I know ball.
92 Jordan? Better overall basketball player but not the same guy athletically as 85-90. But let’s say 10 is excessive. Definitely 5 though. LeBron, Kobe, Wade, Prime KD, Prime Westbrook were all Freaks. Remember, Jordan was playing against the Kevin McHales and Bill Lambiers in his day. Not exactly the peak of athletic ability in the NBA. Hell, Larry Bird could barely stand up when he was on the Dream Team. You think Ewing could guard anyone up full court for 25+ minutes with the pace of play today? Think Malone/Bird/Ewing/Barkley could step out on the perimeter and guard LeBron/KD/ANT/Westbrook/Wade/Kobe off the dribble? 92 Magic would have trouble defending. Stockton wouldn’t make a roster in today’s NBA.
… and I absolutely love all those guys and did when I was a kid it’s just the reality.
Jordan, Robinson and Pippen are only 92’ players that could matchup defensively with today’s players.
this is a reply for dorndog and desoto too.
Okay. I'll jump back in.
On the 12 team, much like players today, nearly every offensive player does the same thing: the player spots up somewhere on the 3-point line, and, when he gets the ball, he either bombs up a 3 or drives all the way to the basket.
I'd play defense against the 12 team like this:
1) Put 92 team center (Ewing, Robinson) right in front of the goal to guard anybody playing down low, to discourage any drive to the basket, and to rebound.
2) Everybody else guards perimeter players spotting up at the 3-point line. Generally, these defensive players would start the game by just trying to get a hand in the shooter's face. If any particular shooter hits his first 3, then we might play tighter on him and force him to put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket.
3) The other defensive perimeter players will help out on any offensive player driving to the basket. Two exceptions to that policy: the players guarding Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant will always stay with those guys, because I don't want them to get hot.
4) To change things up, I'd occassionally switch to a 2-3 zone. Also, when in a man defense, I might double-team the ball whenever it's passed into the corner and try to force a turnover.
5) I'd let Love, Westbrook, Williams, Kobe, Lebron, Griffin and Iguodala take all the 3s they want. Just get a hand in their face, but let the take the shot and get ready to rebound.