded by the youtube clips I just watched).  That scene was definitely the show stealer.

It's a really fun hangover sunday/otherwise unserious B-movie. I love it.

[walker834]

Bird shot those percentages with rarely ever dunking the ball or being a mack truck of testosterone though.  james is a good shooter but again those percentages are scewed because a lot of it is dunks and 3's.  He doesn't have the assortment of shots. Yes james has an in between game.  But it's different. It's simplistic in ways.  I want to see a player who's just going off shooting the ball in a variety of ways.  That's what Bird would do.

With the athletisism these players have they don't need to do that and just the style of play but even still you have player that does that would be good.  Pierce was fundamentally sound that way but not close to birds level for the time.  Pierce was not close to Bird as a shooter either.

Numbers are somewhat meaningless that way.  A player  today who had the athleticism and skillset to play like Bird would be pretty cool.

[RockinRyA]

I know you're a Celtics/Bird fan but come on. Bird is a far better player both side of the ball, but Curry is the better shooter. As a Celtics fan even I have to admit that.

[walker834]

It has nothing to do with that. I totally disagree. I'd say noone in the league is a better passer than Magic johnson either.  Chris Paul might have a better argument than Curry vs Bird but I still disagree.  Again Magic and his assortment of passes and ability to dominate a game that way at a high level over a period of time.

Rondo had some of that but not on that level over that period.  Rondo was a better passer than Chris Paul.  Same argument but Rondo isn't near that level for the time.