It is pretty funny that we both will be relying on the same guy to be a huge part of winning this. But, I love that I have Bird, the player, leading my team. I almost took him as coach too but thought it might be weird, lol. I hated him growing up bc I’m a Hawks fan & we couldn’t beat him. Few could.
He’s been called the perfect basketball player by several ppl who are qualified to make the claim. Not many could combine that level of skill with a nonstop motor & relentless will to win & an unparalleled understanding of the game. He knew where EVERYBODY was at all times. He was the first member of the 50/40/90 club & did it in back to back seasons. Only Magic & LeBron match his passing acumen among taller players.
And, his passing & good habits were contagious. You won’t see better ball movement than the 80s Celtics. He’s the best ever in clutch situations IMO & he is the guy I’d want taking the last shot if I could pick any player throughout history. If not for injuries it’s hard telling how much more he could’ve done. He’d average 35+ in today’s game IMO & likely a triple-double, or close to it. And, he’s the ultimate team leader. He is always my best case/reason for a win.
But, with so much scoring ability elsewhere, teams won’t be able to double team Bird or anyone else. It’ll leave Payton & Giannis in 1 on 1 situations to take it to the basket as well. Or they can kick it out to Bird or Mullin, two of the best shooters in league history. Giannis is also a matchup nightmare for most. But, I think this team’s biggest strengths would be cohesion & versatility. I think they would mesh extremely well together since they’re all willing passers & smart players. Several guys play multiple positions & I can go at least 4 deep at every spot, allowing me to match up with any style or lineup.
The ball movement would be next level too. Everyone is very good-elite passers. Same with perimeter shooting; I have 4 of the best shooters of all time in Bird, Price, Maravich & Mullin. They’d also be a very cerebral team with so many basketball smart guys. A few even went on to coach. No shortage of defense either with 3 DPOYs & several all-defense seasons. It’s almost my ideal, complete team as far as what I’d personally want in a roster.
I have scoring & defense at every position & several guys who were at their best in the biggest games. And, I still can’t match up with Shaq. Lol. My goal would be to throw as many bodies & fouls at him as possible in hopes of neutralizing him some. I think my overall edge in perimeter scoring would help offset Shaq, too. Although he does have a cpl of knockdown shooters on the bench. His team is pretty complete too.