I cannot take this current era of players seriously because of no hand checking

[Pointguard]

Contact is still allowed just as much (body), you are just not allowed to put your hands on them and imo you can still do that today to some extent (many get away with it).....

While handchecking makes it even tougher for you to drive YOU as an offensive player were allowed to use your hands aswell to counter it (something MJ managed to exploit to hell).... so its a 50-50 here.... today using your hands as a offensive player (to push of, move away opponents hands etc.) is an automatic foul....

Handchecking would affect Durant some, and mostly slim quick players. Handchecking would actually favor a big, strong, fast, player like Lebron. Watch any film of Barkley and Malone and notice how they sometimes wait for the handcheck from younger players. They don't even notice it most of the time. The only way you can phase a big player with a hand check is if you plant your feet and get some weight behind it. But big quick guys spin off the defender, who has planted his feet and have an advantage once they complete the spin.

On Durant's behalf one could site George Gervin. There are small differences that could be big differences. Gervin was much stronger than he looked and scored a lot in the paint. Gervin had that weird delayed dribble and offset timing that Paul Pierce and Dantley had. The Iceman's long first step also kept people off balance. Durant is quicker, taller with better handle and had better range. Durant would have adjusted to handchecking in some way. But it would be a bit harder on him than Mello, Lebron and Kobe. Might make him a bit more tired at the end of the day.

[Pointguard]

Hand-checking isn't something that makes it impossible to drive. The defender just isn't allowed to keep his hand on the offensive player. We could flip your argument and say Jordan is an overrated defender because he was allowed to hand check whereas the current era isn't.

Jordan was the strongest SG so he definitely benefited from the rule.

[Dizzle-2k7]

its not just hand checking its the overall softness of the calls that refs make. we need refs who will be consistent and let players play tough, honest defense.

[Pointguard]

This is a point I've made many times. I have often been a defender of older eras, but we can't have our proverbial cake and eat it too. If it were tougher to score in older eras because of hand checking, then that means it was easier to defend also because of hand checking. Going by the logic of the OP and many supporters of that theory, if hand checking is the great game changer some people make it out to be, then good defenders of that era would struggle today without having that "crutch" just as great scorers of this generation would struggle back then with it being present.

Blocking shots was easier in the handcheck days because players were fighting to get to the rim and the slowing down meant the center could get to the shot. It's one of the reasons I think KG was one of the best defenders ever. The Celtics kept everybody out of the lane that year and this was without the handcheck rule to slow players to the basket. Had Thibes and KG teamed up in KG's prime '04 it would have been really impressive.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Most fans came away from Bron's 61 point game w/ the thought in mind that he is this amazing player that put on a “clinic” against a top 5 defense.

Lets be real:
- Bobcats' defense was trash
- they looked scared to play real defense on LeBron because they didn’t want to get called for fouls
- they don’t know how to double team / help someone that gets to the basket

I could keep going on. What will ESPN and NBA TV tell folks? LeBron's 61 is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Either way you look at it, these perimeter players today are producing these memories and moments under little if any physical resistance. I get the same feeling and thoughts when I see Kobe, Durant, and even my boy CP3. I have this thought all the time, with everyone. It sucks so bad because I really don’t think we can truly compare today’s perimeter players to past perimeter players unless they blow past perimeter players’ production clean out of the water. Last years ECF, where Paul George looked afraid to put real contact on Lebron was another reminder that there is no real defense being played today.

[Quickening]

[QUOTE=kuniva_dAMiGhTy]Most fans came away from Bron's 61 point game w/ the thought in mind that he is this amazing player that put on a

[Dizzle-2k7]

Before the current era, flopping was never used by superstars.. but now it is by guys like Lebron, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, etc.

[NumberSix]

People don't actually know what a hand check is, huh?

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Clyde Drexler (who frequently tears down his OWN peers), talked about how “you had to start the play with your back to the defender because there was so much handchecking going on.” Of course ESPN wouldn’t make their audience (ISH posters) aware of that fact.

[HoopsFanNumero1]

Jordan mythologists acting like he didn't benefit from some of the most blatant ref favoritism in the history of the sport

[NumberSix]

Jordan mythologists acting like he didn't benefit from some of the most blatant ref favoritism in the history of the sport

Jordan actually only shot 1 free throw in his entire career and it was a technical. They never called fouls, even if he got hit in the face. Jordan had it tough.

Back then, you could smash a guys face in, and it wasn't even a foul. I mean, imagine an era where you could do something as drastic as breaking a guy's nose without a foul being called.

[aj1987]

Jordan mythologists acting like he didn't benefit from some of the most blatant ref favoritism in the history of the sport

Actually, Jordan once got shot by Laimbeer when he tried to drive for a dunk. The refs called an offensive foul on Jordan. It wash that tough to score back then.

[Prometheus]

cool story.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

I can not take MJ Era seriously because of lack of zone. Nostalgia on this board is ridiculous. If you hate the current era so much stop watching.

[KirbyPls]

I'm just thankful MJ didn't end his career paralyzed or with Parkinson's like Ali. MJ never got the benefit of the whistle.