Watch at least 2 minutes of this 43 year old game when you get a moment.

[Kblaze8855]

https://youtu.be/M1kgHXG_Ot8?si=ueZ6XVjt1ksy-wqe


You’ll be on the toilet at some point today. You can give me 2 ****ing minutes. Despite what it says it isn’t just Kareem highlights.


Just give me your general opinion on what you see.

[Wardell Curry]

Damn those guys were slow. And it makes sense with them being a bunch of mechanics, plumbers and grocery baggers.

[ArbitraryWater]

Crazy packed paint and looks quite athletic, particularly Moses.

Definitely not as fast on average but athletic and they all got good muscle

[Kblaze8855]

Crazy packed paint and looks quite athletic, particularly Moses.

Definitely not as fast on average but athletic and they all got good muscle


Im betting you mean Dawkins:


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


Moses would arrive a little later after he was gone.


I saw him tell a story about this exact game once. He got back to the hotel and called his mom and she didn’t even greet him. Just asked why he let that man make all those shots on him. Meaning Kareem.

[Full Court]

The good old days when basketball was a gritty, in your face sport. You know, before it was all uncontested drives and a three point chuckfest.

[DarkSephiroth]

I've watched a ton of 80's basketball, and my main takeaway is that the great players would be great in any era. The average role player was certainly quite a bit less skilled / athletic as today but that is due to the sport being less developed at the time.

-Kareem would still be unstoppable with his footwork, touch, athleticism & Post moves.
-Magic would still destroy guards and forwards alike with his insane combination of size, speed and guile.

-Dawkins / Dr. J were as good of athletes as we have today. (Funny thing though, unathletic Moses Malone who would arrive in Philly a few years later was actually probably better than both and dominated 35 year old Kareem in the '83 Finals.)

Overall, you have to say the level is much lower. 40 years of progress goes a long way with strategy, training, and athletic trait selection at a much younger age.

Either way, I love basketball in just about any era! Comparing eras is too tough because we can not accurately assess how much coaching / training methods would affect every player individually. All we can say is that the greats would still likely be great in any era, especially if given modern training methods. I still haven't seen anyone with better passing than Magic, and 40 years has gone by!

[Xiao Yao You]

I've watched a ton of 80's basketball, and my main takeaway is that the great players would be great in any era. The average role player was certainly quite a bit less skilled / athletic as today but that is due to the sport being less developed at the time.

-Kareem would still be unstoppable with his footwork, touch, athleticism & Post moves.
-Magic would still destroy guards and forwards alike with his insane combination of size, speed and guile.

-Dawkins / Dr. J were as good of athletes as we have today. (Funny thing though, unathletic Moses Malone who would arrive in Philly a few years later was actually probably better than both and dominated 35 year old Kareem in the '83 Finals.)

Overall, you have to say the level is much lower. 40 years of progress goes a long way with strategy, training, and athletic trait selection at a much younger age.

Either way, I love basketball in just about any era! Comparing eras is too tough because we can not accurately assess how much coaching / training methods would affect every player individually. All we can say is that the greats would still likely be great in any era, especially if given modern training methods. I still haven't seen anyone with better passing than Magic, and 40 years has gone by!

the level of what is lower? Fundamentals were a lot better. Players used to be able to make a layup with their opposite hand. No they weren't all shooting 3's from the moment they started playing the game or practicing palming the ball and all the other shit they do today that was once illegal or at least called that way

[Clifton]

It struck me how good and how quick Kareem's decision making was. He's always doing something, either with the ball or preparing to get it in an advantageous spot. Having a HOF PG on your squad probably helps with that.

[Akeem34TheDream]

They do not look or move like car mechanics or grocery baggers.

[tpols]

Kareem may have skinny upper body but he could get good post position because of those long horse legs.

[Stephonit]

Kareem dominated the chosen highlights. The 76ers were ahead the whole game but weren't shown much. The clip was created by a Lakers fan probably. Just looked at the title of the clip afterward. Kareem highlights. Okay.

[Kblaze8855]

Kareem dominated the chosen highlights. The 76ers were ahead the whole game but weren't shown much. The clip was created by a Lakers fan probably. Just looked at the title of the clip afterward. Kareem highlights. Okay.


Watch about 2 minutes of this for more balance:



https://youtu.be/BMq6wily2fE?si=2rUF4AmtMVKcT8RB


Doc made at least 3 plays I’ve been seeing all my life in that series.

[Wally450]

My takeaway from watching that is that the greats would be able to play in any era. Kareem's skyhook would dominate today's game. The movement was fluid and his rotations and help defense was on par with what you see today also.

Julius Erving would thrive in today's game as well.

While the game is a lot different today than it was then, you can see similarities from then to now.

[Xiao Yao You]

My takeaway from watching that is that the greats would be able to play in any era. Kareem's skyhook would dominate today's game. The movement was fluid and his rotations and help defense was on par with what you see today also.

Julius Erving would thrive in today's game as well.

While the game is a lot different today than it was then, you can see similarities from then to now.

would be no sky hook today. He'd probably be playing in the high post today more like Jokic. Dr. wasn't a great shooter but he had the all around game soI'm sure he'd be fine

[Kblaze8855]

Well, if he developed from scratch these days at his size, and with his mobility, they would try to turn him into Wembanyama. I’d say dropped into today’s league in his fully developed bucks form he will be better than what they would try to turn him into now.

[Charlie Sheen]

Kareem was the ultimate finisher...but the Lakers were skilled getting him the ball to him where he could do damage. He could go quick from whatever spot he made the catch. There was one time in the video maybe two he used the dribble to back down to better position but the majority he was in range for the sky or the turnaround or he could make one move and be at the rim.

[Thorpesaurous]

It's crazy that this is Kareem really at he tail end of his prime.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Kareem would be utterly unstoppable. In any era.

Haven't watched the series in full, but damn. Its no wonder most fans thought he was FMVP. Not Magic who despite having an incredible Game 7...wasn't better than Kareem. That isn't even touching on the statistical gap.

[Overdrive]

Crazy packed paint and looks quite athletic, particularly Moses.

Definitely not as fast on average but athletic and they all got good muscle

Yeah, Moses looked really good in this clip. Can you give me a time stamp where you saw him?

€: blaze already got you.

Ignoring the lack of 3pters: Overall the game is closer to todays than it was in the 90s or 00s. The lakers tried to push the basketball as fast as close to the basket the could. Mostly gunning for easy lay ups. Kareem was their main back up plan, when they couldn't run.

[FilmyCogTurner]

Better ball than you would think. That Dr J finger roll along the right side was beautiful.

[brownmamba00]

Look at that soft touch. 7'4 skinny as hell but damn Kareem was gettin it in.

Any old heads left that care to post Wilt vs Kareem highlights? That shit is like porn to me.

[Jasper]

I watched that game and series.

kareem was at his height in his career. :bowdown:
Watch his defense besides his court vision.

Chocolate thunder didn't have a chance , but 6'ers I believe won that game.

Thats when two points mattered ... lol

[Kblaze8855]

Kareem would be utterly unstoppable. In any era.

Haven't watched the series in full, but damn. It’s no wonder most fans thought he was FMVP. Not Magic who despite having an incredible Game 7...wasn't better than Kareem. That isn't even touching on the statistical gap.

He was voted finals mvp cbs just asked the voters to change it to Magic. They were trying to do a bigtime production and didn’t want the trophy. Just sitting there. A TV producer decided who the finals MVP was. Look at game 5:



https://youtu.be/AMIC4zKK_nE?si=NgfgaVLtNmICXCa6


Absolutely unstoppable even after he came back injured. Got hurt and came right back with his ankle wrapped and was still force fed the ball and made the game winner(and 1) dunking on Doc who had already got him 2-3 times that game.

You can really see he, Doc, and Dawkins just flying around taking away layups.

There’s no question who the key player was for the Lakers, but everyone always underestimate it what magic score if someone asked him to do it.

Magic was probably capable of carrying the Lakers, even then, but he absolutely was not asked to do so nightly. Kareem was.

[90sgoat]

Watch about 2 minutes of this for more balance:

Doc made at least 3 plays I’ve been seeing all my life in that series.

He looks like he has a very quick first step in those clips and very long strides. You slip up and he's past you and then 1-2 dunk or fingerroll. A bit like Giannis, but obviously much more skilled.

[90sgoat]

You’ll be on the toilet at some point today. You can give me 2 ****ing minutes. Despite what it says it isn’t just Kareem highlights.


Just give me your general opinion on what you see.

This is the most varied I've seen Kareem play. He's usually reduced to the sky hook in videos, but that could never work unless he had a bunch of plays going over his right shoulder, which he does here with finger roll, drop step, baseline jumper, passing to the cutter etc.

[Kblaze8855]

Kareem did everything. I’ve seen him make the dirk style one leg fadeaway‘s. He did pull up jumpers. Ive seen Kareem do a euro step. But in brief highlight packages all you see is two or three of the first clips that come up when the producers just need you to know who they’re talking about instantly. It’s always a skyhook. it was his go to for obvious reasons, but if he caught the ball out of position he just did whatever he had to do.

[L.Kizzle]

The majority of the players back then could do more, they were just asked not to.
Someone in the comments said they wasn't that fast or skilled. Trust me, they were just that and more.

There is more freedom to do things in the floor. Hell, just 12 years ago players would get benched for doing the norm today. Pull up 3 pointer, driving all the way in the paint and then passing away from the hoop. Unheard of 12 year today, imagine in 1980.

[Kblaze8855]

The majority of the players back then could do more, they were just asked not to.
Someone in the comments said they wasn't that fast or skilled. Trust me, they were just that and more.

There is more freedom to do things in the floor. Hell, just 12 years ago players would get benched for doing the norm today. Pull up 3 pointer, driving all the way in the paint and then passing away from the hoop. Unheard of 12 year today, imagine in 1980.


4 on 1 break down 2 with the game on the line:


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




Doesn’t even occur to these people to run to the basket. This is the kind of thing people mean when they talk about a lack of fundamentals. It’s not that they can’t play, but a lack of consequences for terrible shot selection and a lack of coaching before becoming pros has eroded basic basketball instincts.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

He was voted finals mvp cbs just asked the voters to change it to Magic. They were trying to do a bigtime production and didn’t want the trophy. Just sitting there. A TV producer decided who the finals MVP was. Look at game 5:



https://youtu.be/AMIC4zKK_nE?si=NgfgaVLtNmICXCa6


Absolutely unstoppable even after he came back injured. Got hurt and came right back with his ankle wrapped and was still force fed the ball and made the game winner(and 1) dunking on Doc who had already got him 2-3 times that game.

You can really see he, Doc, and Dawkins just flying around taking away layups.

There’s no question who the key player was for the Lakers, but everyone always underestimate it what magic score if someone asked him to do it.

Magic was probably capable of carrying the Lakers, even then, but he absolutely was not asked to do so nightly. Kareem was.

I'm aware. Just saying it wasn't close even with KAJ playing hurt.

Credit to Magic who even as a rookie had ALL TIME impact, but ya. It was Kareem's award. I've seen Games 1, 5 and 6 in full. A few highlights of the others, though, I won't pretend to remember how it all went down.

Also shoutout to fatal9. The videos you posted were edited by him.

[jlip]

I watched the Dr. J highlight video that KBlaze posted in here. I remember Dr. J after he retired talking about his first step, and it really showed in this video. He could get by a player in a heartbeat. Before the player moved, he was gone. While he preferred to go right, it was obvious he could just as easily go left anytime he wanted. He may not have been more athletic than everyone, but he played more athletically than everybody else. Once he got in the air with his statue of libertyesque pose, the defense was usually at his mercy. You weren't going to block his shot. Finally, from this video, he seemed to be a calculating dunker. If he was open, he would lay it up or finger roll it. If you go in his way, he would dunk on you to prove a point. I remember watching the '77 Finals several years ago. He abused Bill Walton several times.

[sdot_thadon]

At 25 seconds of the 1st clip he does that almost lost to time post finger roll you'll see Wilt do a bunch in his highlights. I don't think I've even seen a finesse big do that one in a long time.

[90sgoat]

I watched the Dr. J highlight video that KBlaze posted in here. I remember Dr. J after he retired talking about his first step, and it really showed in this video. He could get by a player in a heartbeat. Before the player moved, he was gone. While he preferred to go right, it was obvious he could just as easily go left anytime he wanted. He may not have been more athletic than everyone, but he played more athletically than everybody else. Once he got in the air with his statue of libertyesque pose, the defense was usually at his mercy. You weren't going to block his shot. Finally, from this video, he seemed to be a calculating dunker. If he was open, he would lay it up or finger roll it. If you go in his way, he would dunk on you to prove a point. I remember watching the '77 Finals several years ago. He abused Bill Walton several times.

Dr. J was a great player, on and off the court.

Too bad he spent most of his career in the ABA.

[Xiao Yao You]

Dr. J was a great player, on and off the court.

Too bad he spent most of his career in the ABA.

less than a third of his career

[ArbitraryWater]

Im betting you mean Dawkins:


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


Moses would arrive a little later after he was gone.


I saw him tell a story about this exact game once. He got back to the hotel and called his mom and she didn’t even greet him. Just asked why he let that man make all those shots on him. Meaning Kareem.


My bad, Moses ofc joined 82 and they sprinted to the chip.

[Xiao Yao You]

My bad, Moses ofc joined 82 and they sprinted to the chip.

best team I saw. Lost once in the playoffs after one of the best regular seasons

[ArbitraryWater]

best team I saw. Lost once in the playoffs after one of the best regular seasons

Fo Fo Fo is crazy cocky/confidence

[90sgoat]

less than a third of his career

Yeah you're right, he was in the NBA is his prime.

Took a little while to get back to ABA production but 3-season peak of 25.3 ppg in 1980-82

[theman93]

Look at that unathletic white boy mechanic Bobby Jones at 1:06. /eyeroll

[Kblaze8855]

Yeah you're right, he was in the NBA is his prime.

Took a little while to get back to ABA production but 3-season peak of 25.3 ppg in 1980-82


my uncles friend, who was in the NBA in the late 70s thought Doc was better in the ABA, because he was too worried about fitting in in the NBA. He did play really passive at times but you can find articles from back then saying when he came to Philly, they were supposed to be the greatest team of all time. They had a lot of really flamboyant shoot first players and I guess he didn’t think he had to go all out like he did in ABA. The few times you would see him remember who he was and how he should be playing like in the 77 finals it’s obvious how much we missed out on because he wasn’t an asshole.

[jlip]

Yeah you're right, he was in the NBA is his prime.

Took a little while to get back to ABA production but 3-season peak of 25.3 ppg in 1980-82

From what I read, it was not a matter of adjusting or needing time to get back to his ABA level of production. He was simply playing within the system that the Sixers' organization prescribed for him. They knew his first season with the Sixers that he had the ability to individually dominate, but the organization specifically said that they preferred to have a balanced offense that featured three players who each could get 20 pts a night. Keep in mind that at that point in the NBA's history, leading scorers didn't win championships other than Kareem in 1971. So Dr. J willingly sacrificed his minutes, game, and stats for the sake of the team's wishes. I kind of wish they had allowed him to let loose early on though.

[90sgoat]

This thread shows how NBA needs to release and polish full games from back in the day.

I had no idea that Dr. J was that quick of the first step.

I can see how MJ was inspired by that first quick move of the catch. I always struggled to understand why people said MJ was inspired by Dr. J, but it makes a lot more sense when you consider early MJ and the quick drives baseline off the catch.

[Phoenix]

That finger-roll drive by Doc at 1:55 :applause: The advantage of being able to take a single hard dribble, palm the ball on the go, contort it around the defender as necessary, combined with the athleticism can't be understated.

[Xiao Yao You]

This thread shows how NBA needs to release and polish full games from back in the day.

I had no idea that Dr. J was that quick of the first step.

I can see how MJ was inspired by that first quick move of the catch. I always struggled to understand why people said MJ was inspired by Dr. J, but it makes a lot more sense when you consider early MJ and the quick drives baseline off the catch.

might not be many. When I first started watching the Jazz were only on local tv about 20 times a year. Luckily we had the great Hot Rod Hundley to bring the games to life on the radio. I believe that series with the Lakers and Sixers was on after the late news taped

[L.Kizzle]

might not be many. When I first started watching the Jazz were only on local tv about 20 times a year. Luckily we had the great Hot Rod Hundley to bring the games to life on the radio. I believe that series with the Lakers and Sixers was on after the late news taped
Around what year was this? I think 1981 and on, every NBA game was taped. The last tape delay NBA Finals was 1986. Imagine that.

[Xiao Yao You]

Around what year was this? I think 1981 and on, every NBA game was taped. The last tape delay NBA Finals was 1986. Imagine that.

80-81. Don't remember when they started showing all Utah games but it was years after that. They still don't show all pre-season games. Mostly showed road games and a few of the biggies that sold out at home Boston, LAL, Philly...

[Kblaze8855]

This thread shows how NBA needs to release and polish full games from back in the day.

I had no idea that Dr. J was that quick of the first step.

I can see how MJ was inspired by that first quick move of the catch. I always struggled to understand why people said MJ was inspired by Dr. J, but it makes a lot more sense when you consider early MJ and the quick drives baseline off the catch.


he was inspired by Dr. J, as was his whole generation and the one after it but if you want to see who’s style Jordan set out to take watch this:



https://youtu.be/BeD2yi8qpyU?si=JoEp0gSB_CQTsSNE



I’ll give you some timestamps to check specifically but you strike me as the type like me who will sit there and watch all of it. David Thompson moved just like young Jordan. Watch how he catches it and leaves Doc with his feet nailed to the floor on that first step for dunks and layups.


Jordan grew up where David went to college and had a legendary career. David Thompson was Jordan’s first favorite player and inspiration and that’s why he’s the one who introduced him to the Hall of Fame. So many people had no idea who he even was.

Should have been top 25.

I’ll leave it at this…..

Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

[90sgoat]

Yeah, wow, seems as if MJ almost did a Kobe on David Thompson.

Time stamp 1.06, that's almost a clone of rookie Jordan doing a dribble pull up jumper even with the hangtime.

Fast paced, a little herky jerky. Interested to know when exactly he got the rythm and dance in his game. Truth be told, if you combine David Thompson and Dr. J, that's pretty close to first 3-peat MJ.

[eliteballer]

Try playing on this floor in Chuck Taylor's and lets see how athletic you look:


https://media.bleacherreport.com/w_800,h_533,c_fill/br-img-article/002/999/837/50c5f746a4a5ad4acb2b39cd7f31c2a2_crop_exact.jpg

https://a57.foxsports.com/statics.foxsports.com/www.foxsports.com/content/uploads/2020/04/1408/814/MJ86.png?ve=1&tl=1

[Xiao Yao You]

Try playing on this floor in Chuck Taylor's and lets see how athletic you look:


https://media.bleacherreport.com/w_800,h_533,c_fill/br-img-article/002/999/837/50c5f746a4a5ad4acb2b39cd7f31c2a2_crop_exact.jpg

https://a57.foxsports.com/statics.foxsports.com/www.foxsports.com/content/uploads/2020/04/1408/814/MJ86.png?ve=1&tl=1

MJ looked like one of the greatest athletes ever on that floor

[eliteballer]

MJ looked like one of the greatest athletes ever on that floor

Obviously Jordan is an outlier. One of the all time generic freaks. Not rocket science here. A lot of the guys today are manufactured athletes. They have all of the specialized training targeting muscle groups, nutrition, body maintenance etc which gives them good measurable ie vertical but they lack things like natural fluidity, reaction time, coordination etc.

[Dr Hawk]

Paint too crowded and no usage of the three point line as a threat to create spacing. That would come later.

9 guys inside the paint @ 0:26. The last one is near the free throw line.

[Wally450]

would be no sky hook today. He'd probably be playing in the high post today more like Jokic. Dr. wasn't a great shooter but he had the all around game soI'm sure he'd be fine

Kareem would make the skyhook today. He's an All Time great. He'd get to his spot and make it work.

[paksat]

the biggest thing that sticks out is how rowdy the crowds used to be

[90sgoat]

the biggest thing that sticks out is how rowdy the crowds used to be

Blue collar vs white collar vs instathot collar