1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

By seasons, if every NBA team had every player in their prime, which teams would be the greatest?

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by plutoblue11, Nov 28, 2019.

  1. plutoblue11

    plutoblue11 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    10,526
    Likes Received:
    1,009
    Who are a few of your personal choices from all of these rosters in NBA history?



    My Personal Choices:

    1962-63 Boston Celtics: Russell, Cousy, Havlicek, Jones, Heinsohn, and Sanders.

    1972-73 New York Knicks: Reed, Monroe, Frazier, DeBusschere, Lucas, and Bradley.

    1985-86 Boston Celtics: Bird, McHale, Parrish, DJ, Walton, Ainge, and Wedman.

    1998-99 New York Knicks: Ewing, Camby, Grandmama "LJ," Houston, Sprewell, Thomas, and Scott...that team would've beaten the Bulls, even under these circumstances.

    2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers: 3 of the NBAs, most dominant scorers in history -- Shaq, Kobe, and Malone with the Glove.

    2012-13 Miami Heat: LBJ, Bosh, Wade, Allen, Lewis, Miller, Howard, and Battier.
     
    ThatBoyNick and RayRay10 like this.
  2. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 1999
    Messages:
    62,557
    Likes Received:
    56,266
    The 2017 Warriors who went 16-1 in the playoffs, had an old Iguadala and David West. If they were both in their primes...?

    The 1985 Lakers who won the title had a
    • 37yr old Jabbar
    • washed up Bob McAdoo (an ex-MVP and 2x scoring champ),
    • 3rd yr Worthy
    • 2nd yr Byron Scott
    • HOF Jamaal Wilkes in his last year, not to mention a proven Lakers' 20+ppg starter for Magic's first two years.

      If they were all in their prime...?
     
    Plowman, da_juice, roslolian and 5 others like this.
  3. BigBum

    BigBum Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2018
    Messages:
    3,860
    Likes Received:
    1,346
    96 Bulls

    prime Jordan 1991
    Prime pippen 1995
    Prime Robert parish 1975
    Prime Rodman 1992
    Prime Kukoc 1996
    Prime harper 1990
     
    #3 BigBum, Nov 28, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2019
  4. Gray_Jay

    Gray_Jay Member

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2010
    Messages:
    1,910
    Likes Received:
    1,839
    Showtime with McAdoo was my first guess. BigBum's inclusion of the Bulls with the Chief and prime Jordan/Pippen/Rodman/Kukoc is going to be tough too.

    EDIT, There ought to be a way to sum WinShares or the like to come up with some decent numbers for this answer.
     
  5. BaselineFade

    BaselineFade Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2018
    Messages:
    2,226
    Likes Received:
    4,470
    17-18 Rockets

    Prime CP
    Prime Harden
    Prime Ariza
    Prime Ryno
    Prime Nene
    Prime PJ
    Prime Luc
    Prime Clint
    Prime Green
    Prime EG

    We should have beaten the greatest team ever assembled with several players past their prime.
     
  6. BigBum

    BigBum Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2018
    Messages:
    3,860
    Likes Received:
    1,346
    96 Bulls have Robert parish, the 2nd best player in 1970s.
    Parish have 4or 5 rings.

    steve kerr has 8 rings.
     
    #6 BigBum, Nov 28, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2019
    da_juice and plutoblue11 like this.
  7. heypartner

    heypartner Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 1999
    Messages:
    62,557
    Likes Received:
    56,266
    You forgot Joe Johnson
     
  8. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2002
    Messages:
    35,169
    Likes Received:
    24,198
    The 87-88 Rockets should be mentioned.

    Hakeem Olajuwon
    Ralph Sampson
    Rodney McCray
    Sleepy Floyd
    World B. Free
    Cedric Maxwell
    Purvis Short
    Buck Johnson
    Robert Reid
     
    da_juice and plutoblue11 like this.
  9. plutoblue11

    plutoblue11 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    10,526
    Likes Received:
    1,009
    2008-09 Rockets, the Lakers needed 7 games to beat without Yao, T-mac, and Cookie Mutombo.

    Prime Yao (2000s)
    Prime T-Mac (Magic, early 2000s)
    Prime Artest (Pacers, early 2000s)
    Prime Mutombo (Nuggets and Hawks, 1990s)
    Prime Lowry (Raptors, 2010s)
    Prime Barry (Clippers and Heat, late 1990s and early 2000s)


    Add Scola, Landry, Hayes, and Wafer. Adelman as HC, Morey as GM. Yao would ideal minutes with Mutombo as a defensive nightmare, he would've lock down the paint and erased Gasol and Bynum in a series.
     
    fckbandwagons, Easy and daywalker02 like this.
  10. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    89,555
    Likes Received:
    43,132
    That is too easy, you could scoop up all the former Greats and Allstars and put them on cheap contracts.

    And make them great again.
     
  11. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    89,555
    Likes Received:
    43,132
    And make Yao bionic legs and feet, and adamantium bone structure. We good.

    Same for glass body Tmac.

    Lebron the future trillionaire will fund it.

    @Jontro

    [​IMG]
     
    #11 daywalker02, Nov 29, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2019
    Jontro and plutoblue11 like this.
  12. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2001
    Messages:
    43,285
    Likes Received:
    25,312
    Okc thunder sans Harden also had the Dubs down 3-2. Yeah they might've been up there

    /Sad Trombone
     
    plutoblue11 likes this.
  13. plutoblue11

    plutoblue11 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    10,526
    Likes Received:
    1,009
    I think the 2011-13 Thunder could've beaten the 2016 Warriors in a series. With Harden, they're not choking a 3-1 lead away. They probably beat the Cavs, pretty squarely as well.
     
    Invisible Fan likes this.
  14. plutoblue11

    plutoblue11 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    10,526
    Likes Received:
    1,009
    99-00 Blazers

    Prime Sabonis (86-92)
    Prime Sheed (98-05)
    Prime Pippen (92-95)
    Prime Smith (94-98)
    Prime Stoudamire (96-99)

    Prime O'Neal (01-05)
    Prime Bonzi (01-06)
    Prime Schrempf (89-92)
    Prime Augmon (92-96)
    Prime Anthony (92-95)
    Prime Grant (95-99)

    96-98 Rockets vs 98-99 Rockets is essentially with Prime Barkley and/or Pippen w/ Mobley, but switching Franchise for Pipp.
     
    BaselineFade likes this.
  15. RayRay10

    RayRay10 Houstonian

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2015
    Messages:
    4,629
    Likes Received:
    11,030
    85-86 Celtics were mentioned in OP, but 87-88 Celtics would have a good case as well and might actually be better under these conditions:

    Artis Gilmore 1971-72 19.8 Win Shares
    Bird 1985-86 15.8
    McHale 1986-87 14.8
    Parrish 1980-81 10.9
    Jim Paxson 1982-83 10.2
    Reggie Lewis 1991-92 9.1
    Danny Ainge 1987-88 8.6
    Dennis Johnson 1980-81 8.4
    Jerry Sichting 1983-84 5.2
    Fred Roberts 1990-91 4.2
    Darren Dave 1984-85 3.8
    Brad Lohaus 1989-90 3.3
     
    BaselineFade and plutoblue11 like this.
  16. BuckeyeRocketFan

    BuckeyeRocketFan Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2000
    Messages:
    261
    Likes Received:
    18
    Didn’t we have Olajuwan Barkley Drexler and Pippen together in one year when they were all over the hill? That year would have been decent under these rules.
     
    clutchdabear, awc713 and BaselineFade like this.
  17. Astrodome

    Astrodome Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2015
    Messages:
    11,099
    Likes Received:
    12,356
    I dont think there was a drexler-pippen overlap
     
  18. plutoblue11

    plutoblue11 Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    10,526
    Likes Received:
    1,009

    Great addition. Another one with Bird.


    If we include coaches, so if teams could include them from their playing career.

    1999- 2000 Pacers
    Prime Bird (82-88)
    Prime Millertime (93-98)
    Prime Mullin (88-93)
    Prime Rose (98-03)
    Prime Harrington (04-10)
    Prime Jackson (89-98)
    Prime Smits (93-98)
    Prime Davis (93-99)
    Prime Perkins (88-97)

    In a modern day-offense, would be so sickening that they'd have to change rules and pushback the 3 point line. Ball movement would be crazed and would drive fans loony.


    Bird is essentially the coach and starting forward.

    3 of the greatest 3 point shooters ever, 2 of which were already great scorers in NBA.


    You also have Rose, Jackson, Harrington, and two great shooting bigs in Perkins and Smits.

    You basically need today's version of the Clippers and Raptors put together to stop them.
     
    BaselineFade and RayRay10 like this.
  19. BigM

    BigM Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2001
    Messages:
    17,996
    Likes Received:
    13,174
    Doesn’t matter, prime Matt Maloney makes up for it.
     
  20. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2002
    Messages:
    35,169
    Likes Received:
    24,198
    He's still in his prime and getting paid.
     
    BigM and plutoblue11 like this.

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now