<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Scottie Pippen:</div><div class="quote_post">In the era when Michael played, it was a physical game. Defense was promoted. Guys took pride in it. Today defense is no longer a part of the game. Guys are driving to the basket. There are rules where you can't step in front of them. To me, it is taking away from the game seeing a guy like Tony Parker taking advantage of the rules. He is shooting 55 percent from the field. That says something about the game itself. In the history of the NBA, I'm sure a point guard has never led the league in field goal percentage. It's a different game now. It's really not about being tough and physical because the NBA isn't a physical game anymore. When you talk about how the Knicks and Bulls used to battle in the early '90s, the Oakleys, and Pat Ewings, the Masons, and how they would have the ability to use their hands to put you in a trap position. There is no way you can even triple team a guy now and stop him. Any contact is a foul. I can't compare the two players because I see it as two different games. If I'm guarding Kobe Bryant in today's game, I couldn't be the defender I was known as.</div> http://www.nba.com/blog/blog30.html
I like Pippen probably one of my favorite bball players off all time but I disagree, I think Kobe could have done the same in Jordans era. I think defense is better nowadays, with the zone rules. I donno I might be wrong though but didnt team average more points per game before then they do now?!?
I'm not sure what the ppg for teams was back in Pippens prime, but I can assure you the last two years the League has made a concerted effort to speed the game up to make it more fun to watch. Also, Pippen needs to get off his Knee's if you kno what i mean
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting xclutchx:</div><div class="quote_post">I like Pippen probably one of my favorite bball players off all time but I disagree, I think Kobe could have done the same in Jordans era. I think defense is better nowadays, with the zone rules. I donno I might be wrong though but didnt team average more points per game before then they do now?!?</div> Actually for a guy like Kobe the Zone rule, has little effect...the Zone made to stir you into taking jumpshots, But over the years with Kobe's shot devloping the way it has, the type of jumpshot looks he gets in a zone, is easy for him. A zone is more effective against a scorer like Dwayne Wade or Lebron James then a guy like Kobe. And as for Pip's comments, the hand checking rule is the biggest difference in the two eras. You cant put your hands on a guy out on the perimeter now adays without picking up a tick tack foul. But if you ask any quality perimeter defender during the 90's, what was a key secret to their defensive success they would tell you it was the fact that they were able to control which direction a offensive player moved with that hand check, so no hand checking in today's NBA makes a guy like Kobe or Lebron un able to be contolled off the dribble. Everybody thinks that defense is better now adays because scoring is down. That is so far from the truth, the reason why scoring is was the way it was during the early to mid-90's, was because the league was a more uptempo style were teams had more then one or two go to offesive weapons with more offesive possessions for both teams. But now teams dont really have those type of quality third, fourth or fifth scorers, so the pace of the games are actually slower, in that regard. Because most coach's want to limit game possessions, so most team walk the ball up and feature an offense of only one or two bigtime scorers, and play to the end of the 24second clock, that is with the exception of a few teams like of course a Phoenix. So people think the defense is better now, that not the case, the game possesions are down, is the real reason.
