re: A current all-NBA team would wreck the dream team

Yeah, the 70s were outright war. Guys would be fighting all the damn time. That would never ever happen these days, in any sport. And let's be honest, that is largely a positive development.

I don't like the argument that the Past is always Better, nor do I like the Present is Always Improving. Both are false paradigms. I do think athletics largely improved as it got more codified and professional, until about the 1980s (baseball excepted) when the quality of play/athlete has largely plateaued.

Eras now aren't better or worse, they are different. We've moved more and more in each of team sports to allow talented playmakers create. I think this is largely a positive development, but it also means that if we transported a 2014 athlete back to 1990, they'd be shocked at how little space they would have and how many downright illegal tactics would be not only allowed, but were regular occurances. Also, truly talented athletes would adjust their game for the era. Jordan and Magic bulked up considerably because that was the game. Jordan didn't really work on a jump shot until late in his career, when A) his body started to fail but B) the style of play made that feasible.

If LeBron played in 1992, he'd still be great, but he'd be a different player. He'd adjust his game for the era. If Jordan played now, same thing. And some players were great simply because of their era. Bill Laimbeer could not play in the NBA today. I'm not sure Kyle Korver could back in 1992. But a guy like Billy Owens is probably cursing his bad timing.