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| Image from Chicagonow.com |
This summer marks the 20 year anniversary of that legendary 1992 dream team that took the international basketball world by storm. So as is always the case in sports, there must be comparisons to this years team. Could the 2012 version beat the original dream team? Kobe Bryant thinks they can, while Scottie Pippen mentioned in national television that they would beat the 2012 team by 25. Where do we side on this argument? With the legendary 92 team of course, and there shouldn't be any debate here.
First lets analyze the 2012 version, they are obviously fast and loaded at every position, but they have one major weakness, and thats their lack of size. This is a very glaring need when you consider that Tyson Chandler is on the team, now this is by no means a cheap shot at Chandler who is the reigning defensive player of the year. Yet, Howard's injury left a big gaping hole for this year's group. In addition, this team's starting 5 will most likely not even feature a true PF, it will most likely see Lebron at the 4 and Melo at the 3, with Kevin Durant coming off the bench and filling the role that Dwyane Wade had in 08 (who also happens to be out of this year's olympics because of injury) as the team's leading scorer.
Kevin Love and Anthony Davis are the other bigs with Blake Griffin out with that meniscus tear. That leaves Team USA with only 3 legit big men, not to mention that Davis will probably not see a lot of time on the court. They are however very versatile and fast, and besides Chandler and Paul, every other player can play multiple positions. This provides a matchup nightmare for opponents, they can put Lebron at just about any position. While Lebron can hold his own guarding the other team's center for some time, the same cant be said about the center that will have to guard Lebron. Not to mention having to guard the 6-10 Kevin Durant who plays like a 2 guard. All these matchup problems is what makes this team so hard to defeat at the international level (not to mention the supreme difference of talent) BUT, not if they play the 92 dream team.
The 1992 team has one overwhelming advantage, size, even if Howard had played for the 2012 team, the advantage would still be considerable down in the post. The 92 team had 11 hall of famers, some of which were: centers Patrick Ewing and David Robinson, Power Forwards Charles Barkley, and arguably the best PF of all time (second in our humble opinion only to Tim Duncan) Karl Malone. There is no way that the 2012 version could match up with these 4. The 2012 team have three potent scorers in the wing in Durant, Lebron and Melo, but the 92 team had Scottie Pippen who was considered at the time the best defender in the WORLD, he would no doubt spend most of his time on Durant and Lebron.
Then there's that issue of Michael Jordan, at the peak of his powers in 1992, still young and Athletic, a former defensive player of the year, he would be a problem at both ends of the floor. Everybody wants to talk about Michael vs Kobe, but think about it, 2012 Kobe is 34 years old, 92 Jordan was 29, and even if they were both at the top of their prime, Jordan would still have the advantage. Where the 2012 team could possibly have an advantage is at the point guard position, with Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Russell Westbrook running havoc with their speed and athleticism, but which one of those 3 would be able to guard the greatest PG of all time in Magic Johnson? Johnson was already at the twilight of his career, but only because he was absent due to his HIV sickness, unlike Larry Bird who had a very bad back, Magic was still a very very good player. Not to mention that 92 team had Stockton who was a underrated defender, and the all time leader in steals in the history of the league.
Overall, the game would be splendid, but the lack of size of the 2012 team, in addition with the experience and the fact that about 9 of those players in the 92 squad were in the peak of their prime (it also doesn't hurt when one of those players is the greatest of all time), we give the edge to the 92 dream team.
Do you think the size would be a big problem for the 2012 team? How could the 2012 team counter such problem and turn it into an advantage?
-Elton Brand and Chris Kaman will both join the Dallas Mavericks
-The Houston Rockets now seem to be making the most noise in their bid for Howard
-Lakers are interested in Jamison and Jermaine Oneal
-The Heat might give Greg Oden a look
-Jeremy Linn has signed his offer sheet from the Rockets, which amounts up to 3 years and 25 million all guaranteed.
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