So do people still think Lebron has passed Bird????

[Banner18now!]

What the excuse for Lebron now? They were favored and have plenty of talent and then get their ass kicked at home twice? Does this happen to Bird in his prime? Lebron ended up with nice stats but nice stats don't get it done when your team is struggling. All time greats like Bird get there teammates going with easy baskets or take over scoring. Lebron great player but can't lead a team like Bird in his prime.

[Kane3387]

Not me

[86MaxwellSmart]

I cannot believe that Van Gundy AND Jackson both said tonight---that maybe Miami does not have enough.....Get the Blankety-Blank out of here with that Garbage----!!!!

[MBunge]

Bird wasn't always Superman and maybe I'm remembering through rose-colored synapses, but even in defeat I can't summon up an image of Bird looking and playing the way LeBron has in losing to Boston, Dallas and San Antonio the last 5 years.

Mike

[Celtic Fan Forever]

Look I dislike LeBron as much as the next guy, but this game isn't on him. His teammates just didn't perform.

[Celtics18]

Spurs

[knuckleballer]

Look I dislike LeBron as much as the next guy, but this game isn't on him. His teammates just didn't perform.

Lebron only took 17 shots.

When things are going well, he's the best player in the world.
When things become challenging, he stands in the corner as a decoy.

[Banner18now!]

Look I dislike LeBron as much as the next guy, but this game isn't on him. His teammates just didn't perform.

Correct, so maybe Lebron needs to get 40 tonight, maybe he needs to set up his teammates and get them better shots. But he can't which is why he isn't the greatest small forward off all time. Larry knew when he needed to pick up the scoring or had the great ability to get his teammates going when they weren't playing well.

[Frezz]

Look I dislike LeBron as much as the next guy, but this game isn't on him. His teammates just didn't perform.

You mean the teammates he hand picked to try to weezle his way to greatness?  It's on him.

[celticsfan8591]

It's close enough that I can respect either opinion (though I do think LeBron will put it out of reach in the next few years).  What I can't respect is someone basing that opinion off of one game/series.  LeBron doesn't elevate his teammates because they crapped the bed in a few big games?  Look at what happened to Cleveland when they lost him.  If the 80's Celtics were Bird, McHale, Parish, and a bunch of mediocre role players, and McHale shot 3 of 13 from the field, they weren't beating anybody either regardless of what Bird did. 

[Kuberski33]

Bird was a better offensive player.  LeBron is a significantly better defensive player.  Bird was an outstanding rebounder and a great passer.  LeBron is freak of nature athletically and absolutely devastating in the transition game.  Both were very good at playing team basketball and taking over the game when needed.  Bottom line is it's close and it may be more of a what kind of player do you prefer thing.

I think we're starting to see signs of wear and tear catching up with LeBron - as it did with Bird. I'd wait till LeBron retires to make the final call, but you can make a good case either way at this point I'd say.

[Waew]

if he loses this series, he will be 2-3 in the finals. doesnt look so hot next to bird's records.

[Kuberski33]

I think LeBron gets a bad rap still due to The Decision. He'll be better appreciated when he's retired than he is right now - which is too bad because he's a once in a generation talent.  I've disliked him as much as the next guy, but put him on any NBA team and they become an instant contender. Who else can you say that about right now save for maybe Durant?  And Durant's not the defensive force that LeBron is.

[Beat LA]

Not me

Same.  It's not even close.  The approach to the game is so incredibly different.  After watching tonight's game, what astonishes me is how mentally drained he looked, especially when people are comparing him to Larry.  Lebrick was never really into it, in game 3 or 4.  Where was the intensity, the competitiveness, the leadership?  Bird made the finals 4 straight years as well, and yet even in 1987, after coming off back to back grueling 7 game series, he gave everything he had.  That team couldn't field 5 healthy players, McHale had the fracture, and they were facing that loaded Lakers squad, but there was no quit in that team, and that's largely, if not solely, due to Bird's leadership.  If they didn't get screwed by double free throws and the fact that that ball went off of Thompson and not McHale, that battered team almost tied that series.  Even Larry's shot at the buzzer missed by a millimeter.  Yeah, he was probably tired, but you know what, he kept fighting, and fighting, and fighting; and yet when I watched Lebron in these past 2 contests, it almost seemed like, as soon as things started to get tough, he and the rest of those clowns wanted no part of it.  That's not the mentality of a champion, imho. 

On another front, if anyone on this thread hasn't visited one entitled Calling All Music Lovers yet, http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=70754.0, I'd strongly encourage you to do so.  Wait until you hear her sing!

[86MaxwellSmart]

Not me

Same.  It's not even close.  The approach to the game is so incredibly different.  After watching tonight's game, what astonishes me is how mentally drained he looked, especially when people are comparing him to Larry.  Lebrick was never really into it, in game 3 or 4.  Where was the intensity, the competitiveness, the leadership?  Bird made the finals 4 straight years as well, and yet even in 1987, after coming off back to back grueling 7 game series, he gave everything he had.  That team couldn't field 5 healthy players, McHale had the fracture, and they were facing that loaded Lakers squad, but there was no quit in that team, and that's largely, if not solely, due to Bird's leadership.  If they didn't get screwed by double free throws and the fact that that ball went off of Thompson and not McHale, that battered team almost tied that series.  Even Larry's shot at the buzzer missed by a millimeter.  Yeah, he was probably tired, but you know what, he kept fighting, and fighting, and fighting; and yet when I watched Lebron in these past 2 contests, it almost seemed like, as soon as things started to get tough, he and the rest of those clowns wanted no part of it.  That's not the mentality of a champion, imho. 

On another front, if anyone on this thread hasn't visited one entitled Calling All Music Lovers yet, http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=70754.0, I'd strongly encourage you to do so.  Wait until you hear her sing!

You are the only person I ever met-- who agrees with me---that the ball was knocked out of bounds by M.Thompson....Magic would have never made or took that junior sky hook-if they had replay back in 1987...!!!   That C's team had ZERO quit in them...they deserved better.