Magic Johnson: "No Way" Stephen Curry is better than Isiah Thomas (coaches, game)
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To each his own... Some of you guys say that the style of play in the NBA today compared to the style of play in the NBA of the '80s and '90s would not have an impact on player's performance. I don't buy that... And that is the reason why I don't like to compare today's players to the players I grew up watching. I'm not saying that Steph or any other player today would not be succesful back then, but it is a different league today, not just in the obvious "softer" rules, but in the style of play as well. The rules of the game have changed to allow more scoring and that is a fact. It's the reason why scoring in the league is higher now than it was back in that era.
For all of the defensive toughness of the 1980s, teams sure did score a lot. The average team from 1984-86 averaged more points per game than the Warriors did last season. If anything, we should adjust Curry's numbers upwards rather than downwards based on the greater number of possessions he would have had in the 80s.
im curious to see the change in wing scoring vs post scoring. that seems to be where the real change has come from.
Allowing zone defenses reduced the effectiveness of bigs. So I'm sure post scoring is lower since there are few centers and power forwards posting 27, 28 or 29 points per night. I remember Shaq once saying that the rules were changed because of him.
I don't think the rule changes necessarily make it any easier for wing players. At least that wasn't the intent. The intent of the rule changes was to promote ball movement since offenses had become, at least in the eyes of Stu Jackson, stagnant. But Michael Jordan objected to the rule changes back when they were announced and even stated that he would not have had the same career under the new rules.
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The subject was defense in the NBA, and Michael Jordan was speaking, although more about offense, especially his. We know few defenses could do anything about that.
But there was one that might be bothersome, the zone defense. It was the topic du jour at last month's All-Star Game, and Jordan was making an impassioned plea before the competition committee that had gathered to consider rules changes to enliven the NBA game. Jordan spoke passionately. If teams were able to play zone defenses, he said, he never would have had the career he did.
For all of the defensive toughness of the 1980s, teams sure did score a lot. The average team from 1984-86 averaged more points per game than the Warriors did last season. If anything, we should adjust Curry's numbers upwards rather than downwards based on the greater number of possessions he would have had in the 80s.
Good one. Yes, it is overstated that the NBA was so much more defensive 'back in the day.' Not every defender was like old grabby-hands Derek Harper (who famously took Kenny Smith out of the finals one year). The NBA was right to ban that level of hand-checking.
2nd, hes insulting the golden child stephen curry, and thats blasphemous! just cant do that in this day and age.
With how PC and sensitive people are these days with everyone being offended at everything, I think that just about sums it up.
While he's probably the best player today, I think all this hype about him being one of the all time greats is a little premature.
Let's see how he ages. Now the argument is his game won't be affected or minimally affected by age. Yeah right. Let's see how he adjusts when he loses speed.
I'm also tired of the kids these days thinking this team could beat the 95-96 Bulls.
Good one. Yes, it is overstated that the NBA was so much more defensive 'back in the day.' Not every defender was like old grabby-hands Derek Harper (who famously took Kenny Smith out of the finals one year). The NBA was right to ban that level of hand-checking.
The defense was objectively worse in the 80s if we are to go by defensive stops. Of course, we can look at a YouTube video that shows 8-10 minutes of 100,000+ minutes of basketball played during a certain era, but I'd rather rely on the statistical evidence.
People make it seem like the average defensive play in the 80s involved Bill Laimbeer slamming a slashing guard to the ground and then kicking him while he was down. Those plays are called "highlights" for a reason. There were plenty of players who were able to get to the cup without ending up in a wheelchair or with C.T.E.
I can respect the opinions about preferring the old NBA, big men rule, very physical, etc.
However, I MUCH prefer the new NBA. I find it more skill based and you can't win by being as dirty. It definitely does make it a harder comparison. And I don't mean to say that big men aren't skilled, but I see the modern NBA having a greater dependence on skill. You can't Charles Barkley your way in and the refs let things slide. No no no.
I can respect the opinions about preferring the old NBA, big men rule, very physical, etc.
However, I MUCH prefer the new NBA. I find it more skill based and you can't win by being as dirty. It definitely does make it a harder comparison. And I don't mean to say that big men aren't skilled, but I see the modern NBA having a greater dependence on skill. You can't Charles Barkley your way in and the refs let things slide. No no no.
Yeah, you're not going to see too much exceptional post play from big men today. You can easily deny a dominant big man the ball in the post by floating defenders around ("shading"). That's why we likely see so many big guys pop up to get the ball. It's more of a mid-range/high post game now it seems.
However, I MUCH prefer the new NBA. I find it more skill based and you can't win by being as dirty. It definitely does make it a harder comparison. And I don't mean to say that big men aren't skilled, but I see the modern NBA having a greater dependence on skill. You can't Charles Barkley your way in and the refs let things slide. No no no.
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One of the reasons is the increasing emphasis on isolation play-teams using one, two or three players on one side of the court and leaving the others to watch.
It was evident when the Bulls played the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, but even more apparent with a team like the Philadelphia 76ers with a high-scoring star in Charles Barkley.
``It turns out to be a boring game,`` Nelson said. ``One guy is going to try to force a double team, so the game slows. Say you have Barkley on the wing, and he dribbles and dribbles slowly to bait the double team, or then he uses his skill to score. You end up having a slowdown league, and that could be a concern to everyone.``
Which is why Nelson is speaking up now, even when he has great isolation opportunities on his team. But he can afford to. It`s much easier to coach a two- or three-man game, but Nelson is not afraid of a five-man game. He`s regarded as one of the best strategists in the game.
It was one reason why the league sought him out, along with Fitzsimmons and Dick Motta, to rewrite the rules regarding illegal defenses. There was a feeling there was a movement to zone defenses then, so the league moved to prevent some sort of sagging-zone, jump-shooting league.
However, eventually bright people find a way around any set of rules, and that`s what`s happened in the NBA. A trend developed toward isolating players on one side, which began to slow the game.
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Let's see how he adjusts when he loses speed.
