All Primes: '11 Celtics vs. '21 Nets

[SelakStreet]

Who would win a best of 7 with all players in their average prime condition and with 2011 rules/refs?

Prime 2011 Celtics
PG: Rajon Rondo / Delonte West / Carlos Arroyo
SG: Ray Allen / Avery Bradley
SF: Paul Pierce / Jeff Green
PF: Kevin Garnett / Troy Murphy
C: Shaquille O'Neal / Jermaine O'Neal / Nenad Krstic

Prime 2021 Nets
PG: James Harden / Tyler Johnson
SG: Kyrie Irving / Spencer Dinwiddie
SF: Joe Harris / Bruce Brown
PF: Kevin Durant / Jeff Green / Andre Roberson
C: DeAndre Jordan / Blake Griffin / LaMarcus Aldridge

Note: 2021 Nets get a training camp with 2011 coaches to learn how the offense operates

[AEnigma]

You are not starting Joe Harris and Deandre Jordan over Griffin and Aldridge lol.

Nets have better depth, but I feel pretty comfortable with the Celtics starters. Obvious variable is 3s, but Allen and Pierce can increase their volume fine, the Celtics’ defence is substantially better (especially if we are using 2011 schemes), and the Nets have no real answer for Shaq.

[onedayattatime]

I don't think it's close. This hypothetical takes two contenders a decade apart and massively upgrades one of them. The obvious change is Shaq gets to be 10 years younger and guarded by a combination of Deandre Jordan and a few power forwards. Should they get in foul trouble, we even have the amusing prospect of KD guarding Shaq.

[OdomFan]

Between Ray Allen killing it both on the inside with slashing, and out with 3 pointers, Shaq dominating the paint, and hitting Prime KG with great passes, not to mention Rondo hitting everyone else with great passing. The 2011 Celtics with everyone at their prime would absolutely kill that 21 Nets team.

Paul Pierce adds even more to the punishment. Then you have Jermaine Oneal coming off the bench? He'd done that before so he should have no problem fitting right back into that role as the 6th man of the team.

It would be absolutly fun to see prime KG take Durant to school. The Nets have 0 chance containing Shaq. Blake Griffins best bet is to be moved to the 4 because that was his actual position in his prime. He'd still get owned.

Even if you move Kevin Durant to the 3, he'd be met with challenges from Pierce, and a former teammate of his that knows his game well. Jeff Green. He'd still score a lot, but would be tested.

[PierceFan4ever]

How is this even a question lol. Shaq alone in his prime is such an unfair advantage

[OdomFan]

I think the 2003 Magic would be a better challenge

Prime Ewing/Steven Hunter
Prime Horace Grant/Bo Outlaw
Prime Grant Hill/Mike Miller
Prime T-Mac/Dee Brown
Darrell Armstrong/Troy Hudson

Celtics still win in 6 games.

[Fadeaway_J]

The team with prime Troy Murphy. Obviously.

[Dee45]

I think the 2003 Magic would be a better challenge

Prime Ewing/Steven Hunter
Prime Horace Grant/Bo Outlaw
Prime Grant Hill/Mike Miller
Prime T-Mac/Dee Brown
Darrell Armstrong/Troy Hudson

Celtics still win in 6 games.

Its the 2002 Magic, not 2003. I would also have Andrew DeClercq as the backup behind Ewing instead of Steven Hunter, even though both were not good centers. Also, Bo Outlaw was traded earlier in the season to the Suns, so he would be longer on this team, that's if you're going with the pre-Bo Outlaw trade. You also forgot about Pat Garrity and I would have him as a backup behind Horace Grant.

[Dee45]

2011 Celtics all the way, but its weird to have two teams with the same players on each team like Jeff Green like it wouldn't work in real life, so how would it work in this hypothetical scenario? also, Iman Shumpert was on that Nets team so he should have been added. Ain't no way Blake and Lamarcus would be coming off the bench, DeAndre would come off the bench, KD should be at the three, Kyrie at the PG, and Harden at the two. Andre Roberson at PF, WHAT?!