Bench: Pete Maravich PG/SG, Oscar Robertson SG/PG, Kobe Bryant SG, Larry Bird SF, Bill Russell C/PF, Shaquille O’Neal C, Charles Barkley SF/PF

Ok, Magic on Magic cancels out and MJ on MJ cancels out. Both a battle all game. But Lebron is motivated, hungry, and playing the best defense we have ever seen from him after the Olympics and is definitely able to handle the Big O, especially at 6’8″ 245 (and has bulked up to around 270). And sure Russell ruled Chamberlain in the Finals every single year, but frankly with so many versatile players and the best cut to the hoop guys ever on my team, Russell is having to help on drives all day, and if Wilt isn’t open for the last-second dish, Lebron just wings it back to MJ for the open three. Russell is just flat-out out big-butted (especially when Shaq comes in at PF). And Moses should be no where near an all-time NBA starting 5, and Kareem eats him up, even on D. My Bench is also very versatile, with Pistol and Robertson as two 1/2 guards. They came in on Isiah, Miller, and Bird and go to work on threes. I don’t care when you played, 44 ppg and a triple double for 5 years is impressive. And just in case Larry decides to outhustle me, i’ll just put Larry on him. Same with Bill Russell. And, well, my 6th man (Kobe) is the best scorer in the era with the best athlete’s ever playing the game of basketball. So put my team against yours in a 7-game series for a championship. But don’t come cryin’ to me when you have to take down your column here after a 15 year old from Idaho took you down.

Then I am also reading the “myth” that Jabbar was awful defensively? You talk about revisionist history! No way! There is a reason why he was all-defense 11 times (5 times 1st team). If you saw the games in his prime and not when he was shot from age, you’d notice his size and quickenss in the 4th quarter created havoc. Moses was a short center. great rebounder, but certainly was no super-stopper. either.

My other 2 guards are Isiah and DPOY Gary Payton.

My replacement for Bernard King is imo the greatest scoring outside threat at small forward the game has ever seen-better than Reggie– Rick Barry. I only need 6 players for these 3 positions which means I am going to stock up with post players.

My backup pf’s to Russell are Garnett and McHale. Russell and KG are the same. Play d and run the ball. McHale was all-defense 6 times, but he offers a different type of offensive threat in the paint. Debatably, the greatest scoring low post pf ever (maybe Duncan?).

At center my backups are Jabbar and Walton. Both fabulous passing big men. One more offensive, the other more defensive. We’re tied with mvp awards and finals mvp’s. I’ve got one more DPOY – Gary Payton. Frankly, Walton would have been DPOY. Maybe Malone would have gotten two for you, but Jabbar probably would have gotten 1 for me as well. I’d beat you in 7.

PG Magic
SG MJ
SF Bird
PF Bill Russel (where he would play today)
C Shaq

Backups
PG Oscar Robertson
SG Jerry West
SF Elgin Baylor
PF Tim Duncan
C Kareem

Bench/Utility
G Pete Maravich
F Dr J

Extras: with plenty of size, I need shooting, slashing, versatility:
Jerry West
Scottie Pippen
hmmmm…

I usually only go 8 deep since that is who would dominate mins per game a game, so:
Magic
Jordan
Kobe
Russell
Hakeem (better D than Kareem, so starts. plus, this is a quicker team and jordan and kobe handle scoring. Hakeem would be great cleaning up underneath and accepting transition from Magic)
…
1 – Kareem (better half court center. Nobody could stop the skyhook)
2 – Lebron (in a few years, I think it will be concensus his combination of ‘stuff’ has to be on any team. maybe he’ll never get the “winning” part of the equation and I’ll be wrong, but he sure can do a lot)
3 – Ray Allen (strictly serves as designated long range, a la Michael Redd on Redeem Team.)

but it often changes, except for Jordan and Kobe. Both are always on any team I make. They both play passionately, can score from anywhere, and play great D. How come nobody mentioned Rick Barry? Where’s Bird in my list?