Peaks: Curry/Klay/Draymond or Lillard/Drexler/Walton

[Matt15]

Peak only which duo would you choose?

[Cavsfansince84]

I think for now or since 2012 this is safely the Warrior trio. They are a proven 67 win core while with the Blazers its harder to predict and there's really no way to bring up Walton without having to be realistic about his injuries. His peak years were 77&78 and in both years he missed a lot of games and then in 78 he misses the playoffs. So how can you count on him in this kind of hypothetical scenario?

[Samurai]

What is peak Walton? I am assuming it would be 78 since that is the year he won MVP. If so, that means he will miss 30% of the RS games and miss two-thirds of the playoffs. As great as he was in the limited time he played, being absent for so many games is too big a negative to overcome. I would take the GSW trio.

[GeorgeMarcus]

Blazers, somewhat comfortably. Surprised by the results here.

[homecourtloss]

Blazers, somewhat comfortably. Surprised by the results here.

Because the Warriors are a known. They won 67 games and then 73 games. While Walton might have the highest peak though that’s very arguable, and I would go with Curry myself, and Drexler may be an all-around better player than Klay, there’s little reason logically to believe that a team with Lillard, Drexler, and Walton would be as good in some specific era as the Warriors were in theirs because being better than 67/73 wins, 10+ SRS teams is highly unlikely for any trio.

[eminence]

I think since the illegal defense removal I’d go with the Warriors, in a prior era I’d go with the Blazers (assuming hypothetical Walton is actually healthy).

I have Dray (whom I love as a player) notably less impactful with illegal defense rules in place.

[70sFan]

I think since the illegal defense removal I’d go with the Warriors, in a prior era I’d go with the Blazers (assuming hypothetical Walton is actually healthy).

I have Dray (whom I love as a player) notably less impactful with illegal defense rules in place.

How about times before illegal defense?

[eminence]

I think since the illegal defense removal I’d go with the Warriors, in a prior era I’d go with the Blazers (assuming hypothetical Walton is actually healthy).

I have Dray (whom I love as a player) notably less impactful with illegal defense rules in place.

How about times before illegal defense?

As best I'm aware those rules were roughly in place since the beginning of the BAA, is there really value in asking how these trios would do in the 30s?

[70sFan]

I think since the illegal defense removal I’d go with the Warriors, in a prior era I’d go with the Blazers (assuming hypothetical Walton is actually healthy).

I have Dray (whom I love as a player) notably less impactful with illegal defense rules in place.

How about times before illegal defense?

As best I'm aware those rules were roughly in place since the beginning of the BAA, is there really value in asking how these trios would do in the 30s?

Zones were not allowed technically before 1981, but there was no strict rule how to figure out where teams play zones. As such, a lot of teams in the 1970s defended in a way that was forbidden in the 1980s and 1990s.

[eminence]

How about times before illegal defense?

As best I'm aware those rules were roughly in place since the beginning of the BAA, is there really value in asking how these trios would do in the 30s?

Zones were not allowed technically before 1981, but there was no strict rule how to figure out where teams play zones. As such, a lot of teams in the 1970s defended in a way that was forbidden in the 1980s and 1990s.

Ehh, there were enforcement differences, and sure there were some teams who really pushed the envelope (Knicks come to mind), but I still have it closer to 80s/90s defensive schemes than today. Advantage Blazers group still for me (Warriors losing the 3 doesn't help here obviously - unless they're playing in the ABA, where I'll admit to being much less familiar with the rules enforcement, maybe favor the Warriors again there, but I don't know).

[70sFan]

As best I'm aware those rules were roughly in place since the beginning of the BAA, is there really value in asking how these trios would do in the 30s?

Zones were not allowed technically before 1981, but there was no strict rule how to figure out where teams play zones. As such, a lot of teams in the 1970s defended in a way that was forbidden in the 1980s and 1990s.

Ehh, there were enforcement differences, and sure there were some teams who really pushed the envelope (Knicks come to mind), but I still have it closer to 80s/90s defensive schemes than today. Advantage Blazers group still for me (Warriors losing the 3 doesn't help here obviously - unless they're playing in the ABA, where I'll admit to being much less familiar with the rules enforcement, maybe favor the Warriors again there, but I don't know).

The thing is that you can't basically watch late 1980s game without at least 1-2 illegal defense whistles, while I remember maybe one (?) situation when the team was called for playing zone in the 1970s game (and I have watched likely over 50 1970s games). Of course teams didn't play legit zones back then, but even things like overloading strong side or soft doubles were much more common back then. Of course lack of three would hurt Warriors.

To be honest, I don't know that much about ABA rules either.