My roommate and I were talking tonight, and being the total Michael Jordan slappie that he is, he claimed that the Dream Team was the greatest team ever assembled. He went so far as to say that this team would walk over any team it encountered, including the great Bulls, Pistons, Lakers, and Celtics teams of old, and today's Pistons.

I personally believe that while the Dream Team was amazing, they played a downright pitiful level of competition (far, far below even the worst NBA teams of the day) and didn't require much team chemistry to win.

For the record, this roommate also believes that the Bulls of Jordan's era were great "teams" despite the fact that Jordan and Pippen carried the bulk of the load. He claims that the Pistons won solely on Isiah and Dumars' talent, but neglects the existence of Laimbeer, the Microwave, and others that often carried the load for the Pistons.

Anyway, who is right?

You are right atti.

One of the Celtic Lakers Pistons is the best.

Very Debatable

Easily one of the individual teams (I'm leaning on the Celts). Mid-80s to Mid-90s was probably thst most competitive era in the NBA.

The Dream Team was just a slop of talent beating on a JV squad. A superstar flooded team like that though I wouldn't mind putting my money on though.

http://blog.yam.com/price/62e08250.jpg

As much as i'd want them to lose. The dream team is too much. jordan and pippen on the wing with robinson and ewing in both of their primes? barkley and karl malone both also in their primes. too much. Though stockon and laetner are weak links on defense.

if the dream team were given a few months to practice more, i can't believe that they would lose to anyone.

i mean, look at ojay's picture.....the dream team has just about the BEST player at each position to ever play the game. unreal.

Maybe I'm just stupid but since the choice is one of the teams from the 80s/90s or a team with all the great players from each of those teams of the 80's/90's, I think the choice is pretty simple.

Oh, and Daddy Rich is the biggest pimp in that picture.

Imagine if the Dream Team had been done right, resolving the Isiah and Shaq controversies...

Your roommate is a doofus for not understanding the significance of Laimbeer and VJ to the teams of old. Someone should show him the 1990 Finals.

http://blog.yam.com/price/62e08250.jpg
Dream Team - ALL DAY EVERY DAY YOUHAVETOBEKIDDINGMERIGHT?!

Though stockon and laetner are weak links on defense.

I can buy Laettner being a weak link on D, but Stockton?

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Imagine if the Dream Team had been done right, resolving the Isiah and Shaq controversies...

Your roommate is a doofus for not understanding the significance of Laimbeer and VJ to the teams of old. Someone should show him the 1990 Finals.Dominique Wilkins over Mullin as well.

Dominque was recovering from an Achilles injury. His absence wasn't controversial.

Good. I wanted to kill someone all these years. Glad I don't have to.

Nique wouldnt have fit well on that team anyway. That was a team built around great passing.

Nique had KEVIN WILLIS...that's all.
KEVIN FUCKIN WILLIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nique doesn't get enough credit man.

Spud Webb, Doc Rivers, Antoine Carr, Cliff Levingston and Randy Whittman weren't chopped liver..

LMFAO @ These guys. You have to be joking.

Spudd, Carr and Whittman were average at best.
Doc Rivers was definitely decent.

Cliff Levingston and Randy Whittman WERE chopped liver.

Wittman was about as good a shooter as there was in the NBA for a brief time.

I would hope that Piston fans of all people would know Levingston was a very good reserve, seeing as how he single-handidly outplayed our entire bench once he got to chicago..

So your argument is that Nique had a good supporting cast and you show me these bums?

Look at MJ, Magic, Thomas and Bird's teams and get back to me. Seriously. OMFG with this shit.

You can't compare Nique's teams to 3 of the greatest teams of all time.

Nique's teamates in the 80's were still better than most.

Though stockon and laetner are weak links on defense.

I can buy Laettner being a weak link on D, but Stockton?

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Yes. Stockton can get steals. But He would get owned on the other end guarding most of those other teams PG's. only one he'd own on both ends may be steve kerr. but his offensive abilities are pretty tough to deal with. and having malone on the same team kinda makes it an uphill climb no matter how much you score on them.

You can't compare Nique's teams to 3 of the greatest teams of all time.

Nique's teamates in the 80's were still better than most.
Toward the end, the Hawks looked like today's Sixers, with a superstar scorer pretty much at the peak of his powers in Dominique, a quality but aging big in Moses, and slumps from there down to Jon Contract (we helped the Hawks dick themselves over that one :) ). Oh, a lot of folks forgot about "Fast Eddie" Johnson, who was a fine player in the early/mid 80s for them.

Damn, I feel old...

Actually, towards the end, the Hawks had the best team and the best record in the NBA...then they traded Nique. Your memory could use some refreshing.

Hawks would have a championship banned had they not traded Nique away in 94.

Actually, towards the end, the Hawks had the best team and the best record in the NBA...then they traded Nique. Your memory could use some refreshing.
End of the '80s... the context being '80s teams, back when Dominique was truly the Human Highlight Reel. In the '90s after his injury, his game had changed. He could still pile in the points, but he was much more about the three point shot.


Hawks would have a championship banned had they not traded Nique away in 94.
Maybe. I don't think anyone beats Hakeem that year though, not even Dominique and cast.

My whole point is that Nique was one of the best players at that time and
your argument is that he didn't pass.

My counterpoint was, who did he really have as an option to pass to?
Look at any of those Dream Team players and all of them had at least
one guy on their team that was good as hell.

Nique carried his team in to the playoffs and lost in the ECF to one of
the greatest basketball teams in history with one of the top 3 players
ever IMO and would have won if it wasn't for the fact that he had a shitty cast.

My whole point is that Nique was one of the best players at that time and
your argument is that he didn't pass.

My counterpoint was, who did he really have as an option to pass to?
Look at any of those Dream Team players and all of them had at least
one guy on their team that was good as hell.

Nique carried his team in to the playoffs and lost in the ECF to one of
the greatest basketball teams in history with one of the top 3 players
ever IMO and would have won if it wasn't for the fact that he had a shitty cast.

Agree 100%

Maybe. I don't think anyone beats Hakeem that year though, not even Dominique and cast.

I recall Houston going into Atlanta 16-0 that year and getting blown out of the building....

The 94 Hawks before they traded Nique were just ridiculously good. They were one of the most athletic teams I ever saw.

Maybe. I don't think anyone beats Hakeem that year though, not even Dominique and cast.

I recall Houston going into Atlanta 16-0 that year and getting blown out of the building....

The 94 Hawks before they traded Nique were just ridiculously good. They were one of the most athletic teams I ever saw.

Because the regular season counted for something come playoff time? Hakeem just went into another mode come offseason and made everyone his bitch. Remember what he did to Ewing in the Finals? Ewing didn't even average above 20PPG that series and shot something like 39% from the field. Hakeem went on to score 28PPG off 50% shooting. And that was against a HoF center with Riley doubling him with Oakley, Mason, and even Starks often before Hakeem even got the ball (I know it was illegal, but the ref's let it pass since it was NY and you don't fuck with the 2nd largest market in the country when you're David Stern.)

Imagine the field trip Hakeem would have against what Atlanta had as their Center and PF. Kevin Willis was far too slow to guard Hakeem effectively. Andrew Lang? Please.... Though Mookie would've been a fucking nightmare though.... He could've changed the series more than Wilkins would have.

Kevin Willis in his prime was a damn good post defender.

Also if you think Atlanta would have just let Houston set up shop int he halfcourt like NY did, you didnt watch that team. They were an athletic trapping team. Augmon, Blaylock and Nique were all pressing all over the floor and creating havoc.

Im not sure how often the ball would have actually reached Hakeem's hands.

Kevin Willis in his prime was a damn good post defender.

Also if you think Atlanta would have just let Houston set up shop int he halfcourt like NY did, you didnt watch that team. They were an athletic trapping team. Augmon, Blaylock and Nique were all pressing all over the floor and creating havoc.

Im not sure how often the ball would have actually reached Hakeem's hands.

Reason why I said Mookie could've changed the series outcome more than any other Hawks player. They were a good defensive team and would've tried their damn best to deny Hakeem the ball, but then, so did every team once they realized it was basically a bunch of shooters and Otis Thorpe next to him. Hakeem learned to play through it.... Often in that Knicks series, you saw Hakeem face up against Ewing on the perimeter and do his damage from there since Riley went the extra step to make sure Olajuwon wouldn't receive the ball in the low post. Hakeem was also a quick passer out of traps/double teams and though none of his supporting cast was stellar, they were competent enough to hit that open shot consistently.

It would've been a good, close series, but Hakeem was just playing out of his mind during his prime, especially in the postseason.

And Kevin Willis was an excellent man to man defender and rebounder, but what hurt him was that he was no shotblocker. No way he could've dealt with the Dream Shake better than any other center in the league.