Curry & Harden would've averaged 40 a game in the 90's. Change my mind

[NO-KG-AI]

As long as teams struggle to find super athletes to cover Curry like Matthew Dellevadova and Fred Van Vleet. I’m not sure anyone had those kinds of horses.

[JN61]

Considering hand checking and slower pace. No. They would be lucky to average 28. Especially Curry is very vulnerable to physicality.

[JN61]

I think they would get called for palming and traveling more than anything.

Rules were different then.

Now rules are subjective.

Handles are sick but most of the time its illegal.

Double step backs are sick but most of the time its illegal.

Back then they would be called on their ****.

Now its just whatever.

Very much true. Carrying is basically not called at all since it's part of every dribble these guys do. Harden less so than Curry but both still heavily do it.

[GregOden]

People need to understand that players are more skilled now days.

And yet still reduced to ball watching Kevin Durant in the Olympics...

[Pennebaker]

If they were raised in the 80s and 90s they would've had 80s and 90s games, so no threes and no 40 ppg.

[MrBigShot]

Harden legitimately might average 40, if really wanted to. He put up 36ppg on 24.5 shots a game, give him a bit more volume and he could do it.

[kuclas]

People need to understand that players are more skilled now days.

Dell Curry was a great shooter. In the 1990s. His scoring peaked around 14/15 points a game.

A similar player to Dell Curry in todays nba is JJ Reddick. Who is also a great shooter. JJ peak scoring average 17/18 points game.

So due to increase pace of todays nba. Shot clock resets to 14 after offensive rebound. More 3 point shots.

Adjusted for 1990s rules. Harden and steph curry would likely average 4-6 points less per game in the 1990s. It’s just the simple true.

They would still be considered top 5-10 nba players.

Reggie Miller is he played in todays nba would go crazy. He be averaging 27-28 ppg easy. He had guys draped all over him and he still got shots off. These days. He be getting to the free throw line an extra 3-4 times a game plus attempting more 3 point shots. He still be shooting over 40-42% 3 point line. Dude was 90% plus free throw shooter.

[Joshyjess]

I don't know about Curry, but Harden - no way. Baiting wouldn't have been called back then, so Harden wouldn't be getting his 87 free throws every night.

[DaPessimist]

Harden's patented step-back jumper would get called traveling every time.

[inquisitive]

Nope. With hand checking and pulling, bumping...they would get worn down. No way 40.

[Impuniti]

Considering hand checking and slower pace. No. They would be lucky to average 28. Especially Curry is very vulnerable to physicality.

He did pretty good vs OKC in the playoffs when he kicked their ass. Or did you not watch that series as an OKC fan?

[Asianiac_24]

Harden can average 35, not Curry. Small guards are at a disadvantage for hand checking

[DCasey91]

Harden has made less FG’s than FT’s in his career so no.

Curry wouldn’t be bombing 11 threes a game and is smaller then Harden.

... Wilt is the only player to average 40 a game in a season and he did it more than once. But he’s like a mix of if Shaq was 7”2” with Kareem finesse.

MJ didn’t average 40 and he beats out both Harden and Curry by a distance.

[Harcore Fenton Mun]

The professor would average 40 in todays NBA, change my mind.

Oh wait, he wouldn't see the floor outside of the "And 1" league. Just like these individuals wouldn't look the same outside of this era. It doesn't work on a simplified scale like this.

[DCasey91]

The amount of skill that Curry & Harden have is unprecedented. Their ability to shoot from beyond the arc & drain difficult long range shots would've cemented them as all time greats in that era.

Michael Jordan was super skilled but I don't think he was as good offensively as Curry & Harden. People need to appreciate what we've witnessed in those two guys. They truly are generational talents.

Defense was tougher back in the day, but Steph & Harden are experts @ creating space for themselves.

Prime Harden was absolutely ridiculous, & so was Curry, although I think Curry has more prime years left. Harden looks a bit out of shape, but if he gets back to form watch out. He & Kevin Durant could win a few rings together.

I think you have the eras mixed up.

Scoring has hit an all time high.... MJ is way more likely to average 40 today then Curry/Harden in the 90’s.

Open space, open lanes, better shooters, better schemes?

MJ would rip the league in half.

Roleplayers go for 50 today.

I mean Beal/Mitchell/Booker puts up high end scoring numbers, Jordan destroys them scoring wise.

[Tottery]

I gotta say no. Hand checking was a thing. Curry and Harden can create space now, but back then the defender was allowed to put hands on your body to control where you went. Once hand checking was removed a lot of players blossomed. Nash instantly comes to mind. Also, Kobe Bryant. Bryant was great, but even his best scoring seasons came after hand checking was removed.

Another thing they called back then was traveling, which gets by a lot today. Honestly, I think they'd do great, but 40 pts is a bit of a stretch.

[Cerohero]

Ya obviously they would since they had the benefit of modern technology, training , etc

However you give those 90’s players the same modern tech, training, etc

They would all average over 50 easily in this modern soft snowflake era

[Jasen777]

They would at first (if coaches let them play as they wanted) but the league would adjust.

[Jossten]

The amount of skill that Curry & Harden have is unprecedented. Their ability to shoot from beyond the arc & drain difficult long range shots would've cemented them as all time greats in that era.

Michael Jordan was super skilled but I don't think he was as good offensively as Curry & Harden. People need to appreciate what we've witnessed in those two guys. They truly are generational talents.

Defense was tougher back in the day, but Steph & Harden are experts @ creating space for themselves.

Prime Harden was absolutely ridiculous, & so was Curry, although I think Curry has more prime years left. Harden looks a bit out of shape, but if he gets back to form watch out. He & Kevin Durant could win a few rings together.

I think you have the eras mixed up.

Scoring has hit an all time high.... MJ is way more likely to average 40 today then Curry/Harden in the 90’s.

Open space, open lanes, better shooters, better schemes?

MJ would rip the league in half.

Roleplayers go for 50 today.

I mean Beal/Mitchell/Booker puts up high end scoring numbers, Jordan destroys them scoring wise.

Open space for mid-range shots but not for 3s, and MJ would need a serviceable 3-pointer to put up 40 ppg. Not knocking him at all, but if volume-scorers who take way more 3s today aren't scoring at that level I don't see why MJ would.

Also, from the highlights I've seen of 90's play, it didn't seem like verticality and rim-protection were as emphasized as they were today, even if there were some great shot blockers.. Please feel free to correct me if you watched the NBA consistently in the 90'. I don't think he'd score so easily at the rim, but even if I'm wrong and he is more efficient there, it wouldn't be enough to drop 40 per game.

[Johnny Bball]

Agreed, there's absolutely no way 90's players would have realized they had to actually guard shooters at the 3 point line.

You see, back then defense was optional and if you ran far enough away from the rim, you were left alone.

Unlike today's defense, which is hard nosed and physical and players like Harden and Curry are constantly hand-checked, bodied up and are forced to earn their FTA.

That’s so stupid.