All time starting 5-- with a twist.

[played0ut]

The life of you and yours depend on this game. They lose, your family will die, and so will you.

One catch: The players don't know they're playing for someone's life-- it's just another playoff game to them.



Choose. Carefully.

My starting 5 with my life on the line:

Magic Johnson / John Stockton
Michael Jordan / Jerry West
Larry Bird / Scottie Pippen
Tim Duncan / Kevin Garnett
Bill Russell / Kareem Abdul Jabbar


fMy starting 5 for a pickup game/typical NBA game:

Magic Johnson / John Stockton
Michael Jordan / Kobe Bryant
Lebron James / Larry Bird
Charles Barkley / Tim Duncan
Shaq / Hakeem Olajuwon


At any given time on the floor there are 3 players that can EASILY at a high level:

1) Distribute the ball/run plays (Magic/Jordan/Bird)
2) Score, score, and score some more (Jordan/Bird/Duncan)
3) Rebound ferociously (Bird/Russell/Duncan)
4) Defend like bulldogs (Jordan/Russell/Duncan)


They cover all the holes and are viciously competitive to boot.

My reasoning is simple. NBA players as a whole are competitive, but I need ferociously competitive people who will play their hearts out every single ****ing possession. My five have some of the highest BBIQ amongst NBA players in history, and are amongst the most well rounded. They're also not liabilities at the free throw.


-Kobe Bryant is insanely skilled and a ferocious competitor, but I feel he doesn't match the others in overall BBIQ, because he (admittedly) has tunnel vision and only sees the basket when he has the ball. His shot selections sometimes make me wary.

-Lebron James would be a lot of fun in a pickup game/normal NBA game. I think as a total package (skills and physical attributes) he can be argued as top SF of all time. But he's not as ruthlessly competitive as the others, and hasn't consistently shown an iron will and fearlessness.

I can't trust him with my family's life.

-Larry Bird is one of the smartest men to walk the hardwood (Bill Laimbeer who hates Bird and vice versa, said you'd be hard pressed to find a smarter player than Bird).

And Pat Riley, "If I needed a basket to win an NBA game, I'd pick Michael Jordan. If I needed one to save my life, I'm picking Larry Bird."
















Your turn. No matter who you stan for (and nothing wrong with stanning for anyone), try to answer honestly.

[SouBeachTalents]

Magic
Jordan
Bird
Duncan
Russell

[played0ut]

Magic
Jordan
Bird
Duncan
Russell

what's your 'normal' starting 5

[kennethgriffin]

lol@ kobe lacks bball IQ

why? cause he takes difficult shots for a normal man sometimes. yeah because he isnt normal

kobe takes and makes more contested shots than any player in history for a reason... because he shoots them better than most people do wide open

if any other guy in nba history took as many as kobe did during their careers. theyed be at 35% and will have never won anything

sure kobe could play off the ball. run around screens. wait for kick outs. play within the offense, only take shots off screens pick and rolls. but then he's playing into the defenses hands. then you're putting the ball in other peoples hands that arent trustworthy or capable of carrying an offense or making shots with the game on the line

if you were to sit down and watch kobe during games when he's passive. he's one of the best play makers in the nba. he can average 10-13 assists easy.

infact. during his triangle offense days. many of his initial passes that lead to buckets never were marked down as assists.. because that was the offense

same as jordan. you think MJ only got his team mates 5 or 6 extra baskets a game off his presence?

if kobe or jordan ran the type of system lebron did their entire lives where they just hold the ball for 20 seconds and kick out to three point shooters or drive inside... theyed have 8-9 apg for their careers


kobe has B-ball IQ.. hes one of the most fundamentally sound players ever. and knows how to control a game

being able to play at a 1st team all nba level averaging 28/6/5 in his 17th season even after a load of surgeries. way past his prime. slower .... shows what kind of IQ the man has. IQ is about adjustments. being able to read the defense and react. kobe is all about that. he can look through the man infront of him. and plan 5 steps ahead.

but dont take my word for it. this is kobes words

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5R1dfL4ZvA

[russwest0]

PG: Payton
SG: Jordan
SF: Bird
PF: Duncan
C: Garnett

[iamgine]

Will I die peacefully? If so then,

PG: Manute Bol
SG: Lil Bow Wow
SF: Trey Parker
PF: Robert Horry
C: Eva Longoria


Hopefully Horry can provide the clutchness

[the mesiah]

MY LIVE OR DIE TEAM
PG:EARVIN
SG:JORDAN
SF:BIRD
PF:Barkley (duncan too passive for me to play for my life)
C:WILTON
MY PICKUP TEAM
PG:IVERSON
SG:GERVIN
SF:PIPPEN
PF:GARNETT
C:SHAQ

[Dbrog]

Off the top of my head I actually go with your starting 5 OP. So I thought I'd try to make an alternate squad that I could trust ALMOST as much:

Jerry West
Rick Barry
Dr J
Hakeem
Kareem

Reasoning: These guys all made MASSIVE runs in the playoffs with sometimes minimal help and beat teams that they definitely should not have beat. What's more is that they are all great passers and can shoot at a high level with elite defense (though Barry just "good" defense). They all have that strength, determination and mental toughness that you talked about. Again, I love the original lineup better but it's actually somewhat close to me. These guys are definitely no joke and I would bet in favor of these dudes vs any alternate squad.

Pickup/Normal game starting 5 alternates:

Oscar
Kobe
Bron
Wilt
Shaq

Just monsters in every aspect of the game. The floor spacing would be kinda fcked but good luck scoring against them or getting rebounds..not to mention super athletic. :bowdown:

[GimmeThat]

Magic
Jordan
Lebron
Bird
Shaq

in the end, there's still only one basketball.
that rebounding is just about as good as any, especially in terms of offensive rebound.


Bird against Duncan though.
Just think about that.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Magic
Jordan
Bird
Duncan
Kareem

Yea, there's no way I'm dying, with that team......

[fpliii]

I'm not sure.

BTW all of the teams you guys are listing are extremely talented (and great defensively, which most of these teams generally are not), but I think most suffer from two things:

1) Generally poor spacing, you need guys able to hit threes consistently to space the floor, and don't want the paint too clogged.

2) Too many gunners/high FGA guys in general.

I don't know what my team would be. Would have to think about it. :lol His is pretty tough.

[joe]

PG: Steve Nash
SG: Michael Jordan
SF: Scottie Pippen
PF: Lebron James
C: Tim Duncan

This team is both offensively and defensively destructive. Any wing player will be harassed by three of the best wing defenders in history. Bigger players will be guarded by Tim Duncan, as Jordan/Lebron fly from the sky for blocks.

Steve Nash is clutch, one of the greatest shooters of all time, and is willing to defer to other great players. He can throw alley-oops to Lebron, and make sure Jordan and Duncan get the ball where they want it.

Lebron will be tasked with guarding power forwards. This might be tough against an ultra big team, but on the other end, they will have no chance of guarding him.

The spacing isn't perfect, but Nash and Lebron are very capable shooters. Opponents may clog the lane on Duncan post-ups, but he isn't being asked to score very much. This will be Jordan isolation, Nash pick and roll, and lots of fast break opportunities.

For the bench, I would want a true power forward just in case I face a really big team. I would also want some sharp shooting guards to give Duncan better spacing.

And honestly.. I dare you to clog the lane on this team. Clog the lane on a Jordan post up, so he can throw it out to Nash. Nash will destroy a scrambled defense.

Clog a Duncan pick and roll so he can throw it out to Lebron.. we all know what he can do with a running start towards the basket.

[played0ut]

lol@ kobe lacks bball IQ
kobe has B-ball IQ.. hes one of the most fundamentally sound players ever. and knows how to control a game

being able to play at a 1st team all nba level averaging 28/6/5 in his 17th season even after a load of surgeries. way past his prime. slower .... shows what kind of IQ the man has. IQ is about adjustments. being able to read the defense and react. kobe is all about that. he can look through the man infront of him. and plan 5 steps ahead.


I agree with pretty much your entire post (snip'd for spacing). I should've worded the OP more carefully. Kobe has high BBIQ, but I feel he's not quite at most of the others in my starting 5.


Yeah, he can make the craziest contested shots.



BUT



Put him on my starting 5-- replace anyone. Now I ask you a question.

In the final seconds, down 1 point. Three guys collapse on the guy (on our team) with the ball. Who on that starting 5 would most likely ignore the two open men (WHO ARE ALL TIME GREATS) and shoot a 3-1 contested shot?


That's exactly why I can't pick him.




“Kobe will tell you, he’s like, ‘Look, you guys as my teammates, yell at me. Let me know that you’re open because I’m so programmed,’” Jamison told ESPN LA radio. “And this guy has told me this. ‘I see nothing but that basket.You could be open. It could be three guys on me. But the only thing I see is that basket. So, you have to tell me, Look, I was open. Or yell at me in mid-play.’ He said, ‘That doesn’t affect me at all, and I respect that.’ So, you know, I’ve dealt with Gilbert, who, ‘Look, I’m going to shoot with three guys on me, and that’s it.’”

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/21/kobe-bryant-tells-his-teammates-not-to-expect-passes-from-him-unless-they-demand-the-ball/

I'm not denying Kobe's skill, work ethic, fundamentals, footwork, or BBIQ. But the other players don't have 'that' above quoted problem.



PG: Payton
SG: Jordan
SF: Bird
PF: Duncan
C: Garnett

I like this


MY LIVE OR DIE TEAM
PG:EARVIN
SG:JORDAN
SF:BIRD
PF:Barkley (duncan too passive for me to play for my life)
C:WILTON
MY PICKUP TEAM
PG:IVERSON
SG:GERVIN
SF:PIPPEN
PF:GARNETT
C:SHAQ

I like this too. Barkley's an offensive beast but is a little too unpredictable for me. I'd get a heart attack if I saw him stand sulking because he wasn't passed the ball. :oldlol:


Magic
Jordan
Lebron
Bird
Shaq

in the end, there's still only one basketball.
that rebounding is just about as good as any, especially in terms of offensive rebound.


Bird against Duncan though.
Just think about that.

I would've picked shaq, but his FT's. With dear ol' mum's life on the line I need the most perfect team possible lol.

[fpliii]

Actually, how about we start with MJ and Pippen (not gonna get into Kobe or LeBron here, so I'll set them aside...can't fault anybody for picking either or both though), since they've played together. Throw in Bird, who'd be a tremendous stretch four today, or Dirk works here too. Your center can be Russell, or KG if you want (Hakeem and Duncan could be fine, but I want someone who won't clog the paint offensively). Maybe Walton, since he was plenty mobile.

PG is tough. I want a guy who can be a secondary ball-handler, a great defender, and a good shooter. I think Stockton is fine here.

Off the bench? Pistons Rodman, peak Manu, and Kevin McHale. All there guys are fine with that role, have been very successful in it.

So the final squad:

G: J. Stockton
G: M. Jordan
C: B. Russell / K. Garnett / B. Walton (choose one)
F: S. Pippen
F: L. Bird / D. Nowitzki (choose one)

Bench: D. Rodman, M. Gionobili, K. McHale

Coach: Phil Jackson (with Tex Winter along side)

Plenty of passing and shooting, would be the GOAT press on D. Most guys can play off ball if needed (though Stockton and Pippen would have the ball more often than not).

Probably not going to lose with this squad.

[played0ut]

I'
1) Generally poor spacing, you need guys able to hit threes consistently to space the floor, and don't want the paint too clogged.

2) Too many gunners/high FGA guys in general.

I don't know what my team would be. Would have to think about it. :lol His is pretty tough.

That's why I picked my team. Magic/Bird/Russell/Duncan are amongst the most unselfish players so far and don't need high FGA to be effective. Duncan is a reliable post scorer. Bird and MJ can easily go on scoring explosions if they need to.

They're also 3 high BBIQ ball distributors.

At any given time on the floor there are 3 players that can EASILY at a high level:

1) Distribute the ball/run plays (Magic/Jordan/Bird)
2) Score, score, and score some more (Jordan/Bird/Duncan)
3) Rebound ferociously (Bird/Russell/Duncan)
4) Defend like bulldogs (Jordan/Russell/Duncan)

And they're ALL viciously competitive who would die to win.

Come to think of it, I think I may have the most perfect team of all time lol. The only real 'weakness' I see is your first point-- 3 pt shooting needs to be a bit stronger.

Fun anecdote, though. Jordan said before when compared to Drexler's 3 pt% was that,

"He's a better 3 pt shooter than I choose to be,"[/]

Jordan said before he doesn't like taking 3 pt shots because it takes away from all his other game. He said all he'd be doing would be hanging around the perimeter.


Magic Johnson/John Stockton
Michael Jordan/Jerry West
Larry Bird/Scottie Pippen
Tim Duncan/Kevin Garnett
Bill Russell/Kareem Abdul Jabbar

[JohnFreeman]

Payton
MJ
LeBron
Webber
Shaq

[played0ut]

Actually, how about we start with MJ and Pippen (not gonna get into Kobe or LeBron here, so I'll set them aside...can't fault anybody for picking either or both though), since they've played together. Throw in Bird, who'd be a tremendous stretch four today, or Dirk works here too. Your center can be Russell, or KG if you want (Hakeem and Duncan could be fine, but I want someone who won't clog the paint offensively). Maybe Walton, since he was plenty mobile.

PG is tough. I want a guy who can be a secondary ball-handler, a great defender, and a good shooter. I think Stockton is fine here.

Off the bench? Pistons Rodman, peak Manu, and Kevin McHale. All there guys are fine with that role, have been very successful in it.

So the final squad:

G: J. Stockton
G: M. Jordan
C: B. Russell / K. Garnett / B. Walton (choose one)
F: S. Pippen
F: L. Bird / D. Nowitzki (choose one)

Bench: D. Rodman, M. Gionobili, K. McHale

Coach: Phil Jackson (with Tex Winter along side)

Plenty of passing and shooting, would be the GOAT press on D. Most guys can play off ball if needed (though Stockton and Pippen would have the ball more often than not).

Probably not going to lose with this squad.

I like having Pippen with MJ too. Not because I think he's the best SF, but he complements MJ so well. They know each other's weaknesses and strengths, and how to cover each other's 'gaps'.

I actually prefer Stockton over Magic usually as a pure PG, but Magic's height adv, vision and leadership skills is too much for me to overlook.

But perhaps Magic as their 6th man.

[GimmeThat]

I would've picked shaq, but his FT's. With dear ol' mum's life on the line I need the most perfect team possible lol.

well yes.
but then he'd foul out the other team for you, or if they don't try and stop him in the first 3 quarters, the game won't be close by the time 4th quarter comes around.

his offensive rebounding though.

[Milbuck]

Magic
Kobe
Jordan
Lebron
Kareem

[fpliii]

I like having Pippen with MJ too. Not because I think he's the best SF, but he complements MJ so well. They know each other's weaknesses and strengths, and how to cover each other's 'gaps'.

I actually prefer Stockton over Magic usually as a pure PG, but Magic's height adv, vision and leadership skills is too much for me to overlook.

But perhaps Magic as their 6th man.
That was why I picked Pip as well, for fit.

I don't mind the Magic pick at all, but he's best with the ball in his hands. I wanna run the triangle so I'm not sure he's the best fit (though early in his career when Nixon was the PG, Magic slashed a ton, was a playmaker in the low post, and great offensive rebounder, so even though he's best with the ball in his hands, he can play without it).

[played0ut]

PG: Steve Nash
SG: Michael Jordan
SF: Scottie Pippen
PF: Lebron James
C: Tim Duncan


Nash is a liability on defense and Lebron (for all his greatness) has shown weakness in high pressure situation.

I'm not holding it against them as all time players, but would you really choose those two to start a game that your family's life depended on? Your mother, dad, siblings, nieces and nephews.

Would you really? This isn't a regular season game...

[joe]

Nash is a liability on defense and Lebron (for all his greatness) has shown weakness in high pressure situation.

I'm not holding it against them as all time players, but would you really choose those two to start a game that your family's life depended on? Your mother, dad, siblings, nieces and nephews.

Would you really? This isn't a regular season game...

Nash is underrated as a defender, honestly. He takes charges, rotates well, high IQ as a defensive player. He just isn't athletic enough to be great at it. And then behind him, you have four of the greatest defenders of all time.

I see Nash getting Jordan layups on the fast break. Hitting clutch 3's. Spreading the floor for Duncan. Being a good character guy, a welcome balance to Jordan's insanity.

Lebron has come through in far more big games than not. Besides, at the end of the day, this is Jordan's team. Lebron needs to move the ball, dunk in the half court, and be a menace on defense. I'm not asking him to be the crunch time scorer. That will be Jordan's territory, with Nash chiming in here and there.

My bigger concern is Pippen. I love his game, but the lack of shooting could be a huge detriment. Not sure who to put in his spot though. I love the idea of having Jordan-Pippen-Lebron-Duncan on defense. That is just a murderous row. And they all scored 20+ points on the other end.

[wally_world]

Isiah / Nash
Jordan / Kobe
Bird / Pippen
Russell / Garnett
Kareem / Noah

I've got 4 of the biggest winners in my starting 5, and Isiah the toughest mofo at the PG position. All capable defenders and play their hearts out to win. My bench are built around energy and ability to turn the tides around in case my starters fall into a big deficit. KG/Noah are guys that don't stop playing no matter the score, Kobe is the guy that can bring a team back down from 30 single-handedly. Pippen is my 6th man that will play over Bird when i want lock-down defense.

[Dragic4Life]

Dragic
Jordan
Bird
Duncan
Hakeem

[steelpulse]

NO TEAM WILL EVER SCORE MORE THAN 70 PTS VS THIS TEAM

PG/F: PIPPEN
SG: JORDAN
PG/F: LEBRON
PF: OLAJUWON
C: D. ROBINSON

:coleman:

[dunksby]

Oscar
West
Pippen
Duncan
Kareem

[BoutPractice]

Interesting thread.

For those who dismiss LeBron as a choice, the "pressure situation" is not the problem. He's actually one of the players I trust the most to put up a big performance when he's desperate with his back against the wall. See Celtics G6, Spurs G6, Spurs G7. He wasn't exactly playing for his life in those games, but of all players he probably came closest... he was playing for his career. I don't remember who it was, but someone said that LeBron played with a great "survival instinct". I like that term. When he realizes he's at risk of losing everything and the adrenaline shoots up, he usually rises to another level.

That said, you can't go wrong with Larry... And the OP says the players aren't conscious that it's a life saving game.

Anyway, here's my team:
Jerry West (clutchness, shooting, very dangerous as a point guard)
Ray Allen (shooting, one of the clutchest players in history, doesn't need the ball to be effective)
LeBron James (I need someone with defense who can also take over the game)
Dirk Nowitzki (spacing, clutchness, can create his own shot but isn't a ball stopper)
Bill Russell (rebounder, shot blocker, clutch, doesn't need the ball to be effective)