You have $15 to make an NBA all-time starting lineup.

[vi edit]

Jordan - $5 Pippen - $1 LeBron - $5 Duncan - $3 Hakeem - $1

That was a lineup I toyed with too.

That's a pretty physically intimidating team. Long bigs and strong, athletic backcourt.

 

[chitwood]

this thread makes me want to get out my snes, and NBA Live '96, and create all these teams and play them

 

[vi edit]

That was a lineup I toyed with too.

That's a pretty physically intimidating team. Long bigs and strong, athletic backcourt.

Only thing I've noticed is that "in real life" Lebron tends to be his most offensively dominating when he's playing PF. He's shown that nagging, fast little defenders can trouble him and trying to chase them down can on defense can tire him out. Put him down on the blocks and he can dominate with his size and speed or just kill you by kicking out the pass once the double comes down. Running him at point isn't terrible, but it's not his best game. No one says you really need a true half court though with a team like that. With the blocking and rebounds and overall defense of that team you'll be in transition 75% of the possessions.

 

[Kev]

http://imgur.com/gallery/V2CLPj2

Super basic, but I thought it was fun for a few minutes. What would your lineup be? Can you recommend something like this for another sport? Are these super common and I'm the last person on earth to notice?

Garnett is hilarious at $1.

I'll take

Stockton (2)
Jordan (5)
Lebron (5)
Garnett (1)
Shaq (2)

 

[Kev]

I don't understand how every team on here doesn't include both Jordan and Lebron.

 

[smackababy]

I don't understand how every team on here doesn't include both Jordan and Lebron.

Jordan and Lebron might not compliment each other as well as you think. I mean sure, they are both easily the best of their generation, but they won't need another scorer with Jordan and any of those centers.

Honestly, if you had Stockton, Jordan, and Olajuwon, the other two players could be children and they'd still be unstoppable.

 

[juiio]

The $1 guys are way too underpriced. There are a number of guys on the list who you can never justify taking. For example, getting Malone for $5 when you can get Garnett for $1 is indefensible.

 

[smackababy]

The $1 guys are way too underpriced. There are a number of guys on the list who you can never justify taking. For example, getting Malone for $5 when you can get Garnett for $1 is indefensible.

If you got every $1 guy, you'd have a better team than the Houston Rockets did in the years they won back to back championships.

 

[NoTine42]

Jordan and Lebron might not compliment each other as well as you think. I mean sure, they are both easily the best of their generation, but they won't need another scorer with Jordan and any of those centers.

Honestly, if you had Stockton, Jordan, and Olajuwon, the other two players could be children and they'd still be unstoppable.

I was thinking, why LeBron instead of Magic? I'd rather have the ball in Magic's hands with the game on the line...but if you also have Jordan the "clutch factor" doesn't matter as much.

I think they might complement each other well enough.
LeBron is still a bit tentative at the end of close playoff games while Jordan demands the ball. LeBron could get in a bunch of 1st half shots before Jordan turns it on in the 3rd quarter.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

If you got every $1 guy, you'd have a better team than the Houston Rockets did in the years they won back to back championships.

Yeah, even the best teams in history weren't trotting out five fist ballot hall of famers in their prime (although the Celtics were pretty close in the 50s-60s with Russell, Cousy, Heinsohn and Sharman, which might explain why they won so often).

 

[glenn1]

Stockton (2), Jordan (5), Erving (3), Duncan (2), and Wilt (3).

Assists and steals from Stockton. Points and sick moves from Jordan. More points, rebounds, and defense from Dr J. Best PF ever in Duncan. Wilt to provide boards and see if he can reprise his 50+ points season again, plus the dude banged like 20,000 women so game, set, match.

 

[lupi]

Magic, jordan, lebron, rodman, moses.

 

[tynopik]

walt frazier (1)
dwayne wade (1)
scottie pippen (1)
kevin garnett (1)
hakeem olajuwon (1)

leaves $10 to go in my wallet

 

[Phoenix86]

walt frazier (1)
dwayne wade (1)
scottie pippen (1)
kevin garnett (1)
hakeem olajuwon (1)

leaves $10 to go in my wallet

Money baller.

 

[momeNt]

Yeah. Honestly you could just spend your $15 on those 5 centers and have a nigh unbeatable team.

Come to think of it, it doesn't require you to only pick one player at each position. I'm changing my answer. Sorry Magic, but you're getting bumped for LeBron.

Jordan - $5
Pippen - $1
LeBron - $5
Duncan - $3
Hakeem - $1

I like that lineup a lot.

Jordan when he was point guard in March of 1989 had the best 1-month stretch from a Win Shares standpoint in history I believe.

He had an 11 game stretch with 10 triple doubles.

You have a 3 position defenseman in Jordan, 4 position in Pippen, and a near 5 position defenseman in LeBron. Would be pretty nasty.

 

[MagickMan]

Johnson
Jordan
Pippen
Duncan
Olajuwon

By himself, Pippen is a $1 player, but with Jordan (and only Jordan) he becomes a $3+. So for $6 you're actually getting >$8.

 

[DesiPower]

I would follow Silver

 

[smackababy]

By himself, Pippen is a $1 player, but with Jordan (and only Jordan) he becomes a $3+. So for $6 you're actually getting >$8.

Not even. Pippen played much better when Jordan was not on the team. 93 and 94 seasons, Pippen's numbers were the highest averaged in almost all categories. Highest PPG, RPG, SPG, with his other stats up close to highest average.

 

[IAteYourMother]

I was thinking, why LeBron instead of Magic? I'd rather have the ball in Magic's hands with the game on the line...but if you also have Jordan the "clutch factor" doesn't matter as much.

Really? My question is why Magic instead of Lebron? Lebron is bigger, faster, stronger, a better shooter. I'd rather guard Magic than Lebron

 

[child of wonder]

$1 C- Hakeem
$3 PF - Duncan
$1 SF - Pippen
$5 SG - Jordan
$5 PG - Johnson

This is what I went with as well and I'm confident this lineup would win the majority of games against any other squad.

Every single player is an elite individual and team defender, a multi-dimensional scoring threat, elite passer, and, most importantly, a team player. These guys would mesh together better than any other 5.

 

[blackdogdeek]

$2 - Stockton
$1 - DWade
$5 - LeBron
$3 - Duncan
$2 - Shaq

$2 left

 

[venkman]

This is to easy....how about $10 instead. I'd spend the left over 5 bucks on Phil Jackson to manage this whole mess.

PG: Stockton (2) - Need someone to distribute to all the scorers.
SG: Jordan (5) - You're Gonna lose to anyone that has him, so might as well pick him.
SF: Pippen (1) - Good Defender and knows how to play second fiddle.
PF: KG (1) - Another guy who can be real productive without the ball and be a defender
C: Dream (1) - He should be $4 or $5, 1 is a joke. #2 scoring option on the team.

A more balanced team

PG: Zeke (3) - Can put it in the hoop and distribute, with the amount of talent on the team I think PG is the most important.
SG: Clyde (2) - Would Pick Wade but along with Zeke, that would give you a pretty tiny back court.
SF: Durant (2) - He's the chucker on the team.
PF: Dirk (2) - Deadly from outside from the 4
C: Dream (1) - So undervalued here, he should be 4 or 5.

I think I'd take my Team #1 to beat Team #2 most nights.

If i could use any other player from NBA history, I would take Reggie Miller over Clyde at SG and have a deadly 3 pt shooting team.

 

[Blueoak]

$1 C- Hakeem
$3 PF - Duncan
$1 SF - Pippen
$5 SG - Jordan
$5 PG - Johnson

Chose same line-up.

 

[Gibsons]

Nobody should be taking Bird at $4. That's the only thing I know for sure about this poll.

?
Bird's maybe the best SF ever. Did you ever see him play? LBJ is the other contender.

The biggest wtf is Karl Malone for 5. Duncan's the best PF of all time, how is he rated below Malone and Barkley?

 

[momeNt]

?
Bird's maybe the best SF ever. Did you ever see him play? LBJ is the other contender.

The biggest wtf is Karl Malone for 5. Duncan's the best PF of all time, how is he rated below Malone and Barkley?

His passing and shooting translate into modern NBA, I don't think his athleticism would allow him to create his own shot against or guard the people on this list. So I think if you are going to invest in the SF, you pick LeBron, otherwise you go Pippen for the value.

Is Moses Malone off the list because he's considered a center? Or off as a power forward because... wtf? He should be like 3rd PF.