All about cars

As with many other sports video game enthusiasts from the ages of 23 to 40, I was nearly floored the other day by this report that the NBA Jam franchise will get a fresh rejuvenation. New York Magazine’s sports department apparently has nothing to do all day, which enabled them to crank out a list of possible NBA Jam rosters from the current set of NBA teams.

Rather than write an entire post reacting to NY Mag’s picks (yes, the Lakers, Magic and Celtics have the three best teams), I’d prefer to list the top hypothetical NBA Jam rosters had the game been produced through the ’90s and ’00s. Who are the teams from 1995-2009 that would’ve provided the greatest NBA Jam squads? I’ll go Top 11 and follow NY Mag’s style. In other words, three players per team with the two starters in caps.

11. 2002-03 Golden State Warriors — ANTAWN JAMISON, JASON RICHARDSON, Gilbert Arenas

This would be the smallest group overall but it contains possibly the best mix of scorers who can dribble and shoot. No shot blocking but enough three-point threats and plenty of dunking. Still, you gotta feel handicapped by their lack of size.

10. 2005-06 Minnesota Timberwolves — KEVIN GARNETT, WALLY SZCZERBIAK, Ricky Davis

KG a year after his peak, Wally’s a 6′7 sharpshooter and Davis is taller than he seems (6′6) and throws down crazy dunks. Plus, you can try to score a triple-double with him and have him take a shot at the opponent’s rim to grab his own rebound — just like it happened in real life.

9. 1999-2000 Toronto Raptors — VINCE CARTER, TRACY MCGRADY, Charles Oakley

Hard to imagine Half-Man, Half-Amazing and T-Mac played together at one time. This was Vince’s peak as a showman, highlighted by that amazing performance at the Slam Dunk competition during All-Star Weekend. Davis is here as the stereotypical big man for rebounding/knocking heads, but it could just as easily be Oakley. Come to think of it, we’ll make it Oak.

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