If You Could Pick 5 NBA Players, Past or Present, To Create One Starting Lineup...

who would they be?

Preferably one from each position, but, doesn't necessarily have to be the case...

My picks would be:

PG - Magic Johnson (19.6 PPG, 52.0 FG%, 11.2 APG, 7.2 RPG)
SG - Michael Jordan (30.1 PPG, 49.7 FG%, 5.3 APG, 5.3 APG)
SF - LeBron James (27.6 PPG, 48.6 FG%, 6.9 APG, 7.2 RPG)
PF - Tim Duncan (20.2 PPG, 50.7 FG%, 3.1 APG, 11.2 RPG)
C - Hakeem Olajuwon (21.8 PPG, 51.2 FG%, 2.5 APG, 11.1 RPG, 3.1 BPG)

How about anyone else?

I'd say, at the 4, the case could definitely be argued for Charles Barkley (22.1 PPG, 54.1 FG%, 3.9 APG, 11.7 RPG) though, but, my reasoning for Duncan is mainly consistency over the course of his career...

Duncan's numbers have never slumped, that I can recall...

So, top 5, who do y'all have???

 

Jordon - SG, Bird - Forward, Magic - PG, Chamberlin - Center. Other forward is tougher chioce -- Dr. J, the Mailman, Lebron

 

Bird...

I can get behind that...

24.3 PPG, 49.6 FG%, 6.3 APG, 10.0 RPG...

He definitely had impressive stats, in fact, very comparable to Duncan...

As far as Chamberlain, I have trouble putting him up there over Olajuwon because of Olajuwon's comparable stats, and, his skill at the position...

He had superior footwork, and was more of a finesse player than Chamberlain...

But, Chamberlain would be an acceptable argument at the 5...

 

Chamberlin was a far more dominant center in his day than Olajuwon ever was. But I was always partial to Wilt.

Bird, like Magic and few others, transcended his stats in adding synergy and a multiplier to his team.

With Bird, Magic and Jordon you'd have the finesse talent, add a couple bruisers like Chamberlain and Malone to round them out and you'd have a formidable squad.

 

I think Chamberlain's dominance was due in part to his height, but, you can't fault him for that...

As far as adding a synergy to a team, that's why I have Magic, Jordan, Lebron, & Duncan up there...

They all improve(d) their respective teams just by being on the floor...

As far as Chamberlain being more dominant in his time than Olajuwon, that'd be where I'd bring up the level of talent in the league during their careers...

Olajuwon played against far superior talent than Chamberlain...

Note that 4 out of 5 on both of our lists are from the same era...

But, don't get me wrong, your list is impressive, and, would definitely be a beast of a challenge for anyone to compete with...

 

I can give you my whole team, but my 5 are:
Magic, Michael, Bird, McHale & Kareem.
Is my '80s bias showing too much?

 

players are much bigger, quicker and stronger now. Would Hondo have been any good against today's players? How about "cooz" ?

 

No mention of Lew Alcindor aka Kareem Abdul Jabbar?

Buncha kids think basketball started with Michael Jordan.

 

Don't have time now to list, but Bill Russell of Celtic fame was unquestionably the greatest center in NBA history. His many championship rings proves that fact.

 

He's my starting center. But I'm also biased, 'cause he was/is my favorite player of all time. The very 1st basketball game I ever watched was that battle between Alcinder(UCLA) & Elvin Hayes(Houston) in the Astrodome. Houston & Hayes won that day, but UCLA came back & kicked the crap out of them in the National semi-finals.

 

He was great for his time.....But much like Muhammad Ali, he would get destroyed against a top tier athlete from 2013.

Isiah Thomas
Michael Jordan
Lebron James
Shaq
Charles Barkley

 

It doesn't prove it at all. BB is a team sport.

 

Magic, MJ, & Bird I can go with, though, like I said earlier, I'd have Duncan & LBJ in my 3 & 4 slots...

Kareem, nah...

There's many centers that were better...

Don't get me wrong, he was good, just not the best at his position...

But, I respect the 80's bias...lol

 

I can name 2 centers from the Lakers alone with better stats than Kareem...

That's not to take away from his game, just to say that there are better centers throughout the history of the game...

Saying Russell is the best center is very easily questionable...

Look at it this way...

He averaged 15.1 PPG on 44.0 FG%, 22.4 RPG, & 4.3 APG...

44% from the field is atrocious for a center, considering they tend to be near the basket most of the time...

Also, the 15.1 PPG is relatively low...

Look at Olajuwon's statline in my OP...

Shaquille O'Neal averaged 23.7 PPG on 58.2% from the field, 10.9 RPG, and 2.5 APG...

Both Olajuwon & O'Neal have better overall statlines than Russell did...

Again, I'm not trying to demean Russell's legacy, I'm just saying that there are many centers throughout the history of the game that are better...

Also, rings can't really come into play when you're discussing the best at a position, since championships are a team accomplishment...

Case in point, Robert Horry has 7 rings, and, is not even close to being considered the best forward in any discussion...

 

Especially when it comes to championships...

 

PG-Magic Johnson
SG-Michael Jordan
SF-Larry Bird
PF-Karl Malone
C-Kareem Abdul Jabbar

I like my lineup because they can score and play defense, not just score.

honorable mentions

pg-stockton
sg-bryant
sf-lebron james
pf-worthy
c-shaq

 

ah yes but he is a major reason a lot of those championships were won. he will be remembered as "Big Shot" Bob for a (*)(*)(*)(*)ed good reason. not the greatest ever by any means, but (*)(*)(*)(*) without him its not hard to believe a good amount of championship banners would not be hanging in certain arena's .

 

A formidable list indeed...

But, no Olajuwon on HM?

A (*)(*)(*)(*)ed good lineup nonetheless...

 

Clutch in the playoffs?

Absolutely...

Pretty useless otherwise...

Just a role player, more or less...

 

first off isnt it sad that my first squad is nothing but players passed lol???

secondly it was hard for me not to choose Hakeem for HM, but i remember watching both him and Shaq play in their younger years and i found Shaq to be a tad bit faster for his size. not to take away from Hakeem because he is one of the very best C's we will ever have the honor of watching do work, but to me Shaq in his prime was just too strong lol.

thats just opinion though, very arguable.

 

pretty much, he never did score a lot of points very consistently, his 3 point percentage sucked, and his defense was alright but nothing huge. but in the playoffs ill be (*)(*)(*)(*)ed if Robert Horry wouldnt be on the court in the very last seconds down by 2 or 3 lol. for some reason, he was rose to the occasion.

 

You know who reminds me of him?

Kyle Korver...

Well, the clutch aspect...

Korver is a far superior shooter, but, you can guaran-(*)(*)(*)(*)-tee, even if he has a horrendous game overall, in the 4th, he will light you up...lol

 

You know who reminds me of him?

Kyle Korver...

Well, the clutch aspect...

Korver is a far superior shooter, but, you can guaran-(*)(*)(*)(*)-tee, even if he has a horrendous game overall, in the 4th, he will light you up...lol

 

yeah, some players just arent starters, they are finishers. there are just those precious few who thrive with the game on the line, its simply their comfort zone.

 

Can't hate on that at all...