Danny Ainge compares Pierce to DJ, KG to Bird

[TrueGreen]

i have new respect for kg, and a new, lesser respect for bird. he makes it sounds like bird was arrogant, cocky, much like jordan, but i suppose when your THAT good, its hard not to be. its interesting the stuff he says about pierce. i like that he doesn't give all positives in his comparisons.

I don't think this is what Danny had in mind with this statement. Bird was definitely cocky, but in a good way. And I wouldn't compare Bird to Jordan in this respect or any other. Jordan was concerned about his image and he promoted his image. Bird could care less about what others thought. Bird only did the most he could do to be the best that he could be. He wasn't concerned about comparisons to others. But others try to compare themselves to Bird. I think all Danny is saying is that Bird and KG are different people. And they are. I have respect for both. They both came from rough backgrounds and both accomplished alot.

[ma11l]

Doesn't Danny know its blasphemy to compare anyone to Bird? 

[BudweiserCeltic]

Doesn't Danny know its blasphemy to compare anyone to Bird? 

At least he's not saying Dirk is better than him.

[ManUp]

i have new respect for kg, and a new, lesser respect for bird. he makes it sounds like bird was arrogant, cocky, much like jordan, but i suppose when your THAT good, its hard not to be. its interesting the stuff he says about pierce. i like that he doesn't give all positives in his comparisons.

Are you really surprised? From everything I've heard about Bird it seems like he was an arrogant jerk. That's part of what makes him likeable at least when he's on your side. Come on telling the defensive player the play and then still finsihing it that's just classic stuff.

[bbc3341]

He likened Pierce to DJ, but he differentiated between KG and Bird.

Quick LB story:, this might have been from the Shaughnessy book, I don't recall, but one of the biographies on him: In college, when he was new to the team, the coach had a toughness drill where he'd put the ball at center court, then two players would face off, one at either end of the court. There were no rules and the first player to score won. So a couple pairs of guys do it, they travel and shove and rough house and bang until one guy scores. Then it's Bird's turn. He faces off against one of the older guys on the team. The coach blows the whistle, LB and his team mate run to the ball. Bird gets there first. He stops. Waits for the other guy. The other guy gets there, kind of wondering what Bird is doing, and Bird punches him in the face. The guy drops, Bird grabs the ball and coasts in for an easy 2.

[bbc3341]

Actually I think it was Bob Ryan's book with LB, but I can't remember exactly, just that story stuck with me...

[SShoreFan 2.0]

He likened Pierce to DJ, but he differentiated between KG and Bird.

Quick LB story:, this might have been from the Shaughnessy book, I don't recall, but one of the biographies on him: In college, when he was new to the team, the coach had a toughness drill where he'd put the ball at center court, then two players would face off, one at either end of the court. There were no rules and the first player to score won. So a couple pairs of guys do it, they travel and shove and rough house and bang until one guy scores. Then it's Bird's turn. He faces off against one of the older guys on the team. The coach blows the whistle, LB and his team mate run to the ball. Bird gets there first. He stops. Waits for the other guy. The other guy gets there, kind of wondering what Bird is doing, and Bird punches him in the face. The guy drops, Bird grabs the ball and coasts in for an easy 2.

So, Larry was an old school pr*ck, but he was our old school pr*ck and he was the best old school pr*ck in the entire league. 

[bbc3341]

If you read about Bird's life and where he came from, the way he was is understandable and even admirable... He learned to do what he had to just to survive. He obviously changed over his life and I think Ainge's comments are said with a degree of affection...

[Reyquila]

Bird had only two players that were more productive than he was at his prime; 1. Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson; funny, they were both MJ's. Magic could do everything, from being a 6.9 pg that controlled all aspects of the game. On a 7th game in a title series agaisnt Philly, with Jabbar sidelined with a injury, he took it upon himself to play Center and not only won the title but scored 46 points in that crucial game. Not bad for a point guard, wasnt he? He beat Bird for the NCAA championship flag and then won several NBA titles (more than Bird). Being the third best player of his era wasnt bad, in an era full of great players.

[ManUp]

He likened Pierce to DJ, but he differentiated between KG and Bird.

Quick LB story:, this might have been from the Shaughnessy book, I don't recall, but one of the biographies on him: In college, when he was new to the team, the coach had a toughness drill where he'd put the ball at center court, then two players would face off, one at either end of the court. There were no rules and the first player to score won. So a couple pairs of guys do it, they travel and shove and rough house and bang until one guy scores. Then it's Bird's turn. He faces off against one of the older guys on the team. The coach blows the whistle, LB and his team mate run to the ball. Bird gets there first. He stops. Waits for the other guy. The other guy gets there, kind of wondering what Bird is doing, and Bird punches him in the face. The guy drops, Bird grabs the ball and coasts in for an easy 2.

So, Larry was an old school pr*ck, but he was our old school pr*ck and he was the best old school pr*ck in the entire league. 

Exactly.

Bird had only two players that were more productive than he was at his prime; 1. Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson; funny, they were both MJ's. Magic could do everything, from being a 6.9 pg that controlled all aspects of the game. On a 7th game in a title series agaisnt Philly, with Jabbar sidelined with a injury, he took it upon himself to play Center and not only won the title but scored 46 points in that crucial game. Not bad for a point guard, wasnt he? He beat Bird for the NCAA championship flag and then won several NBA titles (more than Bird). Being the third best player of his era wasnt bad, in an era full of great players.

Didn't Bird have a short prime due to reocurring back problems?

[BrickJames]

From this week's Sports Illustrated:

As for Paul, he's a very determined player, like Larry, but he reminds me of DJ.  Like DJ, Paul can get a little salty.  He's up and down moodwise.  And on the court he's kind of an energy conserver.  He doesn't play all out all the time.  That used to drive me nuts about DJ because I was the other guard and I'd think "This guy is so gifted.  What's he doing coasting?"  But then, like with DJ, Paul has stretches that are unbelievably special.  You need something to happen, whatever it is -- a blocked shot, winning a jump ball, a steal, a rebound, a pass, a shot -- and Paul supplies it.  That's how DJ was.

[Bird and Garnett are] completely different.  KG is more of a sentimental guy, more feeling, kinder.  Larry was not kind.  Larry was grouchy.  That's how he was born, that's how he competed.  He would bust everybody's chops, get angry and frustrated.

But here's what KG is like:  We're in training camp in Rome, and I see him in the weight room.  Then he goes to practice, works his butt off and gets his shots up after practice.  Then, for the next 45 minutes, KG is running around the gym rebounding for Rajon Rondo.  Let me tell you something:  In a million years Larry Bird would never do that.  He might make me rebound for him, but not the other way around.  KG is focused and intense like Larry, but he really cares about the feelings of his teammates, cares that he's perceived as almost the team mother.

Interesting stuff. 

Misleading title.  This doesn't sound like a KG-Bird comparison to me at all....

Unless by "compare" you mean Danny juxtaposed the two and claimed they are nothing alike...

[Andy Jick]

Danny: "Hey Larry!  You gonna spend some time rebounding for Kite after practice today?"

Larry: "Let him get his own f#^%ing rebounds...the guy can't make one to save his life."

[MaxwellSmart]

Bird had only two players that were more productive than he was at his prime; 1. Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson; funny, they were both MJ's. Magic could do everything, from being a 6.9 pg that controlled all aspects of the game. On a 7th game in a title series agaisnt Philly, with Jabbar sidelined with a injury, he took it upon himself to play Center and not only won the title but scored 46 points in that crucial game. Not bad for a point guard, wasnt he? He beat Bird for the NCAA championship flag and then won several NBA titles (more than Bird). Being the third best player of his era wasnt bad, in an era full of great players.

Third best player??-----Magic Johnson's college team actually had good players on it....Bird was the ONLY good player on his team....Also, the Lakers were in the Weak Weak WEAK West...and they cruised to many Finals....Bird and the Celtics had to fight it out with GREAT Eastern teams, just to get to the Finals---THAT's why Magic had more Titles-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Reyquila]

Bird had a very productive and relatively long prime time. He was prime time from the firdst day he entered the NBA. By the time his back started giving him meaninful problems, the team was already on the downslide having last Bias and Lewis.
Its a disrespect to compare PP to DJ. DJ was traded for only to try to stop Andrew Toney (76'rs) from continuing killing us in the playoffs. DJ was an average scorer and not much of a point guard since the game flowed thru Bird who was the Point Forward. PP is so much more than DJ. Ainge must be suffering from Alzheimer to compare DJ to PP except in size of shoes, both being competitors; but as contributing factors to their teams; NOT. PP in Bird's team would have won more titles than todays team with DJ. What was Danny smoking when he said that?

[fairweatherfan]

Bird had a very productive and relatively long prime time. He was prime time from the firdst day he entered the NBA. By the time his back started giving him meaninful problems, the team was already on the downslide having last Bias and Lewis.
Its a disrespect to compare PP to DJ. DJ was traded for only to try to stop Andrew Toney (76'rs) from continuing killing us in the playoffs. DJ was an average scorer and not much of a point guard since the game flowed thru Bird who was the Point Forward. PP is so much more than DJ. Ainge must be suffering from Alzheimer to compare DJ to PP except in size of shoes, both being competitors; but as contributing factors to their teams; NOT. PP in Bird's team would have won more titles than todays team with DJ. What was Danny smoking when he said that?

Did you read the quote?  Danny was comparing their personalities, not their games.  And not to nitpick, but Reggie died after Bird retired.  DJ also won a Finals MVP for Seattle prior to coming to Boston - he was a champion by the time he got here.  DJ was a role player because that's all those teams needed him to be, and he excelled at it.  But no one was comparing his game or his role on the team to Pierce's.