Shaquille O’Neal shared an Instagram graphic featuring the best starting five from the 1990s to the 2020s.
1990s Starting Lineup: John Stockton, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon
2000s Starting Lineup: Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Shaquille O’Neal
2010s Starting Lineup: Stephen Curry, James Harden, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis
2020s Starting Lineup: Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid
The teams that Shaq has put shared are incredibly strong. They could be questioned in terms of different fit issues, but the lineups are overall extremely valid.
The 1990s team is fierce, featuring the GOAT Michael Jordan along with his running-mate Scottie Pippen. The leading scorer of the era Karl Malone appears alongside his co-star and all-time assists and steals leader John Stockton. The lineup is rounded out by arguably the most complete center in NBA history, Hakeem Olajuwon.
The 2000s era features five former MVPs, with Allen Iverson alongside the legendary Kobe Bryant in the backcourt. The frontcourt featured Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, though Dirk Nowitzki or LeBron James could also be options here. Big Shaq himself completes the lineup, arguably the most dominant center in NBA history during his 2000s prime.
The 2010s also have an MVP-studded lineup, with Stephen Curry and James Harden in the backcourt. LeBron James is an unquestioned selection alongside Kevin Durant. Anthony Davis features as the most talented center of a decade lacking in elite center play, as Davis isn’t a former MVP and won a title as a second option.
The 2020s aren’t even five years in, so this five could change. But Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic are the perfect five for this list. Not only are they arguably the three-best players in the NBA right now, three have already won MVPs this decade and Shai could join them this season.
What Would Happen If These Lineups Faced Each Other?
In terms of balance, the 1990s would be the scariest team to beat. They have five players that could complement each other really well, though a question could be raised regarding how Malone would fair defensively and with reduced usage. Outside of that minor concern, this team is the best built in terms of skill sets.
The 2000s team is iconic but doesn’t have a real playmaker, with Iverson himself saying he prefers playing as a shooting guard. The three bigs could be problematic as well, with the team overloading on defense while featuring two iso scorers as the primary perimeter threats. Shaq on the inside is a massive advantage, but he’s only going against the best of the best in this situation, so some margin of error should be considered.
The 2010s team might be the most offensively potent and functional with the Curry-Harden backcourt. Curry thrives as an off-ball scorer while Harden is arguably one of the best playmakers of the generation. LeBron James would be the most versatile player of all lineups and could affect the game in a number of ways. Durant’s scoring fits well on any star team, but Anthony Davis at center could be their Achilles heel.
Just because we haven’t seen enough, the 2020s team would likely fare the worst. The talent is incredible, but genuine questions can be raised around a Jokic-Embiid frontcourt. Shai isn’t a proven postseason performer just yet, so his validity in this could be questioned. Doncic could transcend eras offensively, but he’s arguably the weakest defender out of all players named across lineups and would get exploited.
The 1990s or 2010s could be the ultimate winner here based on the relative fit and matchup options they have. The 2000s has incredible talent, but so do all other teams, so it’d likely be a coin flip.
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