Dream Team vs. Redeem Team

[Finkelskyhook]

I think it would be close, but only because everyone on the 92 dream team is 16 years older now. 

Great post.

The only position close to being even is PG.

-The Snitch man wouldn't be able to guard Bird the GM.  Forget about him guarding Bird the player-Or Clyde-or Mullin-Or Scottie
-Nobody on that roster could guard Barkley or Malone.
-Howard would have to play 48 minutes because they have nobody else to stop Ewing and Robinson from eating them alive.
-That's not mentioning them trying to match up to an in-prime Jordan.

A person could assume that if this game took place, today's roster would look quite a bit different trying to match up against 92.  Even if they did, it wouldn't matter.  The games might be closer.  

This year's team would have a hard time winning a slam dunk contest against the 92 team.  Forget about winning any games.

[davemonsterband]

Here are Larry's thoughts on the subject, amongst other things...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/danpatrick/interviews/?eref=fromSI

[Amonkey]

If the Redeem Team would play some good team ball like they have been in these last few games, they maaaaaybe might be able to sneak one game in there, but I expect's Dream Team's athleticism and knowledge of the game to overtake our current roster.  The Dream Team is just too nasty.  It has some of the best top 15 players of all time in that roster.

I heard something that going back even further, team USA consisted of Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry Sloan, Oscar Robertson and some.

[Roy Hobbs]

Here are Larry's thoughts on the subject, amongst other things...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/danpatrick/interviews/?eref=fromSI

I love that Larry is really deferring attention to the new guys, but it's very clear which way he was leaning on that one.

[KungPoweChicken]

Dan Patrick was so obnoxious in that interview...

[Donoghus]

Dream Team.  No questions asked.

[fairweatherfan]

Not to mention the differences in perimeter defense.  If they play by the rules the Dream team played under, Kobe, James, Paul... are not as used to playing with the hand checking.


If they play by the rule the Redeem team plays, no one could stop Jordon when they could hand check, now he has a free pass. 

I'd say Dream Team in 6 - the Redeem Team is legitimately good enough to give them fits for awhile, but the Dream Team just has too many matchup advantages and veteran experience.  As long as Laettner is retroactively demoted to towel boy I'm happy though. 

But to address this post, Olympic basketball does allow hand-checking, same now as it was then.  This was one of the things people worried this year's bunch would have trouble adjusting to.  I'd assume they're playing under Olympic rules, not NBA - if that's the case most of the rules were pretty much the same for each team.

[Jon]

Kobe, like Jordan, is an overrated defender.  If anyone thinks that Kobe's the best defender that Jordan would have ever seen obviously didn't watch Paul Pierce and Ray Allen light Kobe up in the Finals. 

[Mr October]

Dream Team is the best for sure.... MJ and that front line were awesome.

However, I do think the redeem team is the best since.

[davemonsterband]

I think the real point to be made is the Redeem Team is quite a ways away from the best team that could be fielded vs. the Dream Team, aside from C.L. A team without guys like KG, Paul and/or Ray, possibly Shaq, Josh Smith, Iverson, T Mac and a host of others is an incomplete team. The Dream Team was compiled to put the best players on the floor, the Redeem Team was compiled to give Team USA the best chance to win against the constantly improving rest of the world, totally different scenario. Regardless of the 3 year plan, this team wasn't as openly perused by all players like the Dream Team so I think it's somewhat of an incomplete and unfair discussion. Josh Smith would eat up those European players, he'd be the best player in the tournament against those guys if he was there, and if the team was picked today I'd sure as heck hope he'd be there over flippin' Tayshaun. Things have changed too much, hence why the Dream Team will never be matched. Unless of course a few more Durant's come into the league, then it's all over.

[Finkelskyhook]

Iverson and McGrady make any team they're on an incomplete team.  Neither is capable of playing within a team concept.  Although for the same reason, I can't for the life of me understand why Anthony is on this team.

[jgod213]

i don't understand people who think the dream team would of smoked the redeam team in a 7-game series.  I do believe that, in a 7 game series, and both teams having the same amount of practice, the dream team would win out, but it would be in no less than 6 games.

the state of the game has just changed too much.  pat ewing and david robinson are all time greats, but you're telling me they would be able to work over dwight howard? no, they'd be hacking just like the rest of the world is.  

big advantage with malone/barkley over bosh/boozer.

now i would never knock larry legend, but the matchup of pippen/mullin/bird versus lebron james and 'mello is tough.  i'm not even sure i can picture what a matchup between bird and james would look like, but i'm sure both would be feasting offensively.  pippen has always been underrated, but i'm not so sure he's a better talent than carmelo anthony.

a kobe versus mj battle would be incredible.  nod to mj because he's more of a team player - which is what the olympics are all about and which is why the dream team would ultimately win.

magic gets the best of cp3 and deron, but size is a big factor here - he's just too big and versatile.


Overall, i'd say the dream team has only one run-away advantage (PF).  i think most of us are just so nostalgic when it comes to these guys that we don't want to think about todays players as being able to hold their jocks, but, depending on the speed and tempo of the game, i just don't see the dream team winning a series before a minimum of 6 games.

[Celtics17]

If you think Kobe struggled in this years Finals, just imagine how he would do vs. MJ and Pippen. If there ever was a player who could shut Kobe down, and I mean shut him down, it was Scottie Pippen. I do think however that Lebron could hold his own against dream team, and maybe do a lot more then that but anything he did would be countered by MJ, Magic and Larry.

If you look at the maturation of the baby boom generation you will understand why basketball in the latter part of the 80's reached its acme as far as talent goes.

[zerophase]

don't try to compare players of different generations. the nba game is too different. one example of this was how mj took full advantage of the hand checking rules or rather the lack of them. it's much more physical now in the sense that although player fouls are called more often, players are much more muscular and a lot stranger.

[Finkelskyhook]

now i would never knock larry legend, but the matchup of pippen/mullin/bird versus lebron james and 'mello is tough

Anthony doesn't belong in the discussion with any of the other 4.  Or anybody else on the 92 team other than Laettner.  Like the situation with Howard, the messiah would have to play 48 minutes and the three you mentioned would wear him out.