Forget who's better...

[writerman]

assume you have an all-star team from 2000-present.

as a coach, what strategy (be detailed!) do you use to defeat this team in a 7-game title series?

C- Wilt Chamberlain
PF - Jerry Lucas
SF - Rick Barry
SG - John Havlicek
PG - Walt Frazier

Oh, and I almost forgot--assume modern rules. And assume an average year for each player.

[aura]

You pinch yourself because you're seeing ghosts.

[GJense4181]

An all-star team from 2000-present?

I can have:
02-03 Jason Kidd 18.7/6.3/8.9
05-06 Kobe Bryant 35.4/5.3/4.5
Present Lebron James 30.0/7.9/7.2
MVP Kevin Garnett 24.2/13.9/5.0
00-01 Shaquille O'Neal 29.7/13.6/3.0
?

I just throw them out there and let them play.

[KNICKS1970]

I would choose

PG: 07-08 Chris Paul
SG: 05-06 Kobe Bryant
SF: 07-08 LeBron James
PF: 04-05 Tim Duncan
C: 00-01 Shaquille O'Neal

Like GJense, for the most part I would just throw them out there and let them play. I would rotate Kobe, LeBron, and Paul on Clyde to try and disrupt the flow of the offense. Frazier would be the most important player on that team, in my opinion. I would also talk enormous amounts of trash towards Wilt to try and bait him into trying to score a ton of points on Shaq at the expense of team play.

[Patterns]

I would choose

PG: 07-08 Chris Paul
SG: 05-06 Kobe Bryant
SF: 07-08 LeBron James
PF: 04-05 Tim Duncan
C: 00-01 Shaquille O'Neal

Like GJense, for the most part I would just throw them out there and let them play. I would rotate Kobe, LeBron, and Paul on Clyde to try and disrupt the flow of the offense. Frazier would be the most important player on that team, in my opinion. I would also talk enormous amounts of trash towards Wilt to try and bait him into trying to score a ton of points on Shaq at the expense of team play.

Switch Duncan with KG. KG matches better with Shaq because he has a money outside shot that extends close to the 3pt line. That would give Shaq an insane amount of room to work with.

[Malinhion]

Something like the Showtime Lakers. Play good, solid D. Clog the middle with a big guy like Shaq and let an atheltic shotblocker like MVP Garnett roam the paint on help D. Try and use some of that new age length and athletecism to clog the passing lanes. When you force a block or turnover, get out on the break.

Grind it out in halfcourt sets on defense. Try to run on offense.

[penbeast0]

Also, unless you have Shaq, use a high post jump shooting center (Duncan will do, Nowitski/Garnettt even) to force Wilt to chase him away from the basket. Wilt hated to chase centers outside the paint, he used to let guys like Clyde Lovelette just have open 15 footers rather than be out of rebounding position. Also, attack their weak defensive forwards, Barry and Lucas weren't exactly Bowen and Garnett out there.

[kooldude]

PG: '05 Chauncey Billups
SG: '08 Kobe Bryant
SF: (any year except the last 2) Bruce Bowen
PF: '03 Tim Duncan
C: '00 Shaquille O'Neal

[ronnymac2]

PG: '05 Chauncey Billups
SG: '08 Kobe Bryant
SF: (any year except the last 2) Bruce Bowen
PF: '03 Tim Duncan
C: '00 Shaquille O'Neal

That is very good. I was gonna put billups there, too. However, I'd rather have prince instead of bowen (though bowen is good, too). I feel ashamed putting 2 pistons in my lineup cuz i hate them, but they work for my strategy. lol

Basically, i want billups because he would make smart decisions such as: well kobe has the hot hand, i'll give it to him or shaq has lucas on a mismatch, let me pass him the ball. He also opens the floor up with great threepoint shooting, something kidd doesn't do. I'd put nash in, but frazier would kill him. At least billups is physical and won't get beaten by frazier in the post. Plus billups can score from anywhere, so frazier can't be as disruptive of my team offense.

shaq would be great with today's kobe bryant because imagine bryant passing to shaq for finishes and alley-oops. then imagine bryant on the pick-n-roll with duncan. kobe, prince and billups can drive whenever they want with no wilt there to defend, unless wilt wants to leave shaq. if wilt guards duncan, he'd have to guard him at the high-post AND shaq would be left alone against SOMEBODY NOT NAMED WILT, and thus is too much of a mismatch.

Prince is a good three point shooter, post-entry passer, post player, cutter, finisher, and doesn't take shots away from kobe, shaq, and duncan. On defense, he'd be disruptive of the other team's offense, play the passing lanes, be effective in doubling on wilt if need be, and can block shots. duncan and shaq hold down the paint, while kobe can either play disruptive d or lock down (as much as possible, not completely shut out) somebody.

My strategy would be to use duncan as a mismatch, pound the ball into shaq, and try to involve plays that make wilt come out, like pick-n-roll. I'd also put kobe at the high-post alot where he can create for duncan's midrange game, shaq downlow, and the threepoint shooters.

[Point forward]

assume you have an all-star team from 2000-present.

as a coach, what strategy (be detailed!) do you use to defeat this team in a 7-game title series?

C- Wilt Chamberlain
PF - Jerry Lucas
SF - Rick Barry
SG - John Havlicek
PG - Walt Frazier

Oh, and I almost forgot--assume modern rules. And assume an average year for each player.

C - 2000 Shaq
PF - 2003 Garnett
SF - 2008 Josh Smith
SG - 2008 Kobe
PG - 2005 Billups

Basic strategy: pound the ball into Shaq and make Wilt work. Torture Wilt with the pick and roll and go for the 3 if the defenders sag back. On defense, play slow and tight and make them take it to the basket. Shaq, KG and Smith are super shotblockers, and the 1960s are not THAT good at dunking. Pat Riley would be a nice choice.

On offense, I would use the PNR to annoy the hell out of Wilt, and make Garnett stretch the floor. Kobe vs Hondo will be fun to watch, and I would try to use Josh Smith and Chauncey Billups as X factors. Dunk champ Josh 1on1 vs Barry is a dunk waiting to happen, and beefy Billups is a potent low post threat vs light Frazier. Frazier could steal him blind, ok, but I would risk it.

[JordansBulls]

-= original quote snipped =-


Switch Duncan with KG. KG matches better with Shaq because he has a money outside shot that extends close to the 3pt line. That would give Shaq an insane amount of room to work with.

It's better with Duncan because him and Shaq could cause Wilt some problems in the paint. KG is too small if Shaq gets into foul trouble.

[writerman]

some nice, thoughtful, and interesting posts. Just a couple of comments;

I specifically picked Barry and Lucas because both had genuine and consistent three-point range. I think this would make it dangerous for Duncan or Garnett to take too many liberties with doubling Wilt, who was a great passer. Under today's rules, with those teammates, Wilt would be kicking the ball ou to the wings for threes quite a bit. I don't think Wilt would be doing as much scoring as he would rebounding, defending, and passing. While it's true Wilt wasn't fond of the high post game, he could play it effectively.

Also, check your stats. There is no appreciable difference in height/weight/strength between Billups and Frazier. If you pick Baron Davis instead, that might be a factor, but even then not an overiding one.

I agree that Duncan or Garnett might have some success posting up a smaller Lucas, but Luke weas decently built--probably as strong if not stronger than Garnett at least--and having been a center in ciollege, could play the post game quite effectively, and as I said could go outside and pop the three quite efficiently.

I see (and Kobe fans will be outraged) Kobe/Hondo as a wash, though I would pay a months rent to see those two prime go after each other.

Again, thanks for the thoughtful answers. There are legitimate points you make. I think in this series the team that set the past in the the first quarter of each game would be the ones likely to win the series. I don't see either team as able to come back from a deficit against the other.

[jeahwe]

Little different question. If we have time machine and take average team (no some dream teams, but real teams which in fact played in theirs eras) from 60s and average from 00s who would win in best of seven series if:

1. they play under 60s rules
2. 00s rules
3. 60s rules but with 3pt line

?

[Patterns]

Little different question. If we have time machine and take average team (no some dream teams, but real teams which in fact played in theirs eras) from 60s and average from 00s who would win in best of seven series if:

1. they play under 60s rules
2. 00s rules
3. 60s rules but with 3pt line

?

1.00s
2.00s
3.00s

[ROKILLA]

Just keep the game close giving yourself a chance to win in the end. Then towards the end foul Wilt & make him beat you at the line. We win!