NBA Playoffs

[Handlogten's Heros]

Prime Shaq was quick, lean and powerful. He was also fairly fast. Late career/fat Shaq would still be ok, but would give up a lot of open shots on the perimeter.

If you took prime Shaq and put him into today's NBA, no one could stop him or contain him. Very few could do a decent job back when the league was full of good big men.

A good coach would also let him dribble into post ups and he'd play some additional pick and roll. Maybe my Giannis comp was a little aggressive but allowing him to work his way to the block would have him relying on guards less and the numbers would be enormous.

It is a little sad he didn't ever have Giannis' work ethic... he may have been the most physically gifted athlete ever... size, power, speed, and coordination were just bonkers.

 

[fishonjazz]

Maybe but that’s part of the knock on him. Hakeem also had just a reliable predictable move that was unstoppable and I think that is part of my belief in him.

The sixers should be sued for malpractice for how they’ve built around him and I am generally a fan of him and how he approaches the game.

I just think it’s wild the narrative some are pushing on big guys… like Jokic Embiid and Giannis were the top 3 in mvp this year… and everyone like “BIGS IS DED BOOMER!” Giannis is home because Middleton got hurt. Embiid broke his face and had a torn ligament in his thumb and had a ****** second star. Jokic’s team is like Aaron Godorn, Monte Morris, and a bunch of g league bros.

I dont classify giannis with embiid and jokic. He is more of the type of player i like. No real glaring weakness. Jokic is really bad defensively and embiid isnt quick enough/mobile enough. Both great players that you can definitely win with just not in the mold of the players i would be seeking out.
Giannis can do pretty much everything though.


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[NUMBERICA]

Nah shaq in todays game would still score, though not efficiently as many of his points would come from shooting 50% from the line. He would get killed on the other end as he woukd suck guarding the perimeter.
We already seem hakeem getting bounced early from the playoffs (embiid). Your other guys do fit the size criteria so well done.

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You wash that Embiid comparison to Hakeem from your damn mouth. Dude was a 5-position defender in an era where it wasn't trendy, the greatest shot blocker ever, and also the most skilled post-player ever.

Embiid is great. Hakeem is without peer. Speaking to the topic, Hakeem would be able to play in your scheme defensively.

 

[fishonjazz]

You wash that Embiid comparison to Hakeem from your damn mouth. Dude was a 5-position defender in an era where it wasn't trendy, the greatest shot blocker ever, and also the most skilled post-player ever.

Embiid is great. Hakeem is without peer.

Hakeem is my #1 center of all time.


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[MTS]

Jokic is really bad defensively

Wha?

Jokic is an extremely good defender.

 

[LoPo]

I wish we could find a way to keep those 3 guys. They will be in demand. Everyone wants that kind of player especially on a favorable contract.

I agree. I like all 3 guys. Should be part of a 10 man rotation. Paschall is probably the weakest of the group, but still think he has potential.

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[Handlogten's Heros]

FWIW Im not saying guys like jokic and cp3 are worthless or that you cant win championships with them. Not at all.
Just saying that my personal roster construction would not feature guys like that. I would want a roster with guys that have not glaring weakness to their game. I would sacrifice a little bit of elite skillsets for more all around ability. Jokic is freaking amazing. Might be the best offensive player in the league. Any team would be lucky to have him. He isn't the type of player I would be going for though because his defense is too poor. Now you can win a title with jokic if everything else is perfect around him that you can hide or overcome his deficiencies but I would prefer to make a roster full of guys that dont have deficiencies to hide or overcome in the first place.

And I agree you want wing sized guys all throughout the roster. All of the final 4 this year have built somewhat like you are proposing.

When it comes to stars and superstars though you just take them no matter the size. The wing guys fit any roster and you can play 3-4 of them at a time... with centers you can really only run with one... small guys too. The bigs have an important roll though and if you superstars are wings like Lebron, Tatum/Brown, KD... it makes filling in the other areas a lot more easy and flexible. But if you got Curry, CP3, Jokic etc... you just gotta go figure it out.

With regard to our team... House and Hernangomez are nice to have but you can really only play one or two of those guys with Don/Rudy... you need one more passer creator. The issue is we really need one or two prime joe Ingles types that can go from 3 and D to on ball and are ball movers. That type is so hard to find and that is the type we really don't have the assets to trade for. I would like to experiment with Donovan, Rudy and 3 guys that are similar to House... but you'd likely find it results in more Don pullups or mid range shots than is ideal. Now if you had Don, Prime Joe, House, Juan and Rudy... you'd be in a pretty good spot.

 

[NUMBERICA]

I think Embiid is that good. He's just been banged up pretty severely and has always had questionable teammates.

1. He is not that healthy. It matters.
2. He does not have the agility of Hakeem nor the strength and athleticism of Shaq
3. Hakeem won a ring with 0 other All-Stars. If he's not the only player to have done that, then he's probably at least the 1st since Bill Russell. That year he also won MVP, DPOY, and Finals MVP (the only player to ever have done that)

Embiid is great but he's more Ewing than Hakeem.

 

[LoPo]

Hakeem is my #1 center of all time.


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If we are talking every center of all time, playing how they played at their peak, and for any era of all time, I think you're right.



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[Handlogten's Heros]

I wish we could find a way to keep those 3 guys. They will be in demand. Everyone wants that kind of player especially on a favorable contract.

House and Juan will both be minimum guys... we should have no issue keeping them if we don't blow it up. They both were passed around the NBA this year and would have a roll here... I think a minimum here would carry more weight than a minimum elsewhere unless its like LA or GS. I think those markets will have bigger fish to fry so we should be fine.

 

[fishonjazz]

Wha?

Jokic is an extremely good defender.

Agree to disagree. I watch him get switched onto donovan and get cooked. Or get dunked on from the lob to gobert. Seen both things happen too often.


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[NUMBERICA]

If we are talking every center of all time, playing how they played at their peak, and for any era of all time, I think you're right.



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Hakeem would dominate in every era. The dude was too quick for Robinson and strong enough to sweep Shaq in his 30's. He also was probably 6' 9" without shoes so in some ways he was a trend-setter because his skill, length, and agility eclipsed what he was missing in height.