What do you consider ancient basketball

[Airupthere]

To me, prior to early 2000s, basketball just seemed too slow and lacking in skill. I would say, the turning point is 2003-2004 season when the draft class started to slowly improve the game to the point where it is today.

[Manny98]

2006 was the start of the modern style of basketball, so before that was basically ancient

[Wally450]

Players playing in the post. That's ancient basketball.

[Kblaze8855]

Far as how it looks the only major change of my life is from them slowing players to carry and travel. Make the 80s guards grow up in a world where entertainment mattered more than the rules it would have looked about the same all my life far as the level of play.

The changes aren’t in talent as much as what they ask the talented players to do with it.

[Airupthere]

Players playing in the post. That's ancient basketball.

We still got post up plays now, but they are much more dynamic. In the 90s, they like camping low and taking their time. Barkley taking his time backing down and not showing a lot of skill is slow basketball for me.

[Airupthere]

Rules changes, and the game just develops in my opinion. Kids learning basketball, pushing boundaries and adding to the repertoire. More attention to the game allows more athletic people compete too.

[tontoz]

To me is the 60s NBA was ancient with few teams and few black players. In 1965 the league had only 9 teams.

I would say the league is deeper now relative to 20-30 years ago, in large part due to all the international players. I would also say that the players in general are better shooters than in the past due to the emphasis on the 3 point shot.

[NBAGOAT]

either before magic or bird came into league or early 90s when teams started playing more in the half court

[post]

86: last time a white guy from the u.s. won mvp

98: first time the entire all nba team was black

[goozeman]

I don't consider any era "ancient." Most of the changes that have taken place in the NBA have been due to rule changes and expansion. The growth of the league/sport internationally is another major change I suppose, but that was already well underway in the 90's. In a lot of ways, the game has regressed tremendously. Watching classic NCAA games from the 90's shows how AAU and 1-and-done has completely eroded skills and fundamentals outside of being able to shoot the three and handles, i.e. everybody wants to be Kyrie or Steph. Even some of the mediocre teams back then would totally beat the breaks of top college teams today. It only makes sense that when kids were staying in school longer and exposed to much better coaching for a long period came into the league with a better all-around game. I agree the overall the league is a bit more athletic top to bottom, but that's a product of modern weight training and nutrition as much as anything else. Player collusion has also made the league far less compelling to watch. The best players like Lebron, Durant, Kawhi, Davis, Paul George, etc. have all just team hopping like crazy to win championships.

[Xiao Yao You]

Anything before '80 for me

[fsvr54]

50s

[SamuraiSWISH]

In reality? For me? Anything pre 85 - 87.

Now? Anything pre 2014 - 2015 season, feels borderline like an entirely different sport TBH. Especially post 2016 season. Curry, GSW, D’Antoni, and Harden have nearly ruined the game.

Even go play pickup now with guys at your local lifetime with guys below the age of 30. It’s horrendous.

85 - 2014: modern NBA

2015 - : post modern NBA

[Axe]

The way the bad boys pistons played until the flagrant foul was implemented in the league

[Lebron23]

In reality? For me? Anything pre 85 - 87.

Now? Anything pre 2014 - 2015 season, feels borderline like an entirely different sport TBH. Especially post 2016 season. Curry, GSW, D’Antoni, and Harden have nearly ruined the game.

Even go play pickup now with guys at your local lifetime with guys below the age of 30. It’s horrendous.

85 - 2014: modern NBA

2015 - : post modern NBA

Yes, most of the players are chucking several 3 pointers. Not everyone is Stephen Curry.

[Marchesk]

The pre Zion era.

[HylianNightmare]

60s and prior

[Gimmedarock]

I can’t look at 80’s & 90’s ball. Big slow giants camping out near the basket is not entertaining. Anytime I see inside focused basketball, I think that’s ancient. Ball dominant point guards is ancient. I guess pre 2006 maybe. The game started to get more polished around that time. Game is so fluid now and the skill level is so much higher.

[SATAN]

70s and before

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gvpk0jlOlyY/TklyqEcLS_I/AAAAAAAAArQ/SHd1B9HeVXg/s1600/early+basketball.jpg

[Tobio-Star]

70s and before

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gvpk0jlOlyY/TklyqEcLS_I/AAAAAAAAArQ/SHd1B9HeVXg/s1600/early+basketball.jpg

Can we even call this basketball at this point :oldlol:

[Marchesk]

I can’t look at 80’s & 90’s ball. Big slow giants camping out near the basket is not entertaining. Anytime I see inside focused basketball, I think that’s ancient. Ball dominant point guards is ancient. I guess pre 2006 maybe. The game started to get more polished around that time. Game is so fluid now and the skill level is so much higher.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ScentedMinorAnemoneshrimp-small.gif

https://64.media.tumblr.com/2f3122a907f1d601ecef01827714de03/tumblr_pu18qo0TMM1v4u49oo1_400.gifv

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/PlaintiveSilentCardinal-max-1mb.gif

[Marchesk]

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/WateryAdorableIsopod-size_restricted.gif

Imagine thinking the bigs in the 90s were slow compared to today.

[Reggie43]

60s.

[TheCorporation]

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/WateryAdorableIsopod-size_restricted.gif

Imagine thinking the bigs in the 90s were slow compared to today.

Imagine thinking one outlier center represents all 60 or so. Of course Prime/Young Shaq is an exception, but most of those guys were slow dinosaurs with very little talent. The game evolves. It's just a part of life.

Just like Bron passed up MJ on GOAT list and Scoring List, maybe one day we will see another emerging talent pass up LeBron's 6,911. I cannot say with certainty but I guess anything is possible. I don't think anyone ever thought MJ would be passed up and yet here we are.

[AussieSteve]

We still got post up plays now, but they are much more dynamic. In the 90s, they like camping low and taking their time. Barkley taking his time backing down and not showing a lot of skill is slow basketball for me.

Watch this 4 min video of Barkley vs the Bulls in game 1 of the 91 ECSF. He shows more skill in this game than most NBA power forwards show in their career.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1kHHe8jLt98

[ArbitraryWater]

Yes, most of the players are chucking several 3 pointers. Not everyone is Stephen Curry.

what are you talking about? chucking three's is beneficial to the team


anyway

2010 finals with how lakers/celtics made it really symbolized the last of that slow, ugly grind down basketball

[GimmeThat]

with certainty, pre-80s, roughly, pre-90s. To me, the modern era is considered when all the proper forms and techniques had been developed and widely practiced amongst the league

[Phoenix]

I can’t look at 80’s & 90’s ball. Big slow giants camping out near the basket is not entertaining. Anytime I see inside focused basketball, I think that’s ancient. Ball dominant point guards is ancient. I guess pre 2006 maybe. The game started to get more polished around that time. Game is so fluid now and the skill level is so much higher.

They are? I read this as we see Dame drop 50 every 3 games and Luka break the playoff debut scoring record at 21 years old. May as well throw Harden into the mix since PG/SG is a distinction without a difference where he goes. We've seen his numbers in recent years.

[tpols]

Far as how it looks the only major change of my life is from them slowing players to carry and travel. Make the 80s guards grow up in a world where entertainment mattered more than the rules it would have looked about the same all my life far as the level of play.

The changes aren’t in talent as much as what they ask the talented players to do with it.

When basketball was first invented you weren't even allowed to dribble.


Dribbling was not part of the original game, but was introduced in 1901. At the time, a player could only bounce the ball once, and could not shoot after he had dribbled.

So things are constantly changing in the game.

[elementally morale]

Anything you didn't grow up with. So before the 80s for me.

Objectively speaking... it's constant change but I'd say the D'Antoni and Nash led Suns was a big change and then with the Warriors and then the Rockets the game has really changed. Moreso in the least 5-10 years than for two-three decades before that.

[Marchesk]

Imagine thinking one outlier center represents all 60 or so. Of course Prime/Young Shaq is an exception, but most of those guys were slow dinosaurs with very little talent. The game evolves. It's just a part of life.

But there wasn't just one and 90s Shaq wasn't the best (Hakeem, Robinson then Shaq). The 90s along with the 60s are known for having the best HOF centers. And there were some super athletes at PF like Kemp and early 90s Barkley (for his body size). Karl Malone wasn't a leaper, but he was a physical specimen. And Rodman was very athletic and all-time great rebounder. He just lacked offensive skill.

Thing is today, there is a general lack of skill from post game and midrange. Everyone is shooting threes or going to the hoop. And the defense just can't keep up. There are no more Bulls or Knicks or Pistons. You can't really shut these offenses down anymore. It's a shame.