Kobe Bryant: 2012 Team USA would beat the 1992 Dream Team

[scanry]

Could the current U.S. men's Olympic basketball team beat the 1992 Dream Team? It's the inevitable question every Olympics. Team chairman Jerry Colangelo already gave a thought to it when he said there was a "fair comparison (http://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/jerry-colangelo-2012-olympic-team-dream-team/107681)" between both squads. But that doesn't answer the question: Can this current group of guys heading to London score more points than arguably the greatest team ever assembled in a hypothetical, organized game of basketball?


Naturally, Kobe Bryant thinks it can.

"It'd be a tough one, but I think we'd pull it out," the Team USA guard told reporters during practice on Monday.

Kobe conceded that the Michael Jordan-led Dream Team, which was comprised of NBA legends and Christian Laettner, would have the size advantage. But where the 2012 squad lacks in size, it makes up with athleticism. And lots of it. Even though the current team is missing some of its best players due to injury, it's still expected to dominate the Olympic competition because of its unmatched versatility and athleticism. And isn't the argument when comparing teams from different eras that teams from today have an advantage because they're vastly more athletic? Kobe also pointed out that Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were at the end of their careers in 1992.

http://olympics.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/kobe_bryant_current_team_usa_would_beat_the_1992_d ream_team_video/11195608

[scanry]

Kobe may have a point because of their athleticism (Minus Kobe of course), but i see the Dream team beating this one by 25-30 pts.

[Kuestmaster]

Impossible. Kobe is nuts

[baseline bum]

While James vs Warm Karl would be a huge advantage for 2012, Prime Jordan would go American Me on TOSBryant and Pippen would shut Acne the fuck down. Then DRob+Ewing demolish Chandler.

[hater]

as long as the chucker is benched I think 2012 team got a chance

[Killakobe81]

While James vs Warm Karl would be a huge advantage for 2012, Prime Jordan would go American Me on TOSBryant and Pippen would shut Acne the fuck down. Then DRob+Ewing demolish Chandler.

Kobe is wrong but its closer than you think. Starting 5 of 2012 probably is better than on 2012, but the rest of the team though talented (especially with howard and Wade) is not as deep as 1992. Plus Bird was just a role player by then ... but they still beat this team.

:lol No way they put a 34 year old Kobe on a prime MJ. LeBron guards MJ and you put Durant on Pippen. And as much as I love Magic, no way he can stay in front of Paul. He can't guard any of that starting 5 ...1 on 1. Problem is though, Malone/Barkley dominates the PF matchup, as do the centers of the Dream team especially with zone. They can get away with starting Magic (not Bird), by parking him, a HOF center and HOF PF in the paint and have MJ and Pippen shut down the perimeter drivers such as AI Westbrook, Paul etc. International rules favor 1992 team as well. Plus If you put Magic Malone/Barkley and Robinson/Ewing in the middle of a zone it would be almost impossible to get any offensive rebounds (a Love/Chandler strength) those are 5 of the greatest rebounders at their positions of all time.

[jeebus]

Kobe is wrong but its closer than u think. Starting 5 of 2012 probably is better on 2012. Noway they put Kobe on a prime MJ LeBron guards MJ you put Durant on Pippen. Ans as much as I love Magic no way he can stay in front of Paul. Problem is Malone dominates his matchup. As do the centers of the Dream team especially with zone. They can park Magic, a HOF center and Malone in the paint and have MJ and Pippen shut down the perimeter drivers such AA Westbrook, Paul etc. International rules favor 1992 team as well.

Pretty much this.

[Spurs da champs]

What is he supposed to say?

[silverblk mystix]

What is he supposed to say?

He could be gracious and say that the 92 dream team is and will always be the greatest team ever assembled.

This is not in the rapists DNA though.

[Spurs da champs]

He could be gracious and say that the 92 dream team is and will always be the greatest team ever assembled.

This is not in the rapists DNA though.

:lol Kobe is one of the greatest competitors of all time, that's not in him to admit defeat.

[jimo2305]

let them settle this right now then

[Venti Quattro]

The 2008 team has a better shot than the 2012 team.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Prime Jordan going American Me on TOSB Kobe :rollin :lmao

[Clipper Nation]

:lol Kobe is one of the greatest competitors of all time, that's not in him to admit defeat.
It's not admitting defeat to say that the fucking DREAM TEAM is better than this year's Team USA, tbh... that's just stating facts, B...

[cantthinkofanything]

This match up would actually allow DRob a chance to shine. No way a current Tyson Chandler or Chris Bosh could handle DRob. Or even Ewing.

[pass1st]

Even the 2008 redeem team would be hard pressed to compete with the sheer amount of talent in the 92 team.

[Koolaid_Man]

While James vs Warm Karl would be a huge advantage for 2012, Prime Jordan would go American Me on TOSBryant and Pippen would shut Acne the fuck down. Then DRob+Ewing demolish Chandler.

^ what an amazing level of immature expression and juvenile ranting

[baseline bum]

^ So start a thread to call me out, faggot.

[Venti Quattro]

^ So start a thread to call me out, faggot.

With a YouTube clip.

[lefty]

No team can beat the 1992 team

[cheguevara]

:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao

the old bag of shit is more senile than I thought

Old Man Rapist forgets that in the 90s there were such things as true bonafide Centers and Power Forwards. They would make minced chickenshit out of the 2012 Olympic US bigmen. :lol team of pre-pubescent acne face-filled fucking midgets

And burka wearing faggot should remember the long gone true bigmen of yore, after all he got 3 rings riding on the back of one of them.

[Koolaid_Man]

^ So start a thread to call me out, faggot.


grow up guy..you're almost 50 yrs old and acting like a pre-teen

[Koolaid_Man]

:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao

the old bag of shit is more senile than I thought

Old Man Rapist forgets that in the 90s there were such things as true bonafide Centers and Power Forwards. They would make minced chickenshit out of the 2012 Olympic US bigmen. :lol team of pre-pubescent acne face-filled fucking midgets

And burka wearing faggot should remember the long gone true bigmen of yore, after all he got 3 rings riding on the back of one of them.


Credit Cully for using his TOSB line please..it's only fair

[Josepatches_]

SF is the only position where they have advantage

LeBron/Durant > Pippen/Bird/Mullin .But advantage isn't really big because Pip could guard them very well while 92 Dream Team could survive without his points



But Malone/Barkley/Ewing/Robinson...... vs Chandler/Bosh/Love??? LOL

Prime Jordan/Drexler VS Old Kobe ??

Magic < CP3 but Stockton was much better PG than Westbrook. In 1991-95 he was the best PG of the league.

[Josepatches_]

If everybody agree MJ was better than Kobe ....this time it's a 29 yo MJ vs 33 yo Kobe......

[whitemamba]

:lol Kobe is one of the greatest competitors of all time, that's not in him to admit defeat.

fucking this. ^^any great competitor welcomes a challenge. people need to stfu hes not going to say o yeah they would beat us.. 92 would probably win, i think because of prime MJ is fucking scary, and their zone defense, as someone mentioned barkley ewing malone, thats really tough to break through.

[ElNono]

I see Melo has been sharing the magic shrooms with Kobe :lol

[Venti Quattro]

I'd laugh if Jordan tore Kobe's beard apart in the scrimmage just to make a point.

[The Gemini Method]

I see Melo has been sharing the magic shrooms with Kobe :lol

lol...

I'd watch the olympics if athletes were given hallucinogens :lol

[dunkman]

If they play now, the 2012 team would win tbh.

[Budkin]

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao :lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

[Obstructed_View]

I'm sure Kobe volunteered that opinion out of the blue, and wasn't answering a question about it that some hack reporter came up with just to stir discussion.

[LkrFan]

Why not? Aren't the 1992 team members all in their 50s? I'm betting on the 2012 Olympic team as well. :lol

[Venti Quattro]

Ewing is going to go ape-shit on the 2012 team and show Blake what Monkeyball really is about. It's going to get really ugly.

[ambchang]

Kobe can't win without a dominant front line. In fact, without one, any team with Kobe is 1st round fodder/can't make playoffs.

1992 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1st round fodder/non-playoff team

1992 by 20 points (I am expecting a team with Lebron James to help the team).

[Koolaid_Man]

Kobe can't win without a dominant front line. In fact, without one, any team with Kobe is 1st round fodder/can't make playoffs.

1992 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1st round fodder/non-playoff team

1992 by 20 points (I am expecting a team with Lebron James to help the team).

all I care about is

5>4

[tlongII]

Prime Glide was better than Kobe is now not to mention MJ. And Barkley and the Mailman would destroy the 2012 team.

[Koolaid_Man]

Could the current U.S. men's Olympic basketball team beat the 1992 Dream Team? It's the inevitable question every Olympics. Team chairman Jerry Colangelo already gave a thought to it when he said there was a "fair comparison (http://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/jerry-colangelo-2012-olympic-team-dream-team/107681)" between both squads. But that doesn't answer the question: Can this current group of guys heading to London score more points than arguably the greatest team ever assembled in a hypothetical, organized game of basketball?


Naturally, Kobe Bryant thinks it can.

"It'd be a tough one, but I think we'd pull it out," the Team USA guard told reporters during practice on Monday.

Kobe conceded that the Michael Jordan-led Dream Team, which was comprised of NBA legends and Christian Laettner, would have the size advantage. But where the 2012 squad lacks in size, it makes up with athleticism. And lots of it. Even though the current team is missing some of its best players due to injury, it's still expected to dominate the Olympic competition because of its unmatched versatility and athleticism. And isn't the argument when comparing teams from different eras that teams from today have an advantage because they're vastly more athletic? Kobe also pointed out that Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were at the end of their careers in 1992.

http://olympics.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/kobe_bryant_current_team_usa_would_beat_the_1992_d ream_team_video/11195608


Kobe also dissed Tyson Chandler the way I routinely diss Mavs>Spurs:

:lmao


"Yesterday,'' said an Asian reporter to Bryant, "you said that you are the best player in the post other than Tyson Chandler. That being said...''
And Bryant interrupted him.


"No, no, no,'' said Bryant. "Not `other than Tyson Chandler.' The best post player, period. Tyson Chandler's not in that conversation.''


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/olympics/2012/writers/ian_thomsen/07/09/kobe-bryant-team-usa/index.html#ixzz20MHOGY5S



My nigga :lol

[ambchang]

all I care about is

5>4

I see that you passed Grade 1 math.

I am impressed.

[whitemamba]

tosb winning another ring??

http://tgfb.net/toon/src/133135752167.jpg

[mercos]

The 2008 team would have a better chance imo. That being said, neither 2008 or 2012 would win simply because of the front court advantage the original Dream Team would have. There is not a center currently in the league that could hand with the likes of David Robinson and Patrick Ewing. Throwing in Charles Barkley and Karl Malone is just overkill.

I've give the 2012 team an advantage on the wings. Nobody is stopping Lebron or Durant, not even the great Scottie Pippen. Lebron is to strong for him, and Durant is to tall. I would love to see Lebron take a crack at guarding prime MJ though. Not that I think Lebron would stop him, but it would be fun to watch.

[scanry]

After hearing that Kobe Bryant said the 2012 Olympic basketball team would beat the Dream Team (http://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/kobe-bryant-current-team-usa-would-beat-dream-team-video/145879), all Charles Barkley could do was laugh.

Barkley, a member of the legendary 1992 gold medal-winning squad, was a guest on The Mike Missanelli Show (http://www.975thefanatic.com/teams/sixers/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10403029) on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia on Wednesday and fired back at Kobe for his much-discussed remarks.

"I just started laughing," Barkley said. "How old is Kobe Bryant, 36? He's 34? And he's calling us old? At the time, we were only like 28, 29. ... Michael Jordan and me were the same age. We were both 29."

Asked by Missanelli if they would beat the 2012 squad by double digits, Barkley agreed:

"Oh yeah, that's no disrespect," Barkley said. "I ain't got to badmouth them. ... Their point guards weren't going to beat us. That's a no-brainer."

Supporting his belief that his team is the superior squad, Barkley said only three 2012 Team USA players would make the Dream Team.

"Other than Kobe, LeBron (James) and Kevin Durant, I don't think anybody else on that team makes our team."

Barkley also added that the London-bound squad would have problems matching up with the Dream Team's centers, a point even Bryant conceded when he made his remarks on Monday.

"They would have no answers for David Robinson and Patrick Ewing, to be honest with you," Barkley said.

Bryant's comments understandably sparked plenty of debate among fans and the media. You'd think we'd let the 2012 team play at least one game of Olympic competition first, but no. Anyway, thanks to Barkley, we can now also speculate over whose spots on the Dream Team Kobe, LeBron and Durant would take. Well, other than Christian Laettner's.

http://olympics.yardbarker.com/blog/olympics/article/charles_barkley_dream_team_would_beat_2012_olympic _basketball_team_by_double_digits/11202013

[mudyez]

I'd guess it could be close, but the athletism thing just doesnt work for me.

Magic and Bird may be rendered deep bench guys because of that but a lineup of MJ, Pippen, Barkley, Malone, Robinson (+Drexler, Ewing) wouldn't have any trouble because of that.

the line should be something like: Dream Team minus 9

[slick'81]

EXACTLY 1992>lebron,kobe and durant

[G-Dawgg]

Damn....Kobe needs to take it easy on the bath salts.....smh

[J.T.]

Of course they would. The guys on the 1992 team are what, in their 50s now?

Kobe, not the brightest crayon in the box.

[Jodelo]

^ So start a thread to call me out, faggot.


With a YouTube clip.

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

[Killakobe81]

No way u sit Magic. Bird you would have to. A lineup of David, Malone, pippen, MJ and Magic is optimal to go against 2012. You need Pippen to have any shot at defending LeBron. Malone and MJ are ball stoppers and David is at his best in transition. Magic would feed those guys and Pippen would too. I hate to bench Ewing Chuck and Bird but that is the best balance of athleticism, defense and speed. Malone, Pip, David and obviously MJ are great enough athletes to play in any era Magic would be the floor general you just hide him in the high middle of a zone.

[Sportcamper]

Prime Glide was better than Kobe is now not to mention MJ. And Barkley and the Mailman would destroy the 2012 team.

Get real Tlong...Kobe would mop the floor with Barkley in any era....

[Sportcamper]

Magic, MJ & Malone could prolly beat any team with just the three of them…

[cheguevara]

Magic, MJ & Malone could prolly beat any team with just the three of them…

I'd take MJ, Malone, Barkley trio over any trio ever in the NBA. ppl forget Barkley really shone in the olympics. he was easily the 2nd or 3rd best player overall. just those 3 and the rest of the Bobcats team would scrub the floor with 2012 olympic team of pimple headed faggots.

most 2012 team members can't even grow a full beard :lmao and they expect to compete with real NBA legends :rollin

[cheguevara]

btw we are talking about them playin under FIBA rules right?

cause under '92 NBA rules it would be a complete massacre of the Burka-pokadotted shirt-fake eyeglass wearing team of faggots. 40, 50 point beatdown.

and under '12 NBA rules most of the dream team would get ejected by 2nd quarter and Leattner would see major minutes :lol

[cheguevara]

btw, this thread's link is on page 1 of google search results "kobe 2012 1992 teams" :lmao :lmao

[Killakobe81]

I'd take MJ, Malone, Barkley trio over any trio ever in the NBA. ppl forget Barkley really shone in the olympics. he was easily the 2nd or 3rd best player overall. just those 3 and the rest of the Bobcats team would scrub the floor with 2012 olympic team of pimple headed faggots.

most 2012 team members can't even grow a full beard :lmao and they expect to compete with real NBA legends :rollin

I love Chuck and he was a really good scorer for that 1992 team. He had a unique blend of power and speed plus he scared the crap out of those international guys on the court especially after shoving that Angola scrub.

But I saw some Dream team highlights the other day and when you consider both sides of the court the best players were:

1. MJ (duh)
2. Malone
3. Pippen
4. David
5. Barkley

But since Magic was a leader to me their best lineup is those guys with Magic and putting chuck in the 6th man role. Barkley was agreat scorer and reounder so having him play the primary scorer role off the bench (similar to Wade in 2008) makes the most sense. I loved Ewing and his defense was very good especially in the paint but David was the more versatile and mobile big.

[Killakobe81]

And I dont even like malone. But Karl was one of the best big men EVER at running the floor. I would of loved to have seen a prime Malone with Magic at PG. David Robinson as well. I know Stockton rn some great breaks as well but would of loved to have seen the "flair" that Magic would of had with those big swift wings running the floor ...

[stretch]

but i see the Dream team beating this one by 25-30 pts.

this is a fucking retarded assesesment

[stretch]

btw we are talking about them playin under FIBA rules right?

cause under '92 NBA rules it would be a complete massacre of the Burka-pokadotted shirt-fake eyeglass wearing team of faggots. 40, 50 point beatdown.

and under '12 NBA rules most of the dream team would get ejected by 2nd quarter and Leattner would see major minutes :lol

another dumbass opinion, but not a shocker seeing its the lard burrito eating faggot known as "che"

[stretch]

If I had to choose, I would say 92. But it wouldn't be a massacre like some morons here are saying.

In a best of 7 series, it goes at least 6 tough-fought games, probably the full 7.

As great as MJ, Barkley, and that front line was, the 12 team has a ridiculous set of wing players, and the 92 teams biggest weakness was their trouble with speedy guards.

The 12 team might not be as star-heavy as 92, but they arguably are a more well balanced team. If they also had Dwight, then I would say its nearly 50-50 on who would win.

[scanry]

I love Chuck and he was a really good scorer for that 1992 team. He had a unique blend of power and speed plus he scared the crap out of those international guys on the court especially after shoving that Angola scrub.

But I saw some Dream team highlights the other day and when you consider both sides of the court the best players were:

1. MJ (duh)
2. Malone
3. Pippen
4. David
5. Barkley

But since Magic was a leader to me their best lineup is those guys with Magic and putting chuck in the 6th man role. Barkley was agreat scorer and reounder so having him play the primary scorer role off the bench (similar to Wade in 2008) makes the most sense. I loved Ewing and his defense was very good especially in the paint but David was the more versatile and mobile big.

Killa, Barkley was at worst the second if not the best player on that Olympic squad. He was much more efficient than Jordan (Just as Wade was more efficient than Kobe in 08).

Also he really thrived from playing that summer. He also won the MVP the following season.

[scanry]

If I had to choose, I would say 92. But it wouldn't be a massacre like some morons here are saying.

In a best of 7 series, it goes at least 6 tough-fought games, probably the full 7.

As great as MJ, Barkley, and that front line was, the 12 team has a ridiculous set of wing players, and the 92 teams biggest weakness was their trouble with speedy guards.

The 12 team might not be as star-heavy as 92, but they arguably are a more well balanced team. If they also had Dwight, then I would say its nearly 50-50 on who would win.

The 12 team is more like the OKC Thunder and the 92 team is like the Miami Heat.

[stretch]

The 12 team is more like the OKC Thunder and the 92 team is like the Miami Heat.

not quite.

The Thunder is led by a pair of young, low-IQ shot chuckers who have no idea what being a champion is all about.

2012 has seasoned vets, people with experience winning championships, a smart coach, and Lebron James.

Now I'm not saying Lebron is better than MJ or anything, but Lebron right now is every bit as tough on defenses to guard as MJ was back in 92. Lebron is an absolute madman.

[Blake]

7 game series, I think '92 wins in 5, maybe 6.

Lebron would almost not have to sit at all.

[scanry]

not quite.

The Thunder is led by a pair of young, low-IQ shot chuckers who have no idea what being a champion is all about.

2012 has seasoned vets, people with experience winning championships, a smart coach, and Lebron James.

Now I'm not saying Lebron is better than MJ or anything, but Lebron right now is every bit as tough on defenses to guard as MJ was back in 92. Lebron is an absolute madman.

2012 Lebron is on par with the 1992 Jordan, if not better. :wow

[stretch]

2012 Lebron is on par with the 1992 Jordan, if not better. :wow

I agree, and he is actually more versatile than MJ is, and he is a BIG reason why I think the 12 team could really give the 92 team some hell.

12 team has a better chance of somewhat containing MJ than the 92 team has of somewhat containing Lebron, mainly due to the level of athletic ability that the 12 team has. Pretty much the only guy on the 92 team that would have a chance at matching up with Lebron is Pippen, but I think Lebron would simply be too much for Pippen.

[Spurtacus]

Dream Team takes it in 5 in a 7 games series. Frontcourt of DRob, Ewing, Barkley, Malone would decimate Chandler, Griffin, and Love.

[lebomb]

Damn, this is a stupid discussion...........Im old enough to have seen all of these guys play from draft on...........the 92 team would win by 15 every game. Its not even close or debatable. The 92 team was way, way more loaded, and definitely smarter in every single dimension.

Here is an example: not on the same level, but it applies. I played 30 and over city league awhile back. Two teams were undefeated......an all black team with guys that were still super athletic, could run the floor, and also dunk on any given moment. They were in the championship against a team of white guys .........all over 40. Guess who won? The white team won by double figures. I was at the game, they dismantled the athletic bruthas using crisp passing, finding the open man, and not turning it over. It was a clinic. Hell, Im a brutha and could believe that shit. Also, stop saying the 92 team wasnt athletic, they WERE!!!! :lobt:

[Killakobe81]

Killa, Barkley was at worst the second if not the best player on that Olympic squad. He was much more efficient than Jordan (Just as Wade was more efficient than Kobe in 08).

Also he really thrived from playing that summer. He also won the MVP the following season.

No one is questioning Barkley's greatness (well at least not me). Point is (and Barkley will tell you) he did not play a lot of defense. Great rebounder, but his defense was iffy. And im not an efficiency guy. Jordan was the best player in the world and it was not close. Did Barkley score easier (efficiently) than MJ that summer? Absolutely, but that doesnt make him the second best player on that team. I appreciate defense, so as much as I prefer Chuck (he was one of my favorites) to Karl Malone, the Mailman was the better all-around player.

But in this dream scenario, it's not about who was more efficent it's about who presents the better math-ups who creates the most mis-matches. Karl in his prime was a bigger version of Lebron (physically not skillwise). In fact many people compare their body types.

As for who would win, I saw all the guys on both teams play and the Dream Team is just deeper and better. 2008 Was a better team than 2012 but Lebron has gotten so much better since then.

[Venti Quattro]

Michael Jordan: Dream Team better (http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/basketball/story/_/id/8159879/2012-olympics-michael-jordan-laughed-kobe-bryant-dream-team-boast)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Michael Jordan said there's no way Kobe Bryant and this year's USA Olympic basketball team could've beaten the 1992 Dream Team.

Jordan told The Associated Press Thursday that he laughed -- "I absolutely laughed" -- when hearing Bryant's comments that the U.S. squad training in Las Vegas could take Jordan and company.

Jordan said there's "no comparison" which team is better.

"For him to compare those two teams is not one of the smarter things he ever could have done," Jordan said prior to playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Charlotte.

Jordan said the 1992 team, which included 11 future Hall of Famers and won its six Olympic games by an average of more than 43 points en route to capturing the gold medal, was a better overall team largely because of the experience it put on the floor.

"I heard Kobe say we were not athletic," said a smiling Jordan as he sat in a golf cart puffing on his cigar while waiting to tee off. "But we were smart. He said we were too old, but I was 29 and in the prime of my career. Pip (Scottie Pippen) was 26 or 27, (Charles) Barkley was 29, Patrick (Ewing) was 29 and Chris Mullin was 29. Almost everybody was still in their 20s."

Jordan's response came after Bryant told reporters in Las Vegas that this year's team could pull out a win against the Dream Team if they faced each other in their primes. Bryant said this year's team has a "bunch of racehorses, players who are incredibly athletic, while the Dream Team consisted mainly of players at the tail end of their careers."

Bryant's comments received immediate and sharp rebuttal from some members of the Dream Team, including Barkley.

Jordan joined in on Thursday.

"Most of us were in the prime of our careers, at a point where athleticism doesn't really matter," said Jordan, the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. "You have to know how to play the game."

Jordan shook his head when asked why he thinks Bryant made the comments.

"I imagine he's trying to say it to legitimize his own Dream Team," Jordan said. "But to me it's not even a question what team is better."

Jordan said Bryant is certainly entitled to his opinion -- even though he said it's just plain wrong.

"For him to make that comparison, it's one of those things where it creates conversation," Jordan said. "I guess we'll never know. I'd like to think that we had 11 Hall of Famers on that team, and whenever they get 11 Hall of Famers, you call and ask me who had the better Dream Team. Remember now, they learned from us. We didn't learn from them."
Jordan putting K:lolbe in his right place. :lmao

[cheguevara]

defense? the 92 team didn't play a lick of defense. not NBA playoff defense at least. they didn't need to

[ro_50]

For those that say the 2012 Team is better, well they all must be all under the age of 23.

And another thing, Dream Team I, outside of Magic and Bird (Laettner not included) were all in their primes or on the verge of their primes.

And for a 33-year old shooting guard who has so many damn miles on those legs to say that team was old is laughable.

People have short term memories and people forget how great those players were.

I'm glad the GOAT put Kobe in his place.

[stretch]

Damn, this is a stupid discussion...........Im old enough to have seen all of these guys play from draft on...........the 92 team would win by 15 every game. Its not even close or debatable. The 92 team was way, way more loaded, and definitely smarter in every single dimension.

Here is an example: not on the same level, but it applies. I played 30 and over city league awhile back. Two teams were undefeated......an all black team with guys that were still super athletic, could run the floor, and also dunk on any given moment. They were in the championship against a team of white guys .........all over 40. Guess who won? The white team won by double figures. I was at the game, they dismantled the athletic bruthas using crisp passing, finding the open man, and not turning it over. It was a clinic. Hell, Im a brutha and could believe that shit. Also, stop saying the 92 team wasnt athletic, they WERE!!!! :lobt:

lol utsa

[mavs>spurs]

lebron is all the current team has going for them in that matchup, and it's already proven he can be shut down with great team defense or a zone anchored by a mobile big man like Tyson Chandler. And the US team had Robinson to do just that. Not to mention, shorter 3 point line equals even less spacing making it even easier to pack the paint and stop the drive. Lebron and Wade would be negated. Jordan would be so far up Kobe's ass you can go ahead and count him out. Malone and Barkely are beasting on Love and Monkeyball who wouldn't have a chance at guarding them. Like MJ said, dream team takes this one easily.

[mavs>spurs]

Actually now that I think about it, team USA can employ the exact strategy the mavs used against lebron, except on steroids. Pippen and Robinson are like the hall of fame version of marion and Chandler.

[Clipper Nation]

Jordan putting K:lolbe in his right place. :lmao
http://s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/1329179424_mj-laughing1.gif

[VBM]

Great troll job by Kobe :lol

[Killakobe81]

Actually now that I think about it, team USA can employ the exact strategy the mavs used against lebron, except on steroids. Pippen and Robinson are like the hall of fame version of marion and Chandler.

True dat ...

[lefty]

Actually now that I think about it, team USA can employ the exact strategy the mavs used against lebron, except on steroids. Pippen and Robinson are like the hall of fame version of marion and Chandler.
wow :rollin

[slick'81]

prime jordan vs kobe now rotflmao

[DMC]

They need to stop calling them the "dream team" now. There are too many players who simply aren't on the team that are better than some of those who are.

[Koolaid_Man]

Dream Team takes it in 5 in a 7 games series. Frontcourt of DRob, Ewing, Barkley, Malone would decimate Chandler, Griffin, and Love.


Take D-Rob out of the discussion he was a bona-fide piece of shit

[nevetslc]

Kobe's response:

via Twitter @Blazersedge (Interview is from after tonights Olympic exhibition)


Here's Kobe Bryant's full, must-read response to Michael Jordan's Dream Team trash talk. Jordan said he laughed when he heard Bryant said the 2012 USA Basketball team could beat the 1992 Dream Team. Bryant's post-game response after USA defeated Dominican Republic in Las Vegas on Thursday night: "So what, he knows I'm a bad mother[expletive]. I'm not really tripping. The fact is, they have Ewing and Robinson and those big guys, it's tough. If you're asking me, 'Can you beat them one game?' Hell yeah, we can beat them in one game. You didn't ask me if we could beat them in a 7-game series. In one game, we can beat them. No question about it."

[LnGrrrR]

Now I'm not saying Lebron is better than MJ or anything, but Lebron right now is every bit as tough on defenses to guard as MJ was back in 92. Lebron is an absolute madman.

imagine if MJ played in today's league which favors offense... How many more points do you think he'd average?

[mojorizen7]

:lol
Damn,some of you younger clowns need to go dig up your dads old VHS tapes of the 92 team. Talkin' out your asses with talk of "it would be close." :lol

Kobe/LeBron/Durant and a bunch of good players
vs
MJ/Barkley/Malone/Pippen/Ewing/Robinson/Stockton/Drexler....with older guys like Magic,Mullin and Bird?

:wakeup

Kobe is a funny guy.

[lakerhaterade]

:lol
Damn,some of you younger clowns need to go dig up your dads old VHS tapes of the 92 team. Talkin' out your asses with talk of "it would be close." :lol

Kobe/LeBron/Durant and a bunch of good players
vs
MJ/Barkley/Malone/Pippen/Ewing/Robinson/Stockton/Drexler....with older guys like Magic,Mullin and Bird?

:wakeup

Kobe is a funny guy.

You must be above the age of 30. A poster like you would overwhelmingly choose the 92 team over this year's team without even considering the specifics and makeup of the team.

Just because some team has star power doesn't mean they win.

Think about the versatility of this year's team and compare it to that old team you saw as a 16 year old. With the exception of bigs, this year's team collectively dominates the original dream team. No questions asked.

[mojorizen7]

You must be above the age of 30. A poster like you would overwhelmingly choose the 92 team over this year's team without even considering the specifics and makeup of the team.

Just because some team has star power doesn't mean they win.

Think about the versatility of this year's team and compare it to that old team you saw as a 16 year old. With the exception of bigs, this year's team collectively dominates the original dream team. No questions asked.
Star power? HOF power tbh. I fully consider that LeBron would be a tough cover...thats it.

Go watch some tapes of the 92 teams worldwide demolition derby and describe to us how the 2012 team would keep them down for more than maybe 3 qtrs.

[lakerhaterade]

Star power? HOF power tbh. I fully consider that LeBron would be a tough cover...thats it.

Go watch some tapes of the 92 teams worldwide demolition derby and describe to us how the 2012 team would keep them down for more than maybe 3 qtrs.

HOF power means absolutely nothing when no other list of players playing in that same era are worth being considered.

This year's version of the dream team has at least three hall of famers with other players yet to be discussed that highly of.


Add the fact that the core of that 92 team was past it's prime.. yeah, this year's team defeats it by at least 5 points.

[mojorizen7]

HOF power means absolutely nothing when no other list of players playing in that same era are worth being considered.

This year's version of the dream team has at least three hall of famers with other players yet to be discussed that highly of.


Add the fact that the core of that 92 team was past it's prime.. yeah, this year's team defeats it by at least 5 points.
Past their prime? Who?
Jordan? > no.
Barkley? > no.
Malone? > no.
Pippen? > no.
Ewing? > no.
Robinson? > no.
Stockton? > no.
Mullin? > eh...debatable.

Magic and Bird yes.

We can debate over which team would win, but get the fuck outta here with that past their prime nonsense. :lol

[ambchang]

Kobe's response:

via Twitter @Blazersedge (Interview is from after tonights Olympic exhibition)

Lol, kobe basically saying no way in a 7 game series, but possible in one game due to some fluke circumstances.

Then these Lebron/Durant/Kobe fanbois still claiming otherwise.

At least u can argue kobe said what he said due to pride, and that I can respect coming from an athelete. But some dudes here are just purely delusional.

[scanry]

That 92 squad had 9 HOF players in their prime and two has been HOFs.

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/6572/untitledfm4.png

[Latarian Milton]

well if the game is played under NBA rules then it's hard to say who wins tbh, monkey ball would cause the 92' team a ton of matchup troubles. however if they play the game in olympics where there's no defensive 3-sec rule and the bigs can stand right under the rim all time, monkey ball would rush into the wall

[100%duncan]

92's front court was simply badass.

[Sportstudi]

The Dream Team would win in convincing fashion. You have to add the international rules, too. There is no defensive 3 seconds rule. You could camp Robinson and Ewing in the paint and have them waiting when Lebron/Kobe/Westbrook/Iggy or anyone else drives to the cup. It would make them jumpshooters. In international competition you don't have those "bull into the lane, flail your arms and cry until you get a foul" superstar calls. The 3 point line is different, too. Makes it easier for the 92 team as well.

And prime Jordan would destroy 2012 Kobe. With a prime Kobe it would be closer, but now? No way. It would be embarrassing. LeBron would give Pippen a hard time, but Pippen was maybe the best perimeter defender in the league (alongside MJ; even Barkley could help, if he looked to post) and would not let Lebron get by easy. On the flip side, it would be much harder for Chandler/Davis to stop Robinson/Ewing/Barkley/Malone in the post. They would get murdered.

Then you have HoF defenders at every position. Is there a better defensive 2 guard all time then MJ? A better 3 then Pippen? You can add the all time steals leader in Stockton and a ton of shotblockers at C.

Basically, I just dont see how the 2012 would score enough. There will be too much iso-ball and they wouldnt score that much in transition the way the 92 team protected the ball. IMO lack of size kills the 12' team, too.

And even if you have LeBron playing PF (and Durant at SF), him going against Barkley or Malone, he would have problems, especially against Malone who has a few inches on him and was strong as an ox as a player. Bron wouldn't even get half the calls he gets now. Bron would score, sure, but it won't be that easy as some might think.

http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/1102/muscles/images/karl-malone.jpg

[Sportstudi]

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/560600_3715185031353_364748674_n.jpg

[Drachen]

I am just laughing at this whole thing. Who was the worst player for team USA (No one mention laettner, we aren't talking about him). Mullin? Bird? The 2012 team would have to keep their starting 5 on the floor the whole time.

I see people start talking about "its not about start power, its about make-up". Well everyone fell in line behind MJ and MJ. They took on their roles and played them well.

Wow, I have to imagine that Kobe was just trolling, because he is old enough to have watched that team and to have watched those individual players playing for their individual teams (though he was in Italy so maybe he didn't watch them as much).

This whole thing is laughable.

[Bynumite]

prime jordan vs kobe now rotflmao

It works both ways spurfan, remember the time when a young ocho dropped 55 points on MJ's old ass?

Buckets:

u-2Hd-Ly2CQ

[ambchang]

LOL, Laker fans having to pull Jordan's Washington's day as some time of redemption.

Surprised I haven't seen that video of Jordan getting whipped by that four eyed geek in his camp yet.

[Bynumite]

LOL, Laker fans having to pull Jordan's Washington's day as some time of redemption.

Surprised I haven't seen that video of Jordan getting whipped by that four eyed geek in his camp yet.

Jordan was quoted saying: "I wouldn't have allowed Kobe's 81 points without fouling out" but he did allow 55 :lol

The spurfan i quoted on my previous post mentioned "Prime Jordan vs todays Kobe", so i reversed the roles and presented video proof... simple as that.

Spurfan doesn't need to get butthurt about it... those are facts.

[ambchang]

These are the results from some robot calculations:
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/47647/2012-team-usa-better-than-dream-team

It is no secret that the current ESPN has all kinds of agenda to push the current NBA and such that they can get better ratings, but the results still have the Dream Team coming out on top, though slightly.

Not to mention that the methods they used are HIGHLY flawed. Using rebounding pct across two different eras against different opponents is just royally stupid. Guess why Love and Griffen has such high rebounding pct? They are playing on teams with only one rebounder and against 6'10" centers and PF who play the perimeter.

True shooting percentages are also flawed, because the league changed the rules over the years, non so obvious and has as much an impact than in 2002 (or was that 2001?) when there were a huge jump in shooting percentages and scoring around the perimeter.

Even with all these things going for the creamed team, the will still end up on the losing side.

Just look at individual matchups, the only player the Dream Team will have trouble guarding would be James. Robinson is the only one who has the strength and speed to guard James, and Pippen has the speed and skill, but this matchup will cause the Dream Team some trouble.

Durant would be a tough cover, and the quick point guards could pose some problems, but Pippen, and Stockton would present a tough match up for them. Jordan will also be thrown in to guard Westbrook and CP3.

The other players could be relatively easily covered by the original dream team.

Now on the other end. Who will guard Robinson/Ewing and Malone/Barkley? Anthony Davis and Chandler could do some of that, but they will be eventually overwhelmed by the strength and speed. James could guard one of the PF, but does not have the strength to guard the center position all game long.

Magic will be too big of a PG for creamed team to cover. I can see Deron Williams trying, and perhaps have James/Durant/Kobe seeing some time there, but if Magic is too big even for Jordan to guard, what chance does Deron and Kobe have? James could guard Magic, but then he is already guarding the PF spot. Perhaps AI?

Mullins, Bird, Stockton will be shooting lights out, and the creamed team doesn't have anyone with enough IQ and defensive discipline to guard the Stockton to Malone pick and roll.

The passing on the original dream team is going to shred the creamed team to pieces, and Barkley and Robinson/Ewing will be feasting on the inside. Malone and Stockton will run the pick and roll all day, Mullin, Bird and Stockton will be draining three pointers, and if they need a bail out, Jordan, Drexler, Barkley, or even Bird and Magic can always come to the rescue.

[Sportstudi]

Jordan was quoted saying: "I wouldn't have allowed Kobe's 81 points without fouling out" but he did allow 55 :lol

The spurfan i quoted on my previous post mentioned "Prime Jordan vs todays Kobe", so i reversed the roles and presented video proof... simple as that.

Spurfan doesn't need to get butthurt about it... those are facts.

Reversed the roles? Didn't know you are that dumb. Olympia 1992 vs. Olympia 2012 means 29y Jordan vs. 33y Kobe (almost 34y as Kobe has birthday in August). The game you took was back on 28th March 2003 and thus, 40y Jordan vs. 24y Kobe. If you think that's equal in terms of age difference you have officially surpassed Kool as the dumbest poster ever on ST.

[DMC]

Kevin Durant would be the difference maker though. Even the original dream team had no one to stop him outside the arc.

I know one thing, I would pay a hefty fee to watch that game.

[ambchang]

Jordan was quoted saying: "I wouldn't have allowed Kobe's 81 points without fouling out" but he did allow 55 :lol

The spurfan i quoted on my previous post mentioned "Prime Jordan vs todays Kobe", so i reversed the roles and presented video proof... simple as that.

Spurfan doesn't need to get butthurt about it... those are facts.

LOL, Lakerfans are defining what butthurt means in this very thread.

In that 55 point game, Kobe was on fire, going 9-13 on 3pters, but guess why he was so opened on 3s? Oh, right, Shaq. The Lakers, no counting Kobe, shot 3-6 from 3s with scrubs like Fox and George.

[bus driver]

damn fool is off his rocker

[Bynumite]

Reversed the roles? Didn't know you are that dumb. Olympia 1992 vs. Olympia 2012 means 29y Jordan vs. 33y Kobe (almost 34y as Kobe has birthday in August). The game you took was back on 28th March 2003 and thus, 40y Jordan vs. 24y Kobe. If you think that's equal in terms of age difference you have officially surpassed Kool as the dumbest poster ever on ST.

You're oversimplifying things. There's no magic formula to explain a player's prime, different players have primes at different ages.

Jordan was in his prime at 29 and at Kobe's current age (33), MJ was still leading the league in scoring, was named MVP and won his 4th ring.

On the other hand, Kobe's best days are clearly behind him at the age of 33 and you can't ignore Kobe's mileage, yes, he is 33 but also a 16th year nba veteran with 40k+ minutes played at a high level. That's why some people compare 2012 33 year old Kobe to MJ in the later years of his career.

[ezau]

Kobe can't even get out of the second round and he's calling out the greatest team of all time? LOLOLOLOL

[VBM]

It works both ways spurfan, remember the time when a young ocho dropped 55 points on Stackhouse's old ass?

Buckets:

u-2Hd-Ly2CQ

:lol :downspin:

[stretch]

imagine if MJ played in today's league which favors offense... How many more points do you think he'd average?

How does today's league exactly favor offense? Rule changes? Right, okay. Is that why scoring in general is lower than it used to be, back when Jordan was playing and scoring 30+ a night?

Pace is SIGNIFICANTLY slower than it used to be, as well as defensive strategy being much more advanced than it was in the 80s and early 90s. The quality of defensive players and athletes in general is much higher too. Back when MJ played, he was nearly in a league of his own in terms of athletic ability. Now? There are constantly people with comparable (and sometimes even superior) athletic ability who would actually have the speed and quickness to somewhat stick with him.

I believe that MJ would still be the best player in today's league. But he wouldn't be worlds ahead of everyone else like he was when he played. I think a lot of people would say Lebron is nipping right at his heels, and could have a great argument that he is actually superior at creating for teammates, superior in transition, and a superior overall defensive player.

I strongly believe Jordan would not be consistently averaging 30+ ppg annually in today's league, like he did in the 80s and 90s.

[LkrFan]

The video, nearly 20 years old, shows the Dream Team doing something they never did at the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona: losing. They faced a group of top college players that included Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley, Penny Hardaway and Chris Webber, who vowed: “I’m not going to be intimidated.”

The never-before-seen coaches’ tape is part of a documentary, “NBA TV’s The Dream Team, presented by Right Guard,” that will be shown on the league’s network on June 13. In part, the video shows Webber gleefully jamming and Hurley easily slicing through the Dream Team defense.

“These young kids were killing us,” Scottie Pippen said in the documentary; he and the assistant coach Lenny Wilkens said the team played tentatively.

“We didn’t know how to play with each other,” Pippen said.

The final score of the scrimmage in La Jolla, Calif. — Collegians 62, Dream Team 54 — looked nothing like the results of the Olympic games that the Dream Team won by an average of 43.8 points.

“Some of these college players should be probably be playing on this team,” Larry Bird said afterward.

Although NBA Entertainment covered the Dream Team with its own cameras, the scrimmage tape was made by USA Basketball. “A couple of years ago, when we were starting this project, we asked them, ‘What do you have?’ ” said Dion Cocoros, vice president for original production at NBA Entertainment.

Told that the USA Basketball had the scrimmage at its archive in Colorado Springs, Cocoros said, “Give me what you’ve got.”

The documentary also has tape — from USA Basketball and NBA Entertainment cameras — of a far more famous pre-Olympic scrimmage: Michael Jordan’s team against Magic Johnson’s in Monte Carlo.

Twenty years is a long time to wait to make a documentary about a major sports event like the Dream Team’s easy ride to a gold medal, especially with so much video sitting in the league’s vault.

“We never knew when it would air,” said Danny Meiseles, executive producer for production, programming and broadcasting at NBA Entertainment. “We just knew we had to document the history.”

The scrimmage lost to the college players was a fix, part of Coach Chuck Daly’s plan to demonstrate to a team loaded with 11 future basketball Hall of Famers that they could lose in international competition.


LINK (http://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/the-dream-teams-very-bad-day/)

[ambchang]

It helps to read the entire article:



The scrimmage lost to the college players was a fix, part of Coach Chuck Daly’s plan to demonstrate to a team loaded with 11 future basketball Hall of Famers that they could lose in international competition.

[LkrFan]

It helps to read the entire article:

I have that ^ quoted and I provided a link to the article. :downspin:

[Mark in Austin]

Larry Bird on whether current Olympic team could beat Dream Team: "They probably could. I haven't played in 20 years and we're all old now." Twitter

[mojorizen7]

Larry Bird on whether current Olympic team could beat Dream Team: "They probably could. I haven't played in 20 years and we're all old now." Twitter:lol
Larry made a funny.

[mavs>spurs]

Kevin Durant would be the difference maker though. Even the original dream team had no one to stop him outside the arc.

I know one thing, I would pay a hefty fee to watch that game.

Both Drexxler and Pippen would each fare better than anyone in today's nba.

[Koolaid_Man]

Kobe may have a point because of their athleticism (Minus Kobe of course), but i see the Dream team beating this one by 25-30 pts.


Simply put the 1992 team had a large margin of victory but fact is they didn't didn't play anybody. They played slow and weak international teams that are not as advanced as they are today...The quick guards on Kobe's teams would have fouled Pippen and Magic out....now Malone would have beasted..MJ and Kobe a tie...

Kobe is right as usual

[slick'81]

Simply put the 1992 team had a large margin of victory but fact is they didn't didn't play anybody. They played slow and weak international teams that are not as advanced as they are today...The quick guards on Kobe's teams would have fouled Pippen and Magic out....now Malone would have beasted..MJ and Kobe a tie...

Kobe is right as usual


ur a fckn idiot

[Koolaid_Man]

ur a fckn idiot

ok..but I'm right...

Let’s look at the positions player by player... there’s no doubt Kobe’s team would have won:

PG- 2012 wins... Chris Paul, WestBrook and Deron >>John Stockton and Magic ; Magic and Stockton to fucking slow for these guards…they would have fouled out early


PF– Wash...Kevin Love and Lebron James ties Karl Malone and Barkley (Malone's dirty ass would have hacked the shit out of Kevin Love but he wins that match-up) and Lebron wins the Barkley match-up.



SF – 2012 wins...Melo, Durant, Iggy, Lebron >> Larry Bird, Pippen and Mullin



C – 1992 wins...D-Rob and Ewing >> Tyson Chandler and Kevin Love
Rookies - 2012 wins à Anthony Davis >> Christian Leattner



SG – 1992 barely wins... MJ and Drexler >> Kobe and Harden (this is almost a wash because Harden too quick for Drexler

Keep in mind the 2012 team boasts skill, youth, and speed…Something that the 1992 team never faced…No way the 92 team can keep Harden, Westbrook, and Durant in front of them all 23 yrs old.



You guys think Kobe was exaggerating but I see where he’s coming from…I’ve said it all along MJ won easy because he had it easy..Kobe out here competing with way more skilled , faster, and hungrier young talent…


Note: The Spurs representing team using by having their Team Physician: Paul Saenz serve the players medical needs…I guess that’s the best they could do :lol