Dream Team vs. Dreaming Team?

Kobe is getting flack for expressing confidence in his 2012 olympic team.  People are mostly pissed because it's Kobe, and because he said the dream team was old.   The dream team wasn't that old, but Magic had been out of the league for a year and Bird was having significant back problems.

I don't know that the 1992 dream team would destroy the 2012 USA Basketball team.  I'm just surprised that everyone else thinks they know that.

Let's go through the stats.

I think 1992 would win by six points or so, mostly because Ewing, Robinson, and Malone would dominate the paint.

STARTING FIVE: STATS FROM THE YEAR BEFORE THEIR RESPECTIVE OLYMPIC GAMES.

CENTER  (Moderate Advantage 1992 = 10 to 8)

Tyson Chandler
11.3 PPG, .679 FG%, .689 FT %, 9.9 Reb/gm, 1.4 Blks per game.

Patrick Ewing
24 PPG, .522 FG%, .738 FT%, 11.3 Reb/gm, 3 Blks per game


POWER FORWARD  (Virtual Tie = 10 to 10)

Kevin Durant  6' 9", 235 lbs

28 PPG, .496 FG%, .860 FT %, 8 Reb/gm, 1.2 Blks/game, 3.5 Assists/gm

Karl Malone  6'9", 259 lbs

29 PPG, .527 FG%, .770 FT%, 11.8 Reb/gm, 1 Blks/game, 3.3 Assists/gm

SMALL FORWARD (Moderate Advantage 2012 = 8 to 10)

Lebron James 6' 8", 250 lbs

27.1 PPG, .531 FG%, .746 FT %, 7.9 Reb/gm, .8 Blks/game, 6.2 Assists/gm

Larry Bird 6'9", 220 lbs

20.2 PPG, .466 FG%, .926 FT%, 9.6 Reb/gm, .84 Blks/game, 6.8 Assists/gm

SHOOTING GUARD (Slight to Moderate Advantage 1992 = 10 to 8.5)

Kobe Bryant 6' 6", 205 lbs

27.9 PPG, .430 FG%, .845 FT %, 5.4 Reb/gm, .3 Blks/game, 4.6 Assists/gm

Michael Jordan 6'6", 216 lbs

30.1 PPG, .519 FG%, .832 FT%, 6.4 Reb/gm, .9 Blks/game, 6.1 Assists/gm

POINT GUARD (Tie because Magic Hadn't Played = 10 to 10)

Deron Williams 6' 3", 209 lbs

21 PPG, .407 FG%, .843 FT %, 3.3 Reb/gm, .4 Blks/game, 8.7 Assists/gm

Magic Johnson 6'9", 220 lbs  (Didn't play in 1992 so these are from 1991)

19.4 PPG, .477 FG%, .906 FT%, 6.9 Reb/gm, .2 Blks/game, 12.5 Assists/gm

BENCH: STATS FROM THE YEAR BEFORE THEIR RESPECTIVE OLYMPIC GAMES.

CENTER  (Substantial Advantage 1992 = 10 to 6)

David Robinson

23.2 PPG, .551 FG%, .701 FT %, 12.2 Reb/gm, 4.5 Blks per game.

POWER FORWARD  (Virtual Tie = 10 to 10)

Kevin Love  6'10", 260 lbs

26 PPG, .448 FG%, .824 FT %, 13.3 Reb/gm, .5 Blks/game, 2.0 Assists/gm

Anthony Davis  6'11", 220 lbs

No Stats

Christian Laettner  6'11", 235 lbs

No Stats

Charles Barkley  6'6", 250 lbs

25.6 PPG, .520 FG%, .765 FT %, 12.2 Reb/gm, 1 Blks/game, 5.1 Assists/gm

SMALL FORWARD (Slight advantage 1992 = 10 to 9)

Carmello Anthony  6'8", 230 lbs

22.6 PPG, .430 FG%, .804 FT%, 6.3 Reb/gm, .4 Blks/game, 3.6 Assists/gm

Andre Iguodala, 6'6'', 207

12.4 PPG, .454 FG%, .617 FT%, 6.1 Reb/gm, .5 Blks/game, 5.5 Assists/gm

Scottie Pippen 6'7", 210 lbs

18.6 PPG, .473 FG%, .663 FT%, 7.7 Reb/gm, .9 Blks/game, 6.3 Assists/gm

Chris Mullin 6'7", 215 lbs

25.6 PPG, .524 FG%, .833 FT%, 5.6 Reb/gm, .8 Blks/game, 3.5 Assists/gm

SHOOTING GUARD (Slight to Moderate Advantage 1992 = 10 to 8.5)

James Harden 6'5'', 220 lbs

16.8 PPG, .491 FG%, .846 FT %, 4.1 Reb/gm, .3 Blks/game, 3.7 Assists/gm

Clyde Drexler 6'7", 220 lbs

25 PPG, .470 FG%, .794 FT%, 6.6 Reb/gm, .9 Blks/game, 6.7 Assists/gm

POINT GUARD  (Moderate Advantage 2012 = 8 to 10)

Russell Westbrook 6' 3", 187 lbs

23.6 PPG, .457 FG%, .823 FT %, 4.6 Reb/gm, .3 Blks/game, 5.5 Assists/gm

Chris Paul 6' 0", 183 lbs

19.8 PPG, .478 FG%, .861 FT %, 3.6 Reb/gm, .1 Blks/game, 9.1 Assists/gm

John Stockton 6'1", 175 lbs  (Didn't play in 1992 so these are from 1991)

15.8 PPG, .482 FG%, .842 FT%, 3.3 Reb/gm, .3 Blks/game, 13.7 Assists/gm

If you assume all of these players are at their best I don't think it's unreasonable to say 2012 would put up a fight.  Jordan wouldn't really dominate Kobe if both players were on in the clutch.  (Kobe was pretty clutch in the last olympics.)  Lebron would have a significant advantage over Bird which he could exploit over and over (or maybe Bird would guard Durant, which would lead to a similar result). Magic could use his size to exploit Williams, Paul, and Westbrook, but Magic was a bit unpredictable in 1992.  Stockton is one of the best point guards ever, but he worked best with a team he was familiar with. I think Paul and Westbrook could have frustrated him.  I love Malone, but I don't think he'd have much of an advantage over over Durant and/or Lebron (with some Kevin Love and Anthony Davis Mixed in.)

I think 2012 would have a bit of a speed advantage, while 1992 would have a significant size advantage.  The Admiral would make the difference.  Chandler and Anthony Davis would face an onslaught from Ewing, Robinson, Malone, Barkley and Laettner. 

Still, if Kobe, Durant, Lebron, and Carmello are on.... they would be tough to guard.