Is It Possible to Argue That Larry Bird Was a Superior Basketball Player than Michael Jordan?
Michael Jordan entered the NBA during the height of Larry Bird’s playing career. In the 1984 NBA Draft, Jordan was chosen by the Chicago Bulls as the third overall choice. Bird led the Boston Celtics to their second decade-ending title in 1984 and took home the first of his three consecutive MVP awards.
Jordan won Rookie of the Year after averaging 28.2 points in his rookie campaign, making an immediate impression. He played in just 18 regular-season games due to a fractured foot. In the opening round of the playoffs, he faced battle against Bird and the Boston Celtics after making a comeback. The Celtics had won 67 games and had only lost once at home this season, making them by far the better team. Chicago’s score was 30-52.
Jordan scored 49 points in a 123-104 loss in the first game of the series. After scoring 63 points in the second game, he gave the Celtics a scare as they won 135-131 in double overtime. This led to Bird’s legendary comment that the Bulls player was “God disguised as Michael Jordan.” In three games, the Celtics defeated the Bulls.
