NBA All-Time (Fredtoast era) starting 5

[fredtoast]

The fact that I am limiting this to the era when I have been an NBA fan (late '70's to present) makes it kind of complicated. I am sure that many of you are not as old as I am, so your era's will be different. And obviously Wilt and Oscar Robertson would be on a true "all-time" team, but I didn't really watch them play.

Positions also get a little murky, but I prefer to do it this way other than just pick the top 5 players overall. This way we have 5 discussions instead of one.

And, finally, I admit that some of these are really too close for me to call, so there are lots of other possibilities.

FIRST TEAM
PG... Magic Johnson
OG... Michael Jordan
SF... LeBron James
PF... Larry Bird
C.... Hakeem Olajuwan

SECOND TEAM
PG... Steph Curry
OG... Kobe Bryant
SF... Kevin Durant
PF... Tim Duncan
C.... Shaquille ONeal

[KillerGoose]

Great lists, fred. I think I agree with the lists completely. I sat here and pondered Kevin Durant vs. Giannis, even throwing in Elgin and Erving. I think Durant provides unique scoring ability at SF and works well with the spacing the lineup would have.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

Indeed, great stuff, Fred.

Pretty much the only one I can argue is Kareem; he's above anyone, let alone just the Cs, IMO.

[fredtoast]

(06-18-2022, 01:42 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Indeed, great stuff, Fred.

Pretty much the only one I can argue is Kareem; he's above anyone, let alone just the Cs, IMO.

I was actually going to include a comment about how Kareem was the big omission.  Even I admit I underrate that guy.

It is probably because he won 5 of his 6 MVPs ('71, '72, '74, '76, '77) before I was a big NBA fan.  I only really watched him play with Magic.  And I think Kareem just made dominance look too easy.  He was not fiery.  He was calm on the floor.  Some people mistook it for "not caring enough" or even laziness, but he was a total bad ass.

Magic became a legend when Kareem was out for game 6 of the 1980 Finals.  Johnson jumped center and finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists as the Lakers beat the Sixers for the title.  Most people don't remember that in the first three Laker wins in that series Kareem averaged 35.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 4.7 blocks.

[*jason*]

Yeah... Hakeem was amazing. Every bit as dominant on defense as he was on offense. His footwork was amazing. The brute force of Shaq was unstoppable. I didn't see Wilt play myself, but a quick look at stats will tell you there was no one better at the position. A very valid argument can be made there was no one better than Chamberlain regardless of position. The day will come when there are few if any people that actually remember Jordan too. That's how players will start passing him on the "all time list" too.

Kareem's already been pointed out. Stockton and Malone are tough to leave out too. I think I'd give Malone the nod over Durant myself. That was also a pretty artful way to dodge the LeBron vs Bird problem too.... Cool list though.

[basballguy]

https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/stephen_curry_agrees_that_he_is_not_a_point_guard_it_doesnt_really_matter_what_position_you_play_its_can_you_play_basketball/s1_16751_36953963

This is why All NBA teams are just GGFFC. If you try sticking to position definitions it doesn't make sense. But it's fred's list and he can do as he wants with it.

[*jason*]

(06-19-2022, 02:03 AM)basballguy Wrote: https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/stephen_curry_agrees_that_he_is_not_a_point_guard_it_doesnt_really_matter_what_position_you_play_its_can_you_play_basketball/s1_16751_36953963

This is why All NBA teams are just GGFFC. If you try sticking to position definitions it doesn't make sense. But it's fred's list and he can do as he wants with it.

At their height, Golden State pretty much played positionless basketball.

[fredtoast]

(06-18-2022, 12:28 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Positions also get a little murky, but I prefer to do it this way other than just pick the top 5 players overall.  This way we have 5 discussions instead of one.

(06-19-2022, 02:03 AM)basballguy Wrote: https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/stephen_curry_agrees_that_he_is_not_a_point_guard_it_doesnt_really_matter_what_position_you_play_its_can_you_play_basketball/s1_16751_36953963

This is why All NBA teams are just GGFFC.  If you try sticking to position definitions it doesn't make sense.  But it's fred's list and he can do as he wants with it.

Steph is clearly not a pure "point guard", but that is the best way to fit him onto this team.

Honestly, if you could bring all these guys back to play together from their prime LeBron could be the 2nd greatest point guard ever just behind Magic.

BTW what is "GGFFC"?

[Leon]

PG: John Stockton

SG: Rick Barry

SF: Larry Bird

PF: Dirk Nowitzki

C: Bill Walton

[TecmoBengals]

(06-18-2022, 12:28 PM)fredtoast Wrote: FIRST TEAM
PG... Magic Johnson
OG... Michael Jordan
SF... LeBron James
PF... Larry Bird
C.... Hakeem Olajuwan

SECOND TEAM
PG... Steph Curry
OG... Kobe Bryant
SF... Kevin Durant
PF... Tim Duncan
C.... Shaquille ONeal

The thread's title was obvious so I thought through my team before clicking to see what other's have posted. This is the exact team I conceptualized with the exception of flipping Olajuwan and O'Neal. Shaq was just so freaking huge and dominant inside that I must put him on my first team.

If he keeps it up at his current statistical pace, in 5 to 7 years Nikola Jokic is going to be in the conversation at C. Unfortunately I don't think he'll ever be an NBA champion if he remains in Denver.

[fredtoast]

(06-21-2022, 09:46 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: If he keeps it up at his current statistical pace, in 5 to 7 years Nikola Jokic is going to be in the conversation at C. Unfortunately I don't think he'll ever be an NBA champion if he remains in Denver.

Same with Giannis. That guy can be one of the greatest of all tine.

I feel like the NBA has more good young players than they have in a long time. Ja Morant, Tre Young, Luka Doncic, Joker, Giannis all look like superstars.

[KillerGoose]

(06-21-2022, 02:30 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Same with Giannis. That guy can be one of the greatest of all tine.

I feel like the NBA has more good young players than they have in a long time. Ja Morant, Tre Young, Luka Doncic, Joker, Giannis all look like superstars.

It's an impressive lineup. All of these guys are 25 or younger. In parentheses is most recent season PPG, rebounds and assists

1. Luka Doncic (28.4, 9.1, 8.7)
2. Trae Young (28.4, 3.7, 9.7)
3. Ja Morant (27.4, 5.7, 6.7)
4. Jayson Tatum (26.9, 8, 4.4)
5. Devin Booker (26.8, 5, 4.8)
6. Donovan Mitchell (25.9, 4.2, 5.3)
7. Jaylen Brown (23.6, 6.1, 3.5)
8. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (24.5, 5, 5.9)
   

And a whole host of other guys, like Zion Williamson, LaMelo Ball etc. 

A plethora of young talent. 

[*jason*]

(06-20-2022, 09:06 PM)Tiger Blood Wrote: PG: John Stockton

SG: Rick Barry

SF: Larry Bird

PF: Dirk Nowitzki

C: Bill Walton

LOFL...

No second team? I'll help...

PG: Mark Price

SG: Dan Majerle

SF: Chris Mullin

PF: Christian Laetner

C: Dolph Shayes

[J24]

(06-21-2022, 07:17 PM)jason Wrote: LOFL...

No second team? I'll help...

PG: Mark Price

SG: Dan Majerle

SF: Chris Mullin

PF: Christian Laetner

C: Dolph Shayes

No Love for Love on the second all Honkey team?

[TecmoBengals]

(06-21-2022, 09:01 PM)J24 Wrote: No Love for Love on the second all Honkey team?

White guy Kevin McHale also says hi.

[J24]

(06-22-2022, 09:26 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: White guy Kevin McHale also says hi.

Yeah but he should be on the first team!

[*jason*]

(06-21-2022, 09:01 PM)J24 Wrote: No Love for Love on the second all Honkey team?

(06-22-2022, 09:26 AM)TecmoBengals Wrote: White guy Kevin McHale also says hi.

(06-22-2022, 03:12 PM)J24 Wrote: Yeah but he should be on the first team!

Yeah... I was honestly trying to be clownish because that list I quoted was silly. McHale was the complete big man of his era. Dude's list had two legit guys though. Stockton's assist record will never be touched, and Bird was every bit as great as LeBron.

I mean if those are his faves they're his faves... The common thread was just too ridiculous. Rick Barry?... C'mon man.

Those of us who've been around forever know exactly who that guy was.

[Goalpost]

(06-21-2022, 07:17 PM)jason Wrote: LOFL...

No second team? I'll help...

PG: Mark Price

SG: Dan Majerle

SF: Chris Mullin

PF: Christian Laetner

C: Dolph Shayes

What the heck.

I'd put Pistol Pete in there.

[TecmoBengals]

(06-22-2022, 07:05 PM)jason Wrote: Yeah... I was honestly trying to be clownish because that list I quoted was silly. McHale was the complete big man of his era. Dude's list had two legit guys though. Stockton's assist record will never be touched, and Bird was every bit as great as LeBron.

I mean if those are his faves they're his faves... The common thread was just too ridiculous. Rick Barry?... C'mon man.

Those of us who've been around forever know exactly who that guy was.

Oh I felt you on the silly reply. You were reacting to the potential racist by throwing humor into the thread, I support your post.

[CarolinaBengalFanGuy]

If I had to use my Era only.

Hard not to pick Michael as I have seen him play but didn't really watch back then.

PG - Steve Nash
SG - Kobe Bryant
SF - LeBron James [I hate LeBron and almost put Leonard on here, but no doubt he's the best all around player of my era even if he's a PoS]
PF - Tim Duncan
C - Shaquille O'Neal