20 Reasons Why the NBA Was Better in the '90s

[JellyBean]

The 80s NBA was better. They had well rounded teams, better rivalries, and team play. The 90s NBA gave way to the individual player. I mean watching teams like the Pistons and Bucks rise up in the 80s was awesome. The Pistons taking on Bird and the Celtics in their prime, as well as the Lakers with their stacked squad. The 80s NBA was better.

[SamuraiSWISH]

my niqqa zo!!!!!

Dat midget Jeff Van Gundy doe

[Jameerthefear]

this NBA is the best. it's my era.

[senelcoolidge]

this NBA is the best. it's my era.

That sucks. You missed out on the real NBA.

[Nevaeh]

That list is spot on.

A few more reasons:
- NBA Inside Stuff with Ahmad Rashad was REALLY entertaining
- NBA Commercials we're awesome
- Lots of basketball oriented movies were out (celtic pride, white men cant jump, blue chips, he got game, etc)

Not to mention those cool autobiography VHS tapes for different players, that actually celebrated their unique contributions to the League. Also can't forget the Hair styles back then either, like Hi top fades, unique custom designs, Bald heads becoming the norm, etc.

Back then, guys were able to flaunt their swag and be proud of it. Now players seem to be almost guilt tripped into not showing any personality, for fear of what it may do to their "Brand".

[Nevaeh]

The 80s NBA was better. They had well rounded teams, better rivalries, and team play. The 90s NBA gave way to the individual player. I mean watching teams like the Pistons and Bucks rise up in the 80s was awesome. The Pistons taking on Bird and the Celtics in their prime, as well as the Lakers with their stacked squad. The 80s NBA was better.

It may have seemed that way on the surface, but that was more due to how the League was promoting itself, more so than what actually happening during a game. I went back and watched some old Bulls games from the early 90s, and they were as well oiled a team machine as anybody back then.It's just that ESPN and other sports networks began making it all about the points being scored that begin to shape that perception.

Even in Jordan's 3 point "Shrug Game" from the 92 Finals, he was dishing timely passes left and right to Pip, Pax and the rest of the guys. Those plays simply don't get shown though, because they're considered "boring".

[iDunk]

No diva's.

[SamuraiSWISH]

It may have seemed that way on the surface, but that was more due to how the League was promoting itself, more so than what actually happening during a game. I went back and watched some old Bulls games from the early 90s, and they were as well oiled a team machine as anybody back then.It's just that ESPN and other sports networks began making it all about the points being scored that begin to shape that perception.

Even in Jordan's 3 point "Shrug Game" from the 92 Finals, he was dishing timely passes left and right to Pip, Pax and the rest of the guys. Those plays simply don't get shown though, because they're considered "boring".

Exactly, even his late 90s games. MJ got his 30 ppg in the flow of the offense. After '89, with the steady emergence of Pippen ... he played off the ball the rest of his career. That's also why he's a more well rounded player compared to Kobe, and LeBron. Whose catch and shoot abilities, or ability to slash without the ball isn't near as good as Mike.

Team play was very prevalent in the 90s. The league began more heavily marketing individual stars after MJ left. They needed to fill that void. But teams played with more rapport. I also like how teams, and coaches stuck around longer on one team. Developing better chemistry. Fans knew not just a team's main star player, but the subsidiary players were just as recognizable.

The selfish individual play took more precedence in the 2000s. With a generation of players trying to replicate MJ's glorified statistics, and they do most of their damage ball in hand. Just look at the majority of LeBron's career, he pounded the rock in hand for the majority of the possession.

MJ could've easily went for 60+ in that game 1 of the '92 Finals, btw if he really wanted to. He missed half of the 2nd quarter that game, had 35 in 15 minutes, and wasn't forcing much of anything. He wasn't taking the ball down court himself and selfishly gunning. Then in the 2nd half blow out he barely played, and didn't look to score near as much.

[CelticBaller]

That sucks. You missed out on the real NBA.

[FindingTim]

the league is at a good place right now, but the 90's definitely had personality. Not just the slick kicks, but the players--

just off the top of my head:MJ, Hakeem, Malone, Barkley, Payton, Kemp, Stockton, Pippen, Dikembe, Reggie, Ewing, Hardaway, Mullin, Penny, 'Zo, D-Rob, Price, K-Johnson etc.

not to mention fun-to-watch, sub-superstar players like: Mashburn, G-Rob, Rod Strickland, Rik Smits, Rodman, Sabonis, Van Exel, Eddie Jones, Steve Smith, Glen Rice, Mookie!! etc.

But at the same time, you could make a pretty solid list of today's players.

SamuraiSWISH sums it up very well above: teams had more rapport. Outside of MJ, there seemed to be more focus on team identity rather than individual players' identity (like today's league)

But really, the difference comes down to one word: centers.

[SamuraiSWISH]

team identity

Forgot about this too, summarized it perfectly.

[Nevaeh]

Team play was very prevalent in the 90s. The league began more heavily marketing individual stars after MJ left. They needed to fill that void. But teams played with more rapport. I also like how teams, and coaches stuck around longer on one team. Developing better chemistry. Fans knew not just a team's main star player, but the subsidiary players were just as recognizable.

MJ could've easily went for 60+ in that game 1 of the '92 Finals, btw if he really wanted to. He missed half of the 2nd quarter that game, had 35 in 15 minutes, and wasn't forcing much of anything. He wasn't taking the ball down court himself and selfishly gunning. Then in the 2nd half blow out he barely played, and didn't look to score near as much.

I just looked up the stats to that game, and Jordan actually had 11 assists, more than the 6 or 7 that I actually thought it was. Here's his stat line.

39 points (35 in first half, NBA record)
6-10 from 3pt range
11 assists
2 steals
1 TO
1-1 FT

What was amazing for me were two things; the lack of freethrows (or the need for freethrows), and how he did most of this damage in the first half, just to prove a point to the media regarding the Clyde Drexler comparisons, who back then was more well known for his 3point shooting abilities (clyde went 0-2 from 3 this game, BTW).

If it's any wonder why guys from the 90s try and down play what Jordan to them back in the day, look no further than games like this.



http://www.basketball-reference.com/...206030CHI.html

[SHAQisGOAT]

The 80s NBA was better. They had well rounded teams, better rivalries, and team play. The 90s NBA gave way to the individual player. I mean watching teams like the Pistons and Bucks rise up in the 80s was awesome. The Pistons taking on Bird and the Celtics in their prime, as well as the Lakers with their stacked squad. The 80s NBA was better.

Best decade/era.

[sc19]

90s was terrible. It was bad and noncompetitive enough for Jordan to actually win rings coming from losing like crazy in the 80s.

[KOBE143]

Actually, it was a watered down era.. If not for Kobe who save that era in the late 90s, that era would be the worst on par with the 60s.. NBA was better in the 00s because it was the best era of basketball, most commonly known by fans as the Kobe era..