Create the Dream Team of the past 20 years

[JimLeavy59]

Jordan played in such a tougher defensive era than any of these guys have, I think that alone would help the 1992 team.

 

[FedEx227]

I still think you're seriously underrating defense today. I know the narrative is that there's no defensive anymore, but there is, it's much smarter defense. There is less punishing hits or hard fouls/non fouls but the defense itself is a much smarter approach especially with implementation of zone defense.

You also have to realize floor spacing is completely different today. Your average guy is around 6'6 these days, big guys have insane wingspans and then you have 6'10+ guys running at SF.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I still think you're seriously underrating defense today. I know the narrative is that there's no defensive anymore, but there is, it's much smarter defense. There is less punishing hits or hard fouls/non fouls but the defense itself is a much smarter approach especially with implementation of zone defense.

You also have to realize floor spacing is completely different today. Your average guy is around 6'6 these days, big guys have insane wingspans and then you have 6'10+ guys running at SF.

I alluded to this earlier in terms of defense. We really need to know which rules we are playing under to really break this down. 1992 NBA? 2012 NBA? 1992 FIBA? 2012 FIBA?

Then again, there is no chance in hell that the '92 team is trailing an Anderson Varejao led Brazil team mid way through the third quarter, so this is all probably moot anyway.

 

[MattD56]

I still think you're seriously underrating defense today. I know the narrative is that there's no defensive anymore, but there is, it's much smarter defense. There is less punishing hits or hard fouls/non fouls but the defense itself is a much smarter approach especially with implementation of zone defense.

You also have to realize floor spacing is completely different today. Your average guy is around 6'6 these days, big guys have insane wingspans and then you have 6'10+ guys running at SF.

the average height hasn't really changed in the last 20 years or so...players have gotten a little more meaty and strong with improvement in physical conditioning

you do see some taller guys on the perimeter perhaps

durant would be a tough bet for the dream team even with pippen because he's so tall and lengthy and has a ridiculously high release point of the shot that it makes it very tough to guard

 

[MattD56]

i dont think the 2012 team stands a chance unless they have everyone healthy...they would get eaten up inside

 

[dell71]

LBJ would be harshly negated by the fact that you have a center in the key who wouldn't even come close to having to worry about Chandler, but could still get rebounds. LBJ has shown that when his inside presence is gone (Bosh or when he was back in Cleveland against teams with an inside presence), he isn't that huge of a factor. Yes, he is still an all-star and could probably still get 20+ points, but it would be a pain-staking process, especially when the other side could rotate in physical guys like Barkley and Malone to pound him on the defensive side of the game.

I think you got it partially right. Chandler being an offensive non-factor would hamper LBJ, but he's shown he is still a huge factor when there is on inside threat on his team. He carried them through large portions of games until D-Wade would show up and help in both the series against Ind and against Bos before Bosh got back. Robinson and Ewing were both excellent shot-blockers but let's not forget, though not as tall, LBJ is actually bigger than either of them and can muscle his way in for baskets against either. He's a unique athlete than no one on the '92 team can truly deal with. Their best bet would be to mix it up so he couldn't settle into a groove. Pippen, Malone and Robinson should probably be the rotation there. Of those, the admiral is probably best equipped for the task due to height and quickness combo.

I hate to say it, but I could see Durant not getting many meaningful buckets. He'll score points because that's what he does, but I don't think he'll get in the lane hardly at all. Barkley, Malone or Pip would shove him far from the basket before he got the ball. Once he got it, he could stroke it over any of them but I'm not sure he'd be getting in the lane & putting fouls on the '92 bigs.

Speed at the point is where the '12 team has its biggest advantage. Stockton (if healthy) is a solid defender, but lacked the foot speed of this year's points. Magic in his prime wasn't really a good defender and '92 Magic was certainly slower. For this reason, you'd probably see a lot of Drexler and Jordan on the court together with one of them taking the point and the other on Kobe. If the '12 team has a chance it'll probably be because their Paul/Williams are getting into the lane at will.

Going back the other way, I think the advantage inside is too great for the '92 team. There is nothing that Chandler/Love/Davis (Griffin) can do with Robinson or Ewing. Yes, they both shot a lot of jumpers but they both also had very good back to the basket games, particularly against smaller players which all of this year's bigs would be. Davis would be the biggest liability. Yes, he's 6'11" but he weighs like 45 pounds. I agree he should block lots of shots this season, but the overwhelming majority of them will likely be on weakside helps. I can't see him blocking too many shots by a 7 footer that's heavier than him and leaning into him. Maybe in a few years after he's put some weight on that unibrow, but not yet. That means collapsing to stop those guys who can kick out to better shooters plus Jordan, Barkley, etc.

BTW, the thing about Drexler's dribble ralaw didn't like was probably that he was always looking at the ball like a 4th grader. Somehow, he was still a pretty good passer though. That part of his game always fascinated me cuz I couldn't tell how he saw anyone.

 

[NAHSTE]

LOL at this.

Who's going to guard a fat Melo? Hmm. How about Karl Malone kicks his ass for 48 minutes? Who's going to guard a rail-thin Durant? How about Charles Barkley kicks his ass for 48 minutes?

You make it sound as if the 2012 team is athletically superior, but I don't think thats the case at all. Guys like Robinson, Malone, and Barkley were superior athletes, especially when compared to Anthony and Durant. Gimme a break.

Not by an overwhelming margin, I don't, but I will say that they have the best individual athlete to be found on either team though. Still wondering who guards LeBron...

 

[FedEx227]

Or Russell Westbrook for that matter.

 

[JeremyHight]

Not by an overwhelming margin, I don't, but I will say that they have the best individual athlete to be found on either team though. Still wondering who guards LeBron...

Still wondering who the hell guards anyone on the 1992 team. If your starters are say Paul, Kobe, LBJ, KD, and Chandler, that means either LBJ or KD is going to have to play post defense against Malone and Barkley, both of whom are superior post talents. Put LBJ on the 92 PF of your choice and he isn't going to be able to do nearly as much on the offensive side because he is going to get pounded. If you don't put LBJ on the PF, then KD is going to get DESTROYED.

Pippen could guard LBJ when he gets an offball assist from the center who won't have to worry about Chandler. Durant is basically the same way, since there will again be an offball assist from the center.

As for Westbrook, the PG can just stay back and let him try to drain long range shots or pass. If Westbrook does drive, the PG is playing off so he can easily recover or again, have an offball assist from the center.

You guys drastically underestimate how big of a deal the difference between Chandler and the two HALL OF FAME centers on the other side of the ball are. The front court of the dream team alone would decimate anything the current team could ever put out there. Also, lets not forget that in watching the current team play, they are almost completely dependent on the other team turning over the ball. Do you honestly expect Stockton or Magic being nearly as careless with the ball as Brazil?

 

[JeremyHight]

i dont think the 2012 team stands a chance unless they have everyone healthy...they would get eaten up inside

Even if you play the what if game, the 92 Dream Team could have easily added guys like Isaih Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Shaq instead of some of their aging superstars or Leatner. Thomas alone would probably negate nearly anything the PG position could contribute and Dumars would have been a sniper from the shorter 3pt line plus a solid defender. Not to mention a young physical center like Shaq would have dominated Chandler by the basket during mop up time if he ever got to see the light of day behind the two HoFers in front of him.

 

[MattD56]

found this article kind of odd....

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/17/opinion/lee-kobe-bryant-dream-team/index.html?hpt=hp_bn7


don't like the comparison to some olympic sports and hotdog eating contests...basketball is in a very different mold

 

[MattD56]

Even if you play the what if game, the 92 Dream Team could have easily added guys like Isaih Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Shaq instead of some of their aging superstars or Leatner. Thomas alone would probably negate nearly anything the PG position could contribute and Dumars would have been a sniper from the shorter 3pt line plus a solid defender. Not to mention a young physical center like Shaq would have dominated Chandler by the basket during mop up time if he ever got to see the light of day behind the two HoFers in front of him.

i guess, but those guys were not even on the roster....i was talking about players who were supposed to be on the team but couldn't play because of injury, this includes griffin as well

if we're counting guys that weren't on the roster, then usa should get bnyum

idk about thomas negating guys like rose and westbrook,who are incredible physical specimens that he really didn't have to face at the PG position...

though i give thomas credit for his defense

inside,ya, no disagreement..the 92 team has the clear advantage,even with howard and bynum imo

 

[FirstTimer]

Does the Olympic performance of this team change anyone's opinions either way?

 

[Senser81]

Does the Olympic performance of this team change anyone's opinions either way?

Yes! Take Mike Love off the team, add Pau Gasol.

 

[MattD56]

Yes! Take Mike Love off the team, add Pau Gasol.

getting some good vibrations?