-
You gotta win ONE NBA finals. Who would you pick to be your team, player by player, each in their prime?
(These picks could differ greatly from who you think are the greatest players ever at each position. If I'm picking a team that has to win one series I don't need the five greatest players. I want people who can play together, who compliment each other, who rebound and play defense and who only care about winning. I want a TEAM that'd be impossible to beat.)
Point guard:
-Magic Johnson (This one's a no brainer. I never seriously considered anybody over Magic, but I least thought about Oscar Robertson and defensive monsters like Gary Payton.)
Shooting Guard:
-Michael Jordan (The biggest no brainer pick of all. Nobody's even close.)
Small Forward:
-Scottie Pippen (Oh shut the fuck up!! LOL!! Yeah, I know, he was just Scottie, and there's people like Elgin Baylor, Dr J, Larry Bird, etc. But my team already will have enough scoring and there's only one ball and the combination of MJ and Scottie is just lethal defensively and in making sure all the little things get done that win games. Get too many scorers and no role players on one team and then what?)
Power Forward:
-Dennis Rodman ("Bwaaaahaaaaa!! What, are fucking CRAZY??? Rodman?? Over Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Kevin McHale and a million other guys who were way better than that freak Rodman?" Yep, they were. But they didn't do what I want done at the four nearly as well as Rodman did when he was in his prime, which was to be a rebounding fool and an extension of what MJ and Scottie did defensively and in all the little things.
I gotta say though that this one was tough. Tim Duncan was tough to pass up, since he rebounds and plays defense AND he blocks shots and scores. Still, with MJ being there I just don't want any post up players clogging the middle, and most fours do just that.)
Center: (By far, the toughest one to pick.)
-Hakeem Olajuwon (This one's impossible. Russell would've been fine, though I just have my doubts about how he would've handled centers in an even matchup since Wilt kicked his ass. Yes, Russell won all the rings but his team was so much better than anyone else's back then and his competition back then didn't include many big centers.
Wilt? I just think maybe he needed the ball too much, and, like Russell, he wouldn't have been so dominant if it weren't for the fact that he was nearly the only player his size with any skill. Other than Nate Thurmond, who still wasn't THAT big, who else was there? There was Walt Bellamy and Bob Lanier, and that's about it.
Kareem might be a really nice fit, but I just don't think he rebounded enough or played enough defense to unseat Hakeem on this particular team. Also, Hakeem just put people in foul trouble, instantly, and he competed harder.
You know who people forget, but who was just a total bastard in his prime? Moses Malone. Incredible rebounder, tough defender, relentless scorer. He just wore down his opponent. I loved his will to win. He too might've been perfect for my team. I don't think I would've gone wrong choosing him.
Shaq? Again, I think he needs the ball too much and his game is too flawed to be my All Time Big Series center. I'd much rather see the ball in MJ's hands come the fourth quarter, and I don't need Shaq's ego, free throw shooting and so-so defense screwing things up on a team built around selflessness and defense.
Why Hakeem? He did everything this team needs. Along with Russell, he was the best defender the center position has ever seen. He's a total team player. He was totally clutch in big games and big moments. He rebounded like crazy and he did all those same little things MJ, Rodman and Pippen used to do.
He also didn't totally clog up the middle of the floor, which would prevent Magic and MJ from doing their thing. Along with always getting his opponent in foul trouble he was also a very good passer and a pretty solid free throw shooter.
During that one stretch during his prime he might've been the most complete player to ever play the position. He also competed like a crazed weasel; he was a total winner.
Sixth Man:
-Bobby Jones (Michael Cooper, Vinnie Johnson and, for a time in his career, Kevin McHale would also be killer picks.)
Coach:
-The Zen Fucker. (This many stars? Gotta be Jackson, 'cause this team's coach needs to be able to assuage egos and stress defense.)
Go ahead, shoot me down with your team and tell me why.....
-
I think the mav's lineup rivals the Laker and Celtics of the 80's
-Sincerely Captain Janks.
Dude, I'd hide in shame if I were you!!!
Oh P.S. It's
Magic
Bird
Mike
Shaq
The Big O
<font color="#330033" size="1">[ February 25, 2002 11:43 PM: Message edited by: vitocorleone ]</font>
-
1 - Magic
2 - MJ
3 - Bird
4 - Hanzlik
5 - Chamberlain
-
Good Topic
PG Oscar Robertson
SG Pete Maravich
SF Larry Bird
PF Moses Malone
C Wilt Chamberlain
6th man Michael Jordan or Mark Aguire
Coach Dean Smith
-
Magic - entertainment value, passing skills, pure point guard, height advantage over other point guards, above-average defense, winning attitude, can score if needed, which wouldn't be likely.
MJ - Outside jumper, break down defenses by going to the hoop, great defense, winning attitude, best all-around player.
Karl Malone - Intimidating presence, point-scoring machine, cleans glass, draws fouls; quintessential power forward.
Julius Erving - Scoring threat inside and out, collapsed defenses with inside game, outstanding skills in all aspects of game, extremely athletic and acrobatic.
Bill Russell - Defense, defense, rebounds, and defense. Scoring not needed with other teammates.
Sixth Man - John Havlicek
Coach - Phil Jax
Among those left out but deserving: Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O'Neal, John Stockton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pete Maravich.
<font color="#330033" size="1">[ February 26, 2002 12:22 AM: Message edited by: Smackie Chan ]</font>
-
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by vitocorleone:
Sort of like "kicking your own ass". http://www.hostboard.com/forums/
Or biting off more than you can chew.
Or getting in way over your head.
<font color="#330033" size="1">[ February 26, 2002 12:53 AM: Message edited by: vitocorleone ]</font></font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>
Okay, but how did they come up with that reference? Why "jump the shark", to mean "bite off more than you can chew"?
Sorry for being an idiot, I really don't know and I keep hearing this expression and I wanna understand it...
-
"Huh huh, Biggie said T.R. Dunn.....Huh Huh...."
-
Well I guess jumped is a simile for "trying to fight" and because it's a shark you are going to get bit or worse!
<font color="#330033" size="1">[ February 26, 2002 01:07 AM: Message edited by: vitocorleone ]</font>
-
Smith is there as his College coach to asuage Jordan that coming off the bench is not an aspersion.
C'mon. Look at my team and look at yours. Pistol Pete? Aguire? either one could go for 50 pts.
Steak Shooters. Rebounders. Scorers. Calm Coach.
-------
NOW Back to the GS IND game on direct TV
-
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Van:
Smackie, a couple of things. First, except for Russell you've got a team full of guys who have to have the ball in their hands to be effective.</font></font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>
Magic has to have touches, but only to distribute the ball; he'd be happy averaging single digits in scoring as long as he was dishing out 12-15 apg and rackin' up Ws. The Mailman is seen as a main scorer primarily because that's how he's always been used by the Jazz, which isn't a bad idea, but I could easily see him adapting to a game where he was the third option rather than the first, averaging 15-18 ppg and taking a more defensive posture helping out Russell. That leaves MJ & Dr. J, who are legitimate scorers who need touches and shots...
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">
Also, don't you see Dr J as being redundant there since you already have MJ swooping, slashing, facing up and (presumably) taking the big shots?</font></font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>
This is a valid point, but since this is hypothetical, I'm of the belief that they'd be able to not only co-exist, but leave defenses in a shambles. If you throw the ball to Malone in the post, he'd draw a double team, leaving either MJ or Erving open on the perimeter. With the ball in either of their hands, they have the option of going to the hole, dishing to the other, or throwing it into Malone. I'd put my team up against yours any day.
Another aspect I considered was the entertainment value. While it can be argued that others played their positions as well or better than Magic or Dr. J, no one did it with more flair. MJ, of course, has style, while Russ and Malone are rocks of stability. I initially had Baylor picked over Erving, but thought that Dr. J had improved on what Baylor pioneered.
Here's a team that might make an interesting opponent:
Stockton
West
Baylor
Garnett
Wilt
<font color="#330033" size="1">[ February 26, 2002 01:11 AM: Message edited by: Smackie Chan ]</font>
