Build a Scottie Pippen led team that could win a title today.

[D-FENS]

The Blazers easily win with prime Pippen and the 94' Bulls would have if the Bulls had a legitimate starting SG. Krause cost CHI the title by failing to trade for Hornacek in favor of keeping their first round pick (which turned out to be Dickey Simpkins ). These are real life teams he was on that he likely would have won with under more favorable circumstances (being in his prime in Portland and not having the worst starting SG in the league in 94') So it is odd to see some argue that it would be impossible for a team to win with Pippen as its best player.

I agree, that team would win it all in 94. I would stick Ho Grant on Hakeem to see how he would do.

[Roundball_Rock]

Really?

Assuming they make finals in '94, who's checking Hakeem? Luc Longley? Bill Wennington? Will Perdue?

Hakeem would get his but it is a team game. The Rockets were not a dominant team even with Hakeem at his peak (55, 58 and 47 wins). In his peak years of 1993-1995 they had two series go to the final game in every year despite his individual dominance. People point to the Knicks having Ewing to defend Hakeem but what did the Suns (two 7 games series including one in which Phoenix led 3-1), Clippers, and Jazz have at center?

How did the Bulls succeed against the Rockets? By playing Hakeem 1 on 1, making entry passes challenging, and closing out on shooters. Hakeem is always going to get his, the key to stopping those Rockets teams in 94 and 95 was closing out on the shooters. In 95 this was more difficult, because Drexler could still demand significant attention.

Yup. Hakeem was the best player in the game during those years but people overestimate how good those Rockets were. Even with Hakeem dominating the Rockets barely scraped by.

The Bulls did a solid job on Ewing in 94' and historically owned Ewing's Knicks, Daughtery's Cavs, Zo's Hornet and Heat. Shaq is the only one who managed to have post-season success against them, going 1-1.