Rodman: Larry Bird wouldn’t cut it in modern NBA: ‘He’d be in Europe’

[threrf23]

and told Carmen Electra when she found him in bed with two females that "they fell through the ceiling"

I missed that story whenever it dropped. Witty lol

[threrf23]

Anyways the two have a history.

There's this, for example:

4. Bird relentlessly taunts Dennis Rodman

When Dennis Rodman was playing for Detroit early in his career, he got assigned to Bird during a game against Boston. Bird made four consecutive baskets and proceeded to tell Pistons coach Chuck Daly, "Who's guarding me, Chuck? Is anyone guarding me? You better get someone on me or I'm gonna go for 60." No matter how close up Rodman would get to Bird, trying to deny him the ball, Bird would playfully yell to teammates to hurry up and get him the ball "before they notice nobody is guarding me."

https://web.archive.org/web/20150320124455/https://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/boston-celtics-larry-bird-trash-talking-genius-031215

And also this

It was early in the 1986-87 season, when the Boston Celtics got their first look at Dennis Rodman, the Pistons' precocious rookie. When Rodman came into the game midway through the opening quarter, his assignment was to guard Larry Bird. As per his personal game plan, Bird immediately took Rodman into the low-post to test the rookie's mettle.

However, before he could receive an entry pass, Bird suddenly yelped and jumped forward. When questioned by his teammates during a subsequent timeout, Bird blamed his unexpected behavior on Rodman's defense.

Instead of applying an elbow to Bird's back, or displacing Bird by putting pressure on the back of Larry Legend's lagging knee, Rodman had simply poked a finger up Bird's butt!

Thereby giving new meaning to down-and-dirty defense.

https://web.archive.org/web/20090218121055/http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8838386/Wade's-great,-but-Heat-have-a-big-problem

[captain green]

Imo he'd be better the league was different then and now he'd easily wrap up folks and probably play longer too.

[dans1230]

He would be Luka with plus defense and a slightly lower usage rate.
I have no idea who Rodmans comp would be, maybe Mitchell Robinson??

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Dennis Rodman thinks Larry Bird couldn't play in today's NBA. From Boston.com:

“If Larry Bird played in this era, I think he’d be [playing overseas] in Europe. I’m just letting you know man,” Rodman said during an interview with VladTV. “He’d be somewhere over there. His game was fit for Boston at that time in the 80s and stuff like that, but in today’s world, ‘oh hell no’ there’s no way. I’m not downplaying him because he was a great player at that time, like I was but I’m saying there’s no way.”

Rodman pointed to Nikola Jokic as a player who is “way better” than Bird.

“He’s slow as hell, but that guy has a game,” Rodman said. “He’s better than Larry Bird … compare him to Larry Bird, I think people would pick him.”

What a stupid idea. The kids are nuts.

Bird was such a beast on the boards.
Bird did everything Jokic does better than Jokic except be really big.

We have a lot of guys Bird’s size playing center now. Bird might play some center today.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Imagine this team.
Based on 1984 Celtics but with these monied best of composite players.

1984 Bird, Feb 1987 Bird, Feb 2016 6’ 9” Draymond current old vet Draymond. Draymond knows how to play point forward for Curry and Klay.

1984 Gerald Henderson, Feb 2916 Curry current old be Curry. Henderson makes Curry faster.

Wedman, 2016 Klay, current old vet Klay.

1984 bouncy McHale, Feb 1987 super scoring smarter McHale.

1984 DJ, 1987 DJ more of a point guard DJ, and Feb 2016 Iguodala and current Iguodala. Point of Iguodala is to make DJ familiar with Warriors offense.

Parish, and 2016 Bogut to make Parish into a ball handler that knows how to screen for Warriors offense.

Coach Fitch, coach Kerr who understands the value of the 3 point shot.

1984 Celtics were inferior to the 1984 Lakers until you figure in offensive rebounding. Bird, Parish, Maxwell and McHale won the 1984 Finals with offense rebounding.

I don’t think any current team could compete against my hypothetical Curry, Klay and Draymond and 1987 modified Celtics.

[Fencer reregistered]

Imagine this team.
Based on 1984 Celtics but with these monied best of composite players.

1984 Bird, Feb 1987 Bird, Feb 2016 6’ 9” Draymond current old vet Draymond. Draymond knows how to play point forward for Curry and Klay.

1984 Gerald Henderson, Feb 2916 Curry current old be Curry. Henderson makes Curry faster.

Wedman, 2016 Klay, current old vet Klay.

1984 bouncy McHale, Feb 1987 super scoring smarter McHale.

1984 DJ, 1987 DJ more of a point guard DJ, and Feb 2016 Iguodala and current Iguodala. Point of Iguodala is to make DJ familiar with Warriors offense.

Coach Fitch, coach Kerr who understands the value of the 3 point shot.

1984 Celtics were inferior to the 1984 Lakers until you figure in offensive rebounding. Bird, Parish, Maxwell and McHale won the 1984 Finals with offense rebounding.

I don’t think any current team could compete against my hypothetical Curry, Klay and Draymond and 1987 modified Celtics.

I don't think any current team could beat the 1985-6 Celtics unmodified, all spacing and roster balance issues notwithstanding.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Imagine this team.
Based on 1984 Celtics but with these monied best of composite players.

1984 Bird, Feb 1987 Bird, Feb 2016 6’ 9” Draymond current old vet Draymond. Draymond knows how to play point forward for Curry and Klay.

1984 Gerald Henderson, Feb 2916 Curry current old be Curry. Henderson makes Curry faster.

Wedman, 2016 Klay, current old vet Klay.

1984 bouncy McHale, Feb 1987 super scoring smarter McHale.

1984 DJ, 1987 DJ more of a point guard DJ, and Feb 2016 Iguodala and current Iguodala. Point of Iguodala is to make DJ familiar with Warriors offense.

Coach Fitch, coach Kerr who understands the value of the 3 point shot.

1984 Celtics were inferior to the 1984 Lakers until you figure in offensive rebounding. Bird, Parish, Maxwell and McHale won the 1984 Finals with offense rebounding.

I don’t think any current team could compete against my hypothetical Curry, Klay and Draymond and 1987 modified Celtics.

I don't think any current team could beat the 1985-6 Celtics unmodified, all spacing and roster balance issues notwithstanding.

I am not sure if the 1986 Celtics could beat last year‘s Nuggets. Modern three-point shooting is such an advantage..

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Imagine this team.
Based on 1984 Celtics but with these monied best of composite players.

1984 Bird, Feb 1987 Bird, Feb 2016 6’ 9” Draymond current old vet Draymond. Draymond knows how to play point forward for Curry and Klay.

1984 Gerald Henderson, Feb 2916 Curry current old be Curry. Henderson makes Curry faster.

Wedman, 2016 Klay, current old vet Klay.

1984 bouncy McHale, Feb 1987 super scoring smarter McHale.

1984 DJ, 1987 DJ more of a point guard DJ, and Feb 2016 Iguodala and current Iguodala. Point of Iguodala is to make DJ familiar with Warriors offense.

Coach Fitch, coach Kerr who understands the value of the 3 point shot.

1984 Celtics were inferior to the 1984 Lakers until you figure in offensive rebounding. Bird, Parish, Maxwell and McHale won the 1984 Finals with offense rebounding.

I don’t think any current team could compete against my hypothetical Curry, Klay and Draymond and 1987 modified Celtics.

I don't think any current team could beat the 1985-6 Celtics unmodified, all spacing and roster balance issues notwithstanding.

I am not sure if the 1986 Celtics could beat last year‘s Nuggets. Modern three-point shooting is such an advantage..

Add Curry to Jerry sichting and peak Klay to Wedman and then I will feel confident in the modified 1986 Celtics beating any modern team.

[Fencer reregistered]

Imagine this team.
Based on 1984 Celtics but with these monied best of composite players.

1984 Bird, Feb 1987 Bird, Feb 2016 6’ 9” Draymond current old vet Draymond. Draymond knows how to play point forward for Curry and Klay.

1984 Gerald Henderson, Feb 2916 Curry current old be Curry. Henderson makes Curry faster.

Wedman, 2016 Klay, current old vet Klay.

1984 bouncy McHale, Feb 1987 super scoring smarter McHale.

1984 DJ, 1987 DJ more of a point guard DJ, and Feb 2016 Iguodala and current Iguodala. Point of Iguodala is to make DJ familiar with Warriors offense.

Coach Fitch, coach Kerr who understands the value of the 3 point shot.

1984 Celtics were inferior to the 1984 Lakers until you figure in offensive rebounding. Bird, Parish, Maxwell and McHale won the 1984 Finals with offense rebounding.

I don’t think any current team could compete against my hypothetical Curry, Klay and Draymond and 1987 modified Celtics.

I don't think any current team could beat the 1985-6 Celtics unmodified, all spacing and roster balance issues notwithstanding.

I am not sure if the 1986 Celtics could beat last year‘s Nuggets. Modern three-point shooting is such an advantage..

Add Curry to Jerry sichting and peak Klay to Wedman and then I will feel confident in the modified 1986 Celtics beating any modern team.

Assume the actual Celtics starting lineup: Parish/McHale/Bird/Ainge/DJ.

Parish and McHale would easily shoot over 60% against modern defenses. Bird and Ainge are fine from 3, as is Wedman off the bench. (Bird more than fine.) DJ would be dared to shoot.

Bird at the 3 would be out of position in the modern game, so he wouldn't be the all-defensive-team type he was back then. But he and Ainge wouldn't be turnstiles either. DJ and McHale would be great defenders in any era. Parish would clean up a lot with shotblocking.

Bringing Walton off the bench substitutes passing for shooting. It doesn't lose anything on defense. Walton was actually as good as Parish for one year. And with his own passing IQ, he might be as perfect a defender for Jokic as anybody.

The perimeter bench is thin. Wedman is good, but he's 33. And if we assume Parish/Walton twin towers doesn't work, then some of Bird's minutes go to spelling McHale at the 4. Sichting was good briefly, but like DJ he has no 3pt shot, and unlike DJ he's nothing special as a defender.

[Fencer reregistered]

Imagine this team.
Based on 1984 Celtics but with these monied best of composite players.

1984 Bird, Feb 1987 Bird, Feb 2016 6’ 9” Draymond current old vet Draymond. Draymond knows how to play point forward for Curry and Klay.

1984 Gerald Henderson, Feb 2916 Curry current old be Curry. Henderson makes Curry faster.

Wedman, 2016 Klay, current old vet Klay.

1984 bouncy McHale, Feb 1987 super scoring smarter McHale.

1984 DJ, 1987 DJ more of a point guard DJ, and Feb 2016 Iguodala and current Iguodala. Point of Iguodala is to make DJ familiar with Warriors offense.

Coach Fitch, coach Kerr who understands the value of the 3 point shot.

1984 Celtics were inferior to the 1984 Lakers until you figure in offensive rebounding. Bird, Parish, Maxwell and McHale won the 1984 Finals with offense rebounding.

I don’t think any current team could compete against my hypothetical Curry, Klay and Draymond and 1987 modified Celtics.

I don't think any current team could beat the 1985-6 Celtics unmodified, all spacing and roster balance issues notwithstanding.

I am not sure if the 1986 Celtics could beat last year‘s Nuggets. Modern three-point shooting is such an advantage..

Add Curry to Jerry sichting and peak Klay to Wedman and then I will feel confident in the modified 1986 Celtics beating any modern team.

But yeah. Combine two of the greatest teams of all time and you're better off than if you only have one of them.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

I don't think any current team could beat the 1985-6 Celtics unmodified, all spacing and roster balance issues notwithstanding.

I am not sure if the 1986 Celtics could beat last year‘s Nuggets. Modern three-point shooting is such an advantage..

Add Curry to Jerry sichting and peak Klay to Wedman and then I will feel confident in the modified 1986 Celtics beating any modern team.

But yeah. Combine two of the greatest teams of all time and you're better off than if you only have one of them.

There were 2 things I don’t like about the 1986 Celtics grea team that I was a fan of. I am old and born in Boston so I am loyal to the 1986 Celtics but they were not perfect.

1 their 3 point shooting while probably the best 3 point shooting team in 1986 was not good by modern standards.

2 the team is slow. Bird is not really a small forward. You are playing somebody out of position on defense and usually it was McHale playing in ng out of position by guarding small forwards. Wedman was a bit slow as a small forward. This DJ does not have the crazy good athleticism of 1979 DJ. Ainge was a little slow on defense. Ainge and DJ were efficient on the fast break but not fast. Sichting was somewhat slow as a point guard.

Bird was quicker than the average power forward and Parish quicker than the average center. But it f I am calling McHale the small forward because McHale usually defended small forwards McHale was extremely slow as a small forward. The reason McHale worked defending small forwards was because McHale had perfect foot work and McHale’s crazy long arms were faster than the offensive person’s feet. Woolridge or Wothy or Wilkins drive past McHale’s feet but McHale’s hand is still in position to block their shot from behind.

So I want to give Sichtng Gerald Henderson’s speed and Curry’s shooting. Give Wedman Klay’s shooting. Give McHale Pippen’s speed. Now you have a team that is the greatest team. Good 3 point shooting and good speed and the great inside game of the 1986 Celtics.

[31to6]

Dennis Rodman thinks Larry Bird couldn't play in today's NBA. From Boston.com:

“If Larry Bird played in this era, I think he’d be [playing overseas] in Europe. I’m just letting you know man,” Rodman said during an interview with VladTV. “He’d be somewhere over there. His game was fit for Boston at that time in the 80s and stuff like that, but in today’s world, ‘oh hell no’ there’s no way. I’m not downplaying him because he was a great player at that time, like I was but I’m saying there’s no way.”

Rodman pointed to Nikola Jokic as a player who is “way better” than Bird.

“He’s slow as hell, but that guy has a game,” Rodman said. “He’s better than Larry Bird … compare him to Larry Bird, I think people would pick him.”

I like to think I've been around this sport long enough to not get worked up by stupid stuff.
But THIS stupid **** makes me downright pissed off and should be scrubbed from the internet immediately.
God forbid anyone listen to this burned out fool.
and hey Jokic is great. Kudos to him winning his first ring at age 28.

[Fencer reregistered]

I am not sure if the 1986 Celtics could beat last year‘s Nuggets. Modern three-point shooting is such an advantage..

Add Curry to Jerry sichting and peak Klay to Wedman and then I will feel confident in the modified 1986 Celtics beating any modern team.

But yeah. Combine two of the greatest teams of all time and you're better off than if you only have one of them.

There were 2 things I don’t like about the 1986 Celtics grea team that I was a fan of. I am old and born in Boston so I am loyal to the 1986 Celtics but they were not perfect.

1 their 3 point shooting while probably the best 3 point shooting team in 1986 was not good by modern standards.

2 the team is slow. Bird is not really a small forward. You are playing somebody out of position on defense and usually it was McHale playing in ng out of position by guarding small forwards. Wedman was a bit slow as a small forward. This DJ does not have the crazy good athleticism of 1979 DJ. Ainge was a little slow on defense. Ainge and DJ were efficient on the fast break but not fast. Sichting was somewhat slow as a point guard.

Bird was quicker than the average power forward and Parish quicker than the average center. But it f I am calling McHale the small forward because McHale usually defended small forwards McHale was extremely slow as a small forward. The reason McHale worked defending small forwards was because McHale had perfect foot work and McHale’s crazy long arms were faster than the offensive person’s feet. Woolridge or Wothy or Wilkins drive past McHale’s feet but McHale’s hand is still in position to block their shot from behind.

So I want to give Sichtng Gerald Henderson’s speed and Curry’s shooting. Give Wedman Klay’s shooting. Give McHale Pippen’s speed. Now you have a team that is the greatest team. Good 3 point shooting and good speed and the great inside game of the 1986 Celtics.

Good points all. And if we're looking for a team to compete in the modern era, perhaps we should rewind a couple of years, when key guys were younger and quicker, and Maxwell was on the team instead of Walton. E.g., the 1984 championship team had Henderson as the starting guard.

Bird, AInge and Wedman all had lousy 3pt% that season, but they also each had lousy volume. I'm willing to hypothesize that those %s would have come up FAST with experience at modern 3PA volumes, and that Henderson's decent 3pt% would have held up or increased similarly.

[Bad-Thoma]

Damn, and I usually find Rodman so credible.

[timpiker]

To this day, I am stilled flabbergasted that Rodman ever made an NBA team to begin with. Another thing, I'd bet $100 without even looking that Rodman has Brown eyes. dark Brown.

[BK_2020]

Dennis Rodman thinks Larry Bird couldn't play in today's NBA. From Boston.com:

“If Larry Bird played in this era, I think he’d be [playing overseas] in Europe. I’m just letting you know man,” Rodman said during an interview with VladTV. “He’d be somewhere over there. His game was fit for Boston at that time in the 80s and stuff like that, but in today’s world, ‘oh hell no’ there’s no way. I’m not downplaying him because he was a great player at that time, like I was but I’m saying there’s no way.”

Rodman pointed to Nikola Jokic as a player who is “way better” than Bird.

“He’s slow as hell, but that guy has a game,” Rodman said. “He’s better than Larry Bird … compare him to Larry Bird, I think people would pick him.”

What a stupid idea. The kids are nuts.

Bird was such a beast on the boards.
Bird did everything Jokic does better than Jokic except be really big.

We have a lot of guys Bird’s size playing center now. Bird might play some center today.

Jokic over Bird, easy. A better passer, ball handler, and he's a 7 ft center. Bird is the better pure shooter but Jokic will still have a higher percentage since it's easier for him to get a good shot.
Bird might be a Celtics legend and a top 10ish player but Jokic is on his way to being in the GOAT convo.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

But yeah. Combine two of the greatest teams of all time and you're better off than if you only have one of them.

There were 2 things I don’t like about the 1986 Celtics grea team that I was a fan of. I am old and born in Boston so I am loyal to the 1986 Celtics but they were not perfect.

1 their 3 point shooting while probably the best 3 point shooting team in 1986 was not good by modern standards.

2 the team is slow. Bird is not really a small forward. You are playing somebody out of position on defense and usually it was McHale playing in ng out of position by guarding small forwards. Wedman was a bit slow as a small forward. This DJ does not have the crazy good athleticism of 1979 DJ. Ainge was a little slow on defense. Ainge and DJ were efficient on the fast break but not fast. Sichting was somewhat slow as a point guard.

Bird was quicker than the average power forward and Parish quicker than the average center. But it f I am calling McHale the small forward because McHale usually defended small forwards McHale was extremely slow as a small forward. The reason McHale worked defending small forwards was because McHale had perfect foot work and McHale’s crazy long arms were faster than the offensive person’s feet. Woolridge or Wothy or Wilkins drive past McHale’s feet but McHale’s hand is still in position to block their shot from behind.

So I want to give Sichtng Gerald Henderson’s speed and Curry’s shooting. Give Wedman Klay’s shooting. Give McHale Pippen’s speed. Now you have a team that is the greatest team. Good 3 point shooting and good speed and the great inside game of the 1986 Celtics.

Good points all. And if we're looking for a team to compete in the modern era, perhaps we should rewind a couple of years, when key guys were younger and quicker, and Maxwell was on the team instead of Walton. E.g., the 1984 championship team had Henderson as the starting guard.

Bird, AInge and Wedman all had lousy 3pt% that season, but they also each had lousy volume. I'm willing to hypothesize that those %s would have come up FAST with experience at modern 3PA volumes, and that Henderson's decent 3pt% would have held up or increased similarly.

1984 speed vs 1986 speed
Rookie Bird was probably the fastest Bird and the he steadily lost speed

Bird was really a power forward. Bird defended power forwards. Bird rebounded like a power forward. Bird scored inside like a good power forward but he also scored outside. We call Bird a small forward because we are unwilling to call McHale a small forward and because power forward Cedric Maxwell was the best Celtic the year before rookie Bird arrived and because the official 1979 Celtics preseason guide program called Bird a small forward.

By 1976 McHale was so good that you had to play him.big minutes. Playing Bird, McHale Parish meant you were playing a 2 power forward line up.

Maxwell was faster than McHale.
Henderson was fast, faster than Sichting.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Dennis Rodman thinks Larry Bird couldn't play in today's NBA. From Boston.com:

What a stupid idea. The kids are nuts.

Bird was such a beast on the boards.
Bird did everything Jokic does better than Jokic except be really big.

We have a lot of guys Bird’s size playing center now. Bird might play some center today.

Jokic over Bird, easy. A better passer, ball handler, and he's a 7 ft center. Bird is the better pure shooter but Jokic will still have a higher percentage since it's easier for him to get a good shot.
Bird might be a Celtics legend and a top 10ish player but Jokic is on his way to being in the GOAT convo.

Jokic was better than Bird at being big.

Bird plays bigger than his size and was more ferocious more determined more scrappy than Jokic.

I think Jokic shoots 3s better than Bird. Not checking.

Better passer at her ball handler better everything Elise than Jokic.

Jokic is kind of Bird’s equal dribbler-passer because although Jokic’s dribble is very slow he shields the ball well and can shoot or pass over the top.

[Fencer reregistered]

What a stupid idea. The kids are nuts.

Bird was such a beast on the boards.
Bird did everything Jokic does better than Jokic except be really big.

We have a lot of guys Bird’s size playing center now. Bird might play some center today.

Jokic over Bird, easy. A better passer, ball handler, and he's a 7 ft center. Bird is the better pure shooter but Jokic will still have a higher percentage since it's easier for him to get a good shot.
Bird might be a Celtics legend and a top 10ish player but Jokic is on his way to being in the GOAT convo.

Jokic was better than Bird at being big.

Bird plays bigger than his size and was more ferocious more determined more scrappy than Jokic.

I think Jokic shoots 3s better than Bird. Not checking.

Better passer at her ball handler better everything Elise than Jokic.

Jokic is kind of Bird’s equal dribbler-passer because although Jokic’s dribble is very slow he shields the ball well and can shoot or pass over the top.

Would Jokic ever get invited to a 3pt contest, let alone win a couple?

As for passing -- both are/were amazing at whatever the era and schemes gave them. I've never seen Jokic quite match what Bird did on the break, or in interior passing. Jokic has done more with kickout and skip passing. Bird's entry passes had to be more pinpoint than any alley-oops Jokic throws. Etc. On the whole, I'm more impressed with the degree of difficulty on Bird's passing Jokic's, but Jokic's passing is awesome too.