What rule set are they playing? Because if it's modern NBA, I'd go with A. If it's the rules that were in place during B, I'd go with B. I wouldn't go with C no matter what though.
B. That team would be incredibly physical too. Although I doubt they would get away with that in today's NBA.
B would actually play together cohesively. But it also kind of matters what hand checking is going to be allowed. I would pick B.
I get that point but MJ and Pippen and Payton would adjust to that and still make it hell for any time to get the ball over half court.
B would get steal after steal and Barkley's chubby freak body would be flying by people for dunks. If they got back it is Dream Shake time baby, unstoppable.
I would have to replace wb with a better 3 ball player to be certain about that. That team already has the ability to get to the rim, it needs another elite long ball shooter to clearly be the best given today's rules in my mind
I don't think it would matter which era... Team B is sending out half of the original Dream Team... and just like then, the other teams will be asking for their autographs after the crushing.
I'd go with C and bench everyone but AI, maybe keep Shaq out there for some picks. Know @HCP would rock A. Westbrick is GOAT in his eyes.
B looked like the easy choice, until I got to C. Timmy would be miserable with AI, Kobe, and Shaq surrounding him, but at least McGrady would fit his mellow vibe. The problem with B is that Barkley always got torched by Malone, one of the few guys he had no physical advantage against. I imagine that would be even worse against Duncan. And as great of a defender as Hakeem was, his agility wouldn't have done much against the freight train known as prime Shaq. (I feel dirty just saying that.) I don't know if Payton/Jordan/Pippen is enough of an advantage over AI/Kobe/McGrady to overcome that front line deficit. Each of those three match-ups could be a toss-up any given night.
I know it wasn't "Prime Shaq" quite yet but Olajuwon absolutely owned Shaq in the 1995 Finals. Plus Team C couldn't pass it in to Shaq in the 4th quarter because other teams would just play Hack-A-Shaq.
Well, it was ORL Shaq, not LAL Shaq, but Shaq led the league in scoring that year at 29.3 ppg (the second highest of his career). The only time Shaq had a higher scoring average was 1999-2000, when he also led the league in scoring, at 29.7 ppg. Hakeem outscored Shaq 32.8 ppg to 28.0 ppg as HOU swept ORL in the finals. Anyone who thinks Hakem couldn't guard Shaq needs to also look at if from the other direction. Even young, more agile Shaq was hopeless at stopping the Dream Shake. Hakeem totally torched Shaq in that series. BNM
