Was the NBA truly better back then or are we all just nostalgic?

[RidonKs]

Yeah, better has definitions... if we're talking top talent individually, 1990's win... but right now, the stars are sorted in a way that there's as many title contenders as never before.

there has been an entrance of a ton of talent these past few years

wiggins
towns
parker
embiied?
giannis
davis

i'm sure others will also emerge. as lebron and dwight and paul and alrdidge wind down their prime, we have the star point guards in irving and curry and wall taking the next step, not to mention leonard and cousins and westbrook griffin durant etc

the league is in excellent hands right now. and considering the down slump was kobe and duncan and garnett prime years, i don't think the nba is in bad shape in general lol

[ArbitraryWater]

there has been an entrance of a ton of talent these past few years

wiggins
towns
parker
embiied?
giannis
davis

i'm sure others will also emerge. as lebron and dwight and paul and alrdidge wind down their prime, we have the star point guards in irving and curry and wall taking the next step, not to mention leonard and cousins and westbrook griffin durant etc

the league is in excellent hands right now. and considering the down slump was kobe and duncan and garnett prime years, i don't think the nba is in bad shape in general lol

Its not, like I said, this decade has 9 players in the top 40 all time (future) that spent their prime here, and all the upcoming guys you just mentioned.. just all around strong.

[DonDadda59]

competition? Best its ever been... (best conference/era ever perhaps), recovered from the thin level at the top from 2008-2010.

There's never been a bigger discrepancy between the conferences since the merger.

http://www.sports-reference.com/blog...nce-disparity/



It's gotten to the point that the commissioner is thinking about effectively changing the playoff seeding process.

[RidonKs]

There's never been a bigger discrepancy between the conferences since the merger.

http://www.sports-reference.com/blog...nce-disparity/



It's gotten to the point that the commissioner is thinking about effectively changing the playoff seeding process.

right now as far as a viewing perspective, i don't mind seeing the best player in the league against the best team from the best conference year after year after year after year. and the way that best player's team is looking, this year is set up to be better than any other in recent history.

[ClipperRevival]

The talent nowadays is better than its ever been in human history, problem is all the rule changes and officiating has taken the physicality and the emotion out of the game. You can't touch anyone without a foul call and showing any emotion whatsoever gets you a technical foul.

My thoughts exactly. They have taken physicality and emotion out of the game, which I feel are part of the game. I miss the scuffles and rivalries built on trash talking and physicality. These guys are competing, you have to let them show some emotion and send some "sending a message" fouls once in a while.

[ClipperRevival]

In terms of the talent pool, I think it was incredibly strong starting around the mid 80's, when basketball really started to become popular and mainstream and by the late 80's, teams were already starting to scout for talent internationally. And after the Dream Team, the talent pool went fully global.

I have no idea how some can say the game was weak back in the late 80's/early 90's. Anyone who saids that probably never saw the game as it progressed to the present but were born after that time. So I don't think anyone can judge an era if you didn't live through it.

[HighFlyer23]

There is clearly a lack of the superstar player in today's league.

Lebron and Durant are the only two legit superstars. CP3 is a notch below and Harden and Curry are below CP3.

Its actually a transition period for the league as the late 90s and early 00s stars are either exiting their primes or on their way to retirement.

[TheMarkMadsen]

in the early to mid 2000's you had guys like 3 top GOAT players playing in their prime, plus you had 3 top 25 players playing in their primes

not to mention guys like Pierce, Webber, Nash, Kidd in their primes as well

[HighFlyer23]

in the early to mid 2000's you had guys like 3 top GOAT players playing in their prime, plus you had 3 top 25 players playing in their primes

not to mention guys like Pierce, Webber, Nash, Kidd in their primes as well

There were more big names and stars overall

Just compare the All Star roster's from 10 years ago in 2005 to today:

2005 All Stars:

West Roster:
Kobe Bryant
Tracy McGrady
Kevin Garnett
Tim Duncan
Yao Ming
Manu Ginobili
Amar'e Stoudemire
Ray Allen
Shawn Marion
Steve Nash
Dirk Nowitzki
Rashard Lewis

East Roster:
Allen Iverson
LeBron James
Vince Carter
Shaquille O'Neal
Grant Hill
Gilbert Arenas
Antawn Jamison
Dwyane Wade
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Jermaine O'Neal
Ben Wallace
Paul Pierce

vs.

2015 All Stars:

West Roster
James Harden
Klay Thompson
LaMarcus Aldridge
Russell Westbrook
Kevin Durant
Tim Duncan
Chris Paul
Stephen Curry
Kobe Bryant
Anthony Davis
Marc Gasol
Blake Griffin
DeMarcus Cousins
Damian Lillard
Dirk Nowitzki

East Roster:
LeBron James
John Wall
Kyle Lowry
Pau Gasol
Carmelo Anthony
Al Horford
Jeff Teague
Paul Millsap
Jimmy Butler
Kyrie Irving
Chris Bosh
Dwyane Wade
Kyle Korver

[SHAQisGOAT]

This "era" is better than other "eras, imo, so...

Still, 80's = GOAT era, when considering everything.

[andgar923]

Players are better in 'some' aspects, and the game is better in others.

But the game and players 'overall' were better back then.

You can see it from time to time, such as players today not knowing shit that was basic back then. Blake Griffin is a perfect example of this.

Blake Griffin is more versatile and athletic than Malone.

Blake can cross you over, he can jump over you, he has great body control for a player his size, but isn't as good as Malone.

Malone didn't have Blake's athleticism, body control, and ball handling. But he was more effective, knew how to use his body, and was mos def tougher.

Same with PGs.

They might be bigger and more athletic than some previous pgs, but they lack patience, IQ, court vision, etc.etc.

And YES more players can shoot from far away, the 3pt shot is a bigger weapon. But the in between game is basically forgotten.

[miles berg]

The league used to be much stronger, especially in the 80s.

[And1AllDay]

Maybe it's in my head, but players today just seem faster and more athletic.

[ArbitraryWater]

in the early to mid 2000's you had guys like 3 top GOAT players playing in their prime, plus you had 3 top 25 players playing in their primes

not to mention guys like Pierce, Webber, Nash, Kidd in their primes as well

thats 2 top 40-50 players... right now we have better players in their prime in BG/Harden/Russ/Curry AMONGSIDE 2 top GOAT players (Bron/KD< in the future) which equals Shaq/Duncan, but there aren't any top 15-25 guys besides Davis to stop Kobe/Dirk/Wade/KG

[andgar923]

Maybe it's in my head, but players today just seem faster and more athletic.

The rules are part of it.

And even then, that doesn't make the league better, otherwise the Spurs wouldn't have any rings, Love wouldn't have any rebounding titles, and James White would be an MVP front runner every season.