Let's discuss the turning point. It's obvious than ever, traditional bigs nearly declined from elite. Do you love it or hate it?
Here's my take on it. I love post game, I loved how Sabonis, Shaq, P. Ewing, Duncan dominated the paint, I grew up watching them. There's less post game now. But there's common misconception with these changes. It's not like post game will extinct, there will be bigs who post ups and maybe even post up alone (even if shooting will be at high demand), but they will be forced, like you do it or die, to play flexible D, guarding all the half court (switching, stepping out, ect). People tend to confuse the demand of shooting as the main and necessary condition in position - less era, but it lies at defensive end. You either can guard perimeter as a big, or not. Another thing, not only dominant, but agile bigs will survive, but we also get to see more wings and guards posting up. At first, it's weird, but you get to see more skilled and more mobile player to post up. Let's agree we all enjoyed Jordan's and Kobe's post game in the mid rage area, that was extremely beautiful. So, yeah, it's a loss to see less post ups from bigs, but it won't extinct completely, and we get to watch smaller, more skilled players post up more.
Another thing, new trends, NBA getting softer and taking down hand check rule, has something to do with players getting injured. I kinda can justify, let's agree most injuries happen in the paint, into contact, I love contact BB and love that EL is tougher than NBA, but one of my favourite players in Kleiza and D-Mo screwed their careers because of back injuries. Thus I justify NBA getting softer and more skilled, rather than tougher and less skilled.
Lastly, I agree with Barkley, that new trend a bit overdoing with forcing bigs to shoot threes. Dirk, KD were extremely good shooters, like super standouts, but current bigs do not shoot the ball well. Towns last 2 seasons shoots 34%, 36.7%, Embiid 30%, 32%, Porzingis this season 34%, Jokic 32%, A.Davis 30%. So it's not like bigs now suddenly shoots like guards, there's only few like that. IMO, the key of the trend is that bigs are agile and can move their ass at D, they can shoot a little bit more, but that shouldn't be overestimated, and also (very important) they can play within the flow more than ever, like putting the ball on the floor, passing the ball, facilitating.
So that's my take, I'm more position-less optimist than pessimist, I think it's great not to see slow center standing in the paint all game long, and to see extremely agile and mobile team D is a great fun, and to watch more skilled bigs is fun too. Just 7 footers shouldn't get crazy with shooting, specially when you do it with 30%.
Here's the fun series of famous players and BB people talking on the decline of the big men in the NBA -
Here's my take on it. I love post game, I loved how Sabonis, Shaq, P. Ewing, Duncan dominated the paint, I grew up watching them. There's less post game now. But there's common misconception with these changes. It's not like post game will extinct, there will be bigs who post ups and maybe even post up alone (even if shooting will be at high demand), but they will be forced, like you do it or die, to play flexible D, guarding all the half court (switching, stepping out, ect). People tend to confuse the demand of shooting as the main and necessary condition in position - less era, but it lies at defensive end. You either can guard perimeter as a big, or not. Another thing, not only dominant, but agile bigs will survive, but we also get to see more wings and guards posting up. At first, it's weird, but you get to see more skilled and more mobile player to post up. Let's agree we all enjoyed Jordan's and Kobe's post game in the mid rage area, that was extremely beautiful. So, yeah, it's a loss to see less post ups from bigs, but it won't extinct completely, and we get to watch smaller, more skilled players post up more.
Another thing, new trends, NBA getting softer and taking down hand check rule, has something to do with players getting injured. I kinda can justify, let's agree most injuries happen in the paint, into contact, I love contact BB and love that EL is tougher than NBA, but one of my favourite players in Kleiza and D-Mo screwed their careers because of back injuries. Thus I justify NBA getting softer and more skilled, rather than tougher and less skilled.
Lastly, I agree with Barkley, that new trend a bit overdoing with forcing bigs to shoot threes. Dirk, KD were extremely good shooters, like super standouts, but current bigs do not shoot the ball well. Towns last 2 seasons shoots 34%, 36.7%, Embiid 30%, 32%, Porzingis this season 34%, Jokic 32%, A.Davis 30%. So it's not like bigs now suddenly shoots like guards, there's only few like that. IMO, the key of the trend is that bigs are agile and can move their ass at D, they can shoot a little bit more, but that shouldn't be overestimated, and also (very important) they can play within the flow more than ever, like putting the ball on the floor, passing the ball, facilitating.
So that's my take, I'm more position-less optimist than pessimist, I think it's great not to see slow center standing in the paint all game long, and to see extremely agile and mobile team D is a great fun, and to watch more skilled bigs is fun too. Just 7 footers shouldn't get crazy with shooting, specially when you do it with 30%.
Here's the fun series of famous players and BB people talking on the decline of the big men in the NBA -
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