Biggest difference between today's NBA vs yesteryear

Everything now is money motivated whether it be player hype, those things you named above, fake basketballs, tshirts, and just flat out decision making with sponsors as the main motivator.

 

1 & 2 are hand in hand. Assuming you are talking about the 80s vs now (I like to pretend the late 90s and early 2000s didn't happen), the main difference is that there is a huge emphasis on physical training so players are a lot bigger now. Naturally this takes away from the skill part of the game because 1) time formerly spent practicing is spent in the gym and 2) bigger player can get easier shots.

The other thing that isn't on your list is all of the annoying analytics done by the GMs now, which has led to this era of "three or bust" which is IMO ruining the game, as the mid-range shot is becoming as extinct as the dodo bird. I truly believe the game would be much more interesting if they would get rid of the three point line.

 

Flopping and rules.

 

money

 

What is yesteryear?

Hard to argue that today's NBA players are more athletic than when Jordan, Hakeem, Barkley, Robinson, and Dominique were playing.

 

You forgot the guy who has a kid in every state.

 

Where's the poll option for "attitude"?

 

Its not the standouts, but the OVERALL athleticism of the average player has increased

 

Yesteryear: mostly Blacks + some Whites
Today: mostly Blacks + The rainbow coalition

 

Worse shooters nowadays? How about how everyone can shoot 3pt-ers now?

 

The rules. Today's rules are weak. I hope they bring back the rules from the 90's NBA. PLEASE!

 

No dictator sturn and Rox gon' win it this year.

 

When I do a than and now comparison my basis for back than is the early and mid 90's as those where my elementary and middle school days. So for me the answer is the rules. I laugh any time I re watch the Rockets/Knicks series because had that series been officiated with today's rules Olajuwon, Thorpe, Ewing, Smith and Oakley would have all had double digit free throw attempts.

 

I'm going with none of the above , but I guess you could place my thoughts in the rules section ....


Star treatment of players , that's the biggest difference I see. Star players getting calls that average players just don't get , to the point of an unfair advantage.

Its really difficult to pinpoint at what point in time this change occurred but ... it wasn't always like this. At some point , the league realized they could capitalize financially on promoting individuals rather than teams and the integrity of the game has gone downhill since.

 

^
Jordan

 

1. Defense is way more complicated now. Help defense schemes have improved a lot.
2. Offenses are much smarter as well. More of an emphasis on three pointers rather than mid range jumpers.
3. Game is less physical especially on the perimeter.
4. Game has gone from post up oriented to pick and roll dominant.
5. Players and the league are much more conscious of their image

 

Flopping has always been around. Players have been athletic since around MJ's era, sure they're getting better training and some freaks evolve, like Lebron - but we used to have Olajuwon, Wilkins, etc... it really depends on the definition of "yesteryear".