123 replies to this topic

[mweb08]

As I said, if the 2012 team was healthy, I think they would give the Dream Team a run for their money.

[Greg Pappas]

http://sportsillustr... ... index.html

A must-read article for the Basketball fan.

[lordbrook]

That article was absolutely awesome. Thanks for sharing it.

[Greg Pappas]

That article was absolutely awesome. Thanks for sharing it.

Agreed... quite interesting.

[DJ MC]

Breaking news...New York police announced the arrest of noted sportswriter Bill Simmons and charged him with one count of burglary after he was caught breaking into the offices of the magazine Sports Illustrated in the Time Warner Building on Tuesday morning.

Simmons, 42, told investigators that he read an article by SI writer Jack McCallum in which the author claimed to posses a videotape of a scrimmage held by the 1992 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team, commonly known as the "Dream Team". The legendary group of players went on to win the gold medal at the Olympic Games that summer in Barcelona.

"I need to see that tape," Simmons said to the arresting officer, according to a source within the department. "I have been searching for video evidence of that scrimmage for twenty years, and to hear that a fellow writer has it...I couldn't help myself."

[Nuclear Dish]

I loved this line:

"Years later Jordan will tell me, coldly and matter-of-factly, 'Anybody who had Laettner on the team lost. He was the weak link, and everybody went at him.'"

[SportsGuy]

They talked about this game on the dream team documentary.

[Greg Pappas]

Great article. I will add that it's a shame that Magic was not nearly the player he used to be, and Bird was merely a shell of his former self. Laetner being on Coach K's Olympic team was a clown decision, bro. Drexler and Stockton didn't play, though Jordan owned Clyde.

Side note: Jordan blatantly lied when asked if he intentionally blocked Isaiah Thomas from making the Dream Team. He hated Thomas, and it has been made clear that Jordan used his weight as the game's best player and top draw to dictate his wishes.

[SportsGuy]

Great article. I will add that it's a shame that Magic was not nearly the player he used to be, and Bird was merely a shell of his former self. Laetner being on Coach K's Olympic team was a clown decision, bro. Drexler and Stockton didn't play, though Jordan owned Clyde.

Side note: Jordan blatantly lied when asked if he intentionally blocked Isaiah Thomas from making the Dream Team. He hated Thomas, and it has been made clear that Jordan used his weight as the game's best player and top draw to dictate his wishes.

Why? Laettner had arguably the greatest college career by any player ever and certainly was the best COLLEGE player coming into the 1992 Olympics. He was a great player to pick for that...and Coach K wasn't the head coach, he was the asst coach.

Obviously, Shaq would have been the better choice in terms of who did you feel was going to be the better pro player but they wanted to take the best college player and that was clearly Laettner.

[SportsGuy]

Great article. I will add that it's a shame that Magic was not nearly the player he used to be, and Bird was merely a shell of his former self. Laetner being on Coach K's Olympic team was a clown decision, bro. Drexler and Stockton didn't play, though Jordan owned Clyde.

Side note: Jordan blatantly lied when asked if he intentionally blocked Isaiah Thomas from making the Dream Team. He hated Thomas, and it has been made clear that Jordan used his weight as the game's best player and top draw to dictate his wishes.

In the dream team special, MJ basically said he told them if Thomas is on the team, he won't be.

He didn't say those words but he said that in so many words.

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: Jordan: 'More well-rounded Dream Team, would beat more athletic 2012 squad.'
http://www.cbssports...etic-2012-squad

[FlavaDave10]

CBS Sports: Jordan: 'More well-rounded Dream Team, would beat more athletic 2012 squad.'
http://www.cbssports...etic-2012-squad

It wouldn't be a blowout, but I think the '92 dream team beats the 2012 team for several reasons:

1. The '12 team has absolutely nobody who could stop Patrick Ewing and David Robinson. They would have a field day against Tyson Chandler and Anthony Davis.
2. The '12 team would probably be forced to put LeBron on Karl Malone or Charles Barkley because Kevin Love would get dominated by those two.
3. The '92 team would actually do this crazy thing called "guard the perimeter".

I will give the '12 team these advantages though:
1. Far and away better point guards. Not even close.
2. LeBron and Durant would be difficult to contain.

It would be close, but I think the '92 team wins.

[BSLChrisStoner]

It wouldn't be a blowout, but I think the '92 dream team beats the 2012 team for several reasons:

1. The '12 team has absolutely nobody who could stop Patrick Ewing and David Robinson. They would have a field day against Tyson Chandler and Anthony Davis.
2. The '12 team would probably be forced to put LeBron on Karl Malone or Charles Barkley because Kevin Love would get dominated by those two.
3. The '92 team would actually do this crazy thing called "guard the perimeter".

I will give the '12 team these advantages though:
1. Far and away better point guards. Not even close.
2. LeBron and Durant would be difficult to contain.

It would be close, but I think the '92 team wins.

Yeah, I basically agree. I'd expect the '92 team to win best of 7, and maybe 65 times out of 100. Now if the '12 team had Howard, and Bosh (not that he is really a post player); it gets even closer.

[Pedro Cerrano]

the '92 team didn't lose any of their key guys to injuries.

Give the '12 team Rose, Howard and Wade and see what happens...

[BSLChrisStoner]

The '92 team didn't lose any of their key guys to injuries.

Give the '12 team Rose, Howard and Wade and see what happens...

Good point, did not forget about Wade as well. This team was still loaded at PG without Rose, but it is worth mentioning him being unavailable.

[FlavaDave10]

the '92 team didn't lose any of their key guys to injuries.

Give the '12 team Rose, Howard and Wade and see what happens...

You're forgetting that the '92 team had two of the best centers ever in their prime with Ewing and Robinson. Dwight is soft, Ewing and Robinson would dominate him.

But if you want to do hypotheticals, imagine if the '92 team would have gone with Shaq over Laettner (which they almost wound up doing). That would have been straight up unfair.

I'll concede that the '12 team is far more athletic. But the '92 team consists of 10 definite hall of famers who are each probably one of the best 50 players to ever play basketball, a pretty darn good shooter in his prime (Chris Mullin), and then there's Laettner. Give me the '92 team over the '12 team.

[FlavaDave10]

Yeah, I basically agree. I'd expect the '92 team to win best of 7, and maybe 65 times out of 100. Now if the '12 team had Howard, and Bosh (not that he is really a post player); it gets even closer.

I don't think Ewing and Robinson would have much trouble with Howard (who I assume by default would have to start at center). Now Bosh might have presented a problem.

[lordbrook]

the '92 team didn't lose any of their key guys to injuries.

Give the '12 team Rose, Howard and Wade and see what happens...

Stockton was playing on a fractured leg.

As far as point guards go, the athleticism goes to the 2012 team hands down, but for the assists it's not even close in favor of the '92 team.

I will go to my grave saying that the '92 team wins 90% of the games against the 2012 team. There have been simulations (and no they don't count for anything more substantial than my opinion but at least the computers agree with me) that have the '92 team winning 7 out of 7. Like Jordan said, outside of maybe 3 players, the rest of the 2012 team wouldn't have even made the '92 team.

[FlavaDave10]

What the '92 Dream Team could have been:

Since we're talking about what the '12 team could have been with Howard, Bosh, Wade, Rose, etc., why don't we look at what the '92 team could have been?

The following players would stay, no questions asked:
Jordan
Barkley
Malone
Robinson
Ewing
Pippen
Drexler
Mullin
Stockton


As legendary as Larry Bird was, he was clearly only on the team for sentimental value because he was at the end of his respective career. The same could be said for Magic Johnson. Christian Laettner... was just a bad decision all around. In hindsight, if we were making the '92 team now, those two players would probably not be included.

Who would replace these players?
1. Magic was a point guard, and with his absence the team is left with one true point guard in Stockton. Naturally, a point guard has to be added to the roster. I'd go with Isiah Thomas, who should have been on the team anyway, except that he had a notorious feud with Michael Jordan. Take out the fact that those two wouldn't be able to play together, and I think Thomas outperforms Magic. Could also put Joe Dumars here. Gary Payton wasn't great until after the 92 Olympics so he's not an option.

2. I would replace Bird with the consistently underrated Dominique Wilkins. Would have loved to see what Wilkins could do with talent around him. I was tempted to put Dennis Rodman here. If this team is being built to take on the 2012 team, I'd choose Rodman in a heart beat. With how soft the NBA is today, Rodman would kick butt and take names. This team would have enough scorers anyway.

3. Laettner would be replaced by one of two guys: Either Hakeem Olajuwon or Shaquille O'Neal. Take your pick. Either way, that's yet another extremely dominant PF/C to throw into the mix.

Scary how much BETTER this team could have been.

[BSLChrisStoner]

What the '92 Dream Team could have been:

Since we're talking about what the '12 team could have been with Howard, Bosh, Wade, Rose, etc., why don't we look at what the '92 team could have been?

The following players would stay, no questions asked:
Jordan
Barkley
Malone
Robinson
Ewing
Pippen
Drexler
Mullin
Stockton


As legendary as Larry Bird was, he was clearly only on the team for sentimental value because he was at the end of his respective career. The same could be said for Magic Johnson. Christian Laettner... was just a bad decision all around. In hindsight, if we were making the '92 team now, those two players would probably not be included.

Who would replace these players?
1. Magic was a point guard, and with his absence the team is left with one true point guard in Stockton. Naturally, a point guard has to be added to the roster. I'd go with Isiah Thomas, who should have been on the team anyway, except that he had a notorious feud with Michael Jordan. Take out the fact that those two wouldn't be able to play together, and I think Thomas outperforms Magic. Could also put Joe Dumars here. Gary Payton wasn't great until after the 92 Olympics so he's not an option.

2. I would replace Bird with the consistently underrated Dominique Wilkins. Would have loved to see what Wilkins could do with talent around him. I was tempted to put Dennis Rodman here. If this team is being built to take on the 2012 team, I'd choose Rodman in a heart beat. With how soft the NBA is today, Rodman would kick butt and take names. This team would have enough scorers anyway.

3. Laettner would be replaced by one of two guys: Either Hakeem Olajuwon or Shaquille O'Neal. Take your pick. Either way, that's yet another extremely dominant PF/C to throw into the mix.

Scary how much BETTER this team could have been.

Olajuwon was not yet an American citizen in '92, and thus ineligible for selection.

The other points are reasonable though.