This video raises a question we’ve seen quite often in recent years: Could Larry Bird still dominate today? Or would be be a role player?
The answer is yes, he could still run the league, and for a few reasons.
First, Bird was, as Joe Dumar once said, a basketball savant. Do you think Charles Barkley could play today? Magic Johnson? Michael Jordan? Isaiah Thomas? James Worthy?
Of course they could – and they all said Bird was the one whom they feared most, who gave them sleepless nights.
The main criticism of Bird is that he was slow and couldn’t jump. Well, neither can Nikola Jokić or Luka Dončić, and both of those guys will be in the Hall of Fame, because they, like Bird, can force the game to adapt to them, rather than vice-versa.
If nothing else, Bird’s passing ability was off the charts, and his hand-eye coordination was superb. So was his ability to keep track of everything happening on the court: he didn’t have to see his teammates to know where they were.
What also really works in Bird’s favor is this: in his heyday, the NBA was far, far more physical than it is today. Go look at some Bill Laimbeer highlights.
The NBA in the 1980s could be brutal. Consider the courage Thomas had to go into the lane the way he did at his size, and consider also the Jordan Rules the Pistons had for #23. They all knew they were going to get a beating every game.
It’s not like that now. The game is far more open, and Bird would either drive, pass, or hit jumpers at will.
Finally, there are some other factors that would work in his favor. The first is personal. Bird’s desire to dominate would propel him in today’s game, too. His mindset is far different from anyone in today’s NBA. He would sneer at 90 percent of the players in the league now.
And second, the advances in training, nutrition, equipment, and medical care would have really helped him. Just for one thing, a back problem ended Bird’s career. The treatment options today are far better.
Note – for some reason, the embed doesn’t want to work, so please hit the link above.
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