Predict 2013 Lebron stats in 1993 NBA

[QUOTE=Dragonyeuw]At the risk of sounding like I'm parroting 3ball, I think pace and the nature of the era cancel each other to a degree, though it's impossible to quantity how much.

Lebron gets a lot of 'drive and kick to 3point shooters' assists, considering that the 3 wasn't nearly as utilized 22 years ago would logically impact how he gets alot of assists. Being fair, I say he adapts fine assist-wise given that passing ability is kind of exempt from the era argument, and some of those 'drive and kicks' may morph into 'drive and dish' to the larger selection of quality bigmen in the 90's.

Let's put him in Cleveland for example in 1993, let's say Daugherty and Price are there as well. He's got both an interior target as well as Price (and Ehlo) as shooters. But then, Price becomes a spot-up shooter if they employ Lebron-ball( not that this is bad, Price was one hell of a shooter, but that's not maximizing all his strengths). The question is, depending on team makeup, will he still employ the top of the key, ball-dominant style? Or will he play with a traditional PG where he has to adapt to being more off-ball? All these nuances can swing the stats pendulum, if only slightly.

Rebound-wise, alot of trees in the paint back then and I don't think he's even as good as rebounder in today's smaller league as he should be. Grant Hill, for example, was a better rebounder while giving up 50 pounds and playing in that era of dominant bigs.[/QUOTE]
This.

I hate when people take Lebron and the way he plays right now in this league and try to say he'd be less effective at a time when other skills were more paramount.

What if Lebron grew up in a time of physicality and post game instead of AAU and AND1? My guess is that he would have an wicked post game.

A player with Lebron's gifts and athletic ability is going to develop the skills necessary to dominate in any era

[QUOTE=ShawkFactory]This.

I hate when people take Lebron and the way he plays right now in this league and try to say he'd be less effective at a time when other skills were more paramount.

What if Lebron grew up in a time of physicality and post game instead of AAU and AND1? My guess is that he would have an wicked post game.

A player with Lebron's gifts and athletic ability is going to develop the skills necessary to dominate in any era[/QUOTE]

Lebron is too heavy, too heavy feet to be a truly good post player.

The average 90s power forward was not some beast with Hakeem like moves. Think David West, ability to hit a short hook and open mid range shots. Horace Grant in other words.

Lebron simply does not have the great coordination needed to be a good post player. Look at a big guy like Karl Malone being able to smoothly drain mid range jumpers, something Lebron still can't, even after being forced to work on it for years.

Anthony Mason with better outside shooting and better passing is his 90s ceiling.

So I guess it's settled.

Pippen with vastly superior FT shooting, finishing ability, speed, quickness, off-ball shooting and strength.

Pippen was a 22/8/6 guy on 56 TS%.

I would project LeBron as 26/7/7 on 62 TS% with Duncan-level defensive impact.

Essentially the best player in the 90's.

[QUOTE=90sgoat]Lebron is too heavy, too heavy feet to be a truly good post player.

The average 90s power forward was not some beast with Hakeem like moves. Think David West, ability to hit a short hook and open mid range shots. Horace Grant in other words.

Lebron simply does not have the great coordination needed to be a good post player. Look at a big guy like Karl Malone being able to smoothly drain mid range jumpers, something Lebron still can't, even after being forced to work on it for years.

Anthony Mason with better outside shooting and better passing is his 90s ceiling.[/QUOTE]
:rolleyes:

[QUOTE=Rocketswin2013]So I guess it's settled.

Pippen with vastly superior FT shooting, finishing ability, speed, quickness, off-ball shooting and strength.

Pippen was a 22/8/6 guy on 56 TS%.

I would project LeBron as 26/7/7 on 62 TS% with [B]Duncan-level defensive impact[/B].

[B]Essentially the best player in the 90's[/B].[/QUOTE]

4th best player, behind

1. MJ
2. Dream
3. Shaq
4. Malone - Chuck - Bran

[QUOTE=Indian guy]Dude, you are the one who speculated first and said it with authority - that "LeBron ball" would relegate Price to spot-up shooter. My rebuttal is, in LeBron's 12 year career, he has played with 3 star-level guards - 'Mo Williams, Wade and Irving. 2 of them happened to be excellent shooters. And 2 of them were ball-dominant. Yet, in all 3 cases, not only did they manage to excel, but none of 'em were reduced to "spot up" status. Thus, proving your entire statement baseless. We don't need to speculate on how LeBron/Price would be used 22 years ago. We can just look at LeBron's history with star-guards and conclude that Price would do just fine.[/QUOTE]

How the hell did I say 'Lebron-ball' with authority, or did I need to prefix it with 'in my humble opinion'? Because you seem to be the one that speaks with an air of 'authority' and condensation in many of your posts where Lebron is the topic.

Mo Williams wasn't a star level guard. He's one of those glorified role players who, to Lebron's credit, managed to look better than he really was, as evidence by his under-performance in the playoffs and irrelevance after he left Cleveland. He's the classic example of a shooter whose game was enhanced from all the attention Lebron garnered.

Also, when I say spot-up shooter, as someone playing offball who would benefit playing off-Lebron, IF Price actually took on such a role I wasn't suggesting he wouldn't do fine. So you're arguing a point I never made. Price in that role was a deadly enough shooter to put up similar offensive numbers to what he did in 93, albeit without as much ballhandling duties. But at the end of the day, speculation debates amount to pissing in the wind and pointless, like the majority of 'what ifs' that people post here on a daily. You're entitled to your view and vice versa, and I'm not expending more time pissing up a tree here.

Not sure where this idea of Lebron thriving under physical contact came from. Or the idea that he'd be able to stiff arm and barrel into defenders back then like he does today and not get called for charges every time.

I'd predict 27-29 pts/7-8 reb/7 ast/48-50% FG/56-58% TS for 2013 Lebron in 1993. Third best player in the league that year behind Jordan and Hakeem, right alongside Barkley.

Since LeBron would thrive with the physicality, imagine how much more he could do defensively :eek:

[QUOTE=OldSchoolBBall]


[IMG]http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/7-13-2015/kZeK3Z.gif[/IMG]


[IMG]http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/4-07-2015/NwamL4.gif[/IMG]


I'd predict 27-29 pts/7-8 reb/7 ast/[B][COLOR="Red"]48-50% FG[/COLOR][/B]/56-58% TS for 2013 Lebron in 1993. Third best player in the league that year behind Jordan and Hakeem, right alongside Barkley.


[/QUOTE]
I think you're overrating his FG%.. I don't see how he shoots 50%.. The lack of 3-point shooting and resulting packed paints were too real - when there's 8 guys standing in the paint (1st gif), [I]it's not possible for a penetrator to get in there.. All scorers had to pull-up for more midrange back then[/I].. And it doesn't have to be 8 guys, it could be just 2-3 guys or a PF clogging the lane, since they weren't spacing the floor like today's stretch 4's (see Hot Rod in 2nd gif).

So I'm pretty sure that congested paints would force more low efficiency mid-range pull-ups, just like it did for Jordan and everyone else... Also, there's the reality that Lebron's proportion of screen-roll/drive-and-kick offense would be smaller without the same elite 3-point shooting to kick the ball to that makes drive-and-kick preferable over other options in today's game.. With less screen-roll/drive-and-kick, he has to rely more on post, midrange, and isolations like everyone else - of course, these are all areas where his efficiency is average to bad.

[QUOTE=OldSchoolBBall]Not sure where this idea of Lebron thriving under physical contact came from. Or the idea that he'd be able to stiff arm and barrel into defenders back then like he does today and not get called for charges every time.

I'd predict 27-29 pts/7-8 reb/7 ast/48-50% FG/56-58% TS for 2013 Lebron in 1993. Third best player in the league that year behind Jordan and Hakeem, right alongside Barkley.[/QUOTE]

2013 LeBron was a DPOY level defender, and now you're allowing him to handhceck and play physical in 1993?

Skill-wise dude might NOT be as good as Jordan, but his impact would be right there. LeBron would be a nightmare on both ends of the court.

[QUOTE=catch24]2013 LeBron was a DPOY level defender, and now you're allowing him to handhceck and play physical in 1993?

Skill-wise dude might NOT be as good as Jordan, but his impact would be right there. LeBron would be a nightmare on both ends of the court.[/QUOTE]

Agreed, but that still doesn't make him better than Jordan or Hakeem that year.

[QUOTE=OldSchoolBBall]Agreed, but that still doesn't make him better than Jordan or Hakeem that year.[/QUOTE]

LeBron would've had better offense than Hakeem, and Hakeem would have better defense.

As players, they would be a wash after Jordan.

The three all belong in the same tier, tbh

[QUOTE=catch24]LeBron would've had better offense than Hakeem, and Hakeem would have better defense.

As players, they would be a wash after Jordan.

The three all belong in the same tier, tbh[/QUOTE]

Hakeem's defensive edge outweighs Lebron's offensive edge imo.

[QUOTE=catch24]


[IMG]http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/9-17-2015/dzzsgE.gif[/IMG]


[B][COLOR="Red"]Skill-wise[/COLOR] dude might NOT be as good as Jordan, but his impact would be right there. [/B]


[/QUOTE]
The skill deficit you allude to would negatively impact Lebron's ability to play the different brand of basketball prevalent back then.

Screen-roll/drive-and-kick would be a smaller portion of his offense without the same caliber 3-point shooters that makes today's drive-and-kick more efficient than other options.. Instead, Lebron's scoring profile would look like virtually every other scorer back then - he'd rely more on post, midrange and isolations, which are his average to bad efficiency areas.

Furthermore, there was less 3-point shooting back then to draw defenders out of the paint, so the paint was more congested.. This forced all scorers to pull-up from midrange more often (see gif above).. Again, midrange is a low efficiency area for him.. Since Lebron would have to rely on low efficiency areas in 1993, his efficiency would be worse back then, which would drag down his scoring.
.

:wtf: [QUOTE=GIF REACTION]Lebron would be a more effective post player in the 90's... Or atleast just as good

1. He would be posting up smaller dudes (He would be blowing by Anthony Mason)

2. He is not a technical/Hakeem esque/footwork post player, he is a physical post player


90
3. A physical player in a more physical league?[/QUOTE]

90s era would not allow leflop travel like that,plus no defensive 3seconds anymore ,he won't scores easy as he is not

20ppg on 40 fg%

[QUOTE=catch24]2013 LeBron was a DPOY level defender, and now you're allowing him to handhceck and play physical in 1993?

Skill-wise dude might NOT be as good as Jordan, but his impact would be right there. LeBron would be a nightmare on both ends of the court.[/QUOTE]

no way ,he is a poor man defender with a slow laterall speed

[QUOTE=Rocketswin2013]How much trouble is LeBron giving the league on the perimeter while being able to put his hands on guys? He nearly won DPOY's in a weak era with his hands behind his back, no?


He locked down D-Rose with length and recovery ability. He shut a peak Big Al down in 2013 by himself.


You give this guy the ability to abuse hand-check rules :eek:[/QUOTE]

he never lock down rose
,it's wade and him quick double team defended rose

[QUOTE=Indian guy]You mean, like how Wade and Irving became spot-up shooters alongside LeBron? :rolleyes:. We have 5 years of solid proof that ball-dominant guards have no issue excelling alongside LeBron. Nobody's turning into a "spot-up shooter". "LeBron ball" is only employed when he's playing with sub-par talent or a very unimaginative offensive coach. Prior to the 2015 playoffs(no Love/Kyrie), the last time we saw it was the 2010 NBA season.



LeBron always managed to average 7-8 rpg in Cleveland while playing with very strong rebounding front courts. No reason why he wouldn't be able to at least duplicate that in a faster-paced league that employs the 3-ball less, so he's going to be closer to the basket. Everybody averaged more rpg back in the day, so why the heck would LeBron's decrease?[/QUOTE]


lebron only made stars player around him get worse,larry hudges jammison,wade,bosh,big Z,love,Shaq.etc

[quote=Paul George24]

Lebron only made star players around him worse, larry hughes jamison, wadde, bosh, big Z, love, Shaq, etc.

[/quote]
True

Lebron achieves his stats by reducing the stats of teammates - this is statistical fact.

[QUOTE=Indian guy]

We have 5 years of solid proof that ball-dominant guards have no issue excelling alongside LeBron.

[/QUOTE]

[B][COLOR="Blue"]You're factually incorrect - Lebron reduces the PPG and APG of teammates - here's APG:[/COLOR][/B]


[COLOR="Green"]Wade apg and assist % before Lebron (04'-10'): [url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wadedw01.html#2004-2010-sum:per_game]6.6[/url], [url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wadedw01.html#2004-2010-sum:advanced]34.8%[/url] [/COLOR]
[COLOR="Red"]Wade apg and assist % with[COLOR="White"]...[/COLOR] Lebron (11'-14'): [url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wadedw01.html#2011-2014-sum:per_game]4.7[/url], [url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wadedw01.html#2011-2014-sum:advanced]25.5%[/url] [/COLOR]


[COLOR="Green"]Bosh apg and assist % before Lebron (04'-10'): 2.2, 10.5%[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Red"]Bosh apg and assist % with[COLOR="White"]...[/COLOR] Lebron (11'-14'): [url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/boshch01.html#2011-2014-sum:per_game]1.6[/url], [COLOR="White"].[/COLOR][url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/boshch01.html#2011-2014-sum:advanced]8.0%[/url] [/COLOR]


[COLOR="Green"]Irving apg and assist % before Lebron (12'-14'): [url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/i/irvinky01.html#2012-2014-sum:per_game]5.8[/url], [url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/i/irvinky01.html#2012-2014-sum:advanced]33.2[/url][/COLOR]
[COLOR="Red"]Irving apg and assist % with[COLOR="White"]...[/COLOR] Lebron (2015):[COLOR="White"]...[/COLOR] 5.2, 25.0%[/COLOR]


[COLOR="Green"]Kevin Love apg and assist % in MIN: 2.5, 13.0%[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Red"]Kevin Love apg and assist % in CLE:[COLOR="White"].[/COLOR] 2.2, 10.7%[/COLOR]


[COLOR="Green"]Mo Williams apg and assist % before Lebron: 6.3, 30.0%[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Red"]Mo Williams apg and assist % with[COLOR="White"]...[/COLOR] Lebron: 4.1, 20.1%[/COLOR]


[I]Source: basketball-reference.com[/I]


As you can see, Lebron's presence significantly reduces the APG and assist % of teammates, [I]while their assisted rate increases[/I] - this proves Lebron turns teammates from playmakers into play-finishers, thus preventing the kind of equal-opportunity offenses that the Mavs, Spurs, Warriors, and [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIY_4vIxGEE&t=23m40s]90's Bulls used[/url], where all 5 guys share the playmaking duties - since Lebron prevents the best brand of basketball, various equal or less-talented teams have pulled upsets by playing a [I]better[/I] brand of basketball (2009, 2011, 2014).

[I][COLOR="Navy"]Ultimately, Lebron's stats lack integrity because he accumulates them at the expense of teammates[/COLOR][/I].. His stat accumulation is also helped by employing a stat-friendly, easily-solvable, playground style, rather than trying to win.. His stat-friendly style is far less impressive than the superior, nuanced skill that MJ needed to achieve stats within an equal-opportunity offense that could actually win.

copy.paste.repost.3ball

pathetic :facepalm

[QUOTE=3ball]True[/QUOTE]
Lmao you just agreed with a retard

[QUOTE=scandisk_]copy.paste.repost.3ball

pathetic :facepalm[/QUOTE]
You have to admit - it's remarkable how Lebron craters the APG and sometimes PPG of his teammates..

Anyway, redirecting - here's the real issue about this thread - [SIZE="7"]Lebron can't shoot[/SIZE] from midrange, which he would HAVE to do in the 80's/90's to be a 28-30 ppg scorer.

With less than half the 3-point production that today's game uses to open up the lane, 1993 Lebron would be forced to pull-up for more midrange jumpshots, like all aggressive scorers back then.. The lack of 3-pointers would also reduce the efficiency of screen-roll/drive-and-kick - he simply wouldn't be using screen-roll as much as he does in today's game, and would again be forced to use midrange, as well as post and isolation, all areas he's average to bad in.

Incorrect

2013 Lebron shot .447 from 16+ ft and .406 from 3

[QUOTE=OldSchoolBBall]Agreed, but that still doesn't make him better than Jordan or Hakeem that year.[/QUOTE]

Crock of shit. :oldlol:

The best Lebron is just as good as best Jordan.

The 5 years stretch of 09-13 Bron is just as good as Jordan's 89-93 stretch.

28/8/7 on 52% shooting vs 32/7/6 on 52% shooting.

Bron with a 30.4 PER during that time and 61% TS...
MJ with a 30.3 PER during that time and a 59% TS...

You acting as if he wouldn't be either the best or second best player in the league. :oldlol:

[QUOTE=GIF REACTION]Incorrect

2013 Lebron shot .447 from 16+ ft and .406 from 3[/QUOTE]
For Lebron's career, he's 38.8% from the 16-23 foot range, which is below average, and he's 35.8% from 10-16 feet, which is far below-average.

In 2013, he actually began a 2-year campaign to inflate his efficiency by only attempting 17 shots per game.. This backfired in the 2014 Finals, when his passivity was run out of the gym.

Btw, 44.7% isn't impressive.. Magic shot 56% from midrange in the 1985 Finals vs. Boston - ask ShaqisGoat or PHILA - one of them has the data.. We know MJ shot 52% from midrange in 1997, per nba.com's stats..

[I]Here's the factual reality - for Lebron to be an elite scorer like 27+ppg in the 80's or 1993, he'd need [B]ELITE[/B] midrange or post game, like ALL the leading scorers back then:[/I]


[U]Leading Scorers in 1986:[/U]

SF Dominique 30.3
SF Dantley 29.8
SF English 29.8
SF Bird 25.8
SF Short 25.5
SF [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0ZCbZq8wWg]Vandeweghe[/url] 24.8


[U]Leading Scorers in 1987:[/U]

SG Michael Jordan 37.1
SF Dominique 29.8
SF Alex English 28.6
SF Larry Bird 28.1
SF Vandeweghe 26.9
PF Kevin McHale 26.1
SF Mark Aguirre 25.7
SG Dale Ellis 24.9


[U]Leading Scorers 1993:[/U]

SG Michael Jordan 32.6
SF Dominique 29.9
PF Karl Malone 27.0
C. Hakeem Olajuwon 26.1
SG Chris Mullin 25.9
PF Charles Barkley 25.6
C. Patrick Ewing 24.2
SG Joe Dumars 23.5
C. Shaquille O'Neal 23.4
C. David Robinson 23.4
PF Danny Manning 22.8
SG Drazen Petrovic 22.3
[B]PF Larry Johnson 22.1[/B]


Larry Johnson is the first guy listed here that didn't have an elite mid-range and/or post game.. :confusedshrug:

Well duh defenses are better today

23 - 25 ppg on about 47 - 49% shooting. His lack of elite isolation game and post game will hurt him. His physical attributes "might" certainly benefit him due to playing in a more physical era, "BUT" based on what he's showing today, it will be tough for him to handle the physicality of that era. LeBron doesn't like it when the game gets physical. He'll just flop his way out of it which doesn't work well in the old school ball. Won't end well for the Queen. Would get body bagged by the thugs of New York Knicks.

[QUOTE=Angel Face]23 - 25 ppg on about 47 - 49% shooting. His lack of elite isolation game and post game will hurt him. His physical attributes "might" certainly benefit him due to playing in a more physical era, "BUT" based on what he's showing today, it will be tough for him to handle the physicality of that era. LeBron doesn't like it when the game gets physical. He'll just flop his way out of it which doesn't work well in the old school ball. Won't end well for the Queen. Would get body bagged by the thugs of New York Knicks.[/QUOTE]
Dumbest post of the week nominee.

[QUOTE=plowking]


The best Lebron is just as good as best Jordan.

[B][COLOR="Red"]The 5 years stretch of 09-13 Bron is just as good as Jordan's 89-93 stretch.
[/COLOR][/B]

[/QUOTE]
[B]Playoffs Per 100 Possession:[/B]

[url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jordami01.html#1989-1993-sum:playoffs_per_poss][I]JORDAN 89'-93'[/I][/url]: 44.2 pts.. 8.6 reb... [I][COLOR="red"]8.8 ast[/COLOR][/I].. 3.0 stl.. 50.3 fg.. 58.1 ts.. 120 ORtg.. 30.0 PER
[url=http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jamesle01.html#2009-2013-sum:playoffs_per_poss][I]LEBRON 09'-13'[/I][/url]: 36.5 pts. 11.5 reb.. [I][COLOR="red"]8.3 ast[/COLOR][/I].. 2.3 stl.. 49.3 fg.. 58.7 ts.. 118 ORtg.. 29.1 PER


[B]Per Game in Finals:[/B]

[I]JORDAN 91'-93'[/I]: 36.3 ppg.. 6.6 rpg.. 7.9 apg.. 2.0 spg.. 0.76 bpg.. 52.6 fg.. 40.7% 3 pt
[I]LEBRON 11'-14'[/I]: 24.1 ppg.. 8.8 rpg.. 6.4 apg.. 1.8 spg.. 0.55 bpg.. 46.3 fg.. 31.2% 3 pt

Terrible defenses though so Lebron wins

[QUOTE=GIF REACTION]Terrible defenses though so Lebron wins[/QUOTE]
:roll:

Look at the Finals stats - 50% more scoring for MJ and 1.5 more assists, 8% better fg.

[QUOTE=3ball]:roll:

Look at the Finals stats - 50% more scoring for MJ and 1.5 more assists, 8% better fg.[/QUOTE]


No sense arguing with someone that thinks Colin kaepernick is a top 5 qb.

They obviously don't know sports.


Mj > Bron and it's not even close.

[QUOTE=Angel Face]23 - 25 ppg on about 47 - 49% shooting. His lack of elite isolation game and post game will hurt him. His physical attributes "might" certainly benefit him due to playing in a more physical era, "BUT" based on what he's showing today, it will be tough for him to handle the physicality of that era. LeBron doesn't like it when the game gets physical. He'll just flop his way out of it which doesn't work well in the old school ball. Won't end well for the Queen. Would get body bagged by the thugs of New York Knicks.[/QUOTE]

Poast of the week nominee.

:applause:

[QUOTE=GIF REACTION]

Terrible OFFENSE

[/QUOTE]

Fixed.. We saw Boris Diaw forced Lebron into midrange and forearm push-offs - this kind of mechanical, stone-hands touch wasn't good enough to be a 27+ ppg scorer in the 80's or 90's:


[IMG]http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-17-2015/NtLU8z.gif[/IMG]


That's ugly.. His touch is a 1 out of 10 compared to say, Bob McAdoo.

[QUOTE=3ball]We saw Boris Diaw forced Lebron into midrange and forearm push-offs - this kind of mechanical, stone-hands touch wasn't good enough to be a 27+ ppg scorer in the 80's or 90's:


[IMG]http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-17-2015/NtLU8z.gif[/IMG][/QUOTE]

Damn. Bron Bron is just not fOnky at all.

About as graceful as 6 foot tall Scandinavia bitch trying to be sexy in bed.

[IMG]http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-17-2015/2T4am1.gif[/IMG]


As the gif shows, today's 3-point shooting/spacing and hand-check ban makes penetration an automatic, built-in component of the game - look how airy and contact-free Parker's drive into the lane is - it looks more like a performance routine of some sort than a basketball drive.

However, 1993 had less than half the 3-point production that today's game uses to open up the lane.. The paint congestion would force Lebron to pull-up for more midrange jumpshots, like everyone else back then.. The lack of 3-point-shooting personnel would also reduce the efficiency of screen-roll/drive-and-kick - he simply would NOT be using screen-roll as much as he does in today's game.. He'd be forced to use midrange, post and isolation - all areas he's average to bad in..

[QUOTE=GIF REACTION]

1981 - Illegal Defense Guidelines put in place to increase scoring and open up the paint

Passage from Bill Simmons' (Globally known NBA analyst, well respected publically) book

[/quote]
[I][COLOR="Red"]In 2005, paint-camping and zone was BANNED inside the 16 x 19 foot painted area[/COLOR][/I] - inside the paint, defenders must stay within "[I]armslength[/I]" (about 3 feet), which is the exact opposite of a zone.

"[I]Armslength[/I]" is actually the strictest defense possible outside of having defenders stand shoulder-to-shoulder.. yet this strict policy governs today's defenders in the most important area of the floor: [I]the paint[/I].


[QUOTE=GIF REACTION]

Offenses have had to adjust to the modern, strong side flooding defenses

[/QUOTE]
Remember - the defensive 3 seconds rule banned paint-camping... Paint-camping is a superior defensive tactic to today's flooding.. Furthermore, due to defensive 3 seconds, defenders must shade/flood to OUTSIDE the paint, leaving the paint unprotected and allowing quick wings to beat defenders to the open paint (as opposed to defenders already being in the paint waiting on penetrators, like previous eras).

Finally, today's 3-point shooting and the resulting spacing negates the current defensive schemes.. It's all nice and good that defenders are flooding, but the spacing makes them help from further away - spacing makes defenders help from further away - that's the definition of spacing... The further distance of today's help defenders isn't disputable - it's physics... Spacing affords today's players more time and room to operate than ever before.


[QUOTE=GIF REACTION]

Elite scorer numbers are down across the board

[/QUOTE]
This is factually incorrect - there were only two 30-point scorers in the 90's - MJ six times and Malone once... In the 2000's there have been many 30 point scorers.. Today's much higher number of 30-point scorers is due to increaseed 3-point shooting which has spread the floor, hand-check ban, and defensive 3 seconds.

Remember, Wade and Westbrook led league in scoring in 2009 and 2015 with a worse 3-point shot and far worse mid-range shot than MJ.. Nor could they double-pump with ease from the [url=http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/10-03-2015/64Ba72.gif]FT line[/url] like MJ.. And let's compare the defenses they faced:

[COLOR="Indigo"][I]PREVIOUS ERA[/I]: paint-camping... no-spacing... hand-checking[/COLOR]
[COLOR="DarkRed"][I]TODAY'S ERA[/I]:[COLOR="White"].....[/COLOR] shading..[COLOR="White"]........[/COLOR] spacing.. [COLOR="White"]..[/COLOR]no hand-checking[/COLOR]


I guess that's why MJ was able to average 37 PPG on 59% TS despite shooting all 2-pointers amidst [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLDGm8pV6uU&t=6m40s]every-possession double-teams[/url]... Only the goat has it [url=http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386210]like that[/url].

[B]1981 - Illegal Defense Guidelines put in place to [COLOR="Red"]increase scoring and open up the paint[/COLOR][/B]
Passage from Bill Simmons' (Globally known NBA analyst, well respected publically) book
[QUOTE]The new wave of coaches made defenses sophisticated enough by 1981 that [B][COLOR="Red"]the league created an