the best NBA era: 80´s by far

[Vcore89]

you know, they belong to the same era..why?

As for who is better, well Thomas won the ring but his teamates were far better, except for the Mailman.Can´t compare the overachieving Jazz with that juggernaut Pistons team that had the deepest inside quator of all time.

Both were really smart and tough guys, real leaders on and off the floor and exceptionally good at many aspects of the game.IMo, Thomas is a bit better because , even if he never liked too much deffense, he could be a solid defender, and he was as good as a clutch player as the Jazz player.

But it is damn even

Who is the best of the two for you?

My dad couldn't stop telling me how great were Bird's Celtics, I had to go through tapes (discs) and I came to love (the hated) Pistons, how they had to wade through so much obstacles before they were finally crowned champions. They won convincingly, going 4-0 and 4-1 in their back-to-back championships. But when they lose they go down 4-3 (their opponents had to really earn it)!

So Thomas over Stockton.

 

[kiki]

My dad couldn't stop telling me how great were Bird's Celtics, I had to go through tapes (discs) and I came to love (the hated) Pistons, how they had to wade through so much obstacles before they were finally crowned champions. They won convincingly, going 4-0 and 4-1 in their back-to-back championships. But when they lose they go down 4-3 (their opponents had to really earn it)!

So Thomas over Stockton.

I respected the Pistons a lot though your dad is totally right in his Celtics loyalties.

Pistons had a great coach, the best of that time and great mangement which allowed them to sign with good conditions players that many thought would never be part of a great team or were almost done.Mahorn found new life there, so did Edwards, Aguirre, plus then they also had the microwaves, Salley, Rodman later on and the core of the team, the two great floor leaders in Laimbeer and Thomas.Best bench so far, but those players were signed because Daly had a great idea and a clear concept of what players he needed.Great psycho coach as well and great team motivator.As a result of his ability to handle people ( he was more a people coach than a players coach), he was elected with the mayestatic honour to coach the greatest team ever assembled, and possibly the greatest team ever assembled AT ANY SPORT.

That said, a few years before, when the league was a permanent Celtics vs Lakers duel ( with some preeminence also for 76 rs and Houston), Detroit was considered one of the finesse teams, playing much more with ability than muscle.But, of course, when you have Antoine Carr ( a fantastic PF), soft Earl Cureton ( who was n 2 pick of 1980 draft), ,Kelly Trypucka and Walker, there is no other way to play.

 

[tennisoh]

The average ability of the PG was far better than now, talking about shotmaking ability.

I really don't know what to say to some of these comments. It's absolutely crazy.

We are in the golden age of point guards right now, and it's really not even debatable. Every single NBA player, coach, analyst, etc. would say the same. They come in so many different varieties too.

I mean I get that everyone likes to romanticize the past, but it's not like Thomas and Stockton (not to mention all below them in the next tier) had flaws.

 

[kiki]

I really don't know what to say to some of these comments. It's absolutely crazy.

We are in the golden age of point guards right now, and it's really not even debatable. Every single NBA player, coach, analyst, etc. would say the same. They come in so many different varieties too.

I mean I get that everyone likes to romanticize the past, but it's not like Thomas and Stockton (not to mention all below them in the next tier) had flaws.

are you serious? maybe Paul,Parker and old fart Nash but how many Magics are now? OK, I´ll go with an easier one: how many Cheeks? Thomas? Stockton? Price? Nixon? players with that impact on a team I mean...

 

[tennisoh]

are you serious? maybe Paul,Parker and old fart Nash but how many Magics are now? OK, I´ll go with an easier one: how many Cheeks? Thomas? Stockton? Price? Nixon? players with that impact on a team I mean...

I guess we can break this down in pretty simple terms.

Lebron is a better version of Magic. I realize some people are going to be against this, but Lebron's peak is simply insane. Jordan's his only rival at this point. Lebron's every bit a point guard as Magic, because the offense usually runs through him.

Nash, Stockton and Price had pretty similar peaks, so we'll call that a three-way draw. Nash does have two MVPs though. It's totally unfair to call him "old fart Nash" because guess what, every player ages and either retires or hold on too long while putting up average numbers.

So now we are left with Maurice Cheeks and Norm Nixon against:

Chris Paul
Russell Westbrook
Derrick Rose
Deron Williams
Tony Parker
Stephen Curry
Rajon Rondo
Jason Kidd

(Guys On Their Way)

Kyrie irving
Mike Conley


Every single one of those players would easily rank ahead of everyone you mentioned other than Stockton and Magic. A few will probably finish ahead of Stockton. The point guards in the 1980s are completely overmatched by the guys now. Bigger, faster, stronger and more skilled. I can't believe this is even a debate. I really can't believe Nixon is being used as some type of rebuttal. He was above average for like 2 seasons in the pros.

 

[Ronaldo]

I respected the Pistons a lot though your dad is totally right in his Celtics loyalties.

Pistons had a great coach, the best of that time and great mangement which allowed them to sign with good conditions players that many thought would never be part of a great team or were almost done.Mahorn found new life there, so did Edwards, Aguirre, plus then they also had the microwaves, Salley, Rodman later on and the core of the team, the two great floor leaders in Laimbeer and Thomas.Best bench so far, but those players were signed because Daly had a great idea and a clear concept of what players he needed.Great psycho coach as well and great team motivator.As a result of his ability to handle people ( he was more a people coach than a players coach), he was elected with the mayestatic honour to coach the greatest team ever assembled, and possibly the greatest team ever assembled AT ANY SPORT.

That said, a few years before, when the league was a permanent Celtics vs Lakers duel ( with some preeminence also for 76 rs and Houston), Detroit was considered one of the finesse teams, playing much more with ability than muscle.But, of course, when you have Antoine Carr ( a fantastic PF), soft Earl Cureton ( who was n 2 pick of 1980 draft), ,Kelly Trypucka and Walker, there is no other way to play.

Had to toughen the D to compete with the Knicks, Bucks, 76ers, Celtics, and Lakers in the mid 80s.

 

[borg number one]

The 80's and the 90's were my favorites.

Jordan on Olajuwon and others..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Beq7jjtrsV0

 

[TMF]

Well,if 70´s closely followed by 80´s have been established as the best era since the inception of open tennis, then 80´s followed by 90´s is the best for NBA action.

Money, TV interest, fans willing to adopt to a relatively unknown or unpopular game ( it was miles behind baseball, football and probably ice hockey), legendary rivalries, big moves,the most talent loaded era without a hint of doubt, fundamentals, team concepts, great coaches and centers that COULD play and had a determinant role.

Johnson,Nixon,Mc Adoo,Wilkes and Jabbar with Mc Gee,Cooper,Worthy and Lucas in LA
Johnson,Ainge,Bird,Mc Hale and Parish with Archibald,Buckner,Maxwell and Walton in Boston
Thomas,Dumars,Dantley,Laimbeer and Mahorn with Johnson,Tripucka,Salley and Edwards in Detroit
Cheeks,Toney,Erving,Barkley and Malone in Phily with a bench including Edwards,Richardson,Bobby Jones and Johnson
Moore,Gervin,Banks,Mitchell and Gilmore in SA with Alvin Robertson as the best sixth man of the league
Lloyd,Reid,Mc Cray and the Twin Towers Sampson and Olajuwon with Sleepy Floyd, Wiggins and Petersen in Houston
Rivers,Drew,Wilkins,Roundfield and Willis or Rollins in Atlanta
Paxson,Jordan,Pippen,Grant and Cartwright in Chicago
Junior Bridgeman,Moncrief,Marques Johnson,Lanier and Cummings in Milwaukee
Williams and Dawkins in NJ
Oakley and Ewing in the Knicks and Stockton,Hansen,Malone and Eaton in Utah
Mullin and Joe Barry Carroll in Golden State
Adams,Ballard,Ruland in Washington
Gus Williams and Jack Sikma in Seattle
Walter Davis and Tom Chambers in the Suns team
Porter,Drexler,Kersey,Robinson and Bowie in Portland
Blackman,Aguirre and Donaldson in Dallas
Lever,Hanzlik,English,Vandeveghe and Issel in Denver

and coaches like Cunningham,KC Jones,Riley,Daly,Fitzsimmons,Moe,Wilkstedt,Unseld

The international basketball was also full of talent with the middle 80 USSR led by Valters,Vetra,Tikhonenko,Volkov and the young zar Sabonis and a bench with top class guys like Marchulenis,Kurtinaitis,Myshkin ,Lopatov and Belostenny or Goborov
Oscar,Marquinhos and Marcel ( with Ferreira and Paulinha) in Brazil; Marzorati,Riva,Villalta,Meneghin and Magnifico in Italy, Corbalan,Epi, Sibilio,Jimenez and Martin in Spain, Triano,Rautins,Kazanowsky and Wiltjer in Canada, Torres, Mincy, Ortiz and Rivas in Puerto Rico, Chavez,Malcolm,Medrick,Frazer and Butler in Panama, Davies and Gaze in Australia, Lopez and Ruiz in Uruguay, Brabenec and Kropilak in Czeckoslovakia, Aroesti,Berkowitz,Jamchy,Silver,Boatwright and Perry in Israel, the young and emerging Jaeckel,Schrempf,Blab and Welp in Germany, Dacoury and Ostrowsky in France and, finally, Slavnic,Kicanovic /Delibasic,Dalipagic,Jerkov and Cosic in the early 80´s Yugoslavia, the most similar to ballet and sophisticated art that we will see on a basketball court.

Oh¡¡ and the greatest BY FAR International team other than US: the late 80´s Yugoslavia with this guys: Zdovc,Petrovic,Danilovic,Kukoc,Paspalj,Radja,Divac and Vrankovic.Only dream team one is better than that.

And what do we have now? other than Bryant,LBJ and Wade where are the individual fundamentals? team picks and rolls? role players? hard work ethics? sound college development?.Other than non center Duncan and Howard playing center where has the low post play gone?

People who followed closely NBA since the early 80´s...aren´t there oceanic miles in enjoyment and class?

Great thread kiki.

I grew up watching in the 80s and all the NBA players you mentioned brought back great memories. It was so fun back then that I often listen play-by-play announcer Chick Hearn on the radio when the game wasn't available on TV. Only time we get to watch on TV(local channel) was when the Lakers were on the road, and lucky if they play on Sunday which is scheduled on CBS. It was a decade of great rivalries between the Lakers, Celtics, 76ers and Pistons. It was the love-and-hate between the Lakers and Celtics that made me a HUGE fan of the sport.

I don't know about you but NBA today I don't have the same passion as I use to and don't keep up to date as much. Even when Shaq and Kobe was winning championship, the feeling wasn't the same as the Laker's show time in the 80s.

 

[TMF]

I think John Stockton and Karl Malone belong to the 90s decade than the 80s. They played higher level in the latter career.

 

[Russeljones]

90s was exciting too. I was a big Kemp and Mutombo fan.

 

[kiki]

Great thread kiki.

I grew up watching in the 80s and all the NBA players you mentioned brought back great memories. It was so fun back then that I often listen play-by-play announcer Chick Hearn on the radio when the game wasn't available on TV. Only time we get to watch on TV(local channel) was when the Lakers were on the road, and lucky if they play on Sunday which is scheduled on CBS. It was a decade of great rivalries between the Lakers, Celtics, 76ers and Pistons. It was the love-and-hate between the Lakers and Celtics that made me a HUGE fan of the sport.

I don't know about you but NBA today I don't have the same passion as I use to and don't keep up to date as much. Even when Shaq and Kobe was winning championship, the feeling wasn't the same as the Laker's show time in the 80s.

Well said,those rivalries made the sport great
Borg and Connors,Steelers and Cowboys in 70
Lendl and Mc Enroe and Celtics and Lakers in the 80
That said,my faves were 76ers even if they deluded me so often
They were like Mandlikova in tennis

 

[TMF]

Well said,those rivalries made the sport great
Borg and Connors,Steelers and Cowboys in 70
Lendl and Mc Enroe and Celtics and Lakers in the 80
That said,my faves were 76ers even if they deluded me so often
They were like Mandlikova in tennis

The 76ers were great and exciting. I think they were unlucky at that time having to compete against both Lakers and Celtics. They squandered a 3-1 lead against the Celtics in 1981 eastern final was a heartbreaker to their fans, because that year the Lakers were upset by the Rockets who got beat by the Celtics in the final. They underachieved and should have won more than 1 ring.

 

[TahoeTennis]

 

[kiki]

The 76ers were great and exciting. I think they were unlucky at that time having to compete against both Lakers and Celtics. They squandered a 3-1 lead against the Celtics in 1981 eastern final was a heartbreaker to their fans, because that year the Lakers were upset by the Rockets who got beat by the Celtics in the final. They underachieved and should have won more than 1 ring.

Yes, that is right.In another era they would probably win more titles.

 

[Vcore89]

Can he do that just as good with his left hand?

 

[kiki]

Dr J was one the first real characters along Russell,Chamberlin,Robertson and KAJ.But his team, at NBA level never won the championship until they got Moses.Anywhow, part of the NBA success is due to the great Julius Erving.

 

[TomT]

Well,if 70´s closely followed by 80´s have been established as the best era since the inception of open tennis, then 80´s followed by 90´s is the best for NBA action.

Money, TV interest, fans willing to adopt to a relatively unknown or unpopular game ( it was miles behind baseball, football and probably ice hockey), legendary rivalries, big moves,the most talent loaded era without a hint of doubt, fundamentals, team concepts, great coaches and centers that COULD play and had a determinant role.

Johnson,Nixon,Mc Adoo,Wilkes and Jabbar with Mc Gee,Cooper,Worthy and Lucas in LA
Johnson,Ainge,Bird,Mc Hale and Parish with Archibald,Buckner,Maxwell and Walton in Boston
Thomas,Dumars,Dantley,Laimbeer and Mahorn with Johnson,Tripucka,Salley and Edwards in Detroit
Cheeks,Toney,Erving,Barkley and Malone in Phily with a bench including Edwards,Richardson,Bobby Jones and Johnson
Moore,Gervin,Banks,Mitchell and Gilmore in SA with Alvin Robertson as the best sixth man of the league
Lloyd,Reid,Mc Cray and the Twin Towers Sampson and Olajuwon with Sleepy Floyd, Wiggins and Petersen in Houston
Rivers,Drew,Wilkins,Roundfield and Willis or Rollins in Atlanta
Paxson,Jordan,Pippen,Grant and Cartwright in Chicago
Junior Bridgeman,Moncrief,Marques Johnson,Lanier and Cummings in Milwaukee
Williams and Dawkins in NJ
Oakley and Ewing in the Knicks and Stockton,Hansen,Malone and Eaton in Utah
Mullin and Joe Barry Carroll in Golden State
Adams,Ballard,Ruland in Washington
Gus Williams and Jack Sikma in Seattle
Walter Davis and Tom Chambers in the Suns team
Porter,Drexler,Kersey,Robinson and Bowie in Portland
Blackman,Aguirre and Donaldson in Dallas
Lever,Hanzlik,English,Vandeveghe and Issel in Denver

and coaches like Cunningham,KC Jones,Riley,Daly,Fitzsimmons,Moe,Wilkstedt,Unseld

The international basketball was also full of talent with the middle 80 USSR led by Valters,Vetra,Tikhonenko,Volkov and the young zar Sabonis and a bench with top class guys like Marchulenis,Kurtinaitis,Myshkin ,Lopatov and Belostenny or Goborov
Oscar,Marquinhos and Marcel ( with Ferreira and Paulinha) in Brazil; Marzorati,Riva,Villalta,Meneghin and Magnifico in Italy, Corbalan,Epi, Sibilio,Jimenez and Martin in Spain, Triano,Rautins,Kazanowsky and Wiltjer in Canada, Torres, Mincy, Ortiz and Rivas in Puerto Rico, Chavez,Malcolm,Medrick,Frazer and Butler in Panama, Davies and Gaze in Australia, Lopez and Ruiz in Uruguay, Brabenec and Kropilak in Czeckoslovakia, Aroesti,Berkowitz,Jamchy,Silver,Boatwright and Perry in Israel, the young and emerging Jaeckel,Schrempf,Blab and Welp in Germany, Dacoury and Ostrowsky in France and, finally, Slavnic,Kicanovic /Delibasic,Dalipagic,Jerkov and Cosic in the early 80´s Yugoslavia, the most similar to ballet and sophisticated art that we will see on a basketball court.

Oh¡¡ and the greatest BY FAR International team other than US: the late 80´s Yugoslavia with this guys: Zdovc,Petrovic,Danilovic,Kukoc,Paspalj,Radja,Divac and Vrankovic.Only dream team one is better than that.

And what do we have now? other than Bryant,LBJ and Wade where are the individual fundamentals? team picks and rolls? role players? hard work ethics? sound college development?.Other than non center Duncan and Howard playing center where has the low post play gone?

People who followed closely NBA since the early 80´s...aren´t there oceanic miles in enjoyment and class?

Nice post. I loved the '80s pro basketball. But for me it was the '70s, because several of the guys I played against in high school played pro basketball in the '70s.

 

[kiki]

Nice post. I loved the '80s pro basketball. But for me it was the '70s, because several of the guys I played against in high school played pro basketball in the '70s.

Really?which ones?
I know a bit of 70,with the ABA&NBA but not much
Many NBA stars of the 70 played in Italy in the 80

 

[kiki]

Some names of the then called poor's man NBA,the italian league of the 80's
Carroll,Mc Adoo,Dawkins,Carr,Wright,Bryant,Laimbeer,Cook,Drew,Hughest,Daye,Larry Wright,Flowers,Brickowski,A Norris, Chones,Dwight Jones,Barlow,Cureton,Haywood,Brewer,D Antoni,
Gianelli..
Milan was known as the 24 the NBA team because Mc Adoo,D Antoni,Gianelli, Carroll,Carr,Cureton played there and they almost signed Wilkes and Bill Walton
Their coach was Dan Peterson.