Five Big Fours No Title: Final Piece

[G.O.A.T]

Add a player to each big four (from that era or any other if you prefer) that could have been the difference in them winning a title...

1971-1975 Chicago Bulls
Bob Love
Chet Walker
Jerry Sloan
Norm Van Lier

1985-1988 Dallas Mavericks
Sam Perkins
Mark Aguirre
Rolando Blackman
Derek Harper

1988-1990 Cleveland Cavaliers
Brad Daugherty
Larry Nance
Ron Harper
Mark Price

1996-1998 Atlanta Hawks
Dikembe Mutombo
Christian Laettner
Steve Smith
Mookie Blaylock

1978-1980 Phoenix Suns
Alvan Adams
Truck Robinson
Paul Westphal
Walter Davis

2001-2004 Sacramento Kings
Vlade Divac
Chris Webber
Peja Stojakovic
Mike Bibby

[Im Still Ballin]

My Kings were robbed + injuries.

[robert_shaww]

Add a player to each big four (from that era or any other if you prefer) that could have been the difference in them winning a title...

1971-1975 Chicago Bulls
Bob Love
Chet Walker
Jerry Sloan
Norm Van Lier

1985-1988 Dallas Mavericks
Sam Perkins
Mark Aguirre
Rolando Blackman
Derek Harper

1988-1990 Cleveland Cavaliers
Brad Daugherty
Larry Nance
Ron Harper
Mark Price

1996-1998 Atlanta Hawks
Dikembe Mutombo
Christian Laettner
Steve Smith
Mookie Blaylock

1978-1980 Phoenix Suns
Alvan Adams
Truck Robinson
Paul Westphal
Walter Davis

2001-2004 Sacramento Kings
Vlade Divac
Chris Webber
Peja Stojakovic
Mike Bibby

85-88 dallas: no way they win a championship with any player of that era (even magic or bird)

88-90 cleveland: same as dallas.

96 98 atlanta: michael jordan

78 80 suns: no rings possible.

01-04 sacramento: tim duncan (and im not sure they win against the lakers)

[Milbuck]

I'm assuming you're excluding all-time greats and top-tier stars? They would make it far too easy.
2001-2004 Sacramento Kings
Vlade Divac
Chris Webber
Peja Stojakovic
Mike Bibby
Prime Ron Artest or Ben Wallace.

[L.Kizzle]

What about the Milwaukee Bucks big four or Johnson Moncrief Lanier and Bridgeman.

[L.A. Jazz]

Kings: i would add Paul Pierce and play Pierce, Peja and Christie as my SG/SF rotation

Hawks: i dont think you can win with your bigs being Mutombo and Laettner but if i had to pick from those years and not take Jordan or Pippen i would add Grant Hill.

[G.O.A.T]

Kings: i would add Paul Pierce and play Pierce, Peja and Christie as my SG/SF rotation

Hawks: i dont think you can win with your bigs being Mutombo and Laettner but if i had to pick from those years and not take Jordan or Pippen i would add Grant Hill.


The Kings with Pierce would be interesting. That might be the guy. I was thinking Latrell Sprewell would have been a good fit there. Had he gone to Sacramento in 1998 after the PJ choking, that might have been the difference versus the Lakers.

Hill might be perfect for the Hawks. Laettner, while no great shakes, he was a 17-8 guy in his early years. With Blaylock and Mutombo, this team was set defensively. Smith was one of those guys in the in the Richmond/Miller/Sprewell tier - the all-star level 2 guards. A franchise guy like Hill who went to the playoffs with casts like Bison Dele/Terry Mills/Lindsay Hunter and a 35 year old Joe Dumars. Smith and Hill aren't great defenders, but their very long and all they have to do is filter it towards Mutombo.

[L.Kizzle]

Finley is a little younger than Spree and might have been a better fit than Pierce.

[G.O.A.T]

Finley is a little younger than Spree and might have been a better fit than Pierce.

That's not a bad choice either. Finley did okay against Kobe for most of that '99-'03 era.

[JohnnySic]

How about Michael Jordan to any of those teams. All champions. :lol

[TheBigVeto]

2001-2004 Sacramento Kings
Vlade Divac
Chris Webber
Peja Stojakovic
Mike Bibby

+ David Stern

[fpliii]

Do the Bulls win it all if they get Nate a few years earlier?

[Milbuck]

Do the Bulls win it all if they get Nate a few years earlier?
All that 2011 Bulls team lacked was a secondary perimeter scorer on the wing. Don't know if Nate would be enough of a difference maker, but I think someone like Afflalo, Jamal Crawford, or pre-injury Galo would.

[fpliii]

All that 2011 Bulls team lacked was a secondary perimeter scorer on the wing. Don't know if Nate would be enough of a difference maker, but I think someone like Afflalo, Jamal Crawford, or pre-injury Galo would.
lol I meant Nate Thurmond on the 71-75 Bulls since he mentioned them in the OP. :cheers:

I don't know if they'd be in the class of the Lakers/Bucks/Celtics/Knicks though.

Though I think you might just be having fun with me here lol.

[G.O.A.T]

lol I meant Nate Thurmond on the 71-75 Bulls since he mentioned them in the OP. :cheers:

I don't know if they'd be in the class of the Lakers/Bucks/Celtics/Knicks though.

Though I think you might just be having fun with me here lol.

I do yes. Can't imagine a better defensive team in that era. '73 or '74 would have been their best shot. I think they beat the Lakers in '73 with Nate and then the Knicks.

[I<3NBA]

I'd add Jordan to any of them.

[JtotheIzzo]

Add a player to each big four (from that era or any other if you prefer) that could have been the difference in them winning a title...

1971-1975 Chicago Bulls
Bob Love
Chet Walker
Jerry Sloan
Norm Van Lier

1985-1988 Dallas Mavericks
Sam Perkins
Mark Aguirre
Rolando Blackman
Derek Harper

1988-1990 Cleveland Cavaliers
Brad Daugherty
Larry Nance
Ron Harper
Mark Price

1996-1998 Atlanta Hawks
Dikembe Mutombo
Christian Laettner
Steve Smith
Mookie Blaylock

1978-1980 Phoenix Suns
Alvan Adams
Truck Robinson
Paul Westphal
Walter Davis

2001-2004 Sacramento Kings
Vlade Divac
Chris Webber
Peja Stojakovic
Mike Bibby

You could add Roy Tarpley to the Mavs team since he was on it and was at absolute worst their second best player. Derek Harper wasn't that good.

[G.O.A.T]

You could add Roy Tarpley to the Mavs team since he was on it and was at absolute worst their second best player. Derek Harper wasn't that good.

Tarpley only had one healthy year where he wasn't suspended with those Mavericks.

Roy didn't even join the league until 1986.

He was a a key part of their '88 playoff run though.