Alonzo Mourning talks Jordan in this era

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

I'm not sure why so many players from the 1990s feel the need to reinforce this. No one seriously believes that Jordan isn't better than anyone in the league today, all the hyperbole does is undermine their credibility.

I edited my post. Longshot was an exaggeration on my part too.

Obviously these players are gonna be a little biased, but in the end, they're being asked the questions. Explaining why Jordan, or any other GOAT-level player, would be a phenom in today's era can be interesting IMO. Hubie Brown practically did a seminar on the matter.

[24-Inch_Chrome]

I edited my post. Longshot was an exaggeration on my part too.

Obviously these players are gonna be a little biased, but in the end, they're being asked the questions. Explaining why Jordan, or any other GOAT-level player, would be a phenom in today's era can be interesting IMO. Hubie Brown practically did a seminar on the matter.

There's definitely merit in their opinions but the hyperbole takes away from that. Wasn't it Rodman who said that LeBron would be just another player in the 1990s? I find it much more difficult to take what they say seriously after hearing stuff like that. They're all right that MJ would be the best player if he played today but it just seems kinda disrespectful to either make ridiculous 50PPG claims or shit on modern players.

[DonDadda59]

Needs more gifs.

[Paul George 24]

old people are stupid

i swear. every single guy from every single era thinks their era and their guys are the best and would rape any other era

"listen here kiddo!.. dag nabbit! i tell ya! wilten chamberlaned otta rack in 100 touch downs over kobey james!!"

U MAD BECAUSE 40 YRS OLD JORDAN IS PALY MUCH BETTER THAN CURRENT KOBE

[Paul George 24]

Jordan is the better player. The margin is very slight though. Lebron's era is also tougher by a less slight margin.

LOL AT LEBRON'S ERA IS TOUGHER,WHEN THEIR HAVE NO PAINT DEFENCE AT ALL

[BigNBAfan]

LOL AT LEBRON'S ERA IS TOUGHER,WHEN THEIR HAVE NO PAINT DEFENCE AT ALL

[Paul George 24]

The 50ppg talk is just hyperbole. Everyone knows Alonzo's underlying meaning though. That is, Jordan would be the best player in today's game by a fair margin.

SHAQ COULD AVG 50PPG IN THIS ERA

[clipps]

LeBron's era of basketball is like this generation of teenagers you see at the gym. Nothing screams bitch more than some teen using the padding for the bar when squatting 115 lbs. My HS weights coach wouldn't even let the girls use the padding.

[Nash]

yeah one of the greatest defensive players of all time, who played 6 years ago doesn't understand it

but nash on ish does

saying jordan would average 50 ppg today honestly discredits Mourning.

[3ball]

Here's the NBA officially stating how the rule changes had accomplished their objective of increasing dribble-penetration.. This is from the source, so it's not subjective opinion, just like Warren Buffet's vision for Berkshire Hathaway isn't subjective opinion.. The NBA changed the rules to make penetration easier, and it worked - it's a fact:

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/feature...son/index.html


NBA.COM: Since the hand-checking rule was interpreted differently beginning in the 2004-05 season, the game has opened up. [COLOR="Red"]Players are penetrating and the floor is spread.[/COLOR] As a result, scoring has risen every season. Was this anticipated back in 2004?

STU JACKSON: Our objective was to allow for more offensive freedom by not allowing defenders to hand-, forearm- or body-check ball handlers. [COLOR="Red"]By doing so, we encouraged more dribble penetration. As players penetrated more[/COLOR], it produced higher quality shots for the ball handler as well as shots for teammates on passes back out to perimeter. When NBA players get higher quality shots -- having more time to shoot -- they tend to make more of them.


NBA.COM: Shooting percentages have risen since 2004-05 regardless of location -- at-the-rim shots, short- and deep-mid range and 3-pointers. Does this surprise you, especially the higher percentages from 3-point range?

STU JACKSON: It doesn't. [COLOR="Red"]With the rule and interpretation changes, it has become more difficult for defenders to defend penetration[/COLOR], cover the entire floor on defensive rotations and recover to shooters. With more dribble penetration, ball handlers are getting more opportunities at the rim.


NBA.COM: From an Xs and Os perspective, how have coaches adjusted to a more wide-open game? What have they done differently?

STU JACKSON: [COLOR="Red"]Coaches have utilized more space on the floor so to create more room for dribble penetration[/COLOR], two-man pick-and-roll basketball and dribble exchanges on the perimeter.


NBA.COM: When you watch the game today, does it closely resemble an international game or are there still distinct differences in the style of play?

STU JACKSON: Our game does more closely resemble an international game in terms of the style of play than it used to. However, there are distinct differences in the international game vs. the NBA game. [COLOR="Red"]The international game utilizes a pure zone defense (as opposed to the defensive three-second rule), which allows frontcourt players to stand in the middle of the lane and discourage cutting, passing and dribble penetration.[/COLOR]


THAT'S why Alonzo said what he said
.

[Im Still Ballin]

Shut the fuck up, Stu

[3ball]

Al Jeffereson would be a 2nd tier bigmen in 1996 - no better than the 12th-best:

Hakeem
Shaq
Robinson
Ewing
Alonzo
Sabonis (25 PER - unbelievable all-round talent)
Karl Malone
Barkley
Webber
Kemp

And he'd probably be behind Rik Smits, Vin Baker, Dino Radja, and certainly Derrick Coleman.

Shut the fuck up, Stu

I'm just explaining why Alonzo said what he said - and not only is penetration easier today, but post scoring is too.. The post efficiencies of today's bigs lets us know how the superior bigs of previous eras would do today - Al Jefferson and others would be considered a 2nd tier bigs in previous eras, yet they are league-leaders in post efficiency today, and they're all at the universally-recognized standard for elite efficiency of 1.00 PPP.

This elite post efficiency from 2nd tier bigs flat-out proves today's defensive environment hasn't diminished post efficiencies... The only reason coaches don't use post-ups as much as before is because floor-spacing and the hand-check ban increased efficiencies on ball movement and dribble penetration, allowing these methods to SURPASS post-ups.. But Al Jefferson scoring 1.00 PPP on the post proves that post efficiencies THEMSELVES haven't diminished at all.

Also, if we are keeping it real, simple logic tells us that today's spacing and defensive 3 seconds rule force defenders to help from further distances on post players.. So even without the Al Jefferson proof, it makes sense that post PPP is higher today than it used to be.. After all, everything else is.

[Im Still Ballin]

I don't have time for this

[Hey Yo]

"A defense that is loaded up before you attack is a lot more difficult to score on than a defense that's forced to clear out to one side and rotate over from the weak side. Also it's a lot easier to play knowing that you're either getting double/triple teamed or you'll have one whole side cleared out for you to operate, as opposed to playing against a defense that's always hovering in your vicinity but never fully committing to a hard trap so that they can cut off both the driving lane and passing lane.

Also, perimeter defenders across the board are more athletic now. There's a much greater wealth of dominant perimeter defenders now than there ever were back in MJ's day. Also, bigs across the league are in general more athletic and cover far more ground than those of years past. Sure there were a few that stand out like Olajuwon, Robinson, Mourning, Ewing, etc but across the board (ncluding non-star and backup bigs) the length and speed we have in the league now is on another level compared to the bigs MJ had to score around/over.

Now this is offset by the heightened physicality. Not only on the perimeter where players could wear you down over the course of a game with handchecking, but also on drives to the rim where those hard fouls take a lot of energy out of you. They were two completely different eras and difficult to score in their own ways, but the cerebral defenses that completely eat up space all over the court we see nowadays are more difficult to deal with."

[Poetry]

When comparing different eras and trying to figure out which one is better, really the only argument that is valid is talent pool size.

And the talent pool right now is bigger than it ever was, since basketball is bigger now than it ever was.

I was just reading about how youth participation in sports, including basketball, has been declining for years in the US. Kids are no longer as interested in playing sports as they once were.