Last edited:
Who's your all time NBA/ABA starting 5
- Thread starter TopCatCal
- Start date
A couple days ago, I turned on tv and a sports channel was showing an 8-team "draft" of 80 greatest all-time players (well 75, and then 5 wildcards). Jerry West was one of the people drafting a team. Their computer analysis rated West's team as 2nd best.
Barkley, K.Smith & Shaq shared a team. D.Wade had a team, as did Domonique Wilkins (he picked himself #1, I don't think anyone else drafted themself).
Barkley, K.Smith & Shaq shared a team. D.Wade had a team, as did Domonique Wilkins (he picked himself #1, I don't think anyone else drafted themself).
![[laughing]](http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/img/emoticons/classic/laugh.r191677.gif "Laughing [laughing]")
lol, glad I could give you a laugh. And, of course. I was already thinking people would laugh at that choice, but I needed some shooting on my team. I'll edit."Seth Curry"??
I hope you mean his brother Steph Curry.
I agree that the above selections are worthy of being one of the top five players at their positions in the NBA or NBA. If you were looking at a second string starting five I would definitely have to put Dr. J in there .
LeBron was nineteen his rookie year. Also, the Cavaliers couldn't build anything around him because the management sucked and no one wanted to play for the organization. Let's be honest, Dan Gilbert isn't Jerry Krause, Jerry West(+Jerry Buss), or Red Auerbach.
Wilt and Oscar didn’t win anywhere close to enough to warrant being in the conversation based on your standards. LeBron has had a better career than Bird. The only case you have is Bird was better at his peak, and as you said, that is just an opinion. I try to be logically consistent. Apparently you don’t.
Last edited:
You’re all over the place. Bird didn’t have to leave Boston cuz they got him hall of famers to play with. Who was the best player LeBron played with in that first Cleveland run?
A 23-year old dragged this team to the NBA finals with a mediocre coach. Neither Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, nor Magic Johnson are getting a ring with these guys:
-Shannon Brown
-Daniel Gibson
-Drew Gooden
-Larry Hughes
-Zydrunas Ilgauskas
-Damon Jones
-Dwayne Jones
-Donyell Marshall
-Ira Newble
-Sasha Pavlović
-Scot Pollard
-Eric Snow
-Anderson Varejão
-David Wesley
Magic (bestcall around pg to play ball)
Michael (greatest will)
LeBron ( next to Wiltvin terms of natural talent)
Russell ( greatest winner ever)
Wilt (greatest natural talent ever still)
HM. West, Bird, Oscar, Kareem, curry, Shaq, Dr J, Duncan, Malone.
Michael (greatest will)
LeBron ( next to Wiltvin terms of natural talent)
Russell ( greatest winner ever)
Wilt (greatest natural talent ever still)
HM. West, Bird, Oscar, Kareem, curry, Shaq, Dr J, Duncan, Malone.
Last edited:
It's such a worn out argument. Take a look at the 2nd and 3rd best players on their respective teams when Bird was on the Celtics and Lebron was on the Cavs:
Larry Bird
1980 - Conference Finals - Nate Archibald (All Star) and Dave Cowens (All Star)
1981 - NBA Champions - Nate Archibald (All Star) and Robert Parish (All Star)
1982 - Conference Finals - Nate Archibald (All Star) and Robert Parish (All Star)
1983 - Conference Semifinals - Kevin McHale and Robert Parish (All Star)
1984 - NBA Champions - Kevin McHale (All Star) and Robert Parish (All Star)
1985 - NBA Runner Up - Dennis Johnson (All Star) and Robert Parish (All Star)
1986 - NBA Champions - Kevin McHale (All Star) and Robert Parish (All Star)
1987 - NBA Runner Up - Kevin McHale (All Star) and Robert Parish (All Star)
1988 - Conference Semifinals - Danny Ainge (All Star) and Kevin McHale (All Star)
1989 - Lost in First Round - Bird played 6 games - Kevin McHale (All Star) and Robert Parish
1990 - Lost in First Round - Kevin McHale (All Star) and Robert Parish (All Star)
1991 - Lost in Conference Semifinals - Kevin McHale (All Star) and Robert Parish (All Star)
1992 - Lost in Conference Semifinals - Reggie Lewis (All Star) and Robert Parish
13 season - 23 all stars played with him. Only 3 seasons did not have 2 all-stars playing with Bird (all 3 had 1)
Lebron James
2004 - No playoffs - Carlos Boozer and Big Z
2005 - No playoffs - Big Z (All Star) and Drew Gooden
2006 - Conference Semifinals - Big Z and Larry Hughes
2007 - NBA Runner Up - Larry Hughes and Big Z
2008 - Conference Semifinals - Larry Hughes and Big Z
2009 - Conference Finals - Mo Williams (All Star) and Big Z
2010 - Conference Semifinals - Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison
2015 - NBA Runner Up - Kyrie Irving (All Star) and Kevin Love
2016 - NBA Champions - Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love
2017 - NBA Runner Up - Kyrie Irving (All Star) and Kevin Love (All Star)
2018 - NBA Runner Up - Kevin Love (All Star) and Isaiah Thomas
11 seasons - 6 all stars played with him. Only 1 season, he had 2 all stars.
Now you tell me, with the guys the Cavs put around him, why he wanted to go somewhere else both times?
Let's be PERFECTLY clear, the Cavaliers aren't getting Kyrie Irving OR Kevin Love if LeBron stayed in Cleveland.
I don’t get the Kobe as top 5.I think Wade was better and of course Jordan was.His Shaq years were apparent that without Shaq they don’t come close to titles(watched plenty of games of him bricking like crazy)I’ll give him credit in his later years for becoming more of a team player.Its Just a opinion,hate what happened to him and his family and he was never a garbage player.Jeter same thing in baseball “great player”but definitely on the right team.Lakers and Yankees will always have the more consistently great teams.Turning a dump like Chicago,Cleveland, or Orlando is different.
So I'm not going to go who I think is the top five players of all-time. I'm just creating what I think would be one of the most amazing at their position and make the team gel.
PG Stockton
SG Jordan
SF Bird
PF Duncan
C Shaq
I didn't even have to think about the post as these two are no-brainers to me but I'd have no issue with Olijawon taking Shaq's spot if need be. Magic would be my alternative to Stockton as Magic is No.2 all-time to me. LeBron would ideally be in front of Bird but I would need three point shooting and Bird can accomplish that. Kevin Durant would be in the mix as well.
So the alternative could look like
PG Magic
SG Jordan
SF LeBron
PF Duncan
C Olijawon
PG Stockton
SG Jordan
SF Bird
PF Duncan
C Shaq
I didn't even have to think about the post as these two are no-brainers to me but I'd have no issue with Olijawon taking Shaq's spot if need be. Magic would be my alternative to Stockton as Magic is No.2 all-time to me. LeBron would ideally be in front of Bird but I would need three point shooting and Bird can accomplish that. Kevin Durant would be in the mix as well.
So the alternative could look like
PG Magic
SG Jordan
SF LeBron
PF Duncan
C Olijawon
Last edited:
The revisionist history of Kobe Bryant is one of the craziest things. He was like a discount brand Jordan. Really good but not top five ever or the god that his fans make him out to be.
Shaq was the reason for the three peat. When Kobe forced Shaq out, he shot his arm off to his desire while the Lakers did absolutely nothing in the postseason until they robbed the Grizzlies of Pau Gasol and then won two more. Kobe
I agree with you on Kobe Bryant not being top 5, definitely top 15, but not top 5. However I disagree with you on Dwayne Wade being better than Kobe. Give me Kobe over Dwayne Wade 8 days a week. Dwayne Wade might be at best top 50.
“Titles are the measuring stick”
Puts a guy who’s been to 10 and won four below guys who have won less.
“I’m very intelligent”
ABA team Louie Dampier, Mel Daniels, Julius Erving, Dan Israel and Mack Calvin. NBA Magic Johnson,Larry Bird,Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Kareem Jabbar
I'd counter that Bird playing today, means he grew up in today's game. And he'd be far healthier, and not doing things like pulling his back redoing his family driveway.
Imagine if Larry Bird put ALL his time into the game, preserving his game, and never having to lift a finger like today's recruits.. I think he'd clown today's kids.
He also embraces the 3 point shot playing today.
That's why when I think of the GOAT, I can see multiple answers. There are a handful of players that were a cut above the rest during their career and any single one is the correct answer for GOAT.
Isaiah Thomas, Jordan, Bird, Dr J and Moses Malone at his peak. The year the 76ers won the title Malone was MVP and dominated Jabbar in the finals. Dr. J's peak years were in the ABA.
Last edited:
You don’t have to convince me of how good Bird was. I stand by, at worst, he’s a better Dirk. Who should be higher on the list than a lot of these people would have him.
Bird's passing was out of this world. He seemed to be one step ahead of everyone. He was also solidly built and not afraid to mix it up down low. I saw one play where he bullied Barkley and got post position.
If David Robinson isn't injured in 1996-97, does Tim Duncan have a similar career as Kevin Garnett?
Magic - 6-9
Jordan - 6-6
Lebron - 6-8
Durant - 6-11
Jokic - 6-11
This is based on TODAYS game, spacing is crucial. With Magic, Lebron, Jordan, and Jokic, you have 4 players who pass the ball very well. Rebounding would be very good, defense would be also. Scoring galore, assist from Magic, Lebron and Jokic.
OR
Magic
Jordan
Lebron
Dirk / Duncan
Shaq
Jordan - 6-6
Lebron - 6-8
Durant - 6-11
Jokic - 6-11
This is based on TODAYS game, spacing is crucial. With Magic, Lebron, Jordan, and Jokic, you have 4 players who pass the ball very well. Rebounding would be very good, defense would be also. Scoring galore, assist from Magic, Lebron and Jokic.
OR
Magic
Jordan
Lebron
Dirk / Duncan
Shaq
Talking about the ABA. Not only the players that you named, but you've got to also consider players like.
Artis Gilmore
Moses Malone
George "Iceman" Gervin
Rick Barry
David Thompson
Louie Dampier
Billy Cunningham
