Greatest Head to Head Rivalries

[Last Line Hero]

There was a segment on SEN today that asked people to ring in and nominate what they thought were the greatest head to head battles between individuals in world sport ever (Nadal v. Federer for example).

As soon as I heard the topic of the segment my nomination popped into my head straight away.

There were a couple of basketball one's which I won't mention through fear of stealing anyone else's thunder, but are your thoughts on the best rivalries in NBA/NBL history. They don't neccessarily have to be really popular or renowned one's maybe just one's that you enjoyed seeing personally.

My nomination (can't believe someone didn't call in with it today):

Bill Russell v. Wilt Chamberlain

Both players absolutely revolutionised basketball, one at the defensive end, the other at the offensive end and their titanic clashes were the stuff of sporting legend. Russell admitted he could never stop Chamberlain but he was the only guy able to contain him, and the spectacle of them tusselling away down in the low block is a sight I genuinely wish I was around to see. I rate this as the best rivalry in any sport let alone basketball, and I'm regualrly on YouTube watching what tapes I can of the pair head to head and it's awesome stuff.

What do you think?

 

[kane249]

Magic Johnson Vs Larry Bird

 

[Alex99]

Forget Derrick Harper as the Jordan stopper, the greatest rivalry in that era for MJ was Joe Dumars and the Detroit Pistons bad boys.

 

[Alex99]

What do you think?

Well for baseketball i would agree but overall it would be Ali V Frazier

 

[CURVE]

There was a segment on SEN today that asked people to ring in and nominate what they thought were the greatest head to head battles between individuals in world sport ever (Nadal v. Federer for example).

As soon as I heard the topic of the segment my nomination popped into my head straight away.

There were a couple of basketball one's which I won't mention through fear of stealing anyone else's thunder, but are your thoughts on the best rivalries in NBA/NBL history. They don't neccessarily have to be really popular or renowned one's maybe just one's that you enjoyed seeing personally.

My nomination (can't believe someone didn't call in with it today):

Bill Russell v. Wilt Chamberlain

Both players absolutely revolutionised basketball, one at the defensive end, the other at the offensive end and their titanic clashes were the stuff of sporting legend. Russell admitted he could never stop Chamberlain but he was the only guy able to contain him, and the spectacle of them tusselling away down in the low block is a sight I genuinely wish I was around to see. I rate this as the best rivalry in any sport let alone basketball, and I'm regualrly on YouTube watching what tapes I can of the pair head to head and it's awesome stuff.

What do you think?

It was always a little lopsided because Wilt didn't have the quality of players to support him.
A lot of basketball fans, myself included, would probably choose Magic V Bird as the greatest rivalry in basketball, although they both played different roles and positions within their teams so I'm not sure if that could be considered a true rivalry. Still it's the one I'd choose as it bought a tired league back to life.

 

[Last Line Hero]

It was always a little lopsided because Wilt didn't have the quality of players to support him.
A lot of basketball fans, myself included, would probably choose Magic V Bird as the greatest rivalry in basketball, although they both played different roles and positions within their teams so I'm not sure if that could be considered a true rivalry. Still it's the one I'd choose as it bought a tired league back to life.

Bird v. Magic was such a great rivalry because they were the star commodities leading champion teams. Those two became the face of easily the greatest team v. team rivalry in NBA history. They never really went head to head as individuals because as you said they played different positions and roles within those teams.

My greatest rivalry was based on the actual player v. player match- up and two all- time legends who literally played on each other. I understand that Boston would always win, but those individual battles were awesome.

I suppose it's which type of rivalry you prefer.

 

[kane249]

The Pistons V the Bulls in the late 80's/Early 90's were always good also

 

[triplejdude]

Kobe and Shaq

 

[peternorth]

who could forget this massive matchup during rivalry round?

western bulldogs vs st kilda

oh, anyway, umm, luther head vs guards other than t-mac at houston

 

[George 08]

What about John Dorge vs Larry Sengstock?
Andrew Gaze vs Mike Kelly?
and who could forget Lanard Copeland vs Darren Lucas??!!

They were some ripper rivalries!!

 

[CURVE]

Actually Dr. J V Bird was a pretty good rivalry, both played SF, one was all action and could lay-up from behind the backboard (still the greatest shot I've ever seen), the other was one of the smartest tacticians and playmakers of all-time.