Much has been made of how today’s NBA would pale in comparison to the physical nature of the game many decades ago. Many believe that today’s superstars such as LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets just would not be able to withstand the physicality of the 1980s or the 1990s. More than a few folks have even gone on to say that today’s NBA has become completely soft.
Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas begs to differ. In the mind of the Detroit Pistons icon, he firmly believes that it’s actually quite the opposite. According to Thomas, his era would have completely struggled to contain the likes of LeBron and KD:
“We would have no shot at guarding Kevin Durant or LeBron James in the post, in the triple post,” Thomas said in a recent appearance on The ETCs with Kevin Durant podcast (h/t Sam Leweck of Lakers Daily). “We’d have no shot. We just wouldn’t unless we came and double-teamed and fouled you hard.”
This is Isiah Thomas who’s speaking here and this man was the heart and soul of the Bad Boys Pistons of the 80s/90s. He definitely knows a thing or two about fouling hard so you better believe him what he’s trying to point out with his statement above.
Along with the likes of Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, and Joe Dumars, that group terrorized the league with their overly physical style of play. They won back-to-back titles too in 1989 and 1990 so it’s not just about brute strength for that iconic squad. Nevertheless, Thomas remains adamant that despite their aggressive approach to the game, they would have stood no chance if LeBron James or Kevin Durant played during their time.
Thomas lived through what some may consider as the golden era of basketball and for him to say that LeBron and KD would have dominated in those decades just speaks volumes of just how special these two superstars are. They’re no pushovers as well when it comes to the physical side of the game. So much for the narrative labeling them as soft, right?
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January 16, 2022 at 04:46AM
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Lakers: Isiah Thomas blasts soft narrative on LeBron James, Kevin Durant - ClutchPoints
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