All-Time NBA Draft Round 2: White Chocolate vs. Hack

[Elizah Huge]

Team White Chocolate:

PG - John Stockton / Bob Cousy
SG - Pete Maravich / Ron Artest
SF - Julius Erving / Elgin Baylor / Antoine Walker
PF - Willis Reed / Wes Unseld / Rashard Lewis
C - Bill Walton / Amar'e Stoudemire

Team Hack:

PG - Stephen Curry / Derrick Rose
SG - Ray Allen / Penny Hardaway
SF - Klay Thompson / Latrell Sprewell / Andrew Wiggins
PF - Anthony Davis / Derrick Favors / Robert Horry
C - Shaquille O'Neal / Dikembe Mutombo



WC's Case:

Team White Chocolate

The best statistical season for each of my starting-five:

John Stockton - 17.2 PPG, 14.5 APG, 2.7 SPG, 2.6 RPG, 41.6% from three.

Pete Maravich - 31.1 PPG, 5.4 APG, 5.1 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 84% from the line.

Julius Erving - 31.9 PPG, 12.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 2.5 SPG, 1.8 BPG, 49.7% from field.

Willis Reed - 21.1 PPG, 14.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 75% from the line, 52.1% from field.

Bill Walton - 18.6 PPG, 14.4 RPG, 3.8 APG, 3.2 BPG, 52.8% from field.

From Dr. J's autobiography:

From the first day of training camp, Pete and I hit it off. He's a soft-spoken guy, sort of like me, and a little bit in his own world, but then sometimes I can seem that way too. I'm not aloof, but when I'm playing, I get so focused that I almost seem to lose intensity when I'm actually just totally into the game. Pete is the same way.

But when you're playing with Pete, you realize that his game, which on TV looks like a flashier version of what I was familiar with from watching the Globetrotters, is actually much faster than anyone who is doing that kind of dribble, cross-over, snap-pass, no-look stuff. Pete has all of the Globetrotters moves, but he can do them at unimaginable speeds. He's one of the fastest players I've ever played with.

Pete Maravich is the most skilled basketball player I've ever seen.

Bob Ryan from the Boston Globe:

If Planet Earth were involved in a winner-take-all one-game basketball playoff against an alien invader, the loser to go into servitude for all eternity, my first pick of anyone who has ever played basketball in our known world would be a healthy Bill Walton. He was the most complete center ever, the perfect control tower through which to run both your offense and your defense.

Andrew Wiggins, Derrick Favors and Robert Horry are not guys that should have been drafted when we are talking about the greatest players of all-time. Klay Thompson definitely should not be starting in this thing either. Shaq could not keep up with this running team and would be tired after a couple of minutes of it.

I think my starters are better than his as well as my bench. If someone on his team gets hot, my team has Defensive Player of the Year - Ron Artest who can come in off the bench. Elgin Baylor and Amar'e Stoudemire are two great scorers off the bench as well.

My team is a better defensive team than his is as well:

John Stockton - 5× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1989, 1991–1992, 1995, 1997)

Julius Erving - ABA All-Defensive First Team (1976)

Bill Walton - 2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1977–1978)

Ron Artest - NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2004), 2× All-Defensive First Team (2004, 2006), 2× All-Defensive Second Team (2003, 2009)

Willis Reed - NBA All-Defensive First Team (1970)

As we saw in the playoffs this year, you can take a big man out of the game by using the "Hack a Shaq" method if he can't shoot free throws. Shaq is a career 52.7% free throw shooter. The formidable duo of Bill Walton and Willis Reed would be able to slow down Shaq anyways. Sans Maravich, everybody on my starting line-up is a great defender. On the flip side though, nobody can guard Maravich on Hack's team. Thank you for taking the time to read my write-up and vote for who you think is the better team.

 

[Elizah Huge]

Hack's case:

Analytically Correct Basketball

How my team shall beat thy opponent.

First we shall shoot lots of 3 pointers

Shoot almost no mid range shots.


Shaq and Mutombo Control the Paint

Pass in to Shaq Dunk
No Shot there? (doubtful)
Pass out to the best 3 point shooters ever
Splash!Easy Money

Make it Rain!!

#ShaqBullyBall

Bonus Anthony Davis
Get that out of here+ Offense


Bench Benefits

Elite Defense
Elite Offense
Elite Athleticsm
Elite Clutch shot making

.....


In conclusion, my team will win because it made more shots and played great defense. High percentage 3 point shooters plus Shaq equals winning

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

Hacks team never should've gotten more votes. A lot of his guys don't belong. In my eyes WC's team would destroy and pick apart hacks team as mine should've.

 

[Hotdog]

White Chocolate's team has fit problems.

Stockton and Maravich wouldn't play well together. Stockton would get tired of his fancy pants basketball. And they would have a hard time sharing the ball. They are both too ball dominant.

White Chocolate doesn't have a real shooting guard either. Ron Artest isn't a shooting guard.

Then you have Bill Walton and Willis Reed clogging up the lane, along with Julius Erving who isn't a 3 point shooter.

White Chocolate's team has no floor spacing

 

[Hotdog]

Hacks team never should've gotten more votes. A lot of his guys don't belong. In my eyes WC's team would destroy and pick apart hacks team as mine should've.

Bitter?

Just accept that your team sucks and you lost to me

 

[Elizah Huge]

I think my bench is superior to Hack's, so I feel no need to discuss it.

Also, I know this isn't how you decide the matchup, but it's something to consider when you vote:

Stockton > Curry
Maravich = Allen
Erving >>> Thompson
Reed = Davis
Walton < Shaq

I think it's more like Maravich + Reed = Allen + Davis other than individually.

My starters have an advantage 2-1 (Erving vs. Thompson is a big advantage) plus Delly slowed down Curry imagine what Stockton would do to him.

I have better starters and a better bench.

Stockton - Maravich - Erving running the break would be sweet and Walton could hold his own against Shaq.

 

[Jazz and Utes]

You are right, a fast break with those three would be beautiful to watch

 

[RandyForRubio]

Walton could not hold his own against Shaq. Lmao.

 

[RandyForRubio]

With that said, Hack just doesn't have that talented of a team. Klay Thompson starting? Favors and Horry? Cmon.

 

[Elizah Huge]

Walton could not hold his own against Shaq. Lmao.

If Walton held his own in his prime against Kareem, why couldn't he hold his own against Shaq?

 

[Jeffrey32]

If we are judging players by just their best, which could be just one season, I don't know if Stockton ever had a season to rival Curry's 2014-2015 MVP, NBA Title season.


Sent from the JazzFanz app

 

[Elizah Huge]

If we are judging players by just their best, which could be just one season, I don't know if Stockton ever had a season to rival Curry's 2014-2015 MVP, NBA Title season.


Sent from the JazzFanz app

Comparing their best seasons:

Steph averaged 23.8 PPG and 7.7 APG in an era where there is no hand-checking.

Stockton averaged 17.2 PPG and 14.5 APG in an era where there is hand-checking.

I mean if MVP and Finals win comes into play, I have three MVP's starting (Erving, Walton, Reed) and two of them won a ring in the same year (Walton and Reed).

 

[RandyForRubio]

If Walton held his own in his prime against Kareem, why couldn't he hold his own against Shaq?

Because Shaq and Kareem are two different players. Shaq outweighs Walton by 100 pounds and had incredibly quick feet. Walton couldn't handle him defensively.

 

[Elizah Huge]

Because Shaq and Kareem are two different players. Shaq outweighs Walton by 100 pounds and had incredibly quick feet. Walton couldn't handle him defensively.

Fair enough, I don't think people give credit to Walton because of how often he was injured though. He was dominant when healthy in about a 2 year stretch.

Regardless, Hack's bench is laughable Robert Horry, Derrick Favors (I love him btw, but this is an all-time draft), Andrew Wiggins and he is starting Klay Thompson.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I voted Hack because I did.

 

[Siro]

I read Dr. Jones' post about voting for Hack.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I voted Hack because Anthony Davis.

Damn it, I thought the Antoine Walker pick would sway you.

 

[Hotdog]

If we are judging players by just their best, which could be just one season, I don't know if Stockton ever had a season to rival Curry's 2014-2015 MVP, NBA Title season.


Sent from the JazzFanz app

Exactly.

People need to take off the Homer glasses.

Steph Curry is the superior player.

 

[Hotdog]

With that said, Hack just doesn't have that talented of a team. Klay Thompson starting? Favors and Horry? Cmon.

Cmon what?

What's wrong with Klay Thompson starting?

He's the second best player on a championship team that had one of the best records ever.

He's a lights out shooter and a really good defender.

What's the problem?


Robert Horry has hit numerous big shots on many championship teams. He has 7 rings.

 

[Hotdog]

It's funny how easily people dismiss Curry and Klay as if they are some kind of fluke or not all that good.

We are talking about the best shooting backcourt of all time. So good that it won them a championship. Something many so called great players weren't able to get.

I think people romanticize the past way too much, and don't give enough credit to current players.

Think about this. Remember when Jordan did his infamous shoulder shrug because he hit 6 threes? No way 6 threes? Really? That's so crazy. Give me break. Curry knocks down 6 threes every other game like it's nothing. But ya, previous generations were so much better.