[diamond6]

Yeah, I know Wilt and Mikan are not power forwards, but they would work great with the chemistry of this team. Wilt had many seasons in which he averaged over 20 rebounds per game, and he would also be a defensive force against any other power forward. Mikan had the size that power forwards have now, so he would also be a natural at that position.

Kobe at point guard? Yes. On this team, we need another guard that has his slashing, penetrating style, and Scott was more of a jump shooter.

[diamond6]

What do you think, guys?

[mrustow]

<I>Yeah, I know Wilt and Mikan are not power forwards, but they would work great with the chemistry of this team. Wilt had many seasons in which he averaged over 20 rebounds per game, and he would also be a defensive force against any other power forward. Mikan had the size that power forwards have now, so he would also be a natural at that position.</I>


Na na na -- in those days, centers were the big rebounders (see also Russell, Bill; Reed, Willis; Thurmond, Nate, et al.). Wilt and Mikan were centers, and centers they must remain.


<I>Kobe at point guard? Yes. On this team, we need another guard that has his slashing, penetrating style, and Scott was more of a jump shooter.</I>


Similar problem -- Byron Scott was a shooting guard, but so too is Kobe. Until Bryant actually plays the point, you can't make him a point guard.

[Charles Henrickson]

You have no true power forward on your team. Chamberlain, O'Neal, and Abdul-Jabbar were all true centers. The LA Lakers have not really had any great power forwards. (The Minneapolis Lakers did, but I'm not counting them. That's also why I don't consider Mikan at center.) But I think either Kareem or Shaq could play power forward. Wilt did not run the court that well in his Laker years. Kareem relied on height and agility. Shaq is pure power, much like Wilt. (I saw both Chamberlain and Alcindor/Abdul-Jabbar play in person many, many times during the early-mid '70s, when they came to Chicago.) So I'll take the three of them and rotate them at the two big-man positions. Kareem is actually the greatest of them as an LA Laker. Wilt's best years were elsewhere, and Shaq has a few more years to go yet to be ranked with Kareem.

Here's my all-time LA Laker team:

Center/Power forwards
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Shaquille O'Neal
Wilt Chamberlain (back-up)

Small forwards
Elgin Baylor
James Worthy (back-up)

Guards
Ervin "Magic" Johnson
Jerry West
Kobe Bryant (back-up)

Only eight players, you say? That's all that would be needed. And the team would never lose a game. Also, these are the only truly great, Hall-of-Fame-type players the LA Lakers have had.

[A CA Guy]

I think you have a good lineup there.
I could not have done any better.

[Charles Henrickson]

Here is my all-time all-NBA team, three-deep at each position:

Centers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Wilt Chamberlain
Bill Russell

Power forwards
Karl Malone
Bob Pettit
Elvin Hayes

Small forwards
Larry Bird
Julius Erving
Elgin Baylor

Shooting guards
Michael Jordan
Oscar Robertson
Jerry West

Point guards
Magic Johnson
John Stockton
Bob Cousy

[altair]

That's a great team, no doubt about it. I question putting Scott ahead of Cooper. Cooper won so many games coming off the bench and the Magic to Cooper Coop-a-loops were fun to watch.

[farmfriend]

Kobe at point guard? Yes. On this team, we need another guard that has his slashing, penetrating style, and Scott was more of a jump shooter.

You mean like elbowing guys in the nose?

[LonePalm]

If you want roundball, try the base variety. Thank God the NBL and the NHL are over. They should be DONE by the 1st of April and not start unitl 1 November. It's bad enough that we have to put up with them for 6 months of the year. We won't even TALK about the NFL. At least Baseball has the decency to stop during cold weather.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)