Can we stop pretending like old school NBA playoff games are more physical than they are now?

[ScrantonBulls]

The playoff games every year are so physical. I actually don't like the "let them play" mindset because I think the game should be called consistently during the season and postseason.

There's simply more physicality now a days. You see guys getting hip checked and bodies up 5 feet outside the 3 point line. Back in the day defenders would say off players if they were even close to the 3 point line. There's just more handchecking and contact in the playoffs now a days.

I'm sure I'll get some "hurr durr Bad Boys Pistons, therefore all games back in the day were MMA matches" from some dudes that were 5 years old when the Bad Boy Pistons played. That's one team over a span of 2 years. And they were known for hard fouls. It still wasn't as consistently physical as it is now. We also saw a leg lock on Luka and a karate chop to LeBron's face get no called and then a common foul, respectively.

Bottom line, playoff games are as physical as ever. I think it's too physical, which makes it so drastically different than the regular season. Call the games consistently.

[NbaAllDay]

People will see the 'extreme hits' that were more common decades back (as in a hip and shoulder of sorts), plays that happen maybe once every few games, and use that as a reasoning for the additional contact.

In reality the contact has not changed much at all, and in fact there are more opportunities for contact in todays game due to their being a lot more movement, and picks set.

People will also complain that the fouls are 'soft' today, yet they clearly forgot how many calls the superstars got back in the day. Nothing much has changed here either.

I am not saying it's 'tougher' today, even though it's really an arbitrary thing to consider of the past, but it's every bit as physical as it use to be.

[zimpy27]

More physically competitive now and accidental injury.

More on purpose injury in the old school.

[Johnny Firpo]

More physically competitive now and accidental injury.

More on purpose injury in the old school.

This, yeah, for sure.

[ItsDanger]

The playoff games every year are so physical. I actually don't like the "let them play" mindset because I think the game should be called consistently during the season and postseason.

There's simply more physicality now a days. You see guys getting hip checked and bodies up 5 feet outside the 3 point line. Back in the day defenders would say off players if they were even close to the 3 point line. There's just more handchecking and contact in the playoffs now a days.

I'm sure I'll get some "hurr durr Bad Boys Pistons, therefore all games back in the day were MMA matches" from some dudes that were 5 years old when the Bad Boy Pistons played. That's one team over a span of 2 years. And they were known for hard fouls. It still wasn't as consistently physical as it is now. We also saw a leg lock on Luka and a karate chop to LeBron's face get no called and then a common foul, respectively.

Bottom line, playoff games are as physical as ever. I think it's too physical, which makes it so drastically different than the regular season. Call the games consistently.

One sentence claims its more physical, another claims the physicality is similar.

Not sure why so many threads have this narrative lately. But I can guess why.

[LakerLegend]

lol...go watch one playoff game from 94-2005.

[SlimShady83]

More physically competitive now and accidental injury.

More on purpose injury in the old school.

Old school = You going down
New school = I'm sorry, my bad, my bad, Ref = Tech.

[Jta444]

If prime Lebron feared Kawhi Leonard, imagine how he would fare facing 3 Kawhi’s in Jordan, Pippen and Rodman. He would probably not even show up to the game and fake a groin injury or something.

[durden_tyler]

How many old school NBA playoff games have you watched? (Before the board burns you, you have to answer this)

[zimpy27]

If prime Lebron feared Kawhi Leonard, imagine how he would fare facing 3 Kawhi’s in Jordan, Pippen and Rodman. He would probably not even show up to the game and fake a groin injury or something.

Kawhi is bigger than all 3 of those guys.

[JM00n69]

If prime Lebron feared Kawhi Leonard, imagine how he would fare facing 3 Kawhi’s in Jordan, Pippen and Rodman. He would probably not even show up to the game and fake a groin injury or something.

Yeah and back then refs actually allowed you to play defense, now you get a tech for looking at the guy you just dunked on. Not sure why people feel the need to even bring this up. The game is more advanced and better in every category these days.

[Quattro]

What's "old school" to you? 2008?

[Saberestar]

The playoff games every year are so physical. I actually don't like the "let them play" mindset because I think the game should be called consistently during the season and postseason.

There's simply more physicality now a days. You see guys getting hip checked and bodies up 5 feet outside the 3 point line. Back in the day defenders would say off players if they were even close to the 3 point line. There's just more handchecking and contact in the playoffs now a days.

I'm sure I'll get some "hurr durr Bad Boys Pistons, therefore all games back in the day were MMA matches" from some dudes that were 5 years old when the Bad Boy Pistons played. That's one team over a span of 2 years. And they were known for hard fouls. It still wasn't as consistently physical as it is now. We also saw a leg lock on Luka and a karate chop to LeBron's face get no called and then a common foul, respectively.

Bottom line, playoff games are as physical as ever. I think it's too physical, which makes it so drastically different than the regular season. Call the games consistently.

That's true.

I like it BUT it’s a fine line and I don’t like to reward the less skilled players because they can push and grab all they want...I like physicality but I don't like to give them too much power.

[FreeBird23]

OP has a habit of making topics to denigrate the 80s and 90s. Nothing surprising.

[Calvin Klein]

OK I'll stop pretending. So sorry.

[Ice Man]

Yeah and back then refs actually allowed you to play defense

Back they they called the game tighter, which is why games had a lot more fouls and a lot more free throws. At any rate, the OP is correct, any reasonable study of the videos will show that. But as I have come to realize, most people prefer narratives that please them to the reality that does not do so.

[Ice Man]

More physically competitive now and accidental injury.

More on purpose injury in the old school.

Exactly. Old school hoops was less physical than today's playoff games, but for sure dirtier. Plays that would always be techs today were sometimes whistled as common fouls. (But of course not all such plays, as there were techs back then too.) Those are the clips that younger viewers latch onto, to support their belief of how basketball back in the day was more "physical." It wasn't. But it was on occasion more violent.

[zimpy27]

More physically competitive now and accidental injury.

More on purpose injury in the old school.

Exactly. Old school hoops was less physical than today's playoff games, but for sure dirtier. Plays that would always be techs today were sometimes whistled as common fouls. (But of course not all such plays, as there were techs back then too.) Those are the clips that younger viewers latch onto, to support their belief of how basketball back in the day was more "physical." It wasn't. But it was on occasion more violent.

Yes more violent. Good word and I think this discussion could be boiled down to peoples understanding of physical vs violent

[druggas]

The playoff games every year are so physical. I actually don't like the "let them play" mindset because I think the game should be called consistently during the season and postseason.

There's simply more physicality now a days. You see guys getting hip checked and bodies up 5 feet outside the 3 point line. Back in the day defenders would say off players if they were even close to the 3 point line. There's just more handchecking and contact in the playoffs now a days.

I'm sure I'll get some "hurr durr Bad Boys Pistons, therefore all games back in the day were MMA matches" from some dudes that were 5 years old when the Bad Boy Pistons played. That's one team over a span of 2 years. And they were known for hard fouls. It still wasn't as consistently physical as it is now. We also saw a leg lock on Luka and a karate chop to LeBron's face get no called and then a common foul, respectively.

Bottom line, playoff games are as physical as ever. I think it's too physical, which makes it so drastically different than the regular season. Call the games consistently.

Watch and educate yourself before you post such nonsense.

[cgf]

Never! Things were so much more badass when I was still young and had my whole life ahead of me.