It feels like every single day that the Golden State Warriors just keep breaking records. With each passing day there’s another social media post or news story informing readers that the Warriors are now ahead of, even with or on pace to break records of the team they are constantly compared to, the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls who of course went a record breaking 72-10. The Warriors now appear set to smash through that mark. Until then and even once it comes to pass comparisons will continue.
Oscar Robertson kicked off a furore this week when the outspoken 77 year old went out on a limb, attacking the modern game in a tirade that caught the Basketball world by surprise (per ESPN).
“I just don’t think coaches today in basketball understand the game of basketball,” Robertson said. “They don’t know anything about defenses. They don’t know what people are doing on the court. [Curry] has shot well because of what’s going on in basketball today.
“… When I played years ago, if you shot a shot outside and hit it, the next time I’m going to be up on top of you. I’m going to pressure you with three-quarters, half-court defense. But now they don’t do that. These coaches do not understand the game of basketball, as far as I’m concerned.”
To address the obvious, Robertson is 77 and a legend of the game. The man can say anything he wants and has earned the right to do so. But that doesn’t mean he is right. Defense in the modern NBA have never been so intricate and the change in the hand check rules have made defending more of an art form than it has ever been. Bad defenders could get by in previous eras, they are played off the court now.
Ultimately though, that doesn’t matter. Different eras create different players, and those players inspire others for the next era. Michael Jordan inspired an era of poor imitators, who attempted to replicate his volume scoring in isolation but all seemed to forget his efficiency and simply didn’t have his talent. Rudy Gay is a prime example of the players his greatness inspired.
Steph Curry is the new revolution. Pure scorers like Curry and other stars like Kevin Durant will inspire millions around the world to replicate their truly one in a kind talents. Athletic playmakers are the players that complement them, like Russell Westbrook and Draymond Green (two very different but equally unique) and they will help define the era the NBA finds itself in now.
Cedric Ceballos has also called out Curry and the Warriors, claiming his 1993-94 Phoenix Suns would be able to beat them. Stephen Jackson even more laughably said his 2006-07 Warriors squad could beat the current version. The last statement is simply ludicrous, and is a good testament as to why ex-players don’t always make the best analysts. Jackson’s team may have beaten a #1 seed, but that same Warriors squad was still an #8 seed. They’d be lucky to win one game in a best of seven series against a historically good 2015-16 Warriors unit.
But what exactly is this fascination to crown current teams equal to, better than or simply “the new” version of past greats? The 1995-96 Bulls will go down in history as one of the best teams ever, maybe the very best for some. That team featured arguably the greatest player of all time (Michael Jordan), two of the best two way players in NBA history (Jordan and Scottie Pippen), the crazy talents of Dennis Rodman and a host of great role players. Why the comparisons though? Why is there such desperation to crown one or the other better?
Quite simply, there shouldn’t be. These are teams that played in different times, with different rules, different playing styles and systems as a result. They are the best teams of their own respective eras, and will go down in history as such. Running simulations on NBA 2k16 is all well and good, but no matter how realistic the game might be it’s ultimately irrelevant. Just enjoy both and stop comparing them to one another.
The basketball world is truly privileged to have four elite teams in the NBA at once. In any other season, teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers would be red hot favourites for the title. But in a season where there are Golden State and the San Antonio Spurs setting historical paces, and the chasing pack will need some luck to defeat them. Frankly, trash talking the Warriors isn’t exactly proving to be anything but further motivation.
So instead of comparing teams, eras and players, enjoy them. Who knows when there will be someone else like them in your lifetime?
