It's first now I'm starting to realize how ridiculously good Olajuwon really was!

Should read "rough and tumble play that characterized the prime Dream, Robinson, and Ewing era"

but anyway, I also wanted to point out that this was also the same year that the league infamously did away with "hand checking" for players in the backcourt, too.

The NBA really became a soft, patty cake league at that point. Low block scorers had it way easier from that point on, and backcourt players could now get to the paint with ease. You want to crown players who took advantage of the new Happy Feely times where you can't even touch a guy who wanted to score the ball, fine. I'll take no part in it though. You keep your unfounded, apples to oranges LeBron is better than Jordan, Shaq is better than Dream sentiments to yourself bro.

 

Remember how he still embarrassed Shaq in his declining years? He'd do the same to Howard at his peak

 

and Tyson Chandler is considered as a good center and made the Olympics team.....LOL

 

They train together!!

 

Even the Admiral is way better than Dwight.

 

It's all OJ's fault.

 

that dude has rookie status, aka, no need to waste time with him.

 

I've really got to just point to rules changes that made it so that defenders couldn't stop you anyway as primarily responsible for the leaguewide decline at the center position.

If just "being stronger" and "being able to jump higher" is literally all you need to be successful at the position since the changes in 1999, then why would any young center invest time in learning 20 different ways to get your defender off-balance and off your shoulder? Why even go to college to refine your skills as a big man when all you need is drop step --> dunk, because a defender is not allowed to stop you from doing it?

I get what the league was trying to do, they were trying to increase scoring and ramp up interest in the NBA after Jordan retired. But what it did was essentially ruin the art of playing in the post.

Pretty much forever, too, is the sad thing. It's just going to be a lost art from this point on. Because it's not like this steady stream of jokers who are lining up to get lessons from Dream ever really internalize his play style and become anything like the player he was.

 

We honor the GREATEST, but we never believe the current teams are as good, and don't dismiss other fans saying our team sucks NOW. We accept it as fans.

WTF is your point, anyway? Let the Swedish dude proclaim his admiration for THE MAN. Do you want to be BAMBOOZLED?