All-Time Debate

[remingtonbo2001]

Another slow day at work, which means another All-Time Debate.

You know the routine, however this time a bet is in place. Cast your vote in order and give reason. The rules are all players are considered in their prime. Here are the following teams:

Team 1

PG- Isiah Thomas
SG- Kobe Bryant
SF- Scottie Pippen
PF- Tim Duncan
C- David Robinson

Bench

PG- Jason Kidd
SG- Reggie Miller
SF- James Worthy
PF- Patrick Ewing
C- Dwight Howard



Team 2

PG- Magic Johnson
SG- Dwyane Wade
SF- Julius Erving
PF- Dirk Nowitski
C- Shaquille O'Neal

Bench

PG- Tracy McGrady
SG- Vince Carter
SF- Carmelo Anthony
PF- Kevin Garnett
C- Wilt Chamberlain



Team 3

PG- Oscar Robertson
SG- George Gervin
SF- LeBron James
PF- Larry Bird
C- Hakeem Olajawon

Bench

PG- Gary Payton
SG- Ray Allen
SF- Grant Hill
PF Kareem Abdul Jabar
C- Bill Russell

[resistanze]

Team 3. The balance in the starting unit is a little bit off, but the bench has enough options so I could switch that up (Payton/Gervin/Lebron/Russell/Hakeem). Huge frontline, very good defensively. Clutch players.

[JoeTait75]

Team #3. Just look at the distributors up and down the roster, plus dominant post play from Hakeem and Kareem. The only mitigating factor is the lack of a lock-down defender from the wing.

[JamStone]

Tougher choice than previous debates on this topic.

I'm leaning towards Team 2 because they look virtually unstoppable offensively. And, I like how they have an agility advantage in the front court because Team 1 is playing four centers at the four PF/C spots and Team 3 has a small forward starting at PF and also three centers.

Would be a pretty interesting match-ups, but I go Team 2.

[badfish22]

My rankings:
Team 3
Team 2
Team 1


Team 2 is close though.

[remingtonbo2001]

So far the vote tally is:

Team 3- 3

Team 2- 1

Team 1- O

[remingtonbo2001]

Okay, interesting analysis so far.

[mogrovejo]

Team 3, even though I have no idea who Oscar Robinson was. I'd still take them. Then 2, then 1.

[Medvedenko]

Any team with Kobe and Pippen in the backcourt would win. Also, who guards Kobe on the other teams...Pips on the Team 1 already. Game set and match.

[Girasuck]

30 spots and neither Stockton or Malone are on anyone's team? I'm not voting.

[JamStone]

Team 2 has Dwyane Wade, Vince Carter, Julius Erving, Tracy McGrady, all are capable of doing a pretty good job defensively on Kobe, with help defense from KG, Wilt, and Shaq. Kobe could still play well, but it's not like he's going to be completely unstoppable. Who does Isiah guard? Who guards Dirk among those 4 centers on Team 1? It's not such an easy analysis as you make it appear to be.

I already said I lean towards Team 2, but these three teams are fairly evenly matched. It's not a landslide in favor of any one of them.

[Muser]

VC/TMac/D Howard should never be on an all time list, so many..many other players..

[sook]

Oscar Robertson, Lebron, Hakeem, Bird?? Holy crap that team would probably be the best imo

[BlackBellamy]

Team 2, in my opinion.

[JamStone]

The key is that each of the players are considered to be in their primes. You can pretty much stack T-Mac's prime with any of the great HOF players ever. I'd take T-Mac in his prime over Drexler or Jerry West in their primes. Vince Carter is arguable, but in his prime, he was pretty special as well.

And, I can't speak for Bo and his buddies, but it seems to me that they aren't saying these are definitely the 30 best players in the history of the game. Rather, they are assembling teams with who they want, most of which are all time greats, but not necessarily the absolute, without-a-doubt, best 30 players in NBA history. It's just who they picked, some lesser players because they might think they fit better in the concept of how they built their rosters.

[whottt]

Team 2.

Magic AND Dr J? With Shaq and Wilt thrown in for good measure?

GTF outta here. That team would go undefeated. And I don't particularly like all the players on it either...but shit, that is clearly the best team... and no one could matchup with them.

[Smooth Criminal]

My Team beats all 3 fairly easily IMO

PG- Magic Johnson
SG- Kobe Bryant
SF- Scottie Pippen
PF- Dirk Nowitski
C- Hakeem Olajuwon

Bench

PG- Jason Kidd
SG- Ray Allen
SF- James Worthy
PF- Kevin Garnett
C- Moses Malone

[Chieflion]

I would take team 1. The defense is ridiculously good. You got Scottie Pippen, who arguably is the best perimeter defensive player in league history. Kobe Bryant in his prime was an excellent defensive player. Then you got Timmy and D-Rob, nothing else needs to be said here. You got Dwight Howard and Patrick Ewing manning the defense if either Tim or Robinson sits down. Isiah and Miller would provide the clutch plays. Kidd would be the playmaker, rebounder and do everything. He is also an excellent defender in his prime. Robinson is mobile enough to guard the likes of Dirk and other perimeter bigs.

[Fernando TD21]

Team 2 > 3 > 1.

[j-money24]

Team 2 and Team 3 look better then Team 1 on paper but IMO, Team 1 could build excellent chemistry and take down Team 2 and 3.

[MiamiHeat]

Team 3
then Team 2
and Team 1 last

[demosthenes247]

30 spots and neither Stockton or Malone are on anyone's team? I'm not voting.

Well, Jordan's not on there either, to be fair.

Edit: Oh and I vote for Team 2.

[jacobdrj]

I could have sworn I responded to this thread already, but I can't find my post:
To reiterate: Team 2 mixes the play-making ability and size of MVP 80's Magic with the skills and athleticism of the 21'st century NBA players. Like JamStone was pointing out, T-Mac was as good as anyone in his prime. That team can play defense, and score. I'll take them.

[whottt]

My heart is with Team 1 of course, but Team 2 is an out and out matchup nightmare. The drafter of that team whether concsiously or not pretty much cornered the market on guys that were physically unguardable. Just about every player on the team is some kind of physical freak for his position.

Not only is it a freaking huge team, but it's also a powerful offensive team. The most powerful offensive team of any of the 3.


No one could defend Magic. He was a 6'9 PG who was probably the most creative passer in NBA history. He, not Jordan was the most unguardable player in NBA history, because he could score or pass.


Dirk and TMac are basically 7foot or near it, 2 guards.


That Shaq and Wilt were unguardable is pretty much common knowledge.


Vince Carter and Dr. J are pretty much unguardable because of their athleticism.


I don't know if I would describe KG as unguardable in the same sense as I would the others, but he's definitely versatile and can do just about anything you want on a basketball court.

That leaves Melo, who is pretty much a totally unstoppable scorer, and Wade, the most conventional player on this team, who is equally unstoppable when he gets rolling.


That team just has too many mismatches, too much size, and too much offensive power.

It's got 4 freaking scoring champions on it. And that's not including Carmelo or Dr. J who may be the best pure scorers on the team.

Team 1 has 2 scoring champs, Team 2 has 3.

However in addition to having 4 scoring champs, Team 2 also has probably the best passer in history.

It's also got rebounding and shotblocking out the wazoo at pretty much every position, including PG and 2 guard.


That team is a matchup nightmare, far and away the best team based on my knowledge of these players and the game. It's probably my least favorite team as far as players personalities go...the only guys I know for sure I like on it are Magic and Wilt....however, it's still the matchup nightmare of these 3 teams. And while it may not be a defensive juggernaut, their interior defense isn't exactly going to be charmin with Shaq in there simply because of his size, and no one is going to be able to stop them, any of them, on the other side of the ball.

[lebomb]

my team........

Mike Jordan
Magic Johnson
Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
Wilt Chamberlain

Bench....
Dwayne Wade
Lebron James
Hakeem Olajuwan
Larry Bird
Kareem

[jacobdrj]

my team........

Mike Jordan
Magic Johnson
Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
Wilt Chamberlain

Bench....
Dwayne Wade
Lebron James
Hakeem Olajuwan
Larry Bird
Kareem
Nicec team. I'd probably tweak the starting lineup though, so as not to have 2 SG's start. I'd probably swap Kobe for Bird or James.

[remingtonbo2001]

Bump.

Something for consideration, this was obviously done is draft style. As Jamstone mentioned, the goal was to put together a cohesive team, not necessarily the assembly of the best individual talent. Remember, one ball.

[remingtonbo2001]

The score as follows:

Team 1- 3 votes

Team 2- 6 votes

Team 3- 6 votes

[whottt]

Bump.

Something for consideration, this was obviously done is draft style. As Jamstone mentioned, the goal was to put together a cohesive team, not necessarily the assembly of the best individual talent. Remember, one ball.

Translation: Team 1 is yours?



That whole team cohesiveness things goes to team 2 as well...again, Magic was the greatest ball distributor and team player(at least on the court) of them all.

[sook]

team 2 looks the best on paper, but i htink 3 would have the best chemistry.

[remingtonbo2001]

Translation: Team 1 is yours?

Team 1 is not mine, but I could see where one might make that assumption, considering my love for the Spurs. No, Team 1 was actually drafted by a die-hard Laker fan.

[remingtonbo2001]

Team 1- Paul

Team 2- Frank

Team 3- Bo