Why did teams in the past average such high ppg if defense was tougher

[rlsmooth775]

lets discuss

[Trentknicks]

Wilt preserved his energy for the women after the game.

[DonDadda59]

Unathletic midgets have a penchant for scoring buckets in bunches. Case in point- This game from 1987

[JT123]

Cause the whole "tough defense" era of the 80's and 90's is nothing more than tall tales, similar to Paul Bunion and John Henry. Some fans are desperate to keep believing MJ will never be surpassed, so they make up stories about how he was punched, kicked, and put in a head lock every time he drove to the basket with no fouls called.

[CavaliersFTW]

someone with your level of ignorance could just as easily conclude that maybe the offensive players were simply better

[DonDadda59]

Cause the whole "tough defense" era of the 80's and 90's is nothing more than tall tales, similar to Paul Bunion and John Henry. Some fans are desperate to keep believing MJ will never be surpassed, so they make up stories about how he was punched, kicked, and put in a head lock every time he drove to the basket with no fouls called.

You sayin my nigguh Paul Bunion is a 'tall tale'?

[Pacer24]

No great centers in the league anymore.

[Young X]

Higher pace/more possessions.

The offensive efficiency in 1985 and 2011 is the exact same, the game was just faster back then. Simple.

[KirbyPls]

OP catching feelings?

Everyone knows that MJ, Lebron, KD, and Kobe would be lucky, very lucky to even make their JV teams in the 50s, 60s and 70s, I mean back then their were only 8 teams, thus the best players in the world were all concentrated in a few teams. Talk about stacked. Plus, way more people played basketball worldwide back then, so the talent pool was substantially larger. Not to mention training, athleticism, diet, PEDs, film, offensive and defensive schemes, travel, and facilities were all light years beyond what we have now in this weak, beta, era we have now. The average, current NBA athlete would be lucky to make his local YMCA team back in the days of Russell, Wilt, Nate, Sam, and Tommy. Go ask Russell, he will tell you the same thing.

[livinglegend]

Higher pace/more possessions.

The offensive efficiency in 1985 and 2011 is the exact same, the game was just faster back then. Simple.

prove?

[JebronLames]

Lebron averages 37-11-11 in the 80's.

[DonDadda59]

Higher pace/more possessions.

The offensive efficiency in 1985 and 2011 is the exact same, the game was just faster back then. Simple.

Pure Bunions, brah. File em down.

[JT123]

Lebron averages 37-11-11 in the 80's.

Bron wouldn't be able to handle the physicality though. John Stockton could, but 6'8 250 pound Lebron would get punk'd by monsters like John Starks and Isiah Thomas.

[Young X]

prove?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...NBA_stats.html

1985: 102.1 pace - 49.6 EFG% - 107.9 ORTG

2011: 92.1 pace - 49.8 EFG% - 107.3 ORTG

More possessions, same scoring efficiency.

[KirbyPls]

Bron wouldn't be able to handle the physicality though. John Stockton could, but 6'8 250 pound Lebron would get punk'd by monsters like John Starks and Isiah Thomas.

This! Not to mention Goliaths like Starks and Stockton would have their a$$s handed to them from Cousy and Tommy H.