Perhaps the way the game has evolved has helped too
by Raoul (2023-05-17 09:31:04)
Edited on 2023-05-17 09:31:17

In reply to: lack of athleticism and quickness  posted by DBCooper

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D isn't what it was 20 years ago now 30 years ago. More like 1960's and early 1970's now. Scoring has risen almost 14 pts a game just since Jokic drafted.

Linked are the scores from the NBA Semi Finals in 2004 - Pistons (with Ben Wallace) vs Pacers (with Ron Artest or whatever called at that time). That year was the nadir for offense in the 3 pt era and soft rim era both starting around 1979.



To be fair to the players, the lack of defense isn’t on them
by mocopdx  (2023-05-17 09:48:01)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

If you allowed them to defend with the pre-2005 rules, they’d be stellar on defense. The modern NBA rules make it so that the 90s style of defense is an automatic foul. I wish they would adjust the rules and find a happy medium. I don’t want to see 80-76, but I also don’t want to see 144-140.
analytics has improved alot too
by DBCooper  (2023-05-17 10:04:46)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

staying away from the midrange game, focusing on 3 points, etc. Curry changed the game more than anyone and everyone has followed. Even Jokic is averaging 3 3pt attempts per game for his career, 20 years ago a guy like him would probably attempt 10 3 pointers a year.

In '85-'86 there were 14 NBA players that attempted 100 or
by Carlos Huerta  (2023-05-17 10:46:25)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

more threes during the regular season. This season there were 279.

That season Larry Bird was the only player to average a made three per game played. This year there were 155 players that did that.

Career 3PA per 36 minutes played:
Jokic 3.3
Bird 1.8
That’s astounding. *
by irishhawk49  (2023-05-20 15:44:50)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Wow, that’s a crazy stat
by Nobilo  (2023-05-17 20:30:15)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I knew 3s had surged…but not by THAT much!
Agree, part of Phoenix's difficulties
by TripleDomer  (2023-05-17 10:23:37)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Sure Booker and Durant had a couple games in which they didn't miss, but Nuggets were willing to give them midrange jumpers and then get open 3s and dunks on the other end.

I loved those 80-76 games.
by Raoul  (2023-05-17 09:49:53)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

I showed B23 clips of Pistons-Bulls in early 1990's and he almost couldn't believe it. Kids like the "Video Game" style of back and forth of today though.

Good point on rule changes.