ashamael
Game Rating: Hall of Famer
Forum Rating: Rookie
Posts: 2744 (1)
I think you're being a little harsh on Stockton. I hated the guy, but he belongs in the conversation. Everybody had weaknesses including most of the guys you say are better than Stockton. Regardless... here's what I'm running:
pg - Magic - this really should be a no brainer. Every matchup problem begins right here. He excels in a fast paced game, and with the defense this squad is going to have, it'll be a fast paced game. See: Most of the US Olympic teams
sg - Jordan - Duh.
sf - Bird - Does everything well and gives the SL somebody that can shoot from anywhere.
pf - Lebron - yeah, he's a SF but he plays PF often enough. He can defend 1-4, which is key since Magic would have trouble with smaller, faster point guards (but is bulky enough to guard forwards). In the event that a team plays a twin-tower like setup, I go to my bench.
c - Wilt - the sixers & lakers version, not the warriors version... you know the only guy to ever record a 20/20/20? That's the guy I'm looking for. Honestly you can go many ways at C, but later in his career Wilt understood that it actually was a team game, and with teammates like this, I have no doubt he could get along. People sleep on him because of various reasons that they were told by somebody else or read in a book. The truth is he was the most freakishly athletic player that side of Jordan. Still, there are 4 centers I want to put here and can come up with valid arguments for any of them.
Bench:
pg - Glove. While I never cared for his offensive game, I don't think I can think of many point guards I could even put in a conversation with him defensively. With the players on this squad, he'll have open shots... which he'll make. And if he starts playing the "I'm gonna be a ball hog" there are plenty of team players on this squad that would get all over his ***. If he refused to cooperate... **** it... Magic & Lebron will play the point and he'll sit on the bench. Or we'll just go straight triangle.
sg - Ginobili. The longer I have watched this guy play, the more I'm convinced that he would be the best possible backup at SG to Jordan. I'm not saying he's the 2nd best SG of all time (far from it), but think about what he brings off the bench (a role he's relished in the NBA for how long?). He has virtually no holes in his game and the only thing that's kept him from attaining further individual success is injury problems and a selflessness that will be forgotten by generations ahead. So what does he bring this team? Great range... great playmaking ability. He gives 100% effort 100% of the time on both ends. He fits on this squad better than any other SG I could think of to put on the bench behind MJ.
sf - Pippen. Ultimate complimentary player and one of (if not the best) defenders to ever play the game. His impact not only on the guy he guarded but his help defense... incomparable by anybody that's played the last 30+ years (except... maybe... for Lebron. He's getting there). Selfless player that gives you so much on both ends.
pf - Duncan. This pains me to do this because I've always said that he's a center and just gets called a PF because that's what initials are put before his name in the SL. But that's what history will call him, so that's what he is. He proved to be fantastic in a twin-tower setting, so there's that. Selfless guy that just does what it takes to win. He'll come in to guard the guys that Magic/Bird/Lebron can't at PF.
c - Kareem. If I need easy points, I want this guy in the game. He meshes well with the defense/fast break philosophy as well... you know, that whole showtime Laker thing? All-time great defender, too, and for some reason that part of his game gets overlooked.
c - Hakeem. I can't make this team and leave him off even though we've already got elite post scorers & defenders at the position. He's probably the best defender of the three and gives you something different from the post than the other 2 offensively. He's someone you can bring in and is athletic enough to play the 4 (as is Wilt, tbh) as well.
sf - Durant. Too soon? Yeah. But I'm building a team here, not listing the 12 greatest of all-time. What does Durant do here? Mostly sit on the bench... but if I need perimeter shooting in a hurry... yeah. He comes in if I want to run a post-iso offense (surround Wilt, Kareem, Hakeem or Duncan with: manu-jordan-durant-bird). This would be the same role I'd consider adding a Ray Allen or Reggie Miller to the team for.
I left Russel & Rodman off because: There's nobody on this squad you can ignore or play off of. Everyone is a threat to score.
The only thing I'm really dissatisfied with is Glove... I always thought he was a selfish sob whose offensive game was no where near what he thought it was. It's a shame that he'll be considered better than some others by historians just because he got a charity ring. But defensively, I can think of nobody that was better at his position... and defense creates easy offense.
Actually, I'm not satisfied that Barkley isn't on the team... my all-time favorite player was a beast offensively and nobody (except worm) worked harder on the boards... but defense... yeah... =/