The NBA was not tougher in the 'old days' the way you think

[thunderc]

Based on what exactly?

Style of play mainly, but you can’t get on a guy about a knee injury he played through.

 

[broncosmitty]

Style of play mainly, but you can’t get on a guy about a knee injury he played through.

He’s a 7 footer that has taken over 3 three’s a game every season of his career.

While being a below average 3 point shooter.

 

[Golden Spur]

The fundamental problem is the 82-game schedule. Should be like 50, but no way that works with the $.

 

[thunderc]

He’s a 7 footer that has taken over 3 three’s a game every season of his career.

While being a below average 3 point shooter.

And he can play with his back to the basket and play defense. Love watching him play.

 

[msgkings322]

The fundamental problem is the 82-game schedule. Should be like 50, but no way that works with the $.

I was hoping they would stick with the 72 they did this year, which was an improvement, but I doubt they will.

 

[bksballer89]

Based on what exactly?

By falling on the floor every possession like he is a 6'1 point guard

 

[shopson67]

Back in the day I knew a guy who scored 16 whirley ball points in a single day while 40lbs overweight, high and drunk. That’s tough.

Was his name Babe?

 

[shopson67]

And he can play with his back to the basket and play defense. Love watching him play.

He's a great player, but he plays like he's wearing lead boots. He's a throwback center in body type and athleticism.

 

[pittpnthrs]

Is it soft to play like he just did on a torn meniscus and still put up the numbers he did? To me soft would be sitting it out

Well he did sit out 31 games during the season.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Nah, most layers today are pussies. Remember when metta returned a week after tearing his acl? That was when the nba way already pretty pussified. Lebron and Durant would be eternally injured if they had to deal with the Jordan rules.

totally.

If LeBron had to deal with the hard-fouls Jordan took night in and night out he would spend the majority of the season on the floor rolling around like a secret service agent just snipered him.

its not even close. The physicality of the game in the was so much more. A foul that would be a flagrant 2 now would not even be thought twice of back then.

 

[WiggyRuss]

As someone actually old enough to have watched basketball in the 80’s and 90’s I can easily say not even close.

Also, just because Lebron is the best guy of his era doesn’t mean he’s the 2nd best guy ever behind Jordan. Plenty of guys from the Jordan era would dominate in the modern era.

the rules are so much different favoring offense, and the fouls are called so different

you used to expect a punishment if you went in the paint. now a hard foul is a flagrant and costs you $.

If LeBron took the punishment Jordan did he would not nearly have such a good health record as he has had during his career. Not even close.

Not only that- but while the pace of the game did slow to a crawl in the 90's- in the early 80's and 70's the scores were incredibly high and teams got up and down the floor more so then even today--- and they didnt rely on the 3 pointer even a 1/4 as much , shortening the floor like today.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I mean the OP of this thread made a ridiculous post.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Back in the day I knew a guy who scored 16 whirley ball points in a single day while 40lbs overweight, high and drunk. That’s tough.

was that guy RobBase?

whirley ball IS fun.

 

[broncosmitty]

was that guy RobBase?

whirley ball IS fun.

I think it was Rob and my old buddy Max.

Rob isn’t fat. And I didn’t score any points. Was too busy picking up my hat.

 

[We Are Decent]

I don't think the NBA is as soft as others think, but I know for sure that some stars of today probably wouldn't be as dominant back then.

 

[Stakesarehigh]

I don't think the NBA is as soft as others think, but I know for sure that some stars of today probably wouldn't be as dominant back then.

And vice versa. Guys like Anthony Mason would be virtually worthless.

 

[tlance]

I don't think the NBA is as soft as others think, but I know for sure that some stars of today probably wouldn't be as dominant back then.

For sure that is true.

I have to ROFL when people try to put LeBron in that category though.

Yeah he flops and whines. That doesn’t mean he can’t handle physical play. I am sure he would have flopped and whined a lot less in another era.

The dude is a Mack track. He would have been just fine. Maybe even better.

 

[YourFriendGannon]

Lebron says:

8, possibly 9 ALL-STARS has missed Playoff games(most in league history).

That's because 20 teams made the playoffs.

 

[YourFriendGannon]

OP is right though. This relevant article from 2 years ago was a warning.

'These kids are ticking time bombs': The threat of youth basketball

In part one of a two-part series, ESPN explores the dangers of youth basketball -- and how the culture of perpetual competition is jeopardizing the futures of the very stars it hopes to create.

www.espn.com

 

[tlance]

Lebron says:


That's because 20 teams made the playoffs.

No, that isn’t why.

Those 4 extra teams played 1 or 2 games. And unless you count Klay, none were missing an all star.