Creating a death lineup is harder than it looks. Putting the all-time best players together on the court doesn’t always mean they will mesh together. Making sure that each player brings a certain strength to the table is key. Making sure that each player picks up on another player’s weakness is key.
The All-Time Greatest Roster
The Death Lineup Starters
PG: John Stockton – Every great team needs a great facilitator. What better player to choose than Stockton? On top of facilitating, it’s definitely a plus that he has the record for the most steals all-time.
SG: Michael Jordan – This one was easy to decide on. The combination of the GOAT’s elite defense and offense makes the backcourt close to unstoppable. Jordan was a given.
SF: Larry Bird – Most people would choose LeBron James for his versatility, but Bird is the right fit for this team, and also one of the best small forwards of all time. This team needs shooters, and Bird is no exception. Bird will easily give any team a hard time on defense.
PF: Dirk Nowitzki – Following the trend of shooters, Dirk helps space the floor tremendously. Being able to shoot from almost anywhere on the court always causes problems for the defense. Nowitzki is key for this team’s spacing as the center can’t shoot as well.
C: Shaquille O’Neal – Easily the most dominant force the NBA has ever seen. With his sheer strength and size in the paint, this guy will eat up your favorite player on a nightly basis.
The Ultimate Bench
PG: Gary Payton – Sticking with the defensive theme of the backcourt, Payton is a great addition. Being 6’4″ also allows Payton to guard some shooting guards if need be, so having a versatile defender for the backcourt is always helpful.
SG: Ray Allen – Allen is no doubt a top three-point shooter of all time. With almost 3,000 three-pointers made (2,973) and one of the best shooting percentages at 40 percent, Allen is a no brainer. He will provide a lot of spacing for this team, as well as the occasional big shot in crunch time.
SF: Andre Iguodala – This one is far out for sure, but Iguodala is one of the best leaders this game has ever seen. Although you can’t see it in the stats, Iguodala was the glue for the Warriors’ championship teams in the back half of this decade. Iguodala’s leadership and championship experience will easily help guide this team to victory.
PF: Dennis Rodman – Rodman and former teammate Jordan get to team up once again for this hypothetical superteam. Rodman, who is a stellar defender and rebounder, gives this team hope that they won’t give up 10 plus offensive boards every night. Although it is evident that Rodman could lose his temper and go off the rails every so often, there are plenty of leaders on this team to put him back in his place.
C: DeMarcus Cousins – After coming off an Achilles injury in the 2017-2018 season, and a quad injury in last year’s playoffs, Cousins needs a reset. The talent surrounding him will allow him to slowly ease back into his former self without overworking himself. Cousins’ ability to stretch the floor is also crucial in today’s NBA, he will fit this team perfectly.
Crafted to Perfection
Although the roster mostly consisted of all-time greats, notice how just the top ten players weren’t chosen. To create a great team, every piece has to flow with each other perfectly. It is easy to tell that each player’s weakness was picked up by another player’s strength. Each player brought their own skill to the table to make this team as versatile as can be. Again, this lineup is completely fictional but serves as a brain teaser on how to craft an NBA roster to perfection.
Main Photo
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