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By: Tamir Barkan

1992 vs 2012:  Another Dream Team WHO's BETTER analysis

OLD TOPIC: But its a generation thing and always a fun to debate.

THE USUAL ARGUMENTS:

1. 1992 were old vs 2012 in their prime
   
2. 1992 were slow vs 2012 are athletic
3. Who could guard Lebron?

1st lets review the numbers...

1. AGE: 1992 average age = 29 years old vs 2012 average age = 26 years old.  NOT THAT OLD
2. EXPERIENCE: 1992 = 8 year in league vs 2012 = 8 years in the league. NOT MUCH DIFFERENT
3. Below states as a team average for their careers at the point of selection (1992 for the Dream Team and 2012 for the "little brother" team)

But is that a fair comparison?

The NBA was a different league in different era's.  Its hard to compare pure stats.  An average NBA team in 1992 scored 105.3 ppg while in 2012 it was 96.3.  You can argue, maybe the pace was quicker or players were just better scorers in 1992, or you can argue that defense was better in 2012.  

Players on 2012 are more athletic?  Well, yes, that happens with evolution of athletes, however is that a fare comparison?  Babe Ruth would get crushed by Bonds "athletically", but if Ruth had today's technology, medical advances, training knowledge, and "additional" help, how dominant would he have been.   Similarly would Larry Bird have still been in his prime with modern medicine and training?  Would Magic Johnson still have dominated had HIV not been considered a death sentence?

Who would guard Lebron?  Who would guard, Magic, Ewing, Robinson, Barkley, and Malone?

What about the below comparison.  Which puts in context the greatness of players in their respective eras (these are the number of times for the entire team they were selected All Stars, MVP's, All NBA's 1st + 2nd Teams, All Def's 1st + 2nd Teams, Def POY, NBA Champions, and Finals MVP's-

THE BIGGEST DIFFENTIAL IS ALL NBA by a staggering amount.

The above is a analysis of experience and career achievement (only for years leading up to 1992 and 2012.

The below looks at the same criteria but only for the year prior to olympics (gauges how good were the players at that moment in time)

Telling no?

And last but not least, a personal high level eye test analysis -

Eye Test -

Larry Legend said it best...

"They probably could.  I haven't played in 20 years and we are all old now!"