re: The biggest rule change in NBA history happened in 2001.. and many don't realize

there was nothing worse than that peak era of "isolation" play in the late 90's.

Origins of illegal defense.

The new wave of coaches made defenses sophisticated enough by 1981 that the league created an “illegal defense” rule to open up the paint. Here’s how referee Ed Rush explained it to SI: “We were becoming a jump-shot league, so we went to the coaches and said, ‘You’ve screwed the game with all your great defenses. Now fix it.’ And they did. The new rule will open up the middle and give the great players room to move. People like Julius Erving and David Thompson who used to beat their own defensive man and then still have to pull up for a jump shot because they were being double-teamed, should have an extra four or five feet to move around in. And that’s all those guys need.”

And then Jordan thrived on this...same with Magic and going to the basket became the norm.