Watch this video, and tell me NBA superstars didn't have it easier in the '90's

Here is a video I came across, called "Michael Jordan 1997 Playoffs Highlights". You really only have to watch the first few minutes to get what I'm talking about. Read this post, and honestly watch for what I'm talking about so we can have an honest discussion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0Jjl9_ZDY4


I don't think people really understand how the illegal defense rules back then made it much easier for the super star player to score.

Notice in the video how much SPACE Jordan has. Look at how 1-on-1 it was back then. And when I say 1-on-1, I mean how it was man on man... team defense did not exist in the same way as it does today.

Why does he have so much space to operate? Because back then, the defenders were required to stick on their man and follow them all around the court like a puppy dog. They couldn't hang out in space and "cheat" over to help on dribble penetration or clog up driving lanes. That was against the rules.

If they double teamed, they had to make a b-line to Jordan and aggressively double him.

Notice how easy it is to get dribble penetration, because the other defenders do not peel off their man to help. It's strictly 1-on-1. You blow by your man, you got an open look, whether that's taking it all the way to the rim or a pull-up jumper.



The whole video is a good demonstration of what I'm talking about, but here are two clear, picture-perfect examples of what I'm talking about:

2:04 - this is a called isolation play. Notice how EVERYBODY is on the left side of the court, and Jordan is 1-on-1 with his man on the opposite side. There is no help defender shading over. They cannot slide over, or they'll be called for illegal defense. Look how easily he gets to the rim, and look how there was literally zero help defense.



2:58 - PERFECT example of a double team in the 90's before the rule changes. Look how the defender has to SPRINT at Jordan to double team him. There was no cheating over like today. You had to 100% commit to the double team.

Now you can see how easy it was for a good player to exploit the double team. Jordan saw the guy coming at him, and he used that opportunity to attack.

When big men used to see the double coming, they'd hit the open man.

It was much easier to find the open man back then when there was nobody cheating in the passing lanes like they are allowed to do today.

Also, notice how there is zero help defense at the rim, because since the big men have to defend their man only, the rotation comes too late. Now-a-days, Jordan would have been met with a defender outside of the paint.





Just keep those things in mind while you watch the video.