John Stockton vs Isiah Thomas

[bleedspeed]

I saw Isiah commenting on not making the Dream Team again. I looked at the roster and was trying to figure out who he would be better than. Stockton seemed like the closest one or maybe Magic at that time. Stockton had come off a season with crazy high assists and Magic had retired due to HIV.

Thoughts?

[kekgeek]

I mean MJ made it, its either me or Isiah. Isiah is a better player then Clyde, Mullins, ewing and Laettner with debates easily be made he is better then Stockton and where Magic was at his point of his career.

[bleedspeed]

I wonder if they wanted some many at each position so I didn't look at it as other positions. I remember back then they seemed to be a little more focused on positions.

[Monster]

It makes perfect sense to take Stockton on dream team situation over Thomas. They had plenty of scoring why not have a PG that does everything else and already knows how to defer and set people up? Heck look at their stats from that previous season. Thomas stats don't look like anything that special and yes stats don't tell the whole story. Magic and Thomas had a thing at some point so that could have been a factor too.

[thedoper]

Laettner didnt even play. There was no basketball reason to leave Isaiah off the team.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Dream Team beating Angola in Round 1 was my favorite youth basketball memory.

If Jordan didn't leave to play baseball, would the Bulls have beaten Houston to win 8 straight?

[Lipoli390]

There was one slot reserved for a college player. So Isiah wasn't going to replace Laettner. Thomas probably should have been on the team based on his talent and accomplishments. But the rumor has always been that MJ vetoed having Thomas on the team. MJ still loathed him at the time based on the Piston's lack of sportsmanship when they refused to shake hands after the Bulls knocked them out of the playoffs. Magic also had issues with Isiah who apparently questioned Magic's sexual orientation in reference to Magic's HIV infection. The League didn't like that either. So I think there were other factors that kept Isiah off the team beyond how his stats or abilities compared to players to made the team.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Some of this was covered in The Last Dance this week.

Isiah Thomas and John Stockton were two of my favorite players. Chris Mullin wasn't far behind. Apparently, little kid Abe didn't know (or care) that Thomas was a dick.

Magic was a lock for that team... if he wanted to play. I'd assume it was between Stockton and Thomas. And Thomas's history with 3 of the marquee players (Jordan, Bird and Magic) was a huge factor in his exclusion.

[Lipoli390]

Some of this was covered in The Last Dance this week.

Isiah Thomas and John Stockton were two of my favorite players. Chris Mullin wasn't far behind. Apparently, little kid Abe didn't know (or care) that Thomas was a dick.

Magic was a lock for that team... if he wanted to play. I'd assume it was between Stockton and Thomas. And Thomas's history with 3 of the marquee players (Jordan, Bird and Magic) was a huge factor in his exclusion.

Karl Malone didn't like Isiah either. In an interview earlier today, Magic Johnson said 4 or 5 players on the dream team had a problem with Isiah. He mentioned four specifically - Larry Bird, MJ, Pippin and Malone. He didn't name a fifth. Maybe he was alluding to himself. In any event, he would have been a bad fit for a team that other wise had great chemistry.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Some of this was covered in The Last Dance this week.

Isiah Thomas and John Stockton were two of my favorite players. Chris Mullin wasn't far behind. Apparently, little kid Abe didn't know (or care) that Thomas was a dick.

Magic was a lock for that team... if he wanted to play. I'd assume it was between Stockton and Thomas. And Thomas's history with 3 of the marquee players (Jordan, Bird and Magic) was a huge factor in his exclusion.

Karl Malone didn't like Isiah either. In an interview earlier today, Magic Johnson said 4 or 5 players on the dream team had a problem with Isiah. He mentioned four specifically - Larry Bird, MJ, Pippin and Malone. He didn't name a fifth. Maybe he was alluding to himself. In any event, he would have been a bad fit for a team that other wise had great chemistry.

Remember, Karl Malone gave Isiah Thomas 40 stitches on a dirty foul just a few months prior to the Olympics. The Dream Team was already announced, with Stockton "probably" taking Thomas's spot. So what did Thomas do in the first matchup that season?

He was a HOFer and a two-time champion. He had pride and talent. He torched the Jazz for 44 points, his highest point total in 8 seasons.

Then, Malone did this early in the 2nd meeting:

[youtube]P0RGcMhGMk4[/youtube]


And Malone was suspended for only one game. How many games is he suspended for that in 2020? Because of the circumstances, it's very clearly intentional.



[Note: How tough were some of those guys? Isiah Thomas went to the hospital, got the stitches, and came back to play in the game.]