Warriors - Cavs: Couple of Classic NBA Jam Squads

Tim Hardway & Chris Mullin

Used these guys all the time, small, but could shoot the lights out.

Mark Price & Brad Daugherty

Best pick and roll point guard maybe ever (doesn't help in this game, but still).  A real good big and a real good little.  Awesome combo.






Oh, also this has been a strong NBA Finals.

NBA Jam (Today) Rosters: Pacific Division

You can search out previous incarnations of this theme, Atlantic and Central already out there.


GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS:
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson (Andrew Bogut)

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS:
Blake Griffin, Chris Paul (DeAndre Jordan)

LOS ANGELES LAKERS:
Kobe Bryant, Julius Randle (Carlos Boozer)

PHOENIX SUNS:
Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe (Isaiah Thomas)

SACRAMENTO KINGS:
DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay (Ben McLemore)

NBA Jam (Today) Roster: Central Division

CHICAGO BULLS:
Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah (Pau Gasol)

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:
LeBron James, Kevin Love (Kyrie Irving)

DETROIT PISTONS:
Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe (Brandon Jennings)

INDIANA PACERS:
Roy Hibbert, David West (George Hill)

MILWAUKEE BUCKS:
Jabari Parker, Giannis Antetokounmpo (Brandon Knight)



Click here for the ATLANTIC DIVISION

NBA Jam (Today) Roster: Atlantic Division

Based on today's rosters if the game was released now here is who should be in.  Sub in parenthesis.

BOSTON CELTICS

Rajon Rondo, Jared Sullinger (Marcus Smart)


BROOKLYN NETS

Deron Williams, Brook Lopez (Joe Johnson)


NEW YORK KNICKS

Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire (J.R. Smith)


PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Nerlens Noel, Michael Carter-Williams (Joel Embiid)


TORONTO RAPTORS

DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry (Jonas Valanciunas)

NBA Jam & NHL 95 Version of Final(s)

Spurs lead the Heat 2-1 in the NBA Finals.  This would be an easy 3-0 if they matched up the NBA Jam rosters...

Spurs - David Robinson & Sean Elliot

Heat - Rony Seikaly & Harold Miner

Yikes. Elliot is no superstar but Robinson dominates this to no end.  

Likely result: Spurs 4-0

The Kings lead the Rangers 3-0 and are going for the sweep tonight in the Stanley Cup Final.  What would a 7 gamer look like in NHL '95 for SEGA?

New York Rangers

Graves-Messier-Kovalev

Leetch-Zubov

Richter

Los Angeles Kings

Robitaille-Gretzky-Kurri

Blake-Zhitnik

Hrudey

What a match up.  Forwards are off the charts. Blake and Leetch are shut down. But the huge goalie advantage gives it to NY. 

Likely result: Rangers in 7

What Would The Celtics NBA Jam Team Be This Year?

Who do you take?  Let's say you get 3 dudes.  Rajon Rondo is an automatic.  After that?  You can make a case for a handful of guys: Avery Bradley, Jeff Green, Gerald Wallace (I guess), Kris Humphries (right?), Kelly Olynyk (1st rounder...), Jared Sullinger?  Here's the breakdown.

Well we can eliminate: Courtney Lee, Brandon Bass, MarShon Brooks, Keith Bogan, Phil Pressey, Jordan Crawford  (although he might be solid...)

Bradley- great defense, "steals" rating would be a solid 8 or 9.  He can hit that corner 3.  You'd be real small with him and Rondo.

Green- should be the best scorer, best athlete, makes sense.  I still don't like him.

Wallace- Would have been in the game for a few years during his career, not anymore.

Humphries- Rebounding an 8 or 9, would make for a solid duo with Rondo.

Olynyk- if the game gives him an above average 3pt shot, then he could be dangerous.  Plus you're going to need some rookies in the game.

Sullinger- As Chris Webber would say, Sullinger has that "old man game."  Do we want that here?  He had a solid rookie year before getting hurt.  He can rebound and his "2pt shot" would be strong.


Final Verdict:  Rajon Rondo, Jeff Green, Jared Sullinger

New NBA Jam Ideal Roster

I have the new NBA Jam for XBOX 360, and it's fantastic. They made some additions from the old one but made sure to keep all the great stuff about the classic. The rosters have a decent mix of current stars and retired studs. Some teams have as many as 6 players while others have 3 and a mascot (weak). If it was up to me, here is what my rosters would look like. Keeping it to just 4 players per team...

Boston Celtics: Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Paul Pierce, Robert Parish*

New Jersey Nets: Derrick Coleman*, Drazen Petrovic, Kenny Anderson, Kerry Kittles*

New York Knicks: Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley*, John Starks, Anthony Mason*

Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, Moses Malone*, Andre Igudola

Toronto Raptors: Vince Carter, Marcus Camby*, Damon Stoudamire*, Chris Bosh

Chicago Bulls: Michael Jordan*, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant*, Dennis Rodman

Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James, Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, Larry Nance*

Detroit Pistons: Isiah Thomas, Bill Lambeer, Joe Dumars*, Vinnie Johnson*

Indiana Pacers: Reggie Miller*, Rik Smits*, Dale Davis*, Danny Granger

Milwaukee Bucks: Glenn Robinson*, Ray Allen, Andrew Bogut, Brandon Jennings

Atlanta Hawks: Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb, Kevin Willis*, Joe Johnson

Charlotte Bobcats: Old Jordan*, Larry Brown*, Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson

Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade, Glen Rice, Rony Seikaly, Alonzo Mourning*

Orlando Magic: Shaquille O'Neal, Penny Hardaway, Dennis Scott, Dwight Howard

Washington Wizards: Rod Strickland, Gheorghe Muresan, John Wall, Gilbert Arenas

Golden State Warriors: Tim Hardaway, Chris Mullin, Mitch Richmond, Monta Ellis

Los Angeles Clippers: Danny Manning, Ron Harper*, Eric Gordon*, Blake Griffin

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, James Worthy*, Shaquille O'Neal

Phoenix Suns: Steve Nash, Charles Barkley*, Kevin Johnson, Dan Majerle

Sacramento Kings: Chris Webber*, Mike Bibby, Vlade Divac*, Peja Stojakavic

Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Jamal Mashburn*, Jason Terry*

Houston Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon, Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady*, Steve Francis*

Memphis Grizzlies: Pau Gasol, Rudy Gay, Shareef Abdur-Rahim*, Bryant Reeves

New Orleans Hornets: Larry Johnson, Muggsy Bogues*, Chris Paul, Dell Curry*

San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili

Denver Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony, Dikembe Mutombo*, Antonio McDyess*, Dale Ellis*

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett, Stephon Marbury*, Kevin Love, Wally Szczerbiak*

Oklahoma City Thunder/ Seattle Super Sonics*: Gary Payton*, Shawn Kemp*, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook

Portland Trail Blazers: Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter*, Brandon Roy, Rasheed Wallace*

Utah Jazz: John Stockton, Karl Malone, Deron Williams, Jeff Hornacek*

*not in game

Some of my ideal players are in the game but are on a different team.
I also think throwback jerseys (including Bullets and Sonics) should be in the game.

-Keefe

NBA Jam Challenge

Turn the clocks back 17 years, and you will see that you are playing NBA Jam for SEGA and or Super Nintendo. Good for you, great choice. Besides Mortal Kombat and maybe Sonic, NBA Jam was the best game ever made for my mid-90s system, SEGA. (Apologies to ToeJam & Earl.)

Without a doubt you knew NBA Jam inside and out. The question is, how much do you remember? This quiz tests your knowledge of the original arcade version of NBA Jam... sorry no Tournament Edition here. Click the link below, and let us know how you do in the comments section.

http://www.sporcle.com/games/nbajam.php

Keefe: 44/54

Excuses- Really kicking myself on 2/3 of the names I missed, where a couple I have zero recollection that they even played in the NBA.

Goodluck!