Ryoga Hibiki wrote:DimesandKnicks wrote:Ryoga Hibiki wrote:the "Golden age of PF" was just about guys who would have been called "center" 10-15 years prior who wanted to play next to another big man.
anyway, I think you are really underrating how much more difficult playing in the post became as defenses adjusted to the removal of the illegal defense.
Maybe, but they would absoltey be C's in this era. Which is kind of making my point, in the 2000s Jokic would have been going up against two players in the front court who would be playing C today, one of which was a true C.
Who has Jokic actually gone up against that's known as a staunch post defender? Gobert? Davis? Bam? Are any of these guys actually known as post defenders? Can we even evaulte them as post defenders when there are only to post players in the entre NBA that can score at an elite level?
Vs the 90's and 2000's. In the 2000s, you're going up against KG and Perk, Pau and Bynum, Divac, Webber, Tysan Chandler, Ben Wallace and Sheed. Dwight Howard (old Dwight gave him headaches)
In 2020 you're going up against Tayshaun Pirnce. Jokic is the same person who could only get 7 shots up in a game 7 being defended by Alex Cauroso--all of 6'3 185.
I'm not ignoring how much more difficult playin gthe in post became as defenses adjusted to the removal of illegal defense. I think I actually highlighted. But I think your underating how much bigger and stronger Jokic is than every other player he's going up against (for the most part) and how few true post defenders there are in teh NBA today.
there are multiple issues, here:
1) Jokic is bigger than most of the 90s centers as well, with the exception of Shaq
Bigger doesn't mean stronger. Again, who is Jokic bumping with empowering you all to argue his strength is only usurped by Shaq? Please.
2) Jokic would not try to dominate them isolating 1v1, the same way that's not how he's dominating the league now. He would play in and out, move the ball, interact with his guards and carve out the defense. He's post scoring is great, but it's not the reason why he's the best offensive center of all time
You can't play in and out in an era where being a 3 point shooter made you a specialist. This is the 90's/2000s...You don't drop him in that era and assume his team is going to play like the 2020 Nuggets where its Jokic and 3 and a half shooters.
3) the fact that you mentioned Caruso should show you how out of focus all this is. Caruso can't guard Jokic, obviously. It's a team effort to swarm him from all different places while cheating on his teammates. This should show what actually can work against a Jokic offense, and that's not putting a big guy on him. That would be totally impossible with the illegal defense
The fact that I can mention Jokic should reflect how much trouble he'd have with players who are actual use to guarding C's who are offesnive threats. Of course it was a team effort, its basketball, but according to you Jokic's strength is second only to Shaq? How do you allow Caruso to do all that early work if that's the case. Half of his effort was denying Jokic the ball. Denying him position, fronting the post, meeting him early. This is a 6'5 185 pg that whose effort held Jokic to 7 shots. That's pathetic. But that's what happens when you aren't use to physicall defense and good technique. You can't seal someone that you're six inches and 100 pounds bigger than?
And illegal defense ended in 2001-it's alot eaier to swarm your best player when he isn't surrounded by shooters
