Notanoob wrote:Ooooh. You got me. Good one. I'm really intimidate here.blueadams wrote:Hey. Morons.That's right, tell me what to do.blueadams wrote:Please leave and don't post in it again.
You're still on the wrong board. This sort of discussion belongs on the Player Comparison board, where you will find the most intelligent, knowledgeable and informed basketball fans anywhere, no offense to the Pistons board posters.
In any event, I'd certainly take a number of guys over Russel. His defensive impact was enormous in his time, but that was because he basically invented concepts such as team defense, switching, etc. and was excellent at playing mind games with other players. Opposing coaches didn't recognize how he'd fool them into getting out of their offensive rhythm trying to exploit a perceived hole in their defense, then shut that hole and completely confuse them. His impact would be muted in the modern game where every shot isn't in the paint, and everyone has learned to shoot a good floater. He'd be essentially another Ben Wallace. His passing was definitely good, but he wasn't Bill Walton, and he really didn't have any scoring game. He was not efficient at all, especially for a big man, even relative to his era. He'd be best off being a PnR finisher, using his athleticism to get buckets.
The best PF of all time is certainly Duncan, but indeed it would be better to shift Hakeem to PF instead- Hakeem was as mobile as KG, so he could certainly keep up with any PF he'd face, and with his jump shot he'd be comfortable spacing the floor. His game is complete, so no real need to elaborate.
The question is who else do you play at center? You could really pick any one of a number of guys.
Peak Shaq was an underrated defender, and was an incredibly intimidating paint protector when he was motivated. And of course on the offensive end, he was unstoppable. Solid passer, but hardly needed to because he could beat doubles in the post anyways. He was somewhat limited in his game, but he was so utterly dominant in the paint around both ends that it hardly mattered.
Kareem was similarly incredible, and younger Kareem was capable of leveraging his absurd length into frighteningly good defense-certainly not comparable to guys like the Admiral or Hakeem, but still enough to earn all-defensive team spots. He wasn't the strongest, but he could still be an effective post defender due to his reach advantage over everyone not named Manute Bol. Everyone knows about his post offense and his legendary Skyhook- the man was a scoring machine like none other. In this mental exersize, he has the advantage of already having shown how effective he was when paired with Magic, something we haven't seen with the other guys here.
Wilt Chamberlain is the last option. He was similar to Shaq, really. Absurdly strong (he out-lifted Schwarzenegger on the set of Conan the Destroyer) mobile for his incredible size, terrifying, couldn't shoot at all (despite taking shots to try and prove people otherwise). I like Wilt more though. I like his passing more. In 68 he lead the league in assists-sure he was gunning for that record, but the other guys who are options couldn't have pulled that off if they tried. Wilt changed his game often (he listed to coaches, in spite of his reputation, they just sucked and asked him to volume score at the expense of his teammates), but his 67 version was really the complete package and best version of him. He served as the offensive hub in the post, rather than freezing everyone out and volume scoring, and on the other end worked tirelessly to protect the paint and shut people down. Wilt only played perfect season, then went back to chasing stats, then got injured and was forced to take a lesser role, but for that season, he was really exceptional. It took him a while to show us everything that he could do, but he could really do everything. These days, coaches would optimize his usage immediately.
Really, if I could, I'd probably rather take young Aryvdas Sabonis. He's ambidextrous, can shoot out to 3 point range, very mobile, 7-4, strong, excellent passer...he really had everything. Imagine a guy big and strong enough to battle Shaq in the post, but could drag him out to 3 point range with his jumper and was throwing around passes behind his back like he was Magic. If the freaking Soviets hadn't run him into the ground, forcing him to play with a blown ACL, and let him come over when he was drafted, we'd be talking about him as the best center ever. It's a real shame the only version we got to see was the quite-literally-crippled 36 year old version, who was still a major contributor on one of the deepest teams ever, the 20000 Blazers.
The other three positions aren't up for debate. Magic is the best point guard ever, Jordan is the best player ever, so naturally he's at SG, and LeBron is better than Larry, or at least last year's version certainly was.
Magic
Jordan
LeBron
Hakeem
2000 Shaq/Kareem/67 Wilt/young Sabonis
Good post. The more I'm thinking about this. The more I'm thinking I'd like to put a Spurs-like roster together. So, with that being said..
C: 71-72 Kareem
PF: 12-13 LBJ (0.406 3pt%)
SF: 85-86 Bird (0.423 3pt%)
SG: 95-96 MJ (0.427 3pt%)
PG: 89-90 Magic (0.384 3pt%)
Like you said, MJ, LBJ, Magic (and, I'm assuming) Bird are the four best perimeter players of all-time. LBJ has the tools to be a super-Boris Diaw at the 4. I picked their best seasons, and MJ's 2nd best season (where he shot A LOT better from 3).
So, I've got the 4 best perimeter players of all-time, and two of the best perimeter defenders of all-time (in MJ and LBJ). Magic and Bird should be fine enough as defenders.
Big man is the tougher question. Thinking Spurs-ish. I never liked Shaq's attitude. In spite of what you claim, I don't like what I've read/heard about Wilt's attitude either. And, though I have heard the same legend, I'm not going to plug Sabonis into an all-time squad.
For me it comes down to Kareem or Hakeem. And Kareem's best season --- the best statistical season of all-time --- is just so much better than Hakeem's. Even though I never saw him in his prime, and I loved Hakeem as a defender. I just had to go with Kareem.
