What is the greatest team in the NBA? The debate has been going on for years. Some say it’s the 1986 Boston Celtics, while others say it’s the 2014 San Antonio Spurs and the list goes on. However, recently the former Los Angeles Lakers player, Nick Young, known for getting into controversies, has gotten into another one because of his disputed take on the aforementioned topic. But this time, Stephen A Smith was quick to dismiss him.

Following what was said during the Gill Arenas podcast, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith spared no time to give his take on the matter. “We going to forget Michael Jordan with Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman? We going to forget how volatile the game of basketball was then and how you could get away with stuff then that you couldn’t get away with now?” said Smith in his show.

Michael Jordan was indeed a boon for the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. Under his leadership and Scottie Pippen’s support, the Bulls clinched their first-ever championship in 1991 and went on to win 5 more others in two three-peats. Smith has emphasized the fact that the 1995-1996 Bulls team was the best ever and he might be true. With Dennis Rodman entering the team in 1995, the team saw whole new heights that year. Coming with a defensive prowess stat line of 5.5 PPG, 14.9 RPG, and 2.5 PPG, Rodman helped the Bulls deliver one of the best seasons. The Bulls won the 1995-1996 championship and also had the best W-L for years, which was 72 wins and just 10 losses.

Let’s recap what the controversial take was in the ‘Gil’s Arena podcast’. When asked if he still thinks the 2018 Golden State Warriors is the best team or not, Young replied, “Yeah I think so.” According to him, the 2018 Warriors team led by the trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant, was the best team since they were dominant on both the offensive and defensive sides of the floor and would have challenged anybody who would’ve gone to play against them. 

As the debate rages on, basketball fans are once again treated to a celebration of the sport’s rich history. Whether one sides with Young’s recency bias or Smith’s historical perspective, the conversation highlights the NBA’s ability to continually produce teams and players that push the boundaries of excellence. However, Smith in his show didn’t just dismiss Young’s opinion, but also dismissed another player’s perspective.

Stephen A Smith rejected Kenyon Martin’s opinion too

In the recent Gill Arenas podcast Swaggy P. got himself into a heated argument with former Denver Nuggets power forward Kenyon Martin. While Young remained frigid to his take on the 2018 Golden State Warriors, to the latter’s belief, the 2002 Los Angeles Lakers were the best team in NBA history. However, Smith didn’t take any time to snub him too.

Martin who was a part of the Brooklyn Nets in 2002 shared his take that Shaquille O’Neal delivered a dominant performance in the 2002 NBA finals against his team. “K-Mart, because you know better than me bro. Y’all play, Sh**, I ain’t in y’all class. Y’all know. And when you look at ‘Yeah, no, you ain’t got nobody to guard Shaq or anything like that,’ But you’ve got 18 fouls to give if you look back at that team from the big man spot.” said Smith in response of Martin’s take.

According to Smith players like Luc Longley, Bill Wennington, John Salley, and Dickey Simpkins were better than Shaquille O’Neal, and how these players would have made fewer fouls than Shaq. Whether Smith’s dismissal is justified or simply a hot take remains to be seen.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger