92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

[Dice]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

You're talking like teams such as Yugoslavia or Lithuania were pushover teams... Those teams were some of the best if not the best international teams to play in the games

I believe Yugoslavia was a better team than this spanish championship team was the the 08 barely beat

Compared to either the Dream Team or this years Olympic team, I think they are pushovers.

And I had to disagree with you on the 08 Spain team and the 92 Yugoslavia team. I think the Spanish team beats them. The Spain team to me has more players on that roster than can impact the game in different ways. Yugoslavia had some good scorers but the Spanish team has many more versatile big men on their roster. This is probably a better topic to discuss than who is better between the 92 USA Olympic team and the 2012 USA Olympic team.

[23]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Compared to either the Dream Team or this years Olympic team, I think they are pushovers.

And I had to disagree with you on the 08 Spain team and the 92 Yugoslavia team. I think the Spanish team beats them. The Spain team to me has more players on that roster than can impact the game in different ways. Yugoslavia had some good scorers but the Spanish team has many more versatile big men on their roster. This is probably a better topic to discuss than who is better between the 92 USA Olympic team and the 2012 USA Olympic team.

Right because Kobe has lost his mind... calling players younger than him old

Dude must be on some vegas sherm

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Compared to either the Dream Team or this years Olympic team, I think they are pushovers.

And I had to disagree with you on the 08 Spain team and the 92 Yugoslavia team. I think the Spanish team beats them. The Spain team to me has more players on that roster than can impact the game in different ways. Yugoslavia had some good scorers but the Spanish team has many more versatile big men on their roster. This is probably a better topic to discuss than who is better between the 92 USA Olympic team and the 2012 USA Olympic team.

Take that Spanish team or any Argentinian team from the past decade, and they'd run rough-shed over every team in 92 except USA.

[Dice]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

And speaking of Yugoslavia, I thought they disbanded right before 1992 because of the war? So they didn't even compete together because the team the Dream Team beat was Croatia. Which did feature Petrovic and Kukoc.

[PrettyT11]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

And speaking of Yugoslavia, I thought they disbanded right before 1992 because of the war? So they didn't even compete together because the team the Dream Team beat was Croatia. Which did feature Petrovic and Kukoc.

Correct the last team they put together was in 1990 and they won the world championships. They also won silver in 88. That Yugo team is not getting ran over by 2008 Spain or any Argentina team. In fact I would take that old Yugo squad over the Spain team and over any Argentina team.

The Croatia 92 team is a different story though cause they didn't have some of the guys that was on the last Yugo squad.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Ah, my mistake, got two different squads mixed up, thought we were talking about Croatia. I never saw any of that Yugo team prior to 92....

[AlexBrady]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Honestly LeBron and maybe Kobe would be the only effective players from the 2012 team, that's assuming Jordan isn't guarding Kobe.. I'd look to see Jordan guarding the 2012 explosive guards and limited playing time for Stockton. I don't think it'd be an absolute massacre but definitely a decent sized win for 92 squad..

I like the post a few posts up mentioning if you would play by the 92 rules or the current rules.. How awesome would it be to see LeBron be able to handcheck on defense..

But in all honesty I don't see that rule being as big of a difference maker as other people do. Everybody always says "it was so much harder to score then cause handcheking" I don't really see that, just because it was allowed doesn't mean it was utilized that much, people didnt just run around with their hands all over you.. Actually when you try to play defense with your hands is when you get off balance and get burned off the dribble.. And yes I grew up watching the 80s/90s and still feel this way..

Hand-checking is indeed a game changer. It allows a defender to play a step off and still be able to react and recover to the dribble drive. A stiff-arm to the hip can delay the drive for that extra (crucial) beat.

When watching an older game, look off the ball. Notice how post defenders can get really physical with the postee by pressuring their lower bodies. Take note of cross-lane cutters being blasted and time-delayed.

If hand-checking, cut bumping, and post riding was still permitted, teams in todays dumbed-down game would average about 85 ppg.

[Dice]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Hand-checking is indeed a game changer. It allows a defender to play a step off and still be able to react and recover to the dribble drive. A stiff-arm to the hip can delay the drive for that extra (crucial) beat.

When watching an older game, look off the ball. Notice how post defenders can get really physical with the postee by pressuring their lower bodies. Take note of cross-lane cutters being blasted and time-delayed.

If hand-checking, cut bumping, and post riding was still permitted, teams in todays dumbed-down game would average about 85 ppg.

To a point, I'd agree that hand checking is a game changer. BUT at the same time, every player in the league back then didn't use it properly or didn't use it at all. There were some very bad defenders back then as well. A lot of them. Which I think was the logic of the guy who mentioned hand checking. Remember watching those early 90's Denver Nugget teams before Mutombo got there and I still say they were still to this day one of the worst defensive teams I've seen play. They had the opportunity to hand check folks on and off the ball but either refused to do it or just didn't know how. Couldn't imagine Michael Adams hand checking a guy like Tim Hardaway.

[aloncho11]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

^Man I remember that Paul Westhead team. I think they averaged like 117 ppg and allowed opponetnts for 120 ppg

[PrettyT11]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Ah, my mistake, got two different squads mixed up, thought we were talking about Croatia. I never saw any of that Yugo team prior to 92....

Yeah man they was loaded. They had 4 NBA players on the roster which wad unheard of at the time. They also had some guys who didn't play in the NBA but they was euroleague legends.

After looking at it the 08 Spain team would have gave fhem a run for their money and might have beat them but I believe they would have beat those Argentina teams.

[Rule of Two]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Obviously the '92 Dream Team would win. This years team is incomplete due to injuries.

How about this:

Derrick Rose
Kobe Bryant/Dwyane Wade
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Dwight Howard

vs

Magic Johnson
Michael Jordan
Larry Bird
Charles Barkley
Patrick Ewing

Who, in your opinion, wins this matchup?

[kdurantmvp]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Obviously the '92 Dream Team would win. This years team is incomplete due to injuries.

How about this:

Derrick Rose
Kobe Bryant/Dwyane Wade
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Dwight Howard

vs

Magic Johnson
Michael Jordan
Larry Bird
Charles Barkley
Patrick Ewing

Who, in your opinion, wins this matchup?

Dream Team still, Durant and Howard will have a tough time guarding Barkley/Ewing

[AlexBrady]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Magic's game had really slowed down by 92 and Rose has mercurial speed and quickness. Rose would easily run rings around Magic. Magic is stronger and would be able to post Rose. The passing edge goes to Magic. Neither is a good shooter or defender. Based on his youth and quickness, give the edge to Rose.

Michael Jordan has the slight edge over Kobe Bryant in every area, except shooting range. Jordan is also superior to Wade in every category, except physical strength. Edge to Jordan.

LeBron has an edge over Bird in strength, quickness, passing, and overall defense. Bird is a more reliable shooter. Assuming this is the 92 version of Bird, give a significant edge to LeBron.

Kevin Durant is quicker, longer, and a better shooter than Barkley. Sir Charles is much stronger and more belligerent on the boards. This would probably be a mutual scorefest, but Barkley would eventually wear Durant to a nub.

Patrick Ewing is a better scorer/shooter than Howard. Dwight is better on the boards. Neither is a good defender. Call it even.

I would take the 92 team in seven close games.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Magic's game had really slowed down by 92 and Rose has mercurial speed and quickness. Rose would easily run rings around Magic. Magic is stronger and would be able to post Rose. The passing edge goes to Magic. Neither is a good shooter or defender. Based on his youth and quickness, give the edge to Rose.

Michael Jordan has the slight edge over Kobe Bryant in every area, except shooting range. Jordan is also superior to Wade in every category, except physical strength. Edge to Jordan.

LeBron has an edge over Bird in strength, quickness, passing, and overall defense. Bird is a more reliable shooter. Assuming this is the 92 version of Bird, give a significant edge to LeBron.

Kevin Durant is quicker, longer, and a better shooter than Barkley. Sir Charles is much stronger and more belligerent on the boards. This would probably be a mutual scorefest, but Barkley would eventually wear Durant to a nub.

Patrick Ewing is a better scorer/shooter than Howard. Dwight is better on the boards. Neither is a good defender. Call it even.

I would take the 92 team in seven close games.

Given those teams wouldn't it make more sense to put Durant on Bird and LeBron on Barkley cause he's stronger and far more likely to stop him?

[AlexBrady]

Re: 92' Dream team vs 2012 USA team

Given those teams wouldn't it make more sense to put Durant on Bird and LeBron on Barkley cause he's stronger and far more likely to stop him?

Yes, it would make more sense. Durant would have the edge over Bird in quickness, speed, hops, and explosiveness. Shooting is about even, with both being somewhat streaky. The edge would go to Durant.

LeBron is quicker, faster, and has more shooting range than Barkley. But Charles is a banger and better on the boards. Given that LeBron isn't very comfortable playing post defense, Barkley would eventually wear him down.