Lebrons Cavs vs Jordan’s Bulls

[Robotech]

The big problem for Curry would be to get a coach to actually buy in to using him effectively. The 3 point shot was viewed very differently in the 90s than it is today. And that change in attitude was driven, to a large degree, by a bunch of math nerds determining that the 3 point shot was a statistically better shot to take than a mid-range jumper.

So if Steph Curry were to walk onto the 92 Celtics they would see a guy who would struggle to defend against bigger guards like Mark Jackson, who was a lethal outside shooter and could make his own shot but got pummeled frequently when he drove to the hoop. Furthermore, he would likely struggle with the hand check defense and getting his shot off cleanly.

Now if you took the 2017 Warriors and transplanted the entire team to 1992, that would be an interesting thought experiment. They would really struggle in the paint but teams would be just baffled with their perimeter shooting success especially on pick and rolls. Of course, there is no way to know how that would have really worked out but it is fun to speculate.

As for @dtgold88 I generally don't mind him but I do dislike when he pitbulls some tangential point so he can "win" an argument and then starts spiking the football over and over again about that point.

Curry is bigger than "big guard" Mark Jackson, both in height and weight. 2017 Warriors would score a lot in the paint because of the spacing. They also had bruiser types like Pachulia and West.

 

[Robotech]

What are everyone's memories of the hand check? I really think that it's achieved some kind of legendary status now. If you got too physical with your hand check in the '90s, it was called a foul. Sure it's helpful to a defender, but it's not going to stop today's great players. To me it was kinda like pass interference in football. You can put your hand on a receiver as a feeler, but if you impede him, it's a penalty.

 

[Robotech]

Also, I remember Jordan benefiting from a lot of foul calls where there was little or no contact.

 

[msgkings322]

Curry is bigger than "big guard" Mark Jackson, both in height and weight. 2017 Warriors would score a lot in the paint because of the spacing. They also had bruiser types like Pachulia and West.

Yeah people think of Curry as some tiny player, but he's 6'3" and muscular. He'd be a very effective player and probably not any more likely to get hurt than he is today. Now, if someone intentionally tried to hurt him (which they did back then) of course he'd have trouble.

 

[Robotech]

Yeah people think of Curry as some tiny player, but he's 6'3" and muscular. He'd be a very effective player and probably not any more likely to get hurt than he is today. Now, if someone intentionally tried to hurt him (which they did back then) of course he'd have trouble.

People must be imagining that he is like 5'9" 150 lbs. 6'3" 190 would put him at a decent size in any era. His most troubling durability issue is his ankles, but besides his 2nd season where he played only 23 games and this season with the freak hand injury, he's been pretty durable. Besides Aron Baynes falling on his hand, Curry's injuries have had nothing to do with being hit.

Here's an article that explains that when Curry increased his strength (200 lb. deadlift went up to 400 lb deadlift) and learned to use his hips more on misdirection moves, it helped out his ankles. Perhaps he would not have had this training available in the '90s? Not sure. But that would have nothing to do with the physicality of the game.

TrueHoop Presents: How Stephen Curry got the best worst ankles in sports

 

[flyerhawk]

Curry is bigger than "big guard" Mark Jackson, both in height and weight. 2017 Warriors would score a lot in the paint because of the spacing. They also had bruiser types like Pachulia and West.

I'm sure the Warriors would physically dominate the 92 Bulls.

 

[flyerhawk]

Yeah people think of Curry as some tiny player, but he's 6'3" and muscular. He'd be a very effective player and probably not any more likely to get hurt than he is today. Now, if someone intentionally tried to hurt him (which they did back then) of course he'd have trouble.

He's not tiny. But he's certainly not considered a strong player either. Which is why he has been a defensive liability for most of his career.

Seriously, though, my original point wasn't that curry was some schlub. He's an amazing player. If you don't think he would struggle with the physicality of 90s basketball, I don't know what to say.

I think the league is overall much more talented today than it was in the 90s. IMO, they allowed the physical play in part to help weaker teams.

 

[Robotech]

He's not tiny. But he's certainly not considered a strong player either. Which is why he has been a defensive liability for most of his career.

Seriously, though, my original point wasn't that curry was some schlub. He's an amazing player. If you don't think he would struggle with the physicality of 90s basketball, I don't know what to say.

I think the league is overall much more talented today than it was in the 90s. IMO, they allowed the physical play in part to help weaker teams.

Curry's defense isn't bad. He has a positive defensive plus minus of 0.4 for his career and he had 1.0, 1.6, and 1.7 in his best seasons. Any point guard is going to look bad if he gets matched up with a bigger player near the post, and that does happen in today's NBA, but then again forwards and centers having to guard Curry one on one can look silly, too.

 

[Robotech]

I'm sure the Warriors would physically dominate the 92 Bulls.

True. Draymond, Pachulia, and David West would be the toughest, meanest guys on either team.

 

[msgkings322]

He's not tiny. But he's certainly not considered a strong player either. Which is why he has been a defensive liability for most of his career.

Seriously, though, my original point wasn't that curry was some schlub. He's an amazing player. If you don't think he would struggle with the physicality of 90s basketball, I don't know what to say.

I think the league is overall much more talented today than it was in the 90s. IMO, they allowed the physical play in part to help weaker teams.

All we are saying is you are misreading Curry's physicality. Today, not when he was a young player. We all agree the game was more physical back then, but guys smaller than Curry did just fine.

 

[trojanfan12]

True. Draymond, Pachulia, and David West would be the toughest, meanest guys on either team.

 

[msgkings322]

Great reaction gif, but I was sincerely trying to decide if that was true.

Draymond and West were/are tough as nails, and I guess Zaza too. Are they more so than Grant and Cartwright? Who can say?

 

[trojanfan12]

All we are saying is you are misreading Curry's physicality. Today, not when he was a young player. We all agree the game was more physical back then, but guys smaller than Curry did just fine.

Guys smaller than Curry grew up playing that way. They didn't really know any other way. They had to learn how to deal with it, or not play.

Curry would likely eventually be just fine, but it would take him some time to adjust to how the game was played.

If you just dropped him in there for a playoff series, he's going to struggle with how physical it was.

But, if you gave him a season or 2 to adjust, I think he'd end up being a shorter, even better shooting, Reggie Miller.

 

[trojanfan12]

I'm sure the Warriors would physically dominate the 92 Bulls.

They'd out bad boy the Bad Boys.

 

[Robotech]

Great reaction gif, but I was sincerely trying to decide if that was true.

Draymond and West were/are tough as nails, and I guess Zaza too. Are they more so than Grant and Cartwright? Who can say?

And Zaza is huge. Looks like he has very dense bone structure. His facial bones look like they're trying to break out from his skin. LOL.

 

[flyerhawk]

Guys smaller than Curry grew up playing that way. They didn't really know any other way. They had to learn how to deal with it, or not play.

Curry would likely eventually be just fine, but it would take him some time to adjust to how the game was played.

If you just dropped him in there for a playoff series, he's going to struggle with how physical it was.

But, if you gave him a season or 2 to adjust, I think he'd end up being a shorter, even better shooting, Reggie Miller.

 

[flyerhawk]

And Zaza is huge. Looks like he has very dense bone structure. His facial bones look like they're trying to break out from his skin. LOL.

Zaza is certainly a meat head.

 

[flyerhawk]

They'd out bad boy the Bad Boys.

I'm sure Lambier would have trembled in fear once he saw big bad David West step on the court.

 

[msgkings322]

Zaza is certainly a meat head.

I think it's more bonehead

 

[Robotech]

I think it's more bonehead

Imagine taking a head butt from that guy.