smackeddog wrote:

Nalod wrote:“The Last dance” in a sports starved world has become an event unto itself. Sport Center fawns over it with interviews and analysis! I’m enjoying the series and all with it.

Dave Blatt quote might clarify in the argument “Jordan vs. Lebron”.......he said “Lebron is a better athlete but Jordan better basketball player”. No doubt 6-6 in the finals all with one team and coach has helped the narrative.

I’m also enjoying the clarity of the era and the commentary. Not lost is a greater respect given for Phil the coach in what he injected to Jordan that unleashed the GOAT. Jordan by accepting made him the GOAT. The talent was never the issue. Wilt could not accept it and never achieved the status that he could have. Lebron run the finals is a testimony we will get to appreciate someday in the future.

As much crap as Krause is getting for breaking it up its insane Reinsdorf let it happen. Its been talked about in this era GM’s don’t carry that kind of clout.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2020/04/27/the-last-dance-phil-jackson-michael-jordan-philosophy/3023329001/

I feel so nostalgic for 90s basketball, watching that documentary- I do miss the physicality and the fights, it really helped build animosity and rivalries.

True. you also had star players stay with their teams. Core Lakers, Celtics, Pistons and Bulls, along with Knicks, Trailblazers and Jazz and Sonics all had core all stars stick with teams. This built identities and the subsequent tensions fans enjoyed.
Not just free agents, you have "disgruntled" players who want change. Human nature always remember things better than what they were,,,,,,,"The good old days"......."Make america great again".......

Allanfan20 wrote:I usually don’t like saying “ohh this guy would or wpuldn’t have survived in this era.... but Charles Oakley and also just about everyone on the Detroit Pistons besides maybe Isiah, back then, wouldn’t last 5 minutes in todays NBA.

No I think they might have - but they would have had to change their style of play.

Oakley, for instance, had great range on his jump shot. He could be a stretch 4 in today's game. He just, and he might not have been able to, knock off the stupid flagrant fouls.

Now - you're right to say a team like the Pistons probably wouldn't have been able to win as many games/championships as they did - too many fouls, to much manhandling and maybe not enough skill.

franco12 wrote:

Allanfan20 wrote:I usually don’t like saying “ohh this guy would or wpuldn’t have survived in this era.... but Charles Oakley and also just about everyone on the Detroit Pistons besides maybe Isiah, back then, wouldn’t last 5 minutes in todays NBA.

No I think they might have - but they would have had to change their style of play.

Oakley, for instance, had great range on his jump shot. He could be a stretch 4 in today's game. He just, and he might not have been able to, knock off the stupid flagrant fouls.

Now - you're right to say a team like the Pistons probably wouldn't have been able to win as many games/championships as they did - too many fouls, to much manhandling and maybe not enough skill.

Allanfan20 wrote:I usually don’t like saying “ohh this guy would or wpuldn’t have survived in this era.... but Charles Oakley and also just about everyone on the Detroit Pistons besides maybe Isiah, back then, wouldn’t last 5 minutes in todays NBA.

I don't disagree. You could say the same thing about the 90s Knicks. I think saying that is unfair though because these teams were designed for he times. I think if hand checking were legal in today's NBA teams like today's Rockets would be irrelevant too... so I really hate comparing how a team of one era would do in another era. If the legendary 76ers had the benefit of today's sports training in medicine they might have been unstoppable. Too hard to play with all those variables

Nalod wrote:

franco12 wrote:

Allanfan20 wrote:I usually don’t like saying “ohh this guy would or wpuldn’t have survived in this era.... but Charles Oakley and also just about everyone on the Detroit Pistons besides maybe Isiah, back then, wouldn’t last 5 minutes in todays NBA.

No I think they might have - but they would have had to change their style of play.

Oakley, for instance, had great range on his jump shot. He could be a stretch 4 in today's game. He just, and he might not have been able to, knock off the stupid flagrant fouls.

Now - you're right to say a team like the Pistons probably wouldn't have been able to win as many games/championships as they did - too many fouls, to much manhandling and maybe not enough skill.

Oak as stretch 4?

I'm not sure how to read your response.

I'm not trying to be sarcastic. Oak had, I thought, a really sweet jump shot. He was a bruiser who played tough. I think in today's NBA game, he wouldn't be able to play like that, but he had the nice outside shot that would translate to success. Take a look at his shooting % - I think the numbers bear that out.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/oaklech01.html

franco12 wrote:

Nalod wrote:

franco12 wrote:

Allanfan20 wrote:I usually don’t like saying “ohh this guy would or wpuldn’t have survived in this era.... but Charles Oakley and also just about everyone on the Detroit Pistons besides maybe Isiah, back then, wouldn’t last 5 minutes in todays NBA.

No I think they might have - but they would have had to change their style of play.

Oakley, for instance, had great range on his jump shot. He could be a stretch 4 in today's game. He just, and he might not have been able to, knock off the stupid flagrant fouls.

Now - you're right to say a team like the Pistons probably wouldn't have been able to win as many games/championships as they did - too many fouls, to much manhandling and maybe not enough skill.

Oak as stretch 4?

I'm not sure how to read your response.

I'm not trying to be sarcastic. Oak had, I thought, a really sweet jump shot. He was a bruiser who played tough. I think in today's NBA game, he wouldn't be able to play like that, but he had the nice outside shot that would translate to success. Take a look at his shooting % - I think the numbers bear that out.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/oaklech01.html

His shooting percentage was inflated becuase he did much close to the rim. he had a nice midrange shot. As a stretch his lack of lateral quickness wouild have been problematic guarding out there, his handle was limited and thus you can play him close and not worry about him blowing by. Oak was a lot of things but not a stretch. does not diminish what he did, his durability, his long career in an era that emphisized his talents. He benefited offensively next to Ewing for all those years.

Pistons.......Two time champs in an era where they rose post Lakers and celtics era and into the Bulls. Underated? mostly becuase of the era. They were not as good as the aforementioned and that gets them overlooked. How would they be today? They had different looks as they were huge or could go small ball. Rodman in his prime there under rated. He allowed them to do so much. A PF with quickness to guard 3 positions. He gave Bird fits. Isiah also underated. Not a fan of him but have to respect his game. He gave up stats to win on that team. Isiah Thomas personal life does not make him a person thats likable for many reasons and I hated he was our GM the day he was hired. He did it all and if not for the 1980 olympic boycott (Assuming we get gold) he would have had the rare trifecta of that, NCAA chip and NBA chips. Only League MVP and olympic gold are missing. Remarkable how he bended to Coach Knight who was hard on him but perhaps made him even that much better. That he did not walk out from the near abuse is to be admired. He was over shadowed by Bird, Magic and Michael. The 1994 dream team snub was warranted on a person level but basketball wise he should have been included. Jordan for all his greatness was ALSO a prick.

As far as Michael Jordan goes...GOAT, no question...but NO WAY do I believe that he didn't have anything to do with Thomas getting snubbed for the DREAM TEAM.