Kevin Garnett: ‘I don’t think guys from 20 years ago could play in this game’

[Golden Spur]

When you look where the scoring was headed in the early 2000s something had to be done

Yeah, I think that's the way it was looked at. Also, the physical brand of play led to a lot of (high-profile widely rerun on ESPN) fights that were turning the game into a modulated form of hockey.

 

[Robotech]

That's where he did most of his damage. But he actually was also really good at driving to the hoop. He just didn't do it a lot because he was rail thin and didn't want to get killed. In today's game he'd be able to drive to the hoop a lot more.

I just don't think Curry and Reggie are that similar. Reggie doesn't have the handle and can't create like Steph. If he were really a taller Curry like you said, Reggie would've been Grant Hill.

 

[trojanfan12]

I just don't think Curry and Reggie are that similar. Reggie doesn't have the handle and can't create like Steph. If he were really a taller Curry like you said, Reggie would've been Grant Hill.

Did you see Reggie play?

 

[Robotech]

Did you see Reggie play?

Yeah, and he wasn't doing what Steph does.

 

[tlance]

I don't think a single big from the 70s and 80s would have any success in the NBA today. Including Laimbeer. Maybe Kareem but the game is just so vastly different today.

I know that some fans would consider this sacrilege but it's not really all that debatable to me.

Hakeem and David Robinson would thrive.

They were built for the modern game. Skilled offensive players and extremely agile defenders.

 

[tlance]

That's where he did most of his damage. But he actually was also really good at driving to the hoop. He just didn't do it a lot because he was rail thin and didn't want to get killed. In today's game he'd be able to drive to the hoop a lot more.

He didn’t have the handles to break someone down off the dribble.

He was a catch and shoot, catch and attack an aggressive close out type player.

Much more like Klay than like Curry.

Klay is just a better version of Reggie Miller.

 

[tlance]

Yeah, and he wasn't doing what Steph does.

Yeah, you are right.

The comp for Reggie is Klay.

There is no comparison for Steph from more than 10 years ago. He literally changed the mold.

 

[Robotech]

Yeah, you are right.

The comp for Reggie is Klay.

There is no comparison for Steph from more than 10 years ago. He literally changed the mold.

I was going to say that Reggie is more like Klay, but I feel like that will offend a lot of people and I'm gonna get called a 14 year old for comparing Klay to Reggie. LOL.

 

[broncosmitty]

I just don't think Curry and Reggie are that similar. Reggie doesn't have the handle and can't create like Steph. If he were really a taller Curry like you said, Reggie would've been Grant Hill.

If you could combine Reggie and Grant Hill, I might still take Steph.

But Grant Miller would be one helluva player. Reggie Hill would talk more shit than Grant Miller though.

 

[broncosmitty]

I was going to say that Reggie is more like Klay, but I feel like that will offend a lot of people and I'm gonna get called a 14 year old for comparing Klay to Reggie. LOL.

Grant Miller > Klay Green

Would be a great matchup.

 

[Robotech]

Grant Miller > Klay Green

Would be a great matchup.

Klaymond Green would be a great player. Brick wall that can move on defense and deadeye 3 point shooter on the other end.

 

[returnofjakedog]

Yup. If Laimbeer were time warped to the game today, he would be given a basketball death penalty for his anantics.

Yes, but the opposite is true also.

If you took a team today and transported them back to the '80s, today's team would get physically beat to shit. Sure some of the individuals would still excel but it would take them some time to adjust.
Same with the greats from the past: if they were somehow transported to modern days, they would struggle but most would adjust given some time. Note they would also have access to modern training, diet, medical services, etc in this scenerio.

Different time, different game. But the good players would find a way regardless of what era.

 

[broncosmitty]

On a serious note, to me, big guys who aren’t overly athletic, from twenty years ago, would need to work on their outside shooting.

Which I don’t think is that big of deal. They just never did it. Big guys didn’t play outside.

Brook Lopez has done it mid career(given, he’s a solid athlete). And he’s a guy I could see stretching his career out to twenty years. Never worked on his outside game coming up, or in the league, till it changed.

Dude can bomb now at a comparable level to the best big man 3 point shooters from any era.

 

[broncosmitty]

Klaymond Green would be a great player. Brick wall that can move on defense and deadeye 3 point shooter on the other end.

Klaymond > Scottie Kukoc

 

[Stakesarehigh]

Problem is, they went too far. Imo, the 80's had the best mix of physicality and finesse. Teams like the Lakers who were known for their finesse could still get physical and more physical teams like the Celtics, could still get out and run.

Agreed that the 80s was the ideal mix

 

[Stakesarehigh]

On a serious note, to me, big guys who aren’t overly athletic, from twenty years ago, would need to work on their outside shooting.

Which I don’t think is that big of deal. They just never did it. Big guys didn’t play outside.

Brook Lopez has done it mid career(given, he’s a solid athlete). And he’s a guy I could see stretching his career out to twenty years. Never worked on his outside game coming up, or in the league, till it changed.

Dude can bomb now at a comparable level to the best big man 3 point shooters from any era.

Same with Blake had he not completely lost his athleticism

 

[flyerhawk]

Hakeem and David Robinson would thrive.

They were built for the modern game. Skilled offensive players and extremely agile defenders.

I'm willing to agree that those 2 would have been fine. Hakeem was an exceptional athlete for his size.

 

[flyerhawk]

Yes, but the opposite is true also.

If you took a team today and transported them back to the '80s, today's team would get physically beat to shit. Sure some of the individuals would still excel but it would take them some time to adjust.
Same with the greats from the past: if they were somehow transported to modern days, they would struggle but most would adjust given some time. Note they would also have access to modern training, diet, medical services, etc in this scenerio.

Different time, different game. But the good players would find a way regardless of what era.

Yeah I would agree that players from today would struggle with the style of play from 20 years ago. With some obvious exceptions. Lebron would be absolutely dominate 20 years ago, provided a coach was willing to let him play the way he should. Steph Curry's shooting would work in any era with a 3 point shot. Embiid's athleticism for his size would also work in any era, provided he could stay healthy.

 

[trojanfan12]

Yeah, and he wasn't doing what Steph does.

lol

 

[The Q]

Yeah I would agree that players from today would struggle with the style of play from 20 years ago. With some obvious exceptions. Lebron would be absolutely dominate 20 years ago, provided a coach was willing to let him play the way he should. Steph Curry's shooting would work in any era with a 3 point shot. Embiid's athleticism for his size would also work in any era, provided he could stay healthy.

Im curious if Shaq would’ve bulked up so much in the modern era. People forget how athletic he was when he first got in the league.

I think he still mostly would’ve been fine so there’s less big heavies in the league to guard him, and all the bs guys got away with would’ve been called more often