Mikal Bridges says LeBron would get 90 a game against 86' Celtics (Burning Bridges ?)

[turnaroundJ]

If you actually watch film you’ll see that the game isn’t that much different. There were soft fouls in every era. No one was punching or dirty fouling every game. Tactics were different but I’m sure any team from any era could adjust. Hand checking is a big myth. That was never truly acceptable and no defender relied on that primarily or you’d foul out in a few possessions. Of course back then and now players can still get away with grabbing. Just watch how Steph is played in the playoffs.

No soft foul calls is a myth…just watch any 90s playoffs games. Or any game from any era. They weren’t THAT physical, no more physical than intense playoff games today. Lebron would do just as well. He wouldn’t dominate to the tune of 90 points but he’d get his usual 30-40 point triple doubles in meaningful games.

[turnaroundJ]

The Celtics were going to sick Ainge, DJ and Bird on him. No way he survives that. He may have died...

Like how they killed primarily passing threat magic to the tune of…26 8 13 in the finals??? and killed worthy? I literally just rewatched some Lakers Celtics finals games. There’s no extra layer of mystique to it. Good ball is good ball in any era and so are good players. No one is beating each other up every game. Not any more than how Jokic or Embiid arguably get fouled on every single offensive possession.

[Smash3]

LeBron is the GOAT. Y’all old heads need to let it go. I’m sure some ancient people also say Russell is the GOAT.

[LAL1947]

Watch on YouTube

Hahaha, this is funny. Thanks for sharing. Gotta love the analyst right at the end, Mariotti, who started to take up for Lebron. Did you see how aggrieved he looked? Proper LeStan there.

[jerok]

I mean Danny Ainge was their best defender guarding MJ, lol. Danny Ainge! It's forgotten fact. Haha. Oh I almost forgot all NBA defenders Rick Carlisle.and Jerry sichting or whatever.

I don't agree on 90 points.
But Lebron would molest Ainge more than MJ did. Prob get 50 easy.

[twyzted]

I mean Danny Ainge was their best defender guarding MJ, lol. Danny Ainge! It's forgotten fact. Haha. Oh I almost forgot all NBA defenders Rick Carlisle.and Jerry sichting or whatever.

I don't agree on 90 points.
But Lebron would molest Ainge more than MJ did. Prob get 50 easy.

Like he molested JJ barea?

[LAL1947]

I mean Danny Ainge was their best defender guarding MJ, lol. Danny Ainge! It's forgotten fact. Haha. Oh I almost forgot all NBA defenders Rick Carlisle.and Jerry sichting or whatever.

I don't agree on 90 points.
But Lebron would molest Ainge more than MJ did. Prob get 50 easy.

Like he molested JJ barea?

Good sir, you just won the internet today.

[jerok]

I mean Danny Ainge was their best defender guarding MJ, lol. Danny Ainge! It's forgotten fact. Haha. Oh I almost forgot all NBA defenders Rick Carlisle.and Jerry sichting or whatever.

I don't agree on 90 points.
But Lebron would molest Ainge more than MJ did. Prob get 50 easy.

Like he molested JJ barea?

Good sir, you just won the internet today.

Aww can't wait for Lebron to retire so be don't hurt ur feelings no mo?

Let me get this out of the way first MJ is goat. I'm ok people saying Lebrons Goat. Lebron has failures, definitely.

But I'm not delusional and can admit that MJ was guarded by cupcakes.
Remember when under sized GP switched on him after game 3 of NBA finals? Let me know how MJ fared vs no GP.
Best defender mJ size was on his team.

Lebron faced GP caliber defenders, bigger ones too.
Lebron would destroy Ainge.

I get it tho. You hate Lebron and love MJ. So you only see Lebron short comings and none of MJs.

[og15]

I mean Danny Ainge was their best defender guarding MJ, lol. Danny Ainge! It's forgotten fact. Haha. Oh I almost forgot all NBA defenders Rick Carlisle.and Jerry sichting or whatever.

I don't agree on 90 points.
But Lebron would molest Ainge more than MJ did. Prob get 50 easy.

Well...it would make your argument have some merit of it seemed like you knew the players, but if one is unable to even know that Dennis Johnson was on the team, and who is a better defender between Johnson and Ainge, it makes it pretty difficult to believe they are speaking from a position of knowledge.

Also, let's be real and let's cut the BS, if Shane Battier played in the 80's or Marc Gasol was an 80's DPOY, people would downplay their ability to defend or be high impact defenders against modern players because of their lack of run and jump athletic ability. If Joe Ingles played in the 80's people would say he wouldn't even make the league now or be able to stay on the court defensively. Guys like Travis Outlaw and DeAndre Jordan would be consider as capable of being better defenders than Battier and Gasol if the latter two were 80's players. We'd be hearing questions about how Ingles would be able to keep up with modern wings like Paul George.

So forgive me if I tend to be skeptical about a good amount of people's conclusions about players defensive abilities when they are just judging based on physical tools.

[LAL1947]

Good sir, you just won the internet today.

Aww can't wait for Lebron to retire so be don't hurt ur feelings no mo?

Let me get this out of the way first MJ is goat.

I get it tho. You hate Lebron and love MJ. So you only see Lebron short comings and none of MJs.

1). I don't want him to retire, love that he's in the league! Him retiring will leave a huge void, especially with all the off-court entertainment value he provides me.

2). Glad we agree, MJ is the GOAT. Wilt is next for me, because many of his individual records still stand today and I have no rational way of explaining this. Then I have Kobe/Lebron, depending on my mood for that day... pure skill vs freak athletic impact... offensive genius vs great all-around ability... no wrong answer AFAIC.

3). I just found the reply with that Meme funny. Surely, you can appreciate it's aptness too, haha.

[jerok]

I mean Danny Ainge was their best defender guarding MJ, lol. Danny Ainge! It's forgotten fact. Haha. Oh I almost forgot all NBA defenders Rick Carlisle.and Jerry sichting or whatever.

I don't agree on 90 points.
But Lebron would molest Ainge more than MJ did. Prob get 50 easy.

Well...it would make your argument have some merit of it seemed like you knew the players, but if one is unable to even know that Dennis Johnson was on the team, and who is a better defender between Johnson and Ainge, it makes it pretty difficult to believe they are speaking from a position of knowledge.

Also, let's be real and let's cut the BS, if Shane Battier played in the 80's or Marc Gasol was an 80's DPOY, people would downplay their ability to defend or be high impact defenders against modern players because of their lack of run and jump athletic ability. If Joe Ingles played in the 80's people would say he wouldn't even make the league now or be able to stay on the court defensively. Guys like Travis Outlaw and DeAndre Jordan would be consider as capable of being better defenders than Battier and Gasol if the latter two were 80's players. We'd be hearing questions about how Ingles would be able to keep up with modern wings like Paul George.

So forgive me if I tend to be skeptical about a good amount of people's conclusions about players defensive abilities when they are just judging based on physical tools.

I know DJ was on the squad.
But I was pointing out Ainge as MJ primary defender.

DJ was their best defender but he was undersized. Everyone knows this. A lot of argument about MJ defenders were either white Guys or undersized defensive stoppers like. dj, Joe, GP.

Your point about physical abilities, what did GP do to MJ in NBA finals? He had physical ability over Ainge, and we all know how that transpired.

Let's be honest If MJ had Joe ingles for entire series he would average 50. You prob agree with that.

Let me ask you, if Lebron was guarded primarily the guys Boston's threw at MJ, would you be delusional like all other lebron haters and say Lebron would get owned? C'mon now. Gotta see it both ways man.

[BostonCouchGM]

they didn't have the proliferation of PEDs (especially HGH) and blood doping back then plus they weren't allowed to carry, travel, push off and use moving screens. Add that to how much more physical the game was plus hand checking and he'd be much less effective than people believe. It's a completely different game and league. There'd be three guys 6'10" or above waiting for him at the rim forcing him to shoot FTs which he'd shy away from. He'd basically be an average jump shooter who was elite in transition. Basically a better passing James Worthy. Still one of the best players in the league for sure though.

[fourtyounce48]

First of all, Mikal Bridges may not be able to play basketball as a professional today if it weren't for the 80s players - including the 86 Celtics - carrying the NBA, elevating the overall skill level and heavily contributing to making the game what it is now.

Second, have some respect for your predecessors. You haven't made the playoffs yet. You're a scrub in the NBA until further notice. Those guys have jewelry. Be quiet.

Third, I can't help but think he feels empowered to say that because of the whiteness of the Celtics. Again, STFU. Bird would smoke you and walk over the ashes without even noticing.

Fourth, the game doesn't work like that. There's a reason no one's even come close to average 50 since Wilt. Teams double. Triple. Whatever. They adjust. Again, maybe that's why your career hasn't taken off.

Fifth, LeBron is not on Jordan's level. We know the deal. Saying that LBJ is the greatest makes your story more relevant because you can then say you played against the greatest, thus elevating your own story. No. Jordan was always the favorite. There's a reason LeBron has been the underdog so often and that's because he wasn't great enough to consistently elevate his team above the rest of the competition despite having more than sufficient help since his first departure from Cleveland. This LeBron GOAT talk is absurd.

People - including LeBron who's classlessly feeding this - are distorting reality to create a false narrative and it's honestly a little annoying after a while.

For how "woke" Lebron is, he sure uses the radical right's strategy of propaganda to alter the narrative to benefit his image.

[Jedi32]

it's funny seeing people get bent out of shape over this. he used a little hyperbole but we've all done it when describing something before. this is no big deal

[og15]

I mean Danny Ainge was their best defender guarding MJ, lol. Danny Ainge! It's forgotten fact. Haha. Oh I almost forgot all NBA defenders Rick Carlisle.and Jerry sichting or whatever.

I don't agree on 90 points.
But Lebron would molest Ainge more than MJ did. Prob get 50 easy.

Well...it would make your argument have some merit of it seemed like you knew the players, but if one is unable to even know that Dennis Johnson was on the team, and who is a better defender between Johnson and Ainge, it makes it pretty difficult to believe they are speaking from a position of knowledge.

Also, let's be real and let's cut the BS, if Shane Battier played in the 80's or Marc Gasol was an 80's DPOY, people would downplay their ability to defend or be high impact defenders against modern players because of their lack of run and jump athletic ability. If Joe Ingles played in the 80's people would say he wouldn't even make the league now or be able to stay on the court defensively. Guys like Travis Outlaw and DeAndre Jordan would be consider as capable of being better defenders than Battier and Gasol if the latter two were 80's players. We'd be hearing questions about how Ingles would be able to keep up with modern wings like Paul George.

So forgive me if I tend to be skeptical about a good amount of people's conclusions about players defensive abilities when they are just judging based on physical tools.

I know DJ was on the squad.
But I was pointing out Ainge as MJ primary defender.

DJ was their best defender but he was undersized. Everyone knows this. A lot of argument about MJ defenders were either white Guys or undersized defensive stoppers like. dj, Joe, GP.

Your point about physical abilities, what did GP do to MJ in NBA finals? He had physical ability over Ainge, and we all know how that transpired.

Let's be honest If MJ had Joe ingles for entire series he would average 50. You prob agree with that.

Let me ask you, if Lebron was guarded primarily the guys Boston's threw at MJ, would you be delusional like all other lebron haters and say Lebron would get owned? C'mon now. Gotta see it both ways man.

Ainge was not the primary defender in that game, DJ was, DJ was taken off Jordan when foul trouble got into the mix, but was primarily back on him for critical possessions. Both Ainge and DJ were listed at 6'4, DJ clearly had both a weight advantage weight, and more importantly a good wingspan advantage over Ainge.

You're missing the point. The point is that just because a guy doesn't have the best physical tools doesn't mean they are a sieve on defense or can't be good defender. Similarly, just because a guy can run decently fast and jump doesn't mean he's a good defensive player.

The Joe Ingles mention was just an example of a player who people would quickly downplay his ability to defend, but even more so even stay on the court if he played earlier, yet he hold his own better than many others. Some people act like every white player in the past has the lateral quickness and defensive ability of Luke Babbitt. No, LeBron wouldn't likely average 50 because the team probably wouldn't have a defensive strategy based on leaving one guy on an island with no schemes or help.

Where did we get to LeBron getting owned from anything I said? No, I don't think LeBron would get owned, lol. I don't think 22 year old LeBron would do better than 22 year old Jordan did, and actually from a scoring skillet standpoint and a 80's roster set up and playstyle standpoint, 22 year old Jordan had the better tools for a very high scoring game against the league best defense. LeBron would easily play well and put up numbers too as his team is swept.

We go down that downplaying individual defenders, but more so the whole team defense route, and people will be saying nonsense like how did 22 year old LeBron get basically shut down by a team with 35 year old Bruce Bowen, 33 year old Finley and 35 year old Brent Barry as their wings, herpy derp...

[SNPA]

Lol. The lack of spacing hurts James offensively. The physicality and lack of touch fouls hurt James offensively. If he tries to score 90 the 86 Celtics would hurt him physically…LeBron ball wouldn’t mix well with the 80’s brawl ball.

And Bird existed. Lots of people don’t know about the level Bird was on. The GOAT all around skills player.

Myth: case in point the 2020 Lakers who were probably even the worst spaced team in the 20 playoffs and won. Lebron's only real struggle with spacing in the playoffs came against the Spurs thanks to Bowen/duncan and Kawhi/duncan combo and the latter had to sell out on leaving Wade wide open.

Also more fragile players played in the "80s brawl ball", 80s wasn't actually a gritty era, it was an offensive era with lots of high pace run and gun. To put in perspective the lowest paced season in the 80s was higher pace than most or all of the seasons we've had this decade and this is despite this era being called pace and space.

Even though I quoted you this is more intended as a service announcement to everyone than it is about your post. Always bothered me how people think the 80s are a gritty defensive era like the 00s. Imo pace and talent is why it's still one of the more entertaining eras.

The Lakers having poor spacing in 2020 to win the Mickey Mouse rings is nothing at all comparable to the spacing in Bird’s era. Watch some games. Guys used to play 8-10 players inside the arch. It was crowed. And it was way more physical. Not close. For a predominantly drive and kick player like James that’s a problem. Of course he could take it to the hole, for a play, for a game, for a series but night after night year after year? Nah. It’d take to much of a toll. He’d have to change his game or get worn down and hurt. Is James the back to the basket player as good as James the driver?

Pace and grit are different things, not mutually exclusive. Bird is several levels tougher than James and the 86 Celtics are tougher than any team James ever faced.

[Rastas]

Hahahaha Gen Z crowd giving MJ the same treatment they themselves gave to Wilt........ Luv it.

Don't worry in 50years all these silly debates will get settled in the ''Time Machine Games'' , all the greats at their peaks - all put on advanced nutrition n training then unleashed on one another to determine the true order.

[LAL1947]

For how "woke" Lebron is, he sure uses the radical right's strategy of propaganda to alter the narrative to benefit his image.

Wait, what? No, that's exactly the strategy of the "woke" folks.

Since you went down that rabbit-hole, I guess you could also ask... do "woke" folks actually have more in common with the radical right than they'd like to think or admit?

Personally, I think young, modern conservatives have a closer outlook in life to what used to be called "classical liberalism" back in my day. Yet the political spectrum has shifted and people don't realize it because we assume the labels of the past hold the same meaning today. To me, classical liberalism is centered on a few main principles: individualism, liberty, limiting the power of the central government... all worthy principles.

[SNPA]

Don't worry in 50years all these silly debates will get settled in the ''Time Machine Games'' , all the greats at their peaks - all put on advanced nutrition n training then unleashed on one another to determine the true order.

Bird wins.

[LivingLegend]

It's ok to suggest James would've done well or stte. Lebron's great, after all.

But to go to the extreme like that just makes him look disrespectful and under-informed, to put it nicely.

To be fair, the last 5 years has been filled with nothing but former players from 85-05 taking shots at LeBron saying he wouldnt do as well in their generation or a older generation. And he hasnt said a word.

Just to name a few to comment on it:

Dennis Rodman
Scottie Pippen
Isiah Thomas
Kevin Garnett
Rasheed Wallace
Bill Laimbeer
Brendan Haywood