Tuesday question- your NBA starting 5 since 1980
- Thread starter Coach34
- Start date
But Bird has to be your SF.
1- Magic
2-MJ
3-Bird
4-Malone
5-Shaq
Edit: My bench would include:
Kobe
Olajuwon
Duncan
Stockton
1- Magic
2-MJ
3-Bird
4-Malone
5-Shaq
Edit: My bench would include:
Kobe
Olajuwon
Duncan
Stockton
PG - Magic Johnson/ John Stockton
SG - Michael Jordan/Reggie Miller
SF - Larry Bird/Lebron James
PF - Karl Malone/Dennis Rodman
C - Shaq / Ewing
SG - Michael Jordan/Reggie Miller
SF - Larry Bird/Lebron James
PF - Karl Malone/Dennis Rodman
C - Shaq / Ewing
SG - Jordan
PG - Kidd
SF - Bird
PF - Malone
C - Kareem
My team beats all of yours simply because Kareem was way better than Shaq or Ewing.
PG - Kidd
SF - Bird
PF - Malone
C - Kareem
My team beats all of yours simply because Kareem was way better than Shaq or Ewing.
PG - Magic/ Stockton
SG - Jordan even though I despise him/ Kobe/ The Iceman
SF - Bird/ Lebron
PF - Barkley/Malone/McHale
C - Olajuwon/Kareem
SG - Jordan even though I despise him/ Kobe/ The Iceman
SF - Bird/ Lebron
PF - Barkley/Malone/McHale
C - Olajuwon/Kareem
The fact that most people find his style of play 'boring' really does make you forget how great his career has been.
1-Earvin
2-Jordan
3-Bird
4-Barkley
5-Olajuwon
Coming off the benchif a gamewinning shot is needed-Big Shot Rob
2-Jordan
3-Bird
4-Barkley
5-Olajuwon
Coming off the benchif a gamewinning shot is needed-Big Shot Rob
PG - Magic Johnson
SG- Michael Jordan
SF - Lebron James
PF - Tim Duncan
C - Shaq
Lebron James is a triple double threat every night and being compared o the best ever (Jordan). I know LBJ is not close to the level of Jordan but totake Bird over him seem silly to me. If Lebron played Bird in a game of 1 on 1, he would win 8 out of 10. If we are talking HORSE with no dunking then give me Bird.
SG- Michael Jordan
SF - Lebron James
PF - Tim Duncan
C - Shaq
Lebron James is a triple double threat every night and being compared o the best ever (Jordan). I know LBJ is not close to the level of Jordan but totake Bird over him seem silly to me. If Lebron played Bird in a game of 1 on 1, he would win 8 out of 10. If we are talking HORSE with no dunking then give me Bird.
How about a game of five-on-five against another team? Bronbron hasn't exactly shown that he has what it takes to lift a team to championship heights.goldeneye said:
<span><span><embed height="355" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qWUIZqoNr4Q?f=videos&app=youtube_gdata" wmode="transparent" allowScriptAccess="never" ></embed>
Hakeem's offensive game was far superior than anything Shaq could do offensively.?
Hakeem's defensive game was simply more consistent.?
Shaw was more of a physical presence, but he simply didn't want it enough.? Hakeem may be the most underrated basketball player in the last 20 years.? Him or Duncan.</span></span>
Hakeem's offensive game was far superior than anything Shaq could do offensively.?
Hakeem's defensive game was simply more consistent.?
Shaw was more of a physical presence, but he simply didn't want it enough.? Hakeem may be the most underrated basketball player in the last 20 years.? Him or Duncan.</span></span>
PG - John Stockton
SG - Pete Maravich
SF - Larry Bird
PF - Chris Mullin
C -Bill Walton
Jerry West is coming off my bench.
My coach is PJ Carlisimo, because he was the victim of a racial attack by Latrell Sprewell**
No foreigners allowed either.
Team colors would be white, with white trim.
SG - Pete Maravich
SF - Larry Bird
PF - Chris Mullin
C -Bill Walton
Jerry West is coming off my bench.
My coach is PJ Carlisimo, because he was the victim of a racial attack by Latrell Sprewell**
No foreigners allowed either.
Team colors would be white, with white trim.
PG - Lebron James<div>SG - Kobe Bryant</div><div>SF - Michael Jordan</div><div>PF - Kevin Garnett</div><div>C - Shaq (In his prime)</div><div>
</div><div>You let the best athlete to ever play the game handle the ball, you have to of the best pure scorers the game has ever seen around him, you have the most intense player of the past 20 years at PF who can also shoot the ball and rebound and you have the most dominate big man since Bill Russell and Wilt at the 5.</div><div>
</div><div>I was Tempted to throw Larry Bird, Reggie Miller, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan andMagic in there but this line up is the most athletic and mostversatilegroup you can put together.</div>
</div><div>You let the best athlete to ever play the game handle the ball, you have to of the best pure scorers the game has ever seen around him, you have the most intense player of the past 20 years at PF who can also shoot the ball and rebound and you have the most dominate big man since Bill Russell and Wilt at the 5.</div><div>
</div><div>I was Tempted to throw Larry Bird, Reggie Miller, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan andMagic in there but this line up is the most athletic and mostversatilegroup you can put together.</div>
PG- Stockton
SG- Favorite Player and Gunner of All Time The "Pistol"
SF- Chris Mullen
PF- Larry Legend
C-Greg Ostertag
ETA: Should be Walton at center, but Ostertags haircut is so terrible he has to be out there
SG- Favorite Player and Gunner of All Time The "Pistol"
SF- Chris Mullen
PF- Larry Legend
C-Greg Ostertag
ETA: Should be Walton at center, but Ostertags haircut is so terrible he has to be out there
PG - Magic/Stockton
SG - Jordan/Kobe/Reggie Miller/Chris Mullin
SF - Bird
PF - Tim Duncan/Karl Malone/Dennis Rodman
C - Olajuwon/Kareem
I would play lots of 3 guard lineups
SG - Jordan/Kobe/Reggie Miller/Chris Mullin
SF - Bird
PF - Tim Duncan/Karl Malone/Dennis Rodman
C - Olajuwon/Kareem
I would play lots of 3 guard lineups
C- Shaquille Oneal-the Lakers title-winning Shaq was absolutely unstoppable.
PF- Kevin Garnett - picked him over the Mailman for defensive purposes.
SF- Larry Bird- so versatile
SG- Michael Jordan- possessed
PG- Magic Johnson- freak of nature for the PG position
Second Unit:
C- Hakeem Olajuwon- Absolute terror in the paint
PF- Karl Malone- He was called the Mailman for a reason
SF- LeBron James- Would be my sixth man due to his ridiculous versatitlity. He'll be in that starting lineup someday, just not quite there yet.
SG- Reggie Miller (for a sharpshooter)
PG- Steve Nash- otherworldy distributor
ETA: LeBron.
PF- Kevin Garnett - picked him over the Mailman for defensive purposes.
SF- Larry Bird- so versatile
SG- Michael Jordan- possessed
PG- Magic Johnson- freak of nature for the PG position
Second Unit:
C- Hakeem Olajuwon- Absolute terror in the paint
PF- Karl Malone- He was called the Mailman for a reason
SF- LeBron James- Would be my sixth man due to his ridiculous versatitlity. He'll be in that starting lineup someday, just not quite there yet.
SG- Reggie Miller (for a sharpshooter)
PG- Steve Nash- otherworldy distributor
ETA: LeBron.
Olajuwon shot 51% for his career and averaged 21.8 ppg.
O'Neal shot 58% for his career and averages 24.1 ppg.
I'd still argue that Kareem was better than either of them, but this is since 1980 and a Kareem's best years were already behind him by then.
O'Neal shot 58% for his career and averages 24.1 ppg.
I'd still argue that Kareem was better than either of them, but this is since 1980 and a Kareem's best years were already behind him by then.
Hakeem destroyed him in the playoffs. Just destroyed him. Does that even matter?
Hakeem averaged almost a block more a game over his career. Was a two time Defensive player of the year averaged more points in the playoffs, and wasn't a liability on the court in the last two minutes of a game.
Shaq was brute force while Hakeem was the complete package. Shaq had weaknesses, Hakeem didn't.
Bottom line is if there was two minutes left in a game do you want Shaq on the floor if you are up 3 points? I don't.
Hakeem averaged almost a block more a game over his career. Was a two time Defensive player of the year averaged more points in the playoffs, and wasn't a liability on the court in the last two minutes of a game.
Shaq was brute force while Hakeem was the complete package. Shaq had weaknesses, Hakeem didn't.
Bottom line is if there was two minutes left in a game do you want Shaq on the floor if you are up 3 points? I don't.
Hakeem was much softer than Shaq and Shaq made the players around him better - Penny, Kobe, D-Wade. Name three one name players that Hakeem played with. Can't do it. Penny Sucked after Shaq left BTW. Just sayin'.
Was the story that one of his teammate said about him caring about scoring.
He said you could ask Dominque in a tie game with 5 seconds left in a game 7 how many points he scored and Dominique would say, "I've got 33, but if the ref would have called that foul in the 2nd quarter, I would have 35."
Just really cared about scoring.
The fiveabove would be a really entertaining starting five though.
He said you could ask Dominque in a tie game with 5 seconds left in a game 7 how many points he scored and Dominique would say, "I've got 33, but if the ref would have called that foul in the 2nd quarter, I would have 35."
Just really cared about scoring.
The fiveabove would be a really entertaining starting five though.
He took a way past his prime Drexler and led them to back to back titles.
Shaq has had Kobe and D-Wade on his title teams, a probable Top 15 player of all time, and a top 50 player of all time maybe higher.
Hakeem had Sam Cassell and Robert Horry, yet he still led them to back to back titles.
They both averaged about 2.5 assists a game, but Hakeem was a more active defender than Shaq, as evidence by consistently averaging more blocks.
As for your overall argument that basically that 1999-2001 Shaq was better than 1993-1995 Hakeem, I would probably agree with you. I just think that 1984-1999 Hakeem was better than 1993-2006Shaq.
When Shaq wanted to play, Im not sure anyone was better. The fact that he never lead the league in blocks or rebounds just speaks to the level of intensity he played with.
I think we are at the point where we agree to disagree on this argument.
Shaq has had Kobe and D-Wade on his title teams, a probable Top 15 player of all time, and a top 50 player of all time maybe higher.
Hakeem had Sam Cassell and Robert Horry, yet he still led them to back to back titles.
They both averaged about 2.5 assists a game, but Hakeem was a more active defender than Shaq, as evidence by consistently averaging more blocks.
As for your overall argument that basically that 1999-2001 Shaq was better than 1993-1995 Hakeem, I would probably agree with you. I just think that 1984-1999 Hakeem was better than 1993-2006Shaq.
When Shaq wanted to play, Im not sure anyone was better. The fact that he never lead the league in blocks or rebounds just speaks to the level of intensity he played with.
I think we are at the point where we agree to disagree on this argument.
crappy careers of being first-team All NBA over and over again without him. Hakeem CARRIED his team to titles. Who do you think it's harder to win with: Kobe and Wade or Kenny Smith and Mad Max? Like was mentioned earlier, Hakeem swept Shaq out of the Finals. Shaq has gone on record that Hakeem is the best center he ever faced.
I should put Bill Simmons excerpt from his book where he details why Hakeem was a better player than Shaq.
Look at the teams in that series. Orlando had a healthy Penny, Nick Anderson, Horace Grant. Hakeem had an aging Drexler, Kenny Smith, Horry and Cassell.
Im going with Simmons, he wrote a 700 page book about basketball and he says Hakeem is better than Shaq, so Im going with him.
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Look at the teams in that series. Orlando had a healthy Penny, Nick Anderson, Horace Grant. Hakeem had an aging Drexler, Kenny Smith, Horry and Cassell.
Im going with Simmons, he wrote a 700 page book about basketball and he says Hakeem is better than Shaq, so Im going with him.
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and one could argue that Shaq helped make Kobe and Wade the players that they are. Look it is a greatargument, it is really that close. My stance is you put Shaq in his prime Vs. Hakeem in his prime I think Shaq may over power him. Helluva match up though.<div>
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</div><div>All time you got to have Russell, Wilt, Shaq, Hakeem, KAB and Parrish as you best centers of all time.</div>
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</div><div>All time you got to have Russell, Wilt, Shaq, Hakeem, KAB and Parrish as you best centers of all time.</div>
worth a **** either. The bottom line is production. And they both produced both in that series and over their careers. But if you look at their production over their careers, Shaq's was a little better. He shot the ball better, scored more points, and grabbed the same number of rebounds. The only stat Hakeem had an advantage over him was blocks.
As for supporting casts, I'd take Drexler, Smith, Horry and Cassell over Hardaway, Anderson and Grant any day of the week. Horry and Cassell were both very underrated players. And the "aging" Drexler still somehow managed to score 21.8 ppg that season. He was still a damn good player.
As for supporting casts, I'd take Drexler, Smith, Horry and Cassell over Hardaway, Anderson and Grant any day of the week. Horry and Cassell were both very underrated players. And the "aging" Drexler still somehow managed to score 21.8 ppg that season. He was still a damn good player.