Easily the most balanced teams I’ve seen for these hypotheticals
Agreed, I just kept staring at it like "these are usually easy... who is the obvious choice here" and can't make up my mind. Usually there's at least one team lacking on defense, not here.
Yeah I saw team 1 and instantly thought that must be it. But then seeing the rest of them and I'm like hmmmm actually....
It's a great argument, but I chose who I grew up on.
Some of the past ones are like “would you rather have MJ and LeBron or Stoudemire and Harden?”
Lmfao yeah like those dumbass questions like would you rather have a 100 million dollars….or cancer? Tee hee
Cancer, of course. No one will congratulate me if I beat $100 million 😭😭😭
Probably first meme that made me go like “alright ok fine, MJ might lose on this one”
☝🏾 i agree to your comment. For me team 1 beats them.
Kobe shoots team 1 out of that game trying to match MJ bucket for bucket.
Kobe took the backseat too Shaq before he respects players who are as good as him. Its why he loved pau
Nah he only did that to teammates he didn't respect
It’s crazy that embid is the weak link on that squad. I’d love to see prime Shaq against prime Hakeem.
Already happend Shaq lost
I dunno. 2001 Shaq might have been a little too much for Hakeem to handle. He wasn't quite as mobile, but he was so powerful and a smarter player.
Hakeem was notoriously described by other players of the era, including Shaq, for being deceivingly strong and, of course, agile. His and Shaq’s IQ are probably on the same level somewhat, but I’d bet on Hakeem having the edge there.
This is what I’m referring too. Shaq was in his prime with then lakers.
But Hakeem is who I think is arguably the greatest center of all time. But Shaq was so dominant to see 2001 Shaq against 94 Hakeem would be amazing.
Shaq the 3 years the lakers 3peated was the best player in the playoffs we have ever seen besides Jordan. He won 3 finals mvps no one on the planet could stop him not Hakeem or if wilt or Russell were around shit all 3 of them would have had a hard time with Shaq
No dude. Hakeem beat Shaq when he was on the magic not in his prime. Come on now
Hakeem beat Shaq when he was 32 and Shaq was 22
Shaq beat Hakeem when Shaq was 26 and Hakeem was 36
Seems like a wash
You really think Shaq was in his prime in 94/95? Barely any players are in their prime at 22yo and 3 years in to the league. Shaq became much more physically dominant later on. There's just no way a 260lb Hakeem is holding up against a 360lb Shaq. Nothing against the Dream, he's underrated and one of the best ever. But he's not stopping physical prime Shaq.
I don’t think 1995 Shaq was as good as 2001 Shaq.
That was not Prime Shaq. We didn't get Prime Shaq until LA.
That wasn’t prime Shaq lol.
I say weak link on that team is CP3
Interesting take..thought it would be CP,he can't guard a soul
I think CP in his prime is an elite point guard. With his passing ability and play making ability he allows the rest of the team to do what they do best.
Jordan Bird and Giannis are great defenders. Joel is a decent center but he can’t guard the rest of those centers period. All for different reasons. Also with the exception of Jokic the other ones all lock him down on defense too.
Shid I said the same thing when I seen him and Kobe. They might lose this one!
Harden is the only week link if it’s playoffs
Nah cp3 as well. Him and harden always choke in the playoffs.
would you include embiid on that list too?
Embiid not going to be able to choke as the team’s third offensive option. His rim defense will still be there, though
yeah, but cp3 has mj and bird on this list. teams 2 and 3 strike me as the best
Yeah team 3 was my team of choice but I’m also a spur fan and will always go with Timmy over anyone.
Team 3 doesn't have the spacing of those other teams. An absurd amount of talent though
I feel like jordan and bird might solve that problem
Cp3 is 14th all time in career playoff bpm. That’s out of everyone ever. And he has a huge sample size too. No I’m not saying bpm is a perfect stat but it gives you an idea. He pretty much plays up to his regular season self which is all time great, though you can fault him for regularly getting injured. Please continue on with your choker nonsense narrative. Can barely discuss basketball with you idiots.
https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/bpm_career_p.html
People forget that Paul was basically a one man army on New Orleans in beginning of his career
MJ wouldn’t let those weak ass mfs choke
Jordan just rides paul and embiid until they figure it out. Or they quit, crying and Jordan win 3 on 5 with Bird and Giannis just because.
This is going to sound weird but while Team 2 has more talent Team 1 works better as a team- every one of the guys on that team has won a Finals MVP, all but Kawhi has won at least 1 MVP and all 5 have deferred at at least one point in their career son I think they'd be more likely to share the load and play unselfishly.
They’re probably the best shooting team too. It’s hard for me to overlook Bron and MJ but Curry alone will warp damn near every defense he plays against with his scoring gravity.
They’re the best shooting, most free-flowing team with the best interior defender and (arguably) the two best permitter defenders the game has ever seen. All of those guys are off-ball specialists as well so there would be like no usage/playmaking issues regardless of who they let be the ball handler. I think they’re the best pick here for sure.
Jordan, Bird, and Giannis is tough to not pick
Ugh Hatethat I'm passing on td but jordan/ bird alone is ridiculous
Ridiculous. I actually couldn't find Jordan for a few secs because I subconsciously didn't look near bird, ha.
Who is staying in front of MJ and who is stopping Bird from passing to cutting MJ and shooting whenever he feels like from wherever he feels like. And shaq would get buckets but have to defend Joel at the 3 point line. Also is this before the hack a shaq rule? Because you just foul shaq and he shoots 58% from line but Bird is shooting 92%
And Shaq or Hakeen can't guard Giannis AND Joel
I mean MJ is obviously amazing but are you serious ? “Who is staying in front of MJ?” Ummmm Kobe/Kawhi/Wade/Lebron all would do fine against him with Kobe/Kawhi being some of his worst matchups of all time to see.
Very. But so is Bron, Duncan, and Jokic. And Magic, KD, and Shaq. And Hakeem, Kobe, and Steph.
This is probably the best “which would you choose” that I’ve seen. There’s no obvious right answer
Who's going to space the floor on Brons team?
Y'all forget Jokic shoots it at a 39% clip in the playoffs on his career on 4.4 attempts per.
Comparatively, including the years the 3pt line was brought closer Jordan shot at a 33% clip on his career on 2.5 attempts.
That gives Timmy D the space to operate inside.
Dwade in the playoffs shot the 3 at the same clip as Jordan, except that dwade didn't have the benefit of several seasons with a brought in 3pt line so I'd give the edge to dwade there.
LeBron is a career 33% shooter, again due to Jordans closer 3pt line seasons I'd give the edge to James for spacing the floor.
Isaiah Thomas shot the 3 at a respectable 35% clip.
Isiah Thomas is getting zero love in this thread and it's despicable. He whooped Michael Jordan's ass many, many times. Also got whooped but still.
He was NASTY with the handle and could dribble around 4 defenders while the rest of the team is wide open. I am biased af but it's gonna be a team 3 for me.
Yeah team 3 is absolutely stacked.
15 rings between all of them.
Each one a Finals MVP at least once.
Who is even the weak link here?
Every other team has a clear one.
Magic, KD, Shaq and KG! Let’s not act like KG is some sort of scrub. Dude was fully capable of dropping 20 and pulling down 20 boards. That’s a hell of a team and probably my pick
Team 3 doesn’t have much shooting no? Old bron might be the best shooter there?
But the PnR option with Giannis is absolutely nasty😂
Not to mention CP3 might be the best fit just because he is not shoot-first, can play off-ball, can spot up shoot or create for himself, and is the 2nd best PG defender of all time. Give that team 2008-2015 CP3 and they’re disgusting
Team 4 is incredibly slept on! Tons of switching 1-4 You have a dominant force in the paint whose peak is probably higher than any other 5s Your 2-4 are great shooters and will give him tons of space Your 2&3 are among the most efficient offensive players ever And your 1 is the best PG of all time, will punish any team that doesn’t get back and is a nightmare for all these other point guards (he’s easily got 6 inches on all of them)
I never saw anyone stop Shaq in his prime. Im the biggest MJ guy but come on, Shaq prime wasn’t fair
I think Hakeem is strong and quick enough to give him trouble.
Not prime Shaq. Hakeem has an early ripe Shaq who still got his numbers but truthfully even Hakeem wouldn’t be capable of slowing down prime Shaq.
Yeah, from 40+ to 30+.... In the defensively tougher nba.
I don’t think there’s a force on earth who could stop prime Shaq (1998-2006). Any players now (Jokic, Giannis, Embid) or in the past (Wilt, Bill Russ, Kareem, Hakeem, Ewing).
I take it ur not thinking 94 Shaq at age 22 got smoked by Hakeem at 31… both off their peak but that magic team probably had more talent surrounding shaq then what hakeem had.
I think it’s worth listening to what shaq thought of hakeem.
Ftr I’m going team 1 for the shooting.
I saw Shaq stop Shaq by missing FTs
Only two guys I remember doing a good job of slowing him were Ben Wallace and Hakeem
But I’m totally in your camp - ESPECIALLY on this team where the shooting means you have to take him 1on1 in the paint
Rodman too
Oh yeah Ben Wallace slowed him down... 27 and 10 the whole series. And his stats are skewed because pistons got him in foul trouble often.
But go watch games one and two and tell me if Ben Wallace did anything when Shaq was dropping 34 and 29 on his head.
Problem with Team 4 is that Harden is just totally superfluous if you have Magic. It’s not a good use of a roster spot in the starting 5.
Team 1 is by far the most balanced. Couple of key ball handlers, but everyone can play off ball, everyone can iso, they’ve got at least strong perimeter defense in Kobe and Klaw, have Olajuwon at the rim and he’s always been agile enough to venture out. No weak spots at all.
Team 2 lacking some spacing; I’d put them last. Giannis, Embiid, Jordan operate in the same space and typically need ball dominance for success.
Team 3 can be pretty balanced, would put them second. Edit: Should said third here
Team 4 — even though Hardens gona be the odd man out, Shaq, Magic, KG, KD? That’s enough firepower, height, and length to get any kind of inlet pass, hard for perimeter / wing defense to cover, and hard for coverage at the 5. I would put them 2nd.
Replace Harden with Rodman. Yikes.
I think I may be romanticizing him but as a pure shooter and as a defender, I think peak Harden could be great as a role player!
You are. The only sentence that defense and Harden have ever been a part of is "James Harden is a lazy, awful defender."
Triangle MJ played off the ball a lot, I wouldn't say he needed ball dominance. That's when he started to rack up rings
Exactly, I slowly went through each team and then team 4 made me gasp from how incredible it is.
To me I have them or team 1
Team 4 is the one
Ya, but the big question on 4 is will Harden just jack it up over and over while letting his man score consistently? With these squads, it’s probably and almost certainly.
To many ball dominant players.
Problem is the other guards are cooking Magic on D. He wasn’t a good defender in his day. This backcourt doesn’t work defensively as this team doesn’t really have a POA defender. No amount of switching is going to help Magic or Harden in defending a starting 5 of the best scorers in the game. Easily the team that gives up the most wide open threes.
All of team 2 is all defence. They also have 2 of the best scorers ever.
Plus a center who’s averaged > 30 pts/ gm a season
They're the most balanced team on this list.
Yea I don’t know how you pick anybody except Team 2. Clear winner here
Depends...if Scott Foster is reffing then its game over for Team 2 and CP3
And Giannis is the only non-shooting threat.
All Im saying is a 6’9 PG and 3 7fters all with PnR options. Dawg that shit different
Team 1 has incredible spacing, and Hakeem would DEMOLISH in this environment.
Team two seems the most balanced. Only Giannis can't shoot, you have incredible defense, and I'd choose this team.
Team 3 lacks some spacing but is a strong option.
Honestly, team 4 is the weakest. Magic, Garnett, and Shaq is a spacing nightmare. Harden lowers the collective winning spirit by at least 25%. This team goes 0/3 and KD demands a trade
Team 4 has very dominant scorers and the lob threat to Shaq would be insane, he’s never played with a PG as good as Magic or Harden.
Their biggest weakness is defence but I guess it doesn’t matter with KG and Shaq in the paint.
Let’s also not forget that they have insane size. They got 3 mobile 7 footers and a 6’9 PG. Mismatch nightmare on every possession.
3
Its the team where the majority of the players are the best in each column, plus two of them have won multiple titles together.
Timmy!
Not enough people saying 3. Sure team has the worst guards, but they have the best player at 3,4, and 5.
I’m thinking team 1, honestly. Best shooting and elite perimeter and paint defense
MJ and Bird
I was on MJ and Bird too but that spacing is killer
It's ok, they're going to shit talk so much the other team gives up. The top 2 taunting legends on the same team is unfair. They might lose to Tranquil Timmy though.
Timmy would hit them back with “nice try” and it would be over.
“Next time”
Imagine MJ and Larry’s brains in Giannis and Joel’s bodies
I dunno man…MJ and Bird not only talked shit but they walked it too. 2 competitive ass mfers with time to clown ya ass
In this hypothetical, Bird would probably adapt a more modern style and would fucking be deadly, deadly from 3.
Bird/MJ pick and pop would not be stoppable in a scenario where these are like AI programmed robots who got months to practice and prepare to play the other teams.
?
Everyone can shoot threes other than Giannis
CP3 career 37% from 3, jordan career 32.7% from 3, bird career 37.5% from 3, Giannis career 29% from 3, Embiid career 34% from 3.
Everyone on the team can hit a 3, but outside bird and CP3 it’s pretty rough from downtown.
Yeah the game was so much different back in MJs era. He would have worked on his 3 a lot more and been average or better. I remember in finals against Portland ads were saying Clyde’s one big advantage against MJ was his 3…..MJ came out and hit 8 3s which was a finals record at the time. MJ could do anything as the reason he is the GOAT is not just the rings and stats but because he was the strongest willed player ever, as stated by all then legends he played against and those who played with him.
As Bron fan... Who tf thought dat team was fair 😭
Team 1, everyone is a killer 1-5. The others have at least 1 weak point except team 3.
Who exactly is the weak point on team 3
The 3 point line
harden isn’t able to guard anybody on team 1
And who is Steph guarding?
Steph has Hakeem behind him one of the best defenders in NBA history. Shaq is good but he ain’t comparable defensively
Not just Hakeem. He also has a guy who made 9 All NBA defensive 1st teams in Kobe and a 2x DPOY in Kawhi. Steph and Dirk play the least important defensive positions at least.
Harden, CP3, Isiah, magic… I mean everyone besides team 1 is going to be cramped because they can’t spread the floor.
I meant 3 my bad
And Steph can guard him?
With these scenarios, the question almost always relies upon defensive versatility. I think Team 2 would take it because Team 1 has two black holes on defense with Dirk and Steph.
Dirk is big enough to guard most of these 5s. With the exception of Shaq and maybe Embiid you would have Olajuwon giving the 4 nightmares and Dirk on the center. There's nobody I would pick over Hakeem to guard Giannis, Duncan, or KG
Prime Dirk wasn’t a black hole on defense
His later years have altered peoples views on his defense
Curry certainly isn't a bad defender in a vacuum but going off of all-time standards..... Yeah
Kobe for defending the best perimeter player, Kawai for the best wing and Hakeem for the best big. Dirk's size can help when needed and Stef can contribute on D as well.
In return I'm getting a balanced attack on offense with shooting, shot creation, attacking the post and off ball movement(mostly Stef, but Kobe will bring value there as well).
No one will agree with me, but Steph is a really good defender. He doesn’t have the size to lock up one on one, but whenever teams try to iso him he always holds his own.
I think really good is a stretch.
He even guarded lebron in a few possessions last season and forced him to pass
He’s better than he gets credit for
Certainly not a black hole
You could put Steph of CP3 and he’d probably do just fine.
Steph could guard Isaiah well enough though.
I agree Steph and Dirk would be rough but the advantage Team 1 has is that their 2 bad defenders are at the very least playing the least important positions defensively PG and PF. At the other 3 positions they have the guy with the most All defense 1st teams selections ever (SG), a 2x DPOY (SF), and another 2x DPOY who is arguably the best modern defender ever (C).
Team 2 has no weaknesses offensively and defensively
Spacing on offense might be an issue.
Nah, you can't leave CP3, Jordan, Bird, or Embiid open.
Team 1 but team 3 is a big shout
1
Numero Uno
Team 1 comes across the most balanced. All other teams have too many people who actively need the ball in their hand at all times, overlapping skill sets and/or lack spacing
1
2,2 and 2
3 iq is mental yet the 2 and 3 position athleticism is strong too.
These teams are extremely well balanced (great job)
I'd pick team 3 because every player on that team has the ability to play unselfishly and I think they can mesh well together.
Lebron, dunk and joker? What can you even do about that lmao
Team 2
2 for the defense
2
Team 1
Team 1 but Wade and James cutting off ball for Jokic with some Jokic/Duncan high-low action is diabolical
Team two is the most well balanced, team 3 is going under the radar though. Duncan, Jokic and LeBron would be killer
I can’t pick against Jordan and Bird with Freak as the ultimate rim protector shot negator. You right though Jokic, Duncan Lebron gonna be tough….all these teams are loaded but could you get so many Alphas to accept rolls and play together? I wonder if some of the great dynasty teams like 90s Bulls, 80s Celts/ Lakers wouldn’t beat any of these teams because of rolls and balance.
Can’t make my decision but team 4 will always be my last pick
Team 2
Team 2 easy
Give team 2 all day everyday
Team 2 might be my dream team but whoever made this picture killed it, all of the teams are insane.
I pick 2 just barely edging 1. Although watching prime Kobe and MJ go at each for 48 would be worth the price of the ticket.
2
Duncan and Joker would be cheating I think. If this was an NBA fielded team. I'm taking team one though.
3
Team 3 -
Give me 3
Team 4 is just massive all across the board.
3 7 footers plus 6'10 magic. Not to mention prime shaq is a force.
I think you can make an argument for any of these teams (imo team 1 being the weakest of the 4) but to have magic distributing with harden and KD outside. And shaq on the inside is a force.
My choice is team 4 but like I said you can make an argument for any of the teams
Team 1 is the perfect team.
Team 3 has an absurd amount of ball movement I’m gonna go with them
Team 1 has the best individual defenders, most flexibility to switch and the most 3pt shooting.
I feel like Team 1’s ability to score at 3, midrange, and in the paint with efficiency is what gives them the edge.
"Best Individual Defenders"
"Stephen Curry"
Press X to Doubt.
- Cuz Jordan
Team 3. Lebrun makes it work. Jordan and cp3 would fight.
It’s a great option. Wade in his prime is no slouch. Him working with LeBron, Duncan, and a perfect center? Four incredible scorers.
Plus they all won't hesitate to make the better play
Team 4.
Team 3 is the only one without a guy that I could see completely not showing up. (Kawhi for health, Embiid, Harden)
Team 1 is absolutely insane
Nobody beats team 1
Team 3. Team two… Paul doesn’t fit with Jordan and Embiid is out of his element in the playoffs/elite competition.
Team 4, Hardens foul merchant ways don’t play against elite comp.
Team 1, Kawhi doesn’t belong on any of these rosters.
Team 3 has the best balance by way of ball handing, scoring, defense, etc.
It is a great comp though.
3, 2, 1, 4
It’s all based on personal preference but truth is any team can beat the other on any given night. Would be a bloodbath.
Teams 1 and 2 are more injury prone.
I'd probably take 3 bc of health of the squad and fit.
Team 3 easy.
Duncan super unselfish and will just want to win so he won’t need the ball in his hands but his defense will be a nightmare to deal with.
Same with Jokic he’s not as dominate as the other centers on the list but he will spread the floor and be more of a perimeter threat than any one of them.
Isiah is easily one of the best PGs ever to play the game.
These 3 can literally just let Wade and Lebron run wild and clean up after them.
Team 3 would score on every possession
I think it’s 1 or 2. I’m going to go with 2 because I like CP3 and Bird with MJ.
- Easy.
Team 3- All are Finals MVP’s
The pure ball movement of team 3 is just irresistible to me, I can't help but pick then.
Idk how you go against Jordan and Bird
Team 3 has insane IQ. I don’t think this is even close
Team 1 easily.
2 or 4. Shaq and Garnett? Yeesh. And Jordan/Bird/Giannis? My god.
I like this game.
Team 2 obvs
Team 2 for me
Team 2
4
Three Bron and Isiah Thomas and Joker…it’s over.
Team 2. But this is not a runaway at all.
Team 2
Even being sandwiched between two notable playoff duds Team 2 is shitting on these other teams.
Whatever team has Jordan
How do you stop diesel and Garnet with those shooters out wide?
3
3 🃏
kudos for a well made and balanced question