A Game of 2-on-2, All-Time by Team

[wigglestrue]

Looking for the best duos, inside-outside preferably, to play a playground game. To qualify, a player needs 2-3 really good years on a team, and each player represents his 2 or 3 years-long peak. So, Magic's teammate isn't the mid 80's Kareem who played for the Lakers, it's the mid 70's Kareem who played for the Lakers. Not a question of which duo comprises the best duo per their NBA careers, but which duo would be better in a 2-on-2 game. Other legit options per team in parentheses.

Celtics: Bird-Russell (Havlicek?)
Lakers: Magic-Kareem (West, Shaq?)
Sixers: Erving-Wilt (Iverson, Barkley, Moses?)
Spurs: Gervin-Duncan (Robinson?)
Bulls: Jordan-Pippen (Gilmore?)
Jazz: Stockton-Malone (Pistol?)
Pistons: Isiah-Lanier
Rockets: TMac-Hakeem (Moses?)
Hawks: Wilkins-Pettit
Warriors: Barry-Wilt
Mavericks: Nash-Nowitzki
Suns: Nash-Barkley (Kidd?)
Wizards: Monroe-Hayes (Unseld?)
Blazers: Drexler-Walton
Kings: Archibald-Robertson
Knicks: Frazier-Ewing (King, Reed?)
Raptors: Carter-Bosh
Magic: TMac-Shaq (Howard?)
Sonics: Payton-Haywood (Kemp?)
Hornets: Paul-Mourning
Grizzlies: Miller-Gasol (JWill, Gay?)
Heat: Wade-Shaq (Hardaway, Mourning?)
Wolves: Gugliotta-Garnett
Bucks: Moncrief-Kareem (Oscar?)
Nets: Kidd-Buck (Carter, Erving?)
Clippers: Cummings-Brand
Pacers: Reggie-O'Neal
Nuggets: Thompson-Issel (English, Anthony, Lever, Camby, Mutombo?)
Cavs: LeBron-Daughtery (Nance?)
Bobcats: Wallace-Okafor

[Point forward]

Looking for the best duos, inside-outside preferably, to play a playground game. To qualify, a player needs 2-3 really good years on a team, and each player represents his 2 or 3 years-long peak. So, Magic's teammate isn't the mid 80's Kareem who played for the Lakers, it's the mid 70's Kareem who played for the Lakers. Not a question of which duo comprises the best duo per their NBA careers, but which duo would be better in a 2-on-2 game. Other legit options per team in parentheses.

Celtics: Bird-Russell (Havlicek?)
Lakers: Magic-Kareem (West, Shaq?)
Sixers: Erving-Wilt (Iverson, Barkley, Moses?)
Spurs: Gervin-Duncan (Robinson?)
Bulls: Jordan-Pippen (Gilmore?)
Jazz: Stockton-Malone (Pistol?)
Pistons: Isiah-Lanier
Rockets: TMac-Hakeem (Moses?)
Hawks: Wilkins-Pettit
Warriors: Barry-Wilt
Mavericks: Nash-Nowitzki
Suns: Nash-Barkley (Kidd?)
Wizards: Monroe-Hayes (Unseld?)
Blazers: Drexler-Walton
Kings: Archibald-Robertson
Knicks: Frazier-Ewing (King, Reed?)
Raptors: Carter-Bosh
Magic: TMac-Shaq (Howard?)
Sonics: Payton-Haywood (Kemp?)
Hornets: Paul-Mourning
Grizzlies: Miller-Gasol (JWill, Gay?)
Heat: Wade-Shaq (Hardaway, Mourning?)
Wolves: Gugliotta-Garnett
Bucks: Moncrief-Kareem (Oscar?)
Nets: Kidd-Buck (Carter, Erving?)
Clippers: Cummings-Brand
Pacers: Reggie-O'Neal
Nuggets: Thompson-Issel (English, Anthony, Lever, Camby, Mutombo?)
Cavs: LeBron-Daughtery (Nance?)
Bobcats: Wallace-Okafor

Most of the proposals are very nice, like Stockton/Malone, Wilt/Barry, Paul/Zo, Moncrief/Kareem, MJ/Scottie or Wade/Shaq. Here some thoughts:

For the Pacers, I would take George McGinnis. He is better than JO.

For the Celtics, I would bite the bullet and bench Bird (yes, I know it is sacrilege), because I would take Havlicek for a 2vs2 game. Try to score on Russell/Havlicek

For the Mavs, Nowitzki / Finley would be better IMHO. Nash is not dynamic enough for a playground game, and his (SICK, SICK) passing is not that important in a 2vs2 game. Also, Finley actually can defend his man.

For the Kings, I would take Webber / Big O. Nate is the far better player, but he is very small. I cannot imagine Big O trying to play low post defense vs centers.

For the Rockets, I would take Hakeem of course, but IMHO Horry would be an interesting choice for his sidekick. He is far more clutch than T-Mac!

For the Grizzlies, ths just shouts for J-Will. He would be the ultimate crowd pleaser.

[kooldude]

Tmac/Hakeem ftw!

[nyu3]

2 on 2.... match ups become even more important.

Obviously, Celtics/Lakers/Bulls/Sixers are strongest over all. Knicks, Jazz, Blazers, and Spurs are great, too.

Hakeem's peak is as high as any ever for a big man; T-Mac (not that great in Houston) is holding Hakeem back. I think Jordan + Hakeem would probably be the best combo.

[penbeast0]

I wouldn't take Gervin for the Spurs. You have great bigs, need someone who can handle and play d as well as score. James Silas, Alvin Robertson, even Parker or Ginobli would be better pick. And although Duncan has the better career, Robinson is the better individual player with the higher peak.

Robinson/Parker would beat Duncan/Gervin

[circushots]

2 on 2, you need your big to be able to switch on pick and rolls.

So Tmac and Hakeem take this, as their length and quickness allow them to matchup with pretty much any combination of guards/forwards. Hakeem's mobility allows him to guard big guys like Shaq/Wilt (as well as you can) while being able to take on 4s just as well. Tmac uses his length to do a decent job on 2s and 3s, and at least adequately bother point guards. And on offense, they are unstoppable as both guys dominate both inside and out.

[Reks]

I like Orlando's Shaq and T-Mac team. It would kick a$$

[Optimism Prime]

I like Orlando's Shaq and T-Mac team. It would kick a$$

See above, about pick and rolls. That's all you'd need to do to beat them.

[shawngoat23]

West-Wilt or West-Kareem (if we take into account age, I'll take 28-yo Kareem over 32-yo Wilt)

/thread

[zong]

wow the only team I can see the Raptors beat is probably the Bobcats

[cjx]

This reminds me of NBA Jam!

I wouldn't mind seeing a team of Hakeem and T-Mac with Pippen coming off the bench vs. George McGinnis and David Thompson with Ray Allen coming off the bench.

(Just imagining without sticking to the aforementioned parameters)

[schaffy]

For the Wolves, are you counting just with the Wolves organization, or when the Lakers were in Minnesota? Because I think you could pair George Mikan with KG and have two guys 6-10. Garnett has some handles, so he could play outside and Mikan could play on the block.

[Patterns]

Kobe/Shaq

[5DOM]

rafer and yao

[penbeast0]

two bigs like Garnett/Mikan wouldn't work that well. Garnett has decent handles . . . for a big . . . but would be very vulnerable to aggressive pgs like a Gary Payton or Walt Frazier and defensively hasn't got the speed to stay with them. Back in the day when they had the one-on-one contests (NBA on CBS?), the bigs didn't tend to win for just that reason.

[kooldude]

two bigs like Garnett/Mikan wouldn't work that well. Garnett has decent handles . . . for a big . . . but would be very vulnerable to aggressive pgs like a Gary Payton or Walt Frazier and defensively hasn't got the speed to stay with them. Back in the day when they had the one-on-one contests (NBA on CBS?), the bigs didn't tend to win for just that reason.

who were the winners in 1vs1?

[penbeast0]

was looking for it but haven't found it. The ones I remember, it was usually SFs who tend to have ball skills and size, but I was like 10 years old and dont trust my memory that much.

[Nuzzo]

Bob Lanier won it in 1972.

Suns - Sir Charles and Connie "The Hawk" Hawkins

[penbeast0]

then I'm probably wrong and a good two big set might be able to dominate (Wilt/Kareem?)

That's a nasty pair Nuzzo . . .

[Point forward]

then I'm probably wrong and a good two big set might be able to dominate (Wilt/Kareem?)

Wilt and Kareem would never work. The two hated each other with a passion.