NBA STARS..Past vs Present

[Throwdown]

I'm confused of what the actual question is here.

Do you want me to convince you that the guys from this era in their primes could beat the guys from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s in their prime? I can't tell you that, because I don't know what the end result of the game would be, but I think it'd be a helluva game.

Do I think LeBron, Kobe, Tim Duncan, and Durant are up there? yes, yes I do, and I think they could play in those eras. No matter how tough you think those eras were, basketball is basketball. These dudes would've adapted and still had the same skill levels if you want to factor in that stuff instead of just looking at what they're doing.

But I do think the 90's team would wreck those teams that are being listed from prior eras to the 90's.

 

[Lords of Scythia]

Shaq would dominate any center in history. Wilt was playing against a lot of undersized white boys. Shaq would own him. Jordan would probably end up on Kobe and shut him down, then nobody would stop Jordan. Those two are the two best players in history. Kareem would be a more interesting deal because of that skyhook deal - he was sort of a Tim Duncan type.

 

[IndyHawk]

PG: Payton, Stockton
SG: Jordan, Drexler, Bryant
SF: Pippen
PF: Rodman, Barkley, Malone
C: Olajuwon, O'Neal, Mutombo

Payton is one of the greatest defensive guards of all time, which overlooks his handles and shot. Stockton is a great facilitator who plays tough/dirty enough to match whoever you have at PG from the '70s.

Jordan can play the two or the three and is the GOAT. Pippen can play the one through the three. I can move those twos and threes around or play small if I want them to as well. IMO the greatest compliment I can give Pippen is that, giant chokejob aside, he had the Blazers within about ten minutes of going to an NBA Finals that they would have destroyed the Pacers in while playing the point. What a beast this dude was.

Defensively, my PF/C choices are nasty, plus they can all rebound. Rodman sort of shunned his shotmaking abilities and let them erode to become a mad rebounder, but Bill Russell, as great as he was for his day, isn't matching up to a team that throws Rodman and Barkley at him in rotation.

My big thing is who is standing up to the twos and threes on this team from the '60s and '70s? Maravich was a one-note player (though a hell of a shooter). Oscar Robertson was helped by inflated scoring in the '70s. George Gervin? I guess you could sneak Julius Erving in there or something.

Well your lineup would fight mine very hard..I like it..I was going to put Pippen in mine -can I change it?lol

 

[IndyHawk]

I'm confused of what the actual question is here.

Do you want me to convince you that the guys from this era in their primes could beat the guys from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s in their prime? I can't tell you that, because I don't know what the end result of the game would be, but I think it'd be a helluva game.

Do I think LeBron, Kobe, Tim Duncan, and Durant are up there? yes, yes I do, and I think they could play in those eras. No matter how tough you think those eras were, basketball is basketball. These dudes would've adapted and still had the same skill levels if you want to factor in that stuff instead of just looking at what they're doing.

But I do think the 90's team would wreck those teams that are being listed from prior eras to the 90's.

It was for fun to list the best lineup (mixed eras) You are right -it would be an awesome game..Your right also about basketball players adapting.That was my thinking when I hear the players today have more this or that..The great ones from the past would have the same things available to them if they played today and they would still be great ect..As for the 90's team the "dream team" they could hang with and beat a team of past greats but it wouldn't easy at all.

 

[IndyHawk]

Shaq would dominate any center in history. Wilt was playing against a lot of undersized white boys. Shaq would own him. Jordan would probably end up on Kobe and shut him down, then nobody would stop Jordan. Those two are the two best players in history. Kareem would be a more interesting deal because of that skyhook deal - he was sort of a Tim Duncan type.

Thats a misconception ..Wilt played against many centers of good height and weight and dominated them all ..I will have to find the link to prove this but it's out there..Shaq was slower,not as athletic and weaker than Wilt..But I understand you will go with what you saw..Oh and your Kareem skyhook..Wilt blocked those a few times..Only man who could do it..I agree with Jordan on Kobe..Skills aside Jordan just was a fierce gamer who hated to lose..

 

[Throwdown]

I will say this era of ball now doesn't have as many great players.

Lots of good ones, but only I'd say there's 3 guys that are true blue superstars, LeBron, Kobe, and Durant. And Kobe is nearing the end, hopefully this draft class brings in the next one with Wiggins since Parker is staying at Duke for at least another year.

I want to put Melo in there but I don't even think he's better than Paul George, who's still getting better every year.

 

[The Radish]

I will say this era of ball now doesn't have as many great players.

Lots of good ones, but only I'd say there's 3 guys that are true blue superstars, LeBron, Kobe, and Durant. And Kobe is nearing the end, hopefully this draft class brings in the next one with Wiggins since Parker is staying at Duke for at least another year.

I want to put Melo in there but I don't even think he's better than Paul George, who's still getting better every year.

There have been endless comparisons of yesterday versus today's players. Mostly centered around LeBron James/Michael Jordan. I find it hard to compare athletes from different times as they are getting bigger stronger every year. I didn't think James compared to Jordan as a team player but am seeing I could be wrong there.

I do think the game today is centered mostly on individual players rather than the team game we older fans preferred. That's mostly the reason I quit watching the NBA long ago because to me guys like Kobe are allowed to play as a one man band. Michael Jordan at least did know how to give assists.

:les:

 

[IndyHawk]

Throw and Radish-Good stuff and I agree with both of you..Radish it's good to see someone who could give us the real insight to the players of the past..I know you say they are bigger and stronger..However would say..A Wilt Chamberlain be an exception?I say there hasn't been anyone like him and probaly never will be when you take everything he could do..I wonder if you can provide some insight because you likely saw him play..All I have is You Tube..Books..

 

[The Radish]

Throw and Radish-Good stuff and I agree with both of you..Radish it's good to see someone who could give us the real insight to the players of the past..I know you say they are bigger and stronger..However would say..A Wilt Chamberlain be an exception?I say there hasn't been anyone like him and probaly never will be when you take everything he could do..I wonder if you can provide some insight because you likely saw him play..All I have is You Tube..Books..

Wilt was a lot like the Jim Brown of basketball. He was just a big guy that few had an answer for. Without looking it up I believe Wilt scored 100 points in a game one time. That's hard to imagine in any era.

:les:

 

[SouthSoundHawk]

If a player excelled in defense, he wouldn't do crap in today's NBA.

The NBA is a finesse league that puts more emphasis on scoring. These older players would foul out by the end of the first quarter, because you can't even breath on a dude without sending him to the line. I think MJ would convert well, because he's an offensive freak. He would still only be half the player he was, due to the fact he wouldn't have to play defense, haha.

Whenever I think of the modern NBA I don't see nearly as much star power across the entire league. Take a look the American Olympic team, they have dudes on there that would have ever made it in decades past. They had an unproven Anthony Davis (fresh out of college, with an injury) taking up a roster spot...pretty pathetic. Now that he's beasting it makes perfect sense, but that wasn't the case.

The NBA is marketed as Lebron vs ____________...fill in the team name, cause there aren't any stars going up against him night in and night out. If Lebron wasn't playing, the league would be kind of screwed (imho). When Kobe retires, it'll take yet another hit, unless one of these one and done players can actually make something of themselves (in terms of being a next level super star).

NCAA basketball is far more entertaining to me...and that's only because I like the college programs producing players...it has nothing to do with individuals or the game itself. Then again, I haven't cared about basketball in the last 5-10 years...the product is just weak. Now they're talking about adding advertisements to uniforms? PASS.

 

[Throwdown]

USA basketball changed it's platform, they go for the younger players now for the most part.

what's cold is they're still better than the rest of the world. Only Spain can mess with the USA in basketball, I'd throw in Argentina but they flop and it's sickening to watch.

 

[Lords of Scythia]

Shaq would dominate any center in history. Wilt was playing against a lot of undersized white boys. Shaq would own him. Jordan would probably end up on Kobe and shut him down, then nobody would stop Jordan. Those two are the two best players in history. Kareem would be a more interesting deal because of that skyhook deal - he was sort of a Tim Duncan type.

Thats a misconception ..Wilt played against many centers of good height and weight and dominated them all ..I will have to find the link to prove this but it's out there..Shaq was slower,not as athletic and weaker than Wilt..But I understand you will go with what you saw..Oh and your Kareem skyhook..Wilt blocked those a few times..Only man who could do it..I agree with Jordan on Kobe..Skills aside Jordan just was a fierce gamer who hated to lose..

The skyhook was highly unblockable being as it was coming from the hand away from the basket. Jordan was incredible to watch. He would explode to the rack when he was young - he'd leave the ground at the effing top of the key. Later he tooled up his jumper, but coud still take it to the rack and that was when dude turned into the this unstoppable monster. Anyone who says anybody but Jordan is the best player in history is serisously on the crack pipe.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

USA basketball changed it's platform, they go for the younger players now for the most part.

what's cold is they're still better than the rest of the world. Only Spain can mess with the USA in basketball, I'd throw in Argentina but they flop and it's sickening to watch.

Spain produces a lot of very good big men at this point. Technically sound guys. That's why Spain can hang with the USA in the FIBA Worlds and the Olympics.

 

[Throwdown]

True, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and to a lesser extent Marc Gasol's sibling who plays like his sister Pau.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

True, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and to a lesser extent Marc Gasol's sibling who plays like his sister Pau.

LOL