Doubt that, but I would give Mj the edge ...and wouldnt matter much Russell and Kareem are patrolling the lane behind ...biggest issue is if you choose Lebron and he is matched with Bird ...
This would be an EPIC argument that could go on forever in a room full of Basketball fans. The Lakers and Celtics have had so many hall of fame players it's not even funny. But the NBA would put up a fight as well...with guys like Jordan, Malone, Robinson, Stockton, Duncan, LeBron, Payton, Miller, Pippen and you could go on and on....the argument would never end...
They did play and Kareem wasnt in his prime and dominated him for the most part ...Hakeem though did have his succes as Kareem aged ...
Eh, both players sure didnt build their reputation as one.
Malone was a much better rebounder and defender than Nowitzki. But who needs those things? And it's not like Malone couldn't score. The man was a scoring machine. Like Stoudemire, people assumed "he couldn't do what he did without Stockton", but that's ignorant. The reality is, he never had the chance (not counting his final season). Had he, I'm even more confident than I was in Stoudemire that he'd have been virtually the same player.
So now it's about structuring an actual team and not just flat out picking the best? Which is it?
I'm not living off nostalgia or Nowitzki "haterade", I just find it inexplicable the over the top obsession/respect people have with this one dimensional, career choke artist.
Typical defensive Mavs fan. "What, you don't think Nowitzki is as great as he's made out to be? How could you? You must hate him, that's the only reasonable explanation. What's not to like? He's white and he scores lots of points! Who cares about anything else". You guys have reached Lakers fan level when it comes to defending Nowitzki. At least in their case, they're defending a five time champion and a multi-dimensional player.
Luva, Chamberlain can't reasonably be referred to as a PF. He's a C in the truest sense of the word. You can't just throw out positional designations, unless they're plausible, such as Duncan at C or West at PG.
IIRC in the 86 playoffs (1987) Hakeem dominated Kareem though Kareem was a force ...in his rookie year I recall at least two games where Kareem busted his ass ...
Too bad they never met in Kareem's prime ...BUT hakeem was too small to block the sky hook ...And kareem had to deal with bigger and stronger centers and still dominated ...
All Malone ever got the chance to do was play off Stockton because the ball was in Stockton's hands 95% of the time. It's pretty hard to create your own shot when the PG only passes you the ball if it gets him an assist. Dirk barely created any offense for himself until Nash left Dallas and Dirk got to play more with the ball in his hand.
Shaq would have to play for the NBA team if he wanted to start.
No one's mentioning the fact that the Celtics/Lakers are probably alot dirtier/violent/tougher than the All NBA team as well. That would play a factor.
The Los Angeles Celtics or the Boston Lakers ?????
If I were building the NBA team,
- I'd play Pippen as the ball handler and match him up vs Magic. Pip has proved he can shut down Magic. If Cousy subs in for Magic, put Oscar Robertson or Stockton and it's completely one-sided
- I'd put Jordan and LeBron vs Kobe and Bird. Too much athelticism and too much defense between MJ and LeBron. Also play Oscar vs West, Dr. J vs Pierce and it's another massive mismatch in favor of the NBA team.
- For the big men, I'd rotate Wilt/Hakeem/Duncan vs Shaq/Kareem/Russell. If the C/L team puts in KG, I'd match up with Dirk.
While the C/L team has big names, the NBA team just has too much versatility, especially on defensive match-ups.
You can't use Wilt he was a Laker.
I'm going by peak years. The LA Wilt wasn't good enough for selection in the C/L team, while the pre-LA Wilt was a monster and would easily make the NBA team. Same reason why prime (LAL) Shaq plays for C/L instead of the Magic Shaq playing for the NBA team.
Think about it. The NBA team is so deep that it doesn't have a place for Moses Malone, who destroyed Kareem head-to-head in the '83 finals.
Yes. Wilt was really slacking with his 20 and 20 average.
Rule is Laker/celts vs. the rest. Wilt was a Laker.
Probably more fair that way than the whole "peak/prime" discussion. After all, it's 28 teams vs 2.
Probably more fair that way than the whole "peak/prime" discussion. After all, it's 28 teams vs 2.between us
That only hinders the Lakers/Celtics team even more, considering they're using post knee surgery KG and not 2004 one of the most versatile players ever KG.Probably more fair that way than the whole "peak/prime" discussion. After all, it's 28 teams vs 2.
Have it your way. A big man rotation of Moses/Hakeem/Timmy/DRob/Dirk/Karl Malone gives the NBA team too many options. The only advantage that the C/L team would have is Shaq's sheer size; but Shaq has more than his share of weaknesses to be exploited - a mediocre defender and the worst FT shooter. Plus the PG/SG/SF gap is too much.
I think that's fair as well. The players as they were for the Lakers and C's, but said players can't be used for the NBA team.
Really? The gap at PG is too much with Magic?
I can see arguments about SF (Lebron vs Bird for instance) and SG, but I don't think there's a huge gap at PG.
The NBA would never get into the paint or get any rebounds. so they would have to load up with shooters and pray they would hit.
It's about the matchups, really. If the NBA team starts MJ/LBJ/Pippen, that's 3 players 6'6 or above who can handle the rock and play D. Magic's biggest advantage (PG with size) is negated by that lineup, as Pippen proved in the Bulls-Lakers finals.
Magic's unique ability was making his role players play better than the opponent's role players. These two teams have enough talent with or without a great PG setting them up. It will come down to who can get the stops when needed. And the C/L trio (PG/SG/SF) as a whole doesn't match up well with the NBA trio.
That's BS. Shaq is the worst pick-n-roll defender of the bunch and MJ/LeBron are great finishers at the rim. Not to mention prime Hakeem, with his post moves, scores on anybody in basketball history.
Who said Shaq will be on the floor! With Russell and Kareem starting we will do just fine in that department. Wilt will come in off the bench before Shaq.
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