Poll: Best big 3 in NBA history

[Somebody]

I really think the Kareem, Oscar, Dandridge team should be listed and not just an honorable mention.  Kareem was at his absolute best earlier in his career.  Oscar was older, but still just 32 and was still a 20/8/6 player (and was a 25 point scorer the year before without Kareem taking his shots).  Dandridge was just starting out but was already very good.  The Bucks just demolished everyone in the playoffs that year going 12-2 after winning 66 games in the regular season.  Oscar started showing his age the next season and they didn't get back to a title again, but that one season was impressive.

Fair enough. Can't argue with that.

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Opted for Magic - Worthy - Kareem.

Imo, Magic is the GOAT.
Kareem is a legit GOAT candidate.
Worthy was an amazing player. I mean, he was the Finals MVP in 1988.

Magic and Kareem won 5 championships playing together. Worthy was a member of the team for 3 of those championships.

Obviously, Bird-McHale-Parish weren't half bad either. Hate to say it, but at the end of the day, 5 > 3.

but 3=3.

Magic as the GOAT is somehow more of a mystery take than their 3 rings being better than the Celtics 3 rings

^^^this. You'd have to bump his offensive apex to a level that dwarfs Jordan/Curry/Nash to make up for his defensive shortcomings even though analysts are all incredibly high on his offence (and rightly so - the data and film both scream that he was a transcendent offensive player).

[gouki88]

I really think the Kareem, Oscar, Dandridge team should be listed and not just an honorable mention.  Kareem was at his absolute best earlier in his career.  Oscar was older, but still just 32 and was still a 20/8/6 player (and was a 25 point scorer the year before without Kareem taking his shots).  Dandridge was just starting out but was already very good.  The Bucks just demolished everyone in the playoffs that year going 12-2 after winning 66 games in the regular season.  Oscar started showing his age the next season and they didn't get back to a title again, but that one season was impressive.

Fair enough. Can't argue with that.

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Opted for Magic - Worthy - Kareem.

Imo, Magic is the GOAT.
Kareem is a legit GOAT candidate.
Worthy was an amazing player. I mean, he was the Finals MVP in 1988.

Magic and Kareem won 5 championships playing together. Worthy was a member of the team for 3 of those championships.

Obviously, Bird-McHale-Parish weren't half bad either. Hate to say it, but at the end of the day, 5 > 3.

but 3=3.

Magic as the GOAT is somehow more of a mystery take than their 3 rings being better than the Celtics 3 rings

^^^this. You'd have to bump his offensive apex to a level that dwarfs Jordan/Curry/Nash to make up for his defensive shortcomings even though analysts are all incredibly high on his offence (and rightly so - the data and film both scream that he was a transcendent offensive player).

Precisely. I view Bird as the best 80’s player. Back-to-back-to-back MVP’s, 3 rings and would probably be a consensus top-3 all time if he doesn’t get crippled by injury.

[Somebody]

I really think the Kareem, Oscar, Dandridge team should be listed and not just an honorable mention.  Kareem was at his absolute best earlier in his career.  Oscar was older, but still just 32 and was still a 20/8/6 player (and was a 25 point scorer the year before without Kareem taking his shots).  Dandridge was just starting out but was already very good.  The Bucks just demolished everyone in the playoffs that year going 12-2 after winning 66 games in the regular season.  Oscar started showing his age the next season and they didn't get back to a title again, but that one season was impressive.

Fair enough. Can't argue with that.

-------------------------------------------------

Opted for Magic - Worthy - Kareem.

Imo, Magic is the GOAT.
Kareem is a legit GOAT candidate.
Worthy was an amazing player. I mean, he was the Finals MVP in 1988.

Magic and Kareem won 5 championships playing together. Worthy was a member of the team for 3 of those championships.

Obviously, Bird-McHale-Parish weren't half bad either. Hate to say it, but at the end of the day, 5 > 3.

but 3=3.

Magic as the GOAT is somehow more of a mystery take than their 3 rings being better than the Celtics 3 rings

^^^this. You'd have to bump his offensive apex to a level that dwarfs Jordan/Curry/Nash to make up for his defensive shortcomings even though analysts are all incredibly high on his offence (and rightly so - the data and film both scream that he was a transcendent offensive player).

Precisely. I view Bird as the best 80’s player. Back-to-back-to-back MVP’s, 3 rings and would probably be a consensus top-3 all time if he doesn’t get crippled by injury.

Oh for sure, he was the rare perimeter non Jordan/LeBron engine who combined GOAT-ish offence with very good defence at his peak and had some amazing early prime years that was powered by elite defence and a very unique offensive skillset, although Magic does make up a ton of ground with his excellent two season stretch in the 90s imo (he was showing no signs of slowing down before HIV struck - he was basically doing what LeBron is doing now). I think he would be top 5-8 for sure if he didn't hurt his back in in the mid-late 80s and maintained his '85-'87 MVP calibre play into the early 90s. Not sure if he could've joined Jabbar/LeBron/Jordan/Russell on the Mount Rushmore though, those guys either had incredible longevity (Jabbar, LeBron), amazing peaks (Jordan, LeBron) or a career that was basically their prime (Russell), it would depend on how many high quality post-prime years he could add.

[KGs Knee]

I view Bird as the best 80’s player. Back-to-back-to-back MVP’s, 3 rings and would probably be a consensus top-3 all time if he doesn’t get crippled by injury.

Bird definitely had the highest peak of any player in the 80's.  It's a shame his body betrayed him and Magic gets more recognition as the better player.   At their respective peaks I don't think there is even a question of who the better player was.

[nickagneta]

I view Bird as the best 80’s player. Back-to-back-to-back MVP’s, 3 rings and would probably be a consensus top-3 all time if he doesn’t get crippled by injury.

Bird definitely had the highest peak of any player in the 80's.  It's a shame his body betrayed him and Magic gets more recognition as the better player.   At their respective peaks I don't think there is even a question of who the better player was.

Magic's health betrayed him too. Bird and Magic both played 13 seasons in the NBA.

Biggest difference, IMO, is Bias' death. Lenny Bias doesn't die, the Celtics win two or more titles in Larry's later years and suddenly history's opinions on Larry might have changed.

Think of it. How much of history's opinion of the Lakers Showtime would have been affected if James Worthy had died shortly after being drafted?

[Jvalin]

Magic's health betrayed him too. Bird and Magic both played 13 seasons in the NBA.

Biggest difference, IMO, is Bias' death. Lenny Bias doesn't die, the Celtics win two or more titles in Larry's later years and suddenly history's opinions on Larry might have changed.

Think of it. How much of history's opinion of the Lakers Showtime would have been affected if James Worthy had died shortly after being drafted?

Bird is on record as saying that if Bias hadn't died, he would have retired in 1988!

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

Lenny Bias doesn't die, (...) history's opinions on Larry might have changed.

Lenny Bias doesn't die, (...) history's opinions on Larry MJ might have changed. Larry was considerably older than Bias, whereas MJ and Bias were both born in the same year (1963). It's possible that they would have battled it out till the late 90s.

[hpantazo]

Magic's health betrayed him too. Bird and Magic both played 13 seasons in the NBA.

Biggest difference, IMO, is Bias' death. Lenny Bias doesn't die, the Celtics win two or more titles in Larry's later years and suddenly history's opinions on Larry might have changed.

Think of it. How much of history's opinion of the Lakers Showtime would have been affected if James Worthy had died shortly after being drafted?

Bird is on record as saying that if Bias hadn't died, he would have retired in 1988!

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

Lenny Bias doesn't die, (...) history's opinions on Larry might have changed.

Lenny Bias doesn't die, (...) history's opinions on Larry MJ might have changed. Larry is considerably older than MJ, whereas MJ and Bias were both born in the same year (1963). It's possible that they would have battled it out till the late 90s.

[dang]! I would have never gotten to see Bird play then! I only caught the tail end of his career from 1989-92.

[Tr1boy]

Jordan Pippen Rodman

Each had distinct roles on the team

All three were also versatile/strong defenders

Jordan - best clutch
Pippen- top versatility. One of the best defensers
Rodman - best garbage man/blue collar/body on the line

Nobody else his size will be able to guard a monster like Shaq

[Tr1boy]

Larry Bird

Amazing player. Clutch player

Best Celtic of all time along with Bill Russell

[gouki88]

I view Bird as the best 80’s player. Back-to-back-to-back MVP’s, 3 rings and would probably be a consensus top-3 all time if he doesn’t get crippled by injury.

Bird definitely had the highest peak of any player in the 80's.  It's a shame his body betrayed him and Magic gets more recognition as the better player.   At their respective peaks I don't think there is even a question of who the better player was.

Yeah, no doubt. Birds 9-year stretch from 79-80 onward is insane. Almost never finished out of the top 2 of MVP voting, and I think the C’s never finished below 57 wins (happy to stand corrected on the exact number). Just a monster

[Somebody]

I view Bird as the best 80’s player. Back-to-back-to-back MVP’s, 3 rings and would probably be a consensus top-3 all time if he doesn’t get crippled by injury.

Bird definitely had the highest peak of any player in the 80's.  It's a shame his body betrayed him and Magic gets more recognition as the better player.   At their respective peaks I don't think there is even a question of who the better player was.

Yeah, no doubt. Birds 9-year stretch from 79-80 onward is insane. Almost never finished out of the top 2 of MVP voting, and I think the C’s never finished below 57 wins (happy to stand corrected on the exact number). Just a monster

Thought it was an 8 year stretch from '80 to '87 (he was slowed down by injuries in '88 from what I've read), but yeah that 8 year run was nuts when you consider that he didn't have top shelf athleticism for a perimeter engine and was really operating as a big forward on offence. He also has the highest WOWYR (R stands for regressed) from 1954 to 1983, and that was pre-peak Bird! Shame that we don't really have peak Bird +/- as Reggie Lewis messes up his numbers a bit, I think his box stats undersell his impact.

[Somebody]

I view Bird as the best 80’s player. Back-to-back-to-back MVP’s, 3 rings and would probably be a consensus top-3 all time if he doesn’t get crippled by injury.

Bird definitely had the highest peak of any player in the 80's.  It's a shame his body betrayed him and Magic gets more recognition as the better player.   At their respective peaks I don't think there is even a question of who the better player was.

Magic's health betrayed him too. Bird and Magic both played 13 seasons in the NBA.

Biggest difference, IMO, is Bias' death. Lenny Bias doesn't die, the Celtics win two or more titles in Larry's later years and suddenly history's opinions on Larry might have changed.

Think of it. How much of history's opinion of the Lakers Showtime would have been affected if James Worthy had died shortly after being drafted?

Absolutely. And I suspect that it might have had devastating effects on Magic's legacy, even in the eyes of analysts. Magic's offence was primarily based on exploiting defences (only that it was done at an unprecedented level, the way he exploited the smallest of gaps with his passing made his team offences very resilient and effcient), so playing without an All-NBA calibre wing who can pull defenders away from him would hurt him quite a bit imo when you consider that exploitation isn't really classic creation that is done by pulling away defenders from you with your threat to score to create openings for your teammates - it's more dependent on teammates finding those openings, which takes skill and quality (the latter is for off-ball gravity).

This isn't to say that Magic would suddenly become a bum if he didn't play next to Worthy and ended up carrying a less talented Laker cast in the late 80s and early 90s, but I do suspect that he wouldn't have lead historic offences with those teams (although they still would've been elite), which hurts his value in my eyes when he's mainly considered as a floor raiser.