Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
Larry Bird is one of the greatest players to ever live and was one part of the greatest rivalry the NBA's ever seen, so there's nobody more qualified than Bird to weigh in on the best rivalry of the NBA's new era.
Kobe or LeBron? LeBron or Kobe? 24 or 23?
Sheets Energy Strips or Turkish Airlines?
Speaking to ESPN's Bill Simmons, Bird answers honestly. (via USA Today)
Well, probably Kobe, because of the fact that ... well, of course he wouldn't have been shooting as much as he does now ... but his desire to win, his dedication, to always get better, uh, and he's just, he's just tough. He's just a tough cat.
"But, if you want to have fun, like I did with Bill Walton, play with LeBron. It would have probably been more fun to play with LeBron, but if you want to win and win and win, it's Kobe. Not that LeBron's not a winner, just that (Bryant's) mindset is to go into every practice, every game, to get better."
Yikes. Bird almost certainly intended that as a compliment to both player, but the criticism bites regardless, doesn't it? "If you want to win: Kobe. If you want to have fun: LeBron." Bird won a title with Bill Walton, mind you, and he goes out of his way to say that he's not calling LeBron a loser, but that context probably won't matter in the long run. To outsiders, Larry Bird said he's rather win with Kobe than have fun with LeBron. What do you think?
0 comments
