Yeah I've watched a few NBA Classics games on League Pass and I have no clue what these olds are talking about.

First of all, the hand checking was absolutely not as big a deal as they make it out to be. It's not like guys were getting mugged out on the perimeter. The game may have been slightly more physical overall but nothing crazy. Watch Delly or CP3 guard Steph and tell me that he never takes physicality. Come on.

Also, the intensity of effort was much lower in the games I've watched. Just overall a lot more standing around, isoball, etc. Players are bigger, stronger, faster now as well. Russell Westbrook looks like he's wearing rocket shoes now - I can only imagine how he would look playing against some of the dudes in the 80s and 90s. I laugh even more when they say LeBron would have trouble. Hilarious. He's bigger than most of those uncoordinated "enforcers" and prime LeBron could blow by any of them with laughable ease while they bounce off him. I guess cheap shot fights were more common, guess olds long for the days of intentionally injuring people and superstars getting suspended. Because I'm always wishing for more brawls and talented players getting hurt when I watch a prime NBA game.

Lastly, complaining about the NBA being watered down is hilarious. The game is more popular than ever, especially internationally. Coaches are running more complex offenses and defenses than ever. lol OLDS, lol THE TRIANGLE, forever and ever and ever.

Frye was excellent in Phoenix, it apparently took a while for Lue to figure out how to use him. When he first joined the team Lue was playing him at the 4 next to Mozgov. Now he's playing the 5 next to Love or Lebron.

One thing that hasn't gotten a lot of press coverage is that Shumpert was a complete non-contributor in the regular season. He was hurt a big chunk of the season and awful the rest. He's playing much better in the playoffs so far.

excellent post

channing was indeed really good in phx. the pick and pop top of the key 3 was his bread and butter. opened a lot of things up. that was a couple years ago tho, dunno what his decline curve has looked like.

I miss those Phoenix days

me too man, me too.

Old teams didn't just take fewer threes because of strategy, they legitimately couldn't shoot as well, catch and shoot quick release shooting just wasn't valued.

If you could play the sort of soft zone where guys help off non-shooters all the way to the paint that pretty much every NBA team uses in Jordan's era...

Look at how many guys the Bulls had that were legitimate floor spacers. When the Heat tried the same model of a SF/SG star duo, neither of them great shooters, they ended up having to move Lebron to the 4 to get another shooter on the floor. You need at least 2 guys to force defenses to play fair, otherwise every drive to the rim gets smothered at the free throw line.

Anything interesting from the combine?

Think I watched the 1st 30 seconds, then lol'd. Of course Lebron is a great passer, pretty sure that's his greatest strength and everyone knows that. GL to the Cavs beating the Raps in the ECF, they'll need a lot of it

I don't know why we reward teams for playing 40 minutes of solid basketball in a 48 minute game.

A more compelling argument would be CLE a baseline shot away from starting the series 3-0.

Free throw shooting has played a less prominent role over time:
Possible reasons:
1. More 3 point attempts;
2. More effective offenses finding open looks;
3. Weaker defenses not in position to foul (or better defenses not needing to foul);
4. Referees told to call fewer fouls;
5. Superstar affect less prevalent over time.

3pa seems likely to be the most significant reason. prob also the easiest to assess

Or less physical play and less emphasis on interior play. It's easy to cherry pick bias confirming explanations.

Ya well now NOTABLE LABRON stopper is out just a tough series for the raps. They had it other wise against the CAVS. A real shame

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15...-stepping-down

What the ****, this is so Skiles

Magic are the next Sacramento Kings

LOL Skiles LOL Tragic

#s 1, 2 and 3 explain some (maybe most) of that. It's not so much less interior play, it is less iso/post up play inside where it becomes either a dunk or a foul.

It is, but there's no question that players have improved at shooting, and dribbling for that matter, which has changed the margins. Suppose there could be disagreement over the catalyst of this improvement. Rules incentivizing more perimeter play, natural evolution of skillsets, etc. but I believe these improvements were essentially inevitable. Teams seek the best available ways to score, and the options have diversified as players have evolved. So I agree that there is less focus on interior play; goes hand in hand with more 3's though I would modify my original statement to something more perimeter oriented than focusing solely on 3's. Not even just perimeter oriented, but "farther from the hoop." The bigs are much better shooters now as well. Would make sense that more action farther from the hoop would result in fewer fts

Guys don't want to foul each other anymore because they're sleeping over at their opponent's house after the game.

No one wants to be "forgotten" when you were the "****" back then. Just basic human nature.

Enjoy the rest of the season everyone!

Baltimore,

We'll miss your rants on how the Spurs are the goats and the woyas are over rated frauds.

Take care and enjoy the golf.


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You'll watch.