Was the NBA better 25 years ago than it is today?

With all the TV coverage, clips, and social media posts surrounding the NBA today, people have forgotten about the ultimate stars of yesteryear, the stars some would argue are better than the current ones.

There are constant comparisons between eras in the NBA, starting with the LeBron James versus Michael Jordan argument. The answer to which era is better is subjective, but many fans would argue the '90s were the golden era for NBA basketball.

According to CBS Sports, Kevin Durant said, "I go back and watch a lot of that 90s film, 80s stuff, and they play physical, but I just think they got away with a lot of flagrant fouls."

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25 years ago, the NBA was more of a combat sport than what it is today, with most teams having an enforcer and flagrant fouls today being called common fouls back then. Also, hand-checking was allowed, meaning defenders could touch and control players.

A perfect example of the physicality back then was the 'Jordan Rules' used by the Detroit Pistons on Michael Jordan in the late 80s and early 90s. ESPN reported that the 'Jordan Rules' was a strategy to forcefully stop Jordan from making it to the rim and to tire him out.

In today's NBA, the excessive use of the three-point shot has caused many issues that have made the NBA product worse than what it was in the 90s.

According to NBA Discussion, there is an average of 30 three-point shots a game in today's NBA, compared to the 90s where there was an average of ten. This three-point revolution has been spearheaded by Steph Curry, James Harden, and Damian Lillard.

The higher volume of three-point shots has turned some NBA games into a three-point competition and increased spacing, making it easier for offensive players to score inside and outside the three-point line due to the amount of space on the court.

As reported by Complex, the NBA rivalries in the 90s were much fiercer, with the whole of America staying up to watch the Chicago Bulls versus the New York Knicks or Detroit Pistons. The Indiana Pacers had brutal rivalries with the Knicks and Pistons as well.

Over 25 years ago, the league had some unique characters in its ranks where you could almost promise that Dennis Rodman, Xavier McDaniel, and Vernon Maxwell would do something crazy to throw a team off their offensive rhythm.

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The NBA today has revolutionized into a league where seven-footers must be able to shoot three-point shots. Back then, the center position required crafty feet and an aggressive temperament to survive under the basket.

Complex reported that the 90s hosted the best group of centers in NBA history, including Hall of Famers Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O'Neal, and David Robinson. You can also include Dikembe Mutombo, Rick Smits, and Luc Longley.

The help of the 1992 Team USA 'Dream Team' and the rise in stars like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal, brought basketball into pop and regular American culture. Sportskeeda reported that O'Neal famously made a song with rap legend Notorious BIG in 1996.

It's impossible to talk about basketball from the 1990s and not talk about the biggest star in the world at that time, Michael Jordan. The Chicago Bulls legend dominated the era, winning six NBA Championships in six Finals appearances, and securing six Finals MVPs.

It wasn't just Michael Jordan that created the Bulls phenom in the 90s, with sidekick Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson also winning the six NBA Championships with 'MJ'. The 72 and 10 1996 Chicago Bulls team is arguably the greatest NBA team in history.

What do you think? Was the NBA better 25 years ago or do you prefer where the NBA is today?

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