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When Scottie Pippen was interviewed by Marca, he was prompted to compare the NBA of his time with the contemporary game, particularly regarding players like Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic.
“I can’t really say,” he responded when asked if the Slovenian and Serbian stars would thrive equally in the 1980s and 90s. “We applied pressure all over the court. Would Jokic be able to handle that kind of intensity while bringing the ball up? I’m not sure. Yes, he has great court vision and passing abilities, but I’m uncertain if he would feel at ease managing the ball under such circumstances.”
He emphasized the importance of teamwork when discussing what it takes to win, stating, “Basketball is a collective effort. It doesn’t matter how exceptional a single player is; that alone won’t secure a championship. Success comes from having a strong team.”
The six-time NBA champion also noted some distinctions between today’s game and the one he played.
“It’s a fundamentally different sport now, in terms of promotion, officiating, and even the players themselves. They are generally larger, stronger, and faster,” he observed.
“I’m hesitant to claim it’s more physical now,” he continued, “because basketball in the late ’80s and early ’90s was about as tough as it gets. In my view, today’s game lacks the same level of physicality as back then, largely due to the types of hard fouls that were permitted. The mental approach of teams was also different.”
Pippen further discussed a hypothetical matchup between the 1996 Chicago Bulls and the 2016 Golden State Warriors, both recognized as two of the most successful teams in NBA history based on their impressive win-loss records.
“It really hinges on the rules,” he said. “In the context of ’90s rules, Steph Curry wouldn’t perform the same way. But if we played in their era, it would feel like gaining freedom. There would be less physicality; players aren’t being held back or knocked down as they used to be. In that scenario, they’d likely have the upper hand, especially with players like Steph and Klay Thompson, who are among the best three-point shooters. That was not our strong suit.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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