The game is simply better today than in the 90's and this article explains why.

[Dr.J4ever]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ba...1742--nba.html

[El Gato Negro]

is it because of the shorts?

[chocolatethunder]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ba...1742--nba.html

What a bunch of garbage that was.

[jstern]

I only read the Gary Payton quote

"Basically everything. It's no defense, it's just run and gun. To me, there's only three point guards in the NBA that impress me; I got Chris Paul, Rondo, and another kid that I like a lot and I forgot his name right now. Oh, and Tony Parker. That's only three NBA players in there.

There's too much touch fouls. Every time you touch and they stay on the free throw line. That's no way to watch basketball. When we were playing, it was rough and tough. Even superstars like me fouled out a lot. That's because they let people play, and if you do something then you call it. But nowadays it's not like that and this is the era.

This is what kids want to see. You see these Playstations, they scoring 50 and 60 with one player, that's what they want to see on TV and I don't go with that. My era, give me one-on-one with somebody and stop him and right now you can't do that with a player because if you touch him he's going to the foul line and you're fouling out. Let him be rough. If he got an opportunity to go at you in the offensive end, let me go at him on the defensive end and rough him up. So that's the way I like basketball and I don't think it's like that."

[RedBlackAttack]

Kelly Dwyer has never produced a decent piece of sports journalism. He's awful.

Weak era for sports writers.

[Rose'sACL]

this is one of the reasons i think a players like charles barkley would not have stats he has back in the day. most of his game was backing the defender from pretty much close to 3 pt line. you just can't do that now.
He most probably would have the same impact on the game offensively if he got a good coach as he would still be a great weapon to bait players into doubling him leaving open jumpers for role players. His PPG stats would take a hit though.
His rebounding numbers will stay the same or might even increase.
His bad defense will be exposed though just like harden is exposed. although i believe he would do a better job than harden, he would still have to improve a lot to not be a negative on defense.
both offensive and defensive schemes by even mid tier teams are getting more and more complex every year. just watch this year's playoff. last season, san antonio used to run 2 and some time even more than 2 screens to free tony parker.
If defense was as weak as payton said, there wouldn't be any need for it. Hand checking with current rules will result in all good defensive teams holding even good teams to score of 60s or at most 70s. that is it.
Pace of the game has actually slowed a little as compared to most of the 90s.
Just because old players can't think of ways to play defense without hand checking doesn't mean that today's pros can't. they are doing it and doing it well.

[King Jane]

I only read the Gary Payton quote

Wow that guy is delusional, these old heads are stuck in lala land

There are kids today that are better players than anyone I ever seen highlights of from pre lebron/Durant era. Soon even lebron and Durant will be phased out by the up coming super athletes of tomorrow. Anyone who don't know wut I'm talmbout check out seventh woods. Kid makes Jordan look like a stiff. The game just gets better and better as humans and athletes evolve, but old codgers who are now irrelevant don't want to own up to being inferior. Such is life nothing to see here.

[TheCorporation]

Payton was complaining about free throws? Maybe someone should let The Glove know that MJ peaked at 12 fta per game lol Followed up the next two years with 11 and 10 and 9.

Let's compare peak streaks for 4 consecutive seasons between MJ and LBJ

Jordan:
11.9 - 10.5 - 9.8 - 8.5 = 40.7 / 4 = 10.175

LeBron:
10.3 - 9.0 - 10.3 - 9.4 = 39 / 4 = 9.75

This year Durant is leading the league with most fta per game with 10.0

Let's look at the "good ol days" and see if anyone was drawing more fouls per game?

2000:

Shaq 10.4
Stackhouse 9.3

2001:

Shaq 13.1
Iverson: 10.1
Stackhouse: 10.1

2002:

Shaq 10.7
Iverson: 9.8

2003:

Shaq 10.3
McGrady: 9.7
Pierce: 9.5

I think you get my point...Durant's 10 fta per game is his recent single season high (if you are counting his last 4 season). And we all feel he is getting a very generous helping of fta this season, too. Take his last 2 seasons, where he was 9.3 and 7.6, respectively. He doesn't even shake a stick at others on the list. (Shaq was intentionally fouled a bunch, I already know this :P).

[King Jane]

this is one of the reasons i think a players like charles barkley would not have stats he has back in the day. most of his game was backing the defender from pretty much close to 3 pt line. you just can't do that now.
He most probably would have the same impact on the game offensively if he got a good coach as he would still be a great weapon to bait players into doubling him leaving open jumpers for role players. His PPG stats would take a hit though.
His rebounding numbers will stay the same or might even increase.
His bad defense will be exposed though just like harden is exposed. although i believe he would do a better job than harden, he would still have to improve a lot to not be a negative on defense.
both offensive and defensive schemes by even mid tier teams are getting more and more complex every year. just watch this year's playoff. last season, san antonio used to run 2 and some time even more than 2 screens to free tony parker.
If defense was as weak as payton said, there wouldn't be any need for it. Hand checking with current rules will result in all good defensive teams holding even good teams to score of 60s or at most 70s. that is it.
Pace of the game has actually slowed a little as compared to most of the 90s.
Just because old players can't think of ways to play defense without hand checking doesn't mean that today's pros can't. they are doing it and doing it well.

Barlkley would have to play shooting guard in today's era but he would struggle even then. Today u gotta be 7 foot to play as a big. Barkley would get owned by the size of modern players inside since he was only bout 6 4 but he is not skilled enough or quick enough to handle players his size like Westbrook or Irving. They'd cross him up bad and blow by him with their modern athleticism. Some players from the past could play today maybe but Barkley ain't one of em.

[moe94]

Anyone who don't know wut I'm talmbout check out seventh woods. Kid makes Jordan look like a stiff.

[Micku]

Eh. Most of his complaints was more 98-04 than the chuck of the 90s itself. I disagree with some of his statements.

[quote]I grew up in Payton

[Rose'sACL]

Barlkley would have to play shooting guard in today's era but he would struggle even then. Today u gotta be 7 foot to play as a big. Barkley would get owned by the size of modern players inside since he was only bout 6 4 but he is not skilled enough or quick enough to handle players his size like Westbrook or Irving. They'd cross him up bad and blow by him with their modern athleticism. Some players from the past could play today maybe but Barkley ain't one of em.

but dwight plays C and he is at most 6'10. he does have great strength to make up for the height difference though.
you are a troll but i agree about barkley. he would have to change his game a lot for today's league just like a few players of today would have to do the same if they played in 90s.

[Milbuck]

Barlkley would have to play shooting guard in today's era but he would struggle even then. Today u gotta be 7 foot to play as a big. Barkley would get owned by the size of modern players inside since he was only bout 6 4 but he is not skilled enough or quick enough to handle players his size like Westbrook or Irving. They'd cross him up bad and blow by him with their modern athleticism. Some players from the past could play today maybe but Barkley ain't one of em.

Stop

[poido123]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ba...1742--nba.html

Just a heads up.

Already a thread made on this.

[King Jane]

http://youtu.be/If7Hrcf04Dw



Ain't no one in the 90s touchin that