Does the NBA stink?

Not laughing, Thomas, just honestly asking. FWIW, he's my all-time favorite player in any sport.

I just think some of the current players came up seeing his dunks on SportsCenter and it may have rubbed off in a negative way.

 

you tell me otis. is MJ a vick or a montana? what do you think?

 

Jordan didn't ruin things any more than Dr. J did before him, and Elgin and Oscar before him, etc etc.

When Magic and Bird came into the league, half a decade before Jordan, we were all told this was going to lead a renaissance of fundamentals and team play, that all of a sudden, passing and team play was going to become "cool."

Apparently about 25 years worth of players must have missed the memo.

 

It's a complicated question. Athletically, he was a Vick. But he also had the intangibles, leadership and desire to win and be the best that made Montana great. That's why I think we'll never see another player like him in the NBA.

Put a gun to my head -- he was a Montana; because to call him a Vick is disparaging, and it's impossible to disparage anything MJ ever did on a basketball court.

 

that entire 25 years worth of players had better send bird and magic one very large thank you card. without them, nobody woulda been watching mike do his shit.

 

So then do you blame ESPN for what the NBA has become? For hyping MJ's showmanship, and not his ability to win and play an all-around great game?

 

fuck otis, that was great stuff. thanks for the reply. i love hearing what others see in legends, even though we might envision things differently.

for me, mike had hops, period, as far as god-given athletic ability is concerned. (for me) he was the defensive player he was because he had balls, not athletic ability. he had to work on his jumper ... he had great instincts, which i don't think can be contributed to athleticism. again, for me, mike was montana ... which is as good a compliment as i can give.

 

The dreadful state of today's NBA game relaly hit home the first time I caught an old playoff game on ESPN Classic, about five or six years ago while in a hotel (we don't get Classic on our cable service).

It was like an epiphany watching that game. I think it was Celtics-Suns in the Finals circa 1974. It was poetry in motion with good flow, great passing, good defense without the tackling and shorts-grabbing, nice shot slection and good halfcourt game mixed with terrific transition game.

Most sports, particularly pro football and the NHL thanks to the European influence of the last 30 years truly have continually progressed over the years. Not the NBA. It is horrible abnd a shell of its own self.

Better athletes today? Across the board, yes, but that is irrelevant. Better athletes, worse team play. If athleticism is all that mattered, then quite keeping score and just have dunking contests 82 times a year for teams, intermixed with timed shuttle runs, vertical jumping contests, bench presses, basketball throw for distance, etc.

One more thing---there is not one active player today that can hold a candle to Pistol Pete when it comes to sheer entertainment and pure basketball skills. Even today's ego ballhogs would stop and applaud Maravich were he still around playing.

 

And then dunk on his ass on the other end of the court. As great as he was offensively, the Pistol was equally abysmal on defense.

 

Ellis---good point. Pistol's abysmal defense would make him a better fit for stardom in the NBA than he was 30 years ago. Thanks for helping me make my point.

 

fucking great point otis, although i think this clutch dude holds some future potential on this board.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence, sort of, Tom Petty. Are you still "runnin' down that dream?"