BEST EVER NBA ALL-STAR TEAM - 62' team tops list

The NBA has been voting on an all-star team for over 50 years now. Each team represents the best of the best that year. But which all-star team is the best ever? There have been many talented ones like the 1989 team or the 1997 team but I don't think there is a better group then 1962 all-stars.

This 62' team consisted of:

F: Elgin Baylor
Averaged: 38 ppg/ 18.6 reb/ 4.6 ast

F: Bob Pettit
Averaged: 31 ppg/ 18.7 reb/ 3.7 ast

C: Wilt Chamberlain
Averaged: 50.4 ppg/ 25.7 reb/ 2.4 ast/ ? blks (Blocks Shots were not kept)

G: Oscar Robertson
Averaged: 30 ppg/ 12.5 reb/ 11.4 ast

G: Jerry West
Averaged: 26.9 ppg/ 6.9 reb/ 4.7 ast


Analysis
This team was amazing. Four players on the team averaged more than 30 points a game and four players averaged over 12 rebounds a game. If this team wasn't dominate I don't know what team was. They had the premier point guard in Oscar Robertson. Oscar was Magic Johnson but could score at will. West was the prototype shooting guard who could also pass while Pettit was the enforcer that could put up 20 points and 20 rebounds any night. Now throw in Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, two of the all time greats and there is no way you stop them. Defensively, Chamberlain's athleticism would make it very difficult for opposing teams to score. This team, like the 89' team has Hall of Famer after Hall of Famer. Is there a better group of NBA all-stars? Check out the list and you tell me:

All-NBA Teams 1950-2009

OLD SCHOOL DOMINATES - simulation results reveal 09' no match for 89'

In my previous post I posed the question of which style would win, the new style of play or the old school. So I put it to the test in a 7 game series simulation in which the 2009 1st team all stars went against the 1989 1st all stars. I used the "What if Sports" simulation engine to play the games (note: I filled out the rosters with the 2nd team all stars for each year).
Here are the results:

GAME 1
1989 Team 125
2009 Team 117

MVP = Michael Jordan 29 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals

89' Team leads series 1-0


GAME 2
1989 Team 124
2009 Team 104

MVP = Michael Jordan 25 pints and 10 assists

89' Team leads series 2-0


GAME 3
1989 Team 127
2009 Team 112

MVP = Karl Malone 33 points and 16 rebounds

89' Team leads series 3-0


GAME 4
1989 Team 129
2009 Team 107

MVP = Charles Barkley 26 points and 8 rebounds

89' Team WINS series 4-0


Analysis:
After looking at the simulation, I confirmed my theory that the old school style is much more effective. Looking at games 1 and 2 you see that Jordan was in prime form, not only did he score but he defended and passed. The 89' team was much more unselfish and had many more assists.
Then in games 3 and 4 it looks like the big guys of Malone and Barkley wore down the 2009 team. The inside game was the big difference in the final 2 games. Now, the question becomes were the 89' all star team just a special group? What if you took the 79' all stars and pitted them against the new school bunch? Would the result be the same?

What do you think?

OLD SCHOOL VS NEW SCHOOL NBA - Does 20 years make a difference?

Last night I played in a high school staff vs student basketball game where 17 old and out of shape men and women beat a group of 7 young varsity basketball players. The youngsters were no match for the physical, fundamental, and team brand of basketball that the old schoolers threw at them. This made me think, Is the old school style of player better than the new school style of player?
So I decided to put it to the test... What if the 1989 old school all stars (20 years ago) had played the new school 2009 all stars? Would the old school physical play and teamwork outshine the new school finesse and selfishness? Would retro short shorts and long socks out play the sagging cutting edge new school style?

Here would be the rosters:

1989 1st team players

G Magic Johnson
G Michael Jordan
F Charles Barkley
F Karl Malone
C Hakeem Olajuwon

2009 1st team players

G Kobe Byrant

G Dywane Wade

F Dirk Nowitzki

F LeBron James

C Dwight Howard

So lets pick some criteria and find out which is better old school or new school:

Criteria
a. Guards
b. Forwards
c. Center
d. Intangibles (championships and pressure)
e. Simulation (I will simulate the games using the what if sim) Click here for WhatIfSports!

GUARDS
Michael Jordan was the best scorer ever to play the game. He could take you off the dribble, he could post you up or he could knock a 3 down in your eye. He rarely missed as evident by his .497 field goal percentage. He also was one of the greatest defenders of all time averaging over 2.3 steals a game in his career.
Magic Johnson would have been a great compliment to Jordan by dishing out assist after assist. Magic averaged over 11 assists a game and blew away the new school players in terms in assist to turnover ratio. He also took good shots averaging an .520 shooting percentage, amazingly high for a guard.
Kobe Byrant and Dwyane Wade can score but they have limitations. With these two on the floor there wouldn't be enough balls to go around. They don't pass like the other two averaging only 4.6 and 5.7 assists a game. These two also don't shoot as well. Neither player tops .483 in career field goal percentage.

Edge: Old School


FORWARDS

This position would be the true inside vs outside match up. LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki represent the new school style forward who plays the perimeter and looks to shoot and slash. They can shoot the 3 which gives them a slight advantage in scoring but they also miss more shots. Both Nowitzki and James average only .477 compared to Malone's amazing .560 field goal percentage and Barkley's respectable .541 percentage. The physical play would not get to James as he is a beast himself but it would get to Nowitzki. Barkley and Malone would have a field day banging him down low. I don't believe James nor Nowitzki could stop Malone or Barkley in the post and if James was off from the outside, which has happened, then it could be long night for the new school forwards.

Edge: Slight Old School


CENTER

This match up is closer then you would think. Hakeem Olajuwon averaged more points than Dwight Howard but did not shoot as well and believe it or not did not rebound as well as Howard over his career. Now I regard Olajuwon as one of the top 5 centers to ever play the game and his "dream shake" was virtually unstoppable but I think Howard could have given him a run for his money. The factor that tip the scale in Olajuwon's favor is the fact that Howard disappears in some games and is not as big an offensive threat as Olajuwon. Both can rebound and both can block shots but if you need a bucket at the end of the game Olajuwon is your choice.

Edge: Old School

INTANGIBLES

Under intangibles is the ability to make teammates better, the ability to win and the ability handle pressure. No one on the rosters won more than Jordan. His 6 championships proves that he is a winner. He made his teammates better and in the process he won playoff games. Magic Johnson with his 5 rings demonstrates that winning is what the old school team did. All but Malone have an NBA title. Now, in all fairness the careers of the new schoolers is not over so we don't know how many they will win over their whole career. Both Nowitzki and Howard have not won an NBA title and Wade will never win another one unless Shaq comes back. So the only way the new schoolers can top the old school players would be if LeBron and Kobe continue their dominance.
Now if you factor in playing under pressure I think the edge has to go to the new schoolers. If I have to choose someone to take a last second shot it would be Jordan but a close 2a and 2b would be Kobe and LeBron. With 2 possible "go-to" guys, I would have to give the nod in playing under pressure to the new schoolers.

Edge: Even

SIMULATION

I will simulate the game of 1989 all stars vs the 2009 allstars this week using the "What If Sports" simulation engine.

I will post the results later in the week. The simulation will play a 7 game series using each players best years. The homecourt will be set to a neutral site.

Edge: TBD

Who do you think would win?

NEW STADIUM RUINING TRADITION

36 home runs in first 10 games...a major league record. The new Yankee stadium is yielding a record number of home runs so far this year and has pitchers pulling their hair out. The new stadium is ruining the great tradition of classic Yankee baseball by turning baseball games into home run contests. In a 22-4 loss the Yankees saw 6 home runs leave this new high tech ball park. Analysts are using physics and wind studies to explain this disturbing trend. As an old school fan, I hate to see this home run explosion. I hate to see baseball scores turn into football scores. I like the classic pitching duels and the occasional home run by the superstar. Imagine how many home runs Babe Ruth would have had in this new park...opposing pitchers would have had to walk him every at bat and we would never have seen him hit. It is bad enough that players on steroids have made a mockery of the home run records, we don't now need stadium construction to become a factor. We need to bring back the old school ballpark, The type of park where home runs are special. The new stadium is ruining baseball tradition and we can only hope that we don't have to put more asterisks in the record books.

Top 10 All-time Old School Ballparks

1. Wrigley Field (Cubs)
2. Old Yankee Stadium (Yankees)
3. Fenway Park (Red Sox)
4. Polo Grounds (Yankees)
5. Ebbets Field (Brooklyn Dodgers)
6. Tiger Stadium (Tigers)
7. Comisky Park (White Sox)
8. Camden Yards (Orioles)
9. Dodger Stadium (Dodgers)
10. Astrodome (Astros old school dome feel)

Links:
Old School Ballparks

DALY- Reminders of greatness

I am sad to write another post about an all-time great passing away. Chuck Daly will be remembered as a coach with an ability to mold different personalities into champions. His Detroit Piston teams of the 80's and 90's were some of the best ever. Dennis Rodman, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, Vinnie Johnson and others were known for their tenacity and physical play which Daly instilled in each and every one of them. The Pistons were the team you loved to hate but Daly was the coach you just plain loved. Daly was inducted into the Hall of Fame, won an Olympic gold medal and voted one of the top 10 coaches of the century. He will missed by all.

Top 10 NBA Coaches of All-Time

1) Red Auerbach 938 wins 479 losses (.662)


2) Chuck Daly 638 wins 437 losses (.593)


3) Bill Fitch 944 wins 1106 losses (.460)

4) Red Holzman 696 wins 604 losses (.535)

5) Phil Jackson 1026 wins 431 losses (.704)

6) John Kundla 423 wins 302 losses (.583)

7) Don Nelson 1301 wins 996 losses (.566)

8) Jack Ramsay 864 wins 783 losses (.525)

9) Pat Riley 1210 wins 694 losses (.636)

10) Lenny Wilkens 1332 wins 1155 losses (.536)

DOM & JOE - Best ever baseball brothers

Dom DiMaggio passed away friday and was honored at Fenway Park as one of the all-time great Red Sox players. Dom is well regarded by Red Sox fans as he played all of his 11-years with the club even setting a Red Sox record with a 34 game hit streak. But those outside Boston may be surprised to hear that he and his brother are arguably the most talent set of brothers ever to set foot on the diamond. Most are aware of his older brother's accomplishments of a career .325 batting average, 3 MVP awards, 2 home run titles and his famous 56 game hit streak but few are aware of what his younger brother actually accomplished:

1) a career .298 hitter (.328 career high)
2) 34 game hit streak
3) Led the American League twice in runs scored (1950-51)
4) Led the American League in Triples, Stolen Bases and Runs (twice)
5) Led the American League 3 times in plate appearances
6) Led the league in Putout (twice), Assists (three times) and Double Plays (Twice)
7) Some say he even had a better arm then his brother Joe

One reason many are unaware of these accomplishments is because he played in the shadow of another all-time great Ted Williams. If Dom DiMaggio had been the sole star of those classic Red Sox teams things may have been much different. Regardless,
Dom DiMaggio is deserving of induction into the Hall of Fame and if you pair him with his brother are the greatest brother combination to ever put on the baseball uniform.

JOE DIMAGGIO'S STATS
DOM DIMAGGIO'S STATS

Top 5 All-Time Baseball Brothers

1) Joe and Dom DiMaggio
2) Phil and Joe Niekro
3) Hank and Tommy Aaron
4) Sandy and Roberto Alomar
5) George and Ken Brett (Only because Brett is my favorite player ever)

Honorable Mention: Jim and Gaylord Perry


Links:
Dom DiMaggio Photo Gallery
350+ Baseball Brothers

THE NBA CLASSIC ENFORCER - Is the NBA getting soft?

Watching Kobe Bryant elbow Ron Artest put a little smile on my face. Not because Kobe could be suspended or that it might have actually hurt Artest but because it brought back memories of the good old days of physical play. Remember when teams had an enforcer who would punish opposing players coming into the lane. They never backed down from a physical challenge.They were dirty if not mean and they protected the superstars with all their might. The enforcers today just don't seem like the classic enforcer of the past. There is no one in the NBA that could compare to Rick Mahorn, Bill Laimbeer, Jerry Lucus or even Karl Malone. The enforcer wouldn't complain to the ref like Artest but would have embraced the physical play and would have taken care of it the next time down the court. Boy do I miss the physical play almost as much as I miss the finger roll.



Top 10 All-time NBA Enforcers

1) Rick Mahorn
2) Bill Laimbeer
3) Charles Oakley
4) Karl Malone
5) Jerry Lucus
6) Anthony Mason
7) Dennis Rodman
8) Patrick Ewing
9) Kermit Washington
10)Bill Cartwright

GREATEST LIVING BASEBALL PLAYER?

One of the greatest to ever put on a baseball uniform,Willie Mays, turns 78 today and is arguably the best living baseball player. Mays was the epitome of baseball in the 50's and 60's. He was what modern baseball scouts would call a "5-tool" player; he had speed, power, could hit for average, had a great arm and could play defense with the best.

Mays's accomplishments are astounding:
1) Career Batting Average of .302
2) 660 Home runs (3rd all-time)
3) An amazing 12 Gold Gloves (possibly the greatest fielding outfielder)
4) 7095 put outs (best for an outfielder)
5) MVP twice (in 2 different decades)
6) Lead the National League at least once in Batting Average, Home runs, Stolen Bases, Runs Scored, Hits and even Base on Balls
7) He even won the Roberto Clemente Award for community service.

No other living player compares to Mays. His athleticism was unmatched in his era and his ability to make difficult plays look easy makes Mays my choice. Others point to Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson, Ricky Henderson or even Pete Rose but if you factor in both hitting and fielding no one compares. HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLIE!

Honoring Mays:
ESPN Article
Academy of Achievement
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

FINGER ROLL LOST ART - NBA players lack creativity

One of my favorite players of all-time was also one of the most creative. George Gervin of the San Antonio Spurs revolutionized the game with his classic "Finger Roll". The finger roll took talent, courage and above all else touch to pull off. It was mesmerizing to opposing defenders as it floated just out their reach. Gervin lead the league four times in scoring using this old school move. When asked about its origins Gervin stated "Probably when I was young. I got tired of dunking the basketball, and I thought everyone could dunk but very few could finger roll." The dunk is easy and everyone can now dunk in the NBA but not everyone can finger roll. NBA stars have lost the art creativity. Who today in the NBA has a signature move? Kobe? Lebron? Nash? come on... but somewhere out there is a player that wants a challenge and wants to show the world that he too can finger roll. Lets bring back the finger roll.



Top 5 Signature Moves

1) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Sky Hook
2) George Gervin - Finger Roll
3) Hakeem Olajuwon - Dream Shake
4) Tim Hardaway - UTEP 2-step crossover
5) Michael Jordan - Fadeaway

ALI VILLAIN IN THRILLA IN MANILA

I just watched HBO's new documentary Thrilla in Manila about the three classic boxing matches between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. From 1971 to 1975 the Frazier/Ali rivalry transformed the world of sports. HBO's documentary, to my surprise, portrayed Ali as a villain who's mean spirited actions would haunt Frazier indefinitely. Ali used many derogatory terms to describe his once friend such as "gorilla", "ugly", "unintelligent", and even an "uncle Tom". Frazier who publicly supported Ali's decision to avoid the draft and even helped him get his boxing license back felt betrayed by these attacks. Frazier to this day is said to still hold a grudge. What a powerful documentary that shed a new light on one of the greatest boxers of all-time, Muhammad Ali. I lost a lot of respect for Ali after this documentary. It is a must watch for classic sports fans.

Top 5 Best Boxing Rivalries

1) Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier
2) Marvin Hagler vs Thomas Hearns
3) Jake Lamatta vs Sugar Ray Robinson
4) Mike Tyson vs Evander Holyfield
5) Oscar De La Hoya vs Shane Mosely