90’s defense is romanticized as amazing but was in reality a bad brand of ball

[AirBonner]

The pace was already a lot slower and they were actually getting sent to the line a pretty significant amount. something like 26 FTA per game in the Jordan years, and considering how many fewer possessions per game there were a lot of games were total slogs.

lots of possessions just seemed sloppy as hell too because even bad defenders could disrupt a play by hacking away.

So basically old heads tout hacking and slapping the ball as great defense.

[3ba11]

Basketball is harder and uglier without spacing

No spacing = defense

Scoring was simply much harder in previous eras without today's spacing strategy and no-defense-allowed rules (no impede, no hand-checking)

[AirBonner]

Basketball is harder and uglier without spacing

No spacing = defense

Scoring was simply much harder in previous eras without today's spacing strategy and no-defense-allowed rules (no impede, no hand-checking)

Dude no one could hit a 3 reliably. The game plans were of the school-yard level so of course having 5 guys stand in the paint was the only option because offenses didn’t spread the floor. No spread equals a bad brand of ball.

[3ba11]

Dude no one could hit a 3 reliably. The game plans were of the school-yard level so of course having 5 guys stand in the paint was the only option because offenses didn’t spread the floor. No spread equals a bad brand of ball.


Guys like Westbrook, Giannis and Lebron can't shoot threes yet they still take a ton because today's strategy requires 3-point volume regardless of efficiency

So you could implement today's 3-point strategy in prior eras and it would be the same - most guys would be bummy 33% shooters that are forced to chuck them up just like Lebron and Giannis in today's game... Obviously, not everyone is a bad shooter today or back then - Curry, Klay, Majerle, Miller and Ellis will shoot well in any era... but league-wide efficiency has been 35% since 1994 - the only difference is attempts (strategy)

[Phoenix]

Guys like Westbrook, Giannis and Lebron can't shoot threes yet they still take a ton because today's strategy requires 3-point volume regardless of efficiency

So you could implement today's 3-point strategy in prior eras and it would be the same - most guys would be bummy 33% shooters that are forced to chuck them up just like Lebron and Giannis in today's game... Obviously, not everyone is a bad shooter today or back then - Curry, Klay, Majerle, Miller and Ellis will shoot well in any era... but league-wide efficiency has been 35% since 1994 - the only difference is attempts (strategy)

Yep, shooting 35% on 34 attempts in 2023 vs 34% on 9 attempts in 1993. Just a minor, insignificant context.

[3ba11]

Yep, shooting 35% on 34 attempts in 2023 vs 34% on 9 attempts in 1993. Just a minor, insignificant context.


No actually a massive strategic sea shift away from the post and towards the 3-point line, so lots of bummy shooters were forced to attempt threes like Giannis, Lebron or even Markelle Fultz

[Phoenix]

No actually a massive strategic sea shift away from the post and towards the 3-point line, so lots of bummy shooters were forced to attempt threes like Giannis, Lebron or even Markelle Fultz

That went 30 thousand feet over your head.

[3ba11]

That went 30 thousand feet over your head.



Today's game forces bummy shooters like Giannis and Lebron to take threes, so that's no different than bummy shooters like Pippen or Byron Russell being forced to shoot 4-5 threes a game at 34%... They could probably do it just like Giannis does... Otoh, I don't think Lebron and Giannis could ever be good FT shooters or mid-range touch... That stuff needs to be hard-wired in (while the player is still growing, aka youth)

[Phoenix]

Today's game forces bummy shooters like Giannis and Lebron to take threes, so that's no different than bummy shooters like Pippen or Byron Russell being forced to shoot 4-5 threes a game at 34%... They could probably do it just like Giannis does... Otoh, I don't think Lebron and Giannis could ever be good FT shooters or mid-range touch... That stuff needs to be hard-wired in (while the player is still growing, aka youth)

Ok but my original post was intended as sarcasm so your reply is to double down. :oldlol:

[3ba11]

Ok but my original post was intended as sarcasm so your reply is to double down. :oldlol:


Lol . I can be a little robotic at times.. all these thoughts of maximum defensive attention and expert jumpshooting running through my head

[BigShotBob]

My main issue with how defense is played now is the constant switching. I made a thread about it before but imagine Jordan being able to have someone like Zubac switched on him and being allowed to play one on one, or a smaller guard like Terrence Ross or Alex Caruso lol he'd average like 40 if Luka can average 35 now

[AirBonner]

My main issue with how defense is played now is the constant switching. I made a thread about it before but imagine Jordan being able to have someone like Zubac switched on him and being allowed to play one on one, or a smaller guard like Terrence Ross or Alex Caruso lol he'd average like 40 if Luka can average 35 now

The constant switching allows favorable matchups on offense. Teams that can’t switch get smoked

[BigShotBob]

The constant switching allows favorable matchups on offense. Teams that can’t switch get smoked

That's my point it's not real defense. This only happens because of defensive 3 seconds. Last year I saw the Celtics exploit mismatches and Jaylen Brown would barrel his way into guards like Grayson Allen and Seth Curry and get a foul call because there's nothing they can do. I think we need to take away defensive 3 seconds

[3ba11]

That's my point it's not real defense. This only happens because of defensive 3 seconds. Last year I saw the Celtics exploit mismatches and Jaylen Brown would barrel his way into guards like Grayson Allen and Seth Curry and get a foul call because there's nothing they can do. I think we need to take away defensive 3 seconds


Great point

Furthermore, defensive 3 seconds allows ball-handlers to wait until flooding defenders in the paint must return to the weakside before driving... So when the flooding defender turns around to head back to the weakside, that's when the ball-handlers drives - they can drive when the rules MANDATE that the defender moves away from the ball-handlers

[TAZORAC]

The pace was already a lot slower and they were actually getting sent to the line a pretty significant amount. something like 26 FTA per game in the Jordan years, and considering how many fewer possessions per game there were a lot of games were total slogs.

lots of possessions just seemed sloppy as hell too because even bad defenders could disrupt a play by hacking away.

So basically old heads tout hacking and slapping the ball as great defense.

You could just be BIG and be able to run in the 90s and get playing time.

[SATAN]

bUt HaNdChEcKiNg!!1!

:oldlol:

[GrayGoat]

You could just be BIG and be able to run in the 90s and get playing time.
True. If your center can stretch the floor and hit an occasional 3 than he’s a liability in modern times