The Indy Talks To Himself (NBA) Thread.

Tough physical players don’t just injure players. What they do, though, is often take those guys off their game. I do agree with someone who said that Lebron could potentially benefit from the old school players because it may piss him off and he could go ham from there.

But then again, I don’t know how he would react. There are times I think he plays soft and timid. No one is going to hurt Lebron, though. That’s for damn sure.

 

Respectfully, I don't think that is his position.

 

I have a lot of of respect for those old teams, but the quality of today's athletes has just improved so much. Honestly it's almost a different game.

It's not just in basketball either. It's across the board. Today's athletes are just bigger, stronger, and faster, and that's what wins more than anything else.

 

I always try to factor in a time-inflation for that. 88 Pistons playing their style with the improvements in overall athletic training in the past 30 years.

 

It's not just the training that has improved. Genetics have just got better as well.

A lot more people are doing a better job of picking their parents

 

I don't know that they are bigger. In fact, I don't think they are bigger, at all, unless we're comparing the 50s and 60s to today. Nor do I think they are faster or stronger, necessarily. Plenty of athletic freaks of nature in the 80s and 90s. The thing that has probably improved is the training regimen and the collection of big men like Durant who can take players off the dribble. However, I would like to see how a guy like Durant would match up with say, Hakeem Olajuwon. Would be fun.

 

I am certain genetics haven't changed.

 

I do think LeBron would be even better in the late 80's early 90's. You're not going to body up on him, he'll throw you into the 2nd row and there would be no whistle.

 

The game has changed dramatically. Both teams would have to make major adjustments in how they play. I personally think it would be easier to deal with hand checking and otherwise more physical play than to adjust to the way defenses are constructed today and how teams operate on offense with the preference of the 3 ball and the overall spacing of the court.

Kevin Durant could adjust to more physical play easier than Charles Oakley could adjust to defending 30 feet from the basket.

 

It's between the ears more than anything.

 

If today's game required them to be physical, the players would be physical.

That's the biggest load of bullshit in the world. I hate when coaches talk about players being softer. Your players are soft because you coach them to be soft or allow it.

 

Better chance of making that adjustment to suddenly being a good enough athlete to defend a 7 footer who can score from anywhere on the court. But I agree, it is more of a mental toughness than a physical toughness. If you are playing in the NBA, you've had your share of knocks on the hardwood.

 

I agree.

 

Hey, what happened to the Kevin Duckworth thread? I was poised for several more informative posts today.

I mean,I feel like The Kevin Duckworth thread was really the glue that held this site together. Much like how Kevin Duckworth was the glue that held together any team that lucky -- nah, blessed -- enough to have such a transcendental talent raise the caliber of the team by his mere presence alone.

That's the Kevin Duckworth I know. The Great Kevin Duckworth.

 

What in the world does a focking Charles Oakley to a Steph Curry who runs across two screns, catches the ball at 28 and shoots in one smooth motion?

And what I mean by that is "what does he other other than (a) absolutely nothing to disrupt the shot and (b) pause to catch his breath after he sees it swish?

This whole "90s bully ball woudl overpower the warriors" is uttered exclusively by individuals who ether forgot their thinking caps or never had one to begin with. how do you propose playing bully defense against the Warriors? What do you, flying saucer kicks at the three point line? The ole "pull down on their [penis] as you run past the screens" truck? Yeah, that'l show em. Perhaps, upon realizing that noen of them can prevent them from getting off the shots he's not missing, they'll just pants him in the middle of his jumpshot. Or just tug at his ankles and hope the refs aren't looking.

"[uck fay] it, next time Steph makes a three, I'm picking that little focker up by his ankles and swinging him around, and turning that skinny little bastard into my own personal hammer throw attempt.

"Oh wait. All that stuff is both silly and would get me thrown out of the game maybe a criminal assault charge to boot. yeah, so I guess we'll just run around the court while they run around slightly faster and score at will," uttered somebody in srnif's nonsense hypothetical world, unless of course that world happened to also include Keviin Duckworth, which of course changes everything.

 

Drama queen? Is that what you call it? I call it open and active mocking of your silliness. Which of course has as its prerequisite, your silliness.

I gave you sage advice like 8 pages ago. I borderline pleaded with you to not dive head-first into the pool of comprehensively indefensible positions. Because I knew I wouldn't be able to help myself. The levels of my self-restraint are finite.

Believe me, I do wanna be a better man. I wanna let nonsense slide. But when the nonsense-arometer gets to a certain, I fail. I tried my best to not actively mock your head-scratchingly stupid tripe. Deepest apologies for my failure.

 

What's your thesis here, kb? I thought we were having a jordan/James discussion which boiled into a comparison of eras.

 

For the record, i think golden State would be really good in any era.

 

I'll argue in pro sports the softness comes from the league and the owners and agents and players association . Too much invested in the players and playing too rough could sideline them. I think a lot of coaches would be just fine with being more physical.

 

Again, I wasn't the one who outright said that the Blazers of 92 would beat the Warriors. Quite to the contrary, I borderline pleaded with him not to go there.

But he did. And that comparison isn't gonna mock itself.