When one of the best players of this generation says this...

[Showtime80']

You know the league has completely lost it's BAL!S!!! And Kobe didn't even play in the no blood no foul NBA of pre 1991. He's basically trashing his own era! Everybody wants to connect itself with the Magic, Bird, Michael generation including Kobe

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

[Showtime80']

"Kids might be a little too sensitive for that now a days"

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Hear that LeBron, Durant, Harden and Curry!

[warriorfan]

FT35 and Harden and LeBron always traveling

I have to agree with GodBe

[Hey Yo]

You know the league has completely lost it's BAL!S!!! And Kobe didn't even play in the no blood no foul NBA of pre 1991. He's basically trashing his own era! Everybody wants to connect itself with the Magic, Bird, Michael generation including Kobe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVKvWyXbzKk
:rolleyes:

Exaggerate much??

[Showtime80']

Compared to the soft buddy buddy crap that's going on today, no exaggeration at all!

[Hey Yo]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cnc3Xx.CHZpC8Dr7hRHTNA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnbaexperts/MJITtop11513.jpg

And that wasn't just a one time deal. It happened all the time between the two.

[Showtime80']

Yeah great pic! And this also happened in the same game, fast forward to the 2:10 mark onward and enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_DrHljviNk&list=PLA07DC5368C4C098C&index=11

LOL!!! When was the last time Kobe, Curry, LeBron, Carmelo, Durant and Westbrook where pushing and elbowing each other in the face!!!

Oh I forgot, THAT DOESN'T HAPPENED IN TODAY'S SOFT AS TISSUE TWITTER BUDDY LEAGUE!!!

[Showtime80']

"They started the game with a kiss and now there are elbows"

LOL! Like Kobe said, "Kids may be to sensitive for that these days"!!!

[Overdrive]

Avery Johnson's voice always cracks me up. Don't know why it isn't even that bad.

[tmacattack33]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cnc3Xx.CHZpC8Dr7hRHTNA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnbaexperts/MJITtop11513.jpg

And that wasn't just a one time deal. It happened all the time between the two.


:roll:

[Levity]

Avery Johnson's voice always cracks me up. Don't know why it isn't even that bad.

haha its pretty bad

[FKAri]

No thanks. Don't want to see talentless scrubs rewarded for fouling people and getting jobs in the league for being "enforcers". Basketball is meant to be a finesse game. The 80's were awful from that standpoint.

I just think the rules need to be more concrete and less nebulous. Refs are forced to interpret these vague rules and that leaves room for subjectivity and players putting on acting performances to convince the refs.

[Showtime80']

Talentless scrubs!?! LOL, I think your talking about today's NBA where players are coming in rawer than ever and are learning the game WHILE IN THE NBA! Even T-Mac, a former high school to pros guy said the league is getting watered down today:

This is the talent that both of those teams had:

Kareem
Laimbeer
Magic
Isiah
Dumars
WOrthy
Dantley
Scott
Green
Rodman
Copper
Microwave
THompson

Jesus Christ!?! NO FINALS after this one had as many talented players on both teams!!!

Take the 2015 Finals for example, a three man team in the Warriors versus a 1 man team surrounded by scrubs in the Cavs!!! You call that evolution!!!

Last years Cavs team would've gotten blown out by 20 a game against either of the 1988 Finals teams, specially with the REAL RULES the NBA had back then!

[Hey Yo]

Yeah great pic! And this also happened in the same game, fast forward to the 2:10 mark onward and enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_DrHljviNk&list=PLA07DC5368C4C098C&index=11

LOL!!! When was the last time Kobe, Curry, LeBron, Carmelo, Durant and Westbrook where pushing and elbowing each other in the face!!!

Oh I forgot, THAT DOESN'T HAPPENED IN TODAY'S SOFT AS TISSUE TWITTER BUDDY LEAGUE!!!
Why was Magic called for the foul when there was no blood gushing all over the floor??

btw....let me know about that 80's all-star game where dude got his nose broken and concussed like Wade did to Kobe just a few years back.

[Fire Colangelo]

Talentless scrubs!?! LOL, I think your talking about today's NBA where players are coming in rawer than ever and are learning the game WHILE IN THE NBA! Even T-Mac, a former high school to pros guy said the league is getting watered down today:

This is the talent that both of those teams had:

Kareem
Laimbeer
Magic
Isiah
Dumars
WOrthy
Dantley
Scott
Green
Rodman
Copper
Microwave
THompson

Jesus Christ!?! NO FINALS after this one had as many talented players on both teams!!!

Take the 2015 Finals for example, a three man team in the Warriors versus a 1 man team surrounded by scrubs in the Cavs!!! You call that evolution!!!

Last years Cavs team would've gotten blown out by 20 a game against either of the 1988 Finals teams, specially with the REAL RULES the NBA had back then!

Hope you realize you're just putting down names at this point.

Tristen Thompson last year for example, had a much more impactful series than Kareem did in 1988.

[Showtime80']

Magic's foul on Isiah would be a flagrant two by today's rules!!!

LOL at Wade's foul! The ONLY contact that game basically had! And even after that Kobe think's this generation is SOFT!

[Showtime80']

LOL! Kareem was 40 years old in the 1988 Finals, only playing 30 minutes a game by that point, coming off two back to back 7 game series against Donaldson, Tarpley, Eaton and Karl Malone where he still averaged 14 ppg 7 rbs 2assts 2blks on 48% FG!!! And rounded it off by STILL getting double teamed consistently by the most physical front line of all time in the Bad Boy PIstons!

Tristan Thompson at 23 years old playing 40+ minutes a game in the Finals against the small soft Warriors still BARELY still only Kareem in 2 out 6 categories (FG% and Rbs)!!!

[riseagainst]

LOL! Kareem was 40 years old in the 1988 Finals, only playing 30 minutes a game by that point, coming off two back to back 7 game series against Donaldson, Tarpley, Eaton and Karl Malone where he still averaged 14 ppg 7 rbs 2assts 2blks on 48% FG!!! And rounded it off by STILL getting double teamed consistently by the most physical front line of all time in the Bad Boy PIstons!

Tristan Thompson at 23 years old playing 40+ minutes a game in the Finals against the small soft Warriors still BARELY still only Kareem in 2 out 6 categories (FG% and Rbs)!!!

maybe it's because Tristan Thompson isn't a GOAT tier player like Kareem.

[jstern]

No blood no foul is just an expression. It's not to be taken literally.

Anyway, I prefer a little bit of resistance. Humans are aggressive by nature, else we wouldn't have survived as a species. So I just find it more fun to see a battle. The image that comes up, is Barkley desperately, fighting like hell to prevent Larry Bird from scoring, Bird fighting to get the ball. Bird getting the ball, and then over coming it. That's like a random example, but an equivalent today would be no battle, a player taking a relatively open 3 pointer. Much less resistance.

Kobe also said that with the older rules, only true elite players had a developed enough game to create shots, and that now lesser players have a better opportunity to score. He prefers the older rules, because even though he benefits a little bit with the new rules, he can still play at an All Star level with the old rules, while current players won't. Those lesser players are getting an assist that he doesn't need.

And being human, when an individual game gets tougher, you want to see the player with the superior and above average talent pushing and battling. That's more entertaining than seeing lesser players hit open shots because the more freedom creates opportunities that they wouldn't have because of lesser skills. I rather see that star player battle and overcome, it's just more satisfying.

[Showtime80']

Thank you JStern!

The NBA without intense hardcore rivalry is NOTHING!!! And that's what you basically have today, a soft, uninspired shooting exhibition!

You have to also remember that players back in the 80's relied on their mastery of FUNDAMENTALS before their athleticism to excel instead of today's players that rely HEAVILY on their physical prowess above fundamentals and your see them after numerous years they still cannot develop even one or two go to moves!

The problem is NOT going to be solved by keeping them 2 or 3 years in college, today's deficiency in fundamentals is rooted in the younger years of players where they want to master cross overs and shoot step back 3's instead of learning the basic aspects of the game.

[90sgoat]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cnc3Xx.CHZpC8Dr7hRHTNA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnbaexperts/MJITtop11513.jpg

And that wasn't just a one time deal. It happened all the time between the two.

You know Magic was like 'everyone does it Isaiah, it's not gay at all'.

[AintNoSunshine]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cnc3Xx.CHZpC8Dr7hRHTNA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnbaexperts/MJITtop11513.jpg

And that wasn't just a one time deal. It happened all the time between the two.
:roll: :roll: :roll:

[Showtime80']

Nothing more pathetic than this:

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/uCKpzTX0Vwbu17VEiwKi4g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztpbD1wbGFuZTtxPTc1O3c9NjAw/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/sports/2015-07-08/697ad530-2505-11e5-9cb0-6538a8fb6bfc_CJWWe8mUwAAqmdw-jpg_large.jpeg.cf.jpg

[Kvnzhangyay]

LOL! Kareem was 40 years old in the 1988 Finals, only playing 30 minutes a game by that point, coming off two back to back 7 game series against Donaldson, Tarpley, Eaton and Karl Malone where he still averaged 14 ppg 7 rbs 2assts 2blks on 48% FG!!! And rounded it off by STILL getting double teamed consistently by the most physical front line of all time in the Bad Boy PIstons!

Tristan Thompson at 23 years old playing 40+ minutes a game in the Finals against the small soft Warriors still BARELY still only Kareem in 2 out 6 categories (FG% and Rbs)!!!

Why does this matter? Nothing is going to change

It is what it is. You and I may not like it, but we are powerless and nothing will change

[Spurs m8]

Pretty sure i'll never respect or care about anything Kobe says.....ever.

Bloke is a ****in clown

[Showtime80']

Kobe's faaar from my favorite player but he dominated the NBA post 2000 and that's where he made his legend.

I think it's safe to say he would know if the NBA has gotten softer.

[Hey Yo]

Nothing more pathetic than this:

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/uCKpzTX0Vwbu17VEiwKi4g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztpbD1wbGFuZTtxPTc1O3c9NjAw/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/sports/2015-07-08/697ad530-2505-11e5-9cb0-6538a8fb6bfc_CJWWe8mUwAAqmdw-jpg_large.jpeg.cf.jpg
Yeah.....I'm sure those who were non-teammates in this picture ate all meals alone due to hatred and rivalry......:rolleyes:







http://whudat.de/images/dream_team_documentary_02.jpg

[Showtime80']

That's 1992, representing team USA!

Go find me pictures of Jordan, Magic, Bird and Isiah taking vacations together in the mid 80's!

But it stands to reason, probably this summer LeBron has Curry, Durant and Anthony Davis in a similar picture planning to collude once again.

[buddha]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cnc3Xx.CHZpC8Dr7hRHTNA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnbaexperts/MJITtop11513.jpg

And that wasn't just a one time deal. It happened all the time between the two.

so what you're saying is even two phags were tougher than LeBron? :roll:

[JEFFERSON MONEY]

No blood no foul is just an expression. It's not to be taken literally.

Anyway, I prefer a little bit of resistance. Humans are aggressive by nature, else we wouldn't have survived as a species. So I just find it more fun to see a battle. The image that comes up, is Barkley desperately, fighting like hell to prevent Larry Bird from scoring, Bird fighting to get the ball. Bird getting the ball, and then over coming it. That's like a random example, but an equivalent today would be no battle, a player taking a relatively open 3 pointer. Much less resistance.

Kobe also said that with the older rules, only true elite players had a developed enough game to create shots, and that now lesser players have a better opportunity to score. He prefers the older rules, because even though he benefits a little bit with the new rules, he can still play at an All Star level with the old rules, while current players won't. Those lesser players are getting an assist that he doesn't need.

And being human, when an individual game gets tougher, you want to see the player with the superior and above average talent pushing and battling. That's more entertaining than seeing lesser players hit open shots because the more freedom creates opportunities that they wouldn't have because of lesser skills. I rather see that star player battle and overcome, it's just more satisfying.

That's not the primary reason.

[CuterThanRubio]

Couldn't touch him and he still shot under 50% every year.

People who think the NBA is soft have never caught an elbow to the jaw going up for a rebound, basketball isn't supposed to be violent and if you can't defend without manhandling someone you aren't very skilled imo.

Pushing off to create space(MJ last shot) or grabbing a jersey to regain positioning isn't impressive to me, those are cheap tactics and I'm glad they are calling games more tightly these days.

[Hey Yo]

That's 1992, representing team USA!

Go find me pictures of Jordan, Magic, Bird and Isiah taking vacations together in the mid 80's!

But it stands to reason, probably this summer LeBron has Curry, Durant and Anthony Davis in a similar picture planning to collude once again.
Yeah.....I'm sure those representing, who were non-teammates, ate all meals and did everything alone due to hatred and rivalry.....right??



:rolleyes:

[sd3035]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cnc3Xx.CHZpC8Dr7hRHTNA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnbaexperts/MJITtop11513.jpg

And that wasn't just a one time deal. It happened all the time between the two.


https://rs630.pbsrc.com/albums/uu22/kipulton/ultragay.png~c200

[dazzer87]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cnc3Xx.CHZpC8Dr7hRHTNA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnbaexperts/MJITtop11513.jpg

And that wasn't just a one time deal. It happened all the time between the two.
wtf...is that how he got that AIDS.......?

[Showtime80']

Watch this game and you'll see everything that is wrong with the current NBA, game 7 of the 1988 WCF:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKbOC8qu19A

This is one of the most underrated games in NBA history stacked with all star players in both teams, 9 to 10 players who could create their own offense, 4 to 5 players who had great post games, you had two PASS FIRST PG'S who knew how to run an offense in the fast break and in the half court, virtually no redundant ISO plays from either teams giving you different looks almost every time down the floor, the focus on the post game opening up the perimeter game for the wing players for quick hitting shots instead of wasting 20+ seconds fighting through screens, basically no easy layups waltzing down the lane, the all around physicality from both teams, debunking the myth of "not guarding the 3 point line" with both teams picking up players man on man crossing half court, the Lakers trapping defense which you don't see virtually anywhere today, quick hitting offense with players knowing exactly what to do with the ball when they got the pass and even timely 3 point shooting with etc...

Compare this to last year's Finals or any of the other playoff series and you can see how much the NBA has fallen in terms of just basic fundamentals!!!

[CuterThanRubio]

Watch this game and you'll see everything that is wrong with the current NBA, game 7 of the 1988 WCF:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKbOC8qu19A

This is one of the most underrated games in NBA history stacked with all star players in both teams, 9 to 10 players who could create their own offense, 4 to 5 players who had great post games, you had two PASS FIRST PG'S who knew how to run an offense in the fast break and in the half court, virtually no redundant ISO plays from either teams giving you different looks almost every time down the floor, the focus on the post game opening up the perimeter game for the wing players for quick hitting shots instead of wasting 20+ seconds fighting through screens, basically no easy layups waltzing down the lane, the all around physicality from both teams, debunking the myth of "not guarding the 3 point line" with both teams picking up players man on man crossing half court, the Lakers trapping defense which you don't see virtually anywhere today, quick hitting offense with players knowing exactly what to do with the ball when they got the pass and even timely 3 point shooting with etc...

Compare this to last year's Finals or any of the other playoff series and you can see how much the NBA has fallen in terms of just basic fundamentals!!!

Blah blah blah

I saw a bunch of terrible passing and sloppy interior play.

KAJ missed a wide open layup lol, talk about overrated.

http://i64.tinypic.com/2dtyrg6.jpg

22 completely ignored B.Scott in the corner and decided to help join the party in the paint (FOUR players stacked, very unnecessary)

http://i68.tinypic.com/osddfk.jpg

If you couldn't of guessed it, yes, he missed that wide open three.

I'm starting to believe that every single three attempted in the 80s was completely uncovered, I have already exposed footage of Larry Bird and now this.

How can you say that they were more fundamentally sound back then when they chose to ignore one of the most important facets of the game.

[FKAri]

Maybe basketball isn't for you OP.

Watch some boxing or MMA. Last weekend was a great UFC card.

[Showtime80']

LOL! Of course the 80's Lakers and Celtics had a ton of open looks on the outside, they got their spacing the old fashioned way, from DOUBLE TEAMING THE POST! Both those teams had 3 to 4 players who required double teaming in the post, most teams today are lucky to have even ONE!!!

The Lakers actually shot 45% from 3 in that series against the Mavs but like many of the top teams in the 80's, they were not going to take pressure off the defense by jacking up 30% in 3's and taking the ball away from their post players who also get the opposing team on foul trouble while creating open looks for shooters and cutters. Michael Cooper was 10 for 20 in that series shooting WITHIN the flow of the offense and the opportunities created by the inside game not coming down the floor and jacking up a bad shot or waisting 20+ seconds trying to beat the defense from 25 away like most of today's perimeter oriented teams do.

Go watch ANY game from last year's Finals were you had basically only THREE consistent scorers, NO CONSISTENT OFFENSIVE low post presence and LeBron James hogging and stagnating the offense to a HISTORIC degree! THAT'S MODERN BASKETBALL!

Teams in the 80's made the game EASIER by having strong inside play while today's teams in the same token make the game HARDER by trying to beat defenses from the perimeter but you really can't fault them because they have NO OTHER choice as the post game has basically DIED in the last 10 years!

[Akhenaten]

Nothing more pathetic than this:

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/uCKpzTX0Vwbu17VEiwKi4g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztpbD1wbGFuZTtxPTc1O3c9NjAw/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/sports/2015-07-08/697ad530-2505-11e5-9cb0-6538a8fb6bfc_CJWWe8mUwAAqmdw-jpg_large.jpeg.cf.jpg

Why is this pathetic, you're acting like the 80's was a gladiator sport or something. They aren't mortal enemies man they play basketball, shoot the 70's were much more physical and smashmouth than the 80's and still you had wilt and bill Russell having sleepovers at each other houses. Just stop with the hyperbole already, you consider contemporaries having dinner together in the offseason more pathetic than two grown men holding hands and kissing before a competition.

[Prime_Shaq]

Avery Johnson's voice always cracks me up. Don't know why it isn't even that bad.
Its bad dude :roll:

[Akhenaten]

Couldn't touch him and he still shot under 50% every year.



:lol right

he never even shot over 47% in the finesse era, 40% career finals shooter, so in the 80's he would have been shooting Cousyesque 35% from the field with the added physicality lol

Kobe is such a contrived personality.

[jstern]

Thank you JStern!

The NBA without intense hardcore rivalry is NOTHING!!! And that's what you basically have today, a soft, uninspired shooting exhibition!

You have to also remember that players back in the 80's relied on their mastery of FUNDAMENTALS before their athleticism to excel instead of today's players that rely HEAVILY on their physical prowess above fundamentals and your see them after numerous years they still cannot develop even one or two go to moves!

The problem is NOT going to be solved by keeping them 2 or 3 years in college, today's deficiency in fundamentals is rooted in the younger years of players where they want to master cross overs and shoot step back 3's instead of learning the basic aspects of the game.

And yeah, fundamentals are going to continue going down, due to culture. Kids, 9 to 13 year old are pretty much obsessed with "handles." And what I called fundamentally flawed handles. Which is instead of trying to do a cross over that's based and takes into account the dimensions and physics of the human body, and doing something that would be most effective. They're basically forcing dribbles that they think might look cool when it runs through their head. I went to visit my cousin last night, and I wanted to teach her son how to jump off both feet footwork, but he just wanted to show me his "handles."

Last year I was shooting around, and there was this guy, around 24 years old. And he was hardcore and very seriously teaching this 13 year old a version of string of dribbles that he randomly developed and stringed together. Which is more like developing a dance move. Just like 45 minutes wasting time teaching him this shit, instead of some real moves. The 13 year old was finally able to emulate these dance moves, which looks nice and all, but in terms of actual basketball, it's just shit. Style over substance.

Then the other thing is because now he was able to emulate this string of shit that the 24 year old just taught him, he was so excited and had the most confident look on his face. In his mind he had become a great basketball player, because of the illusion of these handles. And so he wanted to play me, a man, one on one, because now he's so convinced that he's going to beat me.

Obviously I beat him 32 - 0 cause he was like 13, and my footwork and fundamentals are based on Jordan's game which consist of very balanced and fundamentally sound fakes, not over dribbling, and quickly creating shots. The kids face was absolutely devastated and deflated. And that was sad, but it's better for him to be depressed than happy and exited over stupid handles.

[DoctorP]

Avery Johnson knows what's up.

[Cali Syndicate]

Nothing more pathetic than this:

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/uCKpzTX0Vwbu17VEiwKi4g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztpbD1wbGFuZTtxPTc1O3c9NjAw/http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/sports/2015-07-08/697ad530-2505-11e5-9cb0-6538a8fb6bfc_CJWWe8mUwAAqmdw-jpg_large.jpeg.cf.jpg

Wade's jaw though

[soots]

The ultimate failure of todays league is James Harden.

Hes the player everyone secretly talks about. hes fishing for fouls and seeing what he can get away with it.

Hes the type of guy who would slip on his own rubbish in a convenience store and hire a lawyer and take the store to court.

[aj1987]

I agree with OP. No blood = No Foul.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otELjkc89gc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQRUcyrg7w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t9vdw5GRLI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSurTsOhONk

[Kawhi]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cnc3Xx.CHZpC8Dr7hRHTNA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en/blogs/sptusnbaexperts/MJITtop11513.jpg

And that wasn't just a one time deal. It happened all the time between the two.
Do you recall what happened that same game? I you'd ask me, I'd doubt you do. In the same game, Magic hit Isiah with the forearm, because back then, friendships were forgotten as soon as the ball went in to the air for the opening tip.