All time NBA team - pick em

[gideon]

Arising from at least two other fine threads here, I pose the question to you NBA fanatics..... IF you had to pick 8 men to play any team or any other players in NBA history who would you pick? You do not have to select by position but should pick 8 with a variety of positions to fill what needs to be done on the court. In other words, 8 centers or 8 point gaurds are not kosher.

My 8: Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Elgin Baylor, John Stockton

I figure I could start Wilt down the middle with Rus and Bird on the wings, Jordan would be in the backcourt with Magic moving the whole machine like well oiled clockwork. The Big O could sub for Jordan, Stockton for Magic and Baylor can play any position up front with Rus taking over at center when Wilt had to sit.

Whats your plan to beat that?

 

[The Josh]

My 8 would be Jordan, Russell, Bird, Magic, West, Robertson, Wilt, Jabbar.

I'm going with this because this team can score and oh play a little "D" as well. I'd go with Magic playing the point, MJ as his running mate, Bird at the 3, Russell playing, and Wilt in the Middle. Then I got West who can spot MJ or Bird, Robertson can play either guard position, and Jabbar can play either either post position. My team will score on you and shut you down!!!

 

[MaulFan]

Michael Jordan
Julius "Dr. J" Erving
Larry Bird
Magic Johnson
Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Reggie Miller
Damon Stoudamire
Tim Duncan

 

[The ill Jedi]

Jordan, Russell, Bird, Magic, West, Robertson, Wilt, Jabbar.

That about sums it up for my 8!!

 

[gideon]

jlcmsu ... Well your team and my team are pretty much the same team except I add Wilt and Stockton you go with Jerry West & Kareem. And thats great. I just remember Wilt as the single most dominant player I have ever seen and would not be without him on the court. Do you realize he never fouled out of a pro game?

West over Stockton --- if you are talking taking the last shot of the game - I agree that West is better. If you are talking running the machine as quarterback then I go with Stockton.

There are a million Chamberlain stories around - maybe some of them reall happened. The best one I ever heard was from Connie Hawkins in his excellent book FOUL. For those who do not know - The Hawk was Dr. J before the doctor graduated from Med school. Hawk talks about the Harlem Ruckers tournament one summer where he played Wilt for the first time. Just a truly great story and helps you appreciate just what a special individual Chamberlain was.

You picked Kareem - and he was great with the numbers to back that selection up. But I remember those years in between titles where he barely got up and down the court and phoned in most games. I never saw Bill Russell, Jordan or Bird do that even when they were 20 points down.

 

[The ill Jedi]

West over Stockton --- if you are talking taking the last shot of the game - I agree that West is better. If you are talking running the machine as quarterback then I go with Stockton.

Jerry West had Nine Finals appearances and although he only won one NBA championship, that is still one more that Stockton's (0). I'll take 'Mr. Clutch' over 'Hum Drum' Stockton anyday.

You picked Kareem...I remember those years in between titles where he barely got up and down the court and phoned in most games. I never saw Bill Russell, Jordan or Bird do that even when they were 20 points down.

The guy is one of the best EVER, he played 'til he was 42, no other player has ever done that.

 

[MaulFan]

The guy is one of the best EVER, he played 'til he was 42, no other player has ever done that.

Jordan wasn't far behind that when he retired for good.

 

[Ryanfromindiana]

I wonder how those guys would hold up against some of the newer gaurd of guys. A motivated Shaq was an unstoppable force...I'm not sure there has been a physical presence like him ever. How would they handle a guy like Nowitzki or Garnett that have gaurd-like handles and can shoot from anywhere. Having said that, I like Josh's team

 

[MaulFan]

Obviously Chamberlain and them couldn't really do it, but wouldn't it be neat to get like Charles Barkley and Jordan and Bird and Magic and guys from that era together with the modern era for like a Then & Now exhibition game. I've been watching Rocky Balboa a lot lately so thinking about this thread had it playing in my mind "if two athletes from differents eras..."

 

[LOTRFan]

Benoit Benjamin
Jeff Hornacek
Tony Kukoc
Elden Campbell
Christian Laettner
Ron Artest
Rasheed Wallace

Jordan ... I think we can still win.

 

[Eli26]

42 is old? Try 52 by Gordie Howe. 32 years of professional hockey. I believe that's the oldest by an athlete.

And hockey is much more faster and more physically dominate than basketball is.

Heck, many hockey players play until 42!

My all-time hockey team:

Forwards: Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky

Defensemen: Bobby Orr, Vladimir Konstantinov

Goaltender: Martin Brodeur

Oops! Sorry to hijack the thread. I am all about the hockey. hehe

 

[The Josh]

jlcmsu ... Well your team and my team are pretty much the same team except I add Wilt and Stockton you go with Jerry West & Kareem. And thats great. I just remember Wilt as the single most dominant player I have ever seen and would not be without him on the court. Do you realize he never fouled out of a pro game?

West over Stockton --- if you are talking taking the last shot of the game - I agree that West is better. If you are talking running the machine as quarterback then I go with Stockton.

There are a million Chamberlain stories around - maybe some of them reall happened. The best one I ever heard was from Connie Hawkins in his excellent book FOUL. For those who do not know - The Hawk was Dr. J before the doctor graduated from Med school. Hawk talks about the Harlem Ruckers tournament one summer where he played Wilt for the first time. Just a truly great story and helps you appreciate just what a special individual Chamberlain was.

You picked Kareem - and he was great with the numbers to back that selection up. But I remember those years in between titles where he barely got up and down the court and phoned in most games. I never saw Bill Russell, Jordan or Bird do that even when they were 20 points down.

I kept Wilt. Go look again. He's in my starting five. I'd take my team against anyother combination. My team can score like nobody's business and shut ya down at the same time. Coaching basketball as part of my job I'd be willing to stake my career on this team.

 

[rw23]

I would take Shaq (as much as I hate him), Jordan, Magic, Bird, Isiah, Barkley, Ewing, and Malone. Also John Stockton couldn't hold Isiah Thomas's jock, ever!

 

[rw23]

42 is old? Try 52 by Gordie Howe. 32 years of professional hockey. I believe that's the oldest by an athlete.

And hockey is much more faster and more physically dominate than basketball is.

Heck, many hockey players play until 42!

My all-time hockey team:

Forwards: Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky

Defensemen: Bobby Orr, Vladimir Konstantinov

Goaltender: Martin Brodeur

Oops! Sorry to hijack the thread. I am all about the hockey. hehe

Hockey is more physical than b-ball, but the wear and tear on the knees and ankles from runnin' up and down the court will take 5+ years aleast off a career. Hockey players glide on ice, far less impact on the joints.
My hockey 5: Brodeur, Lidstrom, Orr, M. Lemiex, Yzerman, Hull

 

[gideon]

jlcmsu - my bad on the Wilt error - sorry.
A truly great book on the entire Wilt-Russell era was just written two years ago. Its called THE RIVALRY and is by John Taylor. It is mandatory reading for anyone who cares about NBA history. After you read it you really get the picture of two very opposite men who could not be more different but who both changed the game in very different ways.

The other book I would recomend is FOUL by Connie Hawkins. It helps you understand the bridge years between the old game and the newer faster game of the Dr, J era. And it has the single best basketball story I have ever read when he tells about playing Wilt Chamberlain for the first time in the Harlem Ruckers tournament.

 

[Freddie_Freeloader]

5 Kareem
4 Rusell
3 The Big O
2 Jordan
1 Magic

Bench
Wilt, Walt Clyde Frazier, Isiah Thomas

Kareem Rusell and Wilt can all play the 4 and 5. Oscar and Jordan can both play the 3 or the 2. Magic can play all 5 positions. Clyde can play 1-3. Isiah can also play both guard positions. I think this team is super deep and very verstaile. You could just about put any 5 of these 8 guys out their and have them play comfortably in their positions.

Honorable menitions
Elgin Baylor
Pistol Pete Maravich
Bill Walton

 

[gbtv01]

Nash
Barkley
Jordon
Shaq
Ben Wallace
Bird
Kidd
Magic

 

[piccolodaimaoh]

Starting lineup

1. Magic Johnson
2. Michael Jordan
3. Julius Erving
4. Bill Russell
5. Wilt Chamberlain

Bench
Larry Bird
Oscar Robertson
Isiah Thomas

Big O would play 1, 2 or 3 depending on who has foul trouble.
Russ would play 4 and 5 and due the cleanup work on the boards.
Bird would split 3 and 4 and be the long distance sniper.

This team would run the fast break like they invented it with Jordan, Magic, Doc and Isiah.

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

My 8..

Shaq, Kareem, MJ, Kobe, Magic, Bird, Malone, Worthy.

Can you tell Im a Laker fan?. 6 of 8 have been Lakers.

 

[gideon]

Bodie - sadly you missed the greatest player of all time to wear the Laker uniform --- Wilt Chamberlain. But thats okay - I long ago forgave Wilt for that grieveous sin.