The stats prove it was harder to get a dunk in the 80's

[3ball]

.
Year..... Shots..... Dunks....Shots Per Dunk

1988..... 165,439..... 5,727..... 28.89 <------ harder to dunk
1989..... 182,375..... 6,475..... 28.17
1990..... 192,942..... 7,011..... 27.52
1991..... 193,050..... 7,241..... 26.66
1992..... 193,401..... 8,122..... 23.81
1993..... 190,296..... 8,252..... 23.06
1994..... 186,948..... 8,515..... 21.96
1995..... 180,414..... 8,645..... 20.87
1996..... 190,675..... 8,468..... 22.52
1997..... 188,587..... 8,460..... 22.29
1998..... 189,544..... 9,318..... 20.34
1999..... 113,390..... 4,681..... 24.22
2000..... 195,228..... 8,325..... 23.45
2001..... 191,661..... 7,319..... 26.19
2002..... 193,256..... 8,439..... 22.90
2003..... 192,096..... 8,265..... 23.24
2004..... 189,805..... 8,120..... 23.38
2005..... 197,640..... 9,150..... 21.60
2006..... 194,310..... 8,640..... 22.49
2007..... 196,080..... 8,310..... 23.60
2008..... 200,490..... 9,270..... 21.63
2009..... 199,050..... 9,360..... 21.27
2010..... 201,000..... 8,790..... 22.87
2011......199,800..... 8,910..... 22.42
2012..... 161,220..... 7,320..... 22.02
2013..... 201,600..... 9,540..... 21.13
2014..... 204,180..... 9,030..... 22.61 <------ easier to dunk


The above data was retrieved from the Philadelpia 76'er media guides and Henry Pollack's statistical guide - links are at the bottom... Flpiii also verified the above data via the same sources here:

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...2&postcount=67

In the 80's, it was clearly much harder to get a dunk - it was basically two-pointer basketball, so the defense just crowded the paint - of course, the lack of spacing and resulting crowded paints were exacerbated by legal paint-camping and a more physical brand of basketball allowed by the NBA (i.e. hand-checking and other physical measures were legal.. and flagrant fouls didn't exist so there was zero culture of repercussion for physical play)

As you can see - in 1992, dunking became markedly easier as shots-per-dunk declined to the levels it remains at today - this is due to the Bulls championship in 1991, where the league was introduced to the triangle offense and spacing strategy previously unseen.. By the time the season started in 1992, many teams were copying aspects of the triangle, such as everyone cutting through after making the post entry pass, etc..


SOURCES for dunk data - Links to each Philadelphia 76'er Media Guide

1988... http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2lb0...8#.U_0tH_ldX2U
1989... http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=ra47s3&s=8#.U_0qN_ldX2U
1990... http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=29aw...8#.U_0sDPldX2U
1991... http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=qpikcz&s=8#.U_0tS_ldX2V
1992... http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=iwox8i&s=8#.VI_7OSvF_Ck
1993... http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=6i9zef&s=8#.U_02XvldX2U

1995... http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=316r...8#.VI_53SvF_Ck
1996... http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=j82vl1&s=8#.VI_5qyvF_Ck

Harvey Pollack's Statistical Guide.. 87'-05 (page 10)... http://www.nba.com/media/sixers/05-06SIX_p1-50.pdf

[navy]

You dont know what the word proof means.

Correct Statement:

The stats show that there were less dunks in the 80s. Here is my hypothesis on why that is....

[3ball]

You dont know what the word proof means.

Correct Statement:

The stats show that there were less dunks in the 80s. Here is my hypothesis on why that is....

Less dunks in the 80's and less dunks in the early 2000's too - just like the 80's - the early 2000's was known for physicality hitting a peak, which is why the rules got changed in 2005.

The rules got changed because the early 2000's had started to look like two-pointer basketball of the 80's with the paint congestion, but WITHOUT the skill (the NBA's best losing to Euroleague 7 times on the biggest stage).

Those were the final years of the old rules and the only time Lebron shot 41.7% FG, 48% TS, and 99 ORtg in 2004, worse than 40-year old MJ did against the exact same defenses in 2002 and 2003.

[navy]

Less dunks in the 80's and less dunks in the early 2000's too - just like the 80's - the early 2000's was known for physicality hitting a peak, which is why the rules got changed in 2005.

The rules got changed because the early 2000's had started to look like two-pointer basketball of the 80's with the paint congestion, but WITHOUT the skill (the NBA's best losing to Euroleague 7 times on the biggest stage).

Those were the final years of the old rules and the only time Lebron shot 41.7% FG, 48% TS, and 99 ORtg in 2004, worse than 40-year old MJ did against the exact same defenses in 2002 and 2003.

Using fresh out of high school Rookie stats to make a point?

3ball my dude.

[Rose'sACL]

Those were the final years of the old rules and the only time Lebron shot 41.7% FG, 48% TS, and 99 ORtg in 2004, worse than 40-year old MJ did against the exact same defenses in 2002 and 2003.

you forgot to mention that lebron was a rookie straight out of high school in 2004. Same for wade and melo.

here is the truth:
The close outcome of 2000 and the humiliating results of 2002 prompted a number of NBA superstars to agree to join the team for the FIBA Americas Championship 2003, which the squad was required to participate in to qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics. The team easily cruised to a first-place finish, earning it a spot in Athens, Greece the following summer.

However, the dominant team that competed in 2003 could not be kept together. Nine of its 12 players elected not to participate in Athens. The revamped 2004 team consisted of some young NBA stars early in their careers, such as Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, but also included recent Most Valuable Players Tim Duncan and Allen Iverson. The team was coached by Larry Brown.


so a team made of rookies and a coach which hated playing rookies is the fault of the young players.
how many time would you like to be ethered in a single day?

[3ball]

Using fresh out of high school Rookie stats to make a point?

3ball my dude.

It's just one of the ways we know previous era players were better - consider this - I planned on making a thread comparing stats for Westbrook and MJ, and I couldn't even make it, because Westbrook's early career stats are so abysmal.

Same thing with Durant, Lebron, Wade, ALL THESE GUYS.

None of these guys came into the league knowing how to produce at an elite level and win games - but Jordan did, because he learned all the fundamentals at North Carolina, just like ALL the players back then..

But now, it takes guys 5-6 years to reach the same level Jordan, Bird, and Magic were at RIGHT AWAY, their first game itl - now are we to assume that once they finally get there in year 6, that Bird, Magic and company haven't ALSO gotten better and moved on??... So really, today's player is just being taught the game all wrong, and other than exceptions, it's producing inferior players across the board that can never catch up.
.

[RepMe]

There were probably less dunks in the 40s. GOAT defensive era?

[navy]

It's just one of the ways we know previous era players were better - consider this - I planned on making a thread comparing stats for Westbrook and MJ, and I couldn't even make it, because Westbrook's early career stats are so abysmal.

Same thing with Durant, Lebron, Wade, ALL THESE GUYS.

None of these guys came into the league knowing how to produce at an elite level and win games - but Jordan did, because he learned all the fundamentals at North Carolina, just like ALL the players back then..

But now, it takes guys 5-6 years to reach the same level Jordan, Bird, and Magic were at RIGHT AWAY, their first game itl - now are we to assume that once they finally get there in year 6, that Bird, Magic and company haven't ALSO gotten better and moved on??... So really, today's player is just being taught the game all wrong, and other than exceptions, it's producing inferior players across the board that can never catch up.

Jordan made the playoffs with a 30-52 and record you are talking about knowing how to win right away.

[RightTwoCensor]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qza0NYSfXw

[Jameerthefear]

Those stats actually prove that that was a weak ass era full of unathletic white boys. Next.

[sd3035]

inferior athletes

[Rose'sACL]

It's just one of the ways we know previous era players were better - consider this - I planned on making a thread comparing stats for Westbrook and MJ, and I couldn't even make it, because Westbrook's early career stats are so abysmal.

Same thing with Durant, Lebron, Wade, ALL THESE GUYS.

None of these guys came into the league knowing how to produce at an elite level and win games - but Jordan did, because he learned all the fundamentals at North Carolina, just like ALL the players back then..

But now, it takes guys 5-6 years to reach the same level Jordan, Bird, and Magic were at RIGHT AWAY, their first game itl - now are we to assume that once they finally get there in year 6, that Bird, Magic and company haven't ALSO gotten better and moved on??... So really, today's player is just being taught the game all wrong, and other than exceptions, it's producing inferior players across the board that can never catch up.

yes, i remember that jordan who came into the league and got bulls to 40+ wins in every season.
also, why do you credit college instead of just age? lebron's stats got better and better as he aged. elite players always benefit more from playing in the nba than in college. it is the non-elite talent that needs more playing time of college. garnett and lebron seem to have done very well.
if you want to credit college then take stats from the time lebron would have entered the league after 4 years in college.

[3ball]

Those stats actually prove that that was a weak ass era full of unathletic white boys. Next.

Dunks declined in the early 2000's back down to 80's levels, right around the time the NBA was about to change the rules/make it easier because the game had gotten too congested and physical.

Dunk frequency has fluctuated - i.e guys were dunking in 1995 more than they do today.
.

[Rose'sACL]

It's just one of the ways we know previous era players were better - consider this - I planned on making a thread comparing stats for Westbrook and MJ, and I couldn't even make it, because Westbrook's early career stats are so abysmal.

Same thing with Durant, Lebron, Wade, ALL THESE GUYS.

None of these guys came into the league knowing how to produce at an elite level and win games - but Jordan did, because he learned all the fundamentals at North Carolina, just like ALL the players back then..

But now, it takes guys 5-6 years to reach the same level Jordan, Bird, and Magic were at RIGHT AWAY, their first game itl - now are we to assume that once they finally get there in year 6, that Bird, Magic and company haven't ALSO gotten better and moved on??... So really, today's player is just being taught the game all wrong, and other than exceptions, it's producing inferior players across the board that can never catch up.
.

lebron, durant, prime wade, garnett, kobe would all be top 5-6 players in any era. all of them came out of high school or 1 and done. stop talking like college does anything for good players that nba can't.

[Trollsmasher]

Those stats actually prove that that was a weak ass era full of unathletic white boys. Next.

inferior athletes

/thred