If the 92 Dream Team played the current 24 Olympic team who would win?

[Monster]

In addition to sole of the comsiderations that have been brought up i would have to look back and consider where all the guys were at their point of their career back in 92. like the 2024 team not all those guys were in their prime. Bird was 35 and retired after the Olympics.

Next the fun starts with looking at various matchups. Barkely against Lebron would be interesting. Who is Steph Curry guarding? The shortest guy the Dream teamplayed any legit minutes may have benn Barkley. The reality is that the 92 team may have an abilty to play Curry off the floor if he couldnt guard someone. Curry isnt a bad defender but him say guarding MJ? lol Who would step into the starting role if that happened?

Which team would ne the better defensive team and under what rules?

[Coolbreeze44]

I think you have to look at it as Q suggests, assume the 92 team grew up in this era alongside the 24's. Michael would still be the goat, Magic would still be the greatest point guard of all time, and Larry Bird would inspire a rule change of the 3 point shooting distance FIBA currently has. Also, MJ and Pippen would absolutely lock down whoever they wanted to on defense, and that includes Lebron or Curry. Ewing would make things very difficult on Embiid. The fast break of the 92's would also be a determining factor. Viewed in this context, I'm sorry, but the 24's don't stack up.

I do think MJ would develop a very good 3 in this era, but I'm not fully convinced on some of the others like Malone, Barkley, Ewing, D Robinson.

The three ball is a huge factor. Even Embiid is a good 3P shooter. The 24 team has so many dudes who can shoot, the 92 team, not so much. But you never know how they would have developed in this era.

My original question was take their 92 skill set and play the 24 team. I just got to take the 24 team due to the three ball skill versus the 92's lack of. You talk about lock down defenders, Holiday and Ant can hang with Jordan and Pippen all day.

Barkley and David Robinson would have been good 3 point shooters, and don't forget Chris Mullin, he would have been one of the best. You guys are showing a lot recency bias in this thread. I've heard this argument contested multiple times on various talk shows, and hardly anyone would give the nod to 24. Chuck Daly would have embarrassed Steve Kerr too.

[Wolvesfan21]

I think you have to look at it as Q suggests, assume the 92 team grew up in this era alongside the 24's. Michael would still be the goat, Magic would still be the greatest point guard of all time, and Larry Bird would inspire a rule change of the 3 point shooting distance FIBA currently has. Also, MJ and Pippen would absolutely lock down whoever they wanted to on defense, and that includes Lebron or Curry. Ewing would make things very difficult on Embiid. The fast break of the 92's would also be a determining factor. Viewed in this context, I'm sorry, but the 24's don't stack up.

I do think MJ would develop a very good 3 in this era, but I'm not fully convinced on some of the others like Malone, Barkley, Ewing, D Robinson.

The three ball is a huge factor. Even Embiid is a good 3P shooter. The 24 team has so many dudes who can shoot, the 92 team, not so much. But you never know how they would have developed in this era.

My original question was take their 92 skill set and play the 24 team. I just got to take the 24 team due to the three ball skill versus the 92's lack of. You talk about lock down defenders, Holiday and Ant can hang with Jordan and Pippen all day.

Barkley and David Robinson would have been good 3 point shooters, and don't forget Chris Mullin, he would have been one of the best. You guys are showing a lot recency bias in this thread. I've heard this argument contested multiple times on various talk shows, and hardly anyone would give the nod to 24. Chuck Daly would have embarrassed Steve Kerr too.

IDK about Barkley. He wasn't a good shooter from range. Career 26.6% from 3 which is like Okogie level. Sure I concede if it was more highly valued like today that he could have been better. But it's not like he never shot 3's back then. Guys did shoot 3's, just far less.

Robinson maybe. I actually think Malone could have been solid. He took very few 3's like 1 every two games, but he had a nice stroke. He was still only 27%. I could see him being low 30's though. Like 33-34% in todays game.

[Coolbreeze44]

I do think MJ would develop a very good 3 in this era, but I'm not fully convinced on some of the others like Malone, Barkley, Ewing, D Robinson.

The three ball is a huge factor. Even Embiid is a good 3P shooter. The 24 team has so many dudes who can shoot, the 92 team, not so much. But you never know how they would have developed in this era.

My original question was take their 92 skill set and play the 24 team. I just got to take the 24 team due to the three ball skill versus the 92's lack of. You talk about lock down defenders, Holiday and Ant can hang with Jordan and Pippen all day.

Barkley and David Robinson would have been good 3 point shooters, and don't forget Chris Mullin, he would have been one of the best. You guys are showing a lot recency bias in this thread. I've heard this argument contested multiple times on various talk shows, and hardly anyone would give the nod to 24. Chuck Daly would have embarrassed Steve Kerr too.

IDK about Barkley. He wasn't a good shooter from range. Career 26.6% from 3 which is like Okogie level. Sure I concede if it was more highly valued like today that he could have been better. But it's not like he never shot 3's back then. Guys did shoot 3's, just far less.

Robinson maybe. I actually think Malone could have been solid. He took very few 3's like 1 every two games, but he had a nice stroke. He was still only 27%. I could see him being low 30's though. Like 33-34% in todays game.

In Barkley's time it wasn't considered a good shot for most of the league. So they didn't put the time in on it. There is no question in my mind that these all time greats could have developed their 3 point shooting if it had been in vogue. Developed at least to a respectable level.

[Q-is-here]

I think you have to look at it as Q suggests, assume the 92 team grew up in this era alongside the 24's. Michael would still be the goat, Magic would still be the greatest point guard of all time, and Larry Bird would inspire a rule change of the 3 point shooting distance FIBA currently has. Also, MJ and Pippen would absolutely lock down whoever they wanted to on defense, and that includes Lebron or Curry. Ewing would make things very difficult on Embiid. The fast break of the 92's would also be a determining factor. Viewed in this context, I'm sorry, but the 24's don't stack up.

I do think MJ would develop a very good 3 in this era, but I'm not fully convinced on some of the others like Malone, Barkley, Ewing, D Robinson.

The three ball is a huge factor. Even Embiid is a good 3P shooter. The 24 team has so many dudes who can shoot, the 92 team, not so much. But you never know how they would have developed in this era.

My original question was take their 92 skill set and play the 24 team. I just got to take the 24 team due to the three ball skill versus the 92's lack of. You talk about lock down defenders, Holiday and Ant can hang with Jordan and Pippen all day.

Barkley and David Robinson would have been good 3 point shooters, and don't forget Chris Mullin, he would have been one of the best. You guys are showing a lot recency bias in this thread. I've heard this argument contested multiple times on various talk shows, and hardly anyone would give the nod to 24. Chuck Daly would have embarrassed Steve Kerr too.

People are nostalgic. Folks always like to think the older-era players in [name your sport] were better. As with all things, their reputations grow the further we're removed from their actual playing days. There is like a mini-Youtube industry dedicated to Larry Bird stories! So it doesn't surprise me that when these debates come up that folks favor the team from the past.

[Coolbreeze44]

Another thing to remember is the 92 dream team encompassed the best 11 players in the world. Today, there are players all over the world who would make a top 11. Jokic, Luka, Giannis to name just 3.

[Wolvesfan21]

I do think MJ would develop a very good 3 in this era, but I'm not fully convinced on some of the others like Malone, Barkley, Ewing, D Robinson.

The three ball is a huge factor. Even Embiid is a good 3P shooter. The 24 team has so many dudes who can shoot, the 92 team, not so much. But you never know how they would have developed in this era.

My original question was take their 92 skill set and play the 24 team. I just got to take the 24 team due to the three ball skill versus the 92's lack of. You talk about lock down defenders, Holiday and Ant can hang with Jordan and Pippen all day.

Barkley and David Robinson would have been good 3 point shooters, and don't forget Chris Mullin, he would have been one of the best. You guys are showing a lot recency bias in this thread. I've heard this argument contested multiple times on various talk shows, and hardly anyone would give the nod to 24. Chuck Daly would have embarrassed Steve Kerr too.

People are nostalgic. Folks always like to think the older-era players in [name your sport] were better. As with all things, their reputations grow the further we're removed from their actual playing days. There is like a mini-Youtube industry dedicated to Larry Bird stories! So it doesn't surprise me that when these debates come up that folks favor the team from the past.

I've been watching some of those Bird stories on youtube podcasts from former players. They are funny as hell and he was a baller. Worth checking out if anyone hasn't watched them.

[AbeVigodaLive]

No idea.

As others have said...

- Three-point shooting. How do we account for that? Even though the '92 team shot a good amount (for that era)... the '24 team takes about 2x as many attempts.
- Bird was cooked with his bad back. (never played after the Olympics.) Stockton was injured. Laettner was overmatched. So it would essentially be 12 v. 9 players. And Magic hadn't played for a full year. That gives the '24 team more wiggle room on lineups... if needed. It's not always an advantage though.

The only thing we know for certain is that the competition from other countries is exponentially higher in '24.

[thedoper]

I think playing a solid 9 would be helpful for the 24 team. Kerr is trying too hard to be a player's coach. Daly v Kerr would probably be where the biggest advantage would be for the 92 team.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I think playing a solid 9 would be helpful for the 24 team. Kerr is trying too hard to be a player's coach. Daly v Kerr would probably be where the biggest advantage would be for the 92 team.

I don't see the actual coaches making that big of a difference.

I think it's the evolution of the sport (and its superstars) that has changed significantly in the past 30+ years. And that's changed how coaches coach.

____

I just looked back at the stats from '92. The top player, Jordan, played 23 mpg. The lowest NBA player (not counting the injured Stockton) was David Robinson at 17 mpg. I'm assuming the constant blowouts made it easier to get everyone minutes though.

After all, the Dream Team shot 58% fg... its opponents shot 36.5% fg. YIKES! Now, how much of that was great defense from guys like Bird, Mullin and Magic... and how much was it just crappy competition?