Team A vs Team B

[Matt15]

Who wins in 7? Everyone in their peak/best year.

Team A
G-Chauncey Billups
G-Manu Ginobili
F-Scottie Pippen
F-Charles Oakley
C-Rik Smits

Team B
G-Rajon Rondo
G-Tony Allen
F-Peja Stojakovic
F-Chris Bosh
C-Dikembe Mutombo

[CountTheirRings]

Didn't put an incredible amount of analysis into this, but I'd say Team A probably takes it in 6 or 7. A lot of this matchup is about defensive/offensive preference.

Backcourt: I'd take Billups & Manu over Rondo & Allen. I find that the more offensively capable your guards are (or at the very least one of the two) really, really improves your offensive feasibility all around. You can't take it inside every possession, and some sort of perimeter threat is important for floor spacing and bailouts, whether it grants you buckets or opportunities at extra possessions. Allen is a sick perimeter defender, and Rondo has sharp court vision and is obviously an adept passer - definitely better than Billups - but Allen isn't the most versatile dude on offense and Rondo sure as hell can't shoot. Team B has other scoring options (peak Stojakovic was money; 24 ppg on 48% FG, 43% 3pt, & 93% FT) but I'd still take Team A's backcourt tandem. Billups' efficiency, even at his peak, was a tad low for my taste, but the dude could score and distribute (averaged ~19 ppg & ~9 ast at his peak), and Ginobili was the man (~20 ppg & ~5 ast at 46% FG and 40% from downtown). Billups/Manu may not be as good of a defensive duo as Rondo/Allen, but do they even need to be, matched-up against such scorers? Advantage Team A.

SF: Scottie > Stojakovic. At his peak he could go toe-to-toe with Peja offensively (~22ppg, ~9rpg, ~6apg in '93-'94 CHI) . Stojakovic is not a terrible defender, in fact he's a specialist at that end of the floor in some eyes. But still, Pippen would shut him down way before he shut Pippen down, in my estimation. Advantage Team A.

Frontcourt: Slight advantage Team B, but peak Oakley & peak Smits are not some pair of goons. Oakley was a 15 & 12 guy shooting 52% and Smits was a 19 & 7 guy, shooting 52% as well. Neither are rim-protectors of Mutumbo's caliber, obviously, but between the two of them I think they could cancel out Bosh offensively (23 & 11 guy at his peak, although he'd have to carry a heavier load for this particular team), and all Team A really needs them to do is gobble up a decent amount of boards (which they certainly seem to be capable of) and score efficiently when needed (52% clip is nice).

Floor spacing of Team A is just significantly better in my eyes, as would be the offensive dynamic of a team composed of said players. Plus, they have enough man-man defensive integrity to pull it off.

[ballbrah]

This isn't even close sorry. Team A sweeps

Edit: To clarify a bit. a Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen backcourt is a nightmare offensively. Pippen would lock down Peja while Peja wouldn't be able to guard Pip. Bosh while is individually better than Oakley... Oakley would more than likely make him his b*tch. and I love Deke but he's not much to right home about on the offensive end. Team A sweeps.