Has the Game Changed That Much? (since the 90's)

[housecall]

Last night while watching the Trail Blazers enilate the Bulls one of the analyst made the statement "there hasn't been a group of rookies thats made an immediate impact on their teams with 4 of them scoring in double digits this soon since the 1997-98 season.He went on to say that this new bunch of rookies are the first group since the nineties to live up to their billing or playing  at the level  expected of them.Both of the analyst went on to talk about how Mayo,Beasley,Rose and the surprise rookie Murray for GS have really got off to a great start in their NBA freshman season.They also spoke as if for the last 10years the NBA has produce 1 or 2 new real good rookies in a season but 10 or more were projected to be good.
 

[LarBrd33]

I'm just being realistic here.  I remember those days as fondly as everyone else.  But we're talking about back when the "Oklahoma City Thunder" were still being called the "Seattle SuperSonics" and back before the NBA used instant replay on a limited basis.   Different time, different game... not your older brother's NBA anymore.   Walker wouldn't survive with today's Greg Odens and Derrick Roses running wild.

Come on, Larry, you got burned by Chris and now you're trying to support your argument with Barack Obama, iphones, instant replay, and your overused line "it's not your older brother's NBA anymore." What do these things have to do with the atheltes in the NBA? Sometimes you just have to admit that you're beat. Sure, the athleticism in the NBA evovles over time, but Antoine was still averaging 19 points per game in 2004-2005, for God's sake! Are Al Jefferson, Delonte West, and Tony Allen, who all played for us in 04-05, part of your older brother's unathletic NBA?

Oh, and I remember the days of the Sonics very fondly, and also very vividly, because those days were last season!

You guys are in denial.  In Toine's day they didn't even have games in HD.  Watching some of that old grainy footage it's like looking through a portal to a different reality.

[Toine43]

I'm just being realistic here.  I remember those days as fondly as everyone else.  But we're talking about back when the "Oklahoma City Thunder" were still being called the "Seattle SuperSonics" and back before the NBA used instant replay on a limited basis.   Different time, different game... not your older brother's NBA anymore.   Walker wouldn't survive with today's Greg Odens and Derrick Roses running wild.

Come on, Larry, you got burned by Chris and now you're trying to support your argument with Barack Obama, iphones, instant replay, and your overused line "it's not your older brother's NBA anymore." What do these things have to do with the atheltes in the NBA? Sometimes you just have to admit that you're beat. Sure, the athleticism in the NBA evovles over time, but Antoine was still averaging 19 points per game in 2004-2005, for God's sake! Are Al Jefferson, Delonte West, and Tony Allen, who all played for us in 04-05, part of your older brother's unathletic NBA?

Oh, and I remember the days of the Sonics very fondly, and also very vividly, because those days were last season!

You guys are in denial.  In Toine's day they didn't even have games in HD.  Watching some of that old grainy footage it's like looking through a portal to a different reality.

Okay, so in 2008 there is better technology than there was a few years ago. So what? What does that have to do with the actual play on the floor? Give me a reason why this is not your older brother's NBA -- that actually has something to do with the players on the floor!

[Redz]

I'm just being realistic here.  I remember those days as fondly as everyone else.  But we're talking about back when the "Oklahoma City Thunder" were still being called the "Seattle SuperSonics" and back before the NBA used instant replay on a limited basis.   Different time, different game... not your older brother's NBA anymore.   Walker wouldn't survive with today's Greg Odens and Derrick Roses running wild.

Come on, Larry, you got burned by Chris and now you're trying to support your argument with Barack Obama, iphones, instant replay, and your overused line "it's not your older brother's NBA anymore." What do these things have to do with the atheltes in the NBA? Sometimes you just have to admit that you're beat. Sure, the athleticism in the NBA evovles over time, but Antoine was still averaging 19 points per game in 2004-2005, for God's sake! Are Al Jefferson, Delonte West, and Tony Allen, who all played for us in 04-05, part of your older brother's unathletic NBA?

Oh, and I remember the days of the Sonics very fondly, and also very vividly, because those days were last season!

You guys are in denial.  In Toine's day they didn't even have games in HD.  Watching some of that old grainy footage it's like looking through a portal to a different reality.

Me thinks LarBrd33 is holding the yarn in front of the kitty to see if it will play.

So far so good.

Meow meow meow

[Birdbrain]

Look I don't mean any disrespect to Walker.  He certainly was a good player in his heyday, but times have changed.  This isn't your older brother's NBA anymore.  Not just the NBA...  We're talking about a time before Obama changed the world and people still thought pygmy tasier's were extinct.  People didn't have iPhones back then and shows like TRL were still on the air.  

Sorry to say... Walker couldn't cut it these days.

I'm going to assume you're trying to be funny.  Not that I ever thought AW was that great but, he was on the cover of NBA Live.   

[Toine43]

I'm just being realistic here.  I remember those days as fondly as everyone else.  But we're talking about back when the "Oklahoma City Thunder" were still being called the "Seattle SuperSonics" and back before the NBA used instant replay on a limited basis.   Different time, different game... not your older brother's NBA anymore.   Walker wouldn't survive with today's Greg Odens and Derrick Roses running wild.

Come on, Larry, you got burned by Chris and now you're trying to support your argument with Barack Obama, iphones, instant replay, and your overused line "it's not your older brother's NBA anymore." What do these things have to do with the atheltes in the NBA? Sometimes you just have to admit that you're beat. Sure, the athleticism in the NBA evovles over time, but Antoine was still averaging 19 points per game in 2004-2005, for God's sake! Are Al Jefferson, Delonte West, and Tony Allen, who all played for us in 04-05, part of your older brother's unathletic NBA?

Oh, and I remember the days of the Sonics very fondly, and also very vividly, because those days were last season!

You guys are in denial.  In Toine's day they didn't even have games in HD.  Watching some of that old grainy footage it's like looking through a portal to a different reality.

Me thinks LarBrd33 is holding the yarn in front of the kitty to see if it will play.

So far so good.

Meow meow meow

   

[Toine43]

Why does this always happen to me? I have to stop being so passionate in my opinions and maybe I won't be suckered into any more fake arguments. Well that was wasted time I'll never get back.

[LarBrd33]

I'm just being realistic here.  I remember those days as fondly as everyone else.  But we're talking about back when the "Oklahoma City Thunder" were still being called the "Seattle SuperSonics" and back before the NBA used instant replay on a limited basis.   Different time, different game... not your older brother's NBA anymore.   Walker wouldn't survive with today's Greg Odens and Derrick Roses running wild.

Come on, Larry, you got burned by Chris and now you're trying to support your argument with Barack Obama, iphones, instant replay, and your overused line "it's not your older brother's NBA anymore." What do these things have to do with the atheltes in the NBA? Sometimes you just have to admit that you're beat. Sure, the athleticism in the NBA evovles over time, but Antoine was still averaging 19 points per game in 2004-2005, for God's sake! Are Al Jefferson, Delonte West, and Tony Allen, who all played for us in 04-05, part of your older brother's unathletic NBA?

Oh, and I remember the days of the Sonics very fondly, and also very vividly, because those days were last season!

You guys are in denial.  In Toine's day they didn't even have games in HD.  Watching some of that old grainy footage it's like looking through a portal to a different reality.

Okay, so in 2008 there is better technology than there was a few years ago. So what? What does that have to do with the actual play on the floor? Give me a reason why this is not your older brother's NBA -- that actually has something to do with the players on the floor!

Medical advancements.  Successful microfracture surgeries have produced far superior athletes nearly immune to injury.  Think of the bad guys in Space Jam.  Globalization of the game has strengthened a once watered-down league by injecting it with talented foreigners... guys like Darko Milicic, Johan Petro, and Kosta Koufos.  An age limit on the league prevents raw, immature players from infesting the talent pool and limiting the competitiveness of games... instead we have a league full of intelligent, competent and capable players with advanced skillsets... like Adam Morrison and J.J. Redick.  And in general the game that Walker once played has evolved and advanced.  Several rule changes would make this once familiar league alien to him... such as:  Rule 3 Section IV. a - Team Bench Clarification ... and Rule 5 Section VII. a - Clarification on Full Timeouts in Last Two Minutes.

Frankly... Walker wouldn't stand a chance.  He'd show up listening to Jarule on his 1st generation Ipod and confuse himself into comatose.  

[Redz]

Why does this always happen to me? I have to stop being so passionate in my opinions and maybe I won't be suckered into any more fake arguments. Well that was wasted time I'll never get back.

I dunno, Lar's been cracking me up pretty good

Maybe I'm just punchy.

I am actually interested in the notion of how much the game has changed in a relatively short period of time, but the "90's Antoine would be riding on square wheels in today's game" type stuff is pretty over the top humorous in my eyes.

[LB3533]

I think if any team was crazy enough to give Walker 40 minutes a night...he'd still be productive like he has always been through out his career.

It would just be ugly half he time.

Also, not sure he can log 40 minutes per night on a consistent basis anymore.

[Redz]

I think if any team was crazy enough to give Walker 40 minutes a night...he'd still be productive like he has always been through out his career.

It would just be ugly half he time.

Also, not sure he can log 40 minutes per night on a consistent basis anymore.

Think back to Dominique as a Celtic and you'd probably have a close picture. (and that might be wishful thinking)

[Toine43]

LarBrd33, I'm not going to forget this... 

[LB3533]

I think if any team was crazy enough to give Walker 40 minutes a night...he'd still be productive like he has always been through out his career.

It would just be ugly half he time.

Also, not sure he can log 40 minutes per night on a consistent basis anymore.

Think back to Dominique as a Celtic and you'd probably have a close picture. (and that might be wishful thinking)

That's a good example, except Antoine knows how to play the game without hops....Nique couldn't quite do it as he aged.

[cornbreadsmart]

defense. defense is a whole lot better than in the 80'S. THE 90'S certainly closed that gap but i think you see less defensive "specialists" now. now almost everyone has to be able to stay in front of their man or simply not see the court. i always laugh when baseball,football or hockey 1st people ALWAYS mention that nobody plays defense anymore in the nba. where the heck did this ever come from? has this EVER been true? i know that when i go back and look at 80's ball obe of the 1st things i notice is how much space everyone gives their man.

[PSquared]

Look I don't mean any disrespect to Walker.  He certainly was a good player in his heyday, but times have changed.  This isn't your older brother's NBA anymore.  Not just the NBA...  We're talking about a time before Obama changed the world and people still thought pygmy tasier's were extinct.  People didn't have iPhones back then and shows like TRL were still on the air.  

Sorry to say... Walker couldn't cut it these days.

Can you explain to me this obsession with iPhones?   

I mean what does this have to do with Antoine and how he would(would not) do in today's NBA as opposed to back in the day?