Id like to ask the people who dont accept that defense is worse now a question.

[Kblaze8855]

Not that anyone cares but let me change my Vince as the only active player left from then(2002) to include Tyson Chandler, Jamal Crawford, and Gasol. That would have bugged me if I didnt say so.

[DMAVS41]

When the issue is one league vs another one with almost no common elements(Vince Carter and 3 head coaches still active) relative to the league isnt really the issue. Of course the Mavs and Kings had great offense relative to the league. The best. But scoring a lot less than teams do now....which impacts the productivity of the players. Which is largely the point.

You couldnt hold those teams to anything close to 100 a night playing in 2019.

I agree with you, but points per game just isn't the metric one should use...it is offensive rating.

And, yes, that was my point about the Mavs...I think they had like the 80th best offense of all-time in 04 according to offensive rating, but we all know...at least those that lived it...know that scoring on a per possession basis was way harder back then...and when you account for the conditions...there is an argument that it might actually have been the best regular season offense ever.

All the evidence one needs is to look at the league average offensive rating for the early 00's compared to now...and that should end any issue at all with this.

Not even sure what the issue is.

Are there actually people saying that defense is just as good now as it was in the early 00's?

[Kblaze8855]

Quite a few yes. But even more numerous are the people doing straight up statistical comparisons of players as if they don

[Bronbron23]

Defense is not worse. Offense is just better. The spacing nowadays is just much better than what it used to be. Everyone has multiple deadly shooters who take a lot of 3s. This opens up the court and puts the defense in a compromised position. Protecting the rim is much less valuable. Shaq would be a huge defensive liability in this era. He might not be playable at times.

And this is where you should hand in you basketball card. Saying Shaq wouldn't be playable is just dumb. Yeah he would have a tough time on switches against gaurds but his competition would have a much harder time stopping him. The warriors would be a prime Shaqs main competition in this era but who in the hell on the warriors would be able to stop Shaq? Her absolutely destroy them. Especially with how defences are more spread out because of the threat of the three ball. It be barbeque chicken all day.

[NBAGOAT]

[QUOTE=Kblaze8855]Quite a few yes. But even more numerous are the people doing straight up statistical comparisons of players as if they don

[DMAVS41]

[QUOTE=Kblaze8855]Quite a few yes. But even more numerous are the people doing straight up statistical comparisons of players as if they don