RealGM

Last one for the day.

Let's say both teams have equal benches and equal coaches.

Which team would win?

Team Larry Bird vs Oscar Robertson, who wins in 7?


Team Larry Bird
C Willis Reed
PF Dirk Nowitzki
SF Larry Bird
SG Hal Greer
PG Walt Frazier

vs


Team Oscar Robertson
C Bill Walton
PF Dave Cowens
SF Rick Barry
SG John Havlicek
PG Oscar Robertson

I don't like betting against Bird but Walton pwns Reed, Cowens was pretty much equivalent to Nowitzki, Havlicek was a lot better than Greer and the Big O was better than Frazier by a fairly sizeable margin.

I mean, Oscar's team has a rather significant rebounding and scoring edge, I don't see where the Bird-led team could really do much, especially since it has an overemphasis on perimeter player while Oscar's team has Walton and the Big O himself who can post up aggressively and are a lot better at it than Willis Reed.

Bird himself posted up a lot, though, so maybe that's not a HUGE advantage but still, you're talking about the Big O being the best scorer of the group and you've got the GIGANTIC divide between Walton and Reed... presuming Walton's healthy-ish.

So yeah, I go with Oscar's team.

I have to go with the Big O's team.


Larry Bird>>Barry

But:

Walton>Reed
Hondo>Greer
Oscar>Frazier
Cowens≥ Dirk

TheSheriff wrote:I have to go with the Big O's team.


Larry Bird>>Barry

But:

Walton>Reed
Hondo>Greer
Oscar>Frazier
Cowens≥ Dirk

I've never really heard much that Cowens was as good as Dirk. Also depends on the Reed playing. If it is the Reed that was playing against Wilt in 1970 then he matches up well with Walton.

I don't think Oscar and Hondo is that much better than Frazier and Greer, each has the advantage but Frazier and Greer were very good players. This is countered by Bird's edge over Rick Barry. Willis Reed and Dave Cowens were similar physical defensive centers with good shooting range; Reed was bigger and stronger, Cowens ran the floor better, a slight edge to Reed.

The key difference is Bill Walton v. Dirk Nowitski. If Walton is fully healthy, he has a massive advantage in defensive impact and he isn't far behind Dirk offensively. However, throughout his career, you could never depend on Walton staying healthy. If you are using one year peaks, the advantage is strongly with Walton's team. If not, count on Walton missing a significant part of the year (or playing reserve minutes as he did in Boston); then the advantage swings over to Nowitski and Bird v. Barry and a reserve. I would not be willing to bet on Walton so I'd take the Bird team.

JordansBulls wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



I've never really heard much that Cowens was as good as Dirk. Also depends on the Reed playing. If it is the Reed that was playing against Wilt in 1970 then he matches up well with Walton.

Cowens was a key figure on two Boston title squads, ROY, All-Star MVP, league MVP (and he finished top 4 in MVP voting 3 years besides the year he won it, 2nd, 3rd and 4th)... He was an excellent rebounder, a great outside/inside player, a WAY better passer than Dirk.