Sports Guy trolls the Spurs

[Obstructed_View]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9111798/the-heat-hindsight


Simmons and Bob Ryan were playing "the alien game"...


if aliens landed on Earth and challenged us to one game for the future of the planet, and you could pick any five guys from any point in history to defend us, who would you pick? We both had the same picks before this season: We'd build the team around Bird, Magic and MJ, with Tim Duncan as the power forward, and either Kareem, Russell or Walton as the centers

So they were in agreement that Tim Duncan should be the power forward? Wow. Doesn't seem possible that two Celtics fans would choose Duncan with no argument whatsoever. There's a setup here.

Next paragraph, I get my answer:


Well, guess what? Not only did LeBron hijack Duncan's spot … it's not even a debate. You would have to be a moron to have the team without LeBron James. Give me 1986 Bird, 1987 Magic, 1992 Jordan and 2013 LeBron and I don't care who's playing center.

Ah, now the world makes sense again. Whew.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Oscar Robertson
Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Tim Duncan
Wilt Chamberlain

[romain.star]

They have basically chosen Lebron over Duncan in order not to choose Lebron over Bird

As Celtics fans, they make sense...

[romain.star]

Oscar Robertson
Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Tim Duncan
The Dream

If I may fix it

[FuzzyLumpkins]

If I may fix it

It's all opinion but in 1962 Chamberlain averaged 50 points and 25 rebounds. I'll take prime Chamberlain over any other player in NBA history. The Big O went 31/11/12 that year.

Don't get me wrong, 1995 Olajuwon was a badass but my money is on the 62 Stilt.

[BillMc]

They have basically chosen Lebron over Duncan in order not to choose Lebron over Bird

As Celtics fans, they make sense...

This. IF (big IF) Lebron is ascending, Larry should be bumped over Timmy.

Also, what's with Walton being in the discussion of who should be the center over Chamberlain, Hakeem or even Shaq and Moses?

[Obstructed_View]

They have basically chosen Lebron over Duncan in order not to choose Lebron over Bird

As Celtics fans, they make sense...

Celtics fans wouldn't put Tim Duncan on that team without disagreement unless they were setting up a reason to boot him off it.

[Obstructed_View]

This. IF (big IF) Lebron is ascending, Larry should be bumped over Timmy.

Also, what's with Walton being in the discussion of who should be the center over Chamberlain, Hakeem or even Shaq and Moses?

Because Walton was that good when he was healthy.

[jhfenton]

Oscar Robertson
Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Tim Duncan
Wilt Chamberlain
Yep. That would be my starting five.

Clearly, though, we would want a 10-player team to battle the aliens, so there's room for Magic, Bird, and The Dream.

[Obstructed_View]

Oscar Robertson
Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Tim Duncan
Wilt Chamberlain
Yeah, I'd take that team, though I'd consider having Magic play small forward.

[BillMc]

Because Walton was that good when he was healthy.

Not, even in the 5 minutes he was healthy, was Walton better than the Big Dipper.

And, taking this ridiculous scenario Simmons has raised, if I need to win one game to save the planet, Walton had the higher probability of becoming injured sometime in that game. Better the durable Chamberlain who often played whole games without a rest.

The reason he's not on Simmon's list is some sort of anti-Wilt bias because of the whole Phildelphia/Boston thing and later LA/Boston thing.

[CubanMustGo]

Typical Celtic fans still butthurt after all these years. Guarantee you TD would have been on that list if they'd gotten that #1 pick.

[FromWayDowntown]

Simmons will now resort to petty insults of Spurs fans who protest his decision to declare Lebron the greatest power forward of all-time. My favorite was the time he accused Spurs fans of being uneducated and writing e-mails in crayon when they responded to his prediction that Pop would retire a couple of years ago.

[pgardn]

Not, even in the 5 minutes he was healthy, was Walton better than the Big Dipper.

And, taking this ridiculous scenario Simmons has raised, if I need to win one game to save the planet, Walton had the higher probability of becoming injured sometime in that game. Better the durable Chamberlain who often played whole games without a rest.

The reason he's not on Simmon's list is some sort of anti-Wilt bias because of the whole Phildelphia/Boston thing and later LA/Boston thing.

Walton won a championship with one of least talented supporting cast of all time. Take that season, and multiply by 13, Walton is mentioned as an top 10 off all time. Chamberlain will never get away from the stunt he pulled against Boston. He leaves a playoff game claiming injury while the Celts are pummeling the Lakers. The Lakers make a comeback with Wilt on the bench, Chamberlain reinserted himself, and the Lakers lose all momentum and lose.

Never forget that stunt.

[Obstructed_View]

Not, even in the 5 minutes he was healthy, was Walton better than the Big Dipper.

And, taking this ridiculous scenario Simmons has raised, if I need to win one game to save the planet, Walton had the higher probability of becoming injured sometime in that game. Better the durable Chamberlain who often played whole games without a rest.

The reason he's not on Simmon's list is some sort of anti-Wilt bias because of the whole Phildelphia/Boston thing and later LA/Boston thing.
If the fate of the world is on the line, Wilt's not going anywhere near my team, but Walton was a winner everywhere he ever went. During the 5 minutes you mention, Walton was the best big in the sport. He won a title with a shitty team.

[vander]

basketball players are so much better today. TD vs. Lebron at PF is a tough call, but Shaq over all those centers from yesteryear is a no brainer. and if the game is for the big marble, shaq could do some nice thug work on those alien bastards, send a couple to the hospital :downspin:

[Trimble87]

It's possible for people to state an opinion and not be "trolling" a franchise. Simmons is a die hard Celtic fan, he isn't leaving Bird off that list anymore then we would leave Duncan off of it. Simmons always talks about Duncan with respect and goes out of his way to mention how good he is in his basketball book.

Stop being a homer and looking for "injustice" in the national media toward us tbh.

Given Simmons scenario I would have the same team and just put Timmy at C.

[Spursfanfromafar]

Magic, MJ, Lebron, Duncan and Russell - just the right number of absolute winners ever.

[Budkin]

Magic
Jordan
Bird
Duncan
Russell

[J_Paco]

So, why can't Duncan slide to the 5 spot - where he's resided the last 4 or 5 seasons - and he can keep both James and Duncan? Or better yet, just admit that Duncan, and eventually James, has surpassed Bird in the pantheon of NBA greats. I'd take a line-up consisting of this:

PG. Magic Johnson
SG. Michael Jordan
SF. LeBron James
PF. Tim Duncan
C. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*

Bench: Kobe Bryant, Oscar Robertson*, Hakeem Olujawon, Kevin Garnett, Larry Bird, Shaquille O'Neal, Bill Russell*, John Stockton and Rick Barry*


* = Never saw them play in their prime (or at all).

[Phenomanul]

So, why can't Duncan slide to the 5 spot - where he's resided the last 4 or 5 seasons - and he can keep both James and Duncan? Or better yet, just admit that Duncan, and eventually James, has surpassed Bird in the pantheon of NBA greats. I'd take a line-up consisting of this:

PG. Magic Johnson
SG. Michael Jordan
SF. LeBron James
PF. Tim Duncan
C. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*

Bench: Kobe Bryant, Oscar Robertson*, Hakeem Olujawon, Kevin Garnett, Larry Bird, Shaquille O'Neal, Bill Russell*, John Stockton and Rick Barry*


* = Never saw them play in their prime (or at all).
David Robinson >>> Kevin Garnett

[baseline bum]

For now I'm taking Bird over LeBron still at the SF, but I fully expect James to be the best forward all-time by the time he retires.

[SURGE]

Jordan Magic Lebron Duncan Shaq

[Mark in Austin]

Magic Johnson
Michael Jordan
Larry Bird
Tim Duncan
Bill Russell

If I need 5 guys, that's who I'm rolling with. Lebron needs seasoning. I want to see a couple more rings before he displaces anybody.

[mercos]

No surprise a pair of Boston writers boot Duncan off an all time list instead of Bird. Lebron is not even a top 10 post player today, let alone all time. You obviously send Bird packing to the bench and insert Lebron into the starting lineup at small forward. The idea here is one game, not career accomplishments. For one game, give me Magic, MJ, Lebron, Duncan, and Hakeem.

[Arcadian]

Oscar Robertson
Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Tim Duncan
Wilt Chamberlain

Agreed. If anything, James replaces Bird, but definitely not Duncan. To think that James is the all-time best PF is just stupid. He couldn't grab half the rebounds or defend the paint half as well as Timmy would.

[J_Paco]

David Robinson >>> Kevin Garnett


Shit, forgot about the Admiral. Hakeem is pretty much taking his spot and in his prime Garnett could defend/play three positions, yet David could never do that.


For now I'm taking Bird over LeBron still at the SF, but I fully expect James to be the best forward all-time by the time he retires.

LeBron has nothing left to prove in my eyes and is on the verge of becoming the greatest SF ever. He'll likely surpass Bird (IMO) by this June and is right on the heels of Duncan, Bryant, O'Neal, Robertson and Olujawon.