I GUARANTEE the Lakers will win the finals...

[True Lakers Fan]

People still watch the watered down NBA?

you are obviously paying close attention to the NBA since you responded

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Yes, and thanks for answering the "Do morons still post stupid shit in forums about a sport they don't watch" question for us.

Now we're just going to need you to post about how "it took you less than 30 seconds to post that" to complete the double down on stupid.

You gave him to much credit... At developmentally disabled adults to think of stupid questions

 

[trojanfan12]

You gave him to much credit... At developmentally disabled adults to think of stupid questions

 

[jon2tanman]

The one and done have hurt the development in the NBA. All you need now is one good player and you can make the playoffs. Does anyone even play defense anymore?

 

[tlance]

The one and done have hurt the development in the NBA. All you need now is one good player and you can make the playoffs. Does anyone even play defense anymore?

Except that players are more skilled now than ever before.

You are wrong.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Does anyone even play defense anymore?

Did you watch the playoffs?

It’s funny you say that though. Now they have bigger, stronger, faster athletes than we’ve seen and they can shoot 30 foot jumpers with ease.

Fun fact.
Today teams average 111 ppg
In 1985 teams averaged 111 ppg
In 1965 team averaged 115 ppg

So apparently you are saying defense has never been played in the history of the sport...hmm interesting

 

[jon2tanman]

What's the league average in all the other years?

 

[trojanfan12]

What's the league average in all the other years?

From about 1980 to about 1995, the overall league scoring average was around 106 points per game. It hit a high of 110.8 points per game in the '84-'85 season and then steadily declined before dropping to under 100 points per game for the first time since the 1950's in the '95-'96 season. It stayed under 100 points until the '08-'09 season where it hit 100 points exactly. It has steadily risen since then until hitting a current high of 111.8 points per game.

The decline in scoring that began after the '84-'85 season was the result of the emergence of the "Bad Boy Pistons". There had always been physical defense to a point, but the Bad Boy Pistons turned up the physicality to level the league had never seen. When teams saw how the Pistons won more every year and eventually won a title with it, other teams copied them. That led to a slow, half court, isolation type game that sometimes had hockey type brawls. It was fun and exciting in it's own way. But it wasn't good basketball.

The rise in scoring that we've seen since then is the result of rules changes that have taken some of the physicality out of the game and the 3 point shot being used a lot more. The NBA, like the NFL and really any league, has placed a premium on scoring because scoring attracts the casual fan. Casual fans want to see teams flying up and down the court with lots of big 3's and windmill dunks, just like they want to see 30 yard runs and 60 yard touchdown passes in the NFL. So, it's not about teams not playing defense, it's that they are playing against rules designed to help the offense.

Imo, the 80's had the perfect mix of physicality and finesse. I'd like to see the rules tweaked to a little to allow a level of physicality similar to what the league had in the 80's, but I wouldn't want to see a return to 90's style basketball (even though I did enjoy the 90's for what they were).

 

[Shanemansj13]

From about 1980 to about 1995, the overall league scoring average was around 106 points per game. It hit a high of 110.8 points per game in the '84-'85 season and then steadily declined before dropping to under 100 points per game for the first time since the 1950's in the '95-'96 season. It stayed under 100 points until the '08-'09 season where it hit 100 points exactly. It has steadily risen since then until hitting a current high of 111.8 points per game.

The decline in scoring that began after the '84-'85 season was the result of the emergence of the "Bad Boy Pistons". There had always been physical defense to a point, but the Bad Boy Pistons turned up the physicality to level the league had never seen. When teams saw how the Pistons won more every year and eventually won a title with it, other teams copied them. That led to a slow, half court, isolation type game that sometimes had hockey type brawls. It was fun and exciting in it's own way. But it wasn't good basketball.

The rise in scoring that we've seen since then is the result of rules changes that have taken some of the physicality out of the game and the 3 point shot being used a lot more. The NBA, like the NFL and really any league, has placed a premium on scoring because scoring attracts the casual fan. Casual fans want to see teams flying up and down the court with lots of big 3's and windmill dunks, just like they want to see 30 yard runs and 60 yard touchdown passes in the NFL. So, it's not about teams not playing defense, it's that they are playing against rules designed to help the offense.

Imo, the 80's had the perfect mix of physicality and finesse. I'd like to see the rules tweaked to a little to allow a level of physicality similar to what the league had in the 80's, but I wouldn't want to see a return to 90's style basketball (even though I did enjoy the 90's for what they were).

The rules was the main difference....you could be more physical simply bc of the rules. If you could hand check in this league right now...the scoring would probably drop dramatically to around 100 imo...but with how guys can shoot right now it wouldn't drop dramatically as we saw in the mid 90's. The game is also more exciting now though...just too many damn fouls called and games called so tightly for the most part. All those factors make a huge difference.

 

[tlance]

The rules was the main difference....you could be more physical simply bc of the rules. If you could hand check in this league right now...the scoring would probably drop dramatically to around 100 imo...but with how guys can shoot right now it wouldn't drop dramatically as we saw in the mid 90's. The game is also more exciting now though...just too many damn fouls called and games called so tightly for the most part. All those factors make a huge difference.

I like the way the game is called today for the most part. It is a lot more physical than people like to give credit for. Obviously not as physical in the 90s, but physical in different ways. Refs have gotten pretty good at ignoring contact that doesn’t create an advantage. Many incidental contact plays that aren’t fouls today would have been in prior eras.

Now, what has to change is the BS fouls hunting plays where the offensive player can lift the defender and jump into them creating contact. If the offensive player creates the contact, it should be an offensive foul if the defender is in legal guarding position and a no call if they aren’t.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Now, what has to change is the BS fouls hunting plays where the offensive player can lift the defender and jump into them creating contact. If the offensive player creates the contact, it should be an offensive foul if the defender is in legal guarding position and a no call if they aren’t.

Agree 100%. They are too iffy on these calls but we see a foul by the defensive player way too often. It's gotten out of hand.

 

[lebron23james]

People still watch the watered down NBA?

For the most part you are right

 

[logic]

From about 1980 to about 1995, the overall league scoring average was around 106 points per game. It hit a high of 110.8 points per game in the '84-'85 season and then steadily declined before dropping to under 100 points per game for the first time since the 1950's in the '95-'96 season. It stayed under 100 points until the '08-'09 season where it hit 100 points exactly. It has steadily risen since then until hitting a current high of 111.8 points per game.

The decline in scoring that began after the '84-'85 season was the result of the emergence of the "Bad Boy Pistons". There had always been physical defense to a point, but the Bad Boy Pistons turned up the physicality to level the league had never seen. When teams saw how the Pistons won more every year and eventually won a title with it, other teams copied them. That led to a slow, half court, isolation type game that sometimes had hockey type brawls. It was fun and exciting in it's own way. But it wasn't good basketball.

The rise in scoring that we've seen since then is the result of rules changes that have taken some of the physicality out of the game and the 3 point shot being used a lot more. The NBA, like the NFL and really any league, has placed a premium on scoring because scoring attracts the casual fan. Casual fans want to see teams flying up and down the c

 

[Black Adam]

View attachment 254803

ol, poor Kurt Rambis. a flagrant 5 on today's basketball scale...

 

[trojanfan12]

ol, poor Kurt Rambis. a flagrant 5 on today's basketball scale...

Yep. That wasn't even a technical foul then. Just a common foul. lol

 

[lebron23james]

Except that players are more skilled now than ever before.

You are wrong.

What is lame imo, is all the 3 pointers

I like what the Lakers did tho. When everyone was saying you have to go small and fast, they went with 3 7 footers...I would be very interested to see how they would matchup against GS. I think they would exploit them the same way they are exploiting the heat...

 

[trojanfan12]

What is lame imo, is all the 3 pointers

I like what the Lakers did tho. When everyone was saying you have to go small and fast, they went with 3 7 footers...I would be very interested to see how they would matchup against GS. I think they would exploit them the same way they are exploiting the heat...

Probably. But GS is better at shooting the 3, so that would be tougher to deal with.

What's unique with the Lakers is the athleticism that the Lakers bigs have, especially AD and Dwight. They were actually able to stay with Butler and the other Heat guards when they switched on to them. Most other bigs get blown by or forced into a foul with those matchups.

Also, when the Lakers go "small", they're still pretty damn big. They're out there with AD (6'11"), Lebron (6'8"), Kuzma or Morris (both 6'8"), Green (6'6"), Caruso (6'5") or KCP (6'5") and Rondo (6'1").

 

[tlance]

What is lame imo, is all the 3 pointers

I like what the Lakers did tho. When everyone was saying you have to go small and fast, they went with 3 7 footers...I would be very interested to see how they would matchup against GS. I think they would exploit them the same way they are exploiting the heat...

It is all about defensive matchups.

Against smaller teams where they don’t have good matchups for McGee and Howard, those guys don’t play much.

What is special about the Lakers is that they can play either way. They can go super big with Dwight McGee against your traditional center.

Or, they can play AD and Morris at the 5 against guys like Bam, Draymond, etc. Because of the defensive versatility of those guys, they can go big or small. And like @trojanfan12 said, their small group is still really big and capable of overpowering your small group.

By the way, the Lakers still shoot a ton of 3s too. Think they set a record for first half attempts last night.

 

[trojanfan12]

By the way, the Lakers still shoot a ton of 3s too. Think they set a record for first half attempts last night.

Yeah, they set the record for most 3's attempted in a finals game for both a half and for the game. The old records were both held by the Cavs.

 

[lebron23james]

Yeah, they set the record for most 3's attempted in a finals game for both a half and for the game. The old records were both held by the Cavs.

Cavs still got the record for makes tho