1982 Bird vs 1990 K.Malone

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Better Player??

1982 Larry Bird
4
80%
1990 Karl Malone
1
20%
 
Total votes: 5

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Narigo
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1982 Bird vs 1990 K.Malone 

Post#1 » by Narigo » Mon Aug 8, 2022 1:19 pm

Who was the better player?
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The Master
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Re: 1982 Bird vs 1990 K.Malone 

Post#2 » by The Master » Mon Aug 8, 2022 9:13 pm

Bird had some serious issues in terms of resilience of his scoring in the playoffs besides this 84-86 period, what is rather not adequately discussed - but Malone is still nowhere near in terms of generating an offense even in comparison to younger Larry, so I don't see it as too difficult question tbh.
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Re: 1982 Bird vs 1990 K.Malone 

Post#3 » by tsherkin » Mon Aug 8, 2022 9:28 pm

This RS was great for Malone. Around 31/11/3 in the RS on 62.6% TS.

Then in the playoffs, in that 5-game series against the Suns, he dropped off to about 25/10/2 on a raunchy 50.5% TS. Malone, a 56.2% FG in the RS, shot 43.8% from the field in that series. Fouled out of Game 2 and shot under 40% from the field in games 2 and 3. Tried to pick it up in the back chunk of the series, but crapped the bed at the line in game 5.

Bird had a similar problem with scoring in his 82 postseason, but was still at least a dynamic playmaker. And the volume drop-off from 23 ppg to 17 ppg is a bit overstated. They did walk through the Bullets in the opening round. His scoring efficiency was like -4% relative to the regular season, for sure, but Boston was clicking on several different cylinders in that one and they won 4-1 to advance. It was the Philly series where his scoring was real dog poop, and that was a 7-game knife fight (though he led the game in rebounding 4 times in that series) and tied for the lead in Game 6, too.

Boston blow-out in game 1, Bird triple-double. 18/14/4 with 3 steals shooting 45% from the field in Game 2 in an 8-point loss... with 6 turnovers. Philly ate them alive all over that game, though, they simply couldn't defend the Sixers. Game 3, Bird couldn't hit anything to save his life, and shot 37.6% from the field. Triple-double, but 6/16 from the field in a 2-point loss, and 3/7 from the line. Parish, Carr and Chris Ford were each 3/8 from the field. Solid but unremarkable Game 4 in a blow-out loss, 17/9/5 on 50% shooting. 20/20/8 on 42% FG in a blow-out Celtics win in Game 5. 14/17/4 in Game 6, 31.6% from the field in a 13-point Boston win where Philly was just worse. 20/11/9 in the deciding game on 7/18 (38.9%) shooting in Game 7.

On the series, 18.3 ppg (2nd on Boston behind Parish), 14.1 rpg, 7.3 apg, 41.2% FG, 73.1% FT (86.3% in the RS).

Some food for thought.

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