Which NBA team would you take in this picture?

[Sweet Feet]

Im leaning towards team 1 but its hard. What do you say?

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[Boston RedHogs]

Im leaning towards team 1 but its hard. What do you say?

If you're not leaning toward team 2, you're leaning the wrong way.

[PorkRinds]

2

[Hawg Red]

If you're not leaning toward team 2, you're leaning the wrong way.

No doubt.

The other teams feature Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and Kobe Bryant, respectively. Gross chemistry.

[The_Iceman]

Team 1:
PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Kobe
SF: Durant
PF: Duncan
C: Ewing

Team 2:
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Michael Jordan
SF: Larry Bird
PF: Barkley
C: Kareem

Team 3:
PG: Stockton
SG: Iverson
SF: Lebron
PF: Malone
C: The Dream

Team 4:
PG: Magic
SG: D-Wade
SF: Carmelo
PF: Garnett
C: Shaq

[The_Iceman]

When I think of all these players in their prime, there is one player that stands out to me, and that is Shaq. In his best year, Shaq averaged 30 ppg, 14 rebs, 4 asts, and 3 blks...while weighing 330 pounds. Most people have a negative opinion of shaq because of the way he played and because of how bad he looked at the end of his career, but man with a team of Magic, D-Wade, Melo, and KG around him (in their primes)....he would be hard to stop.

Shaq in 2000:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kM2OdZPVaw

[The_Iceman]

Ultimately, I gotta go with Team 2. Chris Paul dishing it to MJ and Bird, with Barkley and Kareem inside...that's just too much to handle.

[dsims2k3]

Shaq was like a transformer under the rim.

[Sweet Feet]

If you're not leaning toward team 2, you're leaning the wrong way.

The only reason why i said that is because while kareem guarding ewing, duncan would beat barkley in the post just because his height and fundamentals alone. Then i dont think bird can guard KD. But then at the same time, team 2 offense would be sick, especially with kareem, bird, and MJ along with an assist player like paul

[The_Iceman]

The only reason why i said that is because while kareem guarding ewing, duncan would beat barkley in the post just because his height and fundamentals alone. Then i dont think bird can guard KD. But then at the same time, team 2 offense would be sick, especially with kareem, bird, and MJ along with an assist player like paul

In his prime, Bird could guard KD.

[Ironhawg]

Duncan
Bird
Kareem
Magic
Jordan

(Yeah, I didn't follow instructions.)

[Inhogswetrust]

2. But all if them would be damn good.

[mbgrulz]

D-Wade being included in this groups is funny to me.

[mbgrulz]

When I think of all these players in their prime, there is one player that stands out to me, and that is Shaq. In his best year, Shaq averaged 30 ppg, 14 rebs, 4 asts, and 3 blks...while weighing 330 pounds. Most people have a negative opinion of shaq because of the way he played and because of how bad he looked at the end of his career, but man with a team of Magic, D-Wade, Melo, and KG around him (in their primes)....he would be hard to stop.

Shaq in 2000:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kM2OdZPVaw

Agree...he was as dominating a player that I have seen. He completely changed the way teams had to play. His  size and speed were incredible for those few years.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

2, no doubt about it. 

[mbgrulz]

How could you go against the GOAT?

[masshog2412]

Team 1:
PG: Isaiah Thomas
SG: Kobe
SF: Durant
PF: Duncan
C: Ewing

Team 2:
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Michael Jordan
SF: Larry Bird
PF: Barkley
C: Kareem

Team 3:
PG: Stockton
SG: Iverson
SF: Lebron
PF: Malone
C: The Dream

Team 4:
PG: Magic
SG: D-Wade
SF: Carmelo
PF: Garnett
C: Shaq

Team 2 would be the epitemy of CLUTCH
(minus Barkley)

[Dr. Starcs]

Chris Paul, not clutch

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

nm

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Team 2 would be the epitemy of CLUTCH
(minus Barkley)

Whatever...Barkley was incredibly clutch, and was the go to guy offensively on every team he played on.

This is Game 6 of 1993 Western Conference Finals:

[navyhog24]

D-Wade being included in this groups is funny to me.

Actually Melo is more of a laugh than Wade.

[The_Iceman]

D-Wade being included in this groups is funny to me.

Go look at his prime seasons. Among best ever.

2008-2009: 30.2 ppg, 5.0 rebs, 7.5 asts, 2.2 stls, 1.3 blks.

[HF#1]

Never choose against MJ.  Gotta go #2

[LL COOL HOG]

D-Wade being included in this groups is funny to me.

D-Wade is my favorite current player. He is nearing the end of his career however.

Regardless. I would go with #2.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Actually Melo is more of a laugh than Wade.

Agreed.  Definitely does not belong with the rest.

[mbgrulz]

Actually Melo is more of a laugh than Wade.

True...I Shoulda said CP3 too.

[Sweet Feet]

FIFY...but seriously, wouldn't it have been fun to see Bird and Jordan together when they were in their primes?

it was fun just seeing them on the dream team

[hvsupastar]

Lakers Shaq just too dominant. If MJ is greatest of all time,  Magic is 1B. Give me team 4

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Lakers Shaq just too dominant. If MJ is greatest of all time,  Magic is 1B. Give me team 4

With Carmelo and Garnett?  Those are 2 huge weak spots against these teams.  No way, they don't beat any of the other teams, even with Magic and Shaq.

[yraciv]

True...I Shoulda said CP3 too.

CP3 is a Top 5 PG of all time. Oscar Robertson had the numbers and did it all, but most of the great PG had flaws. Magic didn't have a jumper and was slow. Stockton was too small to grab rebounds and wasn't good from the perimeter. Chris Paul does a little of everything well, he passes well, rebounds well, and shoots a higher % from field than those guys. Plus I think his defense is 2nd to Payton in my top 5.  You look at his 07-09 numbers, and other than Oscar Robertson you'll have a hard time finding someone with better numbers.  And his assist to turnover ratios are second to none with his usage %. 

[yraciv]

And to the post, I go 2,3,4,1.  Of course MJ, Bird, & Kareem is about as clutch as you can get. Get CP3 on an all star team and all he does is dish, hit jumpers, & not turn it over.  Same with Stockton, and you are giving him his prime target Malone, along with the 2nd best player of all time.  Not too mention I'd take the Dream over all centers listed, okay maybe not in shape Shaq. AI would find his role like he did with Team USA. Yes he like to shoot, but he knows his role. Team 4 and 1 would be a crapshoot, but give it 4 b/ of Johnson & Shaq and that Kobe/Thomas backcourt chemistry would scare me to death.

[twistitup]

2

[Hogfaniam]

2 two to too
3-1

[hvsupastar]

With Carmelo and Garnett?  Those are 2 huge weak spots against these teams.  No way, they don't beat any of the other teams, even with Magic and Shaq.

I don't consider KG a weakness at all. In fact, probably the best defender at PF on the list. Magic is going to be guarded by someone 7 inches shorter in each scenario. Give me 4

[lwillin]

Team 2, then team 1.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

The 5 that would make the best team of all those, IMO:

Isaiah - And I can't stand him
Jordan
Bird
Barkley
The Dream

[lwillin]

The 5 that would make the best team of all those, IMO:

Isaiah - And I can't stand him
Jordan
Bird
Barkley
The Dream

That would be a great team also. (But I don't think Jordan would play on a team with Isaiah).

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

That would be a great team also. (But I don't think Jordan would play on a team with Isaiah).

Good point.  It was really close for me between Magic or Isaiah.  I think Isaiah is the better PG overall, and would have been on the Dream Team had it not been for Jordan.  Magic could've played small forward and maybe been better individually.  But he was such a good "QB" type player and leader, he made everyone around him play their best.  That's a tough call, as many of these are.  Shaq and the Dream were close for me also.

[yraciv]

Advanced statistics don't back the Isiah comment up and then there is the whole love him/hate him thing with players that wouldn't be good for chemistry.  Kobe has some of that too, so I instantly discredited team 1.

I just looked up the Win Shares/48 Minutes rankings, which in my opinion is one of the better metrics out there.  Here is what I came up with for PG in the regular season.
1. Chris Paul - .2464
2. Magic Johnson - .2249
3. Jerry West - .2131
4. John Stockton - .2087
5. Oscar Robertson - .2069
6. Kevin Johnson - .1777
7. Walt Frazier - .1760
8. Chauncey Billups - .1756
9. Steve Nash - .1636
10. Mark Price - .1582

Now Isiah came in at a whopping .109!  He had a 3 season peak from 83-86 where he was very good, but the excellence hardly lasted.  Now his playoff numbers serve much better, and that is what people remember him by am I right?  There he comes in at .1429, and 65th highest in NBA history.  For comparison sake Magic comes in at 4, West at 5, Frazier at 10, Paul at 14, Stockton at 41.

His postseason prowess may sneak him in the top over Price & Nash, who don't have near the postseason success and were always light on defense, but he is no where near the top 5.  And there are other PG such as Tony Parker and Gary Payton that didn't even make that list but were close.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Advanced statistics don't back the Isiah comment up and then there is the whole love him/hate him thing with players that wouldn't be good for chemistry.  Kobe has some of that too, so I instantly discredited team 1.

I just looked up the Win Shares/48 Minutes rankings, which in my opinion is one of the better metrics out there.  Here is what I came up with for PG in the regular season.
1. Chris Paul - .2464
2. Magic Johnson - .2249
3. Jerry West - .2131
4. John Stockton - .2087
5. Oscar Robertson - .2069
6. Kevin Johnson - .1777
7. Walt Frazier - .1760
8. Chauncey Billups - .1756
9. Steve Nash - .1636
10. Mark Price - .1582

Now Isiah came in at a whopping .109!  He had a 3 season peak from 83-86 where he was very good, but the excellence hardly lasted.  Now his playoff numbers serve much better, and that is what people remember him by am I right?  There he comes in at .1429, and 65th highest in NBA history.  For comparison sake Magic comes in at 4, West at 5, Frazier at 10, Paul at 14, Stockton at 41.

His postseason prowess may sneak him in the top over Price & Nash, who don't have near the postseason success and were always light on defense, but he is no where near the top 5.  And there are other PG such as Tony Parker and Gary Payton that didn't even make that list but were close.

Excellent points.  I think Isaiah really shot himself in the foot by being a jerk. 

[The_Iceman]

Carmelo should be replaced with either Pippin or Worthy. Or even Dr J or George Gervin.

[1highhog]

If we're talking each player in their primes, oh Lordy!  Anyone that doesn't go with team 2 is a moron.  MJ, possibly the best player ever, Kareem with the skyhook was unguardable, Barkley at small forward was good for 25/12 a game, and Bird at Forward being one of the most clutch and dangerous 3pt shooters to ever play the game, Chris Paul would have a field day running that offense with so many weapons to go to plus what he himself could do.  They would be the 1st Dream Team, while the others would be the others that came after them.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Carmelo should be replaced with either Pippin or Worthy. Or even Dr J or George Gervin.

Now we're talking..

[lwillin]

Advanced statistics don't back the Isiah comment up and then there is the whole love him/hate him thing with players that wouldn't be good for chemistry.  Kobe has some of that too, so I instantly discredited team 1.

I just looked up the Win Shares/48 Minutes rankings, which in my opinion is one of the better metrics out there.  Here is what I came up with for PG in the regular season.
1. Chris Paul - .2464
2. Magic Johnson - .2249
3. Jerry West - .2131
4. John Stockton - .2087
5. Oscar Robertson - .2069
6. Kevin Johnson - .1777
7. Walt Frazier - .1760
8. Chauncey Billups - .1756
9. Steve Nash - .1636
10. Mark Price - .1582

Now Isiah came in at a whopping .109!  He had a 3 season peak from 83-86 where he was very good, but the excellence hardly lasted.  Now his playoff numbers serve much better, and that is what people remember him by am I right?  There he comes in at .1429, and 65th highest in NBA history.  For comparison sake Magic comes in at 4, West at 5, Frazier at 10, Paul at 14, Stockton at 41.

His postseason prowess may sneak him in the top over Price & Nash, who don't have near the postseason success and were always light on defense, but he is no where near the top 5.  And there are other PG such as Tony Parker and Gary Payton that didn't even make that list but were close.

Good information, and I don't have issue with the stats. But the intangibles Isaiah possessed are hard to measure .

Like the others on that list, he could put a team on his shoulders and will them to a win. Without him, I doubt those Piston teams would have achieved near the success that they had. (I once saw the guy pass the ball to himself without traveling).

Other than Magic, Oscar and Walt, I'd have a hard time choosing any other pg ahead of him.

[lwillin]

Now we're talking..

Ditto

[secfan30]

Number 2... Actually a pretty mean confident group. I'd have Barkley slam Shaq again for fun.

[Inhogswetrust]

 Dang I didn't even notice that was Shaq on #4. I should have looked closer! I want to change my answer to a tie between #2 and #4.

[1highhog]

Good point.  It was really close for me between Magic or Isaiah.  I think Isaiah is the better PG overall, and would have been on the Dream Team had it not been for Jordan.  Magic could've played small forward and maybe been better individually.  But he was such a good "QB" type player and leader, he made everyone around him play their best.  That's a tough call, as many of these are.  Shaq and the Dream were close for me also.

Shaq should not even be in the top 5 of NBA Centers.  He wouldn't have been able to guard Kareem, we know he couldn't guard Hakeem, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, or Moses Malone.  If the NBA would call a game like they should, over half of the players in it wouldn't be able to play, double dribbling, taking 4-5 steps before dribbling, crossover uh huh, more like palming the ball everytime.  Shaq, 3 second lane violation every single time and half the time an offensive foul should have been called.  Yep, MJ was just as guilty as all the rest, and he's my favorite player, ghost fouls called, same thing with Kobe, drives in the lane and his fouling everybody and somehow somebody ghost fouls him.  I was robbed of playing in the NBA cause I'm white and got big feet!

[dhornjr1]

2

[husker71]

Shaq could guard Russell who could not shoot a 10 footer   he got his points on following up fast breaks and offensive rebounds .  Moses had some great moves not only down low but just on the baseline.  The Rockets used a play vs the Celtics where Dunleavy or Leavell would wait until Moses had inside position and just throw the ball up on the backboard and let him go get it and put it in and sometimes also get fouled.  He is one of the most underrated players of all time IMHO.