Chris, Author at BBallHistory.com

All-Time Houston Rockets vs. All-Time Phoenix Suns

Our next match features two teams with contrasting styles. The All-Time Rockets are one of the biggest teams in our tournament, and feature two of the greatest big men in history, Hakeem Olajuwon and Moses Malone, in the starting lineup. The All-Time Suns are one of the tournament’s most offensively explosive teams, and feature a trio of dominant point guards, Steve Nash, Kevin Johnson, and Jason Kidd, who can dictate a breakneck pace. Who will advance? Here’s the tale of the tape.

Houston’s Advantages

Size, rebounding, and interior defense: Dream. Moses. The Big E. Yao. Sampson. Houston has a collection of big men that can wear down any opponent, especially the undersized Suns. This group can dominate the glass, and control the paint on defense.

Phoenix’s interior defense: Conversely, Phoenix starts one of the worst defensive big men pairings in the tournament. The 6’4” Charles Barkley and the 6’10” Amar’e Stoudemire were brilliant offensive playmakers, but were deficient on the defensive end. Off the bench, Larry Nance was a good interior defender, but Alvan Adams and Tom Chambers weren’t known for their work on that end of the court. Houston’s big men should feast in this series.

Phoenix’s Advantages

Perimeter play making: The Rockets don’t have a good counter for Phoenix’s trio of point guards. Phoenix also has superior shooting, and a deeper perimeter arsenal. Expect them to speed up the games, and try to outrun the Rockets.

Positional flexibility: Phoenix has the ability to throw many different looks at Houston. They can use several different two point guard sets, go small with Shawn Marion or Connie Hawkins at the four, or try to contend with Houston’s size with some combination of Barkley, Nance, Chambers, Stoudemire, and Adams.

X-Factor

Pace: Who will be able to control the tempo in this series? Phoenix will try to run-and-gun, with their elite perimeter play makers. Houston will play very deliberately, running their offense through their fleet of elite big men. The team that’s better able to dictate the pace may wind up winning the series.

Results

Barkley’s Suns were never able to beat Olajuwon’s Rockets in the 1994 and 1995 playoffs, losing in two incredible seven game series. The common thread was that nobody on Phoenix could stop one of the greatest big game players in NBA history, Hakeem Olajuwon. With Moses Malone by his side, that pattern continues.

Rockets win, four games to three.

Next Round

Houston faces the All-Time Warriors.

All-Time Phoenix Suns Team

The All-Time Phoenix Suns team is exactly what you’d expect them to be. Exciting. Full of brilliant play makers. Deep. The Suns have a rich tradition, currently ranking fourth among all active franchises in all-time winning percentage, at .551, behind three teams that have combined for 38 championships (the Lakers, Spurs, and Celtics). Unfortunately, Phoenix has not yet been able to break through, twice losing in the Finals. Why have they not been able to win it all? Personally, I always considered them to be an offensive-minded franchise, but that has not always been the case, as seen in their year-by-year ranks in offensive and defensive rating:

Sure, they’ve had more years where they were dominant on the offensive side of the ball, but they have had periods where they were able to compete at a high level defensively, as well. Other than the period from 1989-1993, however, they haven’t been great on both ends of the court at the same time, which may be a reason why they’ve never been able to win the big prize. Regardless, their all-time team is one of the most fun in our tournament, and will present match up problems for their first round opponent.

The starting backcourt consists of the dynamic combination of Steve Nash and Paul Westphal. For his Phoenix career, Nash was able to cumulatively surpass the shooter’s holy grail of 50-40-90 (50 percent field goal percentage, 40 percent three-point field goal percentage, 90 percent free throw percentage). Certain calculations had Nash leading the league’s top offense for nine straight years, and even if his two MVP awards sparked some controversy, he’s undoubtedly one of greatest offensive players ever. Westphal was a superstar in his prime, making the all-NBA first team three out of four years from 1977-1980 (and making the second team the other year), and leading the Suns to their first NBA Finals appearance in 1976. There’s little drop off to the guards on the bench. Kevin Johnson was a dynamic playmaker who has a legitimate Hall-of-Fame case. Jason Kidd is one of the greatest all-around guards ever, and adds a much needed defensive presence to this backcourt. Walter Davis, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, will also see heavy minutes as the best shooter (outside of Nash) on the team.

Shawn Marion, the starting small forward, will play a key role as the main (and only) defensive stopper in the starting lineup. He provides this team with great flexibility, since he can play either forward position. Charles Barkley, the team’s first MVP, who led the franchise to its second NBA Finals appearance, is the starting power forward. Though he wasn’t the athletic marvel that he was in Philadelphia, he was still one of the best players in the league on the Suns, and provides them with a dominant low-post scorer. Amar’e Stoudemire, one of the great pick-and-roll big men ever in his prime, is the starting center. At his peak, Stoudemire was one of the best offensive players in the league. For his Suns career, he had a cumulative .606 true shooting percentage. In 15 games in the 2005 playoffs, he averaged 29.9 PPG, 10.7 RPG, shot 53.9% from the field, and had a 27.6 PER. Off the bench, Hall-of-Famer Connie Hawkins can play at either forward position. Though he sadly wasn’t able to enter the NBA until he was 27, he still made a great impact on the Suns, and was named to the All-NBA first team in his first year with the franchise. Larry Nance was a great all-around player, who will be this team’s best rim protector. Tom Chambers was another offensively talented big man, and Alvan Adams, one of the great passing centers ever, rounds out the bench.

This team will be an offensive force that can throw many different looks at their opponents. A big issue will be the defensive performance of their starting lineup. Paul Westphal, Barkley’s former coach, was once quoted as saying, “next to Shaq, Charles may have been the worst player in history at defending the pick-and-roll.” Stoudemire and Nash were poor defenders as well. Expect big minutes for Marion, Kidd, and Nance to help make up for the defensive deficiencies of their teammates.

Coach: Cotton Fitzsimmons (you can’t go wrong with John MacLeod, Paul Westphal, or Mike D’Antoni, but Fitzsimmons led the team to top 10 finishes in both offense and defense from 1989-1992)

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .551

All-Time Houston Rockets Team

The All-Time Houston Rockets team is…missing somebody. When I started this tournament, I thought it was important to put certain rules in place to ensure that each player had a long-lasting impact on his franchise. Thus, every player must have played (at least part of) four years with the franchise in question, plus 200 or more games. The only exception is for the newest expansion teams, who have no chance of advancing in the tournament anyway. Unfortunately, James Harden, who is well on his way to becoming the greatest guard in franchise history, just completed his third year with the team, and does not yet qualify for inclusion. I’m sorry Houston. My arbitrary rules really hurt you here. Despite this omission, this team will be very difficult to play, due in large part to their collection of quality big men.

Ironically, one of the biggest teams in the tournament has one of the smallest players as their starting lead guard. Hall-of-Famer Calvin Murphy, the “Pocket Rocket,” only stood at 5’9”, but was lightning-quick and emerged as one of the greatest free throw shooters in NBA history. Surprisingly, he made only one all-star game in his career, but he was a valuable offensive player who could play at either guard position. He’s joined in the backcourt by fellow Hall-of-Famer Clyde Drexler. In his Houston years, Drexler was no longer charged with being his team’s go-to-guy, but he was still an excellent all-around player who fit in perfectly with their Hall-of-Fame center (more on him momentarily). They’re backed up by guards Kenny Smith and Steve Francis. Smith will be an integral role player on this team; he’s by far their best three-point shooter, and does not need the ball in his hands to be effective. Francis was a ball-dominant guard who won a Rookie of the Year award and made three all-star games with the Rockets before his career disintegrated. Although he might not be the best fit on this team with other (and better) scorers, he’s another talented offensive weapon that can hurt opposing defenses.

Tracy McGrady is the starting small forward. Already, I chronicled his amazing peak years; in Houston, he didn’t quite hit the heights of his Orlando years, but he was still a brilliant all-around offensive weapon (this will always go down as one of the great sequences in league history). He’ll combine with Drexler to give this team a versatile and lengthy wing combination. He’s joined in the starting lineup by two of the greatest centers in NBA history. Moses Malone won two MVP awards as a Rocket, and established his reputation as perhaps the greatest offensive rebounder of the modern era (he currently ranks first in NBA history, though this stat was not officially recorded until the 1973-74 season). Hakeem Olajuwon led the franchise to its only two championships with his clutch play and all-around brilliance. He raised his game in the playoffs, averaging 26.6 PPG, 11.4 RPG, and 3.3 BPG while shooting 52.8% in 140 playoff games with Houston. In three Finals appearances, he averaged 27.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and 3.2 BPG while shooting 48.8% in 17 games against four of the greatest centers ever (Robert Parish and Bill Walton in 1986, Patrick Ewing in 1994, and Shaquille O’Neal in 1995). They’re backed up by five-time all-star Rudy Tomjanovich, a natural power forward who will have to play some time at the three for this team, and a host of power players. Elvin Hayes was a 20-10 man for the Rockets who currently ranks in the top 10 in NBA history in total points and rebounds. Otis Thorpe was a solid power forward who will play sparingly in this stacked frontcourt. The backup centers are two of the tallest players in NBA history, 7’5” Yao Ming and 7’4” Ralph Sampson. Both suffered from injuries that derailed their careers, but each was very effective in their time with the Rockets. Sampson was a versatile big man who played alongside Hakeem Olajuwon in their second NBA Finals appearance, and Ming was a dominant offensive player, who, if he qualified, would rank 11th in NBA history in true shooting percentage and 17th in PER.

Expect this team to play two big men at all times, and to experiment with some three-big lineups. They should play at a slow pace, and pound the ball inside on offense. The 12th seeded team in our tournament, they have a fascinating first-round match up with the All-Time Suns.

Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich (he’ll be pulling double-duty as a player-coach)

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .517

All-Time Golden State Warriors vs. All-Time Toronto Raptors

Get ready for an epic showdown. The All-Time Golden State Warriors vs. All-Time Toronto Raptors promises to electrify…ok, I can’t do it. I’m not going to waste anyone’s time here.

Results

Warriors sweep 4-0.

Next Round

Golden State faces the winner of the All-Time Rockets vs. All-Time Suns.

Instead of the usual breakdown, I’m going to use this space to try to contextualize Wilt Chamberlain’s absurd scoring averages with the Warriors.

Here are the 15 highest scoring seasons in NBA history, by points per game. Not surprisingly, Wilt’s six years with the Warriors are all included here. Rick Barry’s second season with Golden State (then San Francisco), when he averaged an otherworldly 35.6 points per game, a record for an NBA forward, is also included; making Golden State by far the most represented team on the list.

Basketball-reference.com lists an estimate for each team’s number of possessions per 48 minutes, by year (called Pace Factor). However, this information is only available since 1973-74; other estimates were used for team pace prior to this date. These estimates help us understand how much the game has changed since Wilt’s heyday. In his record-breaking 1961-62 season, the estimate for the Warriors’ pace was 131.1, and the average team scored 118.8 points per game. Compare that to Kobe Bryant’s 2005-06 season, when he averaged 35.4 points per game with a team pace of 90.9, and a league scoring average of 97.0. Also of note is Bob McAdoo’s underrated 1974-75 season, when he averaged 34.5 points per game with a team pace of 107.3 and a league scoring average of 107.6.

In addition, basketball-reference.com has a year-by-year breakdown of the top 10 players in true shooting percentage. True shooting takes into account three-point field goals and free throws; however, it’s important to note that the NBA did not adopt the three-point line until the 1979-80 season. This benefited players who played close to the basket, like Chamberlain, and hurt long-range shooters, like Pete Maravich, who would have thrived with a three point line. Regardless, we see that in Wilt’s three highest scoring seasons, he ranked in the top 6 in the league in true shooting percentage. Barry ranked ninth in his breakout 1966-67 season. Remarkably, Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were both able to surpass a .600 true shooting percentage in high-scoring seasons; Jabbar ranked 2nd in the league in 1971-72, while Michael ranked just outside of the top-10 in 1987-88, his first MVP season.

Finally, we can see how far ahead of the competition each player was in his prolific scoring season(s). Elgin Baylor is the only player on the list who did not lead the league in scoring; in both 1960-61 and 1962-63, he averaged 34 points per game plus, but did not win the scoring title because of Chamberlain. Speaking of Wilt, in his 1961-62 season, he was 18.8 points ahead of the league’s next leading scorer. It’s safe to say that this type of disparity will never be approached again.

This data shows that Wilt scored efficiently with the Warriors, and was a monster in relation to his competition. However, the league was much different back then, and he benefited from an absurdly fast-paced environment. Even though nobody will ever approach his raw averages again, we have seen players put up scoring numbers that, when considering context, were nearly as impressive.

All-Time Toronto Raptors Team

I had to bend the rules with our next franchise. To help them field a competitive team, I dropped the four-year requirement, since they’ve only been around for 20 years. All players did meet the second requirement (200 games played), and this adjustment allowed us to include their current all-star point guard (Kyle Lowry), and their first Rookie of the Year (Damon Stoudamire). The all-time Toronto Raptors team clearly doesn’t have a chance against more established franchises, but they’re a fun unit with solid play makers littered throughout the roster.

The starting backcourt is the team’s current pairing, all-stars Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan. Lowry is a pit bull who is an all-around force, despite his small stature (6’0”). DeRozan is a high scorer who struggles with efficiency; he has an advanced mid-range game, but would be well-served to work on his outside shot and decision-making. Despite these flaws, he has jaw-dropping athleticism, and will pair with Vince Carter to give them one of the more athletic wing pairings in the tournament.

Carter, the starting small forward, is the franchise’s signature player. Why? Here are a few reasons:

For my money, he’s the greatest dunker ever, and beyond that, was a prolific scorer with Toronto who will be an interesting Hall-of-Fame candidate when his career is over. Chris Bosh, the starting power forward, was the franchise’s other signature star, who could score by using his quickness advantage over other big men and by using his deadly mid-range game. Antonio Davis, the starting center, was a solid player who could do the dirty work, and his presence will enable the lithe Bosh to avoid getting banged up down low.

The bench is led by two prolific play makers, Stoudamire and Jose Calderon. Stoudamire was the franchise’s first attraction, and will be the most explosive player for the second unit. Calderon was one of the great shooters at the point guard position, and can also play at off guard if needed. Doug Christie blossomed in Toronto, and developed his reputation as an elite perimeter defender who could also score when needed. Morris Peterson was an average swing man, who was a solid three-point shooter over the course of his Raptors career. Amir Johnson is a solid and efficient back-up power forward, and he’s joined by Andrea Bargnani, the only number one draft pick in team history, and Jonas Valanciunas as the backup big men. Although he’s had a disappointing career, Bargnani was an offensive threat with the Raptors, and Valanciunas is a very effective post player who’s lacking on the defensive end.

This team is solid, and would be a contender if they were competing in today’s Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, they’re playing against tradition-rich franchises in our tournament, and have an impossible first-round match up awaiting them.

Coach: Dwane Casey

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .426

All-Time Golden State Warriors Team

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 Sacramento Kings vs. All-Time Denver Nuggets

Our next match features two teams that would be really fun to watch. The battle between the All-Time Sacramento Kings vs. All-Time Denver Nuggets should be highly competitive, with an abundance of scoring and fast-paced action. Who would come out on top? Each team has several key advantages.

Sacramento’s Advantages

Dominant guard play: The Kings will be led by their guard play, with five Hall-of-Famers in their backcourt. Oscar Robertson and Tiny Archibald will dictate the pace for their starting unit, and Bob Davies, Bobby Wanzer, and Mitch Richmond will lead the bench unit. Expect them to experiment with three guard lineups, which will be particularly effective when Richmond is paired with two of the three lead guards, to help space the floor. Denver does have solid backcourt defenders in Fat Lever and Chauncey Billups, and the Kings do not have a good defensive counter for David Thompson. Despite this, Sacramento has a deeper backcourt.

Battle of the boards: Sacramento has one of the great rebounders in NBA history, Jerry Lucas, alongside double-double machine Chris Webber and Oscar Robertson, who can also dominate the glass. While Denver’s Fat Lever should be able to cancel out Robertson, Bobby Jones and Dan Issel will have a lot of trouble with the other two. Expect Dikembe Mutombo, Denver’s best rebounder and defender, to get heavy minutes in this series.

Three-point shooting: The Kings’ playmaking guards will have a field day when Richmond and Peja Stojakovic are on the floor. This team can experiment with modern NBA basketball for periods of each game, with Peja as a stretch four.

Denver’s Advantages

Defensive versatility: Normally, the Nuggets aren’t associated with defense, but they have several stoppers who will loom large in this series. Bobby Jones is the one of the great defenders ever, and will see time against Jack Twyman, Jerry Lucas, and Chris Webber. Dikembe Mutombo and Marcus Camby were excellent rim protectors who will each be needed to slow down the penetrating Archibald and the other Kings scorers at the rim.

Wing scoring: Sacramento doesn’t have the personnel to stop David Thompson, Alex English, Carmelo Anthony, and Kiki Vandeweghe. Denver can experiment with lineups where three of these individuals play together, which could be an excellent counter to Sacramento’s small ball lineups.

X-Factor

Sacramento’s defense: Can the Kings get any stops with a lineup that doesn’t include any all-NBA defenders? None of the Kings from the modern era were known for their work on the defensive side of the ball, so they may be forced to outscore the Nuggets to have a chance to win the series.

Results

Run-and-gun. This series goes back and forth, with many high scoring encounters. Sacramento struggles defensively, as expected, with Thompson, Issel, and English repeatedly burning them. In the deciding game, Oscar Robertson controls the action, and the Kings outrebound Denver in a close affair.

Sacramento wins, four games to three.

Next Round

Sacramento faces the All-Time Spurs.

All-Time Denver Nuggets Team

Our next franchise is the embodiment of…mediocrity. That sounds harsher than intended; they have won almost exactly half of their games played, with a .499 all-time winning percentage. They started as a successful ABA franchise, winning 60 games or more twice, and competing in the only Finals in team history. Since then, they’ve been a frequent playoff participant (earning a trip in 24 of their 39 NBA seasons), but have never really emerged as a title contender, peaking as a Western Conference finalist twice. The All-Time Denver Nuggets team reflects their standing as a solid yet unspectacular franchise, with good to great players littered throughout the roster, without the all-time legends that many other teams boast.

The starting point guard is triple-double machine Fat Lever, a uniquely gifted all-around player who was a special rebounder for his size (6’3”). Lever was also a threat on the defensive end, ranking in the top 10 in NBA history in both steals per game and steal percentage. The two guard, Hall-of-Famer David Thompson, is a classic ‘what if?’ player, who still was able to dominate both the ABA and NBA in a short period of time before injuries and personal issues derailed his career. At his peak, Thompson was a two-time all-NBA first-team player, who was one of five players to ever score over 70 points in a single game. Off the bench, Chauncey Billups, who spent both early and late years of his career with the Nuggets, provides the team with its best three-point shooting threat (seventh ever in made three point field goals), and another excellent all-around option who can play alongside both starters. Ralph Simpson, a high scorer from the ABA days, will also see minutes at shooting guard.

The frontcourt has a mix of dominant scorers and defensive stoppers. Hall-of-Famer Alex English is a top 20 scorer in NBA history, and will combine with Thompson to form an unstoppable wing combination. He’s backed up by Carmelo Anthony, another deadly scorer with greater size to provide opponents with a different look. A third high-scorer, Kiki Vandeweghe, will back up both forward positions; while none of these three are defensive stoppers, they should be able to outscore most small forward pairings. The starting power forward, Bobby Jones, is best known for his work on the 76ers, but he started out as a three-time all-star on the Nuggets, and provides the starting unit with a much-needed dominating defensive presence. He’s backed up by the explosive Antonio McDyess, a high-flyer with a solid mid-range game whose career was also affected by injuries. The starting center, Hall-of-Famer Dan Issel, made up for his (relatively) small stature with a crafty offensive game and a relentless motor. He’s backed up by two defensive stalwarts, Hall-of-Famer Dikembe Mutombo and Marcus Camby, who each won a Defensive Player of the Year award with Denver.

This team should be tremendously versatile, capable of trotting out quality offensive and defensive lineups. Down the stretch of close games, Mutombo, Jones, Billups and Lever should form a stingy defensive unit, while their high scoring wings and Issel will help them to score on anybody. The 20th seed in our tournament, the Nuggets will face the Sacramento Kings in their first-round match up.

Coach: Larry Brown

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .499

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