For all you Lebron Haters

[Shaqdaddy11]

Pretty far from a Cavs fan. Or even a Lebron fan. I like Curry and KD more than Lebron.

But I can also recognize greatness.

Again, who is questioning lebrons greatness?

 

[BallsOfFurry]

Gary Payton would man handle Steph Curry. Perimeter D back then was totally different

Great players got special treatment back then, so Curry would have been given a certain amount of protection by refs. He would have been a great shooter in the 80s or 90s. The only question I have is as you point out, would he be worn down by having to push guys like Payton down the court 4 quarters .
Defense is better in many ways today, but it's not as physical.

 

[gordontrue]

You know how it is with some of these Lebroniacs and Cavs fans...if you dare say anything other than Lebron is just the dreamiest and most bestest ever...you're a hater.

This really is your only goto argument, isn't it. LOL... there aren't even any Cav or LeBron fans in this thread.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

You said Lebron playing PG in the 80s 90s. Different kind of ball pressure and defense back then. More physical to say the least.

Lebron is very tough to guard, but no one really zones anyone in the NBA for too long. Too many good shooters and all you have to do is move the ball quick. Kwani and Jimmy B can check Lebron about as good as anyone in the league - but no one can stop him. Hell the entire Bad Boys Piston teams would physically abuse MJ and could still score plenty and finally got over the hump.

The NBA today is so top heavy and watered down. Look at what's going on in the playoffs.

MJ got special treatment after he became a superstar though. He didn't take the abuse other good players did.

 

[SJ76]

Great players got special treatment back then, so Curry would have been given a certain amount of protection by refs. He would have been a great shooter in the 80s or 90s. The only question I have is as you point out, would he be worn down by having to push guys like Payton down the court 4 quarters .
Defense is better in many ways today, but it's not as physical.

Great players always have gotten special treatment. It's no different now. Gary Payton was a great player back then btw. Steph is a great shooter, but he wouldn't be going to the hole very hard after getting slammed to the ground. He would have accepted a SG role and been good at it. He's a great passer as well.

 

[flyerhawk]

You said Lebron playing PG in the 80s 90s. Different kind of ball pressure and defense back then. More physical to say the least.

Sure. Are you suggesting that Lebron James would get outmuscled by Scottie Pippen?

Lebron is very tough to guard, but no one really zones anyone in the NBA for too long. Too many good shooters and all you have to do is move the ball quick. Kwani and Jimmy B can check Lebron about as good as anyone in the league - but no one can stop him. Hell the entire Bad Boys Piston teams would physically abuse MJ and could still score plenty and finally got over the hump.

MJ was unguardable as well. That's why they are the two greatest players I've ever watched play, honorable mention Magic Johnson.

The NBA today is so top heavy and watered down. Look at what's going on in the playoffs.

I don't understand the claim that the league is watered down. The talent pool today is VASTLY larger than it was in the 90s.

It is top heavy because of how FA works in the NBA.

 

[SJ76]

MJ got special treatment after he became a superstar though. He didn't take the abuse other good players did.

And Lebron doesn't get special treatment? Jordan drew alot of fouls and earned that after getting beatdown by the Pistons.

Is drew even a word? lol

 

[flyerhawk]

Gary Payton would man handle Steph Curry. Perimeter D back then was totally different

Gary Payton would be able to do something no one can do today and block Curry's shots?

Honestly I think you have it backwards. I think Curry's offensive game would have blown up the NBA back then. But he would get roasted defensively.

 

[SJ76]

Sure. Are you suggesting that Lebron James would get outmuscled by Scottie Pippen?

Read. It's no novel. Ball pressure by some of these guys was full court and hands all over you. Lebron doesn't have Magic's handle and he's used to basically walking the ball up the court in today's game.

Yeah Scottie had quick hands. And Scottie guarded plenty of guys that hand more muscle. Barkley, Ewing, etc.

 

[flyerhawk]

Again, who is questioning lebrons greatness?

The folks here who constantly mythologize how the NBA was in the 90s.

FTR, in 20 years there will be folks doing the same thing about the next Magic/MJ/Lebron and saying how that player would have struggled against Lebron/MJ/Magic. It's the nature of sports to think that previous generations were somehow "better"

 

[BallsOfFurry]

Great players always have gotten special treatment. It's no different now. Gary Payton was a great player back then btw. Steph is a great shooter, but he wouldn't be going to the hole very hard after getting slammed to the ground. He would have accepted a SG role and been good at it. He's a great passer as well.

Stars don't get the special treatment now they did in MJ's time.
It used to piss me off when Hubie Brown openly defended the practice of refs favoring proven stars.
I agree human nature still makes stars more likely to get calls, but it got ridiculous in the 80s, 90s and into the early 2000s. Shaq was an exception of course, he took contact so well refs hardly noticed.

 

[trojanfan12]

This really is your only goto argument, isn't it. LOL... there aren't even any Cav or LeBron fans in this thread.

Really? When did you stop being a Lebron fan?

And yes, every time someone makes a criticism of Lebron, the default button for Cavs fans and Lebroniacs is "You're just a hater."

 

[SJ76]

Gary Payton would be able to do something no one can do today and block Curry's shots?

Honestly I think you have it backwards. I think Curry's offensive game would have blown up the NBA back then. But he would get roasted defensively.

LMAO The Glove would have gotten blown up. With Curry barely weighing 200 lbs in a physical 90s NBA. The glove wasn't quick huh? The '96 Finals man.. Bulls up 3-0, Gary Payton switched up to guard MJ and the Sonics won 2 straight. Bulls had lost 1 playoff game until the Finals against the Knicks in OT.

But The glove couldn't handle Steph Curry

Man how much more laughter you got for me?

 

[flyerhawk]

Read. It's no novel. Ball pressure by some of these guys was full court and hands all over you. Lebron doesn't have Magic's handle and he's used to basically walking the ball up the court in today's game.

Magic didn't have small forwards guarding him or at least not very well. If Pippen or the Worm were to try to press lebron he would blow by them.

Yeah Scottie had quick hands. And Scottie guarded plenty of guys that hand more muscle. Barkley, Ewing, etc.

Pippen is a hall of famer. A tremendous player. Asking to do something that no one else can isn't reasonable. If he were to press Lebron he would get bullied.

 

[SJ76]

Stars don't get the special treatment now they did in MJ's time.
It used to piss me off with Hubie Brown openly defended the practice of refs favoring proven stars.
I agree human nature still makes stars more likely to get calls, but it got ridiculous in the 80s, 90s and into the early 2000s. Shaq was an exception of course, he took contact so well refs hardly noticed.

Lord have mercy

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

The folks here who constantly mythologize how the NBA was in the 90s.

FTR, in 20 years there will be folks doing the same thing about the next Magic/MJ/Lebron and saying how that player would have struggled against Lebron/MJ/Magic. It's the nature of sports to think that previous generations were somehow "better"

How is it so hard for you to grasp that the East was a LOT harder between the mid 80s and the mid 90s? Are you saying that it wasn't?

 

[gordontrue]

Really? When did you stop being a Lebron fan?

Ummm... I hadn't posted in this thread when you made that comment.

And yes, every time someone makes a criticism of Lebron, the default button for Cavs fans and Lebroniacs is "You're just a hater."

How about a test?

I'll find as many posts as I can of you specifically calling me a "Lebroniac"... and you find as many posts as you can of me specifically calling you a "hater".

 

[SJ76]

Magic didn't have small forwards guarding him or at least not very well. If Pippen or the Worm were to try to press lebron he would blow by them.

You are pretty fucking stupid.

1991 Finals man. Lakers up 1-0. Pippen switched to Magic. Bulls win 4 in a row.

 

[flyerhawk]

LMAO The Glove would have gotten blown up. With Curry barely weighing 200 lbs in a physical 90s NBA. The glove wasn't quick huh? The '96 Finals man.. Bulls up 3-0, Gary Payton switched up to guard MJ and the Sonics won 2 straight. Bulls had lost 1 playoff game until the Finals against the Knicks in OT.

But The glove couldn't handle Steph Curry

Man how much more laughter you got for me?

I can't argue with your nostalgia.

At no point did I question Payton's abilities. He was also a Hall of Fame player.

Curry would likely have been beat up a lot in the 90s game. He would still have one of the all greatest shots in the history of basketball. Hand checking doesn't change that.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

LMAO The Glove would have gotten blown up. With Curry barely weighing 200 lbs in a physical 90s NBA. The glove wasn't quick huh? The '96 Finals man.. Bulls up 3-0, Gary Payton switched up to guard MJ and the Sonics won 2 straight. Bulls had lost 1 playoff game until the Finals against the Knicks in OT.

But The glove couldn't handle Steph Curry

Man how much more laughter you got for me?

Payton and Pippen were extraordinary on ball defenders. Pippen was the most versatile defender I've ever seen.