Re: Chris Kaman: European Basketball Is More Physical Than NBA
Just as a counterpoint to OP... Dirk considering returning to Europe during his rookie year because of the physical play here in the NBA... He said it was like wrestling. Either way, the NBA is by far the most competitive and talented league in the world.
Re: Chris Kaman: European Basketball Is More Physical Than NBA
Quote:
Originally Posted by Psileas
Man, imagine how much better than European basketball the NBA would be if it was just as physical.
BTW, European basketball is physical only when it comes to defense, but it's the exact opposite in offense. European leagues' players still flop like mad in every serious contact, which further discourages players from driving to the basket. It's funny how an opposing player can push and shove you all the way when defending against you, especially when you don't have the ball, yet, if you act equally physically after you get it and decide to give him a taste of his own medicine, he'll probably flop in zero time and probably draw the offensive foul. Such kinds of double standards make European basketball way more boring for me (and others) to watch. Only spot shooters and players who move well without the ball are rewarded. If you are strong, jumpy and good at attacking the rim, European basketball isn't for you. Not enough offensive physicality allowed.
I won't even go to being a big guy. When Big Sofo was playing for Olympiakos, there would be hardly any game without an offensive foul being called against him, despite him usually playing with way more finesse than what his 350+ lb frame showed. His opponents simply flopped to death. Again, European basketball is NOT friendly with extremes and with diversity. It's as if the only type of players they endorse is the tall, finesse guy with a good spot shot who will get away withmurder defensively, including drawing phantom offensive fouls.
One more thing that it's very well loved in Europe, but hated among pure basketball fans, is the "smart fouling" tactics that are used in order to prevent fast-breaks. Did you forget to commit a purposeful foul and your opponent created a spectacular fast-break. Off you went to the bench. Needless to say, a huge percentage (could easily be 70-80%) of these fouls are flagrant, since defenders don't target the ball, they target the opposing player, they just want to freeze the game. The refs, however, only rarely call these fouls as flagrant. The attacking player has to really exaggerate the result of the foul to have a chance. This is, unfortunately, another part of the "intelligent, physical" European game.
I can't imagine how basketball would acquire its modern popularity if these cheap tactics were used during all the previous decades. Can you imagine the Dream Team opening fast breaks, with the opponent having to purposedly foul Magic or Jordan in every fast break opportunity? It would disgust and sicken fans. Can European fans imagine how ugly it would look if the average defender flopped whenever a strong guard like Galis or Marciulionis tried to drive by them and these stars were limited by their coaches and the rules to only take jump shots or to pass any time they tried to drive to the basket?
Flopping is banned in Euroleague. You obviously have the NBA (the super flopping league) confused with the Euroleague.
Re: Chris Kaman: European Basketball Is More Physical Than NBA
Quote:
Originally Posted by fos
Just as a counterpoint to OP... Dirk considering returning to Europe during his rookie year because of the physical play here in the NBA... He said it was like wrestling. Either way, the NBA is by far the most competitive and talented league in the world.
Re: Chris Kaman: European Basketball Is More Physical Than NBA
I don't I've heard anybody say the NBA was more physical than the Euro league since the rule changes. It's very obvious. Anybody who watched the FIBA championships last year saw it. They hand check, they bump on the perimeter and they actually don't let you travel.
Does anybody on this forum think the Euroleague is softer than the NBA as far as what is and isn't a foul?
Re: Chris Kaman: European Basketball Is More Physical Than NBA
European basketball is definitely more physical when it comes to defense, as Kaman said, they can murder you when you drive the lane. But it is exactly the opposite when it comes to offense, you can't have people like Shaq using their size and strength to throw their defenders around as if they were straws.
Re: Chris Kaman: European Basketball Is More Physical Than NBA
Quote:
Originally Posted by fos
Just as a counterpoint to OP... Dirk considering returning to Europe during his rookie year because of the physical play here in the NBA... He said it was like wrestling. Either way, the NBA is by far the most competitive and talented league in the world.
I cant remember him saying that was the reason. I believe it was because he struggled and was homesick. He felt he would not make it in the NBA.
Re: Chris Kaman: European Basketball Is More Physical Than NBA
Joakim Noah on the FIBA EuroBasket:
"The competition level is very high. In the NBA, the European game has a reputation of being less physical and soft. That is not true, it is more physical. There is more team play and the no defensive three seconds rule changes a lot of things. In the NBA, you know where the shots will come from. Here, they take shots from everywhere. The game is more intelligent. There is less space, you have to be in the right place at the right time."
Re: Chris Kaman: European Basketball Is More Physical Than NBA
Quote:
Originally Posted by Euroleague
Joakim Noah on the FIBA EuroBasket:
"The competition level is very high. In the NBA, the European game has a reputation of being less physical and soft. That is not true, it is more physical. There is more team play and the no defensive three seconds rule changes a lot of things. In the NBA, you know where the shots will come from. Here, they take shots from everywhere. The game is more intelligent. There is less space, you have to be in the right place at the right time."
Re: Chris Kaman: European Basketball Is More Physical Than NBA
