Just like every other sport. Athletes evolve and the game changes because it’s better. It’s naive to say someone who can play today can’t play in the 90s, 80s, 70s. No other sport does that. The league doesn’t just change unless it works, is all I’m saying. It’s more of a hypothetical to say someone who never did something wouldn’t struggle if he changed the way he played. No one is saying Jokic doesn’t have flaws. I think he’d have a hard time guarding guys like Hakeem and Shaq, but he is just soo damn good on offense I’m not sure it matters how bad his defense is.
Im only gonna read the first sentence. The defense now is diminished. Whether you like it or not its not an excuse its the truth. EVEN COMISSIONSER SILVER SAID THAT WAS HIS PLAN BECAUSE HE WANTED A MORE OFFENSIVE FUN LEAGUE FOR ENTERTAINMENT. The truth is the truth Im sorry it doesnt fit your narative. Every new rule he has instituted was for offense. No Handchecking, you cant touch anyone in the semi circle or its a foul. Gather steps allow for walking etc. This is why guys like Payton Prichard can drop 40 and Austin reaves is averaging near 30. Its just the truth.
and it has nothing to do with the guards being more skillfull and the spacing the three point shot creates? Like come on. If someone is hitting 37% on step back threes what kinda defense is guarding that? That vaunted 90s defense that just sat in the paint? Maybe Austin Reaves is just good at basketball. I don’t see just random other people averaging thirty.
This shows a complete lack of knowledge on how defense works lol Also step back threes are not hit from a high percentage the reason your mind tells you it is, is because they take so many and they can do that because the game has changed so youre not punished because the other side is gonna do the same thing. Elite players can do that but its also a product of less defense. You cant close out either or its an automatic foul. Basketball now is generally guys jacking up shots. Again Im sorry that this doesnt fit your narative but its just the truth. Even the commisioner said it and Im not sure how many times I have to say that lol
Just shows your lack of math. You know shooting percentages are up across the board. I said in my previous post that Jordan would rank 155 in TS% in today nba. His best year ever was worse than KDs worst year. That’s why the three point shot works. You don’t have to shoot 50% from three to be good. 33% gives the same amount points. Yes the hand check rules make it easier for guards but that changed a long time ago. They even allow zone now which they didn’t in the past. Jordan just drove by 1 guy and had a free layup. It’s unfair to the current nba to keep spinning this non defense era. Maybe you don’t like the style. But how do you not understand how it’s soo much harder to guard the court now when the spacing is drastically improved. No more driving into paint with 3 guys with no threat on offense just standing around. Just look at the 3 pt percentages across the league tell me what they are shooting if you don’t think 37%.
The rules are more restrictive for defense today but overall defensive techniques and schemes are much improved. These two are different and as a whole and defenses today are much better than defenses from 90s for example. As physical as they were, they wouldn't be able to defend today's offenses as good as today's defenses. Of course if you allow more physicality today, offenses will have a harder tie but it is independent of the fact that today's offenses would kill 90s defenses, regardless of how physical they are.
No I said its a product of the defense and lack of physicality even Silver used Steph as an example of guys who wouldnt fair well if he didnt change the rules. Also the 3 wasnt emphasized in the 90's as it was seen as a soft mans game. Its not that they couldnt they didnt really try that much. Its why the game was easier to watch. These games ive been watching lately not just us but from around the league are some of the ugliest games Ive ever seen cuz its just guys jacking up shots.
Im just gonna agree to disagree. I think you guys are biased and im not interested in fighting over this its just the truth lol
No one is arguing the product is better but jacking threes and missing is still better offense than they ran back in the day. It’s not so much the defense you hate it’s the analytics and teams realizing the three pointer is just weighted too heavily. When you know a team/player is better than you, you have to create variance. To do that you speed up pace of play and shoot more threes. It’s the great equalizer. That’s why it’s harder to win now. When it doesn’t work it’s all time bad but then the games it works there is nothing you can do.
Why would we be the biased ones? In every league and every sport players are getting more athletic smarter and better. But somehow basketball is going the wrong way? That doesn’t make any sense. I think you are the one being biased. The players play within the rules but to say they aren’t playing defense is just a disservice, put them in the 90s let them hand check and see if they can play. Jordan never faced the type of wings we have today. There 50 players today that could guard him better than who he was defended by. That’s fact. He went up against 6’3” players each night. Now every team has at least a 6’7”-6’10” wing that would have a much better time contesting his shot, LeBron is the prime example. If you let him hand check I don’t think a single player would even cross half court. He’d be the greatest defensive player the league has ever seen.
Dont tell me what I hate when people do that its just someone trying to control the narative. Its gaslighting. People gaslight when they are biased and know they are losing an argument. I said nothing about hate. I siad the defense of this era is dimished compared to the 90's. THAT IS THE TRUTH. Whether you like it or not the game is less physical and guys score more and that is by design AND THE LEAGUE ADMITTED IT. So youre not just arguing with me youre arguing with Comissioner SIlver cuz Im just repeating what he said lol.
Yes the game is less physical and they watch out more for player safety. But why is hard fouling better defense? It’s terrible defense.
OK you dont need to say anything else as my point was the 90's was too physical and more defensive minded for them to do the same things they are doing now. Thank you.
I don’t get what physicality has to do with defense. The new nba realized that the post up was an inefficient play. So they stopped banging down low. Everything is outside in now so naturally less physical cuz less inside play. Shaq for as good as he was would be an average efficiency in today’s nba.
