How Larry Bird would dominate today's NBA

The most common criticism about Larry Bird among modern NBA fans is that he was "slow, unathletic white guy that cannot survive in today's game". That is a hilarious commentary I have heard and read because Larry was very cerebral. Larry Bird was cut from a unique mold, one that we have not seen before or will ever see again. He had a variety of ways to destroy the defense. Larry could hit shots from the inside, close range, mid-range, long-range, from beyond the three-point line, posting up, driving, and from the foul line with his precise free throw shooting. Larry was also a master of off-ball offense, with the catch and shoot game, as well as creating his own shot. His footwork without the ball made it harder for defensive assignments. Bird's form, along with his height was a combination that was hard for others to defend. The slightest pump fake would completely throw even the best defenders off guard. Bird's overall IQ was legendary. He knew how to control the game in many different ways, from his scoring, rebounding, as well as his passing. Larry's playmaking and versatility were among the best at that time, along with Magic Johnson. His passing skills still stand the tests of time. He was great at anticipating plays. A perfect example was when he stole the inbounds pass from Isaiah Thomas to pass to Dennis Johnson for the game-winning layup in the 1987 ECF. His toughness and resilience were legendary as well. The way that he fought through pain is what added more to his legacy. In spite of a finger injury before entering the NBA, Larry was still able to shoot 40% from behind the arc in 6 different seasons. Larry was the first player in NBA history to shoot 50% or better on his field goals, 40% or higher on 3-pointers, and 90% or higher on free-throws, in a single season. Players like Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash have since done that. Bird is the only player in NBA History to do this while averaging more than 25 ppg, as he did it twice (1987-28.1, 1988-29.9) Even though his prime was cut short because of back injuries, that never diminished the impact that he made. Too many people rank him too low, because of his lack of mobility during his final years while playing with a career-ending back injury. Larry has faced a "Who's Who?" of great players who were more athletic than him, who could also defend.

Profile:
6'9"
220 lbs

NBA Career: 1979-1992 (Boston Celtics)

"Larry Legend"
"Hick From French Lick"




Accolades:
3x NBA Champion (1981, '84, '86)
3x NBA MVP (1984-86)
2x NBA Finals MVP ('84, '86)
12x NBA All-Star ('80-'88, '90-'92)
9x All-NBA 1st Team ('80-'88)
All-NBA 2nd Team ('90)
3x All-Defensive 2nd Team (1982-84)
NBA Rookie of the Year (1980)
All-Rookie 1st Team (1980)
All-Star Game MVP (1982)
3x Three-Point Shootout Champion (1986-88)
Olympic Gold Medalist (1992)

Statistics:

Regular Season:
Games: 897
PPG: 24.3
RPG: 10.0
APG: 6.3
SPG: 1.7
BPG: 0.8
FG%: 49.6%
3PT%: 37.6%
FT: 88.6%
TPG: 3.1
59 Triple-Doubles (5th All-Time)

Playoffs:
Games: 164
PPG: 23.8
RPG: 10.3
APG: 6.5
SPG: 1.8
BPG: 0.9
FG%: 47.2%
3PT%: 32.1%
FT%: 89.0%
TPG: 3.1
10 Triple-Doubles (3rd All-Time)

Finals:
Games: 31
PPG: 23.1
RPG: 11.7
APG: 6.0
SPG: 2.0
BPG: 0.8
FG%: 46.0%
3PT%: 42.0%
FT%: 87.0%
2 Triple-Doubles

Here are those who defended Larry:

Dennis Rodman (SF/PF):

6'7"
220 lbs
2x NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1990, 1991)
7x All-Defensive 1st Team (1989-1993, 1995-1996)
All-Defensive 2nd Team (1994)

Dennis Rodman is regarded as one of the greatest defensive players ever. He was a great natural all-around athlete in his prime, because of his strength, agility, and quickness. Rodman's trademarks were his defensive hustle, mind games, and dirty work. Dennis covered all ground as he could defend all 5 positions. His main assignment was to neutralize the opponent's best player. (Ex: Karl Malone)

However, even a Defensive menace like Dennis (no pun intended) could not completely stop Bird. Larry was able to use his intelligence, quickness and ability to drive and finish against a superior athlete. Bird also had enough strength to back Rodman down in the paint. This is the same guy that bulked up later in his career to guard players like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone to even Shaq himself. Bird bullied him around.

Cliff Robinson (F/C):
6'10"
225 lbs

2x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (2000, 2002)

Cliff Robinson was tall, athletic, strong and very mobile. His size helped him guard both the paint and the perimeter. He was a solid to good defender throughout his career but was overshadowed.

Cliff was only able to play with an injured, older version of Larry Bird who was past his prime. However, even a broken down version of Larry with back problems, destroyed the younger, more athletic Cliff Robinson. Robinson played the best defense he could play, but Bird still destroyed him. A Prime version of Bird would have annihilated him even more. Robinson was regarded as one of the best defenders of that era!

Scottie Pippen (SF):

6'8"
210-228 lbs

8x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (1992-1999)
2x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (1991, 2000)

Scottie Pippen is widely considered to be one of the best defenders ever. Pippen was a brilliant athlete. Scottie's reach made him very versatile, as he was able to guard multiple positions. His long arms helped him cover plenty of ground. Pippen's strength on defense was staying in front of his assignment at all times. He could also guard in the post. He also had great defensive hand speed.

Pippen was just coming into his prime, as Larry's career was coming to a close, with a broken down body. Scottie was a rookie during Bird's last prime season. Even with the baggage, Bird was still able to get the best of Scottie from time to time, even when he lost the ounce of quickness and mobility that helped him get through the 80's. Clearly, Bird was a shell of his former self in the 90's.

However, Bird was able to still move around to score from screens, as well as fake a defensive genius and amazing athlete like Scottie. Larry was able to break him down in the post and light him up outside.

Dominique Wilkins (SF):

6'8"
215-230 lbs

Dominique was freakishly athletic, as he is one of the best pure athletes in NBA history. Wilkins was never regarded as a defensive wizard, but his athleticism helped him to be solid at best.

Regardless of 'Nique's defensive weakness, Larry was going up against one of the greatest athletic players the NBA has ever witnessed, and dominated most of the time. (Ex: The Battle in the 1988 ECSF- Game 7)

Dominique was well known for his 42" vertical. Bird was still able to make him look silly, with his quick pump fakes, faking Nique out of his sneakers. Larry even torched him and the Hawks for a career-high 60 points in 1985.

Horace Grant (PF/C):

6'10"
245 lbs

4x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (1993-1996)

Horace Grant was best at guarding the post. Horace was a big man who knew how to move very well. Grant's strength and size helped his defensive play. He was a decent shot-blocker with his presence in the low post.

The Bulls rotated their defensive assignments, where they even used Grant to guard Bird because of his size advantage, and mobility. Larry still had his way with Horace in the post, and dominated him even more on the outside.

Bobby Jones (SF/PF):

6'9"
210 lbs.

8x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (1977-1984)
NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (1985)

Bobby Jones was a great on-ball defender, as well as guarding the post. Bobby's long arms helped him even more on defense. Jones used hustle and determination as a defender. He was a key part of the Sixers defense for the 1983 championship season.

Bobby was great at locking down players, because of his excellent awareness on defense, height and athleticism. However, not even Jones' great D could shut down Larry's superior offense. Larry was able to have his way with Bobby from everywhere, including the 3pt line.

Larry used a series of pump fakes, post ups, and drives to throw Jones off.

Michael Cooper (SG):

6'5"
170 lbs.

NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1987)
5x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (1982, 1984-1985, 1987-1988)
3x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (1981, 1983, 1986)

Michael Cooper is one of the greatest perimeter defenders of all-time. The Lakers put Cooper on many of the best perimeter players, because of his conditioning and athleticism. Cooper was the weapon that the Lakers used to shut down the opponent's best scorer. With all of that being said, he was clearly one of the best man-to-man defenders before the likes of Scottie Pippen, Gary Payton and even MJ himself.

Michael Cooper's stamina and quickness made him sharp enough to guard a player of Larry Bird's caliber. Michael studied Larry more than any other player. Bird considers Cooper the best defender that he ever played against. In spite of being four inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter, Coop was always able to keep Bird out of position with his terrific man-to-man D.

However, excellent O beats great D anytime. Larry's unstoppable Offense was able to counter Cooper's amazing Defense. Bird used his size and strength advantage to destroy Coop in the post.

Michael Jordan (SG):

6'6"
195-216 lbs.

NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988)
9x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (1988-1993, 1996-1998)

Michael Jordan was exceptional and dominant on the Defensive End, just like he was on Offense. His unmatched athleticism, strength and relentless man-to-man D made him a force to be reckoned with. Jordan was able to cover all ground as a defender, especially when he was younger. He was a master pick-pocket, as he led the league in steals three times (1988, '90, '93), and knew how to stifle the opposing player. Jordan was also a great shot-blocker at his position.

Jordan in the 80's and early 90's was an athletic savage, and a defensive beast. He had better reflexes and reaction time to help him respond on defense. This was the same defense that gave players like Magic Johnson a hard time (1991 NBA Finals). However, even this version of Jordan had a hard time shutting down Larry Bird. Larry was the one guy who can make a strong case in saying that he outplayed Michael "Air" Jordan. As amazing as Michael was on D, Larry actually burnt him a few times. Bird used his size advantage to post up MJ and pretty much scored with ease. Even an athletic freak could not stop that.




Julius Erving (SF/SG):

6'7"
210 lbs

Dr. J was another great athletic player that Larry Bird battled with. Julius Erving was very underrated defensively. His greatest strengths were help defense, playing passing lanes and shot blocking. His on-ball defense was solid at best. Not exceptional, but solid.

Larry never went up against the Dr. in his absolute prime (ABA), but Julius was always in tremendous shape.  However, Erving's athletic superiority did not stop him from getting torched by Bird.

James Worthy (SF):

6'9"
225 lbs

Worthy was a nice, athletic defender who was Bird's size and played his position. The Lakers rotated assignments, where they would switch between Michael Cooper and Worthy to guard Larry. Even though James did not play the intense D that Cooper played, he was still very solid. However, Bird's superior offense beat Worthy's defense.

During the Finals, James Worthy played with the classic old school defense, where you can grab a player's jersey. James nearly ripped it. Bird used his off-ball movement to get around him to get off his shot, as well as drive through him.

Rodney McCray (SF):

6'7"
220 lbs

NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (1988)
NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (1987)

Rodney McCray is said to have been an often overlooked defender in NBA history, especially with the era that he played in. McCray had a pretty good stretch from the mid-late 80's, early 90's.

McCray was the primary defensive assignment the Rockets used on Larry Bird during the 1986 NBA Finals, because of his position (SF). In spite of his good defense, like others he could not contain Bird. In spite of the frontcourt combo of McCray, Hakeem and Sampson, Larry still averaged roughly a Triple-Double in that series, if you round up the numbers.

Jerome Kersey (SF):
6'7"
215 lbs

Jerome Kersey's strength, power and athleticism helped him to become a pretty decent defender. However, even with his physical gifts, Bird still knew how to burn him. Larry punished him with a combination of post moves, ball fakes, shooting in his face. game winners, etc., to prove once again that great athletic defenders could not stop him.

Clyde Drexler (SG):
6'7"
210-220 lbs.

Clyde Drexler was another spectacular athlete during that era. He was a very solid and underrated defender at the time. Drexler was one of the other Blazers (along with Cliff Robinson, Jerome Kersey) that were used in rotations to defend Larry Bird.

However, Larry proved that if he could torch players like MJ, Dominique, Doc, and others, Drexler would be no different.


Hakeem Olajuwon (C):
7'0"
255 lbs

NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1993, 1994)
5x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (1987, 1988, '90, '93, '94)
3x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team ('91, '96, '97)

Phenomenal Athlete and Defender. Hakeem Olajuwon was not only one of the premier shot-blockers of his generation, but clearly one of the best pure defenders of all-time. His footwork, speed, agility, reach and athleticism helped him to become one of the more versatile defenders ever. Olajuwon could cover both the post, and the perimeter. The Rockets used his versatility to help guard Bird during the 1986 NBA Finals.

However, the younger, more explosive and athletic Olajuwon could not contain Larry's unstoppable offense. Bird would either destroy him in the post, use ball fakes, or catch him off guard with a mid range jumper. Bird's catch and shoot abilities were too much for anyone, including Hakeem.


Now, time to move on to some of the best defenders of the Modern Era.

Modern Era Defenders:

Bruce Bowen (SF):
6'7"
200 lbs.

5x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (2004-2008)
3x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (2001-2003)

Bruce Bowen was one of the premier defenders of the past decade. He would actually do a great job at guarding Bird through man-to-man defense, and keeping up with him on screens. He was San Antonio's key perimeter defender.

However, Larry would use his significant size advantage in both height, and weight, to punish him in the post, and shoot over him. Bowen's tactics would not frustrate Bird at all, because he went through even worse in the 80's. Bird faced dirty defensive tactics on a regular basis.

Tony Allen (SG):
6'4"
213 lbs.

2x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (2012, 2013)
1x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (2011)

Tony Allen is without question, among the top perimeter defenders today in the NBA. Allen is a smart, strong defender who can keep others out of position, but he is not strong enough to move Bird. Larry would simply have his way the entire game with Allen, and light him up like he has done to others like Drexler, MJ, Cooper and others.

Shane Battier (SF):
6'8"
220 lbs.

2x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (2008, 2009)

Shane Battier is widely regarded as one of the best perimeter defenders the game has recently seen. Shane is best known as being an aggressive and smart defender.

Battier would keep up with Bird man-to-man, but Larry's size advantage would be a major problem for him. Bird would either shoot over him, or damage him down low in the post.

Andre Iguodala (SF):

Andre's athleticism helps him to be a really good defender, but Larry has faced this challenge time and time again during the 80's. Bird has often conquered this challenge as well.

Iggy would become yet another notch on Larry Bird's belt.

Josh Smith (PF):
6'9"
225 lbs

1x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (2010)

Josh Smith is a great athletic, shotblocker who could play some nice D.

Overall, Bird has seen it before and would torch him.

Kevin Garnett (PF):
6'11"
240 lbs.

NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2008)
9x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (2000-2005, 2008, 2009-2011)
3x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (2006, 2007, 2012)

Kevin Garnett would be a serious threat to Larry, because of his height advantage, mobility, reach, mobility, athleticism, defensive ability, strength and of course, intensity. Like Olajuwon, Garnett could cover plenty of ground on both the post and parts of the perimeter. These are two areas where Bird is the most dangerous.

However, Bird would outsmart him through screens, and his tremendous off-ball offense (catch and shoot) along with Larry's great all-around game.

Tayshaun Prince (SF):
6'9"
215 lbs.

4x NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team (2005-2008)

Like Pippen and Rodman, Prince has never been a great offensive player, but an amazing defender with great length.

Tayshaun would be solid at best, but like those before him, he falls to Bird. Nothing new for Larry Legend.

Kobe Bryant (SG):
6'6"
200 lbs.

9x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (2000, 2003-2011)

In his prime, he was a very willing defender who had more energy. Bird would use the same tricks that he used to burn Jordan. In fact, Larry would destroy and outplay him worse than he did MJ.

LeBron James (SF):
6'8"
240-250 lbs.

5x NBA All-Defensive 1st Team (2009-2013)

LeBron is clearly the best perimeter defender in the NBA right now. He is great at locking down is assignment man-to-man, and can do serious damage as a team defender as well. You can also add that he is one of the best athletes that the NBA has ever had.

LeBron would challenge Larry in all areas from the perimeter to the post. LeBron's athleticism and quickness  helps him with his defensive slides, which will give Bird problems on the outside. His strength will throw Bird out of position down low in the post. Larry would then be forced to take bad shots, but Bird has proven that he could make even the toughest shots. Bird would neutralize James by posting him up outside near the 3 point line.

James has also had a reputation of being mentally-weak. Bird's greatest advantage was his mind, which is where he would pick LeBron apart.




Bird may have his fair share of off-shooting nights like everyone does. However, his numbers would still find room to be enhanced.

At 6'9" Bird was considered to be very tall for his position. In fact, the NBA was at its peak in terms of height in the 80's. (1987 is considered to be the tallest year in NBA history)

Like Jordan, when Bird went past the best perimeter defenders, he faced some of the most bruising, physical interior defenders (Centers/Power Forwards) in NBA history.

Unlike today, the paint was ruled and protected by taller and superior Centers, playing great aggressive Defense. The paint was guarded by real Enforcers.

Players included:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Moses Malone
Patrick Ewing
Buck Williams
Karl Malone

Charles Barkley
Hakeem Olajuwon
Bill Laimbeer
Ralph Sampson
Mark Eaton
Rick Mahorn
Artis Gilmore
Jack Sikma
Joe Carroll
Maurice Lucas

The 80's NBA was clearly much, much tougher. There was no entitlement given, because the league did not give superstar treatment. Players were called for traveling, and carrying (unlike now), and the refs let them play their game without blowing the whistle on the slightest touch. In today's game, players would get called for a foul by just laying a finger on someone or even by how they look at the ref. Hard fouls were a normal part of the game, defenders scratched, clawed, pushed and held players back while using every trick necessary. Players got knocked on the floor on a regular basis. This is what made the game that much more exciting, because you had to find a way to score against intense physical resistance. This was the definition of "Old School Basketball".

Bird would exploit the holes of every zone defense that would come his way in today's game with his shooting and passing. If opponents chose to double or triple team him, Bird would use his spectacular court vision to find someone for an easy basket. Just ask Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Dennis Johnson, and others.

Larry Bird pretty much never had to have the duties of the main ball-handler. Many occasions, he played the point-forward role before it was ever recognized, and before it was popularized by Scottie Pippen and LeBron James. Bird was a great ball-handler without being a point guard.

Bird never had to carry that load, because he played with legit PG's and great passers such as Nate "Tiny" Archibald, Dennis Johnson, and Danny Ainge.

Despite those things, Bird still averaged 6.3 APG for his career, while only having half the turnovers (3.1 TO per game). His assist average peaked at 7.6 APG. Bird also had his own flair to passing.

Bird was a superb rebounder for his position. Bird's rebounding average peaked at 11.0 RPG, while averaging 10.0 RPG for his career.

As it has been said countless times before, Bird was not full of athleticism (or at least great athleticism), but his rebounding ability was exceptional.

His strength, basketball I.Q., and ability to anticipate made up for any other deficiencies in his game. He knew where the ball was going when the shot bounced off the rim. A perfect example of that would be in the 1981 NBA Finals. Bird took a shot from long range. When the ball was moving to the basket, he moved immediately to the paint, so that when it missed, he was able to jump up and tip it in. That is a perfect example of I.Q, and anticipation.

When it comes to defense, Larry Bird is very underrated in that area as well.

Although he did not have great lateral quickness and was never a lock-down defender, his ability to anticipate helped him to steall the ball, intercept in passing lanes, cause turnovers and block shots.

He was great team defender, especially on the perimeter.

When Bird roamed around the perimeter, he caused major problems because he caught the opposing players off guard. Bird could be a threat in the passing lanes, or he could allow his man to drive past him so that he could block from behind. This is an underrated strategy overall.

Bird was also consistent defending in the post.

The 80's was stacked with great small forwards:
Juliius Erviing
Dominique Wilkins
Alex English
Adrian Dantley
Mark Aguirre
Bernard King
James Worthy
Kiki Vandeweghe

And many others.

The fact that Bird won most of his matchups in spite of a great team, is a testament to how special he was as a player. He also won 3 defensive teams in a decade with great perimeter defenders.

Bird's value was remarkable, because of his leadership and ability to make teammates better. Robert Parrish, and Kevin McHale became recognizable and HOF'ers, because they played with a transcendent player like Larry Bird. I am not knocking the players that Bird had, but I am simply saying that he made a huge difference. Neither of those players were ever in the same discussion for MVP as Larry.

As good as Robert Parish was, if he stayed in Golden State, I doubt that he would have the legacy that he had if not for Bird.

Kevin McHale started off as a great sixth man, but his abilities were enhanced by playing with Larry.

Even though Dennis Johnson won a championship (Finals MVP) with the Sonics (1979), his legacy was finally cemented when he played for the Celtics.

Although Bill Walton led the Blazers to their first and only NBA championship (1977), his career was sabotaged because of injuries. He also floundered with the Clippers. His career was revived and reinvented when he played with Bird in Boston as a Sixth Man.


As I have mentioned before, Bird's value should not be overlooked. In 1979, the Boston Celtics only won 29 games, the second worst in the league. However, in Bird's rookie season (1980) the Celtics made a 32 game improvement (61-21) which was the best record in the league. McHale and Parrish had yet to arrive.

In 1988, the Celtics when 57-25 (1st in East, 2nd in NBA behind Lakers). In 1989, when Bird was out with injury, they dropped to 42-40. When he returned the following year (1990) they improved to 52-30, even though he was a shell of the player that he once was.



The 80's has to probably be the strongest era of competition in NBA history. The 90's was an extension of that Decade. This is considered by many to be the Golden Era of Basketball, and for very good reason.

There were almost virtually no bad teams that you could think of (maybe a few you could count on a few fingers)

This era was loaded with deep teams, legacies, and stacked with phenomenal players. This was a time where the NBA truly reigned supreme.

Besides titles, the greatest testament to Bird's game and value is the fact that he won 3 MVP's in a row in the same league with Magic, Kareem, Jordan, Erving, Moses, Isiah, Dominique, Hakeem, and others. That alone is noteworthy.

Bird danced with Wolves (not like the movie), but he survived and conquered them all.

Larry Bird was the ultimate example of toughness. He was a general who fought through pain (Broken fingers, several back injuries, foot problems, broken jaw, fevers, broken nose, whatever). Bird went on, because he knew that it was his job. He was not one who wanted attention for his injuries.

He was never a flopper, or a cry baby searching for a foul. He got up after hard fouls, and after having stitches.

Bird fit the definition of "clutch player". Pressure was nothing for Larry Legend, because he always excelled in big situations. Gamewinners, and buzzerbeaters were normal for him. People get excited today, when they replay them on ESPN, but for Larry it was another day in the office.

Bird was one of the greatest clutch performers ever, along with players like Michael Jordan and Jerry West. Larry was clutch on both offense and defense.

In fact, he also knew how to put his teams in the best position to win.

Here are Projected Stats for Bird in Today's Era:
PPG: 29.0 (Career-High: 32.7)
RPG: 12.0 (Career-High: 15.0)
APG: 7.0 (Career-High: 9.0)
SPG: 2.0 (Career-High: 2.6)
BPG: 1.3 (Career-High: 1.7)
FG%: 50.7 (Career-High: 54%)
3PT%: 39.7 (Career-High: 45%)
FT%: 89 (Career-High: 92%)
100 Triple-Doubles

These are mere projections of what Bird would do. Larry would have a field day in today's NBA.


Larry Bird will always be TIMELESS!





                                                        Highlights of Bird's Dominance:

                                                         Larry's Incredible Postgame:

Great examples of Bird's Defense:

Larry Bird schooling MJ & Hakeem on Defense:

                                                       Bird's Underrated Athleticism (In Perspective)

NBA Playoff Predictions (Conference Finals)

East:
Heat vs. Pacers (4-1)

Last season, the Pacers proved to be the toughest challenge that Miami Heat faced in the playoffs. That is for good reason too, because of Indiana's physicality, and their advantage in the post (Roy Hibbert, David West) Miami has shown that they struggle against teams with big men. Indiana's rebounding proved vital in their series with the Knicks. However, the Heat are a smarter team that limits their missed shots because of their equalizer (LeBron James). Miami is a more efficient team than New York, which will make it harder for  the Pacers to grab as many boards. The Pacers have a very good perimeter defense with Paul George. However, Miami has the superiority in that department because of the lethal duo of LeBron and Dwyane Wade. Shane Battier is another crucial defender on the perimeter as well, which will cause triple teams and multiple rotations to frustrate Indiana. Miami has proven that they can make up for their weakness in the low post, by running fastbreak with their smallball style of play. The Heat's depth is another major threat, with the likes of Ray Allen, Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, James Jones, Chris "Birdman" Anderson, and others. Therefore, LeBron's job has become much easier, because he has multiple weapons to kick out to when facing double teams. His ability to create his own shots will be the ultimate factor in this matchup.

West:
Spurs vs. Grizzlies (4-1)

San Antonio's fundamental style of play, and IQ will give them the major advantage over Memphis in this series. Their ability to create screens will give the Grizzlies matchup nightmares, because of their lethal weapon Tony Parker. Parker's IQ, and playmaking abilities have proven to be problematic for Mike Conley. Tim Duncan has proven to still be a serious threat defensively, which creates problems for Zach Randolph. When Randolph becomes a non-factor, that is when the Grizzlies suffer. Players such as Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green will be crucial in this series to round things out for the Spurs to neutralize Tony Allen. The Spurs depth will once again be the deciding X-factor in the postseason.

NBA Playoff Predictions (2nd Round)

East:
Heat over Bulls (4-3)
Pacers over Knicks (4-2)

West:
Thunder over Grizzlies (4-3)
Spurs over Warriors (4-2)


East:

Heat vs. Bulls:
In Game 1, I was very impressed by Chicago. On the night where three of their best players were out (Rose, Deng, Hinrich), the Bulls regrouped around players such as Nate Robinson, Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, and others in spite of their injury problems. Meanwhile, Miami was fully healthy with their franchise star, MVP LeBron James. However, Chicago came off of a tough 7-game series with the Brooklyn Nets, while the Heat were rusty coming off of an 8-day layoff. What made the layoff rust even worse was the fact that LeBron was openly awarded the MVP trophy the night of the game in Miami. In the first half, LeBron played nothing like an MVP. The first half overall was grueling and low scoring, where both teams were tied at 37 by halftime. Side note: Maybe it was the shoes. Just kidding. The Bulls have constantly had the Heat's number this season. Chicago was the team that ended Miami's 27-game winning streak. (2nd longest in NBA History) Whenever the Bulls play the Heat, they always bring their A game, especially Nate Robinson. Game 1 was no different. Chicago pushed the ball up the court, and knocked down their shots. They knew how to frustrate Miami. Nate Robinson led the way with 27 points, 9 assists. Jimmy Butler stepped up with 21 points, 14 rebounds. Joakim Noah made an impact as well, with 13 points, and 11 rebounds. Meanwhile, LeBron led the way for the Heat as he finished with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Dwyane Wade had 14 points. Everyone else on the Heat were involved, but not enough to get them over. Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers and Ray Allen went cold. In the end, this will be an intriguing matchup.

Pacers vs. Knicks:
These first two games have been up and down. In Game 1, the Pacers blew the Knicks away in Madison Square Garden. In Game 2, the Knicks returned the favor. However, I see Indiana having the advantage because of their physicality, just like it was with the Hawks, and even with the Heat last year. If the Pacers perimeter defense can neutralize Carmelo and JR Smith, this will turn even more in their favor. Overall, the Pacers physical play and big man Roy Hibbert will be the deciding factor.

West:

Thunder vs. Grizzlies:
With fellow star Russell Westbrook out for the rest of the playoffs, Kevin Durant was able to take what little he had and multiply it for victory over Houston in the 1st Round. In Game 1, the Thunder defeated the Grizzlies at home, with Kevin Durant once again leading the troops. (35 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, 9/10 from the free throw line) Kevin Martin stepped up to the plate with 25 points, with Reggie Jackson bringing in 12 points. However, the Grizzlies made it even with Mike Conley leading Memphis with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. Marc Gasol scored 24 points, while Zach Randolph brought in 15 points. Kevin Durant dropped 36 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists 11/12 from the foul line. However, he missed 2 crucial shots, and the rest of the Thunder fell short. Gasol and Randolph are two of the best big men today. If they carry their weight like they did against the Clippers, they could have a chance. However, Oklahoma City is still a greater threat than what the Clippers were. I see the Thunder pulling this out.

Spurs vs. Warriors:
Monday Night's opener was incredible. Stephen Curry has really been raising his game, and those around him. Curry was lights out again in Game 1, where he lit up the Spurs defense with 44 points and 11 assists. San Antonio had their back on the ropes by the first half. However, the Spurs had the right answer. This was a Point Guard battle. Tony Parker led the way with 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists. Danny Green dropped 22 points. Tim Duncan had a solid game with 19 points, and 11 rebounds. Rising star Kawhi Leonard gave 18 points, and 9 rebounds. Manu Ginobili also added 16 points, and 11 assists. San Antonio's experience, and chemistry will neutralize the youth and firepower of Golden State.

I Respect Greatness & History

As many of you may know, I am a major fan of sports history. I study it consistently in my down time. I respect and admire the history of sports that I enjoy. There have been certain players that I have watched, and have studied that caught my attention, and have transcended their sport in so many ways. In Boxing, there were fighters like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Frazier to name a few. In Football, Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Jim Brown and others. In Basketball, there were players like Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt and company. These athletes will always be timeless, and that is why they are held in the highest regard. These are players whose legacies I will continue to defend until the end of time. What I write may come across as nostalgic, but it is to spotlight what made the game so great, and to show how greatness was properly built. Athletes like Wilt, Ali, and Jim Brown had enough influence, dominance and impact to where they transcended their eras, and cannot be limited to their time period. In other words, they could clearly dominate any time period, when you give them the same balance as anyone else. However, one thing that I am blatantly against is how these athletes are diminished, and not rightfully acknowledged by modern day fans and media members. At times the way I give criticisms of today's athletes may come across as a hater. If so, I apologize. I just like things to be put in their proper perspective. I am a very passionate fan, who uses facts to balance my observation. I do not like unfair comparisons where players are matched up with others whose legacies pale in comparison.

For example, Kobe Bryant is a bonafide NBA Legend and First Ballot Hall of Famer. He was greatly influenced by Michael Jordan, which is something to truly admire. However, that is where it starts, and for me that is where it should end. When you look at facts, there production is very different. Michael's career averages in scoring, rebounds, assists, etc are all higher than Kobe's. (MJ-30.1, Kobe-25.4) His field goal percentage is also higher. MJ won 10 scoring titles, while Kobe won 2. Michael was the Finals MVP every year that Chicago won the championship. Kobe was the Finals MVP on two out of three times the Lakers won the championship. Not to spark a debate, but those are simply facts. Therefore, with everything taken into consideration Kobe's achievements and body of work at least put him along the lines of Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Julius Erving. That is a very high honor in and of itself. Kobe is his very own player. If it were not for the constant comparisons being shoved down my throat, I can sit back and truly enjoy Kobe's career the way that I really want to. Does that sound like a hater? No! That is how you put things in perspective. My frustration from the comparisons, and fans bringing up 81 points boils over in different ways. I openly admit that. With that aside, he has truly carved out a terrific career. That is the ultimate point that I want to get across.

However, when people want to diminish legends from the past and the era that they dominated, I have a problem. Of course, each athlete regardless of era is great in their own way. They have dedicated their lives to what they do. With that said, I also understand how greed and politics have corrupted the arena of sports as we know it today. Rule changes, and attitudes of entitlement have watered down sports in all areas and landscapes. There are certainly stars from today who have incredible work ethic, but it can be harder to see that with many of the prima donna attitudes that are even more prevalent. It is merely a sign of the times, and culture that we live in. Meanwhile, stars from before who paved the way built their own name, and did not need extra help from the media, and fans. They did not have the kinds of luxuries that stars today have. Even Michael Jordan himself faced his fair share of struggles with his team. He had to thoroughly earn his keep, and his game attracted others to him. Players brought more desire and passion that is greatly missed. I have no time for the drama, and the circus that comes from today. There was a great balance of athleticism and IQ which made things more exciting. If it was not broke, why touch it?

I am definitely not a fan of the way the media picks single games or a stretch of games to compare to legends to put them on that level in some kind of way. Last season during the playoffs, I remember when the media clearly focused on a game where LeBron scored 45 points, grabbed 15 rebounds with 5 assists. They put a spin as if he was the only player to do that since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964. It was a great performance, but there were countless other players who have done in between that time since Wilt. Players like Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, Hakeem, and others were overlooked. Jerry West had a triple double in Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals (42/13/12) as I have pointed out before. To put that in perspective, it was just another day at the office for LeBron, and one of the many great playoff games the NBA has produced. LeBron is the face of today's NBA, which is great and leave it at that. No need to over promote his greatness, and put him on a much higher pedestal.

I am not the type of fan that does not acknowledge one's greatness, because I never grew up watching them. With today's advantages of the Internet such as YouTube, I could find many ways to watch whatever highlights I could get my hands on to use as evidence. That way, I could combine what I have seen with my knowledge and facts to fully understand how great Player A was. For example, I did not grow up watching Walter Payton. However, I could use an outlet such as YouTube to see for myself how dominant he really was. I already have the stats anyway, so that makes it easier for me. I grew up in a time where I was able to watch enough of Jerry Rice to get a strong understanding of how great he was. I just use YouTube to get an even greater idea of how amazing he was. In other words, no one has an excuse. I don't want to hear anymore "I have never seen him play" excuses. Nobody got time for that.

Overall, I am a fan of someone who can leave a lasting imprint on the game. Athletes like Magic Johnson left a lasting impression on me to the point where I felt like I was in that time period whenever I watch their highlights. When I have read about them in Sports Illustrated, I was hooked. That is the mark of true greatness. They told a story by how they performed. At least I know that I am not the only person who feels this way. When people can talk about your career in 20 years or more, you have achieved greatness. In the end, that is truly the goal of anyone who plays, other than championships. Whatever you do is part of history, good or bad. That is the story of life in general.

LBJ 4 MVP

Congratulations to Mr. LeBron James for winning his 4th NBA Most Valuable Player Award for the 2012-2013 NBA Season. LeBron has now joined Elite Company, making him the 5th Player in NBA History to win at least four or more MVP Awards:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6)
Michael Jordan (5)
Bill Russell (5)
Wilt Chamberlain (4)
LeBron James (4)

This is certainly a prestigious class to be a part of, which adds even greater value to LeBron's already impressive legacy. As always, LeBron has been playing like a man among boys this season. From the start, I pretty much knew that LeBron was the ultimate lock for the Award. No one else was even within striking distance of the award. James won 120 out of the 121 votes. He would have been the unanimous MVP if it had not been for scoring leader Carmelo Anthony winning that 1 vote. That is how lopsided the voting was. Not even KD received a vote, when he was second place last season. Shaq went through the same thing when he won the MVP in 2000, when Iverson had the 1 vote that kept him from being the unanimous winner. LeBron had another fantastic day in the office this season, as he averaged 26.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.7 spg, with an incredible career-high field goal percentage of 56%. LeBron also shot a career-high 40% from the 3-point line, while shooting 75% from the free throw line. Once again, LeBron led the NBA in Player Efficiency Rating (PER) for the sixth straight time in his career with a PER of 31.6. LeBron also led the league in Win Shares for the fifth season in a row (19.3), along with a career-high .322 Win Shares/Per 48 Minutes. James also shot a career-high in True Shooting Percentage, shooting 64%. Those are true examples of value, for both the team and the league. This season, LeBron James also became the "youngest" player in NBA History to reach 20,000 career total points. As I have said before, he is only considered the "fastest" because of age, but in terms of career, he is not. Either way, it was very impressive. LeBron was also named "NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month" for every month, except April. (November-March) This season, LeBron also went on a monstrous streak of games where he scored at least 30 or more points on 60% shooting or higher from the field. Even more recently, LeBron led the charge as the Miami Heat went on a 27-game winning streak, while finishing the season 66-16. With new additions such as Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, and Chris "Birdman" Anderson, LeBron found new players whose roles could be further enhanced by playing with him. This season, we have continued to see James be the general and march his team to success. Once again, we have seen LBJ continue to dominate on both ends of the court. LeBron has also earned the respect, and admiration from All-Time Greats such as Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Karl Malone as well as Bob Pettit to name a few. They expressed their appreciation of James during a roundtable interview with USA Today Sports. Kareem admires LeBron's desire to be the best. Bob Pettit sees his own commitment to strength and conditioning in LeBron's game. Moses Malone appreciates the path that he and James both took to NBA success coming straight out of High School, winning multiple MVP Awards and each a Finals MVP. Bill Russell has even said that he thinks of LeBron James the same way that he used to think about Wilt Chamberlain. Not to speak for anyone, but I am sure that Wilt would also have a certain admiration for LeBron James and everything that he brings to the table. Like Wilt, LeBron is head and shoulders above the rest, as his amazing individual production gives balance to his team success. Although Wilt only led his teams to 2 championships, he had 4 MVP's and multiple records to further solidify his legacy in other areas. James is carving his place in History even more. He continues to add more dimensions to his game. With all fairness to today's NBA, the competition looks more like St. Vincent St. Mary than the NBA that we have been so used to for years. This is not a swipe at LeBron, but to the rule changes. LeBron's versatility continues to reach new levels. However, James' season has orchestrated yet another incredible season to further etch his career to legend status.