“I’m very disappointed that he said something so stupid,” NBA legend Dominique Wilkins spews hot fire towards JJ Redick for controversial Stephen Curry and Larry Bird take
Dominique Wilkins blasts JJ Redick for his controversial comments take on Stephen Curry and Larry Bird, and their respective eras.
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Dominique Wilkins and JJ Redick via Getty Images
NBA legend Dominique Wilkins has hit out at former player JJ Redick for his recent comments regarding the physicality of basketball during different eras. Redick had suggested that the current era, exemplified by the likes of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, is more physical when compared to the era in which Wilkins and Larry Bird played. He based his reasoning on the Warriors superstar’s more difficult off-ball movement in every game.
The former NBA player said, “When I watch Steph Curry off the ball in a playoff game getting grabbed and held by Marcus Smart, they’re attached to him at all times.” He further added, “But then, when I watch Larry Bird come off a pin-down, and no one’s within five feet of him and they’re shooting the gap, you’re telling me one is more physical than the other? You’re telling me that’s more physical than Steph Curry being grabbed and held for 48 minutes?”
In response to this, in an interview with ESPN, Wilkins said, ““Redick doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. What basketball were you watching to say something as idiotic as that? It’s ridiculous.“
He went on to say, “When you can put your hand on a guy and make him go a certain way, you can put the elbow in his chest to slow him which we called slowing the guy up when he was coming down the lane. How many guys can deal with that type of pressure? And for JJ Redick who’s played this game, I am very disappointed that he said something so stupid.”
Wilkins went on to say that the physicality of the game during the 1980s and 1990s was unparalleled, and that players like Bird and Michael Jordan had to endure much more punishment than their modern-day counterparts.
Redick is yet to respond to Wilkins’ comments, but it is clear that the debate over the physicality of different eras of basketball is far from settled.
Related: “Same s**t,” Russell Westbrook’s Clippers joining gets brutal take from JJ Redick
NBA considers new rules to tackle load management issue and promote fair play
The NBA has been grappling with the issue of load management for several years now, and it appears that the league may finally be ready to take action. Load management refers to the practice of resting star players during the regular season in order to keep them fresh for the playoffs. While many teams and coaches defend the practice as a necessary strategy to prevent injuries and ensure long-term success, critics argue that it is unfair to fans who pay top dollar to see their favorite players in action.
Now, according to recent reports, the NBA is considering implementing new rules that would discourage load management. Among the proposals being considered are fines for teams that rest healthy players during nationally televised games, as well as new guidelines for injury reporting and player rest. The league is also reportedly considering requiring teams to provide more detailed information about player injuries and rest to the league office and the media.
While the NBA Players Association has pushed back against some of these proposals, arguing that they could be harmful to player health and autonomy, many fans and analysts have welcomed the league’s efforts to address the issue. With the NBA season set to kick off in just a few weeks, it remains to be seen what, if any, new rules will be put in place. However, it is clear that load management will continue to be a hot-button issue for the league in the months and years to come.
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Ritvik Malhotra
(1085 Articles Published)