NBA Early 2000s (Webber, Kobe, KG, Iverson, TMac, Shaq, Vinsanity, Timmy, etc

[ManUp]

I posted before watching the video, just watch it and now I miss the 2000s. The 2000 were a fun time to watch players. They definitely had a lot more depth and talent. I miss when T-Mac was a beast, when Pierce lead the league in fourth quarter scoring, when Iverson dropped 40 every other game, Laker vs Kings, Mavs vs Spurs, when players used to showboat a little and not roasted on ESPN, when the slam dunk contest didn't suck, and a bunch of other things that I can't think to right. What I don't miss however is the horribly mismanaged teams with one star player and tons of garbage as a surrounding cast(mainly in the east).

[Eja117]

Early 2000 bigs(Franchise players)>2012 bigs(second fiddles)
Shaq/Duncan/Garnett/Nowitzki/Webber/R.Wallace>Howard/Bynum/Bosh/Griffin/Amare/Love

2012 wings(top heavy)<early 2000 wings(deeper)
LeBron/Wade/Durant/Melo<McGrady/Bryant/Carter/Iverson/Allen/Pierce/Ginobli

2000 points<2012 points(much deeper it seems)
Kidd/Nash/Marbury/Francis/Davis/Miller<Paul/Williams/Westbrook/Rose/Parker/Rondo

I totally disagree with the wings. It should be noted this generation of players has had the rules bent towards wings and guards. That makes it harder for big men today

[Change]

Early 2000 bigs(Franchise players)>2012 bigs(second fiddles)
Shaq/Duncan/Garnett/Nowitzki/Webber/R.Wallace>Howard/Bynum/Bosh/Griffin/Amare/Love

2012 wings(top heavy)<early 2000 wings(deeper)
LeBron/Wade/Durant/Melo<McGrady/Bryant/Carter/Iverson/Allen/Pierce/Ginobli

2000 points<2012 points(much deeper it seems)
Kidd/Nash/Marbury/Francis/Davis/Miller<Paul/Williams/Westbrook/Rose/Parker/Rondo

institute a draft

Wing players: Kobe 1st player picked, followed by Lebron, McGrady, Durant, Wade, Pierce, Vince.

Point players: Kidd 1st player picked, followed by Iverson, Nash, Rose, Paul, Marbury.

[Celtic]

That was a golden era for the NBA, these were the guys that really took the torch from the aging stars of the previous years. What was interesting was how many stars came to the forefront so quickly. I'll always remember Jordan's last all star game in 2003 when he said the "NBA is in good hands," I realize now just how right he was.

Count me in as someone who thinks the early 2000's players would school a lot of the current guys.

[Eja117]

Early 2000 bigs(Franchise players)>2012 bigs(second fiddles)
Shaq/Duncan/Garnett/Nowitzki/Webber/R.Wallace>Howard/Bynum/Bosh/Griffin/Amare/Love

2012 wings(top heavy)<early 2000 wings(deeper)
LeBron/Wade/Durant/Melo<McGrady/Bryant/Carter/Iverson/Allen/Pierce/Ginobli

2000 points<2012 points(much deeper it seems)
Kidd/Nash/Marbury/Francis/Davis/Miller<Paul/Williams/Westbrook/Rose/Parker/Rondo

institute a draft

Wing players: Kobe 1st player picked, followed by Lebron, McGrady, Durant, Wade, Pierce, Vince.

Point players: Kidd 1st player picked, followed by Iverson, Nash, Rose, Paul, Marbury.

There is no way on Earth we go with broken legs no playoff wins it's on me! TMac over Durant. Never. There is no way we go with can't buy a shot Iverson and Kidd or no defense Nash over Rose or Paul and Marbury has no place in this conversation at all. His biggest contribution to basketball was the $20 shoe followed by his cautionary tale.

[ManUp]

Early 2000 bigs(Franchise players)>2012 bigs(second fiddles)
Shaq/Duncan/Garnett/Nowitzki/Webber/R.Wallace>Howard/Bynum/Bosh/Griffin/Amare/Love

2012 wings(top heavy)<early 2000 wings(deeper)
LeBron/Wade/Durant/Melo<McGrady/Bryant/Carter/Iverson/Allen/Pierce/Ginobli

2000 points<2012 points(much deeper it seems)
Kidd/Nash/Marbury/Francis/Davis/Miller<Paul/Williams/Westbrook/Rose/Parker/Rondo

I totally disagree with the wings. It should be noted this generation of players has had the rules bent towards wings and guards. That makes it harder for big men today

Handchecking made it harder for wings and guards in the early 2000s and Howard is the only big I see as the main peace to a contender. LeBron, Wade, Durant, and Melo are pretty much it as far as elite wings today. I think hand checking would knock down their efficiency to around the same place as the 2000 wings. There isn't a big outside of Howard that could hang with Shaq/Duncan/Garnett rule change or not.

[Eja117]

Let's do it this way

All Star game starters

2003
pg Iverson
sg Kobe
sf Dirk?
pf Duncan
C Shaq

2012
pg D Rose
sg Durant
sf Lebron
pf K Love
c Howard

Yeah. I am sorry. There is no way 2012 loses that game. Shaq is their best shot. K Love would ruin T Duncan. Yes. I get that Duncan was better. It's just that he would outrebound Duncan and shoot a 3 over him while singing "Anything you can do I can do better"

D Rose would shoot it in Iverson's eye while rapping "What's the difference between me and you" by Dre and then remark that thanks to Dre at least something good came out of his era.

D Howard would block Shaq repeatedly and say "Well I can jump because I'm not fat. Oh and watch this. Lebron is about to outrebound Dirk even though he's shorter. Then he's going to start a fast break. Last one down is fat! Beep beep!"

The 2003 team would have to rely on Kobe's shooting and call in Ray to try to bail them out.

[Eja117]

All star reserves

2003

Vince
Kidd
KG
T Mac
Ray
Nash
Webber

2012
CP3
B Griffin
R Westbrook
Josh Smith
D Wade
Melo
M Gasol

Things get dicier here. 2012 has the pgs. 2003 has the wings and bigs. 2003 may have more depth.

It'd be a war. This is why I wish I were God sometimes

[Change]

Early 2000 bigs(Franchise players)>2012 bigs(second fiddles)
Shaq/Duncan/Garnett/Nowitzki/Webber/R.Wallace>Howard/Bynum/Bosh/Griffin/Amare/Love

2012 wings(top heavy)<early 2000 wings(deeper)
LeBron/Wade/Durant/Melo<McGrady/Bryant/Carter/Iverson/Allen/Pierce/Ginobli

2000 points<2012 points(much deeper it seems)
Kidd/Nash/Marbury/Francis/Davis/Miller<Paul/Williams/Westbrook/Rose/Parker/Rondo

institute a draft

Wing players: Kobe 1st player picked, followed by Lebron, McGrady, Durant, Wade, Pierce, Vince.

Point players: Kidd 1st player picked, followed by Iverson, Nash, Rose, Paul, Marbury.

There is no way on Earth we go with broken legs no playoff wins it's on me! TMac over Durant. Never. There is no way we go with can't buy a shot Iverson and Kidd or no defense Nash over Rose or Paul and Marbury has no place in this conversation at all. His biggest contribution to basketball was the $20 shoe followed by his cautionary tale.

Hindsight 20/20. Those players are either retired or at the tale end of their careers. Where as these guys are in their prime NOW fresh on your mind.

Durant is basically 6'11 jump shooter. He needs to be fed the ball to score. Tracy McGrady on the other hand was a beast. A world class athleticism, can create from anywhere on the floor, he was great at setting up his teams 6/7 years 5+assist a game. He was an unstoppable force.

His peak TMac was NBA best player not Kobe, not Shaq, not KG, not Duncan.

He had string of bad luck. His early were wasted on the bench as a backup. His first real opportunity was in Orlando where he exploded from the gate. The problem was his supporting cast. They were terrible. multiplied by a young head Coach in Doc River without any Coaching experience. His best shot was in Houston, but he and Yao could never stay healthy. Its not easy winning in the NBA, Ask Lebron James? The crab-dribble, and the Zebras could only take him so far.


I'd love to see one-on-one between prime Tracy McGrady and prime Lebron James. How about Kobe Bryant vs anyone now? Garnett vs ... I'm not going to go there. Disrespectful to KG

[ManUp]

Let's do it this way

All Star game starters

2003
pg Iverson
sg Kobe
sf Dirk?
pf Duncan
C Shaq

2012
pg D Rose
sg Durant
sf Lebron
pf K Love
c Howard

Yeah. I am sorry. There is no way 2012 loses that game. Shaq is their best shot. K Love would ruin T Duncan. Yes. I get that Duncan was better. It's just that he would outrebound Duncan and shoot a 3 over him while singing "Anything you can do I can do better"

D Rose would shoot it in Iverson's eye while rapping "What's the difference between me and you" by Dre and then remark that thanks to Dre at least something good came out of his era.

D Howard would block Shaq repeatedly and say "Well I can jump because I'm not fat. Oh and watch this. Lebron is about to outrebound Dirk even though he's shorter. Then he's going to start a fast break. Last one down is fat! Beep beep!"

The 2003 team would have to rely on Kobe's shooting and call in Ray to try to bail them out.

2000 would probably out
Kidd
Bryant
McGrady
Duncan
Shaq

2012
Rose
Durant
James
Love
Howard

What would really happen.

Shaq and Duncan would kill everything 2012 guys have going to the basket. Rose and LeBron aren't barreling in for dunks and and1s, Howard can't get anything against Shaq,  Love isn't able to push guys around for boards. Durant struggles putting the ball on the floor against Kobe. McGrady gives LeBron jumpers and funnels him towards Shaq and Duncan on drives. kidd gets into transition and LeBron can't figure out who to cover on the break so no come from behind blocks. If the transition game fails give it to Shaq who moves Dwight like a feather for easy dunks/and1s or Duncan who banks uncontested hooks over the top of Love. LeBron and Durant can't cover either Kobe or McGrady because both are too polished.

[Eja117]

Let's do it this way

All Star game starters

2003
pg Iverson
sg Kobe
sf Dirk?
pf Duncan
C Shaq

2012
pg D Rose
sg Durant
sf Lebron
pf K Love
c Howard

Yeah. I am sorry. There is no way 2012 loses that game. Shaq is their best shot. K Love would ruin T Duncan. Yes. I get that Duncan was better. It's just that he would outrebound Duncan and shoot a 3 over him while singing "Anything you can do I can do better"

D Rose would shoot it in Iverson's eye while rapping "What's the difference between me and you" by Dre and then remark that thanks to Dre at least something good came out of his era.

D Howard would block Shaq repeatedly and say "Well I can jump because I'm not fat. Oh and watch this. Lebron is about to outrebound Dirk even though he's shorter. Then he's going to start a fast break. Last one down is fat! Beep beep!"

The 2003 team would have to rely on Kobe's shooting and call in Ray to try to bail them out.

2000 would probably out
Kidd
Bryant
McGrady
Duncan
Shaq

2012
Rose
Durant
James
Love
Howard

What would really happen.

Shaq and Duncan would kill everything 2012 guys have going to the basket. Rose and LeBron aren't barreling in for dunks and and1s, Howard can't get anything against Shaq,  Love isn't able to push guys around for boards. Durant struggles putting the ball on the floor against Kobe. McGrady gives LeBron jumpers and funnels him towards Shaq and Duncan on drives. kidd gets into transition and LeBron can't figure out who to cover on the break so no come from behind blocks. If the transition game fails give it to Shaq who moves Dwight like a feather for easy dunks/and1s or Duncan who banks uncontested hooks over the top of Love. LeBron and Durant can't cover either Kobe or McGrady because both are too polished.

2012 is playing hack a shaq and outrebounding the worse shooting team.  2003 has to bring in Ray, who never had the wheels to play in a game like this.

The 1980s team and Jordan's Bulls show up, start laughing hysterically, and Jordan says "When I said the game was in good hands I was being nice. It had to be in someone's hands and you were there. I didn't mean the hands were anywhere near as good.

Larry says "Let's have a shooting contest. I'm coming in first and Ray Allen is coming in second. Who's third?"

John Stockon looks at D Rose and Iverson and says "Who the hell are you? The new actors for Miami Ink."

They tell the 2003 and 2012 team to get off the court and go home. Lebron says "Can we watch? Pllleeeeaaaaaseeee"

Larry, Magic, and MJ simultaneously say "No!"

After a hard fought last shot game winner by the 80s team the door opens slowly

Bill Russell, Kareem, and Wilt enter.

Room goes silent. All present bow down.

[LB3533]

Let's do it this way

All Star game starters

2003
pg Iverson
sg Kobe
sf Dirk?
pf Duncan
C Shaq

2012
pg D Rose
sg Durant
sf Lebron
pf K Love
c Howard

Yeah. I am sorry. There is no way 2012 loses that game. Shaq is their best shot. K Love would ruin T Duncan. Yes. I get that Duncan was better. It's just that he would outrebound Duncan and shoot a 3 over him while singing "Anything you can do I can do better"

D Rose would shoot it in Iverson's eye while rapping "What's the difference between me and you" by Dre and then remark that thanks to Dre at least something good came out of his era.

D Howard would block Shaq repeatedly and say "Well I can jump because I'm not fat. Oh and watch this. Lebron is about to outrebound Dirk even though he's shorter. Then he's going to start a fast break. Last one down is fat! Beep beep!"

The 2003 team would have to rely on Kobe's shooting and call in Ray to try to bail them out.

I'm taking the 2003 squad.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I jumped in just to say, if DH would block his shots, what was he doing being evenly played ALL the time but by a MUCH older Shaq? LOL prime Shaq would easily embarrass Howard... not even prime but a younger Shaq would give DH a lot of trouble!!!! Stop with revisionist history, if someone can't handle an old man, how do you expect them to handle the same man but much younger?

[Eja117]

What it comes down to for me is that TMac is nowhere near the player Lebron and Durant are. And Kobe at his best is just not that much better than those guys.

And today's pgs are far better shooters.

And I just don't think the bigs of 2003 are as good of athletes as todays. B Griffin can jump out of the gym. Howard can outrun Shaq all day.

And K Love is a better shooter.
 
Today's pgs are just as good of rebounders and not that much worse of passers.

I guess 2003 had better defenders, but today's defenders aren't bad.

[Eja117]

I jumped in just to say, if DH would block his shots, what was he doing being evenly played ALL the time but by a MUCH older Shaq? LOL prime Shaq would easily embarrass Howard... not even prime but a younger Shaq would give DH a lot of trouble!!!! Stop with revisionist history, if someone can't handle an old man, how do you expect them to handle the same man but much younger?

Revisionism?

Wait a second. I just went through quite a few game logs. D Howard outplayed Shaq in his Boston year and his Cleveland year. In his 2nd Pheonix year they only played one game against each other which was about even. Prior to that D Howard was like 21 years old.  That year Shaq was traded and D Howard outplayed him in a game against the Heat. 

I'm not so sure on this one