Greatest Starting 5 of your team

[TheMACHINE]

ESPN has a pretty cool page where you choose the greatest starting 5 of your team. Whats yours?

http://espn.go.com/espn/greatestteam/index/_/teamId/5253342/the-greatest-lakers-team-all-time


Here's my starting 5.

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab177/LMAOxROFL/greatestlakers.jpg

[Dr House]

Here I'll rank mine by positions.

1 Kobe
2 Kobe
3 Kobe
4 Kobe
5 Kobe

Gasol and Shaq both suck. Kobe won despite these malcontents which just further proves he's the G.O.A.T.


(Now if we were in an argument on who the best team in the NBA is, I'd conveniently change my argument and bump up Gasol as the best PF in the NBA :lobt2:)

[SomeCallMeTim]

ESPN has a pretty cool page where you choose the greatest starting 5 of your team. Whats yours?

http://espn.go.com/espn/greatestteam/index/_/teamId/5253342/the-greatest-lakers-team-all-time


Here's my starting 5.

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab177/LMAOxROFL/greatestlakers.jpg

I agree with the choices. Awesome to think this team would have a bench of Wilt, Shaq, West, Worthy, Cooper, Horry...

Speaks volumes of the Lakers' historical depth at center that Kareem is in the lead with only 49% of the votes.

[Giuseppe]

Here's my starting 5.

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab177/LMAOxROFL/greatestlakers.jpg

I'll abide you on everyone cept Baylor. I'm not a Baylor fan.

I'd put Worthy there--though I ain't crazy about him either. But, as long as he's got Magic next to him he can function like a human man.

[Muser]

Tony/Manu/Ice/Duncan/Robinson

[Ashy Larry]

lol @ magic with 99% ..... the other 1% musta went to Nixon and Goodrich; maybe Smush Parker

[Venti Quattro]

lol @ magic with 99% ..... the other 1% musta went to Nixon and Goodrich; maybe Smush Parker

Jordan Farmar :lmao :lmao :lmao

[Phillip]

PG - Kidd
SG - Blackman
SF - Aguirre
PF - Nowitzki
C - Tarpley

[Giuseppe]

PG - Kidd
SG - Blackman
SF - Aguirre
PF - Nowitzki
C - Tarpley

Memories, misty watered colored memories of the way we were.

[dbestpro]

Chamberlin is most probably the greatest player of all time. Shame people have so little respect for his game. I have no doubt if he played today he would easily dominate the game.

[Phillip]

Chamberlin is most probably the most overrated player of all time. Shame people have so little knowledge about the era he played in and how ahead of his time he truly was. I have no doubt if he played today he would be quite good, perhaps even dominant, but not nearly as dominant as he was in his day, due to the fact that there wouldnt be nearly the physical gap between him and everyone else any longer.

fixed

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

PG - Steve Nash (last season puts him past KJ imo)
SG - Paul Westphal (no brainer, took them to 1 of 2 finals appearances)
SF - Walter Davis (he's listed at SG on ESPN's thing but I refuse to put Marion on this team)
PF - Barkley (no brainer, took them to the other finals appearance)
C - Amare (he's not a center, but he's done more while playing center than anyone else ever has for the Suns)

[JamStone]

Isiah Thomas
Grant Hill
Dennis Rodman
Rasheed Wallace
Bill Laimbeer

An Isiah Thomas - Joe Dumars backcourt against the other greatest teams would get overpowered because of their small size. Shame to leave out Dumars, Bob Lanier, and Ben Wallace. But I chose a five that would be a nice balance at both ends of the court. Grant Hill and Dennis Rodman aren't three point shooters, but Sheed and Laimbeer are at the big positions. Got defensive versatility out on the perimeter and four of the biggest assholes on the court, which is the kind of intangible edge I like.

[Zelophehad]

PG - Kidd
SG - Blackman
SF - Aguirre
PF - Nowitzki
C - Tarpley

I'd probably go Nash or Harper over Kidd. His prime was in Phoenix and New Jersey. His first two and a half in Dallas he was good but the team didn't really accomplish anything and he's been a shell of his former self in his current stint.

[elemento]

Tony Parker
Manu Ginobili
George Gervin
Tim Duncan
David Robinson

[resistanze]

PG - Damon Stoudamire
SG - Vince Carter
SF - Tracy McGrady
PF - Chris Bosh
C - Antonio Davis

I only put players that played at least 3 seasons. No Billups or Toronto Olajuwon.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Parker
Gervin
Elliott
Duncan
Robinson

[Phillip]

I'd probably go Nash or Harper over Kidd. His prime was in Phoenix and New Jersey. His first two and a half in Dallas he was good but the team didn't really accomplish anything and he's been a shell of his former self in his current stint.

I take Kidd over Nash for his size, defense, and hustle, to add to team balance.

Fact is, if he is able to dish to scorers like Aguirre, Ro, Tarpley, and Dirk, he pretty much just needs to do dirty work.

IMO - if you are building a team full of stars, Kidd should ALWAYS be the PG because of his unselfishness, defense, and willingness to do dirty work. He is the ultimate team player.

[PM5K]

I LOL'd when I saw the Spurs, I knew within two seconds who I'd pick and I knew everyone else would pick the exact same people, and sure enough they did.

[Brazil]

Tony Parker
Manu Ginobili
George Gervin
Tim Duncan
David Robinson

for the spurs it's quite easy

[Double-Up]

Calvin Murphy
Clyde Drexler
Rudy T
Hakeem Olajuwon
Moses Malone

Bench:
Steve Francis
Cuttino Mobley
T-Mac
Ralph Sampson
Yao Ming

[lil_penny]

Porter
Drexler
Kiki
Lucas
Walton

[LnGrrrR]

My five:

Bird
McHale
Russell
Pierce
Cousy

[monosylab1k]

Harris-Christ
Finley
Aguirre
Nowitzki
Hollins

[manufanfirst]

C - Fabricio Oberto (great fuckin basketball IQ :cry)
PF - Louis Scola (worst fuckin trade in NBA history :cry)
SF - Manu Ginobili (great fuckin underrated defender, better than Bowen when healthy :cry)
SG - Manu Ginobili (great fuckin per minute stats :cry)
PG - Manu Ginobili (great fuckin underrated passing skills :cry)

[TheMACHINE]

lol @ magic with 99% ..... the other 1% musta went to Nixon and Goodrich; maybe Smush Parker

lol it went to van exel. :lol

[JamStone]

I can't lie... I used to love Nick's shadow boxing as he back pedaled up the court after making a big shot.

[lefty]

pg- Tony Parker (thanks to all the shitty PG's who played for the Spurs)
sg- Manu
sf - Luck_the_Fakers
pf- Tim Duncan
C - David Robinson

[tlongII]

C - Bill Walton
PF - Maurice Lucas
SF - Clyde Drexler
SG - Brandon Roy
PG - Terry Porter

[Killakobe81]

My five:

PG Magic
SG West
SF Kobe
PF Kareem
C Shaq

I'll cheat here becuse of 2 reasons.

1. I could not put Pau or Worthy over shaq on any all time team. I loved worthy (not sure why some Laker fans don't) but you shouldnt leave Shaq off a team like like this.
2. Even though I never saw west play (except on tape/DVD) ...because he is Mr.Lakers I will make an exception for him and bump Kobe to SF ...

The bench has to have Baylor, Worthy, Wilt, Pau, Byron scott, Goodrich and Mikan

But I have soft spot for Horry, copper and dfish. Without those guys stepping up when the stars where double teamed ...no way Lakers have 16 they may have "only" 8 ...

[lefty]

C - Bill Walton
PF - Maurice Lucas
SF - Clyde Drexler
SG - Brandon Roy
PG - Terry Porter
I would move Clyde to SG (even if he could play SF) and replace him with Uncle Cliffy

Don't laugh he was good: scoring, outside shooting, great shot blocker, 6th man of the year, etc

[ohmwrecker]

My five:

PG Magic
SG West
SF Kobe
PF Kareem
C Shaq

I can dig it, but I would probably put Shaq at the 4 (although all together, I prefer Wilt) and I also like Baylor over Kobe at the SF. It's nice to see a Laker fan acknowledge West (as a player, not a trade facilitator).

[lefty]

I can dig it, but I would probably put Shaq at the 4 (although all together, I prefer Wilt) and I also like Baylor over Kobe at the SF. It's nice to see a Laker fan acknowledge West (as a player, not a trade facilitator).
I would have put JW in the backcourt along with Magic as well

[ohmwrecker]

I would move Clyde to SG (even if he could play SF) and replace him with Uncle Cliffy

My All-Time Blazers would be:

PG Porter
SG Drexler
SF Vandeweghe
PF Wicks
C Walton

[JamStone]

Magic, West, and Kobe could work fine on the perimeter. Didn't the Lakers often switch Magic on a wing player on defense and have Byron Scott or Cooper switch onto the opposing point guard anyway? Magic runs the offense at point and defends the small forward on defense. West defends the opposing point guard. That makes enough sense. Can't imagine Shaq and Kareem on the court together though. Might be ok, but I'm definitely skeptical.

[elemento]

to be really honest, i'd use Manu as the PG and i'd put Bowen in the SF spot

PG - Manu Ginobili
SG - George Gervin
SF - Bruce Bowen
PF - Tim Duncan
C - David Robinson

Defensively this team would be amazing !!

and about the Lakers ..it's just hard to choose among KAJ, Shaq and Wilt. I'd easily use 2 of them in the 4/5 spots instead of Paul Gasol. KAJ and Shaq together would be a fucking nightmare to any team in the NBA.

[phxspurfan]

Ok I'll play

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8UFJKqNl5JI/TJPpt4dPNTI/AAAAAAAACzw/VhuY5lzKWRE/s800/untitled.jpg

[jacobdrj]

Ben
Rasheed
Rodman
Dumars
Thomas

[Girasuck]

Malone
Dantley
Eaton
Maravich
Stockton

Pretty easy choices.

[GHILL3]

Malone
Dantley
Eaton
Maravich
Stockton

Pretty easy choices.

That's a stupid line up

[Giuseppe]

Malone
Dantley
Eaton
Maravich
Stockton

Pretty easy choices.

That is nice.

Though I'd substitute for Dantley. He was too short and it always ended up making you sorry.

Who else can you stick there?

[JamStone]

Adrian Dantley was like a 30 ppg scorer on 55%+ field goal shooting in his prime playing in Utah. Doubt there's a better small forward in Jazz history.

It's a slight misconception that AD was too short. Listed at 6'5 but little known fact is that one of his legs is three inches shorter than the other. He really should be considered closer to 6'8 because of that, and he had the length of a 6'8 player. His height would be less of an issue than his lack of lateral quickness and overall athleticism. He played like a power forward. But if you look at the elite athletes playing the small forward position, Dantley would have problems staying in front of a lot of them. But he was very skilled, very strong, and smart.

[baseline bum]

C David Robinson
PF Tim Duncan
SF George Gervin
SG Manu Ginobili
PG James Silas

[Venti Quattro]

My 5

PG - Magic
SG - Kobe
SF - Worthy (sorry Elgin)
PF - Pau
C - Kareem

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

Mutumbo
Dyess
Melo
Thompson
B B Billups

[sonic21]

C David Robinson
PF Tim Duncan
SF Sean Elliott
SG George Gervin
PG James Silas

[Giuseppe]

Adrian Dantley was like a 30 ppg scorer on 55%+ field goal shooting in his prime playing in Utah. Doubt there's a better small forward in Jazz history.

It's a slight misconception that AD was too short. Listed at 6'5 but little known fact is that one of his legs is three inches shorter than the other. He really should be considered closer to 6'8 because of that, and he had the length of a 6'8 player. His height would be less of an issue than his lack of lateral quickness and overall athleticism. He played like a power forward. But if you look at the elite athletes playing the small forward position, Dantley would have problems staying in front of a lot of them. But he was very skilled, very strong, and smart.

& ultimately too short.

[Darrin]

I voted on ESPN. My lineup was:

C - Bill Laimbeer--just a dead-eye shooter who was a steady leader in the locker room. He could rebound with the bigs of the 1980s, leading the league one season.

PF - Ben Wallace--This was on personal likes alone because it was a tie with Rodman and Howell.

SF - Grant Hill--Just a great all-around player and he was tough, man.

SG - Joe Dumars--Can't go against Joe. He could defend any guard, and score at will.

PG - Isiah Thomas--The franchise's leader. Imagine the Pistons without him staying here. It's a completely different team.

[ohmwrecker]

Mutumbo
Dyess
Melo
Thompson
B B Billups

Old School/No Thuggets Version:

Mutombo
McDyess
English
Thompson
Adams

[ohmwrecker]

Malone
Dantley
Eaton
Maravich
Stockton

Pretty easy choices.

Agreed. You guys are nuts. Dantley was a scoring machine. A Stockton/Maravich backcourt just sounds wicked. Who else? Kirilenko? Okur? No way, man.

[Giuseppe]

Agreed. You guys are nuts. Dantley was a scoring machine.

Which was cute & quaint until the playoffs, then he made ya sorry. The Pistons finally figured that out.

[ohmwrecker]

Which was cute & quaint until the playoffs, then he made ya sorry. The Pistons finally figured that out.

Yeah, Kirilenko is soooo clutch in the playoffs.

[Giuseppe]

I didn't prompt Kirilenko. I asked for an alternative to shortcake Dantley.

[Darrin]

I didn't prompt Kirilenko. I asked for an alternative to shortcake Dantley.

Well, Kirklenko, Kelly Tripuka, Byron Russell--who would you choose?

[Giuseppe]

Well, Kirklenko, Kelly Tripuka, Byron Russell--who would you choose?

Got to be someone else.

[Giuseppe]

I looked in the NBA Guide and I'm granting on Thurl Bailey.

[ohmwrecker]

I looked in the NBA Guide and I'm granting on Thurl Bailey.

Wasn't Bailey a PF?

[Giuseppe]

No, he played with Malone.

[DeadlyDynasty]

it's gotta be dantley...there's not even competition there..

[Giuseppe]

..another vote for stumpy, eh? Until Detroit ran him off they were doomed.

And they knew it.

[Darrin]

No, he played with Malone.

Which one? :lol

Thurl was a center. Dantley never scored under 26 ppg in his seven seasons with Utah, played 519 games, led the league in scoring twice, shot .562 in his career with Utah (best in Jazz history, BTW), made the playoffs 3 times, and made the second round twice. He's the all-time leader in PPG and third in total points in franchise history. I'll give you only two guesses for the two names ahead of him. They ran a lot of pick-and-rolls together.

How could it not be Dantley?

[Giuseppe]

Karl. Eaton was the center.

[Darrin]

Karl. Eaton was the center.

After Malone got there, Bailey was playing off the bench. He started only 70 games of a possible 492 games during his time with Utah when Eaton and Malone played together.

[Giuseppe]

Fine. I'd still choose him over Dantley.

[JamStone]

Yup, Bailey was a PF/C and for the most part came off the bench behind Malone and Eaton. And yeah, Dantley averaged about 30 ppg on 56% shooting in his time at Utah.

It's pretty retarded to even suggest Dantley shouldn't be on the Jazz all time team ahead of Bailey. Even if you disregard the distinction between PF and SF, after Karl Malone, there is no better forward in Jazz history than Dantley. It would be similar to suggesting Kurt Rambis being more deserving to start at small forward over Elgin Baylor or James Worthy on the Lakers all time team.

[Giuseppe]

Yup, Bailey was a PF/C and for the most part came off the bench behind Malone and Eaton. And yeah, Dantley averaged about 30 ppg on 56% shooting in his time at Utah.

It's pretty retarded to even suggest Dantley shouldn't be on the Jazz all time team ahead of Bailey. Even if you disregard the distinction between PF and SF, after Karl Malone, there is no better forward in Jazz history than Dantley. It would be similar to suggesting Kurt Rambis being more deserving to start at small forward over Elgin Baylor or James Worthy on the Lakers all time team.

I'd still take Bailey. He put in yeoman minutes at SF with Utah. They got closer to "it" with him versus Dantley.

[Ashy Larry]

ATL: Pete Maravich, Joe Johnson, Dominque Wilkens, Bob Pettit, Moses Malone

BOS: Bob Cousy, John Havlicek, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Bill Russell

CHAR: Raymond Felton, Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallce, Boris Diaw, Emeka Okafor

CHI: Norm Van Lier, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Artis Gilmore

CLE: Mark Price, Ron Harper, LeBron James, Shawn Kemp, Brad Daugherty (no Larry Nance ???)

DAL: Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Mark Aguirre, Dirk Nowitzki, Roy Tarpley

DEN: Chauncey Billups, David Thompson, Carmelo Anthony, Antonio McDyess, Dikembe Mutombo

DET: Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Grant Hill, Dennis Rodman, Bob Lanier

GSW: Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, Rick Barry, Chris Webber, Wilt Chamberlain

HOU: Calvin Murphy, Clyde drexler, Rudy Tomjanovich, Charles Barkley (over Hayes and Sampson ???), Hakeem Olajuwon

IND: Mark Jackson, Reggie Miller, Chuck Person, Jermaine O'Neal, Rik Smits

LAC: Norm Nixon, Ron Harper, Danny Manning, Elton Brand, Bob McAdoo

LAL: Earvin Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, Pau Gasol, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

MEM: Mike Bibby, Mike Miller, Rudy Gay, Sahrif Abdur-Rahim, Pau Gasol

MIA: Tim Hardaway, Dwyane Wade, Glen Rice, Udonis Haslem, Alonzo Mourning

MIL: Oscar Robertson, Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson, Terry Cummings (virtual tie with Vin Baker), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

MIN: Stephon Marbury, Isiah Rider, Tony Campbell, Kevin Garnett, Al Jefferson

NJN: Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Julius Irving, Derrick Coleman, Billy Paultz (?) - either him, Mike Gminski or Sam Bowie

NYK: Walt Frazier, Earl Monroe, Bernard King, Dave DeBusschere, Patrick Ewing

NOH: Chirs Paul, Kendall Gill (virtual tie with Dell Curry), Glen Rice, Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning

OKC/SEA: Gary Payton, Ray Allen, Kevin Durant, Shawn Kemp, Jack Sikma

ORL: Anfernee Hardaway, Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, Rashard Lewis, Shaquille O'Neal

PHI: Maurice Cheeks, Allen Iverson, Julius Irving, Charles Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain

PHX: Steve Nash, Paul Westphal, Shawn Marion, Charles Barkley, Alvan Adams

POR: Terry Porter, Clyde Drexler, Kiki Vandeweghe, Rasheed Wallace, Bill Walton

SAC: Oscar Robertson, Mitch Richmond, Peja Stojakovic, Chris Webber, Vlade Divac

SAS: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, George Gervin, Tim Duncan, David Robinson

TOR: Damon Stoudamire, Vince Carter, Jalen Rose, Chris Bosh, Antonio Davis

UTA: John Stockton, Pete Maravich, Adrian Dantley, Karl Malone, Mehmet Okur

WAS: Gilbert Arenas, Earl Monroe, Bernard King, Elvin Hayes, Walt Bellamy


The official voting list from each team .......

[Giuseppe]

DET: Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Grant Hill, Dennis Rodman, Bob Lanier

Lanier, and especially Hill is just f'ing outrageous bullshit. Hill is present there because of what could have been, i.e., the sympathy factor. Lanier is there because he bullied himself there. Lanier was a loser of epic proportions.

[Darrin]

Lanier, and especially Hill is just f'ing outrageous bullshit. Hill is present there because of what could have been, i.e., the sympathy factor. Lanier is there because he bullied himself there. Lanier was a loser of epic proportions.

Hill is there because he's badass. The guy was drop-dead as-good-as-Lebron on some bad Pistons teams. He could jump out of the gym and he could run like the wind. He always had a step on his opponent. He could take 2-3 guys on at a time. And, and, his best attitribute was passing and rebounding. That's where he made all the difference. The guy should've been in the Hall-of-Fame and if you look at his Pistons and Duke career, he could still get in. No sympathy. Just recognition.

As for Lanier, I never saw him play.

[Giuseppe]

Hill is there because he's badass. The guy was drop-dead as-good-as-Lebron on some bad Pistons teams. He could jump out of the gym and he could run like the wind. He always had a step on his opponent. He could take 2-3 guys on at a time. And, and, his best attitribute was passing and rebounding. That's where he made all the difference. The guy should've been in the Hall-of-Fame and if you look at his Pistons and Duke career, he could still get in. No sympathy. Just recognition.

I don't want to hear about Duke, Darrin. That is inconsequential and you know it.

"should've" defeats your premise.

[Killakobe81]

no disrespect to Shaq, but glad to see Alonzo got the center spot for Heat. Though undersized, he played with such intensity. He gave the heat all hhe had for 40 minutes. I always wanted him in purple & gold, because I thought Shaq was a pipe-dream. Glad it was Shaq, but if Shaq had Zo's drive he would of been the GOAT.