Dream Team 92 vs 2024. Who wins?
- Thread starter JRSlim2284
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It would depend how the game would be officiated. If the 92 team was allowed to play physical as they did in their era then I believe they would win. Olajawon and Ewing would destroy Anthony Davis and Embid as neither of them could withstand the physical pounding they would receive. Also who is Steph guarding on defense. MJ vs. Lebron would be interesting but in the MJ would outplay El Floppo.
Not even close. Aptly named Dream Team...we'll never see anything like it again. Like asking who's a better band, The Rolling Stones or Nickleback.
Question for me is, how would the game be officiated. I could see the 92 team having 10 guys foul out in 10 minutes based on the rules of today. If they allowed physical play of 30 years ago the 2024 team wouldn't take one ball to the hoop.
Todays rules of positioners basketball
Jordan
Pippen
Barkley
Johnson
Robinson
Malone
Stockton
Glide
Mullin
and if birds back is feeling good that day its not even close.
Maybe start Mullin over Robinson to help stretch the floor and put Magic at point center.
Jordan
Pippen
Barkley
Johnson
Robinson
Malone
Stockton
Glide
Mullin
and if birds back is feeling good that day its not even close.
Maybe start Mullin over Robinson to help stretch the floor and put Magic at point center.
So
Magic/Jordan/Pippen/Barkley/Robinson
Vs
Curry/Booker/Lebron/Durant/Embiid
Center is a no contest, in favor of the Admiral. 2024 has to force the outside game to have a chance. The size and 2 way play of 92 also tips the scale in their advantage.
This is also before evaluating the benches for each. If this was a 7 game series, I say 92 in 6
I'm not. I think the advantage on athleticism goes to 2024. Everyone on this team except Curry is good to defend 2-3 positions (hot take, id take Curry over Stockton on both sides of the ball)
Comes down to how the game is officiated. I can see Robinson and Ewing flat out bullying people down in the paint. They’d either foul out in 5 minutes or dominate depending on how it’s officiated. How would Curry handle Pippen being physical with him the length of the game. Not to mention I like Chuck Daly over Steve Kerr
This was the way I was leaning. I'm no basketball expert, so don't have a strong opinion. But the amount of physical development through science and nutrition in the past 30+ years is huge. And today's players are really really good at basketball too.
Are any players today as good as MJ, Larry Bird or Magic. Would love to see a contemporary team playing against Jabbar. Would the new offense he has to guard make the center less meaningful or would he just score every time he got the ball and the other team would shake their hear saying. "so I guess this is what they mean by post offense".
Durant and Steph not exactly Charles Atlas. Give me basketball players. If they are faster, stronger and more athletic, fine. But I want basketball skill and smarts and desire.
My favorite Olympic team was the 84 all college team coached by Knight. Have some good memories of watching their warmup games...
Durant and Steph not exactly Charles Atlas. Give me basketball players. If they are faster, stronger and more athletic, fine. But I want basketball skill and smarts and desire.
My favorite Olympic team was the 84 all college team coached by Knight. Have some good memories of watching their warmup games...
These types of comparisons are both fun and difficult.
Personally, I think you can only compare athletes to those who played in their era. Rules change. The game changes. Nutrition and athletic development, etc.
I think it is fair to say the 1992 team was the most dominant men's basketball team of all time. I don't recall any teams before being so dominant against the rest of the world, and certainly none have since then. Of course, the world has gotten much better. But I think it goes back to the "eras" comparison, at least for me. None matches 1992.
Gun to the head, while both teams are great, I would take 1992 over this current crop. If you take out the hated Dukie -- great college player but really on 1992 in "name only" -- the 1992 group in my view has more HOF/all time top players/depth than 2024.
Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are very good NBA players, and serve an important role on this team. They are not, as an example, on the same level IMO as the guards from the 1992 team coming off the bench, all of whom are HOFers and one of whom is considered a top 3/5 PG of all time. I love Bam -- excellent player, all star caliber -- but I'd say the same thing. You can go on from there.
Personally, I think you can only compare athletes to those who played in their era. Rules change. The game changes. Nutrition and athletic development, etc.
I think it is fair to say the 1992 team was the most dominant men's basketball team of all time. I don't recall any teams before being so dominant against the rest of the world, and certainly none have since then. Of course, the world has gotten much better. But I think it goes back to the "eras" comparison, at least for me. None matches 1992.
Gun to the head, while both teams are great, I would take 1992 over this current crop. If you take out the hated Dukie -- great college player but really on 1992 in "name only" -- the 1992 group in my view has more HOF/all time top players/depth than 2024.
Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are very good NBA players, and serve an important role on this team. They are not, as an example, on the same level IMO as the guards from the 1992 team coming off the bench, all of whom are HOFers and one of whom is considered a top 3/5 PG of all time. I love Bam -- excellent player, all star caliber -- but I'd say the same thing. You can go on from there.
I understand that nutrition has changed and that players are eating and training better, and that is supposed to give the '24 team some advantage over the '92 team. But on the other hand, Charles Barkley subsisted on a diet of Dennys Grand Slams and Pepperoni Pizzas on his way to becoming one of the 75 greatest players of all time as a 6'6 (or 6'4) power forward. Imagine what he could do in 2024..
I feel this usa team has poor game strategy...serbia had 45 points from 3...curry and booker are all offense now yesterday curry going insane was needed...durant is the most impactful usa player in international comp in the last 40 years
True road game tomorrow
True road game tomorrow
Outside of former Soviet states and former Yugoslav republic, 92 Team USA taught the rest of the world how to play basketball
No question, the rest of the world has gotten significantly better than what the 1992 team faced. And the modern day statistics are going to generate higher offensive stats for those playing in this era because of how the game has changed.
When it's all said and done, looking back at both teams say 10 years from now, I think most will conclude the 1992 team is the better group by a fair margin. Everyone in the 1992 team is in the Hall of Fame, I believe, save for Laettner. And I think all of those guys except for Mullin are going to be considered anywhere from the best (MJ, Magic) to a top 10 (Ewing/Admiral/Drexler) at their respective positions. Guys from this team will be considered at that level too -- and already are, no doubt, when you consider Lebron, Curry and Durant -- but I don't think the depth will be viewed historically as the same. It certainly isn't for me right now.
When it's all said and done, looking back at both teams say 10 years from now, I think most will conclude the 1992 team is the better group by a fair margin. Everyone in the 1992 team is in the Hall of Fame, I believe, save for Laettner. And I think all of those guys except for Mullin are going to be considered anywhere from the best (MJ, Magic) to a top 10 (Ewing/Admiral/Drexler) at their respective positions. Guys from this team will be considered at that level too -- and already are, no doubt, when you consider Lebron, Curry and Durant -- but I don't think the depth will be viewed historically as the same. It certainly isn't for me right now.
3 all time greats for sure, but 1992 has them beat there IMO, and if we examined other Olympic rosters I’m sure we could find additional comparisons.
My issue with comparing the teams is the difference historically between the rest of the roster after those 3 compared to say 1992.
But Curry was one of the players people here were saying would get run off the court by the dream team
All time shooter yes. But he would have to guard someone on the 92 team. And then, MJ or Scottie would pull a Kukoc on him. LaBron would be the only 24 guy to give 92 a tough time. And Durant would be handful too. 92 would take it.
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I would expect most would compare the three I posted above with Jordan, Magic and Bird or Malone.
I would give the slight edge to the Dream Team guys.
Toss up between Jordan and James. Same with Durant and Bird or Malone.
But Magic slightly over Curry.
The question from ESPN was not who had the better team.
I would give the slight edge to the Dream Team guys.
Toss up between Jordan and James. Same with Durant and Bird or Malone.
But Magic slightly over Curry.
The question from ESPN was not who had the better team.
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