Would Julius Erving be considered better than Bird .....

JordansBulls · Post #1 » by **JordansBulls** » Sun Jul 20, 2008 11:58 pm

Would Julius Erving be considered better than Larry Bird had he played in the "NBA" his entire career?

It seems for the most part that people tend to negate what the Doctor did in the ABA because they say it wasn't the NBA.

What happens had he played in the "NBA" his entire career? Would he be considered better than Larry Bird?

Thoughts!!!

shawngoat23 · Post #2 » by **shawngoat23** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 12:08 am

I don't think he'd be better than Bird, but he'd be equal (or on the same tier). He'd make it an immortal seven.

We're talking a guy with career highs of 31.9 ppg, 15.7 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.5 spg, and 2.4 bpg on great efficiency. Plus if he had three rings and four MVPs, there's no question he has the resume to join Jordan, Wilt, Kareem, Russell, Bird, and Magic.

Jordan23Forever · Post #3 » by **Jordan23Forever** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:28 am

No, because he wasn't as good a player as Bird. That wouldn't change based on what league he was in.

etopn23 · Post #4 » by **etopn23** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:23 am

Yes, because the only legitimate argument keeping him off the GOAT tier would be gone.

I don't see how you could say Dr. J at his peak wasn't as good as Bird.

Post #5 » by **TrueLAfan** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:00 am

If he was as successful as he had been in the ABA--two titles--then I'd have to say yes. And I think he'd a pretty good chance to get at least one in the NBA.

Warspite · Post #6 » by **Warspite** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:49 am

If he played in the NBA his whole career he would have started with the Bucks and played with Oscar and Kareem. Oscar, DrJ and Kareem together would very much change what the top 10 GOAT list looks like.

Give Oscar/KAJ/DrJ 3 more titles and split a couple more MVPs and Finals MVPS and the list looks alot differant.

shawngoat23 · Post #7 » by **shawngoat23** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:55 am

Wow, that would be sick. Kareem/Erving/Oscar trumps Wilt/West/Baylor as the most talented threesome of all-time.

Basketball1 · Post #8 » by **Basketball1** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:00 am

Absolutely not.

Julius Erving was 26 years old, in 1976, when the ABA folded and he played his
first season in the NBA. He was still young and in his prime and not some "old
guy" whose better days were gone. Erving won 1 NBA MVP award in 1981 (although
the voting was very close and many believe that Bird should have won it). He won
his only NBA title in 1983 only after MVP Moses Malone was traded to Philadelphia.

Larry Bird was 23 years old, in 1979, in his rookie season in the NBA (only 3 years
younger than when Erving's NBA career began). He won the first of his 3 MVP's at
27 years old. Nothing more needs to be said about Bird's achievements - they are
well documented.

The real question regarding the ABA is how the hell is Artis Gilmore not in the Hall
of Fame? He was a very good player in the NBA and an absolute monseter in the
ABA.

Post #9 » by **Doctor MJ** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:00 am

JordansBulls wrote:Would Julius Erving be considered better than Larry Bird had he played in the "NBA" his entire career?

It seems for the most part that people tend to negate what the Doctor did in the ABA because they say it wasn't the NBA.

What happens had he played in the "NBA" his entire career? Would he be considered better than Larry Bird?

Thoughts!!!

No. Some people would indeed rate Erving higher than they currently do, but most still wouldn't put him ahead of Bird. I'm a big Dr. J fan, consider his ABA to rival any peak in history, and I still have Bird ahead.

Post #10 » by **tsherkin** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:54 pm

Basketball1 wrote:The real question regarding the ABA is how the hell is Artis Gilmore not in the Hall
of Fame? He was a very good player in the NBA and an absolute monseter in the
ABA.

God yes, it's a source of unending frustration that he's not there. The NBA needs an entirely autonomous Hall of Fame and to redo it's HoF classes from inception forward.

Warspite · Post #11 » by **Warspite** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:52 pm

Basketball1 wrote:Absolutely not.

Julius Erving was 26 years old, in 1976, when the ABA folded and he played his
first season in the NBA. He was still young and in his prime and not some "old
guy" whose better days were gone. Erving won 1 NBA MVP award in 1981 (although
the voting was very close and many believe that Bird should have won it). He won
his only NBA title in 1983 only after MVP Moses Malone was traded to Philadelphia.

Larry Bird was 23 years old, in 1979, in his rookie season in the NBA (only 3 years
younger than when Erving's NBA career began). He won the first of his 3 MVP's at
27 years old. Nothing more needs to be said about Bird's achievements - they are
well documented.

The real question regarding the ABA is how the hell is Artis Gilmore not in the Hall
of Fame? He was a very good player in the NBA and an absolute monseter in the
ABA.

DrJ playing with Kareem and Oscar (who retired early becuase he thought the team was no longer a contender) for 4 more yrs would certainly alter his resume.

Drj was not drafted nor was he signed as a FA by the 76ers. He wasnt a missing piece nor was he filling a hole. The 76ers already had 3 allstar SG/SF players when he arrived in Philly. Its like the 96 Bulls tradeing Rodman and Longley for Grant Hill and VC and then blaming Hill and VC for MJ not winning. When has a 30ppg SG 20ppg SG, 25ppg SF and 30ppg SF all played on the sam eteam and it win??? There was no reason to put DrJ on the 76ers other than for economic reasons.