I would not have built these teams this way, but the Internet demands you choose one.

[WhiteKyrie]

When in doubt, GOAT, so team 3

[tpols]

I don’t like the setup of team 3 at all, you’d be playing Dirk at the 3? Way too many chefs in the kitchen on this one.

Team 2 is a terrible fit with LeBron/Duncan/Shaq in the frontcourt, and Iverson is just absolutely atrocious in lineups like these.

It def comes down to either 1 or 4, and while I’m not a fan of Malone on this team, the rest of the lineup is absolutely nasty.

A steph curry or Dwayne Wade PnR with Karl Malone setting the picks and Larry Bird spacing the floor would be devastating. Malone has some use on that squad.

[iamgine]

I'd go with team 4 purely cause all these teams can protect the rim very well so Curry spamming bombs would be very useful. Plus Malone and Hakeem were excellent at setting screens.

[Xiao Yao You]

3 or 4 certainly. I guess I'd have to go with 3 because it's hard to imagine MJ losing with that much talent

[Kblaze8855]

A steph curry or Dwayne Wade PnR with Karl Malone setting the picks and Larry Bird spacing the floor would be devastating. Malone has some use on that squad.

that’s the kind of lineup you could play with as a coach and really frustrate teams. I will come out one night and have a Larry bird the primary ball handler with Steph Curry setting picks for him. Get Malone to call Stockton to teach Steph to set those dirty bone crushing screens at that size because the refs look the other way when you have a small bully like Stockton. Steph is bigger and stronger than Stockton was and he set some of the most brutal picks of a way more physical era on a lot of big guys.

Just **** with people.

[Real Men Wear Green]

I don't agree with this in regards to their opponent being #3

Paul on Magic is not a good matchup. Very exploitable.

Same if you put him on the best offensive player ever, MJ. Paul in his prime is terrific guarding point guards, but he's a liability when he has to matchup up the likes of those two.

Team #3 has the best PG and SG of all time. Jokic is the most efficient Center ever. It's just a whole lot of fire power with two stretch bigs. It just fits.

By the way, Giannis is the best screen and roller in basketball as far as analysts go. His non shooting is a no issue when you can use him in this regard on this particular team.

Magic was a difficult cover for all small guards but he can't check them either. Team 3 would have a large problem in that Jordan can only guard one guard and whoever he doesn't check is going off. Giannis had to guard Durant, Jordan has to check Bryant because Bryant would absolutely score 50 if he is isolated with Magic. No one shuts anyone down but Paul at his best was one of the best defensive guards in the league and could be respectable on Jordan with Bryant being ok for Magic, KD on Dirk, KG on Giannis, Jabbar on Jokic. These are all decent covers, no one is getting shut down but the defense is competent. On the flip side Magic and Dirk would absolutely get targeted and Jokic is only an average defender. Team 1 is both better defensively as well as better shooting.

[Carbine]

Jokic is actually a good defender. He was making a noticable difference in the playoffs on that side of the ball.

CP is like 5'11. The size difference if he has to check Jordan is the biggest advantage for any of these teams, except for whoever Iverson has to guard.

Jordan posted up players 6'6 very effectively. He wouldn't even see CP3 when he turns around or faces him up and rises. It's not a point of "nobody is going to shut down" anyone on these lists, it's the fact that this would be a massive mismatch that would be exploited over and over again.

[Xiao Yao You]

that’s the kind of lineup you could play with as a coach and really frustrate teams. I will come out one night and have a Larry bird the primary ball handler with Steph Curry setting picks for him. Get Malone to call Stockton to teach Steph to set those dirty bone crushing screens at that size because the refs look the other way when you have a small bully like Stockton. Steph is bigger and stronger than Stockton was and he set some of the most brutal picks of a way more physical era on a lot of big guys.

Just **** with people.

He's taller than Stockton not bigger or tougher. You can't teach what Stockton had

[Kblaze8855]

I believe Steph is bigger though he is absolutely not tougher.

[tpols]

That's crazy how Stockton was that tough. 170lbs is weak but he made it happen somehow. I remember in the dream team documentary they did a bit where he walked around in Italy and made fun of how nobody could even recognize him and thought he was a tourist or whatever.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Jokic is actually a good defender. He was making a noticable difference in the playoffs on that side of the ball.

CP is like 5'11. The size difference if he has to check Jordan is the biggest advantage for any of these teams, except for whoever Iverson has to guard.

Jordan posted up players 6'6 very effectively. He wouldn't even see CP3 when he turns around or faces him up and rises. It's not a point of "nobody is going to shut down" anyone on these lists, it's the fact that this would be a massive mismatch that would be exploited over and over again.

The best defender on Jordan was Joe Dumars. He wasn't 6'6 either. Jordan would score on Paul but the best way to do that would be in the paint. You can send a double off of Giannis, who is only going to be effective in the paint himself. You don't have anyone to send Magic or Dirk help off of on Team 3 when one of them is struggling defensively. Jokic is not a bad defender but he's not especially good on that end. He's never averaged a whole block per game. Jabbar has averaged as many as 4. And alongside him you have Kevin Garnett, not a major shotblocker but solid in that area and overall one of the great defenders in NBA history. The defense on Team 1 is easily far better and with the mismatches both teams may create that's going to be important.

[tpols]

Here it is.

[post]

team 5

[Kblaze8855]

That's crazy how Stockton was that tough. 170lbs is weak but he made it happen somehow. I remember in the dream team documentary they did a bit where he walked around in Italy and made fun of how nobody could even recognize him and thought he was a tourist or whatever.

Just sheer tenacity. Most people get pushed around because they allow it. He simply refused to allow you. You’re not shrugging off his screen.

[Full Court]

Team 3.

But how did Chris Paul even get on there? He doesn't belong with everyone else.