You're are right on about those ommissions, I completely forgot Malone (even though I added Stocton), and Robinson. I thought about Ewing, I don't know why I forgot to add him, and I just refused to add Pippen on principle. The 90's definitly had a better group of centers. Brand when healthy is definitly better than Thorpe, as much as I like Thorpe, if its not a dunk or layup you can forget about it. As far as your starting five, Shaq, Duncan, Garnett, Kobe, and Kidd would give that team a run for their money, and if it wasn't for Jordan's will, I wouldn't even think twice about taking the younger group, not to mention McGrady isn't even in that lineup.
Olajuown v. Shaq, I'd say is about even Malone v. Duncan, slight edge to TD Pipp/etc. v. Garnett, Edge to KG Jordan v. Kobe, Edge to Jordan Stockton v. Kidd, Edge to Flopton My point on Elton Brand is that he has barely done anything in the NBA to be compared to guys like Barkley and Malone. Look at Otis Thorpe and or Kevin Willis' numbers from their early careers, far more similar to Brand than Barkley or Malones are. Would the 2000s team win a slam dunk contest? Absolutely, they're probably better pure athletes. But better basketball players, whatever that may mean? I think that 90's team wins hands down.
