Have Giannis and Jokic "changed the game"?

[kingr]

No

[BelgradeNugget]

Stating Jokic is not about fancy dunks or new plays. How he only truly cares about basketball. And how he changed the game by having these attributes.

You literally described Tim Duncan. I can't wait to hear how Shai is changing the game next by how stoic and how much he loves his teammates next and how the league has never seen it.

You didn't understand my point then.
Jokic showed you can be one of the best basketball players ever without even liking the game. I still don't see how it is related to Duncan.
It's actually an inspiration to all the people in the world. He's shown you can be the absolute best at your job, even in a huge team sport, while openly valuing your real passions above it. He proves true greatness comes from mastering your craft, not from faking an all-consuming "love of the game."

He didn't because this is a made up thing that naive people believe due to Jokic acting indifferent in little situations partly as a shtick. Love for the game is shown when a guy works hard to change his body and be very conditioned.

Love of the game is when a guy is calling teammates mid week on an off day about a play in a Detroit vs Charlotte game that he's watching. Love of the game is when a guy is getting fired up and intense with teammates during competition.

People get fooled too easily by some of these outward things vs the reality of people behind closed doors. It's usually because people haven't had or attempted success in their field, and still don't understand what it takes.

I don't know where people got this idea he doesn't like basketball. He openly said one simple thing that should be understandable to everybody - he cares about HIS FAMILY more than basketball, and he loves his FAMILY more than basketball.

As for horse chariot racing, it is his hoby. So many NBA players love golf, and UFC, and it is nothing strange. Did MJ loved baseball more than basketball? The bigest sport celebration I saw from Curry was when he hit a hole in one. Players go craizy on UFC fights supporting their favourite players, but only Jokic doesn't love basketball because he has a hobby

[BelgradeNugget]

There is one thing Jokic actually changed the game. As center he is GOAT in paint efficiency outside of restricted area, shooting floaters. Centers would play pick and pop shooting from outside or pnr trying to go to the rim and finished there, but middle space was empty and not so used in pnr to finish plays. Now after him you see so many centers shooting floaters, not trying to forcely go to the rim. To name just a few centers that improved from the floater area lately - Zubac, IHart...
Similar how so many guards incorporated floaters from the paint after Tony Parker.

[Optms]

Curry's the only one in this generation who I would say changed the game. Dame to a lesser extent. Anyone with some baseline NBA athleticism can be Curry if they're getting up enough shots. Meanwhile the whole league has copied what the Warriors have done around him over the last 10+ years.

But Giannis is The Freak for a reason. They don't make athletes like him. Seven footer who's built like a brick **** but is still crazy coordinated and quick. And Jokic's overall skill-set is literally one-of-one.

There's never been anyone like those two guys, thus you can't say they've changed the game. They can't be replicated.

People literately moving the goal post saying everyone is changing the game now. If Giannis and Joker have changed the game, then so have Harden, Westbrook, Kawhi, KD, Tatum, Shai, who else am I missing?

[nomansland]

Jokic likes basketball. He follows European basketball more than the NBA, but the guy is a student of the game. Anyone who says otherwise has no idea what they're talking about.

Regarding actual game changers, I've seen 3 in all of my years. Curry with the 3 point focus, Rodman with the rebounding focus (though that didn't last forever) and Magic with the passing focus.

Everyone else who climbs to the top of the GOAT conversation or whatever is just an anomaly, a freak of nature either through their athletic ability or intelligence.

[ReasonablySober]

Curry's the only one in this generation who I would say changed the game. Dame to a lesser extent. Anyone with some baseline NBA athleticism can be Curry if they're getting up enough shots. Meanwhile the whole league has copied what the Warriors have done around him over the last 10+ years.

But Giannis is The Freak for a reason. They don't make athletes like him. Seven footer who's built like a brick **** but is still crazy coordinated and quick. And Jokic's overall skill-set is literally one-of-one.

There's never been anyone like those two guys, thus you can't say they've changed the game. They can't be replicated.

People literately moving the goal post saying everyone is changing the game now. If Giannis and Joker have changed the game, then so have Harden, Westbrook, Kawhi, KD, Tatum, Shai, who else am I missing?

Don’t know why you’re quoting me. Like I said, the only player i consider to be game changing in the last 20ish years is Curry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheGeneral99]

Giannis is like the modern day Pippen but bigger, stronger and faster and just better at every aspect of the game.

Jokic is like a modern day Larry Bird but 7 feet tall.

I wouldn't say they changed the game...in fact these are guys that are actually slowing down the 3 ball era a bit as Jokic plays slow, operates from the post, doesn't take as many 3s, and Giannis doesn't shoot 3s.

They aren't changing the game but Jokic is revolutionary in that we have never seen a 7 footer do what he can do.

[ReasonablySober]

Giannis is like the modern day Pippen but bigger, stronger and faster and just better at every aspect of the game.

Jokic is like a modern day Larry Bird but 7 feet tall.

I wouldn't say they changed the game...in fact these are guys that are actually slowing down the 3 ball era a bit as Jokic plays slow, operates from the post, doesn't take as many 3s, and Giannis doesn't shoot 3s.

I would consider Giannis the evolution of Shaq, not Pippen. Physical force of nature, does his damage within a few feet of the hoop, completely unstoppable. But he’s running the break, handling PG duties and defending everywhere. But he’s not changing the game because there’s only one Giannis. No one’s out here trying to copy that.

[TheGeneral99]

Giannis is like the modern day Pippen but bigger, stronger and faster and just better at every aspect of the game.

Jokic is like a modern day Larry Bird but 7 feet tall.

I wouldn't say they changed the game...in fact these are guys that are actually slowing down the 3 ball era a bit as Jokic plays slow, operates from the post, doesn't take as many 3s, and Giannis doesn't shoot 3s.

I would consider Giannis the evolution of Shaq, not Pippen. Physical force of nature, does his damage within a few feet of the hoop, completely unstoppable. But he’s running the break, handling PG duties and defending everywhere. But he’s not changing the game because there’s only one Giannis. No one’s out here trying to copy that.

That's fair - and yes, exactly.

[NZB2323]

Small ball was taking over and now we see a lot of skilled bigs who can shoot the 3 and pass, but I don’t think that’s because of Jokic. KAT came into the league the same year and made an all-star team before Jokic, and we’ve had bigs like Dirk and Sabonis before.

And before all this Magic started a game at center and Bird played some power forward.

[Johnny Tomala]

Quick answer - no.

[OrangeBlueSkies]

Yeah they changed the game with their combined 2 championships.


LeBron changed the game.
Curry changed the game.

Curry for sure. How did Lebron change the game?

It’s called “the super team model”

[JonHeist]

Curry's the only one in this generation who I would say changed the game. Dame to a lesser extent. Anyone with some baseline NBA athleticism can be Curry if they're getting up enough shots. Meanwhile the whole league has copied what the Warriors have done around him over the last 10+ years.

But Giannis is The Freak for a reason. They don't make athletes like him. Seven footer who's built like a brick **** but is still crazy coordinated and quick. And Jokic's overall skill-set is literally one-of-one.

There's never been anyone like those two guys, thus you can't say they've changed the game. They can't be replicated.

Harden's foul-baiting methods combined with Morey-ball definately changed the game too

Those are the only two in this generation IMO

[ReasonablySober]

Good call on Harden.

[1993Playoffs]

No they didn’t. Lebron didn’t either.

[og15]

You didn't understand my point then.
Jokic showed you can be one of the best basketball players ever without even liking the game. I still don't see how it is related to Duncan.
It's actually an inspiration to all the people in the world. He's shown you can be the absolute best at your job, even in a huge team sport, while openly valuing your real passions above it. He proves true greatness comes from mastering your craft, not from faking an all-consuming "love of the game."

He didn't because this is a made up thing that naive people believe due to Jokic acting indifferent in little situations partly as a shtick. Love for the game is shown when a guy works hard to change his body and be very conditioned.

Love of the game is when a guy is calling teammates mid week on an off day about a play in a Detroit vs Charlotte game that he's watching. Love of the game is when a guy is getting fired up and intense with teammates during competition.

People get fooled too easily by some of these outward things vs the reality of people behind closed doors. It's usually because people haven't had or attempted success in their field, and still don't understand what it takes.

I don't know where people got this idea he doesn't like basketball. He openly said one simple thing that should be understandable to everybody - he cares about HIS FAMILY more than basketball, and he loves his FAMILY more than basketball.

As for horse chariot racing, it is his hoby. So many NBA players love golf, and UFC, and it is nothing strange. Did MJ loved baseball more than basketball? The bigest sport celebration I saw from Curry was when he hit a hole in one. Players go craizy on UFC fights supporting their favourite players, but only Jokic doesn't love basketball because he has a hobby

Yea, it makes absolutely no sense. Tons of people care about their family more than work even if they are high performers and love their job. Lots of high performers who love their job have hobbies that they enjoy a lot, but the whole point of the hobby is that it is a seperate thing from work and is a different enjoyment.

Apparently a lot of people are unable to grasp this for some reason.

[Profound23]

I don't know if you can say Giannis changed the game, but having a team create a new defense called the wall and then watching other teams use that exact defense against other players is at least somewhat "changing the game."

But still nothing like what Curry or MJ did.

[meekrab]

No, the game changed to allow Giannis to do this every dribble.

[Black Jack]

I think Durant changed the game more than these two uniquely skilled guys with hard to replicate games.

Guys like Wemby are basically modeling a lot of their offensive game after KD. Not saying they can do it as well as KD but the idea of developing a front facing game and bombing 3s is easier to try and imitate for big man prospects than the Giannis bull in a china shop or Jokic point guard games.

[Optms]

Small ball was taking over and now we see a lot of skilled bigs who can shoot the 3 and pass, but I don’t think that’s because of Jokic. KAT came into the league the same year and made an all-star team before Jokic, and we’ve had bigs like Dirk and Sabonis before.

And before all this Magic started a game at center and Bird played some power forward.

Dirk had more impact on the game today literally over everyone being mentioned in this thread come to think of it.

Skilled bigs who can shoot? Dirk.
Ultra athletic freaks? Yeah, sure wasn't Giannis
Non flashy superstars? Duncan (he also was not the first)
Passing bigs? Where do we begin?

Guys like Jokic and Giannis are just iterations of players before. Wake me up when we have something that is new. Hence a guy like Wemby.