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The NBA sure has changed

D

Dari

Lifer
I just watched the NBA Finals game tonight. Everything seemed so tamed and family friendly. This is very different from the NBA of the 1990s when I was a kid and was really into it. With van Gundy commentating I keep thinking he's going to say that he's going to drink a glass of milk after the game and go to sleep. The players seem soft compared to the old days.

Ironically, I know that after the game the players and commentators are going to hit the night clubs or bars and get something to poke on for the night. I wonder what Magic Johnson does. We know he's shut out of that scene. Does he call his wife? Run some errands? Drink milk? WTF does he do?
 
It has changed but I still enjoy watching the finals. I remember back in the 90s when you had these 7 footers that looked so awkward now they are moving like point guards, shooting 3s, flying high and dunking on everyone.
 
kevman said:
I think when the bulls started their second three-peat run is when NBA changed from the early 90's. Can't pinpoint the reason behind it.
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I would say it changed when the NBA dumped NBC and went to ABC.

In my personal opinion, good, competitive basketball turned to overly sensitive, crybaby, softball.
 
kevman said:
I think when the bulls started their second three-peat run is when NBA changed from the early 90's. Can't pinpoint the reason behind it.
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I came to New York at an early age so I enjoyed how rough and hard the Knicks were. I was horrified when soft players started to dominate like Robinson and Duncan in San Antonio. To me, that was the end. Jordan was good but he was no softie like those duo. Now, look at Miami. James and Bosh are softies (but not as soft as Duncan and Robinson). I think Kukoc was part of the downfall. No tall ass player should be shooting 3s. Kukoc never went into the hole, he was always outside.
 
Rob M. said:
I would say it changed when the NBA dumped NBC and went to ABC.

In my personal opinion, good, competitive basketball turned to overly sensitive, crybaby, softball.
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Yeah, I miss the opening song from NBC. I don't even know what they have on ABC but I remember the horror of hearing Timberlake years ago. Bad times.
 
Dari said:
I came to New York at an early age so I enjoyed how rough and hard the Knicks were. I was horrified when soft players started to dominate like Robinson and Duncan in San Antonio. To me, that was the end. Jordan was good but he was no softie like those duo. Now, look at Miami. James and Bosh are softies (but not as soft as Duncan and Robinson). I think Kukoc was part of the downfall. No tall ass player should be shooting 3s. Kukoc never went into the hole, he was always outside.
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same here. I was hooked on the knicks since the days of Xavier McDaniel. They were tough and there were no crybabies.
 
Rob M. said:
I would say it changed when the NBA dumped NBC and went to ABC.

In my personal opinion, good, competitive basketball turned to overly sensitive, crybaby, softball.
Click to expand...

You're right, I used to love watching the opening theme with the great footage of Kemp dunking and shaq diving into a camera.

and I think it was around this time that the high schoolers jumping directly into the league.
 
kevman said:
You're right, I used to love watching the opening theme with the great footage of Kemp dunking and shaq diving into a camera.

and I think it was around this time that the high schoolers jumping directly into the league.
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I agree as well. The tough, back-to-basket days where quickly ushered out of the NBA for high flying, ticket selling softies. They got it though, once they started catering to casual bandwagoning fans, they hit the jack pot.

What really did it was the fighting too. That 97 brawl between the Heat and Knicks where 5 players were suspended really set the tone.

They really calmed the heated rivalries. I really hate that. I loved the rivalries. Now all of them are friends and hug and kiss off the court. Ugh....
 
Wasn't the Artest riot a defining moment where they tamed things down? I have a hard time knowing when things changed. Clearly the 90's were vastly different.
 
randomrogue said:
Wasn't the Artest riot a defining moment where they tamed things down? I have a hard time knowing when things changed. Clearly the 90's were vastly different.
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The 80s were worse, lol. Then, it was almost like hockey where fights were basically sanctioned.
 
kevman said:
same here. I was hooked on the knicks since the days of Xavier McDaniel. They were tough and there were no crybabies.
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I always thought Xavier McDaniel played for the Celtics. So I had to look it up. Apparently he spent a year with New York and then played with the Celtics for 3. Always struck me as a fun, high energy sort of guy.
 
There are several reasons that have been stated by people much more attuned to the NBA then me, but I'll try my best to sum them up from memory.

1) ESPN Sportscenter. Showing highlights of nothing but dunks and crazy high flying actions did nothing to improve people's overall skills. Instead, guys just want to see themselves on TV performing amazing feats that do little or nothing to help their team.

2) Jordan Ruined It. It kinda goes in conjunction with point #1. Jordan had AMAZING offensive moves and everyone loved seeing them. His domination of the game is ability to take it over in a heartbeat is unmatched. But that is all they showed and all people want to copy. They never showed his defense, his work ethic, or his ability to keep going after getting knocked around. Several old teammates have said that they looked forward to games because they were easier then practice. Jordan was a taskmaster at practice and expected EVERYONE to work their asses off.

3) Highschool seniors being drafted. Players no longer developed themselves into good basketball players with a good feel for the game and the heart/drive to win. Instead, skill/height took over everything else and now players that would normally be developing in college (ie maturing physically, mentally and emotionally) are now doing it in the NBA against grown men. They whine to no end because in High School, they would get the call. The NBA now caters to only the superstars and give them an inordinate amount of benefit of the doubt calls. None of these players learned how to play the right way before the NBA. Now they have to survive on raw skill instead of a combination of skill and mental ability. So the whining will continue and the NBA will cater to do unless they want to drive these players away from the game.

I think those are the main points. The turning point did happen in the late 90's as the bulls were finishing their second run. That is when an entire generation of players grew up with the above points.
 
I cannot disagree more.

The mid-90's NBA game, led by the Knicks - was football on the court. Oakley/Mason/Ewing - those teams literallly fouled people on every single play - I'm not even slightly exaggerating there.

The "Bad-Boy" Pistons started it, and the Knicks and the Heat took it to another level entirely.

It was ugly, low scoring, and impossible to officiate.

That era prompted rather significant rule changes about hand-checking and post defense, that basically haven't changed since then.

I think the one thing the current rules need to clean up involve blocking/charging calls - I would like to see that 'no charge' zone extended out up to the dotted circle, and out towards the baseline past the blocks...

Still - a much better game now than it was.
 
NeoV said:
I cannot disagree more.

The mid-90's NBA game, led by the Knicks - was football on the court. Oakley/Mason/Ewing - those teams literallly fouled people on every single play - I'm not even slightly exaggerating there.

The "Bad-Boy" Pistons started it, and the Knicks and the Heat took it to another level entirely.

It was ugly, low scoring, and impossible to officiate.

That era prompted rather significant rule changes about hand-checking and post defense, that basically haven't changed since then.

I think the one thing the current rules need to clean up involve blocking/charging calls - I would like to see that 'no charge' zone extended out up to the dotted circle, and out towards the baseline past the blocks...

Still - a much better game now than it was.
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I can't really disagree with this. Good post.

Flopping should carry a fine. And refs should only see a player and a jersey when it comes to calling fouls. Too many times players like D-Whistle and Lefail start whining about calls and the games are reffed differently.
 
Atomic Playboy said:
Nowadays, this is a flagrant foul and a one game suspension. In the 1980s, this didn't draw a suspension, flagrant, or technical. So, yeah, the NBA has pussied up some since the Pacers brawl.
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Look at the way the Lakers move the ball in that second link. No one does it like that these days. Two quick passes and they're all the way down the court. Even the Blazers from the early 90's could just fly up court at will. So much more fast-paced.

NBA is definitely way more pansified and boring than it used to be, and calling fouls for little more than looking at someone cross-eyed is a big reason.
 
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