Poll: Best starting 5 of all time

[Moranis]

Steph KD Mitch Klay Mullin in today's game?  Hard to leave out Wilt, but today's game is so crazy.

How about this Nuggets lineup?  Mahmoud Abdul Raof, Jokic, Alex EngLish. MELO, Kiki Vandeweghe

I think the Nuggets lineup would be incredibly fun to watch - but I really think some blend of Golden State's TMC/Splash Bros backcourt and wings with Durant and Wilt at the 4 and 5 just seems absolutely unstoppable under the modern ruleset. Wilt is Giannis but bigger and stronger and better at basketball, you know?

maybe you just beat them up. How about the Pistons?

PG - Thomas, Billups, Bing
SG - Dumars, Stackhouse, Hamilton
SF - Hill, Dantley, Aguirre
PF - Rodman, Sheed, DeBusschere
C - Lanier, Big Ben, Laimbeer

They had McAdoo and Bellamy for parts of 2 seasons, Bailey Howell, Roundfield, Prince, R. Mahorn, Vinny, Drummond, Salley, early Okur, late Iverson

Lots of talent from the Pistons. Tough and gritty. Maybe the way to beat the finesse is to get physical and I don't think any franchise would be more suited to that than the Pistons.

[Kernewek]

Steph KD Mitch Klay Mullin in today's game?  Hard to leave out Wilt, but today's game is so crazy.

How about this Nuggets lineup?  Mahmoud Abdul Raof, Jokic, Alex EngLish. MELO, Kiki Vandeweghe

I think the Nuggets lineup would be incredibly fun to watch - but I really think some blend of Golden State's TMC/Splash Bros backcourt and wings with Durant and Wilt at the 4 and 5 just seems absolutely unstoppable under the modern ruleset. Wilt is Giannis but bigger and stronger and better at basketball, you know?

maybe you just beat them up. How about the Pistons?

PG - Thomas, Billups, Bing
SG - Dumars, Stackhouse, Hamilton
SF - Hill, Dantley, Aguirre
PF - Rodman, Sheed, DeBusschere
C - Lanier, Big Ben, Laimbeer

They had McAdoo and Bellamy for parts of 2 seasons, Bailey Howell, Roundfield, Prince, R. Mahorn, Vinny, Drummond, Salley, early Okur, late Iverson

Lots of talent from the Pistons. Tough and gritty. Maybe the way to beat the finesse is to get physical and I don't think any franchise would be more suited to that than the Pistons.

A very reasonable post - I guess it depends on if the referees are calling the game as they are more likely to call it today, or if it's going to be called like a  Heat/Knicks game circa 1999.

[johnnygreen]

Phoenix Suns

Steve Nash
Devin Booker
Kevin Durant
Charles Barkley
Amar'e Stoudemire

[liam]

I have to go with:

Dennis Johnson
Danny Ainge
Larry Bird
Kevin McHale
Robert Parish

[Moranis]

If I could have the prime season of actual teammates, these are the best I could come up with

83 Lakers - Nixon, Magic, Worthy, McAdoo, Kareem with Wilkes, Rambis, Cooper

86 Sixers - Cheeks, Toney, Dr. J, Charles, Moses with McAdoo, Jones, Threatt

86 Celtics - Ainge, DJ, Bird, McHale, Walton with Parish, Wedman, Carlisle

97 Bulls - Harper, MJ, Pip, Rodman, Parish with Kukoc, Kerr, Longley

08 Suns - Nash, Hill, Marion, Amar'e, Shaq with Bell, Barbosa, Diaw

11 Celtics - Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG, Shaq with JO, Bradley, Green

11 Heat - Bibby, Wade, Lebron, Bosh, Big Z with Stackhouse, Haslem, Miller, J. Howard, Magloire, Dampier

13 Spurs - Parker, Manu, Kawhi, McGrady, Duncan with Green, Baynes, Joseph

18 Warriors - Curry, Klay, KD, Dray, West with AI2, McGee, Looney

22 Lakers - Westbrook, Carmelo, Lebron, Davis, Dwight with Rondo, IT4, Ariza, Monk, Reaves

[Donoghus]

11 Celtics - Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG, Shaq with JO, Bradley, Green

This team would be utterly ridiculous.

[liam]

If I could have the prime season of actual teammates, these are the best I could come up with

83 Lakers - Nixon, Magic, Worthy, McAdoo, Kareem with Wilkes, Rambis, Cooper

86 Sixers - Cheeks, Toney, Dr. J, Charles, Moses with McAdoo, Jones, Threatt

86 Celtics - Ainge, DJ, Bird, McHale, Walton with Parish, Wedman, Carlisle

97 Bulls - Harper, MJ, Pip, Rodman, Parish with Kukoc, Kerr, Longley

08 Suns - Nash, Hill, Marion, Amar'e, Shaq with Bell, Barbosa, Diaw

11 Celtics - Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG, Shaq with JO, Bradley, Green

11 Heat - Bibby, Wade, Lebron, Bosh, Big Z with Stackhouse, Haslem, Miller, J. Howard, Magloire, Dampier

13 Spurs - Parker, Manu, Kawhi, McGrady, Duncan with Green, Baynes, Joseph

18 Warriors - Curry, Klay, KD, Dray, West with AI2, McGee, Looney

22 Lakers - Westbrook, Carmelo, Lebron, Davis, Dwight with Rondo, IT4, Ariza, Monk, Reaves

Jerry Sichting over Carlisle...

[bdm860]

If I could have the prime season of actual teammates, these are the best I could come up with

83 Lakers - Nixon, Magic, Worthy, McAdoo, Kareem with Wilkes, Rambis, Cooper

86 Sixers - Cheeks, Toney, Dr. J, Charles, Moses with McAdoo, Jones, Threatt

86 Celtics - Ainge, DJ, Bird, McHale, Walton with Parish, Wedman, Carlisle

97 Bulls - Harper, MJ, Pip, Rodman, Parish with Kukoc, Kerr, Longley

08 Suns - Nash, Hill, Marion, Amar'e, Shaq with Bell, Barbosa, Diaw

11 Celtics - Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG, Shaq with JO, Bradley, Green

11 Heat - Bibby, Wade, Lebron, Bosh, Big Z with Stackhouse, Haslem, Miller, J. Howard, Magloire, Dampier

13 Spurs - Parker, Manu, Kawhi, McGrady, Duncan with Green, Baynes, Joseph

18 Warriors - Curry, Klay, KD, Dray, West with AI2, McGee, Looney

22 Lakers - Westbrook, Carmelo, Lebron, Davis, Dwight with Rondo, IT4, Ariza, Monk, Reaves

I think the '80 C's would be interesting, with Tiny, Maravich, Bird, Cowens, Maxwell, Chaney, ML Carr.

[Donoghus]

If I could have the prime season of actual teammates, these are the best I could come up with

83 Lakers - Nixon, Magic, Worthy, McAdoo, Kareem with Wilkes, Rambis, Cooper

86 Sixers - Cheeks, Toney, Dr. J, Charles, Moses with McAdoo, Jones, Threatt

86 Celtics - Ainge, DJ, Bird, McHale, Walton with Parish, Wedman, Carlisle

97 Bulls - Harper, MJ, Pip, Rodman, Parish with Kukoc, Kerr, Longley

08 Suns - Nash, Hill, Marion, Amar'e, Shaq with Bell, Barbosa, Diaw

11 Celtics - Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG, Shaq with JO, Bradley, Green

11 Heat - Bibby, Wade, Lebron, Bosh, Big Z with Stackhouse, Haslem, Miller, J. Howard, Magloire, Dampier

13 Spurs - Parker, Manu, Kawhi, McGrady, Duncan with Green, Baynes, Joseph

18 Warriors - Curry, Klay, KD, Dray, West with AI2, McGee, Looney

22 Lakers - Westbrook, Carmelo, Lebron, Davis, Dwight with Rondo, IT4, Ariza, Monk, Reaves

I think the '80 C's would be interesting, with Tiny, Maravich, Bird, Cowens, Maxwell, Chaney, ML Carr.

Definitely some interesting ones.  In '88, you could have Bird, McHale, Parish, Ainge, DJ, Gilmore, & Reggie.

[Moranis]

If I could have the prime season of actual teammates, these are the best I could come up with

83 Lakers - Nixon, Magic, Worthy, McAdoo, Kareem with Wilkes, Rambis, Cooper

86 Sixers - Cheeks, Toney, Dr. J, Charles, Moses with McAdoo, Jones, Threatt

86 Celtics - Ainge, DJ, Bird, McHale, Walton with Parish, Wedman, Carlisle

97 Bulls - Harper, MJ, Pip, Rodman, Parish with Kukoc, Kerr, Longley

08 Suns - Nash, Hill, Marion, Amar'e, Shaq with Bell, Barbosa, Diaw

11 Celtics - Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG, Shaq with JO, Bradley, Green

11 Heat - Bibby, Wade, Lebron, Bosh, Big Z with Stackhouse, Haslem, Miller, J. Howard, Magloire, Dampier

13 Spurs - Parker, Manu, Kawhi, McGrady, Duncan with Green, Baynes, Joseph

18 Warriors - Curry, Klay, KD, Dray, West with AI2, McGee, Looney

22 Lakers - Westbrook, Carmelo, Lebron, Davis, Dwight with Rondo, IT4, Ariza, Monk, Reaves

I think the '80 C's would be interesting, with Tiny, Maravich, Bird, Cowens, Maxwell, Chaney, ML Carr.

Definitely some interesting ones.  In '88, you could have Bird, McHale, Parish, Ainge, DJ, Gilmore, & Reggie.

Yeah, I thought Walton had the highest peak of the others so I picked the best of his years

[tenn_smoothie]

If I could have the prime season of actual teammates, these are the best I could come up with

83 Lakers - Nixon, Magic, Worthy, McAdoo, Kareem with Wilkes, Rambis, Cooper

86 Sixers - Cheeks, Toney, Dr. J, Charles, Moses with McAdoo, Jones, Threatt

86 Celtics - Ainge, DJ, Bird, McHale, Walton with Parish, Wedman, Carlisle

97 Bulls - Harper, MJ, Pip, Rodman, Parish with Kukoc, Kerr, Longley

08 Suns - Nash, Hill, Marion, Amar'e, Shaq with Bell, Barbosa, Diaw

11 Celtics - Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG, Shaq with JO, Bradley, Green

11 Heat - Bibby, Wade, Lebron, Bosh, Big Z with Stackhouse, Haslem, Miller, J. Howard, Magloire, Dampier

13 Spurs - Parker, Manu, Kawhi, McGrady, Duncan with Green, Baynes, Joseph

18 Warriors - Curry, Klay, KD, Dray, West with AI2, McGee, Looney

22 Lakers - Westbrook, Carmelo, Lebron, Davis, Dwight with Rondo, IT4, Ariza, Monk, Reaves

How did you leave the '83 Sixers out ?

They swept the Lakers (who you included) and are the only team I think could challenge the '86 Celtics.

[Moranis]

If I could have the prime season of actual teammates, these are the best I could come up with

83 Lakers - Nixon, Magic, Worthy, McAdoo, Kareem with Wilkes, Rambis, Cooper

86 Sixers - Cheeks, Toney, Dr. J, Charles, Moses with McAdoo, Jones, Threatt

86 Celtics - Ainge, DJ, Bird, McHale, Walton with Parish, Wedman, Carlisle

97 Bulls - Harper, MJ, Pip, Rodman, Parish with Kukoc, Kerr, Longley

08 Suns - Nash, Hill, Marion, Amar'e, Shaq with Bell, Barbosa, Diaw

11 Celtics - Rondo, Allen, Pierce, KG, Shaq with JO, Bradley, Green

11 Heat - Bibby, Wade, Lebron, Bosh, Big Z with Stackhouse, Haslem, Miller, J. Howard, Magloire, Dampier

13 Spurs - Parker, Manu, Kawhi, McGrady, Duncan with Green, Baynes, Joseph

18 Warriors - Curry, Klay, KD, Dray, West with AI2, McGee, Looney

22 Lakers - Westbrook, Carmelo, Lebron, Davis, Dwight with Rondo, IT4, Ariza, Monk, Reaves

How did you leave the '83 Sixers out ?

They swept the Lakers (who you included) and are the only team I think could challenge the '86 Celtics.

because the 86 Sixers are better if you take everyone's prime because that team had Barkley

[tenn_smoothie]

Best team or most big names ?
Sum of the parts, the '83 Sixers were a juggernaut and would beat every team you have listed other than possibly the '86 Celtics.
You are ranking a team that lost in the 2nd round above a team that essentially swept the entire playoffs and won the title.

[Moranis]

Best team or most big names ?
Sum of the parts, the '83 Sixers were a juggernaut and would beat every team you have listed other than possibly the '86 Celtics.
You are ranking a team that lost in the 2nd round above a team that essentially swept the entire playoffs and won the title.

no I'm not.  Sinxe you clearly don't understand what I did, there is no point in furthering the discussion

[Ed Monix]

Apologies for veering off topic, but IMO this is (by position) the best starting five of all-time.

PG John Stockton
SG Michael Jordan
SF Kevin Durant
PF Larry Bird
C   Bill Russell

Mr. Positionless: Magic Johnson & LeBron James (tied)