I have to completely disagree, respectively. This isn't nostalgia induced, it's just my honest opinion. The 1992 dream team wins in almost every match up. Going off the starting 5 used by each team In their respective Olympic run: PG: Magic Johnson > Jason Kidd (without a shadow of a doubt) SG: Michael Jordan > Kobe Bryant (debatable but in my opinion Jordan had a tenacity and champion caliber will that is and was unrivalled). SF: Larry Bird < Lebron James (very debatable, I'm slightly hedging towards Lebron because of his physical edge. All in all both brilliant passers, Bird a much better shooter and rebounder, Lebron could cause havoc driving into the paint, especially with Bird suffering from back spasms/pain, limiting his minutes. don't underestimate bird however). PF: Charles Barkley > Carmelo Anthony (I'm confident in this choice. Melo is great and has the shooting edge but the round mound of rebound was something of a physical specimen; undersized but tenacious with athleticism that would probably surprise the younger or novice nba fan. Chuck was a beast). C: Patrick Ewing > delight Howard (don't make me laugh, Ewing easily).

Looking at the benches I still feel the 1992 team has the edge. Greater leadership, and insane defending. You aren't getting many easy buckets against the David Robinson, Karl Malone and Scottie Pippen trio. The 2008 Olympic team was without a doubt bursting with talent and had a little more youth compared to the dream team, but I don't understand how anyone can realistically believe they would beat out a team heralded as the greatest ever assembled. I also don't get your point about rule changes. Surely modern banning of hand checking (meaning less physicality) would give players like Jordan and magic offensive freedom that they could have only dreamed of getting in their heydays. Not to mention the powerful, skilled bigs taking advantage of this, as they were accustomed to elbows, digs, shoves etc in the paint.