1990 vs 2015: Make your best team

[PtldPlatypus]

I'm bored, so in advance of all-star weekend, let's compare the best of the eras. I realize that 1990 happens to fall right in between the end of Kareem's career and the beginning of Shaq's, but there were still 22 hall-of-famers active that season; I picked it because that's basically when I started becoming a fan of the game, and it's 25 years ago, so it's a nice difference.

Premise--form your best 12-man squad based on the primes of the players active during those years. Sure, we don't know what the primes of some of the current active players will be like, but we can probably speculate.

1990
Stockton, Isaiah, Magic, Jordan, Clyde, Pippen, Bird, Barkley, K. Malone, M. Malone, Robinson, Olajuwon
Basically the dream team, with Isaiah, Moses, and Hakeem replacing Mullin, Laettner, and Ewing. Probably have Phil coaching instead of Daly. Would prime 'Nique maybe belong, or perhaps Bernard King?

2015
Paul, Westbrook, Wade, Kobe, Pierce, Lebron, Durant, Dirk, Garnett, Howard, Duncan, Davis
Pop would coach, of course. Wiggins is, I think the only active young player who might end up good enough to displace someone on this list. Or Lillard if I'm wearing my homer glasses.

This actually looks pretty even to me. The 1990 PG's are better distributors, but the 2015 PG's are more athletic and are superior defenders. Jordan is better than Kobe, but prime Wade is probably better on both ends of the floor than prime Clyde, and he plays harder. The 90's bigs appear have the advantage, but the 2015 guys have more offensive versatility to their games.

So...how might you alter the teams, and how would the game go?

 

[magnifier661]

Gary Payton, Jordan, Pippen, Larry Nance and Hakeem

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

God, Jesus, Buddha, Allah, Bill Walton

 

[speeds]

1990 refs or 2015 refs?

 

[BlazerWookee]

Playing in an All-Star exhibition, or really playing to win?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Gary Payton, Jordan, Pippen, Larry Nance and Hakeem

Payton's first season was 1990-91, so he doesn't qualify for my arbitrary cutoff.

Larry Nance is several cuts below everyone else mentioned.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Playing in an All-Star exhibition, or really playing to win?

$100 million tax free to the winning team.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

1990

PG Earvin 'Magic' Johnson

SG Michael 'Air' Jordan

C Hakeem Olajuwon

SF Larry Bird

PF The Mailman Karl Malone

Coach Chuck Daly

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

2015

Chris Paul / Steph Curry / Rajon Rondo

Kobe Bryant / Vince Carter

Kevin Durant / Paul Pierce

LeBron James / Kevin Garnett / Anthony Davis

Tim Duncan / DeMarcus Cousins

 

[PtldPlatypus]

2015

Chris Paul / Steph Curry / Rajon Rondo

Kobe Bryant / Vince Carter

Kevin Durant / Paul Pierce

LeBron James / Kevin Garnett / Anthony Davis

Tim Duncan / DeMarcus Cousins

Looking at the three we disagreed on, you take prime Rondo/Curry/Boogie over prime Westbrook/Wade/Howard? Play them 3-on-3; my crew kills yours.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Looking at the three we disagreed on, you take prime Rondo/Curry/Boogie over prime Westbrook/Wade/Howard? Play them 3-on-3; my crew kills yours.

I just believe Rondo in his absolute prime was a great defender and distributor, curry and boogie have yet to hit their potential too so I'm speculating. Wade skipped my mind admittedly.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I just believe Rondo in his absolute prime was a great defender and distributor, curry and boogie have yet to hit their potential too so I'm speculating. Wade skipped my mind admittedly.

Fair enough. Same age Howard and Cousins are actually surprisingly comparable, although Howard was undeniably a cut above defensively. I'd still take Westbrook over Rondo.

 

[H.C.]

CP3 / Nash
Paul George / Ray Allen(if he isn't allowed b/c not on a roster at the moment then I go with Kobe)
Durant / Lebron
Kevin Garnett / Aldridge
Tim Duncan / Drummond

VS

Magic / Stockton
Jordan / Dominique Wilkins
Pippin / Bird
Barkley / Karl Malone
Olajuwon / Patrick Ewing

I blurred the lines with position because it's blurred in todays game.
Going with Today's NBA and rules. The 2015 team would win running away I believe.
If I go with 1990's rules I think it would be closer.

CP3 may struggle vs hand checking/arm bar on the perimeter.. But I don't think he'd let it force him out of his game.
PG is there to defend Jordan/Nique. Ray Allen is there to tire out Jordan/Nique by running them ragged.
Pippin most likely would get the better of Durant in ISO situations... But in spot up shooting I don't think Pippin could really stop Durant.. Durant is just so long.
KG would give Barkley and Malone all they could handle and more. Then go back for seconds.
Tuncan could make things difficult on Olajuwon... Certainly wouldn't stop him.

As for the backups? I picked the 2015 team for Lebron + Shooting + Drummond getting man-boards.
Stockton/Malone would kill Nash/Aldridge on the P&R/POP... But I think Nash/Aldridge would kill Stockton/Malon on their own P&R/POP.
Nique would get his, vs Ray Allen. But Nique might fall asleep against Allen a few too many times.
LBJ would make Bird play both ends... That's all you can hope for vs someone like Bird.
Drummond would do okay vs Ewing.

2015 rules.
2015 team 117, 1990 team 92

1990 rules.
2015 team 101, 1990 team 102

 

[blue9]

1990

PG Earvin 'Magic' Johnson

SG Michael 'Air' Jordan

C Hakeem Olajuwon

SF Larry Bird

PF The Mailman Karl Malone

Coach Chuck Daly

Win. Nobody beats this team. Ever.

 

[blue9]

I'd still take Westbrook over Rondo.

The problem here is that if we're building super teams you want a great distributor to get the other 4 offensive threats involved. Westbrook would take away from his teammates while Rondo would average 28 assists per game. Sure, in a game of 1-on-1 Westbrook > Rondo. But in a game of 5-on-5 (especially on a super team) Rondo SLAYS Westbrook. Rondo is seriously underrated around here...

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Win. Nobody beats this team. Ever.

I disagree, I think the guys from the past would have horrible times dealing with the athletes of today. Yeah they gave Jordan but prime LeBron, Kobe, etc are as good if not better athletes than Jordan.

Could you imagine seeing Malone or Bird trying to defend LeBron 1 on 1? They'd get murdered while guys like LeBron and Kobe could definitely hold their own defensively against anyone from the 90s that isn't a center.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

I disagree, I think the guys from the past would have horrible times dealing with the athletes of today. Yeah they gave Jordan but prime LeBron, Kobe, etc are as good if not better athletes than Jordan.

Could you imagine seeing Malone or Bird trying to defend LeBron 1 on 1? They'd get murdered while guys like LeBron and Kobe could definitely hold their own defensively against anyone from the 90s that isn't a center.

I have an easy fix. Put Magic on him.

I agree with Blue. As a matter of fact, I can put together a second and even third team back then that would and or beat today's best.

 

[Sinobas]

2015: Going for the best team, not best individuals
PG: Parker/Paul/Curry
SG: Matthews /Ginobli
SF: Gerald Wallace /Leonard
PF: Duncan/Nowitski
C: Anthony Davis / Noah/ Robin Lopez

 

[Sinobas]

1990:
PG: Stockton / Magic / Porter
SG: Jordan / Miller
SF: Pippen / Drexler
PF: Bird / Barkley
C: Olajuwon /Robinson / Divac

 

[PtldPlatypus]

2015: Going for the best team, not best individuals
PG: Parker/Paul/Curry
SG: Matthews /Ginobli
SF: Gerald Wallace /Leonard
PF: Duncan/Nowitski
C: Anthony Davis / Noah/ Robin Lopez

In what world are Wesley Matthews and Gerald Wallace capable of providing contribution to any team that is greater than what prime Kobe or LeBron would provide in the same situation?

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

1990

Kevin Johnson / Magic Johnson / John Stockton
Michael Jordan / Reggie Miller
Larry Bird / Scottie Pippen
Charles Barkley / Dennis Rodman
Patrick Ewing / Hakeem Olajuwon / David Robinson

 

[PtldPlatypus]

1990

Kevin Johnson / Magic Johnson / John Stockton
Michael Jordan / Reggie Miller
Larry Bird / Scottie Pippen
Charles Barkley / Dennis Rodman
Patrick Ewing / Hakeem Olajuwon / David Robinson

Love the love for KJ. His athleticism would be important in a matchup against prime 2015 guys.

 

[Sinobas]

In what world are Wesley Matthews and Gerald Wallace capable of providing contribution to any team that is greater than what prime Kobe or LeBron would provide in the same situation?

Wesley is not a chucker and wouldn't demand shots. He'd play within the offense. He's a very efficient shooter and tough defender. Gerald Wallace was one of the best "junkyard dog" players ever, he'd be a good role player. Don't want too many stars on a team. And Lebron is a shit fuck.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

PG magic/curry
SG jordan/lillard
SF lebron/pippen
PF sheed/aldridge
C sabonis/przybilla

 

[Sinobas]

BTW...Larry Bird's defense is unfairly disparaged by people who never seen him play. He had a positive impact on the defensive side of the ball as well.

Fast forward to about 3:30 to see some highlight clips of his defense.

 

[damianlillard]

1990
magic/stockton/thomas
jordan/miller
drexler/pippen
moses/ewing/bird
hakeem/robinson

2015
cp3/curry/LillardTime
kobe/paul george
lebron/kd
duncan/aldridge/garnett
davis/howard/marc gasol

i think that 2015 would win

 

[blue9]

Could you imagine seeing Malone or Bird trying to defend LeBron 1 on 1? They'd get murdered while guys like LeBron and Kobe could definitely hold their own defensively against anyone from the 90s that isn't a center.

But it's not a game of 1-on-1. The greats of the 80s/90s would FEAST on today's players. There's a HELL of a lot more to basketball than athleticism - intelligence and skill will beat athleticism 9 times out of 10.

 

[Sinobas]

I agree that the 80s/90's players were better all round players than today. But if they were to play a game, the 80s/90s team would be off guard by all the 3s today's guys jack up. In 1990, nba teams averaged 6.6 3pt attemps per game, now it's over 22.