Create the best possible lineup from Magic players, past and present in their primes

[Natesroom 197]

Hey DOM are you "The Nickel Steak" Over at TPASTBM?

[Mr Charisma 0]

Should be fun, based on your rules. I'll take a shot at this without looking at any other responses:

 

1) C - Shaq

2) C - Ewing

3) C/PF - Dwight

4) PF - Googles

5) PF - Big Ben

6) PF/SF - Shard

7) SF - Nique

8) SF - Hedo

9) SF - 3D (personal favorite, so he gets in the list)

10) SG - Nick

11) SG - T-Mac

12) SG/PG - Penny

13) PG - Skiles

14) PG - Armstrong

15) PG - Kerr (hate adding him, but numbers don't lie)

 

I'm sure I've missed some guys that should be on here, but it was fun doing off the top of my head.

 

This team would have monster defense on the inside, and solid defense alternatives on the guard positions. Unfortunately, our SFs better score a lot because none of them are legit defenders unless you want to play Nick at SF to guard that position.

 

BTW, I discounted Vince since he has never played for the Magic yet.

[Mr Charisma 0]

Replying to my own post.... ugh.

 

Ashamed I missed Kemp (would replace Ben), Billups (would replace Armstrong) and Price (would replace Kerr: which I'm glad of because it is a sore point with me; when we had this guy on our team that was desperate for scoring and game after game Goukas would leave him sitting at the end of the bench).

 

You could argue Seikaly should be in this list, but we are so formidable at the center position, there is no room for him, particularly since he was such a one-dimensional player (well, okay, maybe 2 since he was a decent rebounder also).

[Secretly Space Jesus 670]

Mr. C, your team's lack of Tree Rollins is greatly upsetting.

[Berto 338]

PG: Billups/Hardaway/Price

SG: Tmac/Carter/Anderson

SF: Wilkins/Hill/Lewis

PF: Grant/Wallace/Kemp

C: Shaq/Ewing/Howard

 

There we go, I guess.

 

With this team I could also throw out the freakishly athletic line up that would run everyone off the floor.

 

Penny

Wilkins

Hill

Kemp

Howard

[Arroyo fan 0]

Skiles

T-Mac

Kemp

Howard

Shaq

 

Scott will make 30ast daily.

[Mr Charisma 0]

quote:

Originally posted by Drunk on Mystery:

Mr. C, your team's lack of Tree Rollins is greatly upsetting.

It was hard leaving him and Danny Schayes off the list.

 

I did leave Grant Hill off my list too...

 

I'll chalk that one up to a Freudian Slip.

 

Apparently no big Doug Christie fans out there. Can't imagine why not.

[My 6th Rebuild 6]

C Ewing/Shaq

PF Howard/Kemp/Grant

SF Nique/Hill/Lewis/Turk

SG T'Mac/VC/Anderson

PG Penny/Billups/Harper

[Emory889 353]

This is a fun topic. I can't believe I'm just now noticing it.

 

Its pretty easy to put together a allstar squad with all of the great players that have played here. Instead, I'm going to opt for the route that a few have taken and try to assemble the best functioning team.

 

Lets jump right in to the fire and start with the Shaq vs Dwight debate. Now I'm obviously biased on which player I like more but I won't let that influence my decision making (scouts honor). That being said, I'm still choosing Dwight and I will tell you why. He proved this season that he can turn a squad full of mediocre defenders into a great defensive team with his mere presence. That is exactly the kind of defensive anchor that I'm looking for. In my opinion, Dwight is also the superior rebounder...especially defensively. As far as I'm concerned, points from the center position is rather irrelevant. Dwight will easily get me 25 (especially with the players I'm about to surround him with) and I won't have to put up with Shaq's constant bickering about touches and whatever else happens to be eating him at the moment. Center - Dwight Howard

 

Now here is where the debate gets interesting. There have actually been quite a few quality point guards to wear a Magic uniform. Penny, Skiles, Nelson, Price, and even Armstrong (sentimental choice, I know) would all be very good choices. I'm not choosing any of them (not for the starting lineup anyway). Instead, I'm going with Chauncey Billups. For starters, he is a pure point guard. His number one priority will be to distribute the ball. Secondly, he is by far the superior defender amoung the group we have to choose from. Third, he creates almost as many mismatches with his size as Penny Hardaway does. Fourth, he is a fantastic 3pt shooter with a flair for hitting big shots late in games. I fail to see the down side to this. Point Guard - Chauncey Billups

 

I now have arguably the best defensive center in the league to go along with a fantastic defensive minded point guard. This is where it gets fun. I need some gazelles to put some serious points on the board. Here are my requirements. Number 1: I don't want anyone that isn't willing to share the ball. Number 2: I want them to be a serious threat from 3pt land. Number 3: I want them to at least be adequate defenders. I think you guys already know who I'm taking. I'm choosing the two cousins, McGrady and Carter. Both of them are very willing passers, they obviously are a threat to score any time they touch the ball, and they can flat out fly up and down the court. They have also already proven that they can play together in Toronto (although McGrady hadn't blossomed yet). Lets make it official shall we? Shooting Guard - Tracy McGrady Small Forward - Vince Carter

 

I think its safe to say with that foursome that I have all the scoring any starting lineup could possibly need. All I need out of my power forward is good defense, rebounding, and if he can shoot from the outside, that is a bonus. This isn't a original idea, I've seen a few guys choose him already, and I don't care. The very obvious choice for power forward is Horace Grant. I truly believe that for a four to five year span in the league he was the best defender from the 4 spot. He fits like OJ's glove. Power Forward - Horace Grant

 

I don't think that lineup has a single weakness. 3 of the 5 players are outstanding defenders (and the other 2 aren't bad either). I obviously have all the scoring I could possibly want. They should be a superior rebounding team. They all share the ball. All I need to do is fill out the bench and call it a night.

 

Jameer Nelson - Provides scoring off the bench, fits the system perfectly, and is a great teammate.

 

Nick Anderson - Outstanding defender and shoots the 3. Also provides a little bit of a post presence.

 

Mickael Pietrus - I've been racking my brain and I honestly can't think of a better perimeter defender to put here. I simply refuse to believe that Harpring can hold a candle to Pietrus on the defensive end.

 

Brandon Bass - Lets be frank: Most of the power forwards in Magic history have stunk. I refuse to put Shawn Kemp on my team. Period. Bass signing here is good enough for me. He does provide toughness and rebounding. I can always use that.

 

Ben Wallace - What a luxury it is to have a backup center so dominant defensively that I really don't lose anything when my defensive player of the year comes out of the game.

 

For the last 3 spots, I'm going to go with some sentimental favorites. Darrell Armstrong, Dennis Scott, and Bo Outlaw. I don't have to explain them. They probably are never going to play anyway.

[KillingInTheNameOf 63]

quote:

Originally posted by emory889:

This is a fun topic. I can't believe I'm just now noticing it.

 

Its pretty easy to put together a allstar squad with all of the great players that have played here. Instead, I'm going to opt for the route that a few have taken and try to assemble the best functioning team.

 

Lets jump right in to the fire and start with the Shaq vs Dwight debate. Now I'm obviously biased on which player I like more but I won't let that influence my decision making (scouts honor). That being said, I'm still choosing Dwight and I will tell you why. He proved this season that he can turn a squad full of mediocre defenders into a great defensive team with his mere presence. That is exactly the kind of defensive anchor that I'm looking for. In my opinion, Dwight is also the superior rebounder...especially defensively. As far as I'm concerned, points from the center position is rather irrelevant. Dwight will easily get me 25 (especially with the players I'm about to surround him with) and I won't have to put up with Shaq's constant bickering about touches and whatever else happens to be eating him at the moment. Center - Dwight Howard

 

Now here is where the debate gets interesting. There have actually been quite a few quality point guards to wear a Magic uniform. Penny, Skiles, Nelson, Price, and even Armstrong (sentimental choice, I know) would all be very good choices. I'm not choosing any of them (not for the starting lineup anyway). Instead, I'm going with Chauncey Billups. For starters, he is a pure point guard. His number one priority will be to distribute the ball. Secondly, he is by far the superior defender amoung the group we have to choose from. Third, he creates almost as many mismatches with his size as Penny Hardaway does. Fourth, he is a fantastic 3pt shooter with a flair for hitting big shots late in games. I fail to see the down side to this. Point Guard - Chauncey Billups

 

I now have arguably the best defensive center in the league to go along with a fantastic defensive minded point guard. This is where it gets fun. I need some gazelles to put some serious points on the board. Here are my requirements. Number 1: I don't want anyone that isn't willing to share the ball. Number 2: I want them to be a serious threat from 3pt land. Number 3: I want them to at least be adequate defenders. I think you guys already know who I'm taking. I'm choosing the two cousins, McGrady and Carter. Both of them are very willing passers, they obviously are a threat to score any time they touch the ball, and they can flat out fly up and down the court. They have also already proven that they can play together in Toronto (although McGrady hadn't blossomed yet). Lets make it official shall we? Shooting Guard - Tracy McGrady Small Forward - Vince Carter

 

I think its safe to say with that foursome that I have all the scoring any starting lineup could possibly need. All I need out of my power forward is good defense, rebounding, and if he can shoot from the outside, that is a bonus. This isn't a original idea, I've seen a few guys choose him already, and I don't care. The very obvious choice for power forward is Horace Grant. I truly believe that for a four to five year span in the league he was the best defender from the 4 spot. He fits like OJ's glove. Power Forward - Horace Grant

 

I don't think that lineup has a single weakness. 3 of the 5 players are outstanding defenders (and the other 2 aren't bad either). I obviously have all the scoring I could possibly want. They should be a superior rebounding team. They all share the ball. All I need to do is fill out the bench and call it a night.

 

Jameer Nelson - Provides scoring off the bench, fits the system perfectly, and is a great teammate.

 

Nick Anderson - Outstanding defender and shoots the 3. Also provides a little bit of a post presence.

 

Mickael Pietrus - I've been racking my brain and I honestly can't think of a better perimeter defender to put here. I simply refuse to believe that Harpring can hold a candle to Pietrus on the defensive end.

 

Brandon Bass - Lets be frank: Most of the power forwards in Magic history have stunk. I refuse to put Shawn Kemp on my team. Period. Bass signing here is good enough for me. He does provide toughness and rebounding. I can always use that.

 

Ben Wallace - What a luxury it is to have a backup center so dominant defensively that I really don't lose anything when my defensive player of the year comes out of the game.

 

For the last 3 spots, I'm going to go with some sentimental favorites. Darrell Armstrong, Dennis Scott, and Bo Outlaw. I don't have to explain them. They probably are never going to play anyway.

 

Sound logic! PG's set the tone on both ends of the floor & C's are the equalizers on both ends of the floor.

 

The bolded part is precisely the point I think the masses fail to consider when comparing Shaq/D12. Surround D12 with top flight perimeter defenders & he could easily be the anchor of an all-time great defensive team.

 

I would personally argue that in his prime Derek Harper was everything Billups was/is, but fractionally better. But, you don't have to look beyond the fortunes of Den & Det this season to see he has intangibles on top of talent that can't be measured in a box score.

[magicfreak#1 0]

Hmmmmm...

 

How bout...

 

1. Ty Lue why did Coach Rivers ever play him???, Carlos Arroyo master of the oley' defense, Chris Corchiani, remember him OOOH ouch!!!

2. JJ reddick, yea, Morlon Wiley, not sure we could have worse defense at the SG spot so we will add Steve Ker as the defensive specialist

3. Tom Tolbert, Gordon Girichek, Derek Strong

4.John Amechi no one ever wanted to body up on him, Pat Garrity, Larry Krystkowiak

5. Steven Hunter, Darko Mili?i?, oh yea and good old Geert, Geert Hammink

 

Did any of those names make you slap your forehead, and ask if we are trying to get a lottery spot???

 

Remember what being a Magic fan used to be???

 

Oh yea, and Brian Hill as the Coach.

[magicfreak#1 0]

Ok, Ok, lets do this serious like.

 

1. I take Billups here and then pennie to back him up. and Mark price to ride the pine with a suit on

2.Nick anderson is my Favorite Magic player and probably the best defender on ball ever here. Bring in T-mac and Grant Hill behind him, and 3D as a specialist

3. I'll put VC here to start, something I always wanted to see here is Turk off the bench as a 6th man.

4. Dwight Howard, Cat Man(all time favorite magic player), Horace Grant

5. Shaq, Tree,

 

also add Rashard for versatility.

 

No one is addressing the coach here with the Team which is important. SVG or Rivers here,

 

I like Goukas here I just do.