The NBA has changed a lot over the years, especially when it comes to how physical the game is. The league has made many rule changes to protect its players from injuries and to make the game more fun to watch.
But not everyone likes the way the game is played today. Some former players and older fans miss the 90s era of basketball, when the game was more rough and tough. They think that the game has gotten too easy and that it has lost some of its skill and charm.
One of those players who loved playing in a more physical game was Kevin Garnett, the Hall of Famer who won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008. Garnett recently had a chat with NBA commissioner Adam Silver and asked him if the league would ever think about bringing back hand checking, a defensive move that let defenders use their hands to stop offensive players. Hand-checking was outlawed by the league in 2004 as part of its plan to increase scoring and reduce contact.
Silver’s answer was clear: he doesn’t want to go back to the 90s style of basketball. “There was a point, I believe, you know probably in the late nineties when the game became too physical,” Silver said. “I think for our fans, we lost some of the aesthetic enjoyment of the game. It de-emphasized the particular skill a player had and maybe weighted too heavily on physicality, where a big, strong player could come in and prevent an incredibly skilled player from doing those kinds of things.”
Adam Silver points to Curry as an example of skill over physicality
Silver used Stephen Curry, the star guard of the Golden State Warriors, as an example of what can happen when a player’s skills are free and physicality can’t hold him back. Curry is one of the best shooters and ball handlers ever. He has changed the game with his range, accuracy, and creativity. He has won three titles and two MVP awards with the Warriors.
Silver said that Curry is a player who wouldn’t have been able to shine in the 90s era of basketball, when defenders could use their hands to slow him down or knock him off balance. He said that Curry is a player who shows the beauty and artistry of the game and that he draws millions of fans around the world.
But Silver’s praise for Curry also means a diss for another legendary player: Michael Jordan. Jordan is widely seen as the best player ever and one of the most skilled and dominant players ever. He won six titles and six MVP awards with the Chicago Bulls in the 90s.
Silver may have his reasons for wanting this kind of basketball, but he should also respect the history and achievements of those who played in a different era. The 90s NBA physicality may not be his thing, but it was definitely a part of basketball history that many fans will never forget.
In Case You Missed:
