Flames All-Time NBA Team

So on the eve of 2 game 7's I thought it would be fun to construct my all-time NBA starting five and why. We are going to classify the team just like the NBA does, 2 guards, 2 fowards and 1 center. It doesn't matter if they played power forward or small forward, just simply the 2 best players. Lets Begin:

G - Earvin "Magic" Johnson, #32, Los Angeles Lakers - This was an easy one. He is truly the best point guard to ever the play game, and to be honest it's not even close. He is and was a true professional at every level. The only thing Magic knew how to do was win. He won in high school, college and of course at the NBA level. His career averages were 19.5 ppg, 11.2 apg, 7.2 rpg and 1.9 spg. He was the complete package. Watching Magic run the fast break was like watching Mozart play the piano or watching Picasso paint a picture. He was truly a magician out on the court. He won 5 NBA titles and had 8 NBA finals appearances. He was a 12 time all-star, 3 time finals MVP, 2 time all-star game MVP, 9 All-NBA appearances and 3 time league MVP. Magic is ranked 6th all-time on Basketball-References Hall of Fame probability rankings. He was the orchestrator of one of the greatest offenses in league history and revolutionized the game of basketball.

G - Michael Jordan, #23, Chicago Bulls - This was even an easier pick. If Magic was the best point guard to ever play, MJ was the best player to ever the play the game. He took the game of basketball to whole other level. Magic and Bird put the NBA on the map and MJ made it mainstream. He was one of the most feared and fierce competitors to ever play the game of basketball. His resume is pretty startling as well. He averaged for his CAREER 30.1 ppg as a shooting guard playing in a big mans era. He averaged 30.1 ppg when there was no such thing as hand check rules as well. He also averaged 5.3 apg, 6.2 rpg and 2.3 spg respectively. MJ was also an all-time defender. He could lock down any perimeter player and was maybe the best help defender to ever play the game. His favorite defensive move was to strip another player and steal the ball and lead the fast break. All these stats are great, but what was even more impressive was Jordan's 6 NBA titles in 6 NBA appearances. Air Jordan was a 14 time all-star, 1 time defensive player of the year, 3 time all-star game MVP, 6 time finals MVP, 10 All-NBA appearances, 9 All-NBA defensive team appearances and 5 time league MVP. He also has the #1 ranking according to basketball-references Hall of Fame probability rankings. He will go down as the best player to EVER play the game.

Other Guard Candidates - Oscar Robertson (1 title, #11 HOF Prob), Jerry West (1 title, #13 HOF Prob.) , Kobe Bryant (3 titles, #12 HOF Prob.), John Stockton (all-time assist and steals leader, #74 HOF Prob), Isiah Thomas (2 titles, #29 HOF Prob) and Clyde Drexler (1 title, #39 HOF Prob).

F- Larry Bird, #33, Boston Celtics - Now things get a little more interesting with the selection of the forward position. Bird just so happens to be the easy selection. Larry Legend is considered to be the best pure shooter the game as ever seen. Also a fierce competitor that could score at will and change a game from beyond the 3 point line. He was the consummate teammate and all he cared about was winning. Bird also has put up some pretty gaudy numbers as well. He had career averages of 24.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 6.3 apg and 1.7 spg. Those numbers speak for them self. He also won the NBA title 3 times. Along with his rings he was a 12 time all-star, 1 time all-star game MVP, 2 time finals MVP, 9 All-NBA appearances and 3 time NBA MVP. Bird is also ranked #5 in the Hall of Fame probability rankings. Larry still to this day is considered the greatest shooter to ever play.

F - Tim Duncan, #21, San Antonio Spurs - The forward position was very, very difficult to pick just one. There are many amazing forwards to play this game. But after narrowing it down I had to go with the Big Fundamental. Timmy is one of the best low post defenders to ever play the game. His will and focus on the basics has led him to win 4 NBA titles. Duncan is also a big game player. When his team needs a victory you can always count on Duncan to drop a 33 point, 19 rebound game to win. Also in today's game, he is one of the few players who is a true professional, on and off the court. To go along with all of this is Tim's phenomenal numbers. He has career averages of 21.4 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 3.2 apg and 2.4 bpg . So far in his illustrious career he is an 11 time all-star, 1 time all-star game MVP, 3 time finals MVP, 10 All-NBA appearances, 8 All-NBA defensive team appearances and 2 time league MVP. Timmy is also 8th on the Hall of Fame probability rankings. With all that said Tim Duncan belongs on this team.

Other Forward Candidates - Karl Malone (2nd all-time scoring leader, #9 HOF Prob.), Elgin Baylor (#14 HOF Prob.), Kevin Garnett (1 title, #17 HOF Prob.), Moses Malone (1 title, #19 HOF Probability), John Havlicek (8 titles, #20 HOF Prob.) Charles Barkley (#21 HOF Prob.) and Julius Erving (1 title, #25 HOF Prob.).

C - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, #33, Los Angeles Lakers & Milwaukee Bucks - The center position in the NBA is easily filled with the most all-time greats. I could have chosen 5 other different players and no one would have flinched. The reason I went with Cap was because he had the total package. He was a phenomenal defender (arguably the greatest shot blocker to ever play) and had the most dominant scoring move we have ever seen, the sky hook. Not only was Kareem a great player, he was a winner at every level. He was the best player on the best college team of all time at UCLA and won 6 NBA titles. People have said that Kareem is the best pure basketball player to ever play. Sky hook after sky hook, he scored at will, whenever he wanted too. He was the igniter of the show time Lakers with his great rebounding and outlet passing skills. Kareem played 20 NBA seasons and is the all-time scoring leader in NBA history. His career averages are 24.6 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 3.6 apg and 2.6 bpg (over 4 bpg in his prime). To go along with his is ridiculous stats are that he was a 19 time all-star, 2 time finals MVP, 10 All-NBA appearances, 5 All-NBA defensive team appearances and 6 time league MVP. He is also #2 on the Hall of Fame probability rankings. This was very hard to choose, but Kareem definitely deserves to be known as the greatest center to ever play.

Other Center Candidates - Bill Russell (11 titles, #3 HOF prob.), Shaquille O'Neal (4 titles, #7 HOF prob.), Wilt Chamberlain (2 titles, #4 HOF prob.), Hakeem Olajuwon (2 titles, #15 HOF Prob.) and George Mikan (5 titles, #24 HOF prob.).