2016 Curry/2009 Wade vs 1991 Magic/1986 Bird

[Matt15]

Which duo would you rather have?

[JordansBulls]

1991 Magic and Bird

[Sign5]

Cmon super bigs>

[Pg81]

Magic and Bird for me.

[iggymcfrack]

'09 Wade >> '86 Bird

'16 Curry >>>>>>> '91 Magic

[70sFan]

'09 Wade >> '86 Bird

'16 Curry >>>>>>> '91 Magic

What?

[Bobalob]

If we're playing in this era I'd play Magic at the 5 and Bird at stretch 4

[mademan]

If we're playing in this era I'd play Magic at the 5 and Bird at stretch 4

And you'd give up layup lines. Neither Bird or Magic are going to stop anybody at the rim

[Bobalob]

If we're playing in this era I'd play Magic at the 5 and Bird at stretch 4

And you'd give up layup lines. Neither Bird or Magic are going to stop anybody at the rim

We'd have fun tho

[iggymcfrack]

'09 Wade >> '86 Bird

'16 Curry >>>>>>> '91 Magic

What?

Well, just on defense Curry's probably worth about 4 or 5 PPG over Magic. Then you figure that in 2016, he put up arguably the best offensive season of all-time and did it against much tougher competition. It's not exactly close.

[70sFan]

'09 Wade >> '86 Bird

'16 Curry >>>>>>> '91 Magic

What?

Well, just on defense Curry's probably worth about 4 or 5 PPG over Magic. Then you figure that in 2016, he put up arguably the best offensive season of all-time and did it against much tougher competition. It's not exactly close.

This is impossible that Curry is worth on defense 4-5 ppg over Magic. 5 ppg is a huge impact and Curry isn't even elite defender, far from it in fact. Well, Magic at this point wasn't good, but the gap isn't huge because Curry isn't impactful defender either.

What do you mean by tougher competition? Magic faced better teams in playoffs and he was much more impressive. Magic also had one of the best offensive seasons of all time so this argument doesn't work.

Many people who've seen 1991 finals say that this "old" Magic put up better offensive performance in the finals than PEAK MJ. Johnson didn't have Curry shooting, but he's much better playmaker and the gap is probably as huge. Look at his teammates - outside of past his prime Worthy and Scott he didn't have much. Divac and Perkins weren't at his best either.

Watch some of his games from that season. He was unreal, the way he impacted the game can't be seen in boxscores.

I don't say that you can't take Curry, most probably would. But to say it's not close is a different story, as Magic played ATG basketball at this point of his career and I'm not sure we've seen player who is better offensively than 1991 Magic, let alone "not exactly close".

[euroleague]

Magic and Bird, easily.

Magic wasn't a bad rim-defender - he won a championship playing C. That said, he's only 6'9. I would put Magic at SF and Bird at PF.

The passing on this team would be absurd.

[ardee]

Magic and Bird rather easily. Zero question marks around that duo, particularly with 1986 Bird who is very clearly the best player here and probably also the best defensive player here.

Curry was injured in the Playoffs and played below his standard. Wade was fine in the Playoffs but not as spectacular as Bird, I'd probably even take Magic's Playoffs over him. That's automatically a point in favor of the latter two.

I'd say Wade, Curry and Magic are all roughly on the same level, Bird is a tier above. Hence I take the 80s pair.