ThomasDenton 79 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/07/dream-team-1992-2012-olympics-kobe-magic-jordan-barkley/1 So who do you guys think would win a head to head match? Personally, I'm going with the '92 Dream Team. It seems like the 2012 team's victory would hang a lot on some of the 1992 team's players being at the end of their game, but I still think the likes of Michael Jordan (still in his prime), Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, and the others are just too much for Kobe, Lebron, and whoever isn't too injured to play for this year's team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/07/dream-team-1992-2012-olympics-kobe-magic-jordan-barkley/1 So who do you guys think would win a head to head match? Personally, I'm going with the '92 Dream Team. It seems like the 2012 team's victory would hang a lot on some of the 1992 team's players being at the end of their game, but I still think the likes of Michael Jordan (still in his prime), Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, and the others are just too much for Kobe, Lebron, and whoever isn't too injured to play for this year's team. It's a lot closer than the talking heads on ESPN want to believe. The Dream Team would win, but it would win with defense. The Dreaming Team doesn't have any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH31 2,532 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Keep in mind that bird and magic were spent at that point of their careers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Keep in mind that bird and magic were spent at that point of their careers. Bird, yes. Magic, absolutely not. People forget this, but he was the All-Star Game MVP that year. The season before he declared HIV and retired, he averaged 19-7-12. That's pretty boss for a PG that's BARELY past his prime. He was certainly rusty having not played in almost a year, but he still had game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluefieldRocks 14 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Here are Birds numbers from the Olympics. I wouldn't call him completely spent. He had 14 pts, 4 rebs and 2 steals in the title game. http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bi/larry-bird-1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance 228 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Bird was still good for a kick out jumper in '92...his prime was '86 or so...but he was still shooting like a HOF'er. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH31 2,532 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 bird in 92 or durant in 12? durant.. bird in the mid 80's i would take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frito gonzales 103 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I think 92 would win because they understood what a TEAM is...not sure that this group does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend11 32 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Do we factor in what the '12 team would be like without injuries? Or are we using the '12 team as they will play in London? 'Cuz if we're doing the latter, then there's no question. With that said, I think the '92 team was simply more savvy ball handlers, and played the game more cerebrally. To account for that, the '12 team would have to be vastly more athletic, and have a much more competitive drive, which they absolutely don't have. If this game were somehow possible, I would take the '92 team -6.5. UVAO, GMan: if you had to set a completely hypothetical, theoretical, completely untestable spread, where would you set it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Here are Birds numbers from the Olympics. I wouldn't call him completely spent. He had 14 pts, 4 rebs and 2 steals in the title game. http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bi/larry-bird-1.html Bird spent 90% of his time off the court in traction... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend11 32 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Bird spent 90% of his time off the court in traction... Ha, exactly. I think those were the back brace years for Bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futbolking 766 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 The 2012 team don't even know how to play basketball compared to the 92 team..... They shared the ball and actually played basketball, not this selfish crap they play now a days. It wouldn't even be close...92 team would easily sweep them. Ewing and Robinson would dominate the inside agianst who....Bosh?...you've got to be kidding me.... not even close. Barkley would throw a few elbows for good measure.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance 228 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Dr. J, Bird, Magic, and Jordan in their prime were all better players than anyone playing today....Kobe, Durant, Wade, LeBron...all great players, but not the stuff legends are made of...not yet anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasDenton 79 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Do we factor in what the '12 team would be like without injuries? Or are we using the '12 team as they will play in London? 'Cuz if we're doing the latter, then there's no question. Let's say we have the 2012 team without injuries (I'm sure there'd be a lot of opinions on who would start for that team then) vs. the '92 Dream Team with each player being in their absolute prime. Then who would win? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend11 32 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 The 2012 team don't even know how to play basketball compared to the 92 team..... They shared the ball and actually played basketball, not this selfish crap they play now a days. It wouldn't even be close...92 team would easily sweep them. Ewing and Robinson would dominate the inside agianst who....Bosh?...you've got to be kidding me.... not even close. Barkley would throw a few elbows for good measure.... Haha, "back in the good ol' days..." I don't think you're giving this current roster enough credit. Outside of Kobe (who is a good shooter still) and 'Melo, there really isn't a selfish player who will see much time on the court. Durant and Lebron are both great passers and get their teammates involved. Chris Paul and Deron Williams are both elite PGs. Tyson Chandler is a defensive stopper who plays less selfishly than anyone I've watched in the last couple of years. Who exactly are the selfish ones? Maybe you should watch more of the NBA... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futbolking 766 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Let's say we have the 2012 team without injuries (I'm sure there'd be a lot of opinions on who would start for that team then) vs. the '92 Dream Team with each player being in their absolute prime. Then who would win? You're joking... It would be a 40 point blowout each time for the Dream team.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend11 32 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Let's say we have the 2012 team without injuries (I'm sure there'd be a lot of opinions on who would start for that team then) vs. the '92 Dream Team with each player being in their absolute prime. Then who would win? That's difficult, because Bird and Magic were 4 years past their prime, and Jordan was 2 years from entering his in '92. What's more reasonable is if we take healthy versions of the players (Bird without a bad back, Magic without a year off for HIV) at their current age for both the '92 team and the '12 team. If they played, I would say that the '92 team would win by somewhere between 6-10 points. They would win, but the '12 team would be competitive. It's ridiculous to think otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance 228 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 That's difficult, because Bird and Magic were 4 years past their prime, and Jordan was 2 years from entering his in '92. What's more reasonable is if we take healthy versions of the players (Bird without a bad back, Magic without a year off for HIV) at their current age for both the '92 team and the '12 team. If they played, I would say that the '92 team would win by somewhere between 6-10 points. They would win, but the '12 team would be competitive. It's ridiculous to think otherwise. or if you just shrink Michael Jordan down to a mini 3 foot version of himself, that would even it out a lot...'92 team with Mini-Jordan would still win, but only by say 30 points. Mini-Jordan would also dunk once on Kobe's head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurricaneWarning 212 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I would take the 92 team -13.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend11 32 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I would take the 92 team -13.5. That's reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueinbama 259 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 In a seven game series, the '12 team might win 2. I would pick the dream team in 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend11 32 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 In a seven game series, the '12 team might win 2. I would pick the dream team in 6. Again, very reasonable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCFan 10 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Yes, Bird was injured, but some people forget how good Chris Mullin was then. I think he finished the 91-92 season third in the NBA in scoring behind Jordan and Malone. Guy could shoot the eyes out of it and is a Hall of Famer. It would be hard for this '12 team to match up with Barkley, Malone, Ewing, Robinson down in the post as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Dr. J, Bird, Magic, and Jordan in their prime were all better players than anyone playing today....Kobe, Durant, Wade, LeBron...all great players, but not the stuff legends are made of...not yet anyway. Kobe's already in MJ territory, and as much as people here are going to laugh, it's absolutely true. 1. MJ's 3rd in points. Kobe's 5th, and will pass MJ in the 2013-2014 season if he stays healthy. 2. MJ's PPG average was 30.1, and Kobe's is 25.4. MJ was a black hole for his entire career, while Kobe had to live with/endure Shaq for the first 40% of his career. 3. MJ has 6 rings. Kobe has 5, but has been to 7 Finals. Rings speak, folks. 4. Kobe's prima-donna attitude is just a more defensible version of MJ's. For a great, impartial read that makes Michael Jordan look like a terrible person, read "The Jordan Rules". If Jordan hadn't been such a horrible teammate, he'd have won the title in '89-'90 and possibly '88-'89. He submarined those teams for riding them, particularly Scottie Pippen, much too hard. For a greater idea on who MJ was, just listen to that HOF acceptance speech again. THAT is the true MJ. 5. Kobe didn't forfeit two titles due to an 18-month suspension for illicit gambling like MJ did. The ONLY reason that Kobe isn't on a similar par with MJ is that the media vilifies athletes more in the 2000s/2010s than in the 1990s. The media wasn't sufficiently jaded yet. Now, it is. No athlete will ever again earn the disproportionately good press Jordan did. Jordan is better than Kobe, but it's SCARY close. If Kobe wins 2 more titles, he's better. Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted July 16, 2012 Yes, Bird was injured, but some people forget how good Chris Mullin was then. I think he finished the 91-92 season third in the NBA in scoring behind Jordan and Malone. Guy could shoot the eyes out of it and is a Hall of Famer. It would be hard for this '12 team to match up with Barkley, Malone, Ewing, Robinson down in the post as well. Mullin's career wasn't long enough to be a HOF'er, IMO. He had an insane 5-year stretch, but he lost virtually the first 1/3 of his career with alcohol abuse issues, and he was often injured the last 1/3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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