All-Time Starting Five

[liam]

I go:

Mark Price

Reggie Lewis

Larry Bird

Kevin McHale

Arvydas Sabonis

[Phantom255x]

Not necessarily my all-time team, but this team would be fun:

Magic
Jordan
Bird
Lebron
Jokic

This is literally mine too lol. I was debating a little with Jokic vs. Duncan but truth is, Jokic just puts up video game numbers (like the Ohtani of the NBA), can shoot 3s and can facilitate too. Dominant all-around.

But hey, that all-time starting five + a 6th man like Duncan 

[Csfan1984]

All time I got

Curry, Jordan, LeBron, Giannis, Wilt.

A team to win games
Curry, Jordan, Larry, Giannis, Russell.

Plenty of defense and some scorers

[Who]

G: Oscar
G: J West
F: Kawhi
F: LeBron
C: Shaq

I believe Shaq would be unstoppable under today's rules. The spaced out courts would make it impossible to get double teams there. The PnR would make it easy for Shaq to establish deep post position. The switching defense will be impossible against Shaq. So Shaq is my center.

From there, it is trying to get a nice balance around Shaq. I went for quick forwards. A pair of SFs in Kawhi and LeBron who are two way players. Then I went with 2 big guards in J West and Oscar. I liked Jerry because he is less selfish than MJ or Kobe. A better shooter than Wade. I went with Oscar at PG because he is bigger than Steph and a better defender than Magic. A better shooter than Kidd or Payton.

Isn't Wilt better than Shaq at basically everything? Wilt was taller, stronger, faster, in better condition,  etc. and that is just the physical tools. Wilt was also a better passer, better defender, better rebounder, better scorer, etc. And it isn't like Shaq was a model teammate or leader. 

This type of thing is made for a player like Wilt.

Wilt, Duncan, James, Jordan, Stockton

While Magic is clearly better than Stockton, I think Stockton would fit better. I like Duncan's personality and skill set next to Wilt better than other players and I think Jordan and James would be a better version of MJ and Pip or LBJ and Wade.

No, I don't think so. I agree Wilt has advantages in skill & physical talent but I believe Shaq has advantages in mentality.

Shaq was more willing to pummel his opponents. To double down on his advantages in strength and power. Wilt never wanted to be known solely for his power so he developed more finesse moves and didn't exploit his size / strength as relentlessly as Shaq did.

There is an interesting argument as to whether Wilt would be different (mentally) if he came along today rather than in the late 1950s. Being the first Goliath of the NBA hurt Wilt. The attention he got for it. The added questioning of him. Shaq was lucky. He came later and had a lot less of it. Another argument would be the rule changes. The changed the rules in post ups which allowed Shaq to pummel his defenders whereas in Wilt's time Shaq would have fouled in the Q1 or Q2 for offensive fouls (dislodging defenders).

Yeah, I don't know what to make of that. Maybe Wilt would be more dominant again if he got to play in Shaq's era. Or maybe he would still be somewhat the same. A guy who is overly responsive to outside criticism. Someone who readily adapts and changes his game to try and be more appreciated. Or maybe he does like Shaq and kills everyone in sight like Shaq did from 2000-02.

Anyway, I go for Shaq over Wilt because he will 100% give me what I want to best exploit the advantages presented in today's landscape whereas Wilt is more of a question mark.

[perks-a-beast]

Trying to make a team that would make sense in the modern era.

Steph Curry
Michael Jordan
Larry Bird
Tim Duncan
Nikola Jokic

[Who]

G: Oscar
G: J West
F: Kawhi
F: LeBron
C: Shaq

I believe Shaq would be unstoppable under today's rules. The spaced out courts would make it impossible to get double teams there. The PnR would make it easy for Shaq to establish deep post position. The switching defense will be impossible against Shaq. So Shaq is my center.

From there, it is trying to get a nice balance around Shaq. I went for quick forwards. A pair of SFs in Kawhi and LeBron who are two way players. Then I went with 2 big guards in J West and Oscar. I liked Jerry because he is less selfish than MJ or Kobe. A better shooter than Wade. I went with Oscar at PG because he is bigger than Steph and a better defender than Magic. A better shooter than Kidd or Payton.

Isn't Wilt better than Shaq at basically everything? Wilt was taller, stronger, faster, in better condition,  etc. and that is just the physical tools. Wilt was also a better passer, better defender, better rebounder, better scorer, etc. And it isn't like Shaq was a model teammate or leader. 

This type of thing is made for a player like Wilt.

Wilt, Duncan, James, Jordan, Stockton

While Magic is clearly better than Stockton, I think Stockton would fit better. I like Duncan's personality and skill set next to Wilt better than other players and I think Jordan and James would be a better version of MJ and Pip or LBJ and Wade.

If you are going to put Duncan at PF, why not put Russell there?  Russell > Duncan in my opinion.  As to Center, that is the toughest one.  You could make an argument for Wilt, Shaq, Kareem, Jokic, and maybe a few others.  No right or wrong answer at Center.

because Wilt and Bill aren't as good a fit.

Alright then, I will take Jokic and Russell to go against Wilt and Duncan.  I just feel that Russell is not given enough credit due to many not even being alive when he played.  I would have Russell as my PF over Duncan and then if you are concerned about fit, just pick Jokic or Kareem or Olajuwon or whoever you think fits best.

Again, I understand we are splitting hairs, especially with the Centers.

I don't like Russell as a PF. He is a C.

As Russell said, if he and Wilt are on the same team then Wilt is on the bench. Russ is the starting center.

Russell doesn't play like a forward. He plays like a center. He is the central figure on both offense and defense. He is hub to the offense with his passing from low post post and elbows with 4 guys (quick mobile players) moving all around him for him exploit. And then defensively, he is the anchor. He is the rim protector. He is the rebounder. He gets less opportunities to do those tasks at PF than at C (because he is further out on the floor on D & rebounding0.

[Who]

Russ has a lot of value at center in a hypothetical like this because he is the consummate team player who will enable everyone around him. He won't clog the paint. He won't be a ball stopper. He will do all the little things that make everyone around him more effective. He will give you a strong defense.

One of the issues with these is you can get teams with too many star guys who want the ball in their hands all the time. Russell counteracts that. He gives others room to show their best talents on offense while having a massive impact without the ball.

G: Oscar
G: M Jordan
F: Durant
F: LeBron
C: Bill Russell

[Moranis]

G: Oscar
G: J West
F: Kawhi
F: LeBron
C: Shaq

I believe Shaq would be unstoppable under today's rules. The spaced out courts would make it impossible to get double teams there. The PnR would make it easy for Shaq to establish deep post position. The switching defense will be impossible against Shaq. So Shaq is my center.

From there, it is trying to get a nice balance around Shaq. I went for quick forwards. A pair of SFs in Kawhi and LeBron who are two way players. Then I went with 2 big guards in J West and Oscar. I liked Jerry because he is less selfish than MJ or Kobe. A better shooter than Wade. I went with Oscar at PG because he is bigger than Steph and a better defender than Magic. A better shooter than Kidd or Payton.

Isn't Wilt better than Shaq at basically everything? Wilt was taller, stronger, faster, in better condition,  etc. and that is just the physical tools. Wilt was also a better passer, better defender, better rebounder, better scorer, etc. And it isn't like Shaq was a model teammate or leader. 

This type of thing is made for a player like Wilt.

Wilt, Duncan, James, Jordan, Stockton

While Magic is clearly better than Stockton, I think Stockton would fit better. I like Duncan's personality and skill set next to Wilt better than other players and I think Jordan and James would be a better version of MJ and Pip or LBJ and Wade.

No, I don't think so. I agree Wilt has advantages in skill & physical talent but I believe Shaq has advantages in mentality.

Shaq was more willing to pummel his opponents. To double down on his advantages in strength and power. Wilt never wanted to be known solely for his power so he developed more finesse moves and didn't exploit his size / strength as relentlessly as Shaq did.

There is an interesting argument as to whether Wilt would be different (mentally) if he came along today rather than in the late 1950s. Being the first Goliath of the NBA hurt Wilt. The attention he got for it. The added questioning of him. Shaq was lucky. He came later and had a lot less of it. Another argument would be the rule changes. The changed the rules in post ups which allowed Shaq to pummel his defenders whereas in Wilt's time Shaq would have fouled in the Q1 or Q2 for offensive fouls (dislodging defenders).

Yeah, I don't know what to make of that. Maybe Wilt would be more dominant again if he got to play in Shaq's era. Or maybe he would still be somewhat the same. A guy who is overly responsive to outside criticism. Someone who readily adapts and changes his game to try and be more appreciated. Or maybe he does like Shaq and kills everyone in sight like Shaq did from 2000-02.

Anyway, I go for Shaq over Wilt because he will 100% give me what I want to best exploit the advantages presented in today's landscape whereas Wilt is more of a question mark.

Wilt developed more all around skills and constantly improved and that is somehow a negative.  Perhaps if Shaq listened to people he wouldn't have come into virtually every season fat and out of shape, which invariably led to him missing around 15 games a year (basically every year) and losing several playoff series as the best player on the floor to an inferior team.  Maybe if he wasn't such a baby he could have won multiple titles in Orlando with Penny or wouldn't have left Kobe and LA.  Not a coincidence when his running mate started to get as much or more love than him, he bailed.  Shaq is the exact opposite mentality of the type of player I'd want in this.  I'm not saying Wilt is uber elite there, but comparing the two, I'm taking the far more physically gifted player, who constantly adapted his game and barely missed a minute of game action in his prime.  Shaq can't hold a candle to Wilt.  It isn't close and this coming from someone that has Shaq 10th all time.  Even amongst the top 10 there are clear divides to me.  You have the top 3 (LBJ, Kareem, MJ), then I have Wilt all alone in 4, followed by Magic, Bill, Bird, then you get the trio of TD, Hakeem, and Shaq.