Charles Barkley says Bad Boy Pistons would "break" Stephen Curry. No, they wouldn't.
They couldn't break John Stockton, Kevin Johnson and Mark Price, all smaller than Curry.
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OT: Barkley says the bad boy Pistons would break Stephen Curry. No they wouldn't.
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Charles Barkley says Bad Boy Pistons would "break" Stephen Curry. No, they wouldn't.
They couldn't break John Stockton, Kevin Johnson and Mark Price, all smaller than Curry.
I thought his arguments were stupid. He placed modern day Steph curry and modern day NBA rules against 80s players. He said Steph Curry is 6’2” and 195 and then listed heights and weights of players in the 80s. Steph Curry is bigger now because of better training and nutrition. So he either needs to make those players bigger or Steph curry smaller. He then talked about how bill lambier couldn’t guard in space etc when Barkley was clearly talking about 80s rules. I don’t disagree that Steph Curry wouldn’t be good in any era, I just thought the points he made were really dumb.
It was brutally physical back then. Many cheap shots.
It all depends upon which rules we’re playing by. If we’re playing by the 80s and 90s defensive rules ….where a TON more perimeter hand-checking and physicality was allowed … then, yeah, teams like the Bad Boy Pistons and Riley Knicks would be beating Steph up and leaving nightly bruises.
But they’d be fouling out by halftime if they played that way under today’s rules.
But they’d be fouling out by halftime if they played that way under today’s rules.
The bottom line is you just can’t compare eras. Officiating changes, styles of play change, weight training and nutrition change, hell even sneakers change. I mean Wilt played in Chuck Taylors for crying out loud.
The most you can hope for (in any sport) is to be one of the best in your respective era. Do that and you will be considered an all-time great. But nobody can say with certainty that Tyler Ulis would have smoked Ralph Beard if they both played in the same era. We simply don’t know and never will.
The most you can hope for (in any sport) is to be one of the best in your respective era. Do that and you will be considered an all-time great. But nobody can say with certainty that Tyler Ulis would have smoked Ralph Beard if they both played in the same era. We simply don’t know and never will.
Steve Kerr survived it. Curry would have as well.
I mean it’s a good chance Steph wouldn’t be Steph in that era because PGs didn’t have the freedom that they have today .
Just like Giannis wouldn’t be Giannis back than off the fact that his coach would jsbe handcuffed him from playing the way he plays today .
Just like Giannis wouldn’t be Giannis back than off the fact that his coach would jsbe handcuffed him from playing the way he plays today .
I think Steph would’ve had a career in that era but I don’t think he’d be considered an all time great, the greatest shooter, or have all his rings. Might be bias or whatever but I just don’t see todays players who complain about everything under the sun and sit out of games for paper cuts doing well back in that era. I remember looking up box scores in college (8 years ago) to see how the ex cats were doing in the play offs and LeBron had a DNP for a “sore big toe.”
People were more resilient back then across all spectrums of society and I don’t think anyone who grew up in modern America would enjoy life or prosper growing up back then. Again, could be bias but that’s my take.
People were more resilient back then across all spectrums of society and I don’t think anyone who grew up in modern America would enjoy life or prosper growing up back then. Again, could be bias but that’s my take.
I don't find Curry to be a whiner and he is unbelievably good. He would be successful in any era.
Guys that would struggle in different era are those who complain about everything. It would get in their heads, JMHO.
Guys that would struggle in different era are those who complain about everything. It would get in their heads, JMHO.
Just like Barkley would t be Barkley and Jordan wouldn’t be Jordan in todays NBA. It’s why you can’t compare eras. Completely different games.
Curry couldn’t have played in past times. All of these guys are soft. The NBA isn’t even fun to watch anymore.
NO player would put up the numbers back then that they could put up today. That works both ways. The defense was just allowed to be way more physical in those days. But when you have range out to about 38 feet you can play in any era.
Jordan wouldn't be Jordan? I have to disagree about that one.
Jordan might average 50ppg in today’s game.
Trevor Ariza almost snatched Curry's soul.. he would not survive the 80s. His ankles barely survived his first few years in today's NBA.
In the 80’s I agree, they would mentally break him for sure. Just nightly beatings would take a toll on a player not used to that IMO. Too much money involved now for that to happen they would all get suspended.
Pretty easy IMO. He would get 40 nightly very easily. He would shoot 20 FT’s a game. He would probably shoot more 3’s too which he very rarely did. He wasn’t a sniper but if he really wanted that part of his game to shine he would shoot 35-36% on a decent number of attempts and that would boost it even more.
I think Barkley would shine in todays game along with Jordan. Laxed defensive and Barkley was dominate on the boards very undersized back then. Today he would be a perfect small ball forward. People forget the kind of athlete he was back then. Very good handle for a big man too.
Steph would still get 30
He gets guarded tighter than any player I've ever witnessed, it's amazing the shots he still gets
I think he would be fine but I question if his body would hold up. That’s it.
Steph would still be a great shooter, just wouldn't have had a long career unless he became another version of his dad, Kerr and others who were spot up shooters.
His drives to the goal would have ended up with him hammered and laughed at when he cried.
Remember, these Pistons made Jordan gain 10-15 pounds of muscle in one off season to beat them.
Steph would have been a great shooter, but not the complete player he is now.
His drives to the goal would have ended up with him hammered and laughed at when he cried.
Remember, these Pistons made Jordan gain 10-15 pounds of muscle in one off season to beat them.
Steph would have been a great shooter, but not the complete player he is now.
I don't think anyone who didn't watch that era night in and night out could possibly understand how physical the game was. If you were fouled, you were really fouled. It wasn't just a jersey brush or a little hand check. You got hammered. The only way technicals were truly called is if punches got thrown.
Curry would most likely have thought about it a bit before driving the lane. The paint is where those types of teams tried to punish you.
Charles Barkley says Bad Boy Pistons would "break" Stephen Curry. No, they wouldn't.
They couldn't break John Stockton, Kevin Johnson and Mark Price, all smaller than Curry.
I remember seeing fist fights in the 80s and nobody got ejected.
I don't like the NBA either...
That said, if his daddy could avg 16ppg in '89-'90 (he did) then Steph would have killed it.
Curry is one of the greatest players in NBA history...period.
That is true, but that's about the only time you ever saw a tech get called if it did. And usually it had to be a bad one.
@KFuqua
So you tell me exactly how it is that Thomas, Dumara, Stockton and all these other slight of build guards survived the '90's and a guy who can pull up from 35 ft and make threes couldn't.
You can't....I am not even a Curry fan, but the guy is incredible at the game.
So you tell me exactly how it is that Thomas, Dumara, Stockton and all these other slight of build guards survived the '90's and a guy who can pull up from 35 ft and make threes couldn't.
You can't....I am not even a Curry fan, but the guy is incredible at the game.
For anyone who didn't go watch the Bad Boys E60 or whatever ESPN did. Really shows you what they got away with.
Shows the time Robert Parrish threw 3-4 haymaker chops on Laimbeer (no tech by the way). Also shows the Jordan Rules (Jordan drove, hit hit the floor). Also shows Jordan knowing he had to bulk up and get stronger even though he was already insanely good.
Also with all the whining in the NBA now, could you imagine a talker like Rodman or Oakley and how easily they'd get in peoples heads??
Sounds like wishful thinking. Iverson survived the back end of it and he weight 170 pounds on his best day.
Ive always noticed players always adjust thier games to the type of play being allowed by officials. I feel most of todays guys would have as well if they had played in Barkleys time
I don't disagree that he's incredible in today's game. But today's game is very different from the game that those guys played. Regardless of if they had a slight build or not, they earned their way into the league and were very successful in that era. I just don't know that Curry could do the same.
Rodman would dominate with his trash talk. Dude was a disruptor.
Jordan would average 40 points a game in the modern NBA. He'd get 15 points a game just from the free throw line. He'd also develop a three point shot because the way the game is played. It wasn't needed in his era.
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AI was a different breed man. He didn’t care about getting hurt. He would have thrived in that era.
Steph Curry would be great in any era. People just have to understand that the style of play was different in the late 80s and into the 90s. There wouldn't be 6 or 7 guys averaging over 30\gm like there are now. Points would've been more difficult for everyone to come by.
Not sure I follow...
Just using Thomas as a comp PG from '80's.
He was #2 pick overall, after 2 years at IU. Started day one as a 20 year old. Detroit was meh for two years and then went to playoffs years 3-5 making no noise really; started awesome run years 6-8.
Curry was #7 pick overall, after 3 years at Davidson. Started day one as a 21 year old. GS was pretty terrible for 3 years and then went to playoffs years 4-5 making little noise; started historical run in year 6.
Seems pretty similar to me....
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