What NBA game do you prefer?

[Hoopguru]

The NBA of the mid 80's/90's, where teams used traditional 5's and banging 4 a slashing 3 wing and guards that can defend and score 2/3's. Plus play tough D being able to guard with hands and arms and offense was fast breaking?

Or, today's game where there are few banging 4's, three ball oriented stretch bigs, more small ball success wit the 3 as catalyst, and can hardly touch a guy on the defensive end of game?


For me I like the 80/90 or before game where there was more physical play and the offensive player didn't have advantage over a defender in most cases. I'd rather have a Willimas, Malone 4 and a Kersey type three.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Not even close. 80/90s

 

[SlyPokerDog]

80s/90s.

 

[THE HCP]

I like the kind that is on TV! I’d watch any style, any time.

 

[blue9]

Today's game is sanitized and boring. Give me rough-neck fundamental basketball played by well-rounded players.

 

[stampedehero]

60's through the 80's. The style of play was team oriented rather than a Curry robot sitting on the three point perameter. Ticky tack fouls got a ref mugged outside the arena. A good foul was a punch in the jewels. I loved watching Connie Hawkins, Chamberlain, Pistol Pete, Wes Unseld, Bob Lainer, Earl Monroe, James Worthy, Thurl Bailey. Many others too. The Blazer teams intrigued me due to the fast break, up tempo style and great team unity. After the Jordan era, the game became corporate like the music today.

 

[blue9]

After the Jordan era, the game became corporate like the music today.

Today's game has been auto-tuned!

 

[ripcityboy]

I love watching old 70's era basketball games. Doctor J, Kareem, George Gervin, Daryl Dawkins, World B Free, Bill Walton, Moses Malone. When playground basketball was king. Like Rucker Park style tricks entering the league. It wasn't about winning trophies. It was about who had the best hair, the best car, the best drugs, & the best girls. There wasn't any of this "ohhh teams are tanking and the reputation of the league is at stake!" It was just individuals and mavericks having fun and enjoying themselves. They weren't thinking too hard about tomorrow or their legacy.... the league was a work in progress. That's what good basketball is to me. Fast and loose.

 

[blue9]

Fast and loose.

 

[ripcityboy]

Fuck yeah, baby!

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Today’s game is more entertaining, the 80s/90s were more intense.

 

[BigGameDamian]

80s/90s for sure. If most of today's guards went back in time and played in the 80s/90s era they would get a big rude awakening.

 

[hoopsjock]

I would love a mix of both, and I don't see why it wouldn't work. Have your bigs be more traditional bangers with the ability to shoot mid range if needed and then have the guards/wings be more like today where they can shoot the lights out.

This is why I want to keep Collins at the 4 with Nurk at the 5. They could create a great high/low tandem if they keep developing, kind of like a Webber/Divac type mold. If either of them eventually command a double team just think at how much better that would open it up for the outside shooting.

 

[Magoo]

80/90 style for sure I'd prefer watching that game style all day!

I just had a thought, Do you ever think if Oden didn't get hurt. What style / influence his game would have impacted the league like KD has?

 

[Chris Craig]

The NBA of the mid 80's/90's, where teams used traditional 5's and banging 4 a slashing 3 wing and guards that can defend and score 2/3's. Plus play tough D being able to guard with hands and arms and offense was fast breaking?

Or, today's game where there are few banging 4's, three ball oriented stretch bigs, more small ball success wit the 3 as catalyst, and can hardly touch a guy on the defensive end of game?


For me I like the 80/90 or before game where there was more physical play and the offensive player didn't have advantage over a defender in most cases. I'd rather have a Willimas, Malone 4 and a Kersey type three.

I miss the old days

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

60's through the 80's. The style of play was team oriented rather than a Curry robot sitting on the three point parameter. Ticky tack fouls got a ref mugged outside the arena. A good foul was a punch in the jewels. I loved watching Connie Hawkins, Chamberlain, Pistol Pete, Wes Unseld, Bob Lainer, Earl Monroe, James Worthy, Thurl Bailey. Many others too. The Blazer teams intrigued me due to the fast break, up tempo style and great team unity. After the Jordan era, the game became corporate like the music today.

You had me until Thurl Bailey. Why do you put him in that company? Just curious.....

 

[UncleCliffy'sDaddy]

The NBA of the mid 80's/90's, where teams used traditional 5's and banging 4 a slashing 3 wing and guards that can defend and score 2/3's. Plus play tough D being able to guard with hands and arms and offense was fast breaking?

Or, today's game where there are few banging 4's, three ball oriented stretch bigs, more small ball success wit the 3 as catalyst, and can hardly touch a guy on the defensive end of game?


For me I like the 80/90 or before game where there was more physical play and the offensive player didn't have advantage over a defender in most cases. I'd rather have a Willimas, Malone 4 and a Kersey type three.

I dream of the pre David Stern days. He took the NBA corporate and so began the long downhill slide to the current mediocrity. It’s now more about hype and advertising than it is about the game of basketball.

 

[stampedehero]

You had me until Thurl Bailey. Why do you put him in that company? Just curious.....

The Jazz had unique players such as the famous duo of Malone and Stockton but Thurl was a lunch bucket role player who had/has Class. I enjoyed his work on the South Carolina Championship team of '83. He is articulate and a real credit to the sport. Wittenburg was another favorite of mine from the Jimmy V team.

 

[blue9]

80/90 style for sure I'd prefer watching that game style all day!

I just had a thought, Do you ever think if Oden didn't get hurt. What style / influence his game would have impacted the league like KD has?

KD hasn't impacted the game though. He joined a championship-quality team - he didn't have one built around him. Also, the league has almost always been dominated by elite wings, so even if he HAD dominated it would just be more of the same.
Had Oden been healthy he would have impacted the game massively. The top tier teams would be in bidding wars in an attempt to trade for Drummond, KAT, Whiteside, DMC, etc...but because the dominant teams haven't had dominant Cs, these players have been left to rot on shitty teams. It'll be interesting to see if Embiid changes all of this.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

2K

 

[Cippy91]

Give me a mix. The physicality of the old days mixed in with today’s game. I know a lot of the oldies miss the traditional post up center but there is something more impressive to me about bigs like embiid or cousins who can do it all. Just wish there were less touch fouls, more physicality. Allow hand checks, etc

 

[SportsAndWhine]

I like the modern game lot; I’ve always like motion offense with run and gun instincts. Even though they lost a lot, that insane Denver team in 1991 was fun as heck to watch.

The game now is more fun for me than even last year; the timeout situation has made the endgame less pokey and boring, even if we lost a couple games in the chaos.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Give me a mix. The physicality of the old days mixed in with today’s game. I know a lot of the oldies miss the traditional post up center but there is something more impressive to me about bigs like embiid or cousins who can do it all. Just wish there were less touch fouls, more physicality. Allow hand checks, etc

Fun stat: there are fewer fouls called now than in the 80s/90s.

 

[Cippy91]

KD hasn't impacted the game though. He joined a championship-quality team - he didn't have one built around him. Also, the league has almost always been dominated by elite wings, so even if he HAD dominated it would just be more of the same.
Had Oden been healthy he would have impacted the game massively. The top tier teams would be in bidding wars in an attempt to trade for Drummond, KAT, Whiteside, DMC, etc...but because the dominant teams haven't had dominant Cs, these players have been left to rot on shitty teams. It'll be interesting to see if Embiid changes all of this.

Huh? He’s 6’11 and has handles like a guard, also plays elite defense, can get his shot up anywhere on the court.

 

[Cippy91]

Fun stat: there are fewer fouls called now than in the 80s/90s.

Really? Didn’t know that. For sure though more physical defense was allowed.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Really? Didn’t know that. For sure though more physical defense was allowed.

League average in...
2018: 20.0 PF's per game (.233 PF per FGA)
2008: 21.0 PFs per game (.258 PF per FGA)
1998: 22.4 PFs per game (.281 PF per FGA)
1988: 24.1 PFs per game (.274 PF per FGA)
1978: 25.2 PFs per game (.271 PF per FGA)

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Huh? He’s 6’11 and has handles like a guard, also plays elite defense, can get his shot up anywhere on the court.

We haven't seen the full impact of his game yet. Honestly, KD could be seen as the next evolution after LeBron, who basically was the same thing at 6'9". Giannis is the same at 7'1". But other than being physical freaks who make defenses weep, do they change the league like Shaq did? I guess you could say KD's ripthrough fetish made a rules change just like Shaq's game did.

 

[Cippy91]

League average in...
2018: 20.0 PF's per game (.233 PF per FGA)
2008: 21.0 PFs per game (.258 PF per FGA)
1998: 22.4 PFs per game (.281 PF per FGA)
1988: 24.1 PFs per game (.274 PF per FGA)
1978: 25.2 PFs per game (.271 PF per FGA)

Interesting

 

[Cippy91]

We haven't seen the full impact of his game yet. Honestly, KD could be seen as the next evolution after LeBron, who basically was the same thing at 6'9". Giannis is the same at 7'1". But other than being physical freaks who make defenses weep, do they change the league like Shaq did? I guess you could say KD's ripthrough fetish made a rules change just like Shaq's game did.

Giannis is a real game changer especially if he develops a jump shot. That guy can cover an nba court in two strides it feels like.

 

[SportsAndWhine]

Interesting

I think the handcheck rule change makes fouls feel more visible, but the change from post-up to slashing/bombing means fewer fouls overall because you don't have 4-6 buffalo slamming against each other 48 minutes a night.