Kobe Bryant wants old-school D back..

[triangleoffense]

Indeed.

And not even abolish, all they did was re-define it, with the new defensive 3. Let's see how enthusiastic he is about playing in the post with two elbows and two knees in his back. At least that was banned in the NBA before Kobe was even in high school. The game was inarguably more physical in nature back then, and it was more than the basic hand check. A strong side shade with no physical pressure is not a shut down defense, especially for a multiskilled player like Bryant who is mainly a jump shooter.


I interpret it as him welcoming the challenge of the physical rules. After all it is better basketball, just as he said. And there is no reason he would not be fine. And I agree he'd be an even better basketball player than he is now playing under those rules night after night, whether or not his statistical ppg average would show it.

Yes, the overall gameplay was so much more brutal back then. If called the fouls back then like they do today everyone who fouled Jordan going to the rim would get hit with a flagrant 2. Jordan got absolutely destroyed whenever he got inside the paint. Teams knew that Jordan was going to drive to the rim often so of course they told their players to take shots at Jordan early and often. I guarantee all the posters who say that the league was only slightly more physical back then hasn't watched the NBA live before 2000s.

[Showtime]

The 2003-04 season has a ppg of 93.4 and an average FG% of .439.

Dude, there are more factors in those numbers than what defense was played. And you would have had to watch that era to get that not all teams even used a zone defense. Hardly anybody did. And 6+ years later, most teams still don't use it.

It was easier to play defense then at any era in history.

LOL no it wasn't.

Just look at how the stats change when they allow illegal defenses in 2001. Scoring and FG% drop a lot compared to the year before.

2001-02 season, league average FG% is .445
2000-01 season, league average FG% is .443
1999-00 season, league average FG% is .449

Where is this supposed significant change?

And again, you are using statistics which have multiple factors, and attributing them to only one factor, which you have no basis to do so.

It makes sense that Kobe would be able to do well with no illegal defense.

There is nothing that shows that, and in fact, there is evidence to the contrary, as I have already pointed out. When Kobe is faced with a more physical brand of basketball, he has plenty of examples where he struggles.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Yes, the overall gameplay was so much more brutal back then. If called the fouls back then like they do today everyone who fouled Jordan going to the rim would get hit with a flagrant 2. Jordan got absolutely destroyed whenever he got inside the paint. Teams knew that Jordan was going to drive to the rim often so of course they told their players to take shots at Jordan early and often. I guarantee all the posters who say that the league was only slightly more physical back then hasn't watched the NBA live before 2000s.

The league got less and less physical slowly starting in the mid 90's. Unfortunately that only applied for perimeter players. Big men such as Shaq, Yao and Dwight Howard don't get to the line for cheap touch fouls. Those guys are hammered all game long.

[GollyImSoGully]

Do you guys ever get tired of arguing about the same thing?

[triangleoffense]

The league got less and less physical slowly starting in the mid 90's. Unfortunately that only applied for perimeter players. Big men such as Shaq, Yao and Dwight Howard don't get to the line for cheap touch fouls. Those guys are hammered all game long.

True, big men still do take a lot of punishment but that part of the game has changed as well even compared to the early 00s. I remember seeing Shaq play back then and he would destroy centers all day long but in the last couple years it seems like everytime shaq touches someone on the defensive end he gets hit with a personal.

Do you guys ever get tired of arguing about the same thing?

look up the word forum

[97 bulls]

The league got less and less physical slowly starting in the mid 90's. Unfortunately that only applied for perimeter players. Big men such as Shaq, Yao and Dwight Howard don't get to the line for cheap touch fouls. Those guys are hammered all game long.

the league was more physical in the mid 90s what are you talking about.

[ShaqAttack3234]

True, big men still do take a lot of punishment but that part of the game has changed as well even compared to the early 00s. I remember seeing Shaq play back then and he would destroy centers all day long but in the last couple years it seems like everytime shaq touches someone on the defensive end he gets hit with a personal.

It's because nobody wants to see big men dominate halfcourts games and it's also because when someone so much stronger even makes minimal contact with another player it looks a lot worse and the opposite is true which is why Shaq doesn't attempt even more free throws.

[ShaqAttack3234]

the league was more physical in the mid 90s what are you talking about.

It was not more physical than the late 80's/early 90's. More physical than today? Definitely, but that was the start of the league becoming less physical. That really sped up in the early 2000's and by the mid 2000's we had the no touch rules we have today.

[97 bulls]

im surprised noone has mentioned that its not a true zone that the nba implemented. no defender can be in the paint for more than three seconds.

[catch24]

He'd be the same player he is today. No difference IMO.

[NBASTATMAN]

Do you know why Kobe started take more perimeter shots? It's harder to score inside under the new rules. Zones which are allowed now force outside shots, hence why his outside shots did increase slightly for some seasons in proportion to his total shots. For some they did as I showed earlier in his career.

His three pt totals went up as soon as Shaq left the team... Not any other reason.. WHY are Lebron and Wade able to get to the whole untouched at times?

[97 bulls]

It was not more physical than the late 80's/early 90's. More physical than today? Definitely, but that was the start of the league becoming less physical. That really sped up in the early 2000's and by the mid 2000's we had the no touch rules we have today.

the league adopted a physical mentality after teams saw how the pistons were able to be successful using thugery. it was picked up by the knicks and then soon the heat and utah jazz who had a huge rep. for playing dirty. the league was much more freeflowing in the 80s.

[NBASTATMAN]

I like Kobe more after hearing this, but there's no way his scoring would rise. I'm not sure how he much he'd be impacted at this point because he's become more of a mid-range jumper shooter and post up 2 guard.

Personally I think Kobe would have come close to if not averaged 35 ppg in 2006 anyway. He wasn't attempting a ridiculous amount of free throws considering how much he shot. Maybe he averages slightly less, like 33-34, but who knows? All I know is a lot of Kobe's scoring feats relied more on jumpshots and post skill than guys like Wade and James.

The rule changes really did save Allen Iverson's career. Look at this.

1999-2000 28.4 ppg, 4.7 apg, 3.3 TO, 42.1 FG% 24.8 FGA, 8.9 FTA
2000-2001 31.1 ppg, 4.6 apg, 3.3 TO, 42 FG%, 25.5 FGA, 10.1 FTA
2001-2002 31.4 ppg, 5.5 apg, 4 TO, 39.8 FG%, 27.8 FGA, 9.8 FTA
2002-2003 27.6 ppg, 5.5 apg, 3.5 TO, 41.4 FG%, 23.7 FGA, 9 FTA
2003-2004 26.4 ppg, 6.8 apg, 4.4 TO, 38.7 FG%, 23.4 FGA, 9.5 FTA

2004-2005 30.7 ppg, 7.9 apg, 4.6 TO, 42.4 FG%, 24.2 FGA, 10.5 FTA
2005-2006 33 ppg, 7.4 apg, 3.4 TO, 44.7 FG%, 25.3 FGA, 11.5 FTA

Just look at Iverson's best season in 2001 and then when he was in his 30's in 2006. He attempted 0.2 less FGA, yet his scoring improved by 2 ppg, his FG% went from 42% to nearly 45%, he attempted 1.4 more FTA and his assistss rose by nearly 3 per game, despite his turnovers staying virtually the same. Now look at the fact that Iverson had been declining a bit prior yo the rule changes.

I think while it likley boosted Kobe's scoring a bit, the difference is not great like it was with guys like Iverson. I'm also convinced that a player like Dwyane Wade was helped by the rules more than Kobe.

Look at Dwyane Wade's 2nd, 3rd and 4th seasons.

2004-2005 17.1 FGA, 9.9 FTA
2005-2006 18.8 FGA, 10.7 FTA
2006-2007 18.9 FGA, 10.5 FTA

Now look at a young Michael Jordan who was easily more athletic, taking a lot more shots and averaging 35-37 ppg. Wade was having an easier time getting to the line than Jordan at his quickest was, and that was when Jordan was scoring the most he ever has.

1986-1987 27.8 FGA, 11.9 FTA
1987-1988 24.4 FGA, 10.5 FTA

Prime Michael Jordan

1989-1990 24 FGA, 8.5 FTA
1990-1991 22.4 FGA, 8.2 FTA
1991-1992 22.7 FGA, 7.4 FTA
1992-1993 25.7 FGA, 7.3 FTA

Actually that's the one thing that makes me question some of Kobe's scoring feats. Honestly, can anyone try telling me with a straight face that Kobe in recent years was attacking the basket more than 1990-1993 MJ? If not, then why did he get to the line so much easier? That's where the rule changes come in.

[NBASTATMAN]

He'd be the same player he is today. No difference IMO.

Stats would be different but yes Kobe would still be top 3 player.. But probably alot more technicals...

[BarberSchool]

Kobe is NOT built for Cuban Links.