Breaking Down How 2012 Team USA Basketball Matches Up with Each Dream Team

Ever since Kobe Bryant gave the opinion that the 2012 USA men's basketball team could beat the 1992 Dream Team squad, we've been inundated with countless debates on the topic.

Most scoffed at the notion of any team beating what's thought to be the greatest assemblage of talent the basketball world has ever seen.  

But while debating one team against another is well and good, what about the other Olympic squads? Could the 2012 team take care of business against any of them?  

Here's a full breakdown of how the 2012 Team USA squad would match up against each team since 1992.  

1992 Team USA vs. 2012 Team USA

Point Guards

1992:  Magic Johnson, John Stockton 

2012:  Chris Paul, Deron Williams

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

While Magic and Stockton are two Hall of Famers and among the greatest point guards of all-time, neither guy could match up defensively against the 2012 trio.

Remember, Magic was coming off his HIV announcement and subsequent retirement. This wasn't the all-time great Showtime Magic that we're used to seeing in highlight films.

On the other hand, Paul is at the height of his talent and may go down as the best pure point guard in NBA history.

Shooting Guards

1992:  Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler

2012:  Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook

Advantage:  Team USA 1992

As if there was any question about whether a 29-year-old Jordan and a 30-year-old Drexler would beat out any combination of shooting guards.

Kobe is the closest thing we've seen to Jordan since MJ, but at 33 years old, there is simply no chance he'd keep up.

Small Forward

1992:  Scottie Pippen, Larry Bird, Chris Mullen

2012:  Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Andre Iguodala

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

The small forward position might be the closest of all when comparing these two squads. All that I know is I want a virtual simulation of 26-year-old Pippen guarding 23-year-old Durant right now.  

But the 2012 squad takes it because of depth. Like Magic, Bird wasn't the all-time great you hear about in 1992. By that time, his debilitating back injuries had caught up, leaving him as little more than a jump shooter.  

With Anthony and Iguodala waiting in the wings to spell Durant, you gotta take the younger 2012 trio.

Power Forward

1992:  Charles Barkley, Karl Malone

2012:  LeBron James, Kevin Love

Advantage:  Team USA 1992

On the individual level, I would take James over Barkley and Malone any day of the week. But this once again comes down to depth.

The 1992 squad had two top-25 all-timers playing at the height of their talent. And while the 2012 squad could roll in Durant or Anthony to sub for LeBron, neither would be able to handle Barkley or Malone's strength.

Center

1992:  David Robinson, Patrick Ewing

2012:  Tyson Chandler, Anthony Davis

Advantage:  Team USA 1992

I don't think even Chandler's mother would take the 2012 team over the Dream Team squad here.  Easily the biggest mismatch of all the positions.

Overall Verdict:  1992 Dream Team

1996 Team USA vs. 2012 Team USA

Point Guards

1996:  Gary Payton, John Stockton

2012:  Chris Paul, Deron Williams

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

An in-his-prime Payton certainly helps solve the defensive woes of the original Dream Team. He and CP3 would make for an intense battle up and down the court, with Paul's other-worldly court vision and basketball IQ narrowly winning out.

A 34-year-old Stockton and Williams in his prime are probably equal talent-wise, so the backups would basically be a wash.

It's closer than in 1992, but this year's squad still has a slight edge.

Shooting Guards

1996:  Reggie Miller, Anfernee Hardaway, Mitch Richmond

2012:  Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook

Advantage:  Team USA 1996

The all-time Pacers great Miller is obviously no slouch, but he still represents a steep drop from a prime Michael Jordan.

Regardless, the 1996 Team USA squeaks this one out for their depth. Richmond and Hardaway are better known now for not living up to their immense potential, but in 1996 they were among the NBA's best players.

And while Westbrook and Harden are burgeoning talents, they're still not at the height of either 1996 squad member.

Small Forward

1996:  Scottie Pippen, Grant Hill

2012:  Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Andre Iguodala

Advantage:  Team USA 1996

Again, this matchup mostly comes down to how today's swingmen would fare against two of the greatest defending small forwards in NBA history.

The substitution of Hill for Bird and Mullen shifts the pendulum toward the 1996 version of Team USA this time around. In addition, Pippen was coming off another championship and had taken his game to a whole new level in the four years since the Barcelona games.   

Power Forward

1996:  Charles Barkley, Karl Malone

2012:  LeBron James, Kevin Love

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

Four years after their initial Dream Team run, Malone and Barkley again represent the only power forward sports for Team USA. Only this time, while the four years did nothing to Malone's body, they have put Barkley on a path to the decline big enough to make the switch.

Even Malone at his peak could not handle LeBron right now, who may be playing at one of the five best stretches in NBA history. And with Barkley's weight and injury history a factor, a 22-year-old Love might be the better international player at this point.

Center

1996:  Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal

2012:  Tyson Chandler, Anthony Davis

Advantage:  Team USA 1996

In what seems like an impossible feat, the center matchup actually got worse from 1992 to 1996 for the 2012 Team USA squad.  

Overall Verdict:  1996 Dream Team

2000 Team USA vs. 2012 Team USA

Point Guards

2000:  Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Tim Hardaway

2012:  Chris Paul, Deron Williams

Advantage:  Team USA 2000

Coupling Payton, who scored a career-high 24.2 points per game in the 2000 NBA regular season, with all-around marvel Kidd is finally enough to knock today's point guards off their throne.

In particular a 27-year-old Kidd is paramount. At his zenith, J-Kidd was the best assist man, steals guy and defender at the point guard position.

The 1999-2000 season was unarguably one of Kidd's best. While Paul is probably the best individual player for either team, the defensive combo of Payton and Kidd would eventually swallow the 2012 team's perimeter.

Shooting Guards

2000:  Ray Allen, Allen Houston

2012:  Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

Even with 16 years of NBA experience on his belt, there's no way Kobe is losing this position battle. The depth that once swung the pendulum toward the 1996 team was gone by the new millennium, replaced by very good versions of Allen and Houston.

As any Lakers fan will surely tell you, Kobe is still great even at 33 years old. No-brainer selection here.

Small Forward

2000:  Vince Carter, Steve Smith

2012:  Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Andre Iguodala

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

Picking almost any player over year 2000 Vinsanity is a difficult proposition. At just 23 years old, Carter emerged as a leader for Team USA, leading the team in scoring and going down as one of the most breathtaking Olympians in history.

But his backup was Steve Smith. No disrespect to Smith, but he wouldn't even sniff the 2012 roster.  

Depth matters more in the Olympics than who takes your breath away, so this year's squad wins on that merit.

Power Forward

2000:  Kevin Garnett, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Vin Baker

2012:  LeBron James, Kevin Love

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

Even if they squared this matchup down to just LeBron and Garnett, this category would go to the 2012 team. But with Abdur-Rahim and Baker as the 2000 squad's backups, it's pretty easy to choose Love over both and say that this year's takes the power forward spot.  

Center

2000:  Alonzo Mourning, Antonio McDyess

2012:  Tyson Chandler, Anthony Davis

Advantage:  Team USA 2000

We're getting to the point where this year's duo wouldn't completely be overwhelmed, but it's still not very close.

Overall Verdict:  2012 Dream Team

2004 Team USA vs. 2012 Team USA

(Spoiler Alert:  This isn't going to go well for the 2004 Team USA squad.)

Point Guards

2004:  Stephon Marbury

2012:  Chris Paul, Deron Williams

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

With only one natural point guard on the 2000 roster and that point guard being Marbury, I don't think there's too much of a question here. It's basically only about judging how much CP3 and Williams would dominate.

Shooting Guards

2004:  Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade

2012:  Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

Iverson was undoubtedly the face of the 2004 squad as he led the team with 13.8 points per game.  The only problem is that Iverson got those points while shooting 19 times more than any other Team USA member and shot at a 37.8 percent clip.

With Dwyane Wade little more than a wet behind the ears 22-year-old, there's no way Kobe would allow the 2004 squad any advantage.  

Small Forward

2004:  Richard Jefferson, Shawn Marion, Carmelo Anthony (20 years old), LeBron James (19 years old)

2012:  Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony (28 years old), Andre Iguodala

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

As we get further into this breakdown, it's little wonder why the 2008's Team USA was nicknamed the "Redeem Team."

Jefferson, a borderline All-Star in 2004, started all eight games for Team USA, shooting an abysmal 32.1 percent from the field during his Olympic run. Why Jefferson was never pulled for Marion or James will always be one of life's great mysteries to me.

Power Forward

2004:  Lamar Odom, Carlos Boozer, Amar'e Stoudemire

2012:  LeBron James (27 years old), Kevin Love

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

Power forward was one of the few bright spots for Team USA in 2004. Odom proved once again that versatility is the key to the international game, shooting 56.9 percent mark and even knocking down some three pointers.

What's even better is that Boozer was brilliant when spelling Odom.  

Regardless of their prowess, neither player has the ability to stop LeBron at this point in his career.  Additionally, Love is just as well suited to the international game as Odom.  

Center

2004:  Tim Duncan, Emeka Okafor

2012:  Tyson Chandler, Anthony Davis

Advantage:  Team USA 2004

Just when you think Chandler might have a fighting chance, he gets matched up against the single greatest power forward to ever play the game. Tough luck, Tyson.

Overall Verdict:  2012 Dream Team

2008 Team USA vs. 2012 Team USA

Point Guards

2008:  Jason Kidd, Deron Williams (24 years old), Chris Paul (23 years old)

2012:  Chris Paul (27 years old), Deron Williams (28 years old)

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

Kidd started every game, but he was basically a placeholder. Therefore this comes down to whether you prefer the younger, more agile versions of Williams and Paul or older, more experienced versions we see today.

I'll take experience over youth anytime in international play. The Williams and Paul we see now already have crunch-time Olympic experience after being pushed to the brink by Spain in 2008's gold medal game.

Shooting Guards

2008:  Kobe Bryant (29 years old), Dwyane Wade, Michael Redd

2012:  Kobe Bryant (33 years old), James Harden, Russell Westbrook

Advantage:  Team USA 2008

This comes down to two simple facts: 29-year-old Kobe was a better player than today's version, and Wade at 26-years-old may have been the second or third best player in the world at that time.

There's no other explanation needed.

Small Forward

2008:  Carmelo Anthony (24 years old), Tayshaun Prince

2012:  Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony (28 years old), Andre Iguodala

Advantage:  Team USA 2012

While Carmelo shot the second-lowest percentage (42.2 percent) on the 2008 squad, KD has stepped in and made it rain on the exhibition competition. Durant has scored 11 or more points in each of the team's three games thus far and has especially excelled behind the three-point line.  

Couple that with the fact that a better version of Anthony is on this year's squad and 2012 wins this in a landslide.

Power Forward

2008:  LeBron James (23 years old), Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh

2012:  LeBron James (27 years old), Kevin Love

Advantage:  Team USA 2008

While LeBron is undoubtedly as good if not better today than he's ever been, the presence of Boozer and Bosh give this matchup to the redeem team.

Love's stretch-out game is wonderfully suited for international competition, but Bosh's 77.4 percent shooting barrage in Beijing makes me comfortable saying 2008's bench depth is far superior at power forward.  

Center

2008:  Dwight Howard

2012:  Tyson Chandler, Anthony Davis

Advantage:  Team USA 2008

We knew how this one was going to go, but Howard's nearly 75 percent shooting clip makes the margin somehow even wider.

Overall Verdict:  2012 Dream Team