Tag: Tim Hardaway

All-Time San Antonio Spurs vs. All-Time Golden State Warriors

Our next match features two powerhouse franchises who have won the past two NBA championships. They’ve taken different approaches in earning their nine combined rings: Golden State has had intermittent periods of success spread out over 70 years of franchise history, while San Antonio has had one sustained run of dominance, where they secured five championships over 16 seasons. Who has the advantage in the highly anticipated matchup between the All-Time San Antonio Spurs vs. All-Time Golden State Warriors?

All-Time San Antonio Spurs vs. All-Time Golden State Warriors

Key Matchups

Golden State’s firepower vs. San Antonio’s defensive might: Golden State is one of the most explosive teams in our tournament, with ALL FIVE STARTERS having led the league in scoring at some point in their Warriors career, along with a sixth scoring champion off the bench from the league’s earliest days (Joe Fulks). They feature perhaps the greatest shooter in NBA history (Stephen Curry), along with arguably the greatest inside scorer ever (Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged 41.5 PPG in his six seasons with the franchise). They have a wealth of shooting depth beyond Curry (Paul Arizin, Rick Barry, Chris Mullin), and a Hall-of-Fame offensive (Neil Johnston) and defensive (Nate Thurmond) big man to support Chamberlain. They also have perimeter playmakers (Curry, Barry, Tim Hardaway, Guy Rodgers) who will facilitate ball movement and offensive flow. No team can contain this group, but San Antonio is better equipped than most to withstand a potential offensive onslaught. Tim Duncan and David Robinson are two of the greatest defensive big men in NBA history; in their six seasons together, the Spurs ranked first (2 times), second (3 times), and third (one time) in defensive rating. Kawhi Leonard has developed into the best defender in the current NBA, and will see time on all of Golden State’s perimeter options. Alvin Robertson was the greatest thief in modern NBA history, standing as the all-time leader in steals per game and steals percentage, which will cause problems for Curry and his sometimes loose ball protection. Even though the Spurs have two former scoring champions on their team (Robinson and George Gervin), they must slow the games down to have a chance to win this series.

Battle of the Big Men: Duncan and Robinson were perhaps the greatest ‘Twin Towers’ duo in NBA history, capturing two titles together and dominating opponents defensively. While those two are used to playing with one another, Chamberlain and Johnston will have to adjust to each other’s tendencies. Chamberlain will also have to adjust to playing with a team with so much perimeter firepower; his later days with the 76ers and the Lakers proved he could take a back seat, but the Warriors version of Wilt was a one-man wrecking crew who was the most dominant offensive force in league history. He won’t get the ball on as many possessions as he’s used to, and will have to help set up his teammates for easier baskets.

Tim Duncan and David Robinson
The Admiral faces The Big Dipper – two of the most athletic centers ever
Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

Biggest Mismatches

Golden State’s three-point shooting advantage: The Warriors have the ability to blow opponents away from long range. Curry, Arizin, Barry, Hardaway, Jeff Mullins, and Chris Mullin have the ability to spread the floor like the modern-day Warriors team. San Antonio will be forced to play Chamberlain straight up without double-teaming, to avoid leaving these shooters open, though they are better equipped to deal with him than most teams. The Spurs have Manu Ginobili and Leonard as their best outside threats, but their other perimeter stars were more comfortable with penetrating and breaking down opposing defenses (especially Tony Parker and James Silas).

San Antonio’s coaching: Gregg Popovich has ascended to the top of the all-time coaching ranks. He has continually remade San Antonio’s offense over a nineteen year period, and kept them in contention throughout. Al Attles experienced great success with Golden State, but Popovich has a proven ability to maximize talent and get the most out of his players.

X-Factor

Pace: Though San Antonio can play different styles, they don’t want to run-and-gun with the Warriors. While Golden State will start two big men, expect them to utilize a few lineups where Chamberlain is surrounded by four perimeter players. Barry and Tom Gola can both initiate the offense from the forward position, and they have a slew of guards and wings to space the floor. Will San Antonio stick with their Twin Towers lineup when Golden State goes small? Who would Duncan or Robinson guard in this scenario? How would Golden State guard San Antonio in this setup? Speaking of which…

Golden State’s defense: While the Warriors are known for their offensive exploits, their defense will play a key factor in this series. Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond, and Gola are their best defenders, and they’ll be tasked with slowing down San Antonio’s explosive frontcourt. San Antonio’s perimeter players will face less resistance, however, as Golden State’s guards weren’t known for their work on the defensive end of the floor.

Results

This series lives up to the hype. The teams go back and forth as both coaches make adjustments to their rotations. Kawhi Leonard and Nate Thurmond are both inserted into the starting lineups for defensive purposes as the series progresses. The seventh and final game goes into overtime, as these two teams prove to be dead even. Although the Spurs have one of the best defensive units in the tournament, the Warriors have too many weapons to contain. Golden State advances.

Golden State wins, four games to three.

Next Round

Golden State faces the All-Time Celtics.

All-Time Golden State Warriors vs. All-Time Houston Rockets

Our next Sweet Sixteen match features two teams who have embraced the modern day basketball revolution. The Warriors, featuring the best shooting backcourt (and team) in NBA history, are in the middle of an historic two-year stretch of dominance. The Rockets, led by General Manager Daryl Morey, have helped to popularize the analytics movement, and have built an annual contender around these principles. Despite these similarities, both of their all-time teams are built from the inside-out, with dominant big men serving as the primary option on each squad. Who has the advantage between the All-Time Golden State Warriors vs. All-Time Houston Rockets?

All-Time Golden State Warriors vs. All-Time Houston Rockets

Key Matchups

Battle of the starting big men: Each team features a Twin Towers configuration in their starting lineup with two of the greatest big men in NBA history. The Warriors feature the indomitable Wilt Chamberlain, the greatest scoring machine in league history, alongside Neil Johnston, a pioneering big man who was one of the best players of his generation. The Rockets feature the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon, one of the greatest all-around centers in league history, alongside Moses Malone, the greatest offensive rebounder who ever lived. The matchup between Chamberlain and Olajuwon will be particularly noteworthy, as they are two of the most athletic big men to ever play the game.

Olajuwon gets ready for the biggest challenge of his career - Wilt Chamberlain Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com
Olajuwon gets ready for the biggest challenge of his career – Wilt Chamberlain
Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

Biggest Mismatches

Golden State’s three-point shooting advantage: The Warriors feature some of the best shooters in NBA history. Stephen Curry is the all-time leader in single season three pointers made, and he’s on pace to shatter that record in the 2015-16 season. Paul Arizin was one of the best shooters of his era, and Rick Barry had tremendous range from the small forward position. Off the bench, Chris Mullin and Tim Hardaway were also excellent three point shooting threats. The Rockets feature Kenny Smith, one of the better shooters of his era, but they don’t have many other options to compete with Golden State from the outside.

Houston’s athleticism advantage on the wing: While Clyde Drexler and Tracy McGrady weren’t great shooters with Houston (shooting 33.9% and 32.2% from downtown with the team, respectively), they were tremendous athletes who could overwhelm their opponents in an open court game. Arizin was a great athlete for his era, but he and Barry do not have the size or athleticism to stop the Houston duo without help from their big men.

Houston’s big man depth: In addition to Olajuwon and Malone, Houston features a slew of Hall-of-Fame and all-star big men off the bench. They will attempt to frustrate Chamberlain with behemoths Yao Ming and Ralph Sampson, and will also substitute in Elvin Hayes and Rudy Tomjanovich to play alongside their centers. Golden State will give plenty of minutes to Hall-of-Famer Nate Thurmond, a defensive specialist, alongside Chamberlain, but they’ll have their hands full trying to contain all of Houston’s low post options.

X-Factor

Defense: Will either of these teams be able to stop the other? Houston has Olajuwon, one of the greatest defenders ever, and can pair him up with Elvin Hayes or Otis Thorpe when they need stops. Golden State can feature a defensive frontcourt of Chamberlain, Thurmond, and Tom Gola, and can pack the paint without fearing Houston’s three-point shooting.

Results

Golden State’s inside-out game proves to be too much for the Rockets to handle. Despite the best efforts of Olajuwon and Malone, the Rockets are unable to match Golden State from three-point range, and the Warriors advance.

Warriors win, four games to two.

Next Round

Golden State faces the All-Time Spurs.

All-Time Miami Heat vs. All-Time Orlando Magic

Our next Sweet Sixteen match features the two youngest franchises remaining in our tournament. The Heat acquired many of their franchise icons through free agency and trades, led by the front office mastery of Pat Riley. The Magic used the draft (and specifically, holding the number one overall pick in the draft three times) to acquire many of their stars, all of whom helped them deliver a first-round upset over the Pacers. How do the All-Time Miami Heat vs. All-Time Orlando Magic compare to each other?

Heat vs. Magic 3

Key Matchups

Miami’s athleticism vs. Orlando’s athleticism: The Heat have one of the most athletic starting wing pairings in the tournament in Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. The Magic have one of the most athletic starting backcourts in the tournament in Anfernee Hardaway and Tracy McGrady. Both have athletic big men who can protect the rim (Alonzo Mourning for the Heat, Dwight Howard and young Shaquille O’Neal for the Magic). The defensive matchups in the starting lineups will be fascinating; Tim Hardaway suffers from a huge size disadvantage, while Rashard Lewis will struggle to keep up with either of Miami’s wings. Will Miami dare put Hardaway on Lewis, so Wade and James can guard Penny Hardaway and McGrady? Who will Orlando put Lewis on?

Miami’s small-ball lineup vs. Orlando’s small-ball lineup: Miami’s jack-of-all-trades, LeBron James, will play power forward at times, and will be surrounded by shooters in this configuration (most notably Eddie Jones and Glen Rice off the bench). Stan Van Gundy had great success in Orlando surrounding a big man with four shooters around him, so expect him to utilize this tactic and stagger O’Neal and Howard’s minutes with Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and Dennis Scott alongside them both.

Biggest Mismatches

LeBron James vs. Orlando’s small forwards: It’s unclear how Orlando will guard James in this series. Rashard Lewis has the length to bother him, but doesn’t have bulk or elite athleticism. Tracy McGrady has the athleticism and length, so he’ll see plenty of minutes on James, but he’ll likely start each game on Dwyane Wade. Expect Nick Anderson to get many minutes alongside Hardaway and McGrady to help Orlando match up better with Miami.

Orlando’s size vs. Miami’s size (in the starting lineup): Orlando’s starting big men (Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard) are far bigger and bulkier than Miami’s (Alonzo Mourning and Chris Bosh). Orlando also has the tallest backcourt in the tournament, and a 6’10” starting small forward. There’s no good defensive matchup for Tim Hardaway, who may cede a lot of minutes to Eddie Jones and Glen Rice since Miami already has two ball-dominant players in Wade and James.

X-Factor

In the mid-1990s, the Magic had the makings of an NBA dynasty. Shaquille O’Neal was one of the greatest prospects ever coming out of college, and Penny Hardaway made two all-NBA first-team appearances in his first three seasons in the league. However, they never fulfilled those expectations, getting swept out of the playoffs in the first round (1994), the NBA Finals (1995), and the Eastern Conference Finals (1996), before O’Neal left the team via free agency. In 2010, the Heat had the one of the greatest free agency coups in sports history, re-signing Wade and signing-and-trading for James and Bosh. In their four years together, that group became champions, making four straight NBA Finals berths and winning two championships.

Results

These two franchises engage in a classic battle. While Orlando has the talent to defeat Miami, the Heat have the championship mettle, and James shines as the best player in the series. It’s party time in Miami.

Miami_Heat_The_Big_3_CelebrationParty

Heat win, four games to three.

Next Round

Miami faces the All-Time Celtics.

All-Time Golden State Warriors Team

All-Time Golden State Warriors Team Infographic

Our next franchise is the reigning champion of the NBA, who, interestingly enough, won a championship in their first year of existence as well (1947, in the Basketball Association of America). They were a powerhouse in the league’s nascent years, winning a second championship in 1956, and employing some of the greatest players in league history. Despite a long period of failure after their third championship run in 1975, their rich history makes them ideally suited for a tournament of this nature. Now riding a new wave of franchise success, the all-time Golden State Warriors team features a mix of legendary play makers from different eras of time.

Stephen Curry, the only active player on the team, is the starting point guard. Already, Curry has established himself as one of the greatest shooters in league history, and he has a debilitating effect on opposing defenses. Hall-of-Famer ‘Pitchin’ Paul Arizin, a pioneer who also was one of the league’s great shooters, is the starting two guard. Arizin was a two-time scoring champion who went to the all-star game every year of his career, and was one of the 10 players selected to the league’s 25th Anniversary Team. This may be the best shooting starting backcourt in the tournament, and they’re backed up by two premier playmakers (Tim Hardaway and Guy Rodgers), a high-scoring shooter (Jeff Mullins), and a versatile, defensive-minded swingman who John Wooden once called “the greatest all-around basketball player” ever (Tom Gola).

The starting frontcourt is as prolific as any in the tournament. Rick Barry, a brilliant all-around offensive talent who led the team to their third championship, is the small forward. He’s joined by two of the great big men in NBA history. Neil Johnston used a devastating sweeping hook shot to lead the league in scoring three straight years. He was also efficient, leading the league in field percentage three times, true shooting percentage twice, and PER once. Unfortunately, he hasn’t received the accolades that other legends have; he was left off of the league’s 10-man Silver Anniversary team because only two centers were up for selection (George Mikan and Bill Russell received those honors), and he was left off the league’s 50-man Golden Anniversary team because, well, he got screwed. Wilt Chamberlain, the starting center, put up the cartoonish averages of 41.5 PPG and 25.1 RPG as a Warrior. He led the league in scoring every year he was with the franchise. In his five full seasons as a Warrior, he led the league in win shares per 48 minutes each year, and in rebounding and PER four times. He somehow averaged 47.2 minutes a game with the team, and may have been the greatest athlete to ever play his position. There’s no denying that the Golden State (Philadelphia and San Francisco at the time) version of Wilt was polarizing; in his five full seasons with the franchise, they never won 50 or more games, and had a cumulative .566 winning percentage (the equivalent of 46 wins in an 82 game season). He was traded for an embarrassing haul to save money, and was famously obsessed with his personal accomplishments. Regardless, he was an unstoppable force, and, paired with the rest of this starting lineup, will help the team contend for highest scoring honors in this tournament.

Off the bench, the frontcourt has more firepower in sweet shooting Chris Mullin, an original Dream Team player who averaged over 25 PPG for five straight seasons in his prime. Joe Fulks was a two-time scoring champion who led the team to the title in their inaugural season. It’s very difficult to tell how his game would translate to other eras (he was a 6’5” power forward who shot 30.5% and 25.9% in his two league-leading scoring seasons), but he was highly regarded, named as one of four forwards on the league’s Silver Anniversary team. Nate Thurmond, a rebounding and defensive star who was named to the league’s Golden Anniversary team, rounds out the bench.

Explosiveness. Brilliant play making. Exceptional shooting. Young Wilt. The number five seed in our tournament, the Warriors may be our most entertaining team, and will be impossible for opponents to defend.

Coach: Al Attles

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .467

All-Time Miami Heat vs. All-Time Utah Jazz

It’s easy to look at our next first round match up as a contrast of styles. The athleticism of the All-Time Heat vs. the precision of the All-Time Jazz. Wade and LeBron vs. Stockton and Malone. Alley-oop vs. pick-and-roll. However, both teams have strengths that go well beyond these stylistic differences. During the latter part of LeBron James’s tenure with the team, Miami mastered a beautiful offense based on ball movement and spacing. Expect their all-time team to implement this, especially when they play James at power forward and surround him with shooters. Jerry Sloan’s flex offense was ahead of its time, and will maximize the offensive talent of the high scoring team he leads in this tournament. These tactics and several key advantages held by each side will help determine the outcome of this series.

Miami’s Advantages

Perimeter athleticism: Utah doesn’t have a good option to defend Dwyane Wade. Pete Maravich and Jeff Hornacek are outclassed athletically. John Stockton will be busy guarding Tim Hardaway. The Wade and James combination can overwhelm people on both ends of the court, and Utah doesn’t have many rangy wings who can slow them down. Speaking of James…

Jack of all trades: LeBron James should dominate in this series. Adrian Dantley has no chance of slowing him down. Expect Utah to use Karl Malone on him at times, and to play Andrei Kirilenko big minutes as the primary LeBron defender. Neither is an ideal option; Malone isn’t quick enough to defend him on the perimeter, and Kirilenko doesn’t have the bulk to contend with the brilliant post-up game James developed with the Heat.

Battle of the big men: Alonzo Mourning and (an older) Shaquille O’Neal vs. Mark Eaton and Mehmet Okur. Enough said.

Utah’s Advantages

Offensive efficiency: Dantley, Stockton, and Malone are not only three of the great offensive players of all-time, but also three of the most efficient (ranking fifth, ninth, and 56th ever in true shooting percentage). No defense will be able to completely shut down this trio. Add in Maravich’s playmaking ability, and the long-range shooting of Hornacek, and this offense has the potential to be deadly.

X-Factor

Jazz’s pick-and-roll vs. Heat’s aggressive, blitzing defense: Can Miami’s aggressive approach disrupt one of the greatest orchestrators in NBA history?

Results

Despite the brilliance of Utah’s offensive playmakers, the two-way dominance of the Heat overwhelms the Jazz over the course of the series. How do you feel about that LeBron?

LeBron celebration pose

Miami wins, four games to two.

Next Round

Miami faces the All-Time Orlando Magic.

All-Time Miami Heat Team

All-Time Miami Heat Team Infographic

Is this the new dominant NBA franchise? After only 27 years of existence, the All-Time Miami Heat team has a mix of dominant wings, Hall of Fame big men, and clutch point guard play. With three championships in that short time, they enter our tournament as the ninth seed.

The team’s only true point guard is Tim Hardaway, who helped them amass a .664 win percentage during his five full seasons with the franchise (the equivalent of 54 wins per season). Although he no longer had the speed and quickness from his Golden State days, he was a clutch performer with Miami, and finished fourth and sixth in the MVP voting in 1997 and 1998. The starting shooting guard is the franchise’s signature player, Dwyane Wade, who’s emerged as one of the greatest shooting guards of all time. John Hollinger rated Wade’s 2006 NBA Finals performance as the greatest ever, and he’s led the league in scoring (2009), playoff scoring (2010), and PER (2007) during his Heat career.

Remember what I said about Milwaukee’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? The same applies for Miami’s LeBron James, who might be the most versatile player in this tournament. James’s ‘four years of college’ produced an NBA Finals appearance in every season, a 27 game winning streak, and the only two regular season MVP awards in franchise history. The underappreciated Chris Bosh is the starter at power forward. Bosh’s deadly midrange game fits beautifully alongside Wade’s slashing game and James’s all-court dominance.

Hall-of-Famer and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Alonzo Mourning is the team’s starting center. Mourning dominated the paint defensively, and putting him alongside James (a dominant defender), and Wade and Bosh (solid defenders) will make this team very difficult to score against.

This team’s bench consists of long-range shooters and big bodies. Expect Eddie Jones and Glen Rice to get plenty of minutes alongside James and Wade to space the floor. Jones was a good all-around player who defended wings very well, and Rice will play small forward when this team downsizes and places James at the four. Voshon Lenard is another three-point shooter who will play sparingly behind Hardaway, Wade, and Jones. P.J. Brown and Brian Grant provide nice size at power forward. Brown was a very solid defender, and both bring toughness and energy off the bench. Shaquille O’Neal and Rony Seikaly are the bench’s centers. Although Shaq was past his prime, he could still score on anybody one-on-one, and he finished second in the MVP voting in his first year with the franchise.

This team should be exceptionally versatile, largely due to James. Want to play big? Play James at point guard. Want to play small? Play him at power forward. Need a defensive stop? Have James guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player, and trot out a lineup of Wade, Jones, James, Brown, and Mourning. While their bench isn’t great, they have many effective players who fit well around their superstars. Despite the franchise’s youth, this team holds great potential, and will be a threat to advance far in our tournament.

Coach: Erik Spoelstra

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .518