Top 12 seasons between Larry Bird and Stephen Curry

[rk2023]

Both appear to be hot commodities for the #11 slot on the T-100 project, which brings this to my curiosity: how would you all rank the top 12 seasons between the two? As far as 5 year peaks go, don't see too much of a difference between 15-19 and 84-88. Am curious what a more detailed breakdown could yield?

[ceiling raiser]

2017 Curry
2016 Curry
2019 Curry
2015 Curry
2022 Curry
2021 Curry
2023 Curry
2014 Curry
2013 Curry
1986 Bird
1987 Bird
2018 Curry

[Cavsfansince84]

I'd probably go with something like

86 Bird
84 Bird
16 Steph
17 Steph
21 Steph
87 Bird
15 Steph
22 Steph
85 Bird
19 Steph
81 Bird
88 Bird

Had Steph been able to combine a 16 type rs with a 17 ps or 21 with 22 then I'd likely have him at the top two spots.

[OhayoKD]

2017 Curry
2016 Curry
2019 Curry
2015 Curry
2022 Curry
2021 Curry
2023 Curry
2014 Curry
2013 Curry
1986 Bird
1987 Bird
2018 Curry

good list.

Steph is a better player. Relative to era and in any era

[eminence]

'17 Steph
'15 Steph
'86 Bird
'84 Bird
'87 Bird
'19 Steph
'22 Steph
'16 Steph
'85 Bird
'81 Bird
'88 Bird
'14 Steph

[oaktownwarriors87]

Not a great way, but this is a rank of them by MVP award share. There have been some real "dud" MVP's in the Curry era (Curry and Durant teaming up didn't help that much). Still interesting, though. Obviously this is strictly regular season.

2015-16 NBA 1.000 (1)
1985-86 NBA 0.981 (1)
1984-85 NBA 0.978 (1)
2014-15 NBA 0.922 (1)
1983-84 NBA 0.858 (1)
1987-88 NBA 0.659 (2)
1980-81 NBA 0.613 (2)
1981-82 NBA 0.588 (2)
1982-83 NBA 0.485 (2)
2020-21 NBA 0.449 (3)
1986-87 NBA 0.347 (3)
2018-19 NBA 0.173 (5)
1979-80 NBA 0.068 (4)
2013-14 NBA 0.053 (6)
2016-17 NBA 0.051 (6)
1990-91 NBA 0.026 (9)
1989-90 NBA 0.005 (10)
2017-18 NBA 0.005 (10)
2022-23 NBA 0.005 (9)
2021-22 NBA 0.004 (8)
1991-92 NBA 0.003 (14)
2012-13 NBA 0.002 (11)

[OhayoKD]

'17 Steph
'15 Steph
'86 Bird
'84 Bird
'87 Bird
'19 Steph
'22 Steph
'16 Steph
'85 Bird
'81 Bird
'88 Bird
'14 Steph

How would you rank bird's seasons defensively.

[70sFan]

My CORP evaluation for both players:

Spoiler:

Larry Bird:

GOAT-level: 0
All-time: 3 (1984, 1986, 1987)
MVP: 2 (1985, 1988)
Weak MVP: 3 (1981-83)
All-nba: 2 (1980, 1990)
All-star: 2 (1991, 1992)
Sub all-star: 0
Role player: 0

Steph Curry:

GOAT-level: 0
All-time: 3 (2015-17)
MVP: 3 (2019, 2021, 2022)
Weak MVP: 2 (2014, 2018)
All-nba: 2 (2013, 2023)
All-star: 1 (2011)
Sub all-star: 1 (2010)
Role player: 0

List of Bird's best seasons:

Spoiler:

1986 Bird
1984 Bird
1987 Bird
1985 Bird
1988 Bird
1981 Bird
1982 Bird
1983 Bird

List of Curry's best seasons:

Spoiler:

2017 Curry
2015 Curry
2016 Curry
2021 Curry
2019 Curry
2022 Curry
2014 Curry
2018 Curry

Final list:

1. 2017 Curry
2. 2015 Curry
3. 1986 Bird
4. 1984 Bird
5. 2016 Curry
6. 1987 Bird
7. 1985 Bird
8. 2021 Curry
9. 2019 Curry
10. 2022 Curry
11. 1988 Bird
12. 1981 Bird

[eminence]

'17 Steph
'15 Steph
'86 Bird
'84 Bird
'87 Bird
'19 Steph
'22 Steph
'16 Steph
'85 Bird
'81 Bird
'88 Bird
'14 Steph

How would you rank bird's seasons defensively.

I don't have the specific feelings to separate them all, but generally, came in pretty good, I imagine improved a bit as most rookies do, peaked sometime in the early-mid 80s, slow decline through '88 to about average that season. Solidly poor after coming back in '90. Preferred the fit with Maxwell as a forward duo as opposed to McHale.

[OhayoKD]

'17 Steph
'15 Steph
'86 Bird
'84 Bird
'87 Bird
'19 Steph
'22 Steph
'16 Steph
'85 Bird
'81 Bird
'88 Bird
'14 Steph

How would you rank bird's seasons defensively.

I don't have the specific feelings to separate them all, but generally, came in pretty good, I imagine improved a bit as most rookies do, peaked sometime in the early-mid 80s, slow decline through '88 to about average that season. Solidly poor after coming back in '90. Preferred the fit with Maxwell as a forward duo as opposed to McHale.

I ask because I want a (defensive)peak year for film-tracking purposes.

1981 has been floated a bunch

[eminence]

How would you rank bird's seasons defensively.

I don't have the specific feelings to separate them all, but generally, came in pretty good, I imagine improved a bit as most rookies do, peaked sometime in the early-mid 80s, slow decline through '88 to about average that season. Solidly poor after coming back in '90. Preferred the fit with Maxwell as a forward duo as opposed to McHale.

I ask because I want a (defensive)peak year for film-tracking purposes.

1981 has been floated a bunch

'81 should be fine, I expect any of '81-'84 would be fine.

[MyUniBroDavis]

2017 Curry
2016 Curry
2019 Curry
2015 Curry
2022 Curry
2021 Curry
2023 Curry
2014 Curry
2013 Curry
1986 Bird
1987 Bird
2018 Curry

-

with this phone I summon

Thoughts on this list?