Kobe, Lebron, Wade, Paul wouldnt have survived in the 80's or 90's

[z0sa]

David Robinson = Greg Oden

bwahahahahhahahahahahaahhahhaaaahahahhahahahahahha hahahahahahhaha





sometimes I think you just couldn't go any further, get any funnier, and then you pull out another trump card.

[z0sa]

i agree comparing world b. free and Kobe is pretty funny, but DRob and Oden in response? That's running with it.

[Giuseppe]

Good to see you back in the bounds of sanity, Z.

[lefty]

you been playing too much 2k11, lefty

But 2K11 = reality








Isn't it ?

[Cry Havoc]

Even today there are not a lot of good defensive teams

That's because the definition of a "good defensive team" has changed a lot in the past 20 years. The sophistication and consistency of defense in the past two decades has improved more than anything else in the NBA. That's precisely why the hand-check was removed, and even with that, scoring is still down across the league despite the less physical fouls that are called.

If you want an example of 80s style basketball, look no further than the Phoenix Suns since Steve Nash came to town. Yes, they're amazing on offense, but where did that get them in the playoffs? As soon as teams put the clamps on, they get beat every single year.

Offensively, I think the game has seen marginal improvement. The Showtime Lakers would still be winning games today. But on average, they would play against teams that would slow them down like they never experienced in the 80s. Just watch the videos. There's almost no rotation, no pick n roll defense, no complexity to the way they respond to quick passing and ball reversal. As soon as the offense generates momentum, the D starts scrambling with no rhyme or reason, and it results in open jumpers from the free throw line extended -- or closer -- at many many points every game, which you almost never see in today's NBA. Just the closeout defense alone is 10 times what it used to be, in terms of speed and aggression.

[lefty]

You all were saying the '08 Boston team was the greatest defensive team of all time. Overall, the players are just better in every aspect of the game in today's game. It's not that the defense was better in the 80's and 90's, the league just allowed more hacking. It was three times more physical, I will agree there, but the players today are just better.

[Medvedenko]

Left.....did you actually watch ball back in the golden era (80's) when teams were constantly putting up crazy offensive stats, no zone defences and a less athletic era than in today's game not to mention the 90's and 2000's. I know I'm retired from spurs talk, but being on this board for 6.5 years, these type of threads didn't exist back then.

With advanced scouting and technology today it's far more difficult to have a player dominate consistently.

The "kids" on this board can stick with 2k11's fascination with the 80's and 90's. Please...ball will be better in 10 years than it is now...that's a fact. It's evolution my friends.

[duhoh]

The only team that had the chance to beat the Bulls during the 90s was Hakeem's Rockets. Kobe would be lucky to win one during that era. He's lucky he came into the league when MJ already on his way down. If he came earlier, well

Well, it was Hakeem and a sack of crap that made it to the top the first time around, and Clyde the 2nd time. I say they drop the first one if MJ was still in the league.