Karl Malone, Donovan Mitchell, and John Stockton

[Lebron23]

Can they win an NBA Championship if the three of them play together from 1996 to 2000?

[bigbrownschaub]

oh one hunnid persenn b. they winning every year. would be close though.

[Xiao Yao You]

they'd rather have Gobert

[Xiao Yao You]

better question would be where would they be with Hayward

[HBK_Kliq_2]

Hard to say because Mitchell has been a poor playoff performer in his career so far. Assuming he plays better with the pressure off as a #1 he may put them over the top one year.

I think you're picking on the wrong Jazz player though. I know Hornacek looks like a damn stockbroker and all but he was a solid all around player. 1998 playoffs jazz were a lot better with Hornacek then with Stockton.

Jazz best 4 man lineup in 1998 playoffs: 1 J. Hornacek | K. Malone | G. Ostertag | B. Russell at +20.5

Now replace Hornacek with Stockton in that 4 man lineup? They drop to +11.8

[tpols]

better question would be where would they be with Hayward

true... like a super version of Jeff.

[Lebron23]

they'd rather have Gobert

He's a huge upgrade to Greg Ostertag who might be the worst starting Center in nba finals history.

[Roundball_Rock]

Probably. They had no real second scorer and that came back to haunt them in the finals and WCF (both directly and indirectly via increasing pressure on Malone since defenses didn't have to respect Stockton and Hornacek as major scoring threats). Hornacek's peak was 15.2 PPG during this time frame and his average was 13.9 PPG (to be fair, Hornacek was past his prime by 96'--he was 20 PPG at his career peak and getting compared to people like prime Miller in Sports Illustrated). The numbers for Stockton are 14.7 and 13.1 PPG for the 1996-2000 average. So that is an average of 27 PPG combined--you won't a chip in any era getting that little from your second and third options, especially when those numbers in one of their finals was 10.7/9.7 PPG (20.4 PPG combined).

Mitchell would be a legitimate second scorer, Stockton would still be an elite playmaker, and Malone's efficiency would improve with a second scoring threat for defenses to worry about.

[Lebron23]

Donovan Mitchell is a scoring machine.

[Xiao Yao You]

Donovan Mitchell is a scoring machine.

not up with Malone, Dantley or Maravich yet

[Lebron23]

not up with Malone, Dantley or Maravich yet

57 points is 57 points. He ain't going to score 50 points over Jordan Bulls, but he's a huge upgrade to Jeff Hornacek.

[Xiao Yao You]

57 points is 57 points. He ain't going to score 50 points over Jordan Bulls, but he's a huge upgrade to Jeff Hornacek.

Debatable. Horny was a better defender and playmaker. Mitchell has a lot to learn. His backcourt violation probably cost them the game

[Lebron23]

Debatable. Horny was a better defender and playmaker. Mitchell has a lot to learn. His backcourt violation probably cost them the game

True, but he only averaged 10 ppg in the 1998 nba finals.

[Xiao Yao You]

True, but he only averaged 10 ppg in the 1998 nba finals.

Do they make the finals with Mitchell? How many does MJ score with Mitchell guarding him? Can Mitchell perform in Sloan's system in the late 90's?

[Marchesk]

Jordan would have to spend some energy on defense in the finals.

[Lebron23]

Jordan would have to spend some energy on defense in the finals.

More energy. Very hard to guard these perimeter chucking 3 points shooting guard in today's nba.

[Xiao Yao You]

More energy. Very hard to guard these perimeter chucking 3 points shooting guard in today's nba.

a lot easier when you could touch a guy

[Marchesk]

More energy. Very hard to guard those perimeter chucking 3 points chucking guard in today's nba.

Yes, objectively Jordan would have to spend more. He still has the skills and physical attributes to be a great defender today, and he would attack the open lanes and paint. But he would also have to spend more time practicing three point shooting.

I would love to time travel the 96 Bulls team to today's playoffs to see how they defend the three point spacing era.

[Lebron23]

Do they make the finals with Mitchell? How many does MJ score with Mitchell guarding him? Can Mitchell perform in Sloan's system in the late 90's?

They had Bryon Russell defending Jordan. That 1997-98 Jazz lacked some offensive firepower outside of Karl Malone.

[Roundball_Rock]

That 1997-98 Jazz lacked some offensive firepower outside of Karl Malone.

Hornacek was 54th in scoring in 98' and was worse in the playoffs and worse still in the finals. Mitchell was 13th this year. Mitchell is a huge upgrade over 98' Hornacek.

[Xiao Yao You]

Hornacek was 54th in scoring in 98' and was worse in the playoffs and worse still in the finals. Mitchell was 13th this year. Mitchell is a huge upgrade over 98' Hornacek.

a lot more to the game than scoring. Their offense hummed with the passing between him, Stockton and Malone.

[Roundball_Rock]

Their offense hummed with the passing between him, Stockton and Malone.

They averaged 80 PPG in the finals. A complete offensive meltdown after being the #1 offense.

Mitchell is a solid passer in his own right but 20' Mitchell a much better scorer than 98' Hornacek.

[Xiao Yao You]

They averaged 80 PPG in the finals. A complete offensive meltdown after being the #1 offense.

Mitchell is a solid passer in his own right but 20' Mitchell a much better scorer than 98' Hornacek.

Mitchell is a scorer. Horny was a player. They were playing one of the great teams.

[AlternativeAcc.]

oh one hunnid persenn b. they winning every year. would be close though.
:roll:

Best gimmick ever

[BigShotBob]

He wouldn't even be allowed on the team (melanin)