[ojandpizza]

Are we just looking at this on paper or is this a hypothetical game where these teams had to match-up against each other? If it's the latter, then I think the bottom team takes it, especially in a series and not one game.

I think the biggest difference here is that Bird/Magic do not have a good defensive match-up in this example. Also out of all these players Duncan is somewhat of an X-factor. Doesn't really care about shots/touches, can play outside the lane as a screener, passer, etc.. He would pull Kareem away from the basket and Shaq could seal off Wilt as he's simply too big to get around. At that point you're asking Bird/Magic to keep Bron/KD from getting to the rim with little help, and the bottom team has a lot more spacing to begin with.

Remember Bird came into the league playing power-forward, and even as he transitioned more to the SF role they mostly used McHale to cover the other teams quicker forwards. Magic had the size to be versatile, and they would frequently put him on the worst offense guys or bigger forwards when they had other guard line-ups in the game. Relying on those two to defend Bron/KD is a bigger mismatch than any match-up going the other direction.. And it's not like they could switch MJ on to either of them, as Kobe is far too quick for the other two as well.

Wilt+Kareem creates a massive clog in the lane, which isn't good for MJ, Magic, or Bird.. Keep in mind that just because Larry can shoot doesn't mean that team would have spacing. All 5 of those guys want to post up. Bird on his career only shot 2 threes a game, his best seasons 3 a game. His game was never to truly be a shooter even though the highlights are full of him bombing threes, that wasn't his game. He mostly shot them when he was scorching hot, or absolutely wide open.. Their spacing would be a nightmare.

Wilt is massively underrated as a defender, and would for sure make life difficult for Shaq, but Shaq is also used to that. Robinson, Ewing, Hakeem, Mutombo, Mourning, Shaq was a force against them all. My issue with Wilt is, watching as much of him as I can, his game relied solely on him just getting to the left block. No moving from side to side, no coming out to set screens, his years as a good scorer and as a good passer never cross over, so his overall offense game is going to be lacking depending on which year you pick for him. He was never really able to be a dominant scorer while simultaneously being a good fit in your offense. Also his game was so dependent of just getting on the left block and staying, to me Shaq would make it harder for him than anyone he ever faced to get and maintain position. He was already mildly efficient for someone who had a massive size, skill, athletic advantage over everyone.. I would expect him to be even less efficient against Shaq as he's not going to be able to back down Shaq and he has no face-up game to utilize his quickness advantage.. Far less fluid than someone like Hakeem with his footwork, no jumper like Robinson.. His weaknesses are type of flaws that take Shaq from a 7 0r 8 on defense up to a 10 because he has no way of exploiting him.

In almost any other match-up Kareem would have the upper hand on most PFs.. Duncan on the other hand actually has the size/strength to hang with him. He's done serviceable jobs on Shaq and other big centers in his career.. Wilt gives no room/space for Kareem to operate, and even if you wanted to stick one on one block and one on the other it gets really easy defensively for Kobe/Bron/KD if there is no space for any of those other guys to get to the rim or try to post them up.