Kobe advises '12 team would beat Dream Team

[DCAllAfrican]

Originally Posted by solarius49

Originally Posted by AG 47

I guess ya'll forgot that same Dream Team lost to the college prep squad they practiced against too...they weren't invincible like some in here would like you to believe.

in a scrimmage.  the next game they played, the college squad didnt score a point.

 @ Didn't score a point. Please stop exaggerating things to prove a point.

 

[JD617]

Larry Bird on whether current Olympic team could beat Dream Team: "They probably could. I haven't played in 20 years and we're all old now."

 

[lawdog1]

Here's what Bird had to say about the whole thing:

Indiana Pacers

 

[noblekane]

Originally Posted by iLLoQuent aka DSK

Y'all read everything Money said though? Dude will forever be thee ultimate @+@ hole.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Michael Jordan said there's no way Kobe Bryant and this year's USA Olympic basketball team could've beaten the 1992 Dream Team.
Jordan told The Associated Press Thursday that he laughed -- "I absolutely laughed" -- when hearing Bryant's comments that the U.S. squad training in Las Vegas could take Jordan and company.

Jordan said there's "no comparison" which team is better.

"For him to compare those two teams is not one of the smarter things he ever could have done," Jordan said prior to playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Charlotte.

Jordan said the 1992 team, which included 11 future Hall of Famers and won its six Olympic games by an average of more than 43 points en route to capturing the gold medal, was a better overall team largely because of the experience it put on the floor.

"I heard Kobe say we were not athletic," said a smiling Jordan as he sat in a golf cart puffing on his cigar while waiting to tee off. "But we were smart. He said we were too old, but I was 29 and in the prime of my career. Pip (Scottie Pippen) was 26 or 27, (Charles) Barkley was 29, Patrick (Ewing) was 29 and Chris Mullin was 29. Almost everybody was still in their 20s."

Jordan's response came after Bryant told reporters in Las Vegas that this year's team could pull out a win against the Dream Team if they faced each other in their primes. Bryant said this year's team has a "bunch of racehorses, players who are incredibly athletic, while the Dream Team consisted mainly of players at the tail end of their careers."
Bryant's comments received immediate and sharp rebuttal from some members of the Dream Team, including Barkley.
Jordan joined in on Thursday.

"Most of us were in the prime of our careers, at a point where athleticism doesn't really matter," said Jordan, the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. "You have to know how to play the game."

Jordan shook his head when asked why he thinks Bryant made the comments.

"I imagine he's trying to say it to legitimize his own Dream Team," Jordan said. "But to me it's not even a question what team is better."

Jordan said Bryant is certainly entitled to his opinion -- even though he said it's just plain wrong.

"For him to make that comparison, it's one of those things where it creates conversation," Jordan said. "I guess we'll never know. I'd like to think that we had 11 Hall of Famers on that team, and whenever they get 11 Hall of Famers, you call and ask me who had the better Dream Team. Remember now, they learned from us. We didn't learn from them."

Link

Mj goat of all time but an #@$ hole and dumb #@$ aswell. Hey MJ NOBODY was inducted into the hall of fame on that team at that time when the dream team played. Salt made homie say dumb things...

 

[jsindaa]

Clearly a lot of yall have never played organized ball. A fundamental team> an athletic team('12 team). An athletic AND fundamental team>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that would describe the Dream team. 

 

[IATT]

Originally Posted by lawdog1

Here's what Bird had to say about the whole thing:

Indiana Pacers

 

[noblekane]

Originally Posted by jordan23dotcom

Jordan talks smack because he's a hater foreal. Dude shows no love to anybody

true
us old dudes on here are quick to say nobody can beat dream team because if the memories but come on to say the 12 team has no chance? ridiculous....

you saw that little redeem team stat... dream team in 92 were playing the damn generals everynight... tougher world competition nowadays...

yall dudes talking like barkley was a tough guy. i remember barkley as a scrappy tough rebounder for his size. his defense however SUCKED.

now charles oakley however was a tough !%$ guy...

 

[IATT]

Originally Posted by NobleKane

yall dudes talking like barkley was a tough guy

if i'm going into a fight, I'll take this guy:




http://www.youtube.com/wa...YJ3o&feature=related


over these guys:




http://video.google.com/v...cid=-4410889144887288309

i hate doing this:

you can go look up most, maybe even all of the 2012 roster and let me know who you would take in a fight over chuck

 

[ag 47]

^who cares about a fight, the bottom line is that if they faced each other on the court, it would be a battle from START TO FINISH

 

[thorrocksjs]

Originally Posted by JD617

Larry Bird on whether current Olympic team could beat Dream Team: "They probably could. I haven't played in 20 years and we're all old now."

Larry bird was a non factor though he could barely tie his shoes

 

[senor chang]

Originally Posted by itsaboutthattime

Originally Posted by NobleKane

yall dudes talking like barkley was a tough guy

if i'm going into a fight, I'll take this guy:




http://www.youtube.com/wa...YJ3o&feature=related


over these guys:




http://video.google.com/v...cid=-4410889144887288309

i hate doing this:

you can go look up most, maybe even all of the 2012 roster and let me know who you would take in a fight over chuck

damn i remember all those barkley clips

 

[IATT]

Originally Posted by AG 47

^who cares about a fight, the bottom line is that if they faced each other on the court, it would be a battle from START TO FINISH

that was me responding to the 'tough guy' comment



my response to the actual basketball game between the two teams, was this:

Originally Posted by itsaboutthattime


i understand because of the general youth that seems to be on display, that everyone wants to focus on the mismatches the 2012 team would seem to force (hence, the athleticism talk).. but let's look at this practically:

1) the 2012 teams has 1 center who is very limited offensively.. does chandler play the whole game to TRY and matchup with ewing and robinson?
- who are both far superior to him offensively and AT LEAST equally as good defensively.. plus both can cheat off of chandler to protect the rim

2) if chandler does come out of the game, who then matches up with the aforementioned ewing or robinson?

3) yes lebron is a physical freak, but if he is playing at power forward or hell even center.. how do you think he will do against malone, barkley, ewing and/or robinson? and how does having to guard those guys affect him offensively?

same can be question for melo.. or anyone else who has to guard any of those 4 (griffin and love)

and for KD (he played a some PF and even center in the world championships).. (as much as I hate to admit this) KD has proved that he struggles at times when defendors get physical with him, what does everyone think the '92 team is going to do when the rules allow you to be physical on defense?

4) i understand kobe fans are going to defend him with their every breath, but he did wear down when having to play against westbrook and harden on defense AND then having those guys plus harden and KD go at him on the defensive side in that series against us (go check his 4th quarter shooting stats from that series)..

so what then happens when he has to guard a 29 year old michael jordan.. or a 30 year old drexler who had just come off a season where he averaged 25 pts 6.7 asts and 6.6 rbs?


5) IF i were coaching the '92 squad, i look at the 2012 team like this:

- chandler - very weak offensive player (ewing and/or robinson would be able to cheat off of him to protect the rim)
- iggy - again not the strongest offensive player (if he's in the game you can switch jordan and/or pippen onto other guys defensively)
- love - not the strongest defensive player (i think the '92 team goes zone with him in the game, so he'll be guarded by wing guys on the perimeter and post guys in the post)
- griffin - not a good shooter or defender (malone and/or barkley would be able to cheat off of him to protect the rim)
- KD - spotty defender, lacks strength and can get pushed around
- kobe - age.. he has to go up against a 29 year old jordan and 30 year old drexler.. unless they stick him on mullin or something when he's in the game
- harden - not the strongest defender
- westbrook - youth/sporadic.. if he plays the SG spot (as he did at times in the world championships) he has to go up against the jordan/drexler combo, who are both bigger and both very athletic
- deron - if he's playing SG that means he's going up against jordan and drexler.. how do you see that working out?
- melo - see above about what position he plays
- chris paul - the '92 team would have the luxury of putting jordan on him (think about it).. and putting the 6'9 magic on KD.. or they could go with no PG and let pippen play point forward (again giving them the luxury of switching jordan onto paul or whatever PG)


- lebron - he can only guard 1 guy on the court.. and if he's the second biggest guy on the court (next to chandler), do you then put him on malone or barkley defensively?

and if you switch him onto another player (say magic or jordan), what does that then do to everyone else defensively? who does the PG or SG then guard?

and my comments on the whole athleticism thing:

Originally Posted by itsaboutthattime

Originally Posted by RunningFishy

This is what I mean, but people cannot discount that the USA teams now are built differently.  Just look at Michael Phelps.  Do you see swimmers like him back in the 80s, 90s?  I'm not discounting athleticism but this whole invicible talk is far-fetched as well.

On paper, the Dream Team can BEAT PRETTY MUCH ANY TEAM you can think of!  The whole 90s era was filled w/ big men. 

swimming is an individual sport.. and there is only one michael phelps.. just as there is only 1 usain bolt


anyone touching michael johnson's 400 meter record, which was set in the 90s?

or how about mike powell's long jump world record which was set in '91?

or how about the high jump world record which was set in '93?

or how about the triple jump world record which was set in '95


yup.. athletes of this era are far superior in running and jumping than those guys of the 90s

 

[ill steelo]

Originally Posted by DCAllAmerican

Originally Posted by solarius49

Originally Posted by AG 47

I guess ya'll forgot that same Dream Team lost to the college prep squad they practiced against too...they weren't invincible like some in here would like you to believe.

in a scrimmage.  the next game they played, the college squad didnt score a point.

 @ Didn't score a point. Please stop exaggerating things to prove a point.

Grant Hill said something similar during NBA TV's broadcast of Team USA's training camp yesterday.
Main point being that the games weren't competitive at all.

 

[thorrocksjs]

Basketball is different better athletes emerge because the varying sizes ,heights,reaches etc along with skillsets

 

[air force baller]

You guys serious, the admiral would destroy these bum forwards
Cmon now,
Malone
Ewing
barkley,
robinson would cleary guard lebron james
u lil kids seen them play back in the day?

 

[solarius49]

Originally Posted by ThorrocksJs

Basketball is different better athletes emerge because the varying sizes ,heights,reaches etc along with skillsets

what makes you consider these players better athletes?
Kobe is a better athlete than MJ?

Bron is a athlete than Pippen?

Durant is a better athlete than Barkley?

Chandler is a better athlete than Robinson or Ewing?

CP3 is a better athlete than Magic or Stockton?

 

[IATT]

Originally Posted by ThorrocksJs

Basketball is different better athletes emerge because the varying sizes ,heights,reaches etc along with skillsets

please elaborate..

please go through the '92 roster and the 2012 roster and give exact examples of what you are referring to

 

[osh kosh bosh]

MJ>LBJ
Karl, Admiral, Charles, Ewing>Blake, Chandler.

Paul>Stockwil, Rus.

Durant>Magic, 

Pip and Mullen play Melo and Kobe to a draw.

The bigs are the problem, Charles was an animal at the Olympics, if they go big it's a wrap this usa team. 

 

[runningfishy]

Originally Posted by itsaboutthattime

Originally Posted by ThorrocksJs

Basketball is different better athletes emerge because the varying sizes ,heights,reaches etc along with skillsets

please elaborate..

please go through the '92 roster and the 2012 roster and give exact examples of what you are referring to

Man, just quit it already.  You're playing sports columnist too hard, like Chris Chase on yahoo.  I think it was obvious that what Kobe said was to get the attention of the media.  As I've already mentioned, the team in 2012 was built for an entirely diff't purpose, but that doesn't mean you should discount them at all.  Still, the Dream Team's front court is just too big for most team.  You could look at the greece, china and london teams and they would all be no match for the Dream Team.  Does that make more sense for you?

Instead of bashing our team USA, you should be supportive of them and what they do.  These guys don't fake injuries, and they remain committed to a program.  You can't say that w/ too many others. 

 

[airthompson]

[table][tr][th=""]Season[/th][th=""]Age[/th][th=""]Tm[/th][th=""]Lg[/th][th=""]G[/th][th=""]GS[/th][th=""]MP[/th][th=""]FG[/th][th=""]FGA[/th][th=""]FG%[/th][th=""]3P[/th][th=""]3PA[/th][th=""]3P%[/th][th=""]FT[/th][th=""]FTA[/th][th=""]FT%[/th][th=""]ORB[/th][th=""]DRB[/th][th=""]TRB[/th][th=""]AST[/th][th=""]STL[/th][th=""]BLK[/th][th=""]TOV[/th][th=""]PF[/th][th=""]PTS[/th][/tr][tr][td]1984-85[/td][td]21[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]82[/td][td]82[/td][td]3144[/td][td]837[/td][td]1625[/td][td].515[/td][td]9[/td][td]52[/td][td].173[/td][td]630[/td][td]746[/td][td].845[/td][td]167[/td][td]367[/td][td]534[/td][td]481[/td][td]196[/td][td]69[/td][td]291[/td][td]285[/td][td]2313[/td][/tr][tr][td]1985-86[/td][td]22[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]18[/td][td]7[/td][td]451[/td][td]150[/td][td]328[/td][td].457[/td][td]3[/td][td]18[/td][td].167[/td][td]105[/td][td]125[/td][td].840[/td][td]23[/td][td]41[/td][td]64[/td][td]53[/td][td]37[/td][td]21[/td][td]45[/td][td]46[/td][td]408[/td][/tr][tr][td]1986-87[/td][td]23[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]82[/td][td]82[/td][td]3281[/td][td]1098[/td][td]2279[/td][td].482[/td][td]12[/td][td]66[/td][td].182[/td][td]833[/td][td]972[/td][td].857[/td][td]166[/td][td]264[/td][td]430[/td][td]377[/td][td]236[/td][td]125[/td][td]272[/td][td]237[/td][td]3041[/td][/tr][tr][td]1987-88[/td][td]24[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]82[/td][td]82[/td][td]3311[/td][td]1069[/td][td]1998[/td][td].535[/td][td]7[/td][td]53[/td][td].132[/td][td]723[/td][td]860[/td][td].841[/td][td]139[/td][td]310[/td][td]449[/td][td]485[/td][td]259[/td][td]131[/td][td]252[/td][td]270[/td][td]2868[/td][/tr][tr][td]1988-89[/td][td]25[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]81[/td][td]81[/td][td]3255[/td][td]966[/td][td]1795[/td][td].538[/td][td]27[/td][td]98[/td][td].276[/td][td]674[/td][td]793[/td][td].850[/td][td]149[/td][td]503[/td][td]652[/td][td]650[/td][td]234[/td][td]65[/td][td]290[/td][td]247[/td][td]2633[/td][/tr][tr][td]1989-90[/td][td]26[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]82[/td][td]82[/td][td]3197[/td][td]1034[/td][td]1964[/td][td].526[/td][td]92[/td][td]245[/td][td].376[/td][td]593[/td][td]699[/td][td].848[/td][td]143[/td][td]422[/td][td]565[/td][td]519[/td][td]227[/td][td]54[/td][td]247[/td][td]241[/td][td]2753[/td][/tr][tr][td]1990-91[/td][td]27[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]82[/td][td]82[/td][td]3034[/td][td]990[/td][td]1837[/td][td].539[/td][td]29[/td][td]93[/td][td].312[/td][td]571[/td][td]671[/td][td].851[/td][td]118[/td][td]374[/td][td]492[/td][td]453[/td][td]223[/td][td]83[/td][td]202[/td][td]229[/td][td]2580[/td][/tr][tr][td]1991-92[/td][td]28[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]80[/td][td]80[/td][td]3102[/td][td]943[/td][td]1818[/td][td].519[/td][td]27[/td][td]100[/td][td].270[/td][td]491[/td][td]590[/td][td].832[/td][td]91[/td][td]420[/td][td]511[/td][td]489[/td][td]182[/td][td]75[/td][td]200[/td][td]201[/td][td]2404[/td][/tr][tr][td]1992-93[/td][td]29[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]78[/td][td]78[/td][td]3067[/td][td]992[/td][td]2003[/td][td].495[/td][td]81[/td][td]230[/td][td].352[/td][td]476[/td][td]569[/td][td].837[/td][td]135[/td][td]387[/td][td]522[/td][td]428[/td][td]221[/td][td]61[/td][td]207[/td][td]188[/td][td]2541[/td][/tr][tr][td]1994-95[/td][td]31[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]17[/td][td]17[/td][td]668[/td][td]166[/td][td]404[/td][td].411[/td][td]16[/td][td]32[/td][td].500[/td][td]109[/td][td]136[/td][td].801[/td][td]25[/td][td]92[/td][td]117[/td][td]90[/td][td]30[/td][td]13[/td][td]35[/td][td]47[/td][td]457[/td][/tr][tr][td]1995-96[/td][td]32[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]82[/td][td]82[/td][td]3090[/td][td]916[/td][td]1850[/td][td].495[/td][td]111[/td][td]260[/td][td].427[/td][td]548[/td][td]657[/td][td].834[/td][td]148[/td][td]395[/td][td]543[/td][td]352[/td][td]180[/td][td]42[/td][td]197[/td][td]195[/td][td]2491[/td][/tr][tr][td]1996-97[/td][td]33[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]82[/td][td]82[/td][td]3106[/td][td]920[/td][td]1892[/td][td].486[/td][td]111[/td][td]297[/td][td].374[/td][td]480[/td][td]576[/td][td].833[/td][td]113[/td][td]369[/td][td]482[/td][td]352[/td][td]140[/td][td]44[/td][td]166[/td][td]156[/td][td]2431[/td][/tr][tr][td]1997-98[/td][td]34[/td][td]CHI[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]82[/td][td]82[/td][td]3181[/td][td]881[/td][td]1893[/td][td].465[/td][td]30[/td][td]126[/td][td].238[/td][td]565[/td][td]721[/td][td].784[/td][td]130[/td][td]345[/td][td]475[/td][td]283[/td][td]141[/td][td]45[/td][td]185[/td][td]151[/td][td]2357[/td][/tr][tr][td]2001-02[/td][td]38[/td][td]WAS[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]60[/td][td]53[/td][td]2093[/td][td]551[/td][td]1324[/td][td].416[/td][td]10[/td][td]53[/td][td].189[/td][td]263[/td][td]333[/td][td].790[/td][td]50[/td][td]289[/td][td]339[/td][td]310[/td][td]85[/td][td]26[/td][td]162[/td][td]119[/td][td]1375[/td][/tr][tr][td]2002-03[/td][td]39[/td][td]WAS[/td][td]NBA[/td][td]82[/td][td]67[/td][td]3031[/td][td]679[/td][td]1527[/td][td].445[/td][td]16[/td][td]55[/td][td].291[/td][td]266[/td][td]324[/td][td].821[/td][td]71[/td][td]426[/td][td]497[/td][td]311[/td][td]123[/td][td]39[/td][td]173[/td][td]171[/td][td]1640[/td][/tr][/table]
Look at Jordans last two years in the NBA. Only 9 years or so since he played at 38/39. Now he put up decent numbers as a old man in "TODAYS LEAGUE" which is oh so advanced according to some of you. Now if your arguement is that the Dream Team would be average today your wrong. The league back then was much tougher, now its watered down defensively because athletes complain.

 

[airthompson]

So now that Blake aint in it, Its official '12 cant hold a candle. Not like Blake was a factor anyhow.

Redeem Team > 2012 Team

 

[thegoldenchild]

Originally Posted by Osh Kosh Bosh

MJ>LBJ
Karl, Admiral, Charles, Ewing>Blake, Chandler.

Paul>Stockwil, Rus.

Durant>Magic, 

Pip and Mullen play Melo and Kobe to a draw.

The bigs are the problem, Charles was an animal at the Olympics, if they go big it's a wrap this usa team. 

i was with you through the first part.. but then you said

Pip and Mullen play Melo and Kobe to a draw.

at that point i knew you were talking BS

 

[thorrocksjs]

MJ stopping lebron now your being silly

 

[thegoldenchild]

Originally Posted by ThorrocksJs

MJ stopping lebron now your being silly

i dont know, maybe, maybe not.. depending on which lebron you get.. cause you know MJ will go all out. and he has been defensive player of the year.. but it all depends on which lebron.. will lebron be more passive or like in the last game of the finals? then it will be hard for jordan.. cause bron is taller, bigger, stronger, maybe even faster.. jumps higher.. but if he's shooting jumpers then if gotta give mj the nod

 

[solarius49]

Originally Posted by ThorrocksJs

MJ stopping lebron now your being silly

Pippen stopping Lebron however....