a dumb basketball hypothetical question

[CardSharpCook]

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If Lebron/Carmelo/Wade/Howard/Brand or whatever group can lose to Puerto Rico, then it's reasonable to assume that Jordan/Magic/Bird/Shaq could/would lose to the Charlotte Bobcats.

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I think you're picking the wrong group. Dominant, atheletic, 7-footers are going to be much harder to defeat than merely atheletic players (though also big). Lebron/Carmelo/Wade/Howard/Brand is significantly below the skill level and challenge posed by Russel/Alcindor/Shaq/Jordan. Also, that PR CAN beat team USA, doesn't mean that they do so more than 5% of the time.

[Clarkmeister]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If Lebron/Carmelo/Wade/Howard/Brand or whatever group can lose to Puerto Rico, then it's reasonable to assume that Jordan/Magic/Bird/Shaq could/would lose to the Charlotte Bobcats.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you're picking the wrong group. Dominant, atheletic, 7-footers are going to be much harder to defeat than merely atheletic players (though also big). Lebron/Carmelo/Wade/Howard/Brand is significantly below the skill level and challenge posed by Russel/Alcindor/Shaq/Jordan. Also, that PR CAN beat team USA, doesn't mean that they do so more than 5% of the time.

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PR also has less talent than the Bobcats, and while the gap between Jordan et al vs. current Team USA is real, it's not so great that it can withstand losing a player.

[Sooga]

You're right, I didn't think through it enough. It would be asking a bit too much for 4 players to play 48 minutes, so I suppose a 3 or 4 man bench would be allowed. And yes, NBA rules.

[Assani Fisher]

The team of 4 would be favorites over any college team but be underdogs to any NBA team.

I'd go with 2 guards that are well rounded, good defenders, and have ball handling/pg skills. Then I'd go with a dominant big man that can rebound and demands a double team. Then I'd go with a versatile big man that has speed and quickness.

Maybe something like:

Magic
Jordan
KG
Shaq

Edited to add: A good international team would also beat this squad more than 1/2 the time. You simply can't guard 5 guys with 4 if they can shoot well, and that seems to be the strength of many Euro squads.

[BUTNAHHHH]

ok maybe im underappreciating current NBA talent, but to hear comparisons to lebron, carmello, wade, brand, howard losing to teams like puerto rico, and then thinking that jordan, magic, Malone, Bird, or stockton (any of those 4) couldnt beat the bobcats, i have a hard time believing that. The key is to have the 4 greatest iwth a great coach that can come up wiht a quality strategy.

[BUTNAHHHH]

Jordan, Kobe, Stockton/Nash, Shaq

[hanster]

Hm. My question would be if it would be easier to play zone instead of man in 4-on-5.

If that's the case I think we could be playing 1-2-1 and be fairly effective defensively. I wonder who I would want though..

Jordan
Magic
Russell
KG

But then I don't know if the greats will have the capacity to work as a team defensively. But this is hypothetical anyways, right?

[Taraz]

As much as I love Magic Johnson, I don't think he would do well in this format. Most of his value comes from the fast break and early offense and it seems like the opposition would have too many defenders back to really take advantage.

I think Kobe, Jordan, KG, and Shaq would make a pretty good combo. They are all good enough to score of a double team that's just getting there to trap them. KG is lanky enough to cover a lot of ground, Shaq would protect the basket, and Kobe and Jordan could hound the wings pretty effectively.

[Ralph Wiggum]

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I think Kobe, Jordan, KG, and Shaq would make a pretty good combo.

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Start:
Shaq, KG, Jordan, Kobe.

Bench:
Wilt, Hakeem, Payton, Pippen.

I think the bench duplicates a lot of the starting lineups skills. Wilt is dominant, Hakeem covers ground, P&P guard the wings. Of course P&P aren't the offensive players of MJ & Kobe, but Payton gives me another post-up guard and can push the ball. Pippen gives me an ugly mug to scare people, and I need someone to guard those bigger small forwards. I'd probably always try to keep either MJ or Kobe on the floor.

edit: Also, I think having to make the adjustment to NBA rules would hurt any college team. The 3pt line is up to 4ft further, the shot clock is 11 sec less, and the game is 8 minutes longer. So I think enough college teams would not be able to take advantage of open 3s, or even get into their offense early enough. Also, when the college team has to go to it's bench, their dropoff in production would be much greater than mine.

Edit2: Larry Brown pre-Knicks would be my coach.

[Cortz]

average nba all star team obv- only if i am part of the 4 also