...and then Paul, Westbrook, and D Williams would kick it out to the perimeter for Melo, Durant, Kobe, Paul, Williams(when both are on the receiving end of passes) to knock down 3s at a high rate like they did the entire Olympics. I'm not saying the 2012 would win a 7 game series, but they could challenge and beat the 92 Dream Team game to game. I think people are letting old head nostalgia get to them if they're thinking today's players aren't comparable to those of the 80s and 90s, and thinking that Stockton and Magic(or Mullins/Drexler/Bird for that matter) could handle alot of these guys on the perimeter defensively is proof of that.
Sometimes I think that certain threads need poster's ages. The original Dream Team is probably hard to appreciate for younger posters. Many know Lebron and not Drexler. Its difficult to convince one side or the other. I'll just say that any team that has Michael Jordan (who was in his prime) wins.
Let's not pretend these are the premier guys to kick the ball out to for 3 pt shooting.........Melo was 33%, James was 36%, Paul was 37%..........not exactly an automatic trey from these guys!!!
Aceboon, you don't think Drexler could handle those guys of the perimeter? Clyde is criminally underrated, one of the most complete players you will ever see.
Never mentioned Lebron, as for Melo and Paul, they shot 50% and 46% from the international 3 point line during the Olympics, Durant 52%, Kobe 44%, Williams 40%, even Iguodala shot 56%. Granted, Dream Team 92 would do an infiintely better job of closing out on 3 point shooters than the international teams, but the '12 would still pose problems. Lebron would still be at the 4 spot, being guarded by Malone and Barkley, driving in from the perimeter, neither one of them are stopping him there and the defense would have to react and leave 3 point shooters open, which is what happened every game in the Olympics.
Your opinion but I do believe Barkley and or Malone could do a decent job on Lebron and his scoring ability inside would be severely neutralized. Also Stockton was plenty athletic to guard the PG's of today....and he was smarter!!!
LOL @ Barkley and Malone being able to check LeBron. Look, the Dream Team was great, and I mean really great. Legendary. But, some of you older folks are sensationalizing them a little bit, almost to the point where you scoff at any players of today being able to compete with them, as if they were not mortals. Dwight Howard, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook are better pure athletes than any of the guys on the 92 team. It's just basic evolution. Players like those mentioned above simply did not exist 20 years ago, so to act like players like Jordan and Magic would not have any trouble adjusting his absurd. I still think the Dream Team beats the 2012 team 7 or 8 out of ten, but the players in today's game are much better than many of the older fans would like to give them credit for.
You're letting those steals to fastbreak dunks sway you, Drexler was never a great on the ball/man defender.
You do realize that in Drexler's day the 'big 3' (star players) was normal for every team in the league, and a 'big 4' not uncommon. Players like Drexler played against teams having multiple weapons day in and day out, I just don't see that nowadays. Nowadays its the big 1 or 2 as the norm for NBA teams and every team fighting to get a big 3. Many people think that the talent is significantly better nowadays, maybe so, but certainly 'teams' were not. I just think there is some context to this discussion that is not being considered.
They're superior athletes and most very good players but not great players!! Steve Nash was the best PG in the league for years was he a great athlete? What the younger fans don't realize is just because the wore Chuck Taylors along with shorties doesn't mean they couldn't play the game. And I as an "old timer" like some of the players nowadays and do admit to them being fantastic players. But I know of only 3 on that team who would definitely have seen time on 92.........Russell Westbrook is certainly a pure athlete but wouldn't have made the team and neither would Howard. LeBron a no-brainer as well as Durant and Kobe.....the rest are either "no-way" or toss ups!! Oh and what a ridiculous statement that they were better pure athletes than anyone on 92...hope you're joking?
Of course, why else would I make that statement. If you call one pass followed by a 25 footer without even looking to make a second pass or Westbrook or Melo not even looking to pass but jacking up a shot every chance they got, a team approach then you and I have different opions on what constitutes playing as a team. Their superior skills and athletic ability allowed them to win, not their ability to really have a solid team approach. I will give Lebron, CP and probably Durant a pass here, but no way did they play as a group anywhere near a team game as the 1992 team.
I'm pretty sure both Durant and Melo were hot and were given the green light to catch and shoot if open. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For the kids, a bit of education and information. The difference in athleticism in the league is not that big from 1992 to now. Nowhere near the leap that it took in the 10 years previous to that. The only exception I'd make is at the power forward position, where trucks like Oakley and Horace Grant have been replaced by leaner, more athletic guys that put the ball on the floor and fill the lanes. In terms of quickness, if Stockton could guard Isaiah Thomas, Gary Payton and Kevin Johnson, he can do a passable job on Chris Paul. Don't confuse Stockton's being white with his not being quick.
Stockton = Steve Nash + the ability to play defense. And all this talk on putting Lebron at the 4 and no PF being able to stop him...I'll concede that. Of course that means Lebron has to guard Barkley in the post. I would simply spread the floor and keep feeding him until Lebron got into foul trouble. Also, the difference in size completely negates whatever advantages the '12 backcourt has. I've got no problem if they put Lebron on MJ instead of Barkley and saying he makes it very difficult for him. However, that means Ewing and Barkley (being guarded by who now?) are there for a lot of rebounds and easy 2nd chance points that the '12 team can only overcome with a hot shooting night. Pau Gasol dominated the US team and his supporting cast is nowhere near what the Dream Team is rolling out. In a 7 game series it's 4-1 or maybe 4-2 to the Dream Team.
