I know there's some debate about who'd win this match-up. Let's be honest --- both teams are so talented, that I'm sure if they played ten times, the 2012 team would win a game or two.
But, if you had to pick the winner for just one game, who would you pick?
I'd go with the original Dream Team.
Right off the bat because they have the G.O.A.T. -- Michael Jordan, I'm partial to that fact. But, the other factor is the big men. After some injuries, the 2012 team has Tyson Chandler & not-even-a-rookie-yet Anthony Davis at Center. Kevin Love & Carmelo Anthony at Power Forward are obviously no slouches. But, at the Center position, the '92 team had Patrick Ewing & David Robinson...in their prime. Also, their two best Power Forwards were Karl Malone & Charles Barkley...in their prime. I think the size & girth of the '92 team would be the difference.
My vote goes to the 1992 Dream Team.
is this a serious thread? Im only 24 and even I will acknowledge the 92 team would crush this team if they knew they had to fight to win and not just coast thru the olympics like they did. Kobe is WAY past his prime, not nearly as athletic as he used to be, Jordan would torch his azz (Kobe in his prime is another story). LeBron has no basketball skills whatsoever when it comes to scoring because the bigs of the 92 team would not let him drive to the basket. he cannot score otherwise. Dwight Howard is a beast but so was David Robinson and Patrick Ewing. I'd say those 3 are pretty similar except Dwight is limited offensively. I dont see any way the 92 team loses... LeBron would piss his pants if he saw BARKLEY staring him down not to mention Jordan would just smoke em. If LeBron got one easy dunk Barkley and Jordan would look at the rest of their teammates and if nobody did anything about it they would take care of it themself. ok ok, Barkley is Jordans b!tch so Mike would make him do it lol.
You are a moron if you think LeBron has no basketball skills. I'm from cleveland and obviously don't like him and still recognize that of course he has amazing basketball skills. Also Dwight is not on this team so there's that. This team has better guard play all around but the 92 team has the better bigs it's an interesting match up and I think it's a close game with the edge going to the 92 team just because they had magic and michael and michael was only 6 years into his career while kobe is going on 17.
"I like to believe that my best hits border on felonious assault."
--Jack Tatum
@ SHADY - dead serious and not a clown question, bro haha
I'm with you. But, I've actually heard some people state this team would beat the '92 team. Maybe once or twice in ten tries...but, the '92 team is superior. Like I said, (and you said, too), because a lot of the key guys were in their prime then.
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
@MANofSCARLET ---- agreed, Dwight being out does make a big difference. I, too, think it's a competitive game. But, the difference is Mr. Clutch - MJ & the bigs.
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
If this was a best of 7, the series was go 7 and it would be a toss up. LBJ and Kobe and Durant and Davis (who'll be a beast) - they're amazing. It would be one hell of a series.
read the post clearly Man_of_Scarlet... I said LeBron has no basketball skills WHEN IT COMES TO SCORING........... I didnt say he couldnt pass (very impressive part of his game), I didnt say he wasnt a beast on fast breaks, or a very good defender (not as GREAT 1 on 1 as people like to think), I didnt say he couldnt rebound, is it that much to ask to read and think before you post something? Basically all LeBron is offensively (scoring) is a perimeter Shaquille O'Neal, he uses his god given size and speed and forces his way into the lane for easy dunks and (with the assist of the refs sometimes) an array of and-1's. He cant shoot the 3, cant hit a jumper to save his life (he goes on a hot streak once every 7-8 games)... is everything I said not true? Please dont come at me with a bunch of statistics, I like to use my eyes. Anyways, Dream Team would win, you failed to convince anybody anything.
ShadyBuckeye... Just a bitter Cavs fan, huh?
Top to bottom-Dream Team is the best assembled talent ever. However, matchups for the Dream Team are nightmares with this team.
LeBron would take Scottie's lunch money (grew up a Bulls fan) and Durant would smoke anyone he wanted. Kobe is absolutley past his prime but so were Magic and Larry. Obviously there's not much of a case for the role of 'anti-Jordan'. Point Guard edge goes to this years team as Dream only had Stockton. Bigs for the Dream are great all time players but don't have the range.
Really hard to compare because the eras were different but I'd see it pretty even because this years Olympians are SO much bigger, stronger, and faster.
Who guards LeBron and Durant, shady? LeBron drives at will on Mike and Scottie, Malone and Barkley get WORKED by Durant from the block to the arc and Stockton would get run ragged by Paul\DWill. 10 games, dream team wins 6 AT best.
Did you not watch the finals? All of the things you said LeBron 'cant' do he did with ease.
Match 5's.
PG-Paul vs. Stockton-Paul by a ton
SG-Michael vs-doesnt matter but I'll go with Westbrook? Edge MJ by millions.
SF-LeBron vs. Pippen-Scottie was a great defender and never saw anything like LeBron-This is James. All day.
PF-Durant vs. Malone. Malone's big body can't clog the lane because he has to respect Durant's outside game (allowing LeBron and Paul free reign in the paint)
C-Chandler v. Ewing-Pat. A lot.
Now this year is tough because a lot of guys play a lot of spots. Bron, Melo, Love, Durant can all play multiple spots. There aren't a lot of pure 1\2\3\4\5's as this NBA is a lot different than 92.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Another jacka$$ jumping to conclusions? wow, no Joe Schmo, I am not a Cavs fan.
@BrewstersMillions, actually I did NOT watch the finals. Even if I did my opinion would not change. Do you consider Alex Rodriguez to be clutch just cuz he tore it up the one year the yankees won the world series? The dude failed over and over and over and over in the clutch and when his team needed him. Same with leBron, the only difference is LeBron went to the Heat with a dream team of his own (oh just like A-Rod with the Yankees), that does not impress me. I watched LAST YEARS FINALS though. The greatest player of all time (in some KIDS minds) wouldnt perform like that in his prime. If LeBron even played decent they would have beat the Mavs.
But Shady, he didn't fail this year. Your point is weak. He's a choker because he didn't take over last year? he dominated the entire season AND playoffs this year. Your opinion should change because he matured a ton in one year. Totally different guy and smoked a MUCH better team in OKC.
One year LeBron struggles downt he stretch-He's a choker. A year later he absolutley dominates game after game after game after game and it doesnt matter? Flawed logic and I will no longer engage in it but LeBron has woken up. This is now his NBA. Sorry but you'll have to change your mind in a few seasons or youre just adhering to stubborn, ill informed hatred.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
I respect ur opinion, just go watch some Jordan in his prime and compare. If we're talking about LeBron as a top 5 or 10 player of all time then I will agree with you. If we're talking about being even close to Jordan then this discussion should not take place. If we are talking about LeBron being better than Kobe in his prime (which was really only like 2 or 3 years) then I would say ur out of ur mind. I only saw that EXPLOSIVE unstoppable Kobe during 05-07 I think, even when they won against Boston he was a pathetic shell of himself (still really good though). Anyways thats it for me on this thread.
Shady, born and raised in Chicago. Born in 1983-so I grew up watching MJeff. I hate Michael\LeBron comparisons because they are two different styles. I like an accurate Kobe\Mike comparison and Magic\LeBron comparison given their versatility.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Lets remember that Bird and Magic were at the end of their career and a shell of their former selves. The 92 team would be such a force in the middle with Ewing and Robinson and then Barkley and Malone on the block, they would just wear down the 12 team and force guys like Lebron and Melo defend the post because of foul trouble. (Remember it's 5 fouls instead of 6 in Olympic play) The game would eventually come down to how well the 12 team shot the 3 ball. So while Malone vs Durant in the post would be a huge advantage, Durant on the wing would get an open jumper or blow by Barkley or Malone if they come out to challenge. I just think the size would be too much for the 12 team to handle but it would all come down to 3pt shooting imo.
okay how about you use some basketball terms like when you say he has no offensive basketball skills whatsoever you mean hes a below average jump shooter which is a completely different statement. He is incredible in the back down post game and fader from the wing he is one of the best finishers around the rim of all time and the man absolutely cannot be checked by any defender because of these offensive skills. yes these stem from his incredible athletic ability but that isnt something to be used against him the man is a crazy good offensive threat that's why he has a scoring title and an mvp don't think i didnt read your post just because it was sooo stupid but you're just sooo incredibly wrong that no one can agree with you. Have you ever heard anyone say "Oh LeBron... that guy has no offensive skill" the answer is no because its just fundamentally wrong and I don't need stats although im sure i could find a bunch to prove you wrong i can just watch him put up amazing amounts of points in an incredible amount of ways to tell you that you're wrong. Sorry if you think im a "Jacka$$" but like you're just so wrong i couldnt keep that quiet
"I like to believe that my best hits border on felonious assault."
--Jack Tatum
This years team would win. Too atheletic, fast, stronger, more physical. Wouldn't be close.
The big difference is physicality and toughness. The game in '92 was so physical compared to now. They would have refused to give up any clean lay ups. Everything would've been a hard foul. I don't think the current guys would be able to handle it. Jordan, Bird, and Magic are three of the most mentally tough guys ever. The only guy on the current team who'd be close is Kobe. The greats always say that winning is more mental than physical (which is why Lebron just now won a title and had to do it with Wade and Bosh) and the new guys would mentally shatter against the 92 team.
Brewster:
Paul by a ton? Stockton is the greatest pure passer of the last 25 years. Also a clutch shooter and tough player. Paul's athleticism is better, but Stockton was a good defender and ridiculously intelligent player. The only time Stockton was really bothered was by size. Large, athletic defenders would give him fits. Paul does not fit this description.
And Lebron would take Pippens lunch money? How quickly people forget. Pippen is one of the five greatest defenders of all time. He practiced by guarding Jordan every day. Pippen was also ridiculously long and athletic, enough of each to bother Lebron. Lebron is not a great ball handler and relies on his size and strength to get to the basket. He'd run into Ewing, Robinson, Barkley, or Malone who would take turns pounding into him all game, assuming he gets by Pip. And when Pippen is out, Jordan would guard him. This would probably be worse as Jordan would take it personally. Lebron would wilt under Jordan's intensity. We've seen him Wilt to Paul Pierce, so what would he do to Jordan and Pippen?
This board needs to watch some NBA Classics of the early 90s. Best basketball the NBA has ever played.
Kareem, you do realize Jordan, Pippen, Robinson, Drexler, Ewing were some of the best athletes to ever play basketball in any era right? Look at the current teams line up. Lebron and Westbrook are fantastic athletes. But who else? Kobe is old. Tyson Chandler? Please. Durant? His athleticism doesn't trump anyone. Paul is great but has lost athleticism to his injuries.
2012 team for me. I'm not really old enough to know just how great MJ was, although I know you don't get the title of G.O.A.T. by being a slouch. LeBron is the best player in the world right now, but is he the greatest? No. But when legends like Magic think you're special, you know that he has it within him to be among them. It'd definitely be a great game to watch!
"Do not pray for an easy life. Rather, pray for the the strength to endure a difficult one" - Bruce Lee
Stockton vs Paul - Stocktons jump shot has to be respected so Paul can't sag off of him. Stockton would be able to get separation for passes all night. He did against players like Zeke Thomas who was Paul's superior. Paul isn't enough of a 3 point shooter to keep Stockton in close so his drives would be negated some. His passing would still be on, but he doesn't have the same caliber jump shooters to pass to.
Jordan vs Old Kobe - please.
Pippen vs Lebron - there is no defender like Pippen in the game today. He bothers Lebron off the dribble and disrupts his jump shot. There was no player like Lebron in the 90s, so Pippen would have to adjust to his driving power. Pippen's length and athleticism allows him to throw Lebron off of his offensive game. On the other end, Pippen was a rare player as well. The offense did not need to feature him for Pip to get 17. He also was an underrated rebounder/passer. Lebron would have to work. Lebron still gets 25 and 8 cause he's a freak, but it'd be a lot harder 25 and 8 than he gets today. The help defense alone would cause him fits. Plus, he'd get no extra calls in this game. No one gets extra calls besides Jordan when he's involved.
Malone vs Durant - Durant is the best hope for the 12 team. His length makes perimeter problems for anyone. Malone would play him physical to try to throw off his rhythm, but Durant would still be able to get his jump shots. This match up turns on the other end though. Durant and his little body would take the pounding of his life trying to guard and rebound with Malone. I think that would be enough in itself to slow his offense.
Ewing vs Chandler - Ewing eats him alive on both ends. Bigger, stronger, better.
Great posts by everyone. I love the NBA. I remember debating my teaching regarding the match up between Magic and Bird in Kindergarten.
Stockton also had had some great thief skills. Stockton is one of the greatest PGs to ever play in the NBA. Paul has a lot of catching up to do IMO.
The separations in my mind are the potential basketball IQ of the '92 team, Chuck Daly, and Jordan. For the new team it is raw talent, potentially more athletics, their bench is much better, and some guy named Lebron. If you don't think LeBron is a difference maker then it's hard to respect your opinion. Could you imagine how giddy this newer version would be to play the greats of that era?
The reason the new team isn't blowing out teams like the old? They are missing their bigs and look at how much better the talent is over seas now. It has improved vastly. Spain is loaded. There are NBA players sprinkled throughout these newer foreign teams. The '92 team faced how many NBA players in their match-ups? 2 of any caliber that I can recall off the top of my head.
Jordan was a force, but if I want to be honest Jordan got almost every single call ever. It's sick how many calls went his way. His game winner vs Utah? An uncalled offensive foul on MJ - who had a greatly underrated supporting cast and arguably the greatest coach in the history of the NBA. Watch the NBA hardwood classics on the NBA channel and watch Jordan get call after call after call. Granted you get to see some amazing stuff from MJ but man he got calls. He accumulated more bad calls than Shawn Kemp did children.
I have to agree that the physical abilities of the newest dream team seem to surpass that of the old crew but you can't deny "old-man" basketball skills. Have you every played pick-up on the blacktop against some old guy that just took everyone to school? The '92 team had a ton of those guys.
I'm not sure I could pick between the two teams but it's fun to talk about. If I was forced to pick I think I'd have to go with the '12 team with LeBron being the difference.
THE Dream Team ANYDAY!! Basically a team full of hall of famers except for Laitner. The 2012 has 2, Lebron and Kobe. Durant will eventually be but too early to say he is. The Big men alone on the 92 team make this argument end.
Run_Fido's favorite word is strawman.
The new team has them on athletism that's about it.
Run_Fido's favorite word is strawman.
dream team all the way. You all undersell Stockton by a mile
"Winter is coming" - Urban Meyer
the posts some ppl made about stockton make me sick.... hes a top 5 pg ever! he is what a pg is suppose to be... i take the dream team to win 85% of games i know thats high but heres y... stockton is better than paul regardless of what ppl think he just is esp in international ball... id put scottie on durant and mike on lebron... which imo will negate most of the newer teams advantages... the 85% comes from this and only this... if the game is remotely close in the 4th quarter mj of 92 doesnt lose its that simple.... lebron is the most freakishly gifted player ive ever seen but hes not mike and mike would hurt him at the end of a game... i saw one poster comment on the calls jordan got which were bad at times but if anyone saw this yrs finals they would have seen more ticky tack fouls called for lebron than anyone... its a diff league now days they are soft except for kobe and that would be the diff... one last thing if the 96 team had jordan it would have been better than both these teams dont believe me look it up
mark may wins douchebag of the year... again
Johnny Stockton could dish it like a satellite.
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
I take any team that has that gentleman named Michael Jordan on it. 10 times out of 10.
Also, we have the luxury of hindsight with the Dream Team...for everyone that's saying it was a team full of HOFers. This team in the 2012 Olympics could be full of HOFers as well, we just won't find out until they play out their careers. It's not fair to say they have only two HOFers to the Dream Team being all HOFers because they're all still in the middle of their careers. Some of these Dream Teamers do get overglorified and current players underappreciated with this "good ol' days" mentality. That being said...I'm taking the Dream Team hands down. Like I said before...Any team with Jordan and an orange ball is the team I'm picking.
im still sayin if 96 coulda talked mike into playing that woulda been the team to beat... alot of 92 carry overs plus a prime shaq and prime olajuwon... with gp (the glove) the last player at pg to win defensive player of the yr!
mark may wins douchebag of the year... again
The 2012 team is a perimeter-oriented team. The only way they could beat the 1992 Dream Team is if they were to get absolutely smoking hot from the perimeter. It would have to be something reminiscent of when OSU went like 14/15 from 3 against Wisconsin a couple of seasons ago, or when Diebler went HAM on Penn State. Performances like that are very, very hard to come by, and the Dream Team would probably adjust defensively if they even sniffed the 2012 team getting hot from outside. They'd force the 2012 team to go inside, which is where the Dream Team has the big advantage. I'll take the Dream Team by 10-15 points.
Class of 2010.
The game in general is a peremeter oriented game. The pro game has drifted its focus from inside to out over the years. One could obviously make an argument one way or the other of the causality of the shift in the game...if there's less quality big men around because of the shift to the peremeter or if the game's shifted to the peremeter because for some reason there's less quality big men around.
CP3 is a heck of a lot stronger than Stockton but I'll go back on my original 5.
PG-LeBron, since he is actually the best PG on this team
SG-Kobe-Not sure why I thought Westbrook!
SF-Carmello
PF-Durant
C-Kevin Love.
That gives you 5 bonafide three point shooters, and a front court deadly from anywhere on the court. Now you have a great on ball defender in LeBron who eliminates Stockton's dribble drive, Mike wins any matchup so its irrelevant. Mello and Pip would be REALLY fun to watch. Durant beats 8 shades of shit out of Mailman or Charles, and Love can force the Dreams Bigs to play away from the basket. Not a recipe for a guranteed win by any means but an absolute nightmare to defend. Todays players are just so much faster and bigger and stronger than the 1992 team guys, that goes a long way. I'm not saying one way or the other but to dismiss it out of hand is foolish. Its not this teams fault they are so young, you can't really say who is\isn't a hall of famer but cases will be made for Dwill, Paul, Love while Kobe, Bron, Melo, and Durant are guanteed HOFers.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
Being old enough to have enjoyed the Dream Team and young enough to still relate to the new crop of Olympic players I want to give my two cents.
I broke down the players on both teams. Before doing so, my original obvious thought is that it is Dream Team all the way. The more I pealed away layers, I started to change my mind.
Durant is the guy that the Old Breed would have no answer for and would be the key to a hypothetical series between the two teams. The new team is unguardable when hitting outside shots due to their athletic ability.
However, mental toughness would be key to grueling series. Besides Kobe, the new guys ain't got it whereas Jordan, Magic, Bird, Barkley ooze it. Like ShadyBuckeye said, the old guys would beat you up while the new guys would just go to twitter to complain about it.
Lets not forget, David Robinson was on this team and the guy was one of the most athletic big men of all-time. He could run, jump and hit mid-range jumpers on a consistent basis. Ewing was no sloth either. The New Team would have no answer. Adding in Dwight Howard is not part of the equation because one could argue Shaquille Oneil should have played instead of Lattiner.
To me in comes down to this: Can the Dream Team limit LeBron and Durant? Can the New Breed contain Jordan and hit the boards hard enough to not give up second chance points?
My edge goes to Dream Team in a best of seven.
All of you ragging on Scottie Pippen. Wow. Have you watched him play? NBA TV has be re-playing a ton of greatest games featuring those great Bull teams. Those were the days for sure! I am a huge Jordan fan, but let me tell you rewatching those games. Its Pippen that set the tone, came up with the big plays, shut down the other teams best player (no matter the size) and still chipped in his 18 pts, 8 rebs and 7 assists. He earned his spot in the Top 50. He was stuffing stats while Lebron was stuffing PBandJ into his mouth. In a match-up with Pippen and LBJ, I concede that LBJ wins this match-up, but people come on, he contains LeBron most nights.
To settle this they should have 1990's Christian Lattiner play 2012 Anthony Davis in a "why did we have to add these college punks" showdown!!
No way this team would beat the dream team easily. Dream team wasn't physical, it just seemed that way back then because everyone were twigs. Ewing playing weight - 240, David Robinson - 230, Malone - 250. LBJ has been reported at being 274 lbs at one point! They could try and play physical with this years squad, but would fail. Players now are just too strong, athletic, fast and overall bigger (as in beasts not tall) Not to mention this years squad never lost to a College team either.
It would definitely be over though if D Rose/Howard/Bosh were playing.
Magic was shell of himself in 1992? In 1992 Magic was about 32 years old, Kobe is what, 33 or 34? He was the MVP of the all star game after he retired.
Bird retired because of injuries that year, but he still dropped 49 on the Trail Blazers. Plus, nobody on the 2012 team can shoot like him. And those are just two bench players for the Dream Team.
If you think Chris Paul or LBJ would shut down Stockton at the point, then you are only showing your ignorance. Stockton was a pick and roll guy, and probably the best ever at that aspect of the game.
1992 Scottie Pippen could play defense against LBJ, Durant, or Kobe. He was the Bulls' defensive stopper, in the middle of their first three-peat. He was 1st team defense 8 times in a row, usually lead the Bulls in blocks and often lead the league in steals. He went head-to-head with MJ all the time in practice, I think he could limit anyone on the 2012 team.
And yes, Ewing or Robinson would own Chandler/Love/whoever on the blocks. So how would 2012 stop them.
Bottom line, 1992 Michael Jordan would 60+ on 2012 Kobe, LeBron or whoever ANY TIME HE WANTS. I would bet anything on the Dream Team winning the matchup.
By the way, I don't think Daly even used a time out in the games and they beat every team by 38+ (no fourth quarter deficits to teams like Lithuania). I know there is no comparison between international teams then and now, but that is still ridiculous.
I really don't think it would be close, but if it was MJ is the ultimate closer. There is just no way 2012 could beat them. Jordan was at the beginning of a 6-0 Finals run. If you think 2012 could beat them you seriously need to go back and watch replays of the first Bulls three-peat.
Also, listing guys weight? I just thought of the Pistons teams in the late 80s/early 90s and laughed. Like having a few pounds on one of those guys would matter when you're in the air and get blindsided. The NBA game in that era could get extremely physical.
Martin Manley is the Bill James of basketball; here is what he said after crunching the numbers:http://sportsinreview.com/blog/?p=2694. In his opinion, 1992 Dream Team would win 90% of the time.