If Embiid and Jokic had to run the center gauntlet in 1995 how many get outpayed?

[hateraid]

It all depends on what team they're on.

Embiid on the 95 Sixers would have been a statistical monster but the team is competing in a physical conference with no other front court help and no true PG. He would have dominated but not made the playoffs.

Replace him on the Bulls they may have won a title and Embiid the MVP.

[TheGoatest]

I'll put it like this: Embiid and Jokic would do a hell of a lot better against Hakeem, Drob, Shaq, Ewing, Mourning, and Mutombo than Mitch Richmond, Reggie Miller, Latrell Sprewell and John Starks would do against perimeter players of the 2010s.

[jayfan]

Based on what logic?

Jokic just destroyed the league in rebounding. Usually need to be tough, stout, long and savvy to do that. Which clearly he is. Cant think of many great rebounders who arent good defenders.

The guys you listed are not pulling him out to the perimeter to be chased around screens all game. So I dont see what the problem is.

Andre Drummond, for one. Horrible defender. (not that it matters to the discussion).

[SouBeachTalents]

Dikembe frankly doesn’t belong in this discussion, he’s not remotely close to the offensive capabilities of the others. And while an elite player, Zo is not in the class of the others either.

Of the remaining 6, Ewings the worst, esp the ‘95 version, then Embiid would prob be 5th.

If forced to rank the rest, I’d prob go

Hakeem
Shaq
Robinson
Jokic

But if you wanted to rank Jokic higher, I wouldn’t disagree.

[FultzNationRISE]

Probably then eating each other up and everyone else even when faced with great defense?

I get that, but in the sense of him faring any worse than the rest of the lot on defense, I dont see it. Not sure what Ewing or Shaq can do around the basket that Jokic cant. Obviously in today’s game all big men are gonna be targeted and the perimeter is their weakness. But by the previous eras standards? Jokic shouldnt have any problems being a quality defender.

[Kblaze8855]

The rest of that lot? It’s five of the greatest defenders ever and Shaq. Not mostly for man to man reasons but defensively in general? He’s comfortably behind 5 of them isn’t he?

Not that it means they would light him up….but I don’t see him keeping any of them the least bit in check. His being there wouldn’t be a factor for any of them far as what they can get done. Not in the way all of them would have to get up for a Hakeem or Drob defensive matchup. Or Ewing for that matter. He’d just get his right back. Maybe a 95 finals situation where it’s remembered as Hakeem kicking Shaqs ass but you look into it he got his as well kinda thing.

Hes roughly the same caliber of player as some of them(clearly above the least of them). I’m just saying he’s not presenting any defensive issues for them. He’s top 2-3 on offense in that group and bottom 2 on D I think we would all agree.

[Full Court]

Shaq and Hakeem would eat Embiid and Jokic for lunch. I'd favor Robinson too. I could see them outplaying Ewing, Mourning, and Mutombo though, but it would be an interesting matchup.

[RogueBorg]

Ewing peaked in the early 90's, but '95 his play started to dip a little.

I agree.

[RogueBorg]

Based on what logic?

Jokic just destroyed the league in rebounding. Usually need to be tough, stout, long and savvy to do that. Which clearly he is. Cant think of many great rebounders who arent good defenders.

The guys you listed are not pulling him out to the perimeter to be chased around screens all game. So I dont see what the problem is.

On a scale of 1 to a 100 where would rank Jokic defensively in the paint?

[FultzNationRISE]

The rest of that lot? It’s five of the greatest defenders ever and Shaq. Not mostly for man to man reasons but defensively in general? He’s comfortably behind 5 of them isn’t he?

Not that it means they would light him up….but I don’t see him keeping any of them the least bit in check. His being there wouldn’t be a factor for any of them far as what they can get done. Not in the way all of them would have to get up for a Hakeem or Drob defensive matchup. Or Ewing for that matter. He’d just get his right back. Maybe a 95 finals situation where it’s remembered as Hakeem kicking Shaqs ass but you look into it he got his as well kinda thing.

Hes roughly the same caliber of player as some of them(clearly above the least of them). I’m just saying he’s not presenting any defensive issues for them. He’s top 2-3 on offense in that group and bottom 2 on D I think we would all agree.

Thats right. My point was he’s not the sitting duck people were suggesting. He plays better D than Shaq Id wager, and I think you also have to ask how much the fact 90’s centers rarely got dragged away from the basket helped enable them to be so dangerous on the interior. It’s a different game now. Jokic of course is not Hakeem or DRob level but if he goes back to the 90s he definitely gets a boost to his already solid level. I wouldnt see any reason for a big gap to exist between him and say, Ewing

[FultzNationRISE]

On a scale of 1 to a 100 where would rank Jokic defensively in the paint?

Strictly in the paint?

Depends how you rank such things. Is Amare Stoudemire a 65? Is it like school tests where you dont actually bother to go below a certain level, you just mark it a failure?

Or is Stoudemire, like, a 15?

[Xiao Yao You]

In 1995 Embiid's career would have been short. They weren't babied back then.

[Mask the Embiid]

[Full Court]

I'm no Gobert fan, but you can cherrypick clips like that for any player. How many DPOY awards has the guy won?

[Mask the Embiid]