Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six...

[tlance]

Many plays at the rim that are play-ons today, would have been considered fouls in the 80's, and even the 90's.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

The failing of the "1990s cult" belief is that players would stubbornly cling to 2013 rules.

That is 100% wrong.

Without the 2013 rules, the players of today would also enjoy greater physical play as well.

The players of today are bigger, faster, and stronger.
If they got to play with less restrictive rules, they would immediately dominate the 1990s.

Lebron would not be an idiot and play with the 2013 rules while every scrub in the 1990s was hacking at will.

If you look at old footage, most NBA players in the 1990s were scrawny non-athletic looking.
Sure, the superstars had more prominent athleticism. Sure, Karl Malone was a beast.
But, overall the rank and file masses of 1990s NBA players were much skinnier and less athletic.

Lebron would use the 1990s rules.
At 6"8" and 260 pounds, he would be downright scary.

He would be tossing aside the skinny defenders like they were made of balsa wood.
Lebron would average 50 points and 15 rebounds versus those smaller defenders.

Sports medicine, training, and athletic evolution happens.

It is silly to cling to nostalgia to the point of never opening your eyes.

 

[trojanfan12]

There are not as many hard fouls today because of the rules. That is definitely true.

The average play, however, allows far more contact than ever before in today's NBA, so long as the defender is making a basketball play and not simply trying to take someone out Kevin McHale style.

Good point, it may actually be a bit of a wash, now that I think about it!! Post play was much more physical in the 80's and 90's than it is today, but the perimeter play, for the most part, was less physical. I don't agree that there is far more contact allowed today, but I think guys are allowed more "bumps" out on the perimeter today than was allowed in the 80's and 90's!!

It maybe that the game isn't so much "less physical" as it is that where players are being allowed to play physical has changed.

 

[trojanfan12]

The failing of the "1990s cult" belief is that players would stubbornly cling to 2013 rules.

That is 100% wrong.

Without the 2013 rules, the players of today would also enjoy greater physical play as well.

The players of today are bigger, faster, and stronger.
If they got to play with less restrictive rules, they would immediately dominate the 1990s.

Lebron would not be an idiot and play with the 2013 rules while every scrub in the 1990s was hacking at will.

If you look at old footage, most NBA players in the 1990s were scrawny non-athletic looking.
Sure, the superstars had more prominent athleticism. Sure, Karl Malone was a beast.
But, overall the rank and file masses of 1990s NBA players were much skinnier and less athletic.

Lebron would use the 1990s rules.
At 6"8" and 260 pounds, he would be downright scary.

He would be tossing aside the skinny defenders like they were made of balsa wood.
Lebron would average 50 points and 15 rebounds versus those smaller defenders.

Sports medicine, training, and athletic evolution happens.

It is silly to cling to nostalgia to the point of never opening your eyes.

The problem with this is that it assumes that the advances in training and sports medicine would be available to the 2013 players in the 80's and 90's or that the players from the 80's and 90's wouldn't take advantage of those advances.

I'd say that if Lebron had come along in 80's or 90's he wouldn't be built that much different than the players of those era's. He'd probably be built a lot like Magic Johnson was at that time. Remember throughout most of the existence of the NBA, weightlifting for basketball players was considered a bad idea because it was believed that it would hamper their flexibility. However, advances in weight training and the ability to isolate specific muscles and muscle groups has changed that dramatically!!

 

[Shanemansj13]

homer much...?

No this is Lebron, I don't care about the Heat.

I hope he comes back to Cleveland and wins 3 or 4, but that is virtually impossible. But now they got Kyrie, Waiters, and another draft pick so we will see.

 

[tlance]

Good point, it may actually be a bit of a wash, now that I think about it!! Post play was much more physical in the 80's and 90's than it is today, but the perimeter play, for the most part, was less physical. I don't agree that there is far more contact allowed today, but I think guys are allowed more "bumps" out on the perimeter today than was allowed in the 80's and 90's!!

It maybe that the game isn't so much "less physical" as it is that where players are being allowed to play physical has changed.

I think that is a really good way to say it. Well put.

 

[Shanemansj13]

It is harder to win in these days. Bigger, stronger, athletic athletes, I think it is hardwr to 3-peat these days...IMO

No way in hell a player will win 11 ships, let alone 7...but Lebron has superhuman strength and vision. He is the one guy I think could get as many as MJ. Still 4 to go, so a long way away.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

So offence got easier....but defense stayed the same...

Lol

It was way easier to win championshipz even in mjs day. Last i checked mj didnt havd every owner vote againsg super teams.

Lol at some of the points being made.

 

[Flauge]

if there are less teams, then the title is easier to win. It's called mathematics. If the league had two teams, the title would be easier. you guys cannot be this stupid.

 

[OregonDucks]

He will never be known as the best or greatest ever. He will forever be known as the guy who was an athletic freak who had to join up with 2 other super stars and go get a HOF 3 pt shooter to get his rings. He built nothing, just had good friends.

Had he done this in Cleveland, then we could talk.

 

[WhiteMamba]

Lebron will win 7 titles by the end of his career and with the stats and accolades he has and will accomplish WILL become the best ever.

He will have so many reg season MVPs. All he needs is to keep adding championships and your prediction really is a no brainer...

 

[WhiteMamba]

He is 28... Wait til he comes back in 2013-14 season with a low post game. That is what he needs to work on. That and playing from the elbow. Like Kobe does.

 

[Shanemansj13]

He will never be known as the best or greatest ever. He will forever be known as the guy who was an athletic freak who had to join up with 2 other super stars and go get a HOF 3 pt shooter to get his rings. He built nothing, just had good friends.

Had he done this in Cleveland, then we could talk.

Opinion.

Built the worst team in the league to almost the best in Cleveland. He beat the championship Pistons by himself, he went to game 7 with a team that had 3 superstars. No way he could of beat the C's by himself.

And I wouldn't call Bosh a superstar, he is an All-Star at best. So he has 1 other superstar. This isn't any different than Shaq coming to LA with Kobe.

You Lebron haters will have excuses no matter what.

The King is here and will be dominated for the at least the next 7 years.

 

[WhiteMamba]

Opinion.

Built the worst team in the league to almost the best in Cleveland. He beat the championship Pistons by himself, he went to game 7 with a team that had 3 superstars. No way he could of beat the C's by himself.

And I wouldn't call Bosh a superstar, he is an All-Star at best. So he has 1 other superstar. This isn't any different than Shaq coming to LA with Kobe.

You Lebron haters will have excuses no matter what.

The King is here and will be dominated for the at least the next 7 years.

Bird had the best frontline in the NBA'a history with the CHief, McHale, and himself.

Magic had the best big man in the history of the game along with James freaking Worthy.

Jordan had one of the greatest defenders and all around players ever. And for a couple the best modern day rebounder.

Kobe had SHAQ for 3 of his. The other two were very impressive, but he did have a good team with a great teammate in Pau Gasol.

It takes a TEAM to win a championship. You can not do it alone. The hype of Bosh/Wade/James was so magnified because of James' decision to leave and how he did it. Bosh isnt all that really. Good, not great. And Wade is a great player but is up and down and always seems to be playing hurt.

Point is. All the greats DID NOT win alone. Ask them, they would tell you the same.

 

[Sman2011]

Lebron will win 7 titles by the end of his career and with the stats and accolades he has and will accomplish WILL become the best ever.

It's not just rings. Right now Haslem has 3 rings to Lebrons 1 (plus the 1 asterisk).

It's how do you play in those big moments and finals. I don't think MJ or Kobe ever performed in the clutch like Lebron did in the last minutes of game 6 with the season on the line (shooting 2 airballs, and 2 turnovers).

History will show, lebron did everything possible to choke the season away but was bailed out by A fluke play.

Reality, is Lebron's has performed miserably in the finals every time. How does Lebron erase all those embarrassments?

 

[tlance]

Reality, is Lebron's has performed miserably in the finals every time. How does Lebron erase all those embarrassments?

By putting up 37 points in game 7.

 

[WhiteMamba]

2008 Finals

Kobe Bryant

Game 1

43 Minutes
9-26 FG 35%
3 Rebounds
6 Assists
24 points

Game 4

43 minutes
6-19 FG 31%
4 Rebounds
10 Assists
17 points

Game 5

44 minutes
8-21 FG 39%
7 Rebounds
4 Assists
25 points

Game 6

43 minutes
7-22 FG 31%
3 Rebounds
1 Assist
22 pts

So does this epic fail of a series for Kobe define his career? I say No. By your logic you would say Yes (double time) Since Kobe lost this series and the series you speak of LeBron Won...

 

[WhiteMamba]

^^^^^^ EXACT SAME WAY KOBE HAS^^^^^^^

Reality, is Lebron's has performed miserably in the finals every time. How does Lebron erase all those embarrassments?

amirite?

 

[JDM]

if there are less teams, then the title is easier to win. It's called mathematics. If the league had two teams, the title would be easier. you guys cannot be this stupid.

An extremely simplistic and inadequate view. On average, you're clearly right, but for a good team, the distribution of talent has at least as much of an impact as the number of teams.

 

[WhiteMamba]

An extremely simplistic and inadequate view. On average, you're clearly right, but for a good team, the distribution of talent has at least as much of an impact as the number of teams.

Why is it simplistic and inadequate? Population growth, number of kids playing basketball, AAU camps for kids to play Hoops all year around.

Distribution of talent? Give me a break...... WAAAAAAAY more kids in this generation are playing hoops. Find an African American high schooler playing baseball in this country's day and age. Compare that to years past.

All the kids with significant athletic ability are playing 2 sports. Football and Basketball. Combine that with the all year AAU camps and population growth and your talent distribution argument is so ridiculous.

Especially since you called out someone who made an accurate assessment.