Will the NBA ever be as intense as this???

[Showtime80']

Watching this clip truly makes you realize how far the NBA has gone down in terms of just pure passion, intensity and just skill.

Here you have two bitter hated rivals, the best teams in the league with physical play, fast breaks, low post proficiency, timely outside shooting, bodies diving for loose balls. The refs letting the players play without repercussion with altercations between players and even fans!!! Check out the talent in this game: Larry Bird, Dr J, Robert Parish, Tiny Archibald, Mo Cheeks, Darryl Dawkins, Bobby Jones, Kevin McHale, Cedric Maxwell, Andrew Tony etc... You CANNOT find a series today that can put so much talent together on one floor. And best of all, NO SOFT 3 POINTERS!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbNXHJcxbjc

Shame that the NBA became entertainment instead of real sport!

[sd3035]

wow, nobody played defense in the 80s

Curry would average 60

[LAKingKobe]

The NBA has never been better than right now. You're just naming average players. Half of those u just said are not great, and would be nothing but role and 6th man players today. More athleticism, better basketball concepts with zone defense and slash and pass basketball. And u shouldn't call three pointers soft when they are there most efficient and devastating shot in basketball.

[senelcoolidge]

I find how the game is so open today boring...artificially created by rule changes. Guys swinging the ball around hoisting up 3's. I like 3 pointers and it's a nice skill to have, but just watching games full of 3 point attempts is not fun to watch.

[Showtime80']

Average players is what you had in last years Finals!!! Aside from Lebron and Curry nobody approaches the level of talent of all the guys in this series. Some of those role players in 1981 like McHale, Toney, Dawkins and Cheeks

Better basketball concepts!?!?! Oh you mean the fact that in today's league the centers are absolutely pathetic with no post games combined this to the fact that PG's want to score instead of conducting the offense to set up everyone else both in the fast break and half court and no wonder teams NEEED to shoot 30 threes a game! When the supposedly best center in the NBA for the past 10 years (Dwight Howard) has one of the most limited and undeveloped post games in HISTORY! you know you're in trouble.

Today's NBA if full of ONE AND DONE college ATHLETES who come in raw to the NBA without any concept of basic fundamentals and try and learn on the fly instead of making immediate impacts like the guys from the 80's did. Hell NCAA basketball has gone down the crapper when compared to the 80's as well.

For all the hoopla about the 3 point shot, the modern NBA teams can barely average above 100ppg and offenses still look as stagnant as the late 90's with teams wasting 22 second off the shot clock to set up for a damn 3!!! Absolutely boring and unimaginative.

And last but definitely not least, THERE ARE NO MORE HATED RIVALRIES LIKE THIS!!!

Keep the modern ATHLETES, give me the classic BASKETBALL PLAYERS!

[iamgine]

It's missing nba level defense.

[Showtime80']

Right on Senel!

Today's teams almost end up playing defense ON THEMSELVES with the focus on shooting three pointers!

Those teams in 1981 had dominant post presence and everything else extended from that. The spacing was acquired from the double teams the post demanded instead of waiting 23 seconds for the endless moving screens to open up a shot 25 feet away from the basket.

Last year's Cavs team would've been literally MURDERED by either one of the 1981 Sixers or Celtics of these teams!

[Dr Hawk]

Nice all-star game type defense

[ClipperRevival]

LOL at 3:30, Maxwell attacks a fan. Didn't even get ejected.

[miggyme1]

I went to a fight and a basketball game broke out

[LAKingKobe]

LOL at 3:30, Maxwell attacks a fan. Didn't even get ejected.

And why is that a good thing...

[kennethgriffin]

all i see is shitty team defense leading to crappy contests and easy dunks


ofcourse back then it was more exciting



the game evolved defensively 10 fold

[ClipperRevival]

B. Jones was pretty darn athletic for a white guy. One of the most underrated players ever.

[LAKingKobe]

Danilo Gallinari in the 80s would be a top ten player. Would athletically abuse those pathetic defenses and rain threes on those midget guards

[LAKingKobe]

B. Jones was pretty darn athletic for a white guy. One of the most underrated players ever.

Dellevadova is better.

[tontoz]

The NBA has never been better than right now. You're just naming average players. Half of those u just said are not great, and would be nothing but role and 6th man players today. More athleticism, better basketball concepts with zone defense and slash and pass basketball. And u shouldn't call three pointers soft when they are there most efficient and devastating shot in basketball.


:facepalm


Dunk/layups are the most efficient shots in basketball, not 3s.


Marc Gasol and Harden are elite players in todays NBA and neither is that athletic. Big men today are a joke compared to the 90s.

[ClipperRevival]

And why is that a good thing...

I didn't say it was good or bad but pointing to the fact that the league viewed physicality differently than it did today. They probably allowed too much physicality back then while today, they don't allow enough. So two extreme ends of the spectrum. The best place is a happy-medium. But the rules are way too soft today, which leads to flopping.

[Showtime80']

All star game defense is what was played a few weeks ago between the two best teams from each conference met (Warriors-Cavs) to the tune of a 30+ point blowout!!! LOL

I can only imagine how those 80's teams with multiple post weapons and deadly mid range shooters would carve up the modern league!

Hell Dwight Howard's sorry as! almost won a TITLE IN 2009 with NO POST game and a bunch of scrub outside shooters!

The modern NBA, where SIMPLISTIC UNCREATIVE PUS!Y BALL HAPPENS!!!

[swagga]

Watching this clip truly makes you realize how far the NBA has gone down in terms of just pure passion, intensity and just skill.

Here you have two bitter hated rivals, the best teams in the league with physical play, fast breaks, low post proficiency, timely outside shooting, bodies diving for loose balls. The refs letting the players play without repercussion with altercations between players and even fans!!! Check out the talent in this game: Larry Bird, Dr J, Robert Parish, Tiny Archibald, Mo Cheeks, Darryl Dawkins, Bobby Jones, Kevin McHale, Cedric Maxwell, Andrew Tony etc... You CANNOT find a series today that can put so much talent together on one floor. And best of all, NO SOFT 3 POINTERS!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbNXHJcxbjc

Shame that the NBA became entertainment instead of real sport!

at least I got to see some of that type of play live, so I know how you feeling.
These kids don't know shit about heart because the game was changed to cater to this corporate america instead of real americans. That's why it's a sport with great skill/finesse today (imo overall better than 80s/90s/00s) but with no heart.

Lebron is a great example for today's situation: all the tools without the heart .. when he puts heart in it (2009/2010/2012/2013/2015 playoffs and finals) you can really justify putting him there next to magic/jordan.

Also because the league is all entertainment you get teams with no real identities, so you can't get real rivalries, case in point memphis vs clippers ... a sorry ass rivalry... shit, i like the curry-lebron fam rivalry more, if you'd make it like in the 80s and let these homeless dudes with 3548 alts to be able to get in the arenas you'd get great atmosphere tbh :lol
These days they use amplifiers for the silicon valley sissies, I mean these people don't even properly cheer for a 70+ win team, just soccer moms and corporate drones in the arenas :facepalm Seen 'em with my own eyes just creeping in the arenas throughout the last 15-20 years. You get just a bunch of dumbass bandwagoners who don't know shit about the game. Frontrunners. Add in the chinese market and the stat junkies who ain't ever seen or played the game and you get hilariously sad outcomes such as kobe allstar, cousins allstar, harden MVP and so on.

A bitchmade sport for a bitchmade audience.. we need to accept it. Any 35+ man should know what i'm talking about.

Great video :applause:

[swagga]

All star game defense is what was played a few weeks ago between the two best teams from each conference met (Warriors-Cavs) to the tune of a 30+ point blowout!!! LOL

I can only imagine how those 80's teams with multiple post weapons and deadly mid range shooters would carve up the modern league!

Hell Dwight Howard's sorry as! almost won a TITLE IN 2009 with NO POST game and a bunch of scrub outside shooters!

The modern NBA, where SIMPLISTIC UNCREATIVE PUS!Y BALL HAPPENS!!!

80s 90s rules sure, they'd walk over the league.
00s/10s rules they would barely compete, can't fight the whistle when a "superstar" almost breaks his neck jumping into a defender. Just a different game today, players have specialized for other types of skill, the talent is still there, it ain't groomed right.

[swagga]

Danilo Gallinari in the 80s would be a top ten player in italy. Would athletically abuse those pathetic defenses and rain threes on those midget guards

tbh

[swagga]

wow, nobody played defense in the 80s

Curry would average 60

60 concussions per season, lightskin wouldn't even make it to the allstar game. soft as hell.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

God damn... Bobby Jones yammed one on Bird @ 5:48 :eek:

which cue flying beer cups over the court :oldlol:

[swagga]

I find how the game is so open today boring...artificially created by rule changes. Guys swinging the ball around hoisting up 3's. I like 3 pointers and it's a nice skill to have, but just watching games full of 3 point attempts is not fun to watch.

no shit bro. you should've seen this throughout the years:

jordan rules
no handchecking
3 secs
non contact fouls
soft flagrants
no emotion rule
oh and the iverson "crossover" .. this was the beginning of the end tbh.

the game feels diluted today :cry:

[Showtime80']

LOL! Dellavadova, Tristan Thompson, Mosgov and JR Smith, 4 prominent players from the Cavs in last year's Finals would probably not make either the 81' Sixers or Celtics rosters let alone get significant minutes!!! But hey they could always sweep the Spectrum floor afterwards!

Again the modern NBA is polluted by the AAU BFF pus!y brotherhood. Every "star" is a friend and a potential future teammate (cough cough LeBron). No real atmosphere to create real rivalries anymore.

In today's NBA you can win titles with one or two all-star players surrounded by scrubs, much like the 90's. In the 80's you needed MULITPLE all-star caliber players to even think of sniffing a title!

[SugarHill]

:facepalm


Dunk/layups are the most efficient shots in basketball, not 3s.


Marc Gasol and Harden are elite players in todays NBA and neither is that athletic. Big men today are a joke compared to the 90s.
Harden is very athletic. His first step is arguably the best for shooting guards right now and his vertical is surprisingly high. His game just isn't predicated on athleticism which is why it might seem like he's not athletic. I'd say he's far above average athletically for a shooting guard

[n00bie]

LOL @ 10:00 Minute mark. Players helping the arena staff clean up after fans threw their drinks on the court.

Can you imagine divas like LeBron mopping the floors? :lol :lol :lol

[4 Inches]

Dat BBIQ at the end :facepalm
Philly players were sniffed too much coke at HT

[ClipperRevival]

Harden is very athletic. His first step is arguably the best for shooting guards right now and his vertical is surprisingly high. His game just isn't predicated on athleticism which is why it might seem like he's not athletic. I'd say he's far above average athletically for a shooting guard

Agreed. At first, I also thought he wasn't that athletic but he is. His athleticism just isn't the type that stands out like a WB who EXPLODES off the floor. But he's very fluid, quick and naturally athletic.

[swagga]

dawkins was athletic as hell, dunked it in parish's grill multiple times :oldlol:

[ClipperRevival]

The most glaring thing that sticks out from that game is the lack of spacing when compared to today's era. Without the emphasis on the 3, the spacing wasn't nearly as good as it is today. You can call it somewhat primitive when compared to today's game but you can counter that with saying that today's players lack fundamental, post games. So both games had something lacking. I don't think there is a right or wrong, just a result of what rules were being enforced and how the league adapted to take advantage of them.

[swagga]

Dat BBIQ at the end :facepalm
Philly players were sniffed too much coke at HT

all players were exhausted. It's like saying "that BBIQ" in the heat-spurs series in '13. Just an emotional heavily contested series, at the end of close PO games people make mistakes.

[SugarHill]

It must have been just the worst going up against Darryl Dawkins. Too fvcking massive and the most athletic guy on the floor :facepalm:

[LAKingKobe]

at least I got to see some of that type of play live, so I know how you feeling.
These kids don't know shit about heart because the game was changed to cater to this corporate america instead of real americans. That's why it's a sport with great skill/finesse today (imo overall better than 80s/90s/00s) but with no heart.

Lebron is a great example for today's situation: all the tools without the heart .. when he puts heart in it (2009/2010/2012/2013/2015 playoffs and finals) you can really justify putting him there next to magic/jordan.

Also because the league is all entertainment you get teams with no real identities, so you can't get real rivalries, case in point memphis vs clippers ... a sorry ass rivalry... shit, i like the curry-lebron fam rivalry more, if you'd make it like in the 80s and let these homeless dudes with 3548 alts to be able to get in the arenas you'd get great atmosphere tbh :lol
These days they use amplifiers for the silicon valley sissies, I mean these people don't even properly cheer for a 70+ win team, just soccer moms and corporate drones in the arenas :facepalm Seen 'em with my own eyes just creeping in the arenas throughout the last 15-20 years. You get just a bunch of dumbass bandwagoners who don't know shit about the game. Frontrunners. Add in the chinese market and the stat junkies who ain't ever seen or played the game and you get hilariously sad outcomes such as kobe allstar, cousins allstar, harden MVP and so on.

A bitchmade sport for a bitchmade audience.. we need to accept it. Any 35+ man should know what i'm talking about.

Great video :applause:


You are resorting to intangibles to prove your bs argument. Who are you to question the "heart"of players like lebron who is one of the goats. You don't know him as a person to say that. And you seem salty so maybe just stop watching. There are many who love the game right now.

[swagga]

The most glaring thing that sticks out from that game is the lack of spacing when compared to today's era. Without the emphasis on the 3, the spacing wasn't nearly as good as it is today. You can call it somewhat primitive when compared to today's game but you can counter that with saying that today's players lack fundamental, post games. So both games had something lacking. I don't think there is a right or wrong, just a result of what rules were being enforced and how the league adapted to take advantage of them.

these 80s teams were shooting the midrange better than teams today. If they would've played today they would probably defend by overloading the perimiter and forced today's teams to beat them from midrange .. in today's league that's not a bad bet.

[Showtime80']

Actually the 80's in an ironic way KILLED the NBA for future generations.

That decade was so good the NBA got recognized globally for the first time, added 6 expansion teams in 6 years, players salaries SKYROCKETED, the Jordan phenomenon brought the focus to the smaller guard position in a way that EVERYBODY and their mother wanted to play a perimeter wide open style like MJ, the league realized their only way to compete with NFL/MLB was through their individual superstars so it altered and softened the rules to cater to them accordingly, the high school to the NBA boom, focus on athleticism instead of fundamentals, etc...

The 80's were the best while it was happening and the worst thing that happened to the NBA when it ended!

[swagga]

You are resorting to intangibles to prove your bs argument. Who are you to question the "heart"of players like lebron who is one of the goats. You don't know him as a person to say that. And you seem salty so maybe just stop watching. There are many who love the game right now.

lol you really picked lebron for heart:
how about not working hard on D for entire series
how about quitting in 2011
how about quitting in that boston series in '10
how about not working on his game (fcking FREEthrows tbh) .. not to mention jumper, post, etc
how about deciding to quit when he saw wade would've gotten FMVP

cmon son wtf, if lebron had half of jordan's heart he would've been running for the GOAT.

[ClipperRevival]

these 80s teams were shooting the midrange better than teams today. If they would've played today they would probably defend by overloading the perimiter and forced today's teams to beat them from midrange .. in today's league that's not a bad bet.

I would say that in terms of PURE bball fundamentals, the 80's was better. Why? Because they had to be. With the lack of spacing, the footwork, post play and mid-range game had to be on POINT to be efficient.

Today's game is too specialized and that creates specialized players. 3&D or stretch 4 or P&R big, etc. Guys back then were more well rounded out of necessity. Today, the league wants specialization so that's what they are getting. The 3 is such a huge part of the game, every position from 1-5 wants to get good at it. That is ignoring the crucial postgame and mid-range game.

[SugarHill]

Actually the 80's in an ironic way KILLED the NBA for future generations.

That decade was so good the NBA got recognized globally for the first time, added 6 expansion teams in 6 years, players salaries SKYROCKETED, the Jordan phenomenon brought the focus to the smaller guard position in a way that EVERYBODY and their mother wanted to play a perimeter wide open style like MJ, the league realized their only way to compete with NFL/MLB was through their individual superstars so it altered and softened the rules to cater to them accordingly, the high school to the NBA boom, focus on athleticism instead of fundamentals, etc...

The 80's were the best while it was happening and the worst thing that happened to the NBA when it ended!
http://24.media.tumblr.com/3a45bd270bfde9dec1f1d9230a24b3ff/tumblr_n36qf0TpwH1r8l1s5o3_r1_250.gif

[LAKingKobe]

lol you really picked lebron for heart:
how about not working hard on D for entire series
how about quitting in 2011
how about quitting in that boston series in '10
how about not working on his game (fcking FREEthrows tbh) .. not to mention jumper, post, etc
how about deciding to quit when he saw wade would've gotten FMVP

cmon son wtf, if lebron had half of jordan's heart he would've been running for the GOAT.

I am not going to attempt to explain why those things happened because I don't know and I certainly won't condemn him as having a soft style or weak heart because of that

[LAKingKobe]

lol you really picked lebron for heart:
how about not working hard on D for entire series
how about quitting in 2011
how about quitting in that boston series in '10
how about not working on his game (fcking FREEthrows tbh) .. not to mention jumper, post, etc
how about deciding to quit when he saw wade would've gotten FMVP

cmon son wtf, if lebron had half of jordan's heart he would've been running for the GOAT.

And you are exaggerating. Quitting because wade would win fmvp? Go jump off a cliff if that's your logic.

[Showtime80']

People forget, the 3 point line was put in just a year earlier!!! Yet teams like the Celtics and Sixers didn't have any trouble scoring efficiently in the 105-110's range night in night out. The spacing back then came from double teams in the post, and like clipper revival mentioned, players didn't think twice about taking the open 18 to 20 footer which were layups for most of those guys. Not to mentioned they developed QUICKER than the modern 3 point plays.

By the same token, take the 3 point line away next season in the NBA, with the lack of post play, no mid range game and score first PG's who can't lead a fast break to save their lives, how many ppg would the league average would plummet? 90ppg, 85ppg or 80ppg?!?! Even with the focus on 3 pointers, today's teams still struggle to break 100ppg!

The supposed "modern spacing" is nothing more than teams moving the ball around 25 feet away from the basket because they had no viable options in the post or in the mid range. Pointless spacing would be a more appropriate term!

And before I forget, THERE ARE NO MORE RIVARLRIES!!!

[aj1987]

Showtime80's melting down ITT because of the Harlem Globetrotter defense being played. :roll:


lol you really picked lebron for heart:
how about not working hard on D for entire series
how about quitting in 2011
how about quitting in that boston series in '10
how about not working on his game (fcking FREEthrows tbh) .. not to mention jumper, post, etc
how about deciding to quit when he saw wade would've gotten FMVP

cmon son wtf, if lebron had half of jordan's heart he would've been running for the GOAT.
Bird, who is supposedly a significantly better player than LeBron and has the heart of lion has ONE ring more, while playing on significantly more stacked teams.

[AlphaWolf24]

at least I got to see some of that type of play live, so I know how you feeling.
These kids don't know shit about heart because the game was changed to cater to this corporate america instead of real americans. That's why it's a sport with great skill/finesse today (imo overall better than 80s/90s/00s) but with no heart.

Lebron is a great example for today's situation: all the tools without the heart .. when he puts heart in it (2009/2010/2012/2013/2015 playoffs and finals) you can really justify putting him there next to magic/jordan.

Also because the league is all entertainment you get teams with no real identities, so you can't get real rivalries, case in point memphis vs clippers ... a sorry ass rivalry... shit, i like the curry-lebron fam rivalry more, if you'd make it like in the 80s and let these homeless dudes with 3548 alts to be able to get in the arenas you'd get great atmosphere tbh :lol
These days they use amplifiers for the silicon valley sissies, I mean these people don't even properly cheer for a 70+ win team, just soccer moms and corporate drones in the arenas :facepalm Seen 'em with my own eyes just creeping in the arenas throughout the last 15-20 years. You get just a bunch of dumbass bandwagoners who don't know shit about the game. Frontrunners. Add in the chinese market and the stat junkies who ain't ever seen or played the game and you get hilariously sad outcomes such as kobe allstar, cousins allstar, harden MVP and so on.

A bitchmade sport for a bitchmade audience.. we need to accept it. Any 35+ man should know what i'm talking about.

Great video :applause:

:rockon: :applause: :rockon: :applause: :rockon:


( puts Anthrax Killer Bees cassette inside Sony Boom Box..pushes play..it clicks)

MOTHER **** YEAH!!!!!!...THIS and THIS and THIS!!!!...MOTHER ****ERS!!!!!

WHOS CUTTIN ONIONS UP THIS MUTHA!!!

80's basketball.........THE MUTHIN STUMPIN GAME WAS PLAYED WITH HEART!

- EAST COAST VS WEST COAST...Lakers Vs Celtics......**** THE CELTICS ...**** LARRY BIRDs non Dunkin AZZ...

- Best Believe If I see that ugly azz green starter jacket on the court I'm Bustin that azz..

- Teams had Identities....people sided and drew lines in the sand.....today those lines have been washed away with " Brands and Colluding"


While I will say the game today has more skilled players......and it is played at a higher level Offensively and defensively.....it lost alot of Heart and soul along the way......

- Give me clothes lines over flopping

- Give me Larry bird vs Magic Johnson...White vs Black...Lakers vs Celtics....rather then....." we go way back to AAU ..we all played AAU....we got the same agent.... I would love to play together on the same team"

- Give me Michael Jordan crying because he lost to the Pistons....and vowing to come back

- Give me the Washington Bullets.....Cocaine and Michael Jackson.....while it wasn't always right...it damn sure felt real.

[ClipperRevival]

I also dearly miss the heated rivalries that were made out of physicality. All this superstar players hanging out in the summer stuff is lame. Back in the days, they didn't do that. They were enemies. And when they stepped on the court, it was on. The rules today are way too soft. I think most people can agree with this. You have to let these guys play a little.

It's just more exciting to watch bball when you know two teams HATE each other and will do whatever it takes to win. It's great to see a good scuffle once in a while. It's entertaining.

[Showtime80']

Like I said, Harlem Globetrotter defense is what was played in the supposed "Showdown" between the two best teams in the modern NBA a few weeks ago with absolutely no intensity shown by the Cavs and the best player in the world LeBron James!

People mistake efficient quick hitting offense for bad defense! Those two teams were STACKED with 5 to 6 players on each team who could create their own offense, pass first PG's who could put the ball in their teammates hands at the best possible position not only in the fast breast but also in the half court and centers and forwards who had efficient post games. Not ONE team in the modern NBA combines all the offensive aspects those teams had.

Look at the Cavs during the Finals, only ONE DAMN player could create for himself at the offensive end and they still ended up BEATING the Warriors!!! LOL

[aj1987]

Like I said, Harlem Globetrotter defense is what was played in the supposed "Showdown" between the two best teams in the modern NBA a few weeks ago with absolutely no intensity shown by the Cavs and the best player in the world LeBron James!

People mistake efficient quick hitting offense for bad defense! Those two teams were STACKED with 5 to 6 players on each team who could create their own offense, pass first PG's who could put the ball in their teammates hands at the best possible position not only in the fast breast but also in the half court and centers and forwards who had efficient post games. Not ONE team in the modern NBA combines all the offensive aspects those teams had.

Look at the Cavs during the Finals, only ONE DAMN player could create for himself at the offensive end and they still ended up BEATING the Warriors!!! LOL
You would know something about the current era, if you actually watched a game or two, instead of spouting your retarded rhetoric.

Can't really blame you for liking matador defense. To each his own I guess. Stick to watching grainy footage of shitty games.

[AlphaWolf24]

on a side note....

we now have the internet....80's trash talk / player stanning was only reserved for school/ after school blacktop ...

and yes if you stan too hard....we fought.

stanning on players with no rings would get you laughed at.....unless they had nice kicks.

come at us with advanced stats back in the day?......psst...

If my player outscored your player ( the only thing that matters).....you best hope that your players team won.....

if not.....take your azz home.






so yeah umm...we have the internet now.....we can trash talk 24/7......BBALL times now aren't all that bad.

[Showtime80']

Both great points Alpha and Clipp!

I disagree on the skill level though. Post play, mid range jumpers, fast break offense, defensive rebounding, post entry passing, full court outlet passes are ALL SKILLS that are becoming extinct in the modern NBA and they have been substituted by what?!? 3 point shooting! Too many skills have been given up to attain this latest one!

The 90's hip hop generation are the main culprits of this decay and I'm glad the 30 something 80's generation clean their soft overrated clocks any chance they got

[imdaman99]

You gotta foul at the end :wtf: They let like 15 seconds go off the clock :wtf:

[Showtime80']

Unlike today where the NBA's rule book actually INSTITUTED MATADOR defense by clearing the lane for everybody, eliminating hand checking and putting in flagrant fouls. Pus!y ball at its finest.

Now the smaller players can just waltz up to the basket for layups unharmed without the fear of being closed lined into the ground!!! (Curry, Harden, Westbrook, ROse) Let's see them try that style in the 80's specially with Steph's glass ankles and Rose's acrylic knees.

Players back then had to deal with the intimidation factor of knowing they the could get hammered when going down the lane, a situation that is no longer in the back of their minds thanks to the rule changes.

And all of this has brought NO MORE RIVALRIES!!!

[sd3035]

LOL! Dellavadova, Tristan Thompson, Mosgov and JR Smith, 4 prominent players from the Cavs in last year's Finals would probably not make either the 81' Sixers or Celtics rosters let alone get significant minutes!!! But hey they could always sweep the Spectrum floor afterwards!

Again the modern NBA is polluted by the AAU BFF pus!y brotherhood. Every "star" is a friend and a potential future teammate (cough cough LeBron). No real atmosphere to create real rivalries anymore.

In today's NBA you can win titles with one or two all-star players surrounded by scrubs, much like the 90's. In the 80's you needed MULITPLE all-star caliber players to even think of sniffing a title!


Delly would murder these chumps

[sd3035]

You gotta foul at the end :wtf: They let like 15 seconds go off the clock :wtf:

80s basketball IQ

looks like two rec league teams

[ClipperRevival]

Unlike today where the NBA's rule book actually INSTITUTED MATADOR defense by clearing the lane for everybody, eliminating hand checking and putting in flagrant fouls. Pus!y ball at its finest.

Now the smaller players can just waltz up to the basket for layups unharmed without the fear of being closed lined into the ground!!! (Curry, Harden, Westbrook, ROse) Let's see them try that style in the 80's specially with Steph's glass ankles and Rose's acrylic knees.

Players back then had to deal with the intimidation factor of knowing they the could get hammered when going down the lane, a situation that is no longer in the back of their minds thanks to the rule changes.

And all of this has brought NO MORE RIVALRIES!!!

True. This even applied in the playgrounds, where we emulated the NBA game and hard fouls were also a part of the game. And that is a test of manhood. Do you get scared now or do you come just as hard the next time?

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

You would know something about the current era, if you actually watched a game or two, instead of spouting your retarded rhetoric.

Can't really blame you for liking matador defense. To each his own I guess. Stick to watching grainy footage of shitty games.

Wait, what? The Celtics and Sixers played some of the greatest basketball ever played. Ditto with the Showtime Lakers and Jordan's Bulls.

Video in the OP is arguably the most physical playoff game ever played.

[aj1987]

Wait, what? The Celtics and Sixers played some of the greatest basketball ever played. Ditto with the Showtime Lakers and Jordan's Bulls.

Video posted in the OP is arguably the most physical playoff game ever played.
Read some of Showtime's posts ITT and then you'd probably understand mine.

[AlphaWolf24]

Both great points Alpha and Clipp!

I disagree on the skill level though. Post play, mid range jumpers, fast break offense, defensive rebounding, post entry passing, full court outlet passes are ALL SKILLS that are becoming extinct in the modern NBA and they have been substituted by what?!? 3 point shooting! Too many skills have been given up to attain this latest one!

The 90's hip hop generation are the main culprits of this decay and I'm glad the 30 something 80's generation clean their soft overrated clocks any chance they got


I firmly disagree with the bolded...

I think the game evolved after the 80's....seemed like the defensive side of the game became much more involved and focused.

Post players in the 80's seemed to get more touches and seemed to have more time.

- as the game changed...certain skills changed also.....the ability to move with the ball and ball handling became much more important then knowing how to drop step.

- (Unless you were a freak of nature)...most players needed to be much more " Cliff Robinson like.....vs Kevin Mchale"

- I believe that players today are much better with the ball/ ball handling and much better shooters especially of the dribble.....while 80's players were better in the post.....today players are better everywhere else.

- the fast break aspect?.....passing?.....again I disagree....Todays players PG through Center have the ability to get a rebound and go coast to coast....6'10 kevin durant can throw alley oops to 6'9 Ibaka.......an alley oop in the 80's happened every 20 games.

Lebron James is the greatest open court player of all time......

- I just think the game evolved.....players found out what skills were most important.....the sad thing as the game evolved we lost part of it's soul

[SugarHill]

True. This even applied in the playgrounds, where we emulated the NBA game and hard fouls were also a part of the game. And that is a test of manhood. Do you get scared now or do you come just as hard the next time?
I don't understand why violence is supposed to make an era better. How is someone hitting you because they can't contain you supposed to make it a better product?

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Read some of Showtime's posts ITT and then you'd probably understand mine.

He's definitely hyperbolic, but I can't tell if you're being sarcastic with your posts.

:confusedshrug:

[swagga]

Showtime80's melting down ITT because of the Harlem Globetrotter defense being played. :roll:


Bird, who is supposedly a significantly better player than LeBron and has the heart of lion has ONE ring more, while playing on significantly more stacked teams.

in an era where Michael Fcking GOAT Jordan got his shit pushed in on the regular...context.

[LAKingKobe]

True. This even applied in the playgrounds, where we emulated the NBA game and hard fouls were also a part of the game. And that is a test of manhood. Do you get scared now or do you come just as hard the next time?

Lol you are living in the past you old geezer. You are talking about intangibles as if they apply to everybody.

[aj1987]

in an era where Michael Fcking GOAT Jordan got his shit pushed in on the regular...context.
Sure, with a team full of scrubs. Put those Bulls teams in the NBA right now and they'd barely be PO team. If they're lucky enough to reach the Finals, the Warriors would eviscerate them. Meanwhile, Bird and Magic were playing on teams loaded to the brim.

[ILLsmak]

one thing I've never seen people mention when comparing 80s bball to now is how the camera is different. Now, we have the camera showing the whole court which, on top of spacing, leads to a more open feeling.

It probably feels more intense because the camera is right up on people.

I think bball is weaker now... but it's not due to spacing. It's just because everyone acts like they are on camera all of the time. Where as it seemed like people were trying to win more and dominate their opponent more in 80/90s.

-Smak

[Showtime80']

Defense didn't get better Alpha, teams became EASIER TO DEFEND!

Look at the lineups that dominated the 80's like the Celtics, Pistons, Lakers, Sixers, they had 4 to 5 all star caliber players with deep benches, hell some of the teams that didn't win anything like the Bucks, Mavs, Rockets and Sonics had tons of firepower!

Fast forward to the 90's and with the salary explosion teams began building lineups with 1/2 stars surrounded by role players case in point the decade was dominated by the Bulls, Knicks, Jazz and Rockets with this last one having the thinnest lineup out of almost EVERY title team in the before 1994! Don't even get me started on the "lethal" Knicks offense lead by Ewing and JOHN STARKS!!!

[Lebron23]

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3762597/ledestroyer.gif

[Showtime80']

You're not serious are you aj1987!?!

The present Eastern conference is absolutely PATHETIC when compared to the 80's!!! Put the 1988 Bulls with Jordan at his peak with Paxson, Oakley and rookies Pippen and Grant and they blitz the present day East with 65+ wins (LeBron with an even more pathetic lineup won 66 games in 09!) and with a one man attack won 2 games against the mighty 2015 Warriors!!! Also he's not as good as 1988 (MVP, DPOY) Jordan.

When people talk about the modern NBA are they actually watching what's going on?. There are only THREE TEAMS worth watching in the entire NBA with the East including the Cavs being a complete joke.

[aj1987]

You're not serious are you aj1987!?!

The present Eastern conference is absolutely PATHETIC when compared to the 80's!!! Put the 1988 Bulls with Jordan at his peak with Paxson, Oakley and rookies Pippen and Grant and they blitz the present day East with 65+ wins (LeBron with an even more pathetic lineup won 66 games in 09!) and with a one man attack won 2 games against the mighty 2015 Warriors!!! Also he's not as good as 1988 (MVP, DPOY) Jordan.

When people talk about the modern NBA are they actually watching what's going on?. There are only THREE TEAMS worth watching in the entire NBA with the East including the Cavs being a complete joke.
Good god, you're retarded. You really think the '88 Bulls are winning 65 games? :facepalm :facepalm


As I said, stick to watching shitty grainy footage of matador defense.

[Showtime80']

Typical modern day defense, standing there hoping the refs call the charge instead of challenging the shot!

Take a look a little player named Dominique Wilkins! He dunked over, through, under and just took players with him to the rim. Also wasn't scared of doing a dunk contest every once in a while:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9lexzZxi34

With all the supposed "uber athletes" in today's league, there is literally NO ONE who gets up higher and slams the ball with more ferocity than Nique'

Enjoy!

[Showtime80']

The 2009 Cavs won 66 games in 2009 for God's sake! Hell the 2009 Magic made the Finals with Dwight "No post game" Howard flanked by Rashard Lewis and Hedo Terkoglu!!!

Go ahead and tell me with a straight face they had a better lineup than the 1988 Bulls? You can't!

At the same time, can you imagine this Cavs teams going up against the 89 Pistons or 86 Celtics? NO CONTEST!!!

Yet in 2015-16 they're a lock to make the Finals! Pathetic!

[ClipperRevival]

I don't understand why violence is supposed to make an era better. How is someone hitting you because they can't contain you supposed to make it a better product?

It's not about violence but more about the type of game that was played back then. It was just more physical, meaning you couldn't just get to a spot unhindered. You needed to EARN your way there. Like hand checking and hard screens, etc. That's just what I grew up on. Not saying it was better but I liked it more.

[Da_Realist]

When people talk about the modern NBA are they actually watching what's going on?. There are only THREE TEAMS worth watching in the entire NBA with the East including the Cavs being a complete joke.

So true. I would rep but ISH won't let me. :cheers:

[ClipperRevival]

Lol you are living in the past you old geezer. You are talking about intangibles as if they apply to everybody.

True, I am old (39) but I still ball TODAY and have been balling consistently since 1990. And I bet I would whip your ass on the court today. I still play with the young legs although as I get older, it's getting harder and harder to keep up. Not a good feeling when your legs start to feel like jelly after a few hard runs up and down the court. That's why i have to pace myself. LOL.

[Showtime80']

So true Clipp! I'm 40 myself I know exactly what you're talking about!

There was an edge to those games that it's just not present in today's league. Players have become to rich and too pampered and friendly with each other for that animosity to take place.

Like Kevin McHale said "The game was better when we all hated each other"

[aj1987]

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3073/2767638386_d8efc6fb1f.jpg

Tell me about how the players used to play in cement shoes, how the courts were topped with tarmac, and without a broken bone, there was no foul called.

[pastis]

wow, that really looked like a training game.

btw: lol @ larry birds defense in that game

[sportjames23]

Philly and Boston! Great freakin rivalry from back in the day!

Love how these teams HATED each other. Made for intense games and they brought out the best in each other.

[jstern]

I've commented about that video before. It was intense. It was before I was born, but I said something about how the fans were more emotionally invested in the game at the time, due to less distractions. That it would have been amazing if I lived in that era, going through it live as it happened. I love how Larry pushed that fan out of the way at the end. Nothing else mattered in the world but the competition.

[Akhenaten]

Nobody seemed to really care about defense, particularly transition D. Guys weren't even trying to get back on D, for all the intensity and "no blood, no foul" stuff it was layups and dunks galore. Even in half court people were getting offensive rebounds at the three point line and dribbling 20 feet for uncontested dunks. The 89 Pistons really revolutionized the game, they really took a lot of the fun out of it by actually emphasising defense. I see why guys love the 80's so much though, definitely looked a ton of fun, everybody just running wild, the game just wide open.

[D. Toretto]

at least I got to see some of that type of play live, so I know how you feeling.
These kids don't know shit about heart because the game was changed to cater to this corporate america instead of real americans. That's why it's a sport with great skill/finesse today (imo overall better than 80s/90s/00s) but with no heart.

Lebron is a great example for today's situation: all the tools without the heart .. when he puts heart in it (2009/2010/2012/2013/2015 playoffs and finals) you can really justify putting him there next to magic/jordan.

Also because the league is all entertainment you get teams with no real identities, so you can't get real rivalries, case in point memphis vs clippers ... a sorry ass rivalry... shit, i like the curry-lebron fam rivalry more, if you'd make it like in the 80s and let these homeless dudes with 3548 alts to be able to get in the arenas you'd get great atmosphere tbh :lol
These days they use amplifiers for the silicon valley sissies, I mean these people don't even properly cheer for a 70+ win team, just soccer moms and corporate drones in the arenas :facepalm Seen 'em with my own eyes just creeping in the arenas throughout the last 15-20 years. You get just a bunch of dumbass bandwagoners who don't know shit about the game. Frontrunners. Add in the chinese market and the stat junkies who ain't ever seen or played the game and you get hilariously sad outcomes such as kobe allstar, cousins allstar, harden MVP and so on.

A bitchmade sport for a bitchmade audience.. we need to accept it. Any 35+ man should know what i'm talking about.

Great video :applause:

I'm under 30 but
http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/kevin-garnett-reaction.gif

I mean I still like the NBA, but there are some points of truth to this that you can't deny.

[Showtime80']

Remember people, this is a HIGHLIGHT VIDEO, that game ended up with s very 90's-2000 era score, 100-98, those two teams averaged 110 points in the regular season! That entire game was physical and even in the highlight video most of the shots are contested and the dunks are done OVER PEOPLE, the layups come out of perfectly executed fast breaks!!! Look at ANY of the Warriors game highlights from these past two years, it's like a layup drill with a red carpet right towards the basket without ANYBODY challenging them. PATHETIC!!!

Want to know why those offenses in the 80's ran so beautifully, because they made it simple in a way that modern teams just can't pull off, by going INSIDE OUT to their big people in the half court opening the perimeter and the lane resulting from the double teams in the post and PASS FIRST HIGH IQ PG'S that knew how to get the ball to their teammates in the half court and in the fast break. These are aspects that have virtually died in the past 10+ years.

Look at the D'Antoni Suns, for 4 years they basically averaged 110ppg during the DEAD BALL era where team ppg was around 98ppg, winning 60+ games and probably would've won a title or two had it not been for the Spurs or had they been in the pathetic East. Where was the miraculous modern defense to stop them?!? And they did it with WORSE AND MORE LIMITED rosters than the 81 Sixers or Celtics.

Steve Nash, Radja Bell, Amare, Diaw and Barbosa basically scored on the league at WILL!!! Can you imagine what any of the 80's teams with much better and deeper rosters would've done?!?

The Bad Boy Pistons didn't revolutionize ANYTHING!!! They just slowed the game down!!! In 1987 and 1988 they averaged 111 and 109 ppg with the 13th fastest pace in the league, in 1989 they averaged 106 ppg and were DEAD LAST of the 25 teams in pace! They knew that for THEM it was better to limit possessions against more talented teams like the Celtics and Lakers as well as super freak Michael Jordan. But don't get it twisted, those Pistons could score with the best of them!

The bastardation of their philosophy happened later in the 90's with Riley's Knicks and Fratello's Cavs, with their pathetically inept offenses they showed the NBA world how to compete by keeping the game in the 85-95 range. Good strategy for their thin lineups to compete but IT RUINED BASKETBALL!!! Plus they would've gotten blitzed by the great teams of the 80's anyway!

[AlphaWolf24]

Kinda off topic....but this thread seems like a good place.

Growing up in the 80's ( even much of the early 90's)...basketball was a seasonal sport.

We played basketball ....then took a break ( or Baseball if you wanted)

Me personally ..I only played Football ( not really sure its good to start playing football as young as I did/and kids today.... but whatever) and Basketball...that was enough for me.

Todays kids have the option to play in like 4 different leagues ...year round....( including traveling teams)

I don't know if its good or bad?....I guess if the kids want to play organized ball year round then go for it....


anyone got any thoughts about year round hoops for 1rst grade - Highschool?