Safe to say Bird owned jordan ?

I mean just look at the '87-'88 stretch where they matched up 10 times in the season and once in the playoffs. Both were healthy and MVP caliber players so no excuses for either player...


11/14/86
Bird - 37/10/5 (13/25 shooting)
Jordan - 48/5/1 (17/33 shooting)

Celtics win, I'd say it's a wash though.

01/02/87
Bird - 37/8/9 (61.1%)
Jordan - 34/8/3 (41.9%)

Celtics win, Bird easily wins the matchup. Highlights of the game here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ChmRhlFzk0. As you can see Jordan made a pitiful attempt at guarding him.

27/01/87
Bird - 24/14/3 (39%)
Jordan - 30/6/4 (38%)

Celtics win. Wash.

28/01/87
Bird - 26/5/9 (65%)
Jordan - 27/4/4 (48%)
Celtics win. Bird wins matchup.

27/03/87
Bird - 41/7/7 (58.6%)
Jordan - 22/7/7 (39.1%)

Celtics win. Bird easily wins matchup. Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zk1vWGxEXo

17/04/87
Bird - 38/8/7 (59%)
Jordan - 17/4/8 (33%)

Celtics win. Bird easily wins matchup. Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEaNw...e=channel_page

12/01/88
Bird - 38/9/8 (58%)
Jordan - 42/4/6 (53%)

Celtics win. Bird wins matchup.

18/03/88
Bird - 19/10/6
Jordan - 50/9/5

Bulls win. Jordan finally wins head to head.

20/03/88
Bird - 33/7/8 (67%)
Jordan - 26/4/7 (56%)

Celtics win. Bird easily wins matchup. Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp0NMFf9Dkg

21/04/88
Bird - 44/10/3 (65.5%)
Jordan - 39/3/8 (51.5%)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdMjK-60H-k

Celtics win. Bird wins matchup *yawn*


Bird's record in this stretch? 9-1 while outperforming him in nearly every game. What makes this worse? Bird made Jordan look like a child when Jordan tried to guard him. Meanwhile the possessions I saw Bird guard Jordan, he defended him quite well (definitly wasn't gambling for steals to leave him open in the post).

Moreover, Jordan is 0-6 in the playoffs including this disaster in '87: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RVMJSCTj5Y (Jordan makes 0 shots in the 4th quarter...Bulls had a 7 point lead with 11 minutes left...but Bird showed up when it mattered while Jordan was no where to be seen)

Kind of makes Jordan's '88 MVP come off as even more of a joke, no? Not that I really care but all you really hear about is the 63 points.




hmmm...

I alwyas tell people this, but I think they believe Jordan never lost to anyone other than as a Washington Wizard and to his wife in divorce court.

you did all this research?

I do what i do...

damn. that's a lot.

very interesting nonetheless.

OOOOH thats nice. Nice work Visa.

Larry did a beastly Job

http://www.slamonline.com/online/the-magazine/features/2009/06/the-new-top-50/

Safe to say Bird can be a little underrated

That list has bird at #9 alltime...craaaazyyy

yeah, you just left out that when they first met, Larry bird was in the league for 5 years while MJ was a rookie. Also, Bird was a SF while MJ was a SG... so comparing stats is just stupid because its not like they were guarding each other most of the time... and Bird will obviously have more Rebounds because he was 3 inches taller and heavier. You also didn't mention the other H.O.F players that bird played with while MJ only had pippen.. who wasn't THAT good in the 80's...and what about 89-92 when the bulls were actually good?

Chosen One wrote:

http://www.slamonline.com/online/the-magazine/features/2009/06/the-new-top-50/

Safe to say Bird can be a little underrated

WTF?!

this list is AWFUL!

Wilt at 2?
Magic at 6?
Kareem at 7?
shaq at 4?
russel at 3?
bird at 9?

Disagree

In their overall match ups it's Jordan but for that season it was Bird.

Night Of Drinkin wrote:

yeah, you just left out that when they first met, Larry bird was in the league for 5 years while MJ was a rookie. Also, Bird was a SF while MJ was a SG... so comparing stats is just stupid because its not like they were guarding each other most of the time... and Bird will obviously have more Rebounds because he was 3 inches taller and heavier. You also didn't mention the other H.O.F players that bird played with while MJ only had pippen.. who wasn't THAT good in the 80's...and what about 89-92 when the bulls were actually good?

The ones i watched MJ awas always gaurding larry,vice-versa. And im just using 88 year because i didnt feel like doing more...Birds better than jordan..thats all im getting at.

Bird>Jordan?

I'm getting to the point that in that season Bird outplayed Jordan.....not better.I'm sure Jordan has outmatched Bird in other seasons but i'm lazy to do a research..it just happens.

im not even gonna get into who's better.. its gonna be SF Vs. SG. and its stupid because they both did different things.

hmm... sounds familar

I can agree with that..

This explains just how hard is to say there is one best player over guys who do diffrent stuff.Nice opinion Nenad

You're right, both the Celtics and Pistons owned Jordan during the 80s. But he deserved the MVP in 88. He averaged 35 ppg and over 52% shooting, and that was coming off a 37ppg season. The Bulls were tied for 3rd in the East and made it to the 2nd round, so they were a contender.

ehhh. jordan was in, what, his third season? and his team was no where as good. not really a fair comparison.

Yes, in that 2 year stretch, Bird did own Jordan.

☆®¥ån☆ wrote:

ehhh. jordan was in, what, his third season? and his team was no where as good. not really a fair comparison.

co-signed.

he took the words right out of my mouth

Nenad covered what I was gunna say too

also I think Bird is the 2nd best player of all-time but Jordan was in like his 3rd year in the league when this happened.

Larry Bird was a beast,that's a conclusion