1980 Bird vs 1988 Bird

[One_and_Done]

Bird wasn't at his peak in 1988.

[tsherkin]

Bird wasn't at his peak in 1988.

So, the 87-88 represented the highest-volume scoring season of his career, with APG output better than anything before 84, what was then his career-high at the line (subsequently surpassed), and the best 3pt shooting season of his career. It was also his best 2FG% season. Second-highest TS% of his career. 2nd-highest OBPM...

Etc, etc, etc.

Basically, it was a series of career-bests or close to. So if that wasn't his peak, what was?

[One_and_Done]

Bird wasn't at his peak in 1988.

So, the 87-88 represented the highest-volume scoring season of his career, with APG output better than anything before 84, what was then his career-high at the line (subsequently surpassed), and the best 3pt shooting season of his career. It was also his best 2FG% season. Second-highest TS% of his career. 2nd-highest OBPM...

Etc, etc, etc.

Basically, it was a series of career-bests or close to. So if that wasn't his peak, what was?

I can't say I've spent alot of time trying to pick Bird's peak year, but maybe look at one of the years he was winning 3 straight MVPs? I'm pretty sure it wasn't the year where he had foot injuries bad enough that he contemplated just retiring that offseason. His back started to be an issue by this point too.

[tsherkin]

I can't say I've spent alot of time trying to pick Bird's peak year, but maybe look at one of the years he was winning 3 straight MVPs? I'm pretty sure it wasn't the year where he had foot injuries bad enough that he contemplated just retiring that offseason. His back started to be an issue by this point too.

That's not really a compelling argument at all, to be honest. He played 76 games, he had career-highs all over the place and he was smashing it. Yes, there are other seasons you could argue against 88, but you'd have to be stretching REALLY hard to not include that as one of his apex seasons.

[One_and_Done]

I can't say I've spent alot of time trying to pick Bird's peak year, but maybe look at one of the years he was winning 3 straight MVPs? I'm pretty sure it wasn't the year where he had foot injuries bad enough that he contemplated just retiring that offseason. His back started to be an issue by this point too.

That's not really a compelling argument at all, to be honest. He played 76 games, he had career-highs all over the place and he was smashing it. Yes, there are other seasons you could argue against 88, but you'd have to be stretching REALLY hard to not include that as one of his apex seasons.

Someone can post higher stats, but not be having their best impact. Especially when stuff like D is hard to measure and is particularly affected by injuries like that. Looking at Bird's ECF stats in 88 where he was eliminated do you come away with the impression 'ah yes. That was peak Bird, putting up 19.8ppg on 35 FG%'?

[70sFan]

I can't say I've spent alot of time trying to pick Bird's peak year, but maybe look at one of the years he was winning 3 straight MVPs? I'm pretty sure it wasn't the year where he had foot injuries bad enough that he contemplated just retiring that offseason. His back started to be an issue by this point too.

That's not really a compelling argument at all, to be honest. He played 76 games, he had career-highs all over the place and he was smashing it. Yes, there are other seasons you could argue against 88, but you'd have to be stretching REALLY hard to not include that as one of his apex seasons.

Someone can post higher stats, but not be having their best impact. Especially when stuff like D is hard to measure and is particularly affected by injuries like that. Looking at Bird's ECF stats in 88 where he was eliminated do you come away with the impression 'ah yes. That was peak Bird, putting up 19.8ppg on 35 FG%'?

So we should ignore the whole RS performance where he put up arguably the best offensive season of his career and the first two series when he looked as good as ever, because he shot badly against Pistons? In what way rookie Bird playing just as bad against an inferior team in the playoffs proves that he's better?

Again, outside of old articles you don't have any argument to choose 1980 over 1988, nothing new.

[tsherkin]

Someone can post higher stats, but not be having their best impact. Especially when stuff like D is hard to measure and is particularly affected by injuries like that. Looking at Bird's ECF stats in 88 where he was eliminated do you come away with the impression 'ah yes. That was peak Bird, putting up 19.8ppg on 35 FG%'?

Again, odd approach. Ignoring the best RS of his career. Ignoring the 28/6/8 on 59.4% TS he put up against the Knicks. Ignoring the 26/8/6 on 57.9% TS he posted against the Hawks. Zooming in on the ECFs against the second-best defense in the league as the Bad Boys got rolling in Rodman's second season. Like, 6 games do not define his entire season. And Bird had endured rough postseason series performances before. It's one of the common angles of attack undercutting him, in fact. Including, for example, the 44% FG he posted against the Sixers in the 1980 ECFs. Or did you forget that he posted 22.2 ppg on 48.2% TS in that single series?

If that's what we're doing, then there isn't a pro-1980 argument for Bird here, and it washes away any other value based on how you're willing to ignore anything which runs counter to a single-series performance in a given season.

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Which Bird version is the better player?

I was old enough to watch the 1974 Bruins, Patriots and the Red Sox, but I would not watch the Celtics because I was annoyed by how long it took the players to walk up to the free throw line. The NBA realized it had a problem and pastor rule, requiring players to walk up the free, throw line more quickly.

I started watching the Celtics as my home team the year before Bird arrived and stop watching Celtics in 1991 when I moved to California.

I Believe that 1987 was offensive peak Bird and then Bird began declining from age and injuries.
I believe that 1984 was defensive peak Bird.

So no to 1980 being better than 1988.