Just how weak were the late 90's?

[PHILA]

Apr 24, 1997

The league has become simply too boring to watch.

At least that's the conclusion drawn by one of the NBA's legendary stars, Wilt Chamberlain, who, as always, had a few other observations about the league during a recent visit to New York.

Wilt Chamberlain, one of the game's legends, says the NBA has become a boring league dominated by endorsement-driven athletes. "The public-relations guys have sold us all a bill of goods," Chamberlain said. "They're the real stars of the league."

"The best part of the game", he said, "is the commercials, in which players hustle and play defense -- two things fans rarely see in actual games. The league would have us believe these guys walk on water," said [Wilt Chamberlain], who averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds during his 14-year career with the Philadelphia and Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers. "The truth is, they're really just walking in mud."

[DoctorP]

Apr 24, 1997

The league has become simply too boring to watch.

At least that's the conclusion drawn by one of the NBA's legendary stars, Wilt Chamberlain, who, as always, had a few other observations about the league during a recent visit to New York.

Wilt Chamberlain, one of the game's legends, says the NBA has become a boring league dominated by endorsement-driven athletes. "The public-relations guys have sold us all a bill of goods," Chamberlain said. "They're the real stars of the league."

"The best part of the game", he said, "is the commercials, in which players hustle and play defense -- two things fans rarely see in actual games. The league would have us believe these guys walk on water," said [Wilt Chamberlain], who averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds during his 14-year career with the Philadelphia and Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers. "The truth is, they're really just walking in mud."

It's true.... all of it.

[PHILA]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vnQ7c1y-vM

[Hey Yo]

That time period featured the continued failure of the much hyped 90's generation (Shaq, Penny, LJ, Kemp, Payton, Mourning, Marbury, Iverson, KG, Webber, Hill, Robinson, Kidd etc..) to take the torch away from the remnants of the 80's Golden Age generation (Jordan, Pippen, Ewing, Stockton, Malone, Olajuwon, Drexler, Rodman, Barkley etc...)

How much winning / team success did the bolded above achieve when they first came into the league? How many of them went to 1 of the 6 expansion teams (from 1988-96) early in their careers like Mourning, Shaq, LJ, and KG? You have your list of 90's hyped up so-called "failures" when the bolded above went through the exact same thing at some points of their careers.

The league hoped those new players would become the face of the league, begging winning titles and creating rivalries like those players from the 80's did, NEVER HAPPENED!!! Aside from a few odd years, the 80's guys took turns whipping on the 90's hip hoppers!

BREAKING NEWS:.....Vetern players/teammates take turns whipping on expansion teams and historical shit franchises who have multiple rookie contracts making up their starting 5!!

The only reason there were rivalries in the 80's was because there was no such thing as free agency until the summer of 1988. Stars stayed with their teams cause they weren't getting traded unless it was a really bad situation between ownership and player or it was mutual.

Thus what was left from 1997 to 1999?, 5 original dream teamers in the downside of their careers (Jordan, Pippen, Malone, Stockton and Robinson) dominating the league while winning more than they ever did before.

What did Stockton, Malone and Robinson win?

[feyki]

Apr 24, 1997

The league has become simply too boring to watch.

At least that's the conclusion drawn by one of the NBA's legendary stars, Wilt Chamberlain, who, as always, had a few other observations about the league during a recent visit to New York.

Wilt Chamberlain, one of the game's legends, says the NBA has become a boring league dominated by endorsement-driven athletes. "The public-relations guys have sold us all a bill of goods," Chamberlain said. "They're the real stars of the league."

"The best part of the game", he said, "is the commercials, in which players hustle and play defense -- two things fans rarely see in actual games. The league would have us believe these guys walk on water," said [Wilt Chamberlain], who averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds during his 14-year career with the Philadelphia and Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers. "The truth is, they're really just walking in mud."

[DoctorP]

Fundamentals were also at an all-time low at the time. GMs favored athleticism. Things have balanced out lately.

[Smoke117]

Fundamentals were also at an all-time low at the time. GMs favored athleticism. Things have balanced out lately.

How exactly have they balanced out? GMs have and will always favor athleticism over fundamentals. You can teach fundamentals...you can't teach athleticism.

[ArbitraryWater]

Do you see the guys who make All NBA now? Joachim Noah, Dwight Howard, Marc Gasol. These guys couldn't hold a candle to some of the guys you mentioned. Deandre Jordan made 3rd team, and has 0 moves and can only catch alley-oops.

Dwight Howard is one of the 40-50 greatest players ever..

[DoctorP]

How exactly have they balanced out? GMs have and will always favor athleticism over fundamentals. You can teach fundamentals...you can't teach athleticism.

I think GMs have realized that you need a better balance of athleticism and skills for a prospect and not just athleticism.

[3ball]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vnQ7c1y-vM

The 80's and 90's were a cakewalk compared to what Wilt faced in the 60's.. But the 2000's and 2010's were a cakewalk compared to the 80's and 90's..

It's an empirical fact that since the league began in 1949, the NBA has made the rules softer and softer as the years have progressed - they've continually made it easier on the players to appease the fans.

In the 80's and 90's, the paint was less congested than the 60's and 70's.. However, the 2000's and 2010's see literally NO congestion - today's 3-point shooting/spacing and defensive 3 seconds keep the paint literally empty on a perpetual basis.

Furthermore, perimeter defense in today's game is hands-off - hands-off defense means there is league-mandated SPACE between defender and ballhandler on the perimeter...

The mandatory space that perimeter defenders must give ballhandlers, along with lower physicality, and spacing/wide open lane make today's game the weakest, softest, and most diluted version of the game we've seen yet, by far.

[Hey Yo]

Amare Stoudemire made 1st team All NBA in 06-07 with 20.4/9.6 and awful defense.

Let that sink in for a second.

Maybe that's why the NBA made 'All NBA defense teams' separate??

[Asukal]

Apr 24, 1997

The league has become simply too boring to watch.

At least that's the conclusion drawn by one of the NBA's legendary stars, Wilt Chamberlain, who, as always, had a few other observations about the league during a recent visit to New York.

Wilt Chamberlain, one of the game's legends, says the NBA has become a boring league dominated by endorsement-driven athletes. "The public-relations guys have sold us all a bill of goods," Chamberlain said. "They're the real stars of the league."

"The best part of the game", he said, "is the commercials, in which players hustle and play defense -- two things fans rarely see in actual games. The league would have us believe these guys walk on water," said [Wilt Chamberlain], who averaged 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds during his 14-year career with the Philadelphia and Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers. "The truth is, they're really just walking in mud."

So ILt got bored and decided to die instead?

[Asukal]

The 80's and 90's were a cakewalk compared to what Wilt faced in the 60's.. But the 2000's and 2010's were a cakewalk compared to the 80's and 90's..

It's an empirical fact that since the league began in 1949, the NBA has made the rules softer and softer as the years have progressed - they've continually made it easier on the players to appease the fans.

In the 80's and 90's, the paint was less congested than the 60's and 70's.. However, the 2000's and 2010's see literally NO congestion - today's 3-point shooting/spacing and defensive 3 seconds keep the paint literally empty on a perpetual basis.

Furthermore, perimeter defense in today's game is hands-off - hands-off defense means there is league-mandated SPACE between defender and ballhandler on the perimeter...

The mandatory space that perimeter defenders must give ballhandlers, along with lower physicality, and spacing/wide open lane make today's game the weakest, softest, and most diluted version of the game we've seen yet, by far.

This is why I can't take what you say seriously. You know nothing 3ball stfu.

[3ball]

This is why I can't take what you say seriously. You know nothing 3ball stfu.

I played D1 ball against many NBA players, whereas you've never played.

Here are the empirical facts - since the league began in 1949, the NBA has made the rules softer and softer as the years have progressed.. They've continually made it easier on the players to appease the fans.. This isn't disputable.

In the 80's and 90's, the paint was less congested than the 60's and 70's.. However, the 2000's and 2010's see literally NO congestion - today's 3-point shooting/spacing and defensive 3 seconds keep the paint literally empty on a perpetual basis.

Furthermore, perimeter defense in today's game is hands-off - hands-off defense means there is league-mandated SPACE between defender and ballhandler on the perimeter...

The mandatory space that perimeter defenders must give ballhandlers, along with lower physicality, and spacing/wide open lane make today's game the weakest, softest, and most diluted version of the game we've seen yet, by far.

[3ball]

.
Show me where today's game has the physicality, paint-camping, or lack of spacing seen here:






Otoh, penetration is an automatic, built-in component of today's game, due to the spaced-out, wide open driving lanes and hands-off perimeter defense - the result is an easy, drive-and-kick.. Boring AF: