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- GTP_Royalton
I've wondered for quite some time now why LeBron James always seemd to score so easily. He always seemed able to just jog to the basket, dunk it, make a lay up or get fouled.
He averages 30 points a game but has average to poor shooting skills.
And at 6-8 and 260 lbs he's not that fast or agile, just strong
Also I've wondered why the NBA has gone small. Big tall shot blocking centers are going extinct in favor of fast, small teams. Were the NBA teams of the Jordan era not smart enough to use smaller, faster teams?
This video explained everything to me. The difference between the defenses of today, the 80s, and the 90s.
Getting rid of the hand check was like the NFL not allowing any contact after 5 yards. It helped the offenses tremendously. Before defense in the NFL was physical and tough in the secondary, now it's soft.
Also adding the 3 second rule has lowered the need for great centers. In Michael Jordan's era every single team had 1 and alot of them even 2 7'+ centers. But after the 3 second rule their usefulness was reduced dramaticly as they could not guard the hoop as well as they use to.
That's why the league has gone small and fast because the game is more wide open now, more of an offensive battle then defensive. That's why you had offensive teams like the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix suns pop up recently. There was no way you could score points like that back then.
I think the new rules were meant to make the game better and more exciting by adding more dunks etc but have back fired in making the jump shot a lost art. Now its all about running to the rim and trying to dunk or get fouled like LeBron James.
Now, especially after Shaq's bumping assault on the league, the refs are instructed to call foul mores and the play is alot less physical then what it use to be. Try and touch LeBron James as he charges the lane and you pick up a foul. In Joran's era they would hack you when you charged the lane to try and discourage it. That doesn't happen anymore
It's obvious why Michael Jordan used the fadeaway so much. He didn't lack the athleticism of Kobe Bryant or Le Bron James to charge the lane all the time (his vertical leap was 10" higher then Kobe's and 6" higher then LeBron's) it's the rules. The handcheck made it near impossible to drive to the basket. That's why he relied on the fadeaway.
Here is the best screenshoot from that video
Notice how the 3 second rule keeps the area below the basket clear. In Michael Jordan's era every team had a 7 footer OR TWO down there. Great ones too, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Hakim Olaijawon, David Robinson, Rick Smits, Shaquille O'Neal, Dikembe Mutombo etc etc. With the new 3 second rule they aren't needed anymore.
If Yao Ming played before the 3 second rule and the hand checking ban he would be a beast. But with modern rules his hands are tied.
Notice with the ban on hand checking that D'Wayne wade is free to move any way he wants and there is no restriction on what he can and can't do. In MJ's era every point guard was handchecked in the half court defense. It's wasn't a stroll in the park like you have now.
He averages 30 points a game but has average to poor shooting skills.
And at 6-8 and 260 lbs he's not that fast or agile, just strong
Also I've wondered why the NBA has gone small. Big tall shot blocking centers are going extinct in favor of fast, small teams. Were the NBA teams of the Jordan era not smart enough to use smaller, faster teams?
This video explained everything to me. The difference between the defenses of today, the 80s, and the 90s.
Getting rid of the hand check was like the NFL not allowing any contact after 5 yards. It helped the offenses tremendously. Before defense in the NFL was physical and tough in the secondary, now it's soft.
Also adding the 3 second rule has lowered the need for great centers. In Michael Jordan's era every single team had 1 and alot of them even 2 7'+ centers. But after the 3 second rule their usefulness was reduced dramaticly as they could not guard the hoop as well as they use to.
That's why the league has gone small and fast because the game is more wide open now, more of an offensive battle then defensive. That's why you had offensive teams like the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix suns pop up recently. There was no way you could score points like that back then.
I think the new rules were meant to make the game better and more exciting by adding more dunks etc but have back fired in making the jump shot a lost art. Now its all about running to the rim and trying to dunk or get fouled like LeBron James.
Now, especially after Shaq's bumping assault on the league, the refs are instructed to call foul mores and the play is alot less physical then what it use to be. Try and touch LeBron James as he charges the lane and you pick up a foul. In Joran's era they would hack you when you charged the lane to try and discourage it. That doesn't happen anymore
It's obvious why Michael Jordan used the fadeaway so much. He didn't lack the athleticism of Kobe Bryant or Le Bron James to charge the lane all the time (his vertical leap was 10" higher then Kobe's and 6" higher then LeBron's) it's the rules. The handcheck made it near impossible to drive to the basket. That's why he relied on the fadeaway.
Here is the best screenshoot from that video
Notice how the 3 second rule keeps the area below the basket clear. In Michael Jordan's era every team had a 7 footer OR TWO down there. Great ones too, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Hakim Olaijawon, David Robinson, Rick Smits, Shaquille O'Neal, Dikembe Mutombo etc etc. With the new 3 second rule they aren't needed anymore.
If Yao Ming played before the 3 second rule and the hand checking ban he would be a beast. But with modern rules his hands are tied.
Notice with the ban on hand checking that D'Wayne wade is free to move any way he wants and there is no restriction on what he can and can't do. In MJ's era every point guard was handchecked in the half court defense. It's wasn't a stroll in the park like you have now.
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