Who's Winning? Dream Team III ('96) or Redeem Team ('08)

[Donoghus]

Since we're killing time here in the midst of summer. 

'96 Team - Charles Barkley, Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, Karl Malone, Reggie Miller, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, Gary Payton, Scottie Pippen, Mitch Richmond, David Robinson, John Stockton

'08 Team - Carlos Boozer, Jason Kidd, Lebron James, Deron Williams, Michael Redd, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul, Tayshaun Prince, Carmelo Anthony

[Roy H.]

I'm saying 1996.  Too big, too strong.  The 2008 team has one center.  There's no way D12 can hold up against Shaq, Hakeem and Robinson.

[Donoghus]

I'm saying 1996.  Too big, too strong.  The 2008 team has one center.  There's no way D12 can hold up against Shaq, Hakeem and Robinson.

Yeah, I voted '96 also.  The front court depth on the '96 team was ridiculous.  The C depth chart alone is insane.

[0003323344]

I vote 1992 team. Bird, Magic, Jordan, Pippen, Barkley, Malone, Stockton, Chris Mullin, Clyde Drexler, Ewing, David Robinson.

[A Future of Stevens]

This is probably a stupid question, but why wasn't KG on the 08 squad?

[Donoghus]

This is probably a stupid question, but why wasn't KG on the 08 squad?

He already had gold at that point (Sydney '00) and didn't play in Athens ('04).  Probably felt he already did want he had to do for USA Basketball and wanted summers off by that point. 

[Who]

I gotta put them on depth charts to visualize them

1996 Dream Team III

G: Penny Hardaway, Gary Payton, John Stockton
G: Reggie Miller, Mitch Richmond
F: Grant Hill, Scottie Pippen
F: Charles Barkley, Karl Malone
C: David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon

2008 Redeem Team

G: Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Deron Williams
G: Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Michael Redd
F: Lebron James, Tayshaun Prince
F: Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer
C: Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh         

I forget this team. Did Melo start or D-Wade start? One started and one was 6th man, right?

Verdict

Man, that whole frontcourt for the 1996 Team is incredible. Not just the 3 centers but the 2 power forwards and the 2 small forwards. Unreal blend of skill, power & speed. No way the 2008 Team can matchup with that frontcourt.

2008 Team has only one real center in Dwight Howard. A slow footed weak defensive PF in Carlos Boozer. A finesse PF in Chris Bosh. Then a couple of great SFs in LeBron & Melo. Tayshaun is out of his depth here.

I thought Hakeem struggled in the 1996 team but D-Rob and Shaq were awesome. So too were Barkley and K Malone. G Hill and Pippen were devastating defensively, in transition and with their playmaking. They helped knit the team together.

Penny Hardaway was awesome on that 1996 team as well. Big advantage over Team USA guards. Kidd was older. Gary Payton would hound CP3 or Deron. So too would Stockton. All 3 of those Team USA PGs were great ball-thiefs. The 1996 Team was so much better at creating turnovers and running in transition.

I loved Reggie Miller and Mitch Richmond on that team. They did not need much of the ball. They were the release valve on the offense. The outside shooters to spread the floor. They allowed others to do their thing. Kobe too ball-dominant here. D-Wade not a shooter. Melo was probably the closest thing to a release valve for the 2008 Team with his midrange shooting.

Dwight Howard struggled on that 2008 team. He wouldn't be able to cope with Shaq. Essentially the same player only Shaq is much bigger, heavier & longer. Shaq would own him. They have nobody who can check David Robinson.

[Redz]

Admiral, Shaq and The Dream would seem to be an unstoppable force of big men. 

Give the ?96 team and it?s not even close.

[Moranis]

The only advantage of the 08 team was Kobe and Lebron and that was a younger Lebron going against prime Pippen so that was just a slight advantage. Kobe would have dominated Reggie and company. Of course Kobe would need like 100 to counteract the bigs of the 96 team