Flyer75

Thought this might be a fun off season topic. It might even bring myself and A10fan2 together for once. Plus it's a hot topic in the news since Kobe opened his mouth....so, which team is better?

I'll give my thoughts later on tonight.

stophorseabuse

Would be one hell of a game. Each player in their prime, I take 92 on 6 of 10 games.

I think the world is much much better today.

vaNtR

The Dream Team would win this game 8 out of 10 times. Magic Johnson would be the difference maker. We've seen some good point guard play with the 08-12 team, but I'll take Johnson and Stockton over any point guard combination the Redeem Team could offer.

DistrictBaller

If we're talking 1992 vs. 2012, I'll take Michael Jordan at 29 over Kobe Bryant at 34 (turns that on Aug. 23rd) every single time.

I like what MJ said today: “I’d like to think that we had 11 Hall of Famers on that team and whenever they get 11 Hall of Famers you call and ask me who had the better Dream Team. Remember now, they learned from us. We didn’t learn from them.”

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stophorseabuse

I LIKE 92 WAYYY better, but only 5 at a time can play. I see Jordan late in games the difference maker.

Blue Blobster

92. All they would have to to would be to feed it inside. I believe Jordan, Bird, and Johnson were all better then the top players, kobe and Lebron despite two being at the end of their careers. 9 out of 10 times 92 wins

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X-band '01

I see the two as a cause-effect relationship. The 1992 team was so dominant as a unit that it inspired the world to elevate their game.

1984 is a very underrated squad because of the Soviet boycott of the games in Los Angeles. That was a Bob Knight-coached team also romped through their Olympic schedule. I'm sure our older Flyer fans will also gladly chime in on another coach who was on Knight's staff that year.

agoo101284

Each player in their prime would make it less competitive. Bird was done by 92 and Magic was coming in after taking a year off. Add prime Bird and prime Magic to prime Jordan, Malone, Barkley, Ewing, Robinson, Pippen, Stockton, and Mullin? Forget about it. Dream Team in four in a seven game series if you're going with their primes. That's three top five guys all time in Magic, Bird, and Jordan to go with a top three PF and a top five center.

Given the rosters as they are/were, its a competitive match-up on a game by game basis, but with a seven game series, it would be over in five or six with the Dream Team winning. The games would be close, but the Dream Team would pull it out in the end due to superior depth and bigs. The four best bigs in the game (in no particular order) would be Robinson, Ewing, Barkley, and Malone and the '12 team doesn't have anyone that's close.

As for depth, Kobe, LeBron, Durant, and Anthony are terrific at the 2/3 spots, but LeBron will be playing a lot of the four for this team, forcing James Harden into the lineup. I think we all saw what happened to him in big games very recently and the deer in headlights would return in a big way with Jordan and Drexler defending him. Also, don't underrate Chris Mullin as he was a better player than Anthony. Neither defend much, but Mullin was coming off averages of 25.6 ppg on 52% shooting. You were actually allowed to defend when Mullin put up those numbers. Athleticism and size would be in Anthony's favor, but Mullin would score more than his share of points on him.

This game would be close as Kobe is an all-time great player who will score on Jordan, same goes for Durant on Pippen, and LeBron would force Malone and Barkley to play perimeter defense. Those three will get hot and win a game or two for the '12 team in a seven game series, but they couldn't compete with the Dream Team. In a one-off game, anything could happen, as I think we all know that a college team (playing without the AP Player of the Year in Laettner) beat the Dream Team in an opening scrimmage (though much of that game/loss was orchestrated by Chuck Daly).

To summarize my thoughts, and before we go too far, consider these match-ups:

STARTING FIVE:
C - David Robinson vs. Tyson Chandler
PF - Charles Barkley vs. LeBron James
SF - Scottie Pippen vs. Kevin Durant
SG - Michael Jordan vs. Kobe Bryant
PG - Magic Johnson vs. Chris Paul

BENCH:
C - Patrick Ewing vs. Kevin Love
PF - Karl Malone vs. Blake Griffin/Anthony Davis
SF - Chris Mullin vs. Carmelo Anthony
SG - Clyde Drexler vs. James Harden
PG - John Stockton vs. Deron Williams

LAST TWO:
Larry Bird and Christian Laettner vs. Andre Iguodala and Russell Westbrook

I'll take the last two from the '12 team and Durant over Pippen easily. I'd take LeBron over Barkley, but that's close as a prime Barkley could put up some resistance in both strength and athleticism. Looking at the rosters overall, if these 24 guys were available, I'd replace Bird, Laettner, and Drexler with LeBron, Kobe, and Durant and that's it.

Bizziken

A few points...

1) In 92, Stockton was hurt or else he would have started over Magic (who retired in 1991 and was just returning from a full year away from basketball...not to mention he turned 33 during the Olympics)

2) Also, lest we not forget that Scottie Pippen may have been one of the Top 10 best on-the-ball defenders of all time...I am of the opinion that he would do very well against LeBron or Durant

3) Ewing, Robinson, and Malone would undoubtedly dominate inside against the likes of this current Olympic roster. Love may have the best chance to score or rebound, but would still, in my opinion, be overmatched. Even Barkley would thrive...Very few players today have the inside game to match the 1992 NBA

4) Also remember that this current squad should include Wade, Bosh, Howard, and Rose if not for injuries and other issues...the inclusion of these players may even it up a bit

Flyer75

Good points Bizziken but also remember that Isaiah Thomas and Shaq weren't on the 92 team either.

I pretty much agree with most here, including you Blue Blobster, lol.

The 92 just had too much size. Love, Durant, and Chandler (Chandler.....really???) would get chewed up in the paint.

But imo, the HUGE mismatch happens on the bench. I agree LeBron, Durant, and Kobe are good enough to play with that 92 team but when the subs come in, it's over. The WHOLE second 5 for the DT is in the Hall of Fame.

Also, I think people forget how athletic some of those players were. Drexler and Jordan need no mention but look at The Admiral. A 7 footer that could run the court like a guard. This 2012 team would have no answer for him.

I'll say 1992 would win 8, maybe 9 out of 10.

FlyingElvis

I thought the 92 team was much more physical with guys like Barkley and Malone.

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AdamtheFlyer

I don't even think the game would be close. Barkley, Malone, Robinson and Ewing would do terrible, inhumane things to the 2012 bigs. Jordan and Magic could have given a post feed and started walking back on defense. Once the ball gets inside it's 2 points, and maybe some fear induced weeping. Tyson Chandler? Come on, son. I don't think Durant could score more than 10-12 with Pippen guarding him. Durant is many things, but he is not quick enough to take 1992 Pippen off the dribble, and would have struggled to shoot over him. Lebron would get his because he's a freak, but that's about it. I'd pick a score like 94-78.

Now, if you get the 12 best Americans in 2012 on a team like 1992 had, the game would be closer, but 1992 would still be a 5-7 point favorite, IMO. This Olympic team is good enough to win gold, but they are not the best 11 "we" can send (they each have a college kid in the 12th man slot). No Dwight, no Rose, no Bosh, no Wade. Even Rudy Gay, who got cut, is better than Harden and Iguodala.

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stophorseabuse

Doesn't happen often, but you guys are selling me. The Tyson Chandler at C reference just won me over. Grossly overmatched.

I think 2012 would have enough to win a couple still, but I can see 92 beating the hell out of 12 in the paint. I do think 12 is better defensively, marginally.

NzaMcDza

I wrote a blog about it breaking it down, link is in my signature, I think it is A LOT closer than most people especially if 2012 were allowed dwight howard!

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Flyer75

Kobe said "this team". This team does not include Howard. Ill give you Howard and I'll take Shaq and beat you worse then if neither team had those players.