RealGM

Magic Johnson, Hal Greer, Julius Erving, Karl Malone, Bill Walton (healthy, c. 1976-77)

vs.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Nance, Dennis Rodman, Dwayne Wade, John Stockton

You've got Magic vs. Kareem, Kareem vs. Walton, Magic's fast break team against the methodical half-court offense led by Kareem and Stockton.

7 game series.

Who wins?

I would easily take Magic and Co because imo Magic = Kareem but Dr J and Karl Malone are a lot better than anyone else on Kareem's team

ThaRegul8r wrote:Magic Johnson, Hal Greer, Julius Erving, Karl Malone, Bill Walton (healthy, c. 1976-77)

vs.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Nance, Dennis Rodman, Dwayne Wade, John Stockton

You've got Magic vs. Kareem, Kareem vs. Walton, Magic's fast break team against the methodical half-court offense led by Kareem and Stockton.

7 game series.

Who wins?

I'd take Magic's team.

Kareem's team has a LOT of really nice defense that'll do outstanding in a half-court game as you mentioned but Magic's team is equal to the task with an equally capable half-court team and a really brutal transition attack. You thought Magic was nasty with James Worthy on the wing and you've added Dr. J? *shudders*

Consider too that a healthy Bill Walton replicates pretty much everything you get from Kareem aside from the scoring and that you get from Malone. Walton may have also been a better defender than Kareem.

Kareem led team IMO.

ThaRegul8r wrote:Magic Johnson, Hal Greer, Julius Erving, Karl Malone, Bill Walton (healthy, c. 1976-77)

vs.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Nance, Dennis Rodman, Dwayne Wade, John Stockton

You've got Magic vs. Kareem, Kareem vs. Walton, Magic's fast break team against the methodical half-court offense led by Kareem and Stockton.

7 game series.

Who wins?

I say Magic's team because I simply cannot fathom Kareem and Rodman on the same team. And I don't think that ANYTHING on this planet is more fearsome that a fast break with MAGIC and DOC.

Agree with tsherkin and the majority. A big part of it is dominance and chemistry. Although the Magic-led team would (obviously) have to rein in some of their offensive game, they are also players who, at various times in their careers, did just that. Both teams are strong on D, but I'd definitely want the team that had the extra offensive firepower. Stockton is efficient, but wasn't really a major scoring threat. Rodman was an OK passer but otherwise an offensive minus. In terms of being able to put points on the board--Kareem/Wade and Doc/Malone largely cancel each other out. Magic/Greer/Walton are much better on the offensive end than Stockton/Nance/Rodman--like 30-40% better in terms of scoring, at least.

I also think the Magic team is an underrated defensive team. Walton was elite; Dr. J was close to that at his peak. Malone was very good, although a bit overrated (IMO). Magic had great hands and worked well within a team defensive system. Hal Greer was above average. The Kareem led team is better on that end--but not enough to make up for the offensive difference. My .02 on that.

I don't know it's a tossup imo. At first glance you would say that the Magic team has more talent and go with them.

But looking at Kareems team, it's more of a TEAM. Kareem and Wade would be the two primary offensive players. Stockton would be happy to just set up the whole team and not take any shots. Rodman would play disruptive defense (he frustrated Karl Malone quite often) and Nance would play the role of garbage man.

Magic playing with I assume prime DR J and Karl Malone I don't think fits as well. Remember how the Sixers lost to the Blazers when they had the more talented team in the finals.


Team over talent........

When Walton peaked, some people even debated about him possibly being better then KAJ.

The supporting cast Magic has here is considerably stronger than Kareem's overall, and thus Magic's team would take this series in about 6 games IMO.

G35 wrote:I don't know it's a tossup imo. At first glance you would say that the Magic team has more talent and go with them.

But looking at Kareems team, it's more of a TEAM. Kareem and Wade would be the two primary offensive players. Stockton would be happy to just set up the whole team and not take any shots. Rodman would play disruptive defense (he frustrated Karl Malone quite often) and Nance would play the role of garbage man.

Magic playing with I assume prime DR J and Karl Malone I don't think fits as well. Remember how the Sixers lost to the Blazers when they had the more talented team in the finals.


Team over talent........

Magic's team have 3 of the best glue guys you would ever want on your team in Magic himself, the Doctor and Bill Walton though, so I'm not even sure I'd give the chemistry edge to Kareem's team here.

ThaRegul8r wrote:Magic Johnson, Hal Greer, Julius Erving, Karl Malone, Bill Walton (healthy, c. 1976-77)

vs.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Nance, Dennis Rodman, Dwayne Wade, John Stockton

You've got Magic vs. Kareem, Kareem vs. Walton, Magic's fast break team against the methodical half-court offense led by Kareem and Stockton.

7 game series.

Who wins?

Are we getting a NBA Finals Dwyane Wade? Which Kareem are we getting as well?

tkb wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Magic's team have 3 of the best glue guys you would ever want on your team in Magic himself, the Doctor and Bill Walton though, so I'm not even sure I'd give the chemistry edge to Kareem's team here.

I don't know about that. I don't think Magic's team goes so well together. Also Jordansbulls makes a good point about what part of their career are we getting these guys.

I have never thought Malone would be as effective with any other PG than Stockton. I don't remember that being a major part of the Lakers/Magics game and that is what Malone is known for especially offensively. I think the key matchup to me anyway is Rodman/Malone. The OP matched them up for whatever reason but Dennis was always able to defend Rodman well especially in those finals series.

Once again, on the NBA's biggest stage, Karl Malone has come out and forgotten his lines.

Malone had been terrific for Utah in the playoffs, averaging 26.5 points while shooting 45.1 percent from the field.

But in the first two games of the NBA Finals against the Bulls, Malone has hit just 14 of 41 shots and averaged 18.5 points. His outside shot has been especially poor. Away from the basket, Malone was a miserable 3-for-23 in Games 1 and 2.

Then if we take Dr.J he and George McGinnis didn't get along and they folded against a lesser talented Blazer team.

No one is talking about Hal Greer and honestly I have no idea about his game so I will just say it's neutral. However I believe we have to give the edge to Wade and what he has been able to do.

I also think that a prime Walton is inferior to a prime KAJ. In fact I think that only Shaq and Wilt would be his equal or cancel him out.

Magic has the advantage of height and strength over Stockton but I can't ever think that Stockton is nothing but a positive for a team and they don't lose much in that matchup especially in just running the offense......

Magic-led team

JordansBulls wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Are we getting a NBA Finals Dwyane Wade? Which Kareem are we getting as well?

It's the Dwayne Wade who put up 34.7/7.8/3.8/2.67 in the NBA Finals and won Finals MVP, and the Milwaukee Bucks Kareem who was winning MVPs dropping 30+ ppg on 55-57% shooting, 16 rpg, 4 apg, 3.5+ bpg and was also Finals MVP in '71.

magic's team