Yes, totally. I don't get why people keep using the hand check rule to disqualify today's perimeter players. The abolition of illegal defense means no more clear out ISOs for dominant perimeter scorers. Imagine GSW stand all four guys on the weak side and let Curry go one on one against whoever. Imagine Harden doing that. It would be so hard to stop. Also, if a skinny guy like Reggie Miller could get his shots off with screens and quick release, shooters like Curry could definitely shoot in that era. The only difference is, they did not have analytics to encourage them to shoot tons of 3s.
Its not just the elimination of the hand check though... that happened in 95. Its the elimination of ALL perimeter contact without calling a foul (that happened some time in the late 2000's?). Even with legal zones, Jordan and ISIAH would have an easier time scoring, drawing fouls, finding the open man in today's NBA than they did in their era... that is not arguable.
agree. it was first curry vs iverson, and now isiah? i dont quite get why some like to compare players when one of the players being compared is far from being done in his career. meanwhile, i also wonder about number of hours/yrs some fellows on this board have watched bball. curry vs iverson or isiah, harden is constantly mentioned in the same sentence of kobe or even jordan. i mean,,, really, people?
But I *am* arguing that. You realize Jordan scored 37ppg in 1987, right. He AVERAGED about 33 ppg from '87 to '93. He scored 66 freaking points in a playoff game against the vaunted Celtics defense, because they ISO'd him every play. Are you saying he'd score 40 ppg in today's game? For his whole CAREER, he *averaged* 33 ppg in the playoffs. I can't believe you are using MJ as an example off how hand-checking slowed him down vs illegal defense rules. You're talking theory, man. I'm talking facts. I'm not even saying teams play zone. I'm saying teams are most definitely playing illegal defense (as defined in the previous era as the help man leaving his zone/cheating over to help) on nearly every play nowadays, at least in the playoffs they are. you can discount that all you want, but I'm not.
I'm saying both the lack of hand-checking AND the easy perimeter fouls (whereas players get away with murder in the post) would outweigh the illegal defenses. Players themselves (both new and old) say this is a softer era that favors finesse, offense, and scoring... and this was because the NBA had to do something to salvage its product from the early 2000's dwindling ratings, dwindling quality of play, dwindling mega-star power. Jordan was still double-teamed plenty (virtually every time). They'd all find the open man which would cause the defense to have to adjust. Same thing would happen today, with the "illegal" defenses, but he'd also benefit greatly from the inability to guard him with any perimeter contact without fouling. (lastly, he scored 63, not 66).
From an Xs and Os standpoint, the is by far the best era of defenses the NBA has ever witnessed. What made the '90s appear so great was because it was the era of the Center. That was not a big list of teams. Defense still wins in the league. And every team from top to bottom has been unleashed from the chains of illegal defense rules. We are all better for it. It forces you to play motion and pass the freaking ball. People say, the low post game is dying nowadays. Well, guess why!! The defenses are smothering you in the paint. I even called it when they eradicated Illegal Defense in 2002 that someone will soon field three PFs at the same time...and Detroit did that to stop Shaq and Kobe. This is not an offensive era of basketball. Don't be silly.
Yep, you see much fewer very high individual scoring averages these days. The flipside is efficiency is higher as guys are taking more efficient shots.
Oh the old RINGZ! argument. Thomas was on stacked teams. It's not Curry's fault the NBA was relatively weak this year, he still blew through the regular season and playoffs to the Finals on a historically great team on which he is the unquestioned leader. Isaiah Thomas averaged 19 ppg with medicore efficiency and mediocre defense. Sorry, not that impressed. He shot 29% from 3 and 76% from the line. Still a top 50 guy because of playmaking, but when all is said and done Curry will be clearly better.
Show me that offensive efficiency is better since illegal defense was eradicated vs the 70s, 80s, 90s Maybe you mean three point shooting? I think that is due to drafting and coaching differently against this open defenses. The 3 and D player is so important now.
I mean things like TS% and effictive fg%. Look at this list, for example. The top 3 seasons for eFG% have been since 2008, and 8 of the top 10 since 2006. http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_stats.html You can also look at individual players. Insane efficiency like what Harden, Curry and Durant put up weren't very common. Jordan was still decently efficient, but not to quite that level. Jordan today would probably have like a .700 TS% some years. 3 and D is probably part of that.
^ I was talking about teams, not just individuals. But yeah, I'd be curious what the FTs are. If we see FTs higher than any other era, that will drive the TS% and eFG leader board. Next question is what causes it... Don't you think the rip-through foul by KMart, Durant and Harden was just something people learned, with nothing to do about defensive rules. Same with flipping. Sometimes the trends and advancements are strictly about one player doing something and everyone copying him.
Interestinly enough, FTA attemps are way down. Definitely would not have guessed that. The lowest 10 seasons in FTA are all in the 2000's. http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_stats.html 3PT attempts are way up. 9 of top 10 seasons in the 2000s.
^ Well there is no doubt 3 ptrs have increased along with their accuracy. Then again, I'm saying that without looking, so could be wrong.
Thats why FTA are down is because players are taking more threes. The cardinal rule has always been never foul a jump shooter. I take Isiah he was a cold blooded killer for some great teams. Those that argued he played for a great team you need to remember the Pistons were hot ****ing garbage before he got there.
Two different era of how the games were played and officiated. No contact on perimeter players would have resulted in many other great guards from the earlier era. If you can hold, grab, hand-check and use fore-arm, Curry wouldn't be nearly as effective. He would still be a great 3 pt shooter, as a pure shooter when open, but no more of that easy penetration into the lane and iso 3pt shots. Plus, how can you compare a 1 yr great player to a HOF. Wait a few more years.
