NBA Arguments Tangent Thread

Guy Chamberlin said:
They also play better defense across the board today, even if you have fond memories of Bill Laimbeer clocking someone in the face. 
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teachercd said:
I know the other night when I watched the Suns have a 16 point lead only to let up 43 points in the second half I thought "Wow, that defense!"
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Those years the NBA East was grinding out 88 - 79 scores, the NBA West was posting 148 - 139 games with regularity.  

Players who could jack up 30 points a game believed that gave them a pass on playing defense, which was tiring and unglamorous. Jordan was an exception. Can't get away with that today. Even James Harden has had to pick his D back up. 

Whatever you think about the old style of bully ball and the rules changes, it's harder to play defense today so you have to be better. Pretty much every NBA coach has put a premium on defense. Guys who miss assignments and switches, or don't hurry back on D get benched, regardless of what they're doing on the offense. 

That NBA East style of ball also featured clock-draining half-court offenses and comparatively little three point shooting. Those 80s/90s teams might take 5 three pointers a game. Now the league is averaging 40 attempts a game. Different game, not crappier defense. 

I saw the Suns unable to stop a 7 footer who plays like no 7 footer in the history of the game. I saw the Bucks go all in on double, and triple teaming Devin Booker, and that seemed to work. Defense still wins games. 

I think my claim was about defense "across the board" and it's not really that controversial. The Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls did not have to pull their big men out to guard the perimeter, where guys as big as they were could drain three pointers or drive the lane with excellent ball-handling skills.

But I will take your anecdotal observation into consideration. 

 
Guy Chamberlin said:
Those years the NBA East was grinding out 88 - 79 scores, the NBA West was posting 148 - 139 games with regularity.  

Players who could jack up 30 points a game believed that gave them a pass on playing defense, which was tiring and unglamorous. Jordan was an exception. Can't get away with that today. Even James Harden has had to pick his D back up. 

Whatever you think about the old style of bully ball and the rules changes, it's harder to play defense today so you have to be better. Pretty much every NBA coach has put a premium on defense. Guys who miss assignments and switches, or don't hurry back on D get benched, regardless of what they're doing on the offense. 

That NBA East style of ball also featured clock-draining half-court offenses and comparatively little three point shooting. Those 80s/90s teams might take 5 three pointers a game. Now the league is averaging 40 attempts a game. Different game, not crappier defense. 

I saw the Suns unable to stop a 7 footer who plays like no 7 footer in the history of the game. I saw the Bucks go all in on double, and triple teaming Devin Booker, and that seemed to work. Defense still wins games. 

I think my claim was about defense "across the board" and it's not really that controversial. The Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls did not have to pull their big men out to guard the perimeter, where guys as big as they were could drain three pointers or drive the lane with excellent ball-handling skills.

But I will take your anecdotal observation into consideration. 
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I don't think I get the same channels that you get.

 
You are confusing my point, my point is different from the point you are trying to make.

Today they do not beat the s#!t out of you, the players, wisely, got together and basically have agreed to not beat the s#!t out of each other in the paint and on layups and dunks.

Those plays are the ones that beat you down over a course of a season and series.

When you know you are not going to get clobbered, it changes everything.  

It is like the NFL with QB's, they can hardly get touched now and they know it, it changes things.

You ever play a pick up game with a dude that was "the d!(k" and you would get that breakaway or a free path to the hoop and in the back of your mind you were like "This MFer is gonna nail me"

That changes things.  

Or, you can just ignore human nature.  

But again, none of this was the original point.

It was Bulls vs GS who would win. 

 
Did we add the fact that the amount of flopping in the current NBA game makes it looks like soccer?  The last two years have the lowest ratings in a long time.

College Basketball to the NBA  is like College wrestling to Pro Wrestling.

Game looks like a sham compared to  30 years ago.  My son is a huge LBJ and NBA fan.  He watched Last Dance.  He came to me and said, you are right MJ is the greatest ever.  He doesn't look at the NBA the same way.  The game is unwatchable.

I'm out...

 
Crusader Husker said:
Did we add the fact that the amount of flopping in the current NBA game makes it looks like soccer?  The last two years have the lowest ratings in a long time.

College Basketball to the NBA  is like College wrestling to Pro Wrestling.

Game looks like a sham compared to  30 years ago.  My son is a huge LBJ and NBA fan.  He watched Last Dance.  He came to me and said, you are right MJ is the greatest ever.  He doesn't look at the NBA the same way.  The game is unwatchable.

I'm out...
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It's not unwatchable; it's just different than how the game was played when we were growing up. Skillsets might have shifted and, in a lot of ways, be better, but that doesn't mean the players and teams of today are better. 

 
Cdog923 said:
It's not unwatchable; it's just different than how the game was played when we were growing up. Skillsets might have shifted and, in a lot of ways, be better, but that doesn't mean the players and teams of today are better. 
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That is pretty much it.

The fact that the players are all connected and friends today makes a difference too.  

Look, say what you want, but before social media, cell phones and texting, players were not dialing long distance 3 times a week to chat with guys on other teams.  s#!t, we don't even do that with our own family.  The dudes today know that offense sells, 3 pointers sell and dunks sell, those make money.  Knocking a dude on his a$$ does not make money.   You are not going to hurt your buddy and his salary.  Why would you?  I wouldn't. 

 
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