Bill Simmons' All-Time Team (Dont click this thread if you haven't finished his book)

[Duncan21formvp]

So I'm reading his new book and his all-time team is...

C - 1977 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
PF - 2003 Tim Duncan
SF - 1986 Larry Bird
SG - 1992 Michael Jordan
PG - 1985 Magic Johnson
BENCH
1977 Bill Walton
2001 Kobe Bryant
1986 Kevin McHale
2009 LeBron James
1992 Scottie Pippen
2009 Dwayne Wade
2009 Chris Paul
2001 Ray Allen


I personally love this team. It has everything.

Why would he use 1977 Kareem when he didn't win the title that year?

Anyway for Jordan why didn't he use 1991 or 1993? Those were better years for him?

[EricForman]

Simmons knows it. And by the silence in this thread the common man knows it as well. This team would beat his team in a 7 game series.

To make a correction however, O'Neal/Wilt can alternate between the starting role/6th man. Just that Russell must be a starter.

yeah right. jordan/bird/magic have more greatness/will power/skills than anybody on your team. your team wouldnt win. i guarantee 03 duncan or lew alcindor could guard russell and wilt better than whoever the hel is guarding Jordan or Bird on your team.

[EricForman]

Why would he use 1977 Kareem when he didn't win the title that year?

Anyway for Jordan why didn't he use 1991 or 1993? Those were better years for him?

he explains all this in depth in his book. he factors in chemistry and style of play. obviously 2001 kobe is not a better player than 2006 kobe, but 2001 kobe didnt develope an ego yet and wouldnt mind being used as a defender and spark off the bench.

also, this team isn't playnig against other humans, it's playing against martians with the fate of earth on the line lol

[Samurai Swoosh]

My All-Time (Best Season) roster of 12 players ...

C - Shaquille O'Neal (2000)
PF - Tim Duncan (2003)
SF - Scottie Pippen (1993)
SG - Michael Jordan (1993)
PG - Gary Payton (1996)

Bench

C - Hakeem Olajawoun (1994)
PF - Kevin Garnett (2004)
SF - LeBron James (2009)
SG - Tracy McGrady (2003)
PG - Kobe Bryant (2006)

SG - Reggie Miller (1995)
PF - Charles Barkely (1993)

[Abraham Lincoln]

yeah right. jordan/bird/magic have more greatness/will power/skills than anybody on your team. your team wouldnt win. i guarantee 03 duncan or lew alcindor could guard russell and wilt better than whoever the hel is guarding Jordan or Bird on your team.

Rodman and Jones would be solid defenders. And my team has an astronomical advantage on both backboards. Jabbar or Duncan outrebounding the likes of Wilt, Moses, Russell, Barkley, O'Neal, & Dennis? Add Robinson to the mix and one ses how stacked the paint is. West, Robertson, & Iverson are ample as for creating in on the perimeter beit in the post off with Allen off the dribble for a petertate/dish to O'Neal for a dunk or Greer/Rice for an open jumpshot. Would be a respectable 7 game series.

Oh, and Abe, your list is just garbage. The bias towards the older generation is a really annoying gimmick - you don't really think Jerry West would be better than prime Michael Jordan, do you?

Way to display your lack of understanding. The game is not played 1 on 1 on the perimeter. Let West who was a suberb defender sag off and run him into the middle. Or even start Rodman on him, who was the best man on man wing defender to ever play the sport. All about how well they would play together, and my team has zero weakness and ample rebounding. And as one knows rebounding is the key to winning a game at any level of basketball. You control both backboards (offensive and defensive) and you will win,

[Big#50]

92 David Robinson
03 Tim Duncan
08 Lebron James
06 Kobe Bryant
02 Jason Kidd

[DirtBag]

C: 1967-68 Wilt Olajuwon or 1994-95 CF: Hakem Olajuwon
PF: 1989-90: Charles Barkley
SF: 1985-86: Larry Bird
SG: 1992-93: Michael Jordan
PG/Point F: 1986-87: Magic Johnson

Bench:

C: 1999-2000: Shaq O Niel
C: 1976-77: Kareem A. Jabbar
SF/PF/CF: 2002-2003: Kevin Garnett
PG/SF/Point F: 1993-94: Scottie Pippen
PG: 1987-88: John Stockton
PG/CG/SG: 1962-63: Oscar Robertson

-I did not pick Duncan stricktly because i can put Hakeem at the CF next to a Center or Charles at the PF and have a Superior Post Player that will cause more missmatch problems than him (not because Garnett is better). To compensate for D i have Chamberlain as an Interior Defender, Hakeem (The Gratest All Around Defending Big Man Ever and Skilled Post Player Ever Along McHale) whom will cause Havoc on both PFs and Cs d to Missmatch Problems.

Himself in a twin Tower System if needed along Wilt and Garnett comming of the bench for fast break points and to D up with some SFs or PFs.

-I did not pick Dr J or Karl Malone cause similar reasons: I have Barkley as a PF that can not only finish like Malone (a 1985-1993 version ofcourse) but can also handle the rock go coast to coast and pass off for better desicion making. I did not pick Dr J cause i have Pippen whom was a Better Defender (Whole Court Wise and Matchups against taller-bigger and smaller player) and can give me a similar response on the break to finish off a play and was a Better Game Creator.

I would usually play:

Wilt, Hakeem, Charles, Big 0 and Magic (Feed The Frontliners For Post Fouls On Every Play)
Wilt, Hakeem, Bird, Jordan and Stockton (Feed The Frontliners, Move Around, Pass Off and Let Jordan Slash Once in a While)

For Some Parts of the Game i would play a total Loose Game with the "2 Dobbermans at the Perimeter D"

Shaq, Garnett, Charles, MJ and Pippen (Fast Break Machine Gun at both the Backcourt and Frontcourt)

If my Team Lacks 3-Point Shooting...Then I Will Adjut For Every Play Tu Run a Pick and Roll for Bird to Get Loose

Who's that?

[iamgine]

Ben Wallace/Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Karl Malone/Kevin Mchale
Scottie Pippen/Larry Bird
Michael Jordan/Brent Barry
John Stockton/Magic Johnson

[Lebron23]

Who's that?

Wilt Olajuwon - The father of Hakeem Olajuwon.

[PistonsFan#21]

C: 1967 Wilt Chamberlain
C: 1962 Bill Russell
F: 1976 Julius Erving
G: 1966 Jerry West
G: 1964 Oscar Robertson

Bench:

2000 Shaquille O'Neal
1990 Charles Barkley
1997 Glen Rice
1995 David Robinson
1983 Moses Malone
2001 Allen Iverson
1967 Hal Greer
1990 Dennis Rodman
1981 Bobby Jones

Your team loses

1st with Iverson coming off the bench he is gonna kill your team chemestry and spread like a cancer among other bench players.
2nd of all Magic Johnson > Oscar Robertson
Michael Jordan >>>>>> Jerry West
Larry Bird > Julius Erving
Tim Duncan > Russel (because Russel is useless on offense and his 15pts on 44%FG wont hurt)
The only place where you got an edge is maybe Chamberlain over kareem

[crisoner]

Ben Wallace/Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Karl Malone/Kevin Mchale
Scottie Pippen/Larry Bird
Michael Jordan/Brent Barry
John Stockton/Magic Johnson

Props...Brent Barry was the man!!!

[MaxFly]

So I'm reading his new book and his all-time team is...

C - 1977 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
PF - 2003 Tim Duncan
SF - 1986 Larry Bird
SG - 1992 Michael Jordan
PG - 1985 Magic Johnson
BENCH
1977 Bill Walton
2001 Kobe Bryant
1986 Kevin McHale
2009 LeBron James
1992 Scottie Pippen
2009 Dwayne Wade
2009 Chris Paul
2001 Ray Allen


I personally love this team. It has everything.

I know he doesn't have love for Wilt, but come on... this is overdoing it.

No Dream... No Shaq?