Classic NBA Video and Discussion Thread

[Andrew]

I can't disagree!

Of course, longevity, especially at a high level, should be acknowledged and celebrated. But Karl Malone has more points than Kobe Bryant. Mark Jackson has more assists than Magic Johnson. That's not to take anything away from those numbers as accomplishments, but when you play significantly more games, you're in a position to tally higher totals.

[Dee4Three]

Next they introduce 4 point shots or even 5...and players would make them on a regular basis.

From the regular three point line, teams are shooting 13.4 for 37.5 on the season (.359%).

99-00 three point percentage: .353%
00-01 three point percentage: .354%
01-02 three point percentage: .354%
04-05 three point percentage: .356%
05-06 three point percentage: .358%
06-07 three point percentage: .358%
07-08 three point percentage: .362%
08-09 three point percentage: .367%
09-10 three point percentage: .355%

Teams/Players are not shooting better three point percentage wise, even going back 25 years. They are shooting a higher volume, and are still shooting an average of the same percentage even with more lax defensive rules, which includes landing space fouls (discouraging hard contests) and freedom of movement.

Moving the line out or adding a 4 or 5 point line makes no sense from a talent standpoint (you would just see more bricks go up, and it would hurt the sport even more).

[Leander]

I checked team statistics earlier today before reading your post. I am surprised that today's teams aren't that much better than in 1995...about 1.5%...yet, teams attempts more than twice as many 3 pointers now.
18% of all field goals were from behind the arc in 1994 or 1995...now it is close to 40%....and average scores are higher by 10 points.

The playstyle is totally different...so much space in between players now, 1 player in the paint, one halfway in the 3 point area, 2 or 3 waiting behind the 3PT line...in the 90s, there was a bulk of tall guys crowding the paint...

Anunoby showed that you can guard shooters as he had two blocks against the Hornets.

It would be interesting how basketball would change if the NBA removed 3pointers completely...every shot worth 2 points plus FTs.
How would teams play with such a change?

[Dee4Three]

I don't want the three point shot to go anywhere, I love it, I think it's a great part of basketball.

I, as well as countless others (Look at all the complaints about todays state of hoop) think that it's not being used correctly (at all levels), and the overuse of it has hurt the sport in a big way. It's killed the variety, it's killed aspects of skill development, it's created a less exciting product on the NBA level.

But I love me some threes, don't get me wrong. I love the way it was utilized in the 2000s and early 2010s.

[Leander]

I finished watching Knicks vs. Heat 1999, checked some stats...and came across Ewing's BPG in 1989/90...then checked who won defensive player of the year in that year: Dennis Rodman. But why?
https://www.basketball-reference.com/aw ... l#all_dpoy

Shouldn't it be about SPG and BPG? Rodman had 0.6 SPG, 0.7 BPG and below 10 RPG which is not much compared to his later RPG numbers. Olajuwon had 2.1 SPG, 4.6 BPG, 14 RPG...shouldn't he have won DPOTY?

[Chino]

I just watched the 2004 Detroit Vs Lakers Finals Game 5 on Youtube. They have upscaled the quality and the game was definitely different compared to now. Defense is definitely different. Mid-range was utilized well. Crazy though how it does not feel like it was 20 years ago!!

[Andrew]

I'm going to have to go back and watch it. As Dee and I were talking about on the podcast, a lot of channels are uploading full games, though I almost don't want to promote them lest they get taken down. Generally speaking though, punch in a date and the teams involved, and you'll find a lot of stuff on there. Here's hoping the NBA continues to be cool about it, or finally launches better on-demand historical content. And yeah, twenty years does only feel like yesterday, where once it seemed like ancient history!

[mp3]

Yeah I have to agree mate I've linked classic knicks games in the past on knicks forums and stupidly contributed to them probably being taken down, I spend alot of time watching classic games from the mid 90s to the mid 2000s is the era i enjoy the most but I dare not mention online games to search for now but there are so really good quality games on there right now.

[Andrew]

YouTube downloaders are also an option, so long as you've got the space for offline video storage!

[Chino]

I just looked who posted the video that I watched and it was the Detroit Pistons Official Youtube channel.

But yeah definitely don't want to contribute getting these videos flagged/taken down but downloading them is definitely a great option.

[Andrew]

That's true, the NBA channel has posted some of them as well. I wish they'd post more of them; again, it's not like they're making the entire library available on-demand, so regular uploads of classic games would be appreciated. Kind of like what the WWE Vault channel is doing, actually!

[Leander]

Seen this game? Insane quality, 4k... Bulls @ Jazz, game 6 of the 1998 Finals:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyJ6GyC4Yng

[Andrew]

Ooh, bookmarked!

[Andrew]

Nique is called for the walk on the Euro Step. Perfect example of rule changes facilitating new moves that older generations could've done, but couldn't get away with.

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[mp3]

Did anyone else used to watch This week in the nba shown on CNN?

I used to record each weeks show on a VHS video tape until I'd filled the whole thing lol

This along with Pontel nba videos and Sky TVs coverage was my go to until 96 when UK tv picked up more coverage

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[mp3]

I think I have to agree with Haywood I think Dirk and the mavs run to come out the west and beat Miami was probably the hardest run a team has had to face.

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[Andrew]

Obviously I was hoping the Bulls would go all the way in 2011, but when that didn't happen, Dirk and the Mavericks winning felt like the next best thing!

I don't think we got This Week in the NBA here, but definitely looks like a good wrap-up show, a la NBA Action.