Reason # 2354 why I don't like to watch the NBA

[bobcat402]

Badly mistaken is an opinion if I'm not mistake. The Heat are struggling with Hibbert imagine how the Chief & McHale tear them apart. Jabar, Worthy, MacAdoo & even Magic tear them up inside. No way they handle the Admiral & the young Tim Duncon. My opinion which is only an opinion but I don't think this Heat team would have had any chance at a title in the '80's or '90's.

Nba is easily my favorite sport. Level of play and depth of the league easily at an all time high. Those that think it was better back in the old days are badly mistaken. Possibly more fun to watch for some that need offense. But don't mistake more fun to watch for better basketball. Extremely popular sport but not as much in Nebraska as there is no franchise anywhere close.

 

im gonna disagree with you there, as i have to consider what heat team is playing these teams from the 80's and 90's...granted due to my age i was not around for those 80's teams, i was a junkie who craved basketball and i will tell you that, if you stack up the team from the regular season against many of those teams, i take the heat in 6, the level of athletic supriorty is downright imaginable. Now im a sucker for physical play so, the 90's version of the Knicks, and Pistons, and even some of the Pacer teams would give them a run for their money but i believe the only team the touches the heat are the bulls, and even than i'd be akin to taking the heat in 7 with LeBron and Michael going mono-e-mono in a epic clash, thatd be a draw, but i think the secondary matchups of a functional dwayne wade, and chris bosh (who step up tonight). the matchup's intrigue me...do you save michael and put scottie on LeBron, or are you worried about what bosh does to the defense indiffrent Kukoc, and stick scottie on bosh, and sacrifice some of MJ energy on Lebron, but than who guards wade? Armstong, Kerr, maybe Harper? does longley or wennington play at all, or are you riding, Kerr/Harper, MJ, Pippen, Kukoc, Rodman all game. How does chalmers and allen affect the series, or battier(who when on a shooting streak presents matchup nightmares) How does pippen or Jordan or Kukoc defend LeBron's secondary post, How many fights between Chris Anderson, and Rodman occur....so many questions...but i feel the Heat prevail in 7

[Silverbacked1]

Which rules are we playing by? 

 

Today's or the 90"s.  That is where I think it would be the most telling when you talk about different areas of sports.

 

Could you see LeBron have to defend Dr.J or Magic with out grabbing or pushing them way off the ball.

 

I'm not saying that there was no contact "back in the day"  but a lot less.

 

Also if your talking the Bulls, who guards the Bulls centers from the Heat?.  They are having trouble with Hibbert. And I would say that either Cartwright or Wennington are better centers than Hibbert is.

 

How about how does the Heat stop Magic, Kareem, Worthy and then others?  I don't see the Heat winning more than one game.

 

But like I said I'm not much of an NBA fan as of about the last 20 years or so.  So I could be waaaaay off.

[Fullbacksympathy]

Wait... hand checking was allowed back then.  Lebron would've shut the entire league down if he could handcheck guards at 270.  Also, keep in mind the strict man-to-man D rules.  Lebron would've been absolutely unstoppable with sort of isolation.

 

I grew up watching Mike.  Lebron is further along at the same age as a player and winner.

 

I love Magic, but he was 220 soaking wet.  Lebron would've destroyed him.

 

The matchups with Wade are sort of a wash.  I put him at Pippen level.

 

Bosh is pretty hot and cold, but his body type looks like the players of old (skinny and weak), so he actually could've probably dominated more back then.

 

The rest of the players are three point/defensive specialists (Miller, Battier, Cole/Chalmers), and a cleanup guy (Birdman).  If you look at the Big 3 supporting cast, they are very similar to the Bulls philosophy with MJ.

 

Interesting debate.

[Bugeaters1]

Have you forgotten what the worm brought to the table for the bulls. he didn't score much but was tuff as nails on defense. Could he stop the so called king James.

[bobcat402]

Have you forgotten what the worm brought to the table for the bulls. he didn't score much but was tuff as nails on defense. Could he stop the so called king James.

cmon now, lets be real about things..

[Silverbacked1]

No but he would have baited the King into punching him once to cost him a game.

[Dean Smith]

Those who say there is no comparison between athletes then and now either are too young or have short memories. Let's look at the Lakers. Magic played mostly around the 260 mark. Bryon Scott was an athlete, James Worthy - athlete and his quickness would set him apart. Michael Cooper was skinny but an athletic freak. Orlando Woolridge was older when he played with the Lakers and he could still dunk the ball 11 x's in 10 seconds. Jabar was a 7'2 athlete.

 

Let's say you put Labron on Magic and Scott & Wade cancle each other out. The Heat have no one who could run with Worthy and deal with him in the post. AC Green was basically a slightly shorter Bosh & Kareem averages 30 in a short series. Plus you don't want to go to the second unit. Expansion has had an affect. Depending on the year the Lakers bring on Mychael Thompson or Bob MacAdoo, both are head and shoulders better than anyone the Heat can put on to start the game.

 

I personaly think the Spurs team of Moore, Gillmore, & Gervin with the Bruise Brothers who never won a title in the 80's win multiple today. What they said about Gervin was right, you can't stop him you can only hope to cantain him. Who guards the 7'4 athlete & Moore is so under appreciated. He put up quadruple doubles.

 

The difference in the eras are in the post. There is no comparison between the number of quality big men then and now. How do the Heat deal with Malone and Hakeem? They don't. I don't see how anyone who can be objective will refuse to admit that the Heat struggle against good big men and there were so many more or them then.

 

Now you can argue this, but I don't think James has the mentality to compete against that era. Bird made Magic and vice versa. The first time Labron goes to the basket against McFithy & McNasty he gets a rude awakening. I think those teams that were so much deeper than today's teams beat the hell out of him first physically & then mentally. I don't think he could mentally take getting taken down time & time again. He still has an excuse for everything. He is a great player but not the class. The teams of the 80's and 90's swarm them, run them and then most importantly kill them in the post.

[Dean Smith]

No but he would have baited the King into punching him once to cost him a game.

That's what I meant by James not being mentally tough enough to compete for titles against those teams.

[colhusker]

the people who say they hate the nba never really give it a fair chance. if you like watching good basketball you would love this miami/indiana series. has been crazy in terms of intensity/momentum swings.

Quit watching when it became street ball.  Use to watch a lot of the NBA, not sure I have seen a quarters worth this season and I must say I have NOT missed it.

[Bugeaters1]

 

the people who say they hate the nba never really give it a fair chance. if you like watching good basketball you would love this miami/indiana series. has been crazy in terms of intensity/momentum swings.

Quit watching when it became street ball.  Use to watch a lot of the NBA, not sure I have seen a quarters worth this season and I must say I have NOT missed it.

 

I haven't watched the NBA since Jordan was with the Bulls.

[Bugeaters1]

 

Have you forgotten what the worm brought to the table for the bulls. he didn't score much but was tuff as nails on defense. Could he stop the so called king James.

cmon now, lets be real about things..

 

I 'm being real about things, Rodman would be in James's head so fast it wouldn't be funny.

[trickey]

I wish I had this much idle cash!

 

https://twitter.com/RobinWashut/status/341609918639505408

I imagine there is a little party breaking out at the Mayweather Mansion!

[Silverbacked1]

And the Worm would have gotten Birdman tossed for the whole 7 games. 

 

He thinks Pycho-T is dirty?  Worm would have had Birdman doing more than just pushing after about the first 2 steps after the first rebound he would have taken away from him.

[Silverbacked1]

 

I wish I had this much idle cash!

 

https://twitter.com/RobinWashut/status/341609918639505408

I imagine there is a little party breaking out at the Mayweather Mansion!

 

My one son says that Mayweather has a guy in his entourage that carries a brief case with $1,000,000 in cash in it.

 

Don't know if that is true but that is what he has heard.

[Silverbacked1]

I love fake Bo:

 

Fake Bo Pelini ‏@FauxPelini 22m

When Chris Andersen was born his parents must have been like WTF

[Fullbacksympathy]

First of all, Dean, you have awesome posts... but I gotta refute some of this stuff.

 

Those who say there is no comparison between athletes then and now either are too young or have short memories. Let's look at the Lakers. Magic played mostly around the 260 mark.

 

Take off 40 pounds.  He entered the league at 215.  He gained 35 lbs when he got HIV.  Even then, he still didn't quite weigh 260, so that's just not true.  Lebron had him by 40-50lbs.

 

Bryon Scott was an athlete, James Worthy - athlete and his quickness would set him apart. Michael Cooper was skinny but an athletic freak. Orlando Woolridge was older when he played with the Lakers and he could still dunk the ball 11 x's in 10 seconds. Jabar was a 7'2 athlete.

 

Byron Scott and James Worthy were good athletes, but they aren't even in Wade's stratosphere.  Kareem had the greatest shot in basketball history, so I'll give you that.

 

Let's say you put Labron on Magic and Scott & Wade cancle each other out.

 

I can't say that, because Wade would drop 40 on Scott and Lebron would destroy Magic's 220lb frame, especially with handchecking.

 

The Heat have no one who could run with Worthy and deal with him in the post.

 

Worthy couldn't run with Wade.

 

AC Green was basically a slightly shorter Bosh & Kareem averages 30 in a short series. Plus you don't want to go to the second unit. Expansion has had an affect. Depending on the year the Lakers bring on Mychael Thompson or Bob MacAdoo, both are head and shoulders better than anyone the Heat can put on to start the game.

 

AC Green and Chris Anderson cancel each other out maybe, although I'd lean toward the latter who is an All-NBA defender.  Kareem was a beast, but not in his prime on that team.  Bosh would've pulled him out of the lane.  Definitely lean toward Kareem though.

 

 

I personaly think the Spurs team of Moore, Gillmore, & Gervin with the Bruise Brothers who never won a title in the 80's win multiple today. What they said about Gervin was right, you can't stop him you can only hope to cantain him. Who guards the 7'4 athlete & Moore is so under appreciated. He put up quadruple doubles.

 

Didn't see these guys play.

 

The difference in the eras are in the post. There is no comparison between the number of quality big men then and now. How do the Heat deal with Malone and Hakeem? They don't. I don't see how anyone who can be objective will refuse to admit that the Heat struggle against good big men and there were so many more or them then.

 

I agree with this point, although as we have seen the past two years, bigs are slow.  The game is so much faster now--everyone is Showtime.  Game 7 tonight showed that the big man can't run for 7 games.

 

Now you can argue this, but I don't think James has the mentality to compete against that era. Bird made Magic and vice versa. The first time Labron goes to the basket against McFithy & McNasty he gets a rude awakening. I think those teams that were so much deeper than today's teams beat the hell out of him first physically & then mentally. I don't think he could mentally take getting taken down time & time again. He still has an excuse for everything. He is a great player but not the class. The teams of the 80's and 90's swarm them, run them and then most importantly kill them in the post.

 

I will argue it.  If MJ is considered the greatest ever, consider the fact that he was 1-11 in the playoffs before Pippen and played with guys like Gervin, Woolridge and Oakley should say something.  Was he just not mentally tough enough to get past the Pistons?  A young Lebron, on the other hand, willed his worthless teammates on the Cavs to a finals appearance by himself (beating KG and Boston), then got to another one his first year in Miami.  Now he's putting together the best back-to-back individual season in league history.  Lastly, if Lebron comes down the lane against the players of that era, he would dunk on their heads and leave them in pain because he weighs more than their center.  I concede the big man argument, but I don't think the bigs of any era can catch the speed of these guys.  As I said, he's flat out better than MJ at this point in his career.  If Jordan was mentally tough, Lebron is tougher.

[KZRider]

If I wanted to watch a sporting event where people get pushed and hand checked and generally beat up I'd watch hockey -- which I don't. The NBA is dreadfully dull to watch IMO. Dribble down the floor. Pass the ball to the guy making a billion dollars a year and let him shoot it.

 

I used to watch the NBA when the Lakers and the Celtics did this thing called running an offense. Kevin McHale was a marvel to watch. And Magic dishing to Kareem or Worthy. Beautiful. Nothing at all like the NBA of today so I'll just keep it turned off.

[royalfan]

Those who say there is no comparison between athletes then and now either are too young or have short memories. Let's look at the Lakers. Magic played mostly around the 260 mark. Bryon Scott was an athlete, James Worthy - athlete and his quickness would set him apart. Michael Cooper was skinny but an athletic freak. Orlando Woolridge was older when he played with the Lakers and he could still dunk the ball 11 x's in 10 seconds. Jabar was a 7'2 athlete.

 

Let's say you put Labron on Magic and Scott & Wade cancle each other out. The Heat have no one who could run with Worthy and deal with him in the post. AC Green was basically a slightly shorter Bosh & Kareem averages 30 in a short series. Plus you don't want to go to the second unit. Expansion has had an affect. Depending on the year the Lakers bring on Mychael Thompson or Bob MacAdoo, both are head and shoulders better than anyone the Heat can put on to start the game.

 

I personaly think the Spurs team of Moore, Gillmore, & Gervin with the Bruise Brothers who never won a title in the 80's win multiple today. What they said about Gervin was right, you can't stop him you can only hope to cantain him. Who guards the 7'4 athlete & Moore is so under appreciated. He put up quadruple doubles.

 

The difference in the eras are in the post. There is no comparison between the number of quality big men then and now. How do the Heat deal with Malone and Hakeem? They don't. I don't see how anyone who can be objective will refuse to admit that the Heat struggle against good big men and there were so many more or them then.

 

Now you can argue this, but I don't think James has the mentality to compete against that era. Bird made Magic and vice versa. The first time Labron goes to the basket against McFithy & McNasty he gets a rude awakening. I think those teams that were so much deeper than today's teams beat the hell out of him first physically & then mentally. I don't think he could mentally take getting taken down time & time again. He still has an excuse for everything. He is a great player but not the class. The teams of the 80's and 90's swarm them, run them and then most importantly kill them in the post.

I feel somehow you are unable to grow your evaluation with the way the game has changed for the better this day and age.  Such a far more athletic game now.  That is why people are less "skilled" as many believe.  It has proven over time good athletes and defense win.  In the end that is how the Heat won tonight.  Great swarming athletes led by Bron, Wade and Bosh.  They would completely overwhelm these clubs you are talking about. 

[49r]

Reason #2355...

 

[49r]

https://twitter.com/FauxPelini/status/341737202822291456

 

https://twitter.com/AaronNebraska/status/341747313733169153

 

[49r]

https://twitter.com/edsbs/status/341749031141273601

[Dean Smith]

Those who say there is no comparison between athletes then and now either are too young or have short memories. Let's look at the Lakers. Magic played mostly around the 260 mark. Bryon Scott was an athlete, James Worthy - athlete and his quickness would set him apart. Michael Cooper was skinny but an athletic freak. Orlando Woolridge was older when he played with the Lakers and he could still dunk the ball 11 x's in 10 seconds. Jabar was a 7'2 athlete.

 

Let's say you put Labron on Magic and Scott & Wade cancle each other out. The Heat have no one who could run with Worthy and deal with him in the post. AC Green was basically a slightly shorter Bosh & Kareem averages 30 in a short series. Plus you don't want to go to the second unit. Expansion has had an affect. Depending on the year the Lakers bring on Mychael Thompson or Bob MacAdoo, both are head and shoulders better than anyone the Heat can put on to start the game.

 

I personaly think the Spurs team of Moore, Gillmore, & Gervin with the Bruise Brothers who never won a title in the 80's win multiple today. What they said about Gervin was right, you can't stop him you can only hope to cantain him. Who guards the 7'4 athlete & Moore is so under appreciated. He put up quadruple doubles.

 

The difference in the eras are in the post. There is no comparison between the number of quality big men then and now. How do the Heat deal with Malone and Hakeem? They don't. I don't see how anyone who can be objective will refuse to admit that the Heat struggle against good big men and there were so many more or them then.

 

Now you can argue this, but I don't think James has the mentality to compete against that era. Bird made Magic and vice versa. The first time Labron goes to the basket against McFithy & McNasty he gets a rude awakening. I think those teams that were so much deeper than today's teams beat the hell out of him first physically & then mentally. I don't think he could mentally take getting taken down time & time again. He still has an excuse for everything. He is a great player but not the class. The teams of the 80's and 90's swarm them, run them and then most importantly kill them in the post.

I feel somehow you are unable to grow your evaluation with the way the game has changed for the better this day and age.  Such a far more athletic game now.  That is why people are less "skilled" as many believe.  It has proven over time good athletes and defense win.  In the end that is how the Heat won tonight.  Great swarming athletes led by Bron, Wade and Bosh.  They would completely overwhelm these clubs you are talking about.

Just because we don't agree doesn't mean I can't grow my opinion. Those two are great ' very good but Bosh is an average big man in the 80's at best and Norris Cole? He's not good enough to play on any championship team in that decade. Teams were so much deeper than. I don't think Scott, Worthy, Green, Woolridge, Nixon et al need to take an athletic back seat to anyone playing today. The Piston's of the 90's swarm the Heat not the other way around. Lets see, Norris Cole or Joe Dumars & Vinnie Johnson? Not a tough choice.

[Dean Smith]

First of all, Dean, you have awesome posts... but I gotta refute some of this stuff.

 

Those who say there is no comparison between athletes then and now either are too young or have short memories. Let's look at the Lakers. Magic played mostly around the 260 mark.

 

Take off 40 pounds.  He entered the league at 215.  He gained 35 lbs when he got HIV.  Even then, he still didn't quite weigh 260, so that's just not true.  Lebron had him by 40-50lbs.

 

Bryon Scott was an athlete, James Worthy - athlete and his quickness would set him apart. Michael Cooper was skinny but an athletic freak. Orlando Woolridge was older when he played with the Lakers and he could still dunk the ball 11 x's in 10 seconds. Jabar was a 7'2 athlete.

 

Byron Scott and James Worthy were good athletes, but they aren't even in Wade's stratosphere.  Kareem had the greatest shot in basketball history, so I'll give you that.

 

Let's say you put Labron on Magic and Scott & Wade cancle each other out.

 

I can't say that, because Wade would drop 40 on Scott and Lebron would destroy Magic's 220lb frame, especially with handchecking.

 

The Heat have no one who could run with Worthy and deal with him in the post.

 

Worthy couldn't run with Wade.

 

AC Green was basically a slightly shorter Bosh & Kareem averages 30 in a short series. Plus you don't want to go to the second unit. Expansion has had an affect. Depending on the year the Lakers bring on Mychael Thompson or Bob MacAdoo, both are head and shoulders better than anyone the Heat can put on to start the game.

 

AC Green and Chris Anderson cancel each other out maybe, although I'd lean toward the latter who is an All-NBA defender.  Kareem was a beast, but not in his prime on that team.  Bosh would've pulled him out of the lane.  Definitely lean toward Kareem though.

 

 

I personaly think the Spurs team of Moore, Gillmore, & Gervin with the Bruise Brothers who never won a title in the 80's win multiple today. What they said about Gervin was right, you can't stop him you can only hope to cantain him. Who guards the 7'4 athlete & Moore is so under appreciated. He put up quadruple doubles.

 

Didn't see these guys play.

 

The difference in the eras are in the post. There is no comparison between the number of quality big men then and now. How do the Heat deal with Malone and Hakeem? They don't. I don't see how anyone who can be objective will refuse to admit that the Heat struggle against good big men and there were so many more or them then.

 

I agree with this point, although as we have seen the past two years, bigs are slow.  The game is so much faster now--everyone is Showtime.  Game 7 tonight showed that the big man can't run for 7 games.

 

Now you can argue this, but I don't think James has the mentality to compete against that era. Bird made Magic and vice versa. The first time Labron goes to the basket against McFithy & McNasty he gets a rude awakening. I think those teams that were so much deeper than today's teams beat the hell out of him first physically & then mentally. I don't think he could mentally take getting taken down time & time again. He still has an excuse for everything. He is a great player but not the class. The teams of the 80's and 90's swarm them, run them and then most importantly kill them in the post.

 

I will argue it.  If MJ is considered the greatest ever, consider the fact that he was 1-11 in the playoffs before Pippen and played with guys like Gervin, Woolridge and Oakley should say something.  Was he just not mentally tough enough to get past the Pistons?  A young Lebron, on the other hand, willed his worthless teammates on the Cavs to a finals appearance by himself (beating KG and Boston), then got to another one his first year in Miami.  Now he's putting together the best back-to-back individual season in league history.  Lastly, if Lebron comes down the lane against the players of that era, he would dunk on their heads and leave them in pain because he weighs more than their center.  I concede the big man argument, but I don't think the bigs of any era can catch the speed of these guys.  As I said, he's flat out better than MJ at this point in his career.  If Jordan was mentally tough, Lebron is tougher.

We are going to have to disagree. Wade doesn't drop 40 on Scott. He would be guarded by Scott, Worthy, & Cooper mostly & they wear him down. Worthy runs with Wade all day & they have no one who can guard him in the post. I can't care how big you are, if you get in the air & someone hits you, you go down. & your confused about those guys playing with Jordan, they didn't. & I don't think Jordan was the greatest ever. I don't see what criteria you can use to justify that. But that's another discussion. But Jordan has Labron in tears before game 3 in my opinion that is.

[49r]

The comments here are priceless:  http://deadspin.com/young-heat-fan-makes-believers-out-of-miami-crowd-511149667

[colhusker]

Dean I agree with you 100%, there were very athletic guys in the 70's, 80's etc.  Part of the difference is players today look more athletic with what they can do because the rules not being called allow it.  Wade is a premier player in todays game.  No more premier than those in the 80's.