Stephen's A-list GREATEST NBA MATCHUPS: Bird vs. Magic + Jordan vs. Isiah 🙌🏀 | First Take

[@yengvang8737]

Magic and Bird were rivals since college. That's a rivalry.

[@UnconventionalReasoning]

Magic and Bird were rivals in college for one game, their last.

[@youngunna1689]

Ok 😂​@@UnconventionalReasoning

[@HomerunsamSOSA]

@@UnconventionalReasoningplayed in the same state tho

[@HomerunsamSOSA]

My bad not the same state 😂

[@HomerunsamSOSA]

@@youngunna1689they def was rivals since college lol

[@rodrigoabreu1815]

Bird vs Magic ...... brought The NBA to another level .....

[@Holafromtheville]

I think bird and magic is too low

[@johncraig4820]

Is there an NBA without Wilt and Bill? The league was on the verge of bankruptcy.

[@michaeloverton2437]

​@johncraig4820, you are not wrong, but here's what was told to me by Commissioner David Stern when I was stationed at Fort Lewis, WA. Out of his own mouth he told us during shoot around for the Supersonics game at Key Arena he said without Bird vs. Magic the NBA would've debunked by 84 season. He told a group of us this in 2004

[@Tryingjoinaclan]

@@Holafromthevilledon’t worry we don’t care lmao

[@lionelsheja6381]

People talk about Impact. These two had it in abundance

[@TheOneKeyToLife]

Man Legs is a SAVANT when it comes to talking hoops he blows my mind every time

[@HomerunsamSOSA]

Helps when u play AND study the game

[@Noah_Rubin]

Ben Simmons vs shooting the ball left the chat💀

[@BellR0113]

Savage

[@jawangiles9772]

😂😂made my day

[@marceltorres5727]

😂😂😂

[@theOllivierreking]

😂😂😂

[@quentinjones6877]

You wild for that 😂

[@natehornbeck117]

Tim and Stephen A dapping each other up didn’t need to be that crisp 😂🔥

[@kerke4639]

Duncan Shaq is such an underrated matchup. We talk Jordan-Isiah, Bron-Steph but these guys rarely got matched up against each other. That wasn’t the case for Shaq and Duncan, even though early in his career, David Robinson was trying to handle Shaq when he was there, but they did play against each other head to head a lot and between 1999 and 2005, it was Shaq or Duncan who ran the West. And if you don’t care about the individual matchups in the game, than say Kobe and Duncan. Between 1999 and 2010, a 12 year stretch, only once has the West not been represented by either Duncan or Kobe. They’ve battled each other multiple times as the 2000s were a battle between the Lakers and Spurs. There’s also a title race between these 2 and between 1999 and 2010, they’ve won a championship in 9 of those 12 years. This was a Bird-Magic level rivalry when you look at 2 guys trying to own an era over the other.

[@NP148]

Duncan doesn't get enough love IMO. And really cuz he was straight basketball. Called The Big Fundamental because he just played the game. Was never flashy because he didn't need to be. 15x allstar, 15x all-nba, 15x all-defense

[@kobedre4963]

@@NP148honestly one of the most disrespected basketball players in history

[@Mr_B79]

MJ vs Isiah, just never felt like a thing.. It was always the Pistons vs Mj

[@123slasher.16]

You better go watch the film. Isiah Thomas was getting in his mix.

[@Resultsnoexcuse]

Somehow Shannon found a way to glaze bron 💀

[@FlipNV]

Like Always

[@QueenChynaDoll]

😂

[@josephgreene4174]

😂

[@tadeokrzos2550]

Dude said LeBron vs KD 💀

[@JrgEdg]

​@@tadeokrzos2550they were a pretty cool matchup, they even trained together in 2012 and got really better both of them after that

[@scharrsilicio]

Honorable mention to Kobe Bryant/Paul Pierce, they had some epic Finals matchups

[@jamesbrown1571]

It was never LeBron vs Steph, it was Lebron vs the Warriors.

[@gangstervision7266]

Exactly.

[@mrlalalaelmo7454]

More like Lebron vs the West

[@MichiganHendough]

it was always steph vs bron stop

[@AbdiSamad-vh9in]

So Kriye and love don’t exist ??😭😭and bron fans are suprised why no one takes yall seriously

[@BaithNa]

You kids say the dumbest things 😂😂😂

[@Omerta-lo8wn]

The bron 3-1 comeback was the greatest finals I ever seen im also only 25 but geesh I remember being so hype every other night to watch those games

[@Noahwarriorsfan]

I'll take 3-1 any day over 1-3. Adam silver crook

[@Reaper13-hi3yo]

@@Noahwarriorsfan Except when no one outside of GS respects 3 of those titles lmao

[@quentinjones6877]

​@@Reaper13-hi3yoGS and LeBron haters

[@Noahwarriorsfan]

Reaper BS. So nobody besides Bron glazers respects the BUBBLE ring!!! So he's got 3 rings. Does anyone respect bron getting two rings because of Irving and Ray Allen shots?

[@bobchillin168]

Dude said no one respects our 3 finals wins hahaha. Cope bronsexuals 😂😂

[@upstairsweb-series9848]

Bird Magic was the only ones evenly matched for real

[@Noahwarriorsfan]

Not true there's another one on that list

[@nickjones5495]

Steph & Bron

[@udithsethu552]

​@@nickjones5495evenly matched?

[@lox7923]

Russell Wilt were. Many say Wilt was stronger, Bill just had way better teams.

[@kobe2curry4rose1]

​@@udithsethu552Yes, evenly matched. Don't even bother with excuses

[@discounttvmountandhomeservices]

Kobe Bryant vs Tim Duncan is underrated… they dominated the decade 2000-2010 with 8 championships

[@joykenn9772]

Shaq vs Duncan you mean

[@rafaelmeza725]

​@@joykenn9772nah kobe, Shaq was done after 06😂🤣💛💜🐍😎

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

That's not a decade but otherwise yeah, and Shaq was on the way down by 06 (age 34 season) but not 'done' check the stats in Phoenix

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

Kobe was done as in done making deep playoff runs after 04 if it wasn't for 2! All star bigs tho

[@RuddySports]

Stephen A on 1 !! He’s got the spirit of Mad Dog

[@nothembajozi2862]

I'd drug test him after that jumping.

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

'on 1' originates from the Bay Area, originally shorthand for 'on 1 dose of ecstasy'

[@sjw4life546]

Reggie Miller vs. Spike Lee

[@RoadtoGloryyyy]

🤣💯

[@QueenChynaDoll]

😂

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

Reggie Miller vs. finishing an entree 😂

[@elijah.j3288]

This is so far the most obvious list of on the court rivals. Somewhere in that category their must be a matchup that is overlooked

[@KeyKiller74]

Me being from Detroit & seeing Pistons take down Jordan & the Bulls was the greatest match ever. Bad boys for life. ☠🏀

[@jonpoon3896]

CP3 vs Scott Foster

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

I read that as 'Scott Pilgrim' even though I've never watched that movie 😅

[@GoodOmali]

Stephen A is all over the place when it's Russell vs Wilt. For one, they both played in the same conference, so that 11-2 ring argument is out. Two, it was the very first big NBA rivalry

[@telmolicious]

Duncan vs Shaq deserves a shout.

[@Eric-ug4vw]

Love the chemistry that Stephen A., Legler, and Shannon have in this! Legs is a great addition.

[@matthewche]

Shannon talks about LeBron like he is his son, dad, wife and god. ReeeedickUliss.

[@quentinjones6877]

That's how Jordan fans are about Jordan too

[@Dre953]

@@quentinjones6877lol no Lebron fans are worst

[@quentinjones6877]

@Dre953 the moment LeBron gets the slightest of compliment from an old player, people go crazy

[@SmokingSwisher]

@@Dre953 idk bout that man lol

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

It's just lucky for the world they taught Jordan to care about defense otherwise he would been Spida. Gtfo comparing a 6-8 250 point guard who has dominated multiple aspects of the game for 21 CONSECUTIVE seasons unfavorably to Jordan

[@jessicaann7397]

2015 Warriors win was the best! And yes KD helped with our others, but in 2022 we showed we could do it without him.

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

David Lee STL's finest white Only Tatum better out the Lou

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

Rather have early 2010s Lee than ANY era of Beal

[@KobeManuPetro]

One of the first Stephen A lists I agree with. And the way they dismissed Uncle Shay... Even Legler said: you cant do that 😂

[@brennenjones6658]

Shannon lost me with KD and LeBron, lol. I was with him until he said that.

[@EA0617]

bro said "bron kd" 😂

[@wallyy4331]

Zion vs food is underrated

[@WrestlingIsReal649]

Bron and Steph is definitely a friendly rivalry 🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

[@gburbridge5966]

Wasn’t until After the finals runs were over

[@thedefinitionisthis]

But the fact they met consistently for four years straight. Might not have been as intense, cuz let's face it, it's just a different world now, but there was something cool about seeing 'em run up against each other in back-to-back-to-back-to back series.

[@datsapaddlin]

So was Wilt and Bill. They were great friends when they played each other.

[@yengvang8737]

More like a big name rivalry

[@scruffd0g193]

Now it is but that was a real rivalry before KD went to golden state.

[@nostaljah19]

Wilt owned Russell statistically in their match matchups, but Russell had a stacked all around team......Legless was an absolute beast in high school in both sports.

[@QuanWorld1]

Curry beat Lebron 3 times in the finals , thats more a domination than rivalry 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@victorrodriguez2160]

Being NBA fans consist of making a "Top Anything" List ,saying "in His Prime", " OVER [insert Name here] , "Rings" & Living in the past .

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

I live in the future too like with the Cooper Flagg v. Brandon Miller rivalry

[@jessemcdonald3980]

Patrick vs Hakeem is my #1

[@harryjames5414]

5. Kobe vs Shaq 4. Jordan vs Isiah 3. Warriors vs Cavs 2. Russell vs Wilt 1. Bird vs Magic

[@DonGivani]

Definitely Bird vs Magic, not only once but multiple times, seven games series. Also Michigan State vs Indiana State !!!!!!

[@nothembajozi2862]

When you are sober you will realise Lebron played with less and played against tougher opponents. Who did Michael face who is comparable to Steph Curry OR Kevin Durant and Lebron had to play against both of them.

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

Very much this

[@StayTru101]

Lmaooooo when SAS jumps >>

[@khamla616]

Jordan vs Dominique underrated

[@kyce5231]

Stephen A gets a couple As and gets emotional hahaha i love it, this guy is so jokesss 🤣

[@leeonpiano]

This is the first time I’ve ever thought that Shannon could be left out of a segment. Thats was a horrible take.

[@JRAYDABEAST]

Shannon says they undermine Leborn when they can’t go a day without talking about him and Shannon a second away from getting hard on tv

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

What do you mean a second away you can't see above the shin on anyone sitting behind a desk or table on TV 🤷

[@PressureFlipperZ]

Dang Stephen A Smith has never missed a 3 point shot in his entire career sad his knee went out Stephan A was going to be the next MJ #23 😞

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

Potential of S Urquelle >>> 😏

[@anthony6600]

I have NO PROBLEM with this list! Great Job! 👏👏👏👏👏

[@DeVon-ho2is]

That walk was killer🔥🔥💀

[@Aj4youtube]

Heatles and the Big Three Celtics was intense

[@joykenn9772]

Sure but not over any of those

[@Eat_My_Shortz]

Lebron & Pierce and Wade & Dirk

[@mikemcc8315]

Luka is averaging 8 more points, and Luka turns his centers into Wilt-tier efficient

[@CuttyFlamLtd]

Lebron v curry should be atleast 2nd that 2016 playoffs was peak nba

[@bobbyjackson7325]

Jordan vs Isaiah wasn't really a matchup because they didn't guard each other. MJ was SG and Isaiah was a PG.

[@HiNRGboy]

But LeBron and Steph, Bird and Magic, they didn't guard each other either. Bird and Doc and Wilt and Russell did that's it on the list that actually guarded each other.

[@bobbyjackson7325]

@@HiNRGboy I agree the list is stupid. Mainstream media loves to push narratives. I would've done the list based on the teams instead of the individual players. Especially if the players don't guard each other. You do have a good point.

[@HiNRGboy]

@@bobbyjackson7325 yep, but like you said the media loves this stuff and knows it'll get views lol

[@mayibee_07]

This was probably the best list I've ever seen from SAS, i think he got it on the spot 🔥✌🏾

[@justacebarnes6211]

draymond vs nba officials

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

Draymond v The Land of Happily Ever After residents ☠️

[@sw0xpitt706]

Stephen A. The Infotainer, I like this man!

[@Charles-x6h7j]

Allen Iverson VS Vince Carter go crazy

[@marykuettner752]

Isiah only beat Bird when one of the big three was getting surgery.

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

When was McHale and/or Parish NOT getting surgery 😬

[@datsapaddlin]

Lebron vs Steph should be over Thomas vs Jordan. Played each other 5 times in the playoffs and 4 straight times in the finals.

[@datsapaddlin]

@@timh9220 Jordan only won one time. With Lebron vs Steph playoffs wise it’s 3-2

[@rakabye]

You know he’s a paid actor

[@datsapaddlin]

@@timh9220 The better or healthier team won but they are seen as the faces of the league so it was definitely a better match up than MJ and Thomas because they both got the better of the the other multiple times mostly in the finals. It was the season closer when they played most the time.

[@tahireed]

Naw, dude. Steph begging Kd to join him ruined the rivalry.

[@datsapaddlin]

@@tahireed Technically the Bulls got owned by the Pistons 3 straight years and finally got them after those 3 straight finals appearances took their toll on them.

[@SuperPrivatekiller]

Isiah is also 3-1 against Jordan 😂😂😂😂 this guy is getting paid by MJ

[@MrTimLee84]

Thank you lol

[@DonGivani]

It ain't about the 3-1, it's about the BOX Office matchups

[@datsapaddlin]

@@DonGivani None of those were finals games come on now.

[@Forsecondbreakfast]

It was a dog fight every time between those two, where as Steph and Lebron ain’t even facing each other and it was more of a team rivalry then individual

[@DonGivani]

@@datsapaddlin True, but definitely Box Office, must see at tv

[@nserekoraymond8593]

Stephen a Smith gets A+. Nice list

[@dbrav727]

KD and Lebron being on the list is crazy they have barely played each other for years lol

[@HiNRGboy]

Forgotten matchup: Jordan vs Dominique.. They'd regularly get 30/40+ any given night against each other. I remember when Dominique got 57 on them and Jordan got 61...it got real, REAL fast with those two on the court.

[@blackcapone187]

I will never forgive KD for robbing us of the greatest rivalry in our generation. This was our Larry vs Magic

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

Your generation has no magic 😅

[@lillawrence2886]

Steph vs LeBron, Bird vs Magic, Patrick Ewing vs Reggie Miller

[@GregoryBaker]

He had to plug the cognac 🥃

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

In Soviet Russia, cognac plugs you! Then you fall out window with sweet taste on lips

[@Fritjof1]

Kobe vs T-Mac just when I started watching back in the mid 2000’s was insanity

[@Fritjof1]

What could have been. T-Mac with a healthy Grant Hill and Duncan…. Oh what could have been…. And give 2005-6 Kobe anybody to play with and the show….. But no we got Detroit and the spurs…. Snoozeball basketball

[@Safesaxjosh]

great list this is my 5 I have no problems with this list even if you flip 2 and 3 I'm ok

[@JOptic-xr2qg]

Me personally would put LeBron versus Paul George in there Heat vs Pacers was a sight to behold

[@VillainCollector1]

If Magic vs Bird wasn't #1, I was never going to watch Stephen A ever again.

[@Ro_TALK]

Shaq vs Tim

[@IBlackSanta]

Shannon really tried to slide lebron vs KD in there lol that bias was so blatant 😂😂

[@victornathanael8077]

Next gonna be Wembayama vs Jalen Brunson

[@JeebyTube]

I ain’t goin lie I missed that “ yeah yeah yeah “

[@marcosgonzales284]

Dirk vs Dwayne Wade is a sleeper

[@iamlegend1482]

that A- was cold

[@alessandrobonifazi7823]

6th spot for shannon should be like Lebron vs KingJames

[@dvd7826]

Can't argue with Bird vs Magic as #1

[@michaeld.lancaster4953]

Shannon Sharpe is always in his feelings when it comes to anything about Lebron

[@205tazmanian9]

Man Tim Duncan vs Shaq or Tim Duncan vs Kobe deserves to be on this list respectfully

[@collllllll]

Isiah Thomas says he beat everyone on that list which is factual but he is also the only one up there without a regular season MVP when most of those guys have multiple. It just shows who is who

[@euraniajimenezjimenez7550]

Best NBA match ups - MJ23 vs NBA years 89 to 98, A.i 3 - VS NBA 96 to 2001, V.Carter vs NBA Slam dunk contest, Kobe Bryant vs MJ 23 98, Chicago Bulls 95 vs Golden State Warriors 2015

[@chankim661]

biggest one is scott foster vs chris paul matchup

[@Noliestold-np6qi]

Bird vs Magic is the greatest matchup in sports period. Probably besides Ali vs Frazier.

[@IgorBarduco]

What about "Kobe vs Tim Duncan"?! I know a lot of people think in "Shaq vs Duncan", but Kobe played more times against Duncan in the playoffs. They played against each other 7 times in the playoffs and both of them were 5 time champions in their carriers.

[@Geojr815]

I can’t believe Winning Time got canceled

[@Hugo89422]

Luka MVP.

[@Noahwarriorsfan]

Na 45-29 record

[@EternityReal]

No Kobe Vs Tim? 5 rings each in the past 15 years they played against each other!

[@keithharrison5726]

Bird vs Magic was the best matchup!!! Highest rated college game ever still!!!! Michigan State vs Indiana State

[@chadbrisco4042]

1.) Magic Johnson Vs. Larry Bird 2.) Wilt Chamberlain Vs. Bill Russell 3.) Lebron James Vs. Stephen Curry 4.) Michael Jordan Vs. Isiah Thomas 5.) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Vs. Wilt Chamberlain

[@kk-sr1wl]

Jordan vs Knicks, shaq vs duncan, lebron vs celtics

[@WRNIIVIIII]

It wasn't Jordan vs Isiah It was Jordan vs The Pistons It wasn't LeBron vs Steph It was LeBron vs The Warriors And that is why they are MY undisputed two greatest players ever - YOU NEED THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION TO STOP THEM!

[@TokkiBomber]

Kobe vs the Raptors? Why does he never get acknowledged😭

[@RL-ww5ev]

I don't think Bird ever lost to MJ in playoff series

[@upgr8king]

Love these 3 😂😂😂

[@ToshiroMifuneSamurai]

Tim Legler: "A lot of people vs Isiah" Stephen A: "And he beat them all" Thanks guys, Isiah deserves this..

[@hugobarajas4754]

A grade for this list

[@nktechnical_9966]

Instead of Bird vs Dr.J I would have done Bird vs Wilkins

[@rando28-3]

Nah Bird vs the Doctor was special. Bird vs Dominique was on the tail end of Larry’s career and it was far from his best basketball but when he and Dr. J used to go against each other, it was both of them at their very best producing some of the best basketball we will EVER see.

[@alcchaibi3134]

KD vs LeBron 5 agree with shannon ! 2 of the 3 best forward of all time !

[@Shmuk-bn7ef]

I wouldn't literally put KD over all the forwards of the 60s, 70s, and 80s besides Bird. Just a glance at rebounding gives one pause on that.

[@2ndstreetmedia171]

Kobe vs Paul Pierce

[@joshuagraves2623]

KD and LeBron is crazy

[@404productions8]

nah Shannon honestly i would put Lebron vs Paul Pierce before i put Lebron vs KD 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@ModernFiction]

Kobe vs Lebron should’ve been here mannn. Kob and Duncan could be here but Duncan wasn’t box office like that

[@RoadtoGloryyyy]

Remember the list is fluid 😂😂😂😂

[@cohenhu9459]

Anyone stop to wonder why Bill has so many HOF teammates? Because its a hell of a lot easier getting into the HOF if you have an absurd number of rings