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Scottie Pippen was invited to draw comparisons between the NBA during his playing days and the current game, specifically discussing Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic.
In an interview with Marca, he responded to whether the Slovenian and Serbian stars would have been as dominant in the 1980s and 1990s: “I’m not sure. Back in our day, we applied pressure all over the court. Would Jokic be able to handle that kind of pressure while bringing the ball up? I can’t say. It’s true that he has exceptional vision and passing ability, but I doubt he would find it easy to manage the ball against such intense pressure.”
Pippen emphasized that basketball is fundamentally a team sport when it comes to winning: “No matter how talented an individual player is, that alone doesn’t secure a championship. Success requires a cohesive team effort.”
The six-time NBA champion elaborated on the differences between today’s game and when he played.
“It’s a completely different style of play now, especially in terms of promotion, officiating, and the athletes themselves. Today’s players are generally bigger, stronger, and faster,” he noted.
“I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s more physical,” Pippen continued. “Basketball in the late ’80s and early ’90s was as physical as it gets. I see less physicality in the games today compared to back then, primarily due to the hard fouls that were permitted. Teams approached the game with a different attitude.”
He also considered a hypothetical matchup between the 1996 Chicago Bulls and the 2016 Golden State Warriors, two of the most highly-regarded teams in history in terms of win-loss records.
“It really hinges on the rules,” he stated. “Under the ’90s rules, Steph Curry wouldn’t perform the same way. But if we were to play in their era, it would feel like breaking free. There’s so much freedom; no one’s grabbing you or taking you down. In that environment, they would probably have the advantage because of their prolific shooting from players like Steph and Klay Thompson. That wasn’t our strong suit.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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