Disagree with using championships/post-season. Too many variables , including your teammates, when it comes to Ws and Ls.

 

It's not the end all but it has to be part of the discussion. In basketball more than any team sport one player has great impact on a teams championship hopes.

Karl Malone. Great player, remarkable scorer. I think he's an all-time great. Many wouldn't even consider him an all time great because of no jewelry. And that coupled with the greatest assist guy on the planet.

 

Rings mean something, can't deny that.

No way Dirk should even be compared to Bird. Bird was by far the better player in every aspect.

I was never big on Dirk b/c I thought that he followed in the soft Euro-big. Then I watched him play for Germany a few times. The guy is automatic. The thing that separates Dirk from Bird is that Bird would punch you in the face to get a win. It's like Isaiah said, "If you put me, Magic, Michael and Larry in a room, Larry is the one walking out." Isaiah wasn't exactly soft.

I was never big on Dirk b/c I thought that he followed in the soft Euro-big. Then I watched him play for Germany a few times. The guy is automatic. The thing that separates Dirk from Bird is that Bird would punch you in the face to get a win. It's like Isaiah said, "If you put me, Magic, Michael and Larry in a room, Larry is the one walking out." Isaiah wasn't exactly soft.

 

The other thing that sticks out in my mind when comparing the two and it may not be fair is the 2006 Mavs collapse.

Dirk Nowitzki became the #10 all-time scorer last night.

 

I was talking to MTGL today and we got into a debate about who is the better overall player. He says Dirk. While I lean hard towards Bird I must admit it's not that outlandish of a position to take. Bird had some great, great years but Dirk has been consistently strong for 15 years.

 

And before we start debating let us leave out the "saved the NBA" "white guy" "# of championships." Irrelevant to the debate.

 

Have at it.

 

Bird, and to me not even close. The ultimate gamer...a winner...made those around him better. To me, Dirk isn't to that level, and though a great player, I don't think he makes his teammates better the way Bird did. I come a lot closer to winning a championship with 5 Birds on my team than I do with 5 Dirks. JMO.

Too funny, I just did a root canal on a lady from French Lick. Went to school with Larry and his brother. Said Larry and family grew up very poor. Larry immediately took care of his mother who worked as a cook his whole life. I didn't bother to ask her what she thought of Dirk.

I was never big on Dirk b/c I thought that he followed in the soft Euro-big. Then I watched him play for Germany a few times. The guy is automatic. The thing that separates Dirk from Bird is that Bird would punch you in the face to get a win. It's like Isaiah said, "If you put me, Magic, Michael and Larry in a room, Larry is the one walking out." Isaiah wasn't exactly soft.

 

I have never heard that quote, but I find it kinda funny that Isaiah lumps himself in with those 3. While a great player in his own right, I think he always felt spurned that people didn't mention him with those 3. And personally I think he's not mentioned for good reason, he wasn't to their level.

I have never heard that quote, but I find it kinda funny that Isaiah lumps himself in with those 3. While a great player in his own right, I think he always felt spurned that people didn't mention him with those 3. And personally I think he's not mentioned for good reason, he wasn't to their level.

It was the Olympics snub. Too funny.

I have never heard that quote, but I find it kinda funny that Isaiah lumps himself in with those 3. While a great player in his own right, I think he always felt spurned that people didn't mention him with those 3. And personally I think he's not mentioned for good reason, he wasn't to their level.

 

I'm not an Isaiah fan but I disagree. I think he is the most under appreciated player maybe in NBA history. But I think most of the blame falls on him and how his peers thought of him.

I'm not an Isaiah fan but I disagree. I think he is the most under appreciated player maybe in NBA history. But I think most of the blame falls on him and how his peers thought of him.

 

I personally think he has an overinflated sense of himself. I don't think he's underappreciated, I just think most don't put him on the "Big 3" level because, well, he doesn't belong there with them. Those 3 are super special. he's not as special as they were and it just kills him, IMO.

24/10/6 is a sick stat line. I really hated to see him go down like he did at the end of his career. He's such a red butt, you know it had to kill him to lay on his stomach during games when his back locked up.

Isiah was a fine player but never think he was at the top of the pile.

And before we start debating let us leave out the...... "# of championships." Irrelevant to the debate.

If your leaving out # of Championships to the discussion between NBA Greats somebody better go dig Wilt up and tell him it's been settled and he is the GOAT.

 

I'm not disagreeing with leaving them out but, every NBA discussion of GOAT always comes back to titles on BGP.

Bird. Better defender (smart), better winner. Not a ridiculous comparison or question, but I think Dirk belongs in the top 20-25 all-time and to me Bird is easily a top 10 player.