The debate between NBA eras doesn’t look like it will end anytime soon. Everyone from fans, media and the players themselves have churned out reasons as to why one era is better than another. Former NBA player Jeff Teague was one of the most recent voices to wade into the debate, citing Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic as his main reason why someone like Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird would have no problem in today’s game.
During a recent episode of the Club 520 Podcast, Jeff Teague stated his belief that because of the perceived notion of Nikola Jokic and Los Angeles Lakers’ star Luka Doncic not being very athletic so to speak, that Larry Bird would be just as dominant as he was when he was suiting up for the Celtics.
“Sometimes I used to watch older people play, and I would be like, ‘he ain’t athletic, he ain’t this.’ But then when I watch Jokic, it’s like he’s walking around, he just makes it look so simple,” Teague said. “If Larry Bird played right now, Luka and Jokic just be walking around. Larry Bird would average 30, 10 and eight.”
Teague also went on to clarify his ‘walking around’ remarks a little further in that he meant Jokic and Doncic don’t really rely on athleticism to be great, they use skill work.
In any case, Bird is already considered one of the greatest players to ever play the game. He played 13 years in the NBA, all with the Celtics, before injuries began to take a toll on his career. He helped lead the Celtics to three NBA championships, won three MVP Awards, was the 1979-80 Rookie of the Year and was named an All-Star in all but one of his seasons.
He holds career averages of 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.7 steals with splits of 49.6 percent shooting from the field, 37.6 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 88.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
