NBA vs NFL

[Gandalf]

Magic was perfect for the Lakers and Bird was perfect for the Celtics. Both teams were built perfectly for both of them, respectively.

Switch them and I think both teams suffer just a smidge - at least at first.

They're both such good players I think they could fit in on any team and their front office could built around them from there.

 

[Tano]

They're both such good players I think they could fit in on any team and their front office could built around them from there.

That's why I said at first. It would take a year or two to build around them at most.

And again - they would only be hampered a smidgen.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Garbage, bro. 80's basketball was much more physical. Kareem's skyhook was automatic and unstoppable. Larry Bird was almost unstoppable with his 3 pointers and he made good players look silly, but both got down and dirty inside. I think an 80's team would rough up the pretty boy's who throw up 3 pointers without opposition.

Nailed it, brother.

Magic Johnson practiced harder than today’s players play. He would hit you in the back of the head with the ball if you weren’t paying attention in practice.
Just try to tell guys like Magic, Kareem or Bird that they need a day off to rest.
They’d tell you to fuck off.

 

[dieterbrock]

Nailed it, brother.

Magic Johnson practiced harder than today’s players play. He would hit you in the back of the head with the ball if you weren’t paying attention in practice.
Just try to tell guys like Magic, Kareem or Bird that they need a day off to rest.
They’d tell you to fuck off.

The top players are only playing between 70-75 games these days. They actually schedule games they won’t play in.
It’s crazy.

 

[Faceplant]

They're both such good players I think they could fit in on any team and their front office could built around them from there.

I would just like to commend you sir, for nailing all 3 uses of that word. Tis quite rare in modern society.....and particularly on this forum, haha.

 

[jrry32]

Nailed it, brother.

Magic Johnson practiced harder than today’s players play. He would hit you in the back of the head with the ball if you weren’t paying attention in practice.
Just try to tell guys like Magic, Kareem or Bird that they need a day off to rest.
They’d tell you to fuck off.

Magic never played a full 82-game season once in his career. Bird could have benefitted from load protection, as the build up of injuries cut his career short. Games evolve. Teams get smarter. It's not a bad thing. It has happened in football too.

The top players are only playing between 70-75 games these days. They actually schedule games they won’t play in.
It’s crazy.

Yeah, it's about keeping guys healthy (particularly for the games that matter). Kind of weird that y'all are acting like this is such a huge deal when Sean McVay has never hesitated to do the same thing with our starters.

 

[So Ram]

Totally false
80's ball had big men shooting mid range jumpers, nobody hits that shot or even takes it any more.
Today's game is all 3 pointers

Do you ever see anyone use the backboard anymore ? Kareem’s skyhook is legendary.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Magic never played a full 82-game season once in his career. Bird could have benefitted from load protection, as the build up of injuries cut his career short. Games evolve. Teams get smarter. It's not a bad thing. It has happened in football too.

Yeah, it's about keeping guys healthy (particularly for the games that matter). Kind of weird that y'all are acting like this is such a huge deal when Sean McVay has never hesitated to do the same thing with our starters.

Magic Johnson averaged 73 games a year from 1980-1991.
Which includes the 1981 season where he was out 45 games to with a knee injury.
5 of those 11 years he played 78 or more games.
If Magic wasn’t dinged up, he was playing

 

[Karate61]

Reading this thread has been more interesting then watching an NBA game. And the women's NBA...forget that!

 

[jrry32]

Magic Johnson averaged 73 games a year from 1980-1991.
Which includes the 1981 season where he was out 45 games to with a knee injury.
5 of those 11 years he played 78 or more games.
If Magic wasn’t dinged up, he was playing

Maybe Magic would have been dinged up less if he took a night off every now and then.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Maybe Magic would have been dinged up less if he took a night off every now and then.

Probably. (I found it funny, but wasn’t laughing at you, Jerry)

However,
incredibly, competitive people have a hard time watching from the sidelines.

 

[Memento]

Probably. (I found it funny, but wasn’t laughing at you, Jerry)

However,
incredibly, competitive people have a hard time watching from the sidelines.

Yeah, that much is true. I get antsy watching my teammates from the sidelines in boccia because I want the best for them, not just because they're on my team, but because I want them to do their best. It's hard for me to not shout encouragement, to wait until the game is over. And I have a hard time watching the opponent do their throws.

I can see why Magic, Bird, Jordan, the Pistons, guys like that had such an issue being taken out of games and watching from the sidelines because I've felt that in my own sport.

At the same time, it is true that they needed to be rested for their own good, that Magic and Bird might've had longer careers if they were rested.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Yeah, that much is true. I get antsy watching my teammates from the sidelines in boccia because I want the best for them, not just because they're on my team, but because I want them to do their best. It's hard for me to not shout encouragement, to wait until the game is over. And I have a hard time watching the opponent do their throws.

I can see why Magic, Bird, Jordan, the Pistons, guys like that had such an issue being taken out of games and watching from the sidelines because I've felt that in my own sport.

At the same time, it is true that they needed to be rested for their own good, that Magic and Bird might've had longer careers if they were rested.

Well, Magic had a difficult road.
At the time, there wasn’t much known about HIV, other than it was deadly.

 

[Memento]

Well, Magic had a difficult road.
At the time, there wasn’t much known about HIV, other than it was deadly.

Right. The thing about his journey that always gets me in tears is how Bird reacted. They were rivals for the longest time. Their teams hated each other. And when Magic came out with his diagnosis, guys like Isaiah Thomas (fuck him, seriously. I love how the Bad Boys played team defense, but I hate Isaiah's fucking guts for what he did to Magic.) flat out abandoned him.

Larry was right there, asking how Magic was doing, treating him normally instead of like a leper. It's something a lot of people can learn from.

 

[jrry32]

Well, Magic had a difficult road.
At the time, there wasn’t much known about HIV, other than it was deadly.

Yeah, it's hard to speculate about Magic's longevity because an injury didn't end his career. Glad he was able to play on the Dream Team and return for a final season on his terms. (Hell, he was still a good player all those years later.)

 

[Mackeyser]

Magic never played a full 82-game season once in his career. Bird could have benefitted from load protection, as the build up of injuries cut his career short. Games evolve. Teams get smarter. It's not a bad thing. It has happened in football too.

Yeah, it's about keeping guys healthy (particularly for the games that matter). Kind of weird that y'all are acting like this is such a huge deal when Sean McVay has never hesitated to do the same thing with our starters.

Yes and no. Bird’s injury problems started when he injured his back installing a driveway at his mom’s house.

But yes, load management would have been a massive boon for overworked players in times past. I think the Kobe mindset or the David Goggins mindset can maybe help a few, but overall, can ultimately cut short a person’s longevity.

 

[Merlin]

Yes and no. Bird’s injury problems started when he injured his back installing a driveway at his mom’s house.

Serves him right, cheap bastard could have paid someone to do it.