2016 Official NBA Off-Season Thread: Former Greatness

[Air Pope]

Andre Drummond posted a really intriguing question on instagram.

You have 20 shots from half court. Make 2 and you get 50 billion. Miss them all and you get put in prison for 40 years.

Would you take it?

I'd take it. Ain't no way in hell I'm missing them all

100% taking it. 20 tries are a lot.

 

[toodope91]

Theoretically, if you are pretty sure if you can at least hit one then there's no risk for you to accept the challenge. You would only go to jail if you miss every shot.

I didn't catch that part. I think anybody with experience shooting a basketball would take that bet

 

[IATT]

 

And steph ain't succeeding because of him being bigger, faster or stronger.. Dude is doing it by skill.. And it seems like skills have gotten worse across the board (not saying specifically him talking about guys in the league)

I think skills are more specialized these days. I don't think they have really gotten worse.

there has been a greater emphasis on shooting.. and putting a higher value on 4s that can hit corner 3s or at least be a decent shot.. but there are a lot more skills that have fallen by the waist side (like how many dudes can really operate in the low post or play with their backs to the basket.. hell look at the state of bigs now)

but there is a reason draymond at 6'7 gets away with playing the 5 in that depth lineup.. also a reason steven adams was as important as he was vs them.. imagine hakeem going against dude or shaq or young Duncan or david robinson.. hell imagine chris webber or sheed

hell those 90s jazz teams would have been a nightmare for them.. Malone would guard dray and play center.. then you got Stockton using his dirty shhhh on steph

 

[addict4sneakers]

You can say guard skill has improved if you're going to directly link today's game with the downfall of the back to the basket big.

and I don't agree with guys being less skilled

 

[wavycrocket]

there has been a greater emphasis on shooting.. and putting a higher value on 4s that can hit corner 3s or at least be a decent shot.. but there are a lot more skills that have fallen by the waist side (like how many dudes can really operate in the low post or play with their backs to the basket.. hell look at the state of bigs now)

but there is a reason draymond at 6'7 gets away with playing the 5 in that depth lineup.. also a reason steven adams was as important as he was vs them.. imagine hakeem going against dude or shaq or young Duncan or david robinson.. hell imagine chris webber or sheed




hell those 90s jazz teams would have been a nightmare for them.. Malone would guard dray and play center.. then you got Stockton using his dirty shhhh on steph

Imagine Greg Oestertag trying to chase around Draymond green

Or Klay Thompson shooting over Jeff Hornacek

Or Steph pulling up or crossing Stockton

Or Karl Malone having to stick Kevin Durant on the perimeter.

Draymond is a player that could've played in the 90s...except he's even more skilled than his 90s counterpart. Anthony Mason.


Players today are more skilled and specialized than in the past. Try watching a 90s early 2000's basketball game of random teams. Offense was struggle.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Zone defense has a lot to do with the lack of post up bigs

 

[frshstunna]

The game is just different right now ...it always changes, but there are always players that could ball out during any time period ..skill/athleticism doesn't change if u got it ...wilt would still be one of the most athletic bigs today , pistol Pete would still dribble and pass circles around ppl, and steph would still splash 3's all day in the 80's or 90's

 

[IATT]

Imagine Greg Oestertag trying to chase around Draymond green

Or Klay Thompson shooting over Jeff Hornacek

Or Steph pulling up or crossing Stockton

Or Karl Malone having to stick Kevin Durant on the perimeter.
 Draymond is a player that could've played in the 90s

1) Malone would be guarding dray

2) the jazz had other players.. but we saw how effective the Portland backcourt was vs the warriors

3) I don't think you fully appreciate the player Stockton was (and how crafty/dirty he was)

4) Durant played for the thunder last year

5) in the 90s, players actually fought guys.. don't think nut punching would go over well

 

[Lovetohate3000]

The game is just different right now ...it always changes, but there are always players that could ball out during any time period ..skill/athleticism doesn't change if u got it ...wilt would still be one of the most athletic bigs today , pistol Pete would still dribble and pass circles around ppl, and steph would still splash 3's all day in the 80's or 90's

agreed. I don't think it's any better or worse as well. I don't think this is the Golden age of basketball, that doesn't exist. It's different and things change but doesn't make it superior or inferior.

 

[wavycrocket]

1) Malone would be guarding dray

2) the jazz had other players.. but we saw how effective the Portland backcourt was vs the warriors

3) I don't think you fully appreciate the player Stockton was (and how crafty/dirty he was)

4) Durant played for the thunder last year

5) in the 90s, players actually fought guys.. don't think nut punching would go over well

Can't argue with hot take guys like you man . "Players actually fought" . You sound like Chuck or something man. There were some great teams in the past. There are some great teams now. To think that players today are "Less skilled" because they don't "fight" or dump the ball into the post every possesion is absurd.

The game is more advanced today than it was 20 years ago. Offensively and defensively.

 

[IATT]

Can't argue with hot take guys like you man

. "Players actually fought"

. You sound like Chuck or something man. There were some great teams in the past. There are some great teams now. To think that players today are "Less skilled" because they don't "fight" or dump the ball into the post every possesion is absurd.

The game is more advanced today than it was 20 years ago. Offensively and defensively.

the ramifications for fighting weren't anywhere near as severe as today.. it's a simple fact.. so the dumb crap draymond does wouldn't fly because players could actual react without missing a majority of the season and/or dealing with the financial ramifications that come with that

and please illustrate when I ever equated skill to fighting ability 

 

[addict4sneakers]

Can't argue with hot take guys like you man . "Players actually fought" . You sound like Chuck or something man. There were some great teams in the past. There are some great teams now. To think that players today are "Less skilled" because they don't "fight" or dump the ball into the post every possesion is absurd.


The game is more advanced today than it was 20 years ago. Offensively and defensively.

the ramifications for fighting weren't anywhere near as severe as today.. it's a simple fact.. so the dumb crap draymond does wouldn't fly because players could actual react without missing a majority of the season and/or dealing with the financial ramifications that come with that

and please illustrate when I ever equated skill to fighting ability 

I saw Karl Malone elbow Brian Grant 3 different times and Grant did nothing. Even chipped his tooth once. Players aren't less tough than they were 20 years ago

 

[IATT]

I saw Karl Malone elbow Brian Grant 3 different times and Grant did nothing. Even chipped his tooth once. Players aren't less tough than they were 20 years ago

missing the point I'm making.. I never said anything about anyone's toughness.. they have essentially legislated fighting out of the game

back then, you COULD get in fights and not even miss time

if you leave the bench now that is an automatic suspension

 

[pmatic]

That's great that they could fight back then. I guess.

 

[IATT]

That's great that they could fight back then. I guess.

the only point I made regarding fighting:

 
5) in the 90s, players actually fought guys.. don't think nut punching would go over well

 

[Lovetohate3000]

Nah..sports medicine advances. Basketball changes and goes through different changes but it's the same game. It's mostly run and gun now. The rules just allow more now as far as defensive schemes. Illegal defense being called back then etc etc. Players aren't better defensively neither are fundamentals . Many of the big dudes in the game today would be food for post up dudes in yesteryear. The best defensive schemes aren't complex. Such a myth that's things are more Complex. Basketball is basketball. This isn't science or technology. Scorers had to play through much harder and more physical contact. See how curry struggles in the playoffs when refs start letting them play more and start swallowing they whistle. No one talking about fighting. . Relax on the game is more Complex talk. Just isn't true. Rule changes just made things different.

 

[goldenface]

You rendered your argument useless as soon as you played the fighting/toughness card. It just sounded like another "**** was better back then" argument that we clown on dudes like Chuck for

 

[toodope91]

The game is just different right now ...it always changes, but there are always players that could ball out during any time period ..skill/athleticism doesn't change if u got it ...wilt would still be one of the most athletic bigs today , pistol Pete would still dribble and pass circles around ppl, and steph would still splash 3's all day in the 80's or 90's

I don't think Maravich would be nearly as effective in today's NBA

 

[frshstunna]

The game is just different right now ...it always changes, but there are always players that could ball out during any time period ..skill/athleticism doesn't change if u got it ...wilt would still be one of the most athletic bigs today , pistol Pete would still dribble and pass circles around ppl, and steph would still splash 3's all day in the 80's or 90's

I don't think Maravich would be nearly as effective in today's NBA

Didn't say anything about effectiveness but I think for sure his skill level will translate ...he was doing the same passes n handling that ppl do now like 50 years ago , n he was pulling up from behind 3pt range without no line ...he was basically shooting 3's for no reason !

 

[IATT]

You rendered your argument useless as soon as you played the fighting/toughness card. It just sounded like another "**** was better back then" argument that we clown on dudes like Chuck for

except I never used it for a reason anyone was better than anyone..

I used it exactly for the context I wanted to use it for.. if draymond played in the 90s with his antics with other players genital areas, there would be a problems.. hell there were already problems without players being able to react

as far as players transitioning to how the game is played in 2016.. guys like sheed and chris webber would be deadly, both would be able to play the 5.. hakeem would also fit in seamlessly.. Malone could/would also be able to play the 5 with zero issues

90s bulls would probably kept Horace grant around and let him play the 5.. and the point I made way back when discussing the '96 bulls vs last year's warriors, they would just throw rodman on dray for most of the game (with mike and pippen both getting time.. then go with pippen, kukoc and harper on klay.. and pippen and mike would get time on steph)

 

[toodope91]

Didn't say anything about effectiveness but I think for sure his skill level will translate ...he was doing the same passes n handling that ppl do now like 50 years ago , n he was pulling up from behind 3pt range without no line ...he was basically shooting 3's for no reason !

He had some nice passing and was a pretty good shooter but when I go back and watch him I always feel like his handles lightweight cheeks and get way more praise than they deserved (god rest his soul though)

 

[DCAllAfrican]

The game is just different right now ...

At the end of the day....

 

[toodope91]

On another note Harrison Barnes is entering his fifth NBA season and could have a really big year.

Some analysts even have him pegged to have a 28 6 and 5 kind of year. Those expectations may seem a little high but for 6'8 SF with a 38" standing vert, 7' wingspan and kobe like skillset, it's really not that hard to imagine

But for real @shoeking2102 all we get is a few nothing replies and more disappearance? This like the wackest most anticlimactic **** ever

 

[equality]

[thread="650415"]2016 Official Nba Off Season Thread Former Greatness/22040_40#post_26491486Quote:
Originally Posted by toodope91  
 
On another note Harrison Barnes is entering his fifth NBA season and could have a really big year.

Some analysts even have him pegged to have a 28 6 and 5 kind of year. Those expectations may seem a little high but for 6'8 SF with a 38" standing vert, 7' wingspan and kobe like skillset, it's really not that hard to imagine

But for real @shoeking2102 all we get is a few nothing replies and more disappearance? This like the wackest most anticlimactic **** ever
[/thread]
Dead

 

[Based Jesus]

28 6 and 5