Thursday, February 9th, 2012 at 4:12 pm  |  104 responses

Big O: West, Chamberlain, Russell, Baylor Would Beat ’92 Dream Team


The media loves to ask old-timers how they’d fare against today’s players, and the legends (competitive as ever, still) never seem to give an inch. Oscar Robertson tells the Miami Herald that his contemporaries from the 1960s and 1970s would wipe the floor with arguably the greatest basketball team ever assembled: “On the quality of play in today’s NBA: ‘I think the athletes have gotten better, but that doesn’t make you a better basketball player. The only play most teams run is the high pick with the center. Is that really basketball? There are no reverses, no backdoors, double-screens, weakside cuts from the strong side. They don’t have any of that anymore.’ On the celebrated 1992 Dream Team, which won gold at the Barcelona Olympics: ‘If we would have put myself and Jerry [West] in the backcourt, with Wilt [Chamberlain] and Bill [Russell] inside with Elgin Baylor, they never would have beat us. How could they?’”

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  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    hahaha oh lord

  • ab40

    well he’s got a point there.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Oscar Robertson is 74 years old. His mind reflects that.

  • Cru_thik305

    I would give my left ball to see that game. And my right if the redeem team got to play the winner

  • Sterling Nunnally

    Oscar is right, they definitely would not have lost. Also on the bench you would have players like Walt Bellamy, Jerry Lucas, John Havilcek, etc. I would have loved to have seen this game, but Oscar and the fellows would have schooled the Dream Team.

  • El_Black_Mamba

    I agree With the big O

  • shutup

    hate myself for saying this but I agree with you NBK, this guy is nucking futz, gotta love his competitive spirit though

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Does anyone realize how bad those guys were defensively in those days? Or how much further along the game is strategically now a days? No?

  • LaKid

    They would not have won, sorry. None of them could’ve stopped MJ in his prime. Also, he is wrong about the plays. Some teams don’t, I’ll give him that, but watch Boston, LA to some extent, San Antonio, etc. Those boys run plays. I haven’t seen so many double, triple, quadruple screens in my entire life that I see in one Boston game.

  • http://www.blogspot.com LLC#12

    Somebody has been playing too much NBA 2K12…

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    There is a reason Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double, and came within decimal points of doing it multiple times, despite playing with his back to the basket and shooting 20+ shots a night at under 50% for the majority of his career.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Uhhh…. No. No you wouldn’t O.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    The old guys would win, with Wilt and Russell anchoring the middle. Also Jerry West could shoot lights out and Big O would dominate Lebron-they would wash out. MJ would be hounded and would have to work very hard for his shots. The thing the old guys have is defense, TEAM Defense. Russel and Wilt would dominate. Old guys win. People forget, MJ should have lost two of his NBA Finals against Sonics and Jazz. MJ calls and Pippen stepping up saved him. I take old guys. Easy win. BOOK IT!!!

  • 23

    Athleticism is a BIG part of all sports. You can’t just dismiss that as a non-factor. That’s why they’re called athletes..

  • Da-Meat-Hook

    Delusional . . . I remember Slam posted an article that mentioned Phil Jackson coaching a state-champion girls squad that was more skilled, knowledgeable, older, and bigger than a team comprised of middle-school boys who had never played together. This boys team apperently crushed this girls team.

    I’m not suggesting that Big O’s team were girls, but I think the fact that the Original/this year’s Dream Team could literally put together squads that are far more athletic, just as skilled, and that could have starting point guards(Magic/Bron) who are just as big as the elder team’s starting power forward in Bill Russell. If 6’8 Bill Russell could contain Wilt, than 6’11 Dwight and 7’1 David Robinson damn near shut him down. We’ve all seen the highlights, we’ve seen a 6’5 Havlicek steal the ball and proceed to dribble in circles with ONLY his right hand (wich somehow baffled his defenders). We’ve seen Wilt catch, pivot, and dunk on the opposing team’s 6’6 center. Let’s face it, today’s game has PF/C doing things that were reserved for PGs in the 60′s.
    I respect what basketball legends did for the game, but basketball has come a LOOOOOONG way, and to suggest that they could “wipe the floor” with the Kobes, Lebrons, Dwights, and Durants of today is ridiculous!

  • Jeremy

    Agree with O, and I think the redeem team would beat the winner. IMO the athletes have become… more athletic.. like that annoying bulls commentator.. TOO BIG, TOO FAST, TOO STRONG!

  • AD

    @NBK thats unfair to say man….. Oscar dominated, he couldnt help that if the “defense” was whack…. averaging a triple double is unheard of.. I didnt see him play but the highlights show he was making shots with people in his face.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    The point is, Oscar never played in a game with modern defense. He never experienced what the NBA was like after 1974. To say what he said is just flat out false. There is a reason he is one of the top 10 players ever, but to say “‘If we would have put myself and Jerry [West] in the backcourt, with Wilt [Chamberlain] and Bill [Russell] inside with Elgin Baylor, they never would have beat us. How could they?’” is just wrong. Absolutely wrong. How could any of you stop any of the dream team on the perimeter? Or in any sort of fast break game. And Jerry West would be the only player on the lineup with a reliable jumper outside 18 feet. Oscar Robertson never even played in a game with a 3pt line.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k1jx3r4y1E dfrance21

    The Big O is a legend, but he’s also nuts. The Dream Team would run them off the floor. NBK made the point about the way they handled the ball, imagine Stockton and Mike in his prime hounding their ball handlers? Which one of them is gonna keep up with Robinson and Malone sprinting rim to rim all game? I think it’d be a rout.

  • bike

    I disagree with O saying the guys are better athletes now compared to when he played. Those guys of yesteryear were incredible athletes and probably just as athletic as the Dream Team boys. Wilt was arguably one the greatest athletes to play any sport period. Same goes for Elgin Baylor. Oscar was no slouch athletically either.
    But would they beat Jordan and company? I doubt it. The big difference, as someone already pointed out, is defense. If Wilt was playing today’s game he would no doubt dominate but no way would he ever average 50 points/game. The Big O would not likely average a triple double against today’s players. The offensive numbers those guys put up in those days don’t exist anymore. It would be a great contest but my money is on the Dream Team

  • hanif norman

    I believe that the older cats would win that game. With Wilt and Bill inside…..idk…..

  • http://facebook.com/tronjohnson Chief

    I think the problem with them winning is Wilt, would he sacrifice his ego enough to contribute? is the Big O crazy? Him vs Mike would be insane but I think the overall size and athleticism of the Dream Team would trump this team, unless Bill was allowed to be player/coach. But then Wilt would want to be player coach…The only thing going for Wilt is that he doesn’t have to play Bill I guess.

  • Ron

    NO DOUBT ABOUT IT,

  • Ron

    YOU YOUNG KIDS HAVE YOUR HEAD UP YOUR REAR ENDS. NO WAY THE ’92 DREAM TEAM COULD HAVE EVEN KEPT UP WITH THE “OLD” IN THEIR PRIME.

  • Paul H

    That Is just absurd. And old-timers like to accuse modern day players of ego and conceit.

  • bashmo

    The Dream Team has the greatest player to ever to touch a basketball on their side. There is no one from any era that can adequately and consistently check MJ. And if that is somehow the case when these 2 teams go up against each other…look at who he’s got playing with him.

  • LA Huey

    Ish old folks say…

  • Rugulose

    @The Seed,

    What the hell are you talking about? Big O would dominate Lebron and MJ would have work hard for his shot? What team are you thinking of? Lebron obviously was not part of that team 20 yrs ago and MJ always had to work hard for his shot. That’s what made him great, the fact that he was able to get his shot despite 5 guys trying to cover him! And as far as your last comment about Pippen bailing MJ out, I don’t even know where to begin with that one!!!!

  • http://www.t-mac.com/tmac/index unf*ckwitable

    lol Big O you going senile.

  • Nitemare Team

    This five would dominate any team of any era:

    Point Guard-John Stockton
    Shooting Guard- Michael Jordan
    Small Forward-Kobe Bryant
    Power Forward-Karl Malone
    Center- Shaquille Oneal

  • B.C.

    He’s an idiot. NBA level of play in the 90′s was way higher than anything he experienced in the 60′s. Lol he was playing against whites who were like 5 foot 9. Logically tell me how Jerry West who has no handles or a crossover dribble could match up against a Magic Johnson or Derrick Rose? Or how could Oscar match up with Kobe or Jordan? Exactly they couldn’t they’d get slaughtered. NBA talent is so much more higher and ahead then anything Oscar Robertson ever saw on the court.

  • CCat44

    Think about it like this, you throw lebron, jordan or someone like derrick rose in the NBA in 1960, what would happen? It would undoubtedly be destruction. Athletes are just flat out better now a days. D-Rose d’ing up bob cousy full court? I don’t know how that could favor cousy. Would Jerry West get a shot off with mj in his prime playing d on him? yikes

  • Nicholas Asbury

    There is no way that they would be the 92 dream team.Wilt and Russell went up against who?Nobody until they played against each other.That is only 5 players(Big O,Jerry West,Russell,Wilt,Baylor).The 92 Roster was (Bird,Magic,MJ,Pippen,Drexler,Barkley,Mailman,Stockton,Admiral,Ewing,Mullin).No disrespect to the legends that started the league but,the competition wasnt as tuff,a bunch of average joes that could not check Wilt,thats how he scored 50.I could score 50 against my 9 year old son too,big deal.

  • Chitown

    The Big O must have been smoking something good if he thinks a team of 60′s and early 70′s players would have had any chance against the Dream Team. Jerry West was a good player but he only shot 50% from the field once in his career. MJ shot 50% or higher from the field 6 times and would have had a career average of 50% if not for the last 2 years in Washington. Hakeem Olajuwan would have done everything Wilt did if he played in that era. Who would have stopped him from scoring?Nobody, that’s who. Bill Russell couldn’t stop Barkley. Russell was basically the Dennis Rodman of his time. He couldn’t score but has solid defense. Do you really think he could have stopped Barkley in his prime? There’s nobody in the history of basketball like Magic, and Clyde Drexler was MJ lite. I’ll stop there because O is way off base with that one.

  • Maniac

    Yeah I saw this article yesterday. Yo nbk I agree with you about 80% of the way. There’s some things that need to be clarified though. He only named 5 guys, even though those were unarguably 5 of the top 7 guys of all-time (throw Kareem & Doc in there) going into 1980. Looking at the Dream Team, what starting 5 would you put up against them? I say Magic, Mike, Scottie, Bird, & D-Rob. Those matchups are very interesting. In all honesty, while I am a firm believer that those guys back then can play today, there is no way in hell that they would win this game. Oscar & West are uber great, but West is 6’2, who is he going to guard? It is well documented that Baylor wasn’t a great defender and neither was Oscar (plus both are 6’5). Only two players on that team are taller than the Dream Team’s shortest player. Though Magic & Bird weren’t great on the ball, they were great team defenders. Add that to the two greatest perimeter defenders of all-time in Scottie and Mike and the Dream Team has a huge advantage. Russell isn’t a huge scoring threat, but he and Wilt would be great interior defenders, but D-Rob is an excellent inside defender as well. Wilt is the only matchup advantage that they would have. That isn’t enough. Rebounding and interior defense would be the only thing that keeps them in the game. I love Oscar’s competitiveness and he is dead serious, but they would get their a$$es handed to them. There is a reason that they don’t compare eras and that’s because the game evolves. Mad respect to the greatest of the 60s, but I’m sorry, they would lose that game.

  • Matt Park

    Anyone want to bet that Hakeem Olajuwon had better handles than John Hondo???

  • Maniac

    Even if Oscar is truly = Magic in terms of skills, Magic is too big and Oscar can’t guard him (though Magic couldn’t exactly guard smaller guards on-ball either). Jordan vs. West needs to comment. Elgin isn’t scoring a ton on Scottie and Elgin isn’t stopping him from scoring a decent amount either. Russell is the greatest defender ever (IN THE PAINT), Bird would bring him into uncharted territory and force him to become a perimeter defender (Russell could guard forwards back then so he would do decent on Bird, but he wouldn’t be able to sag off for help defense and leave Bird open). Like I said, Wilt has the advantage on D-Rob, but that isn’t nearly enough of an advantage to make up for everyone else.

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    What don’t you agree with me about?

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    And if I had to only pick 5 dream teamers (specifically to match up), and they are all in their prime? Prolly the same lineup. Or I’d leave off Scottie and run Robinson and Ewing. Or if it’s the Dream team at the time, I’d go, Magic, Jordan, Pippen, Barkley, Robinson.

  • manu

    wilt is the best to ever play….people r dumb look at his pics he’s the strongest, most agile big to ever play he’d completely dominate today look it up read a book

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    If being an amazing athlete is all it took then yes. Your right. But it isn’t

  • http://sfklf.com Jukai

    @Maniac:
    “It is well documented that Baylor wasn’t a great defender and neither was Oscar (plus both are 6’5)”
    This is complete crap. I can’t speak for Oscar, but I’ve read multiple sources that talk about Baylor’s great defense. If anything, his issue was that he was a ball stopper, Melo style. Talk about what you know.
    Anyway, just for fun, the 60s/70s team I’d put up against the dream team:
    Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, John Havlicek, Pete Maravich, Sam Jones, Dr. J, Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Elvin Hayes, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Walton… Hey, I don’t mind their chances!
    If we’re talking before 74 when Oscar played, you gotta take out Walton, Hayes, Dr. J, and Petey… then I guess you add Thurmond, Pettit, Cunningham and Cousy… eesh that team gets weaker.

  • robben

    Yeah but dr. Naismith>>>>> big O, Chamberlain Rusell at the same time. See? Everybody can come up with something ridiculous.

  • shutup

    people keep forgetting barkley lead that team in scoring, dude was a beast. even the advantage that people talk about wilt having is questionable, Robinson played both sides of the ball, the only player I ever saw kill him was Hakeem and thats quite possibly the best footwork at the center position EVER. also the centers Wilt were going up against werent even close strength wise to the centers on the dream team, you think Wilt would just be able to bully his way in to the post? not gonna happen

  • http://slamonline.com The Black Rick Kamla

    @nbk…I don’t know, if anything the game has become more and more simple over the years. He’s absolutely right, the primary play in most offenses is the high screen. I love watching older basketball games because you see so much passing and off ball movement……now the 92 Olympic team would eat their lunch in front of their faces, but I’d say they could take the 08 Olympic squad

  • Maniac

    @Jukai
    Do you really want to go there with me? Talk about what I know? I am well educated in 60s basketball. I know exactly what I’m talking about. Baylor was not a great defender. Go back and re-read your “multiple sources”. SMH

  • Maniac

    And nbk we basically agree on everything. I just kind of felt that you were underestimating the older guys

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    It’s foolish and futile to sit there and compare old-school players to new school players. There’s a little something called evolution which leads to bigger, stronger, faster and smarter humans as time goes on.
    The Dream Team would probably win but it would be a close match. Remember Dr.J, Walton, KAJ, RBarry, Frazier, and Maravich all played during the 70s along with cats from the 60s West/Oscar/Wilt/Baylor/Russell. That team would be a tough out for any opponent.

  • Bt

    The people saying russel what anchor the defence realize he was the size of Kevin Durant right? the old timers would get crushed

  • Da-Meat-Hook

    If people are gonna add players to the ’74 team that were young and before their prime like dr. j and walton, I will add Shaq to the ’92 team and this conversation will officially be over! Have a good night everyone, there is nothing left to see here.

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