DOT wrote:Memories wrote:NBA used to have a rich diverse identity from team to team. Lakers had an inside-out post offense, Spurs had a lot of relocation cuts and crazy ball movement, Grizzlies with a grinder offense and hard nose tough defense, Phoenix Suns infamous 8 second or less offense, we could go on and on. Everyone had an identity. Now? Everybody plays the same exact way.
This is one of my favorite complaints because it just shows how much of this is based off narrative and half-forgotten memories
What year was this?
Specifically, what year did all of these teams exist in the way you describe at the same time? Because I'm pretty sure there was not a single year where all 4 of these teams existed in this state. Actually, I know for a fact they couldn't because the SSOL Suns peaked in 2005, 2006 when they made the Conference Finals twice, latest you could argue would be 2010 for them, meanwhile those Grizz teams didn't even start making the playoffs until 2011 and really didn't become the Grit n Grind Grizz until 2013
And if they did, that's 4 teams out of 30. 6% of the league. Let's say for instance you're talking about 2006, can you tell me without looking it up what the "individual identity" of the 2006 Charlotte Bobcats was? I mean, since literally every team had their own style, it must have been unique right? Go through every single team from a single year and tell me how they were all their own unique playstyle with no team playing like any other. Not "identity", tell me the specifics of how they were distinct from each other, and how no team played the same
Everybody used to play the exact same way back in the day with a few exceptions sprinkled in, but you're just compressing history because that's how human memory works.
I believe the years were 2012-2014? The variety of offenses is a valid complaint imo.
1. Heatle came up with the small ball
2. OKC ISO heavy
3. Spurs' ball movement
4. Grizzlies & Pacers defensive grind
5. Boston savvy, methodical play
There are still some solid playoffs teams such as:
1. Pre-prime splash bros in GSW
2. Denver's 8 man rotation, run teams out of the building in Denver
3. Inside out Lillard/Aldridge
4. Nets' "2nd tier all star lineup", Williams/Johnson/Wallace/Lopez
The only team with a heliocentric approach was Houston; even they have a broken Dwight Howard which is still one of the best bigs. So it is a lot of options to choose from. As a Detroit Piston fan (Going to Work Era), I naturally rooted for the Grizzlies and the grindhouse. That's all fans can ask for, a team that people can relate to. Also, styles make fights, if everyone has the same style, then there's less of a reason to watch it.