Dave Cowens, youtube star

[86MaxwellSmart]

Imagine players lifting weights and eating correctly back then.

[tazzmaniac]

Anyone who says the players back then were plumbers and carpenters who would never play in the modern NBA, you better watch this video of 67 year old Dave Cowens doing his own version of Luka warm ups

https://twitter.com/dee4three84/status/1403223562031448065?s=21

All the great players could play at any time. No one played harder than Cowens.

They wouldn't necessarily be great though.  The rules differences would be a big deal for some players and not much of a deal for others.

They have made the game easier not harder especially on offense.

Exactly. Players from the past would love to play under today's NBA rules.

Not if you were a defensive focused player.  Not if your game was dependent on physicality.  A lot of the centers and power forwards would be unplayable today. 

[terra haute]

Imagine players lifting weights and eating correctly back then.

remember McHale talking about switching from beer to light beer in training camp? Given that the stories about Bird running laps at the garden are legendary and these guys probably still did more normal stuff than nowadays. bird push mowed his own lawn and maybe they work out too much and some of the injury problems. Bird and Cowens were big beer drinking buddies werent they?

[tazzmaniac]

Imagine players lifting weights and eating correctly back then.

remember McHale talking about switching from beer to light beer in training camp? Given that the stories about Bird running laps at the garden are legendary and these guys probably still did more normal stuff than nowadays. bird push mowed his own lawn and maybe they work out too much and some of the injury problems. Bird and Cowens were big beer drinking buddies werent they?

Don't have to go back that far.  Remember Lamar Odom and his candy diet.  McHale and Bird wouldn't have played on some of their injuries. 

[tstorey_97]

Below from wiki..

"He scored 1,479 points in 78 games at Florida State, at 19.0 points per game, and ranks among Florida State's top 10 all-time scoring leaders.

Cowens is the all-time Florida State leading rebounder with 1,340 rebounds (17.2 rebounds per game). He holds the team record for best seasonal rebound average (17.5 in the 1968–1969 season).[citation needed] He once grabbed 31 rebounds (second-best all-time) against LSU in the 1968–69 season."

His senior season in high school his team went 29-3
Senior season at Florida State 23-3
(end)

Cowens just wanted the ball more than the bigs he was up against. The ball is right there waiting for a rebound and Cowens would just punish the guys who tried to go get it first. Every loose ball was like a playoff game...no one wanted to play against him.

Cowens vs Bob Lanier or Kareem was a sight to see.

NBA finals (1974) Cowens played all 18 playoff games
PPG 20.4
RPG 13.3
AST 3.3

Watch clips of that series the Celtics took the Bucks in 7....Tommy Heisohn head coach killing the refs, Cowens at total war with Kareem. Havlicek And Oscar Roberston two more hall of famers.

The city of Boston was ON FIRE for that series. Celtics took game one, but Kareem hit for 35 points and the Bucks got game two. Kareem's length had hammered Cowens inside on defense so Cowens switched and started taking more outside shots and? He hit'em!

What a show.

The rest is history.


 

[slamtheking]

Anyone who says the players back then were plumbers and carpenters who would never play in the modern NBA, you better watch this video of 67 year old Dave Cowens doing his own version of Luka warm ups

https://twitter.com/dee4three84/status/1403223562031448065?s=21

All the great players could play at any time. No one played harder than Cowens.

They wouldn't necessarily be great though.  The rules differences would be a big deal for some players and not much of a deal for others.

They have made the game easier not harder especially on offense.

Exactly. Players from the past would love to play under today's NBA rules.

Not if you were a defensive focused player.  Not if your game was dependent on physicality.  A lot of the centers and power forwards would be unplayable today.

not really.  imagine today's players actually having to play by the rules the older players had to abide by.  does anyone really think Kyrie would have such a 'magical handle' if he actually had to dribble with his hand on top of the ball, and ONLY ON TOP OF THE BALL, like Bob Cousy?

[hardlyyardley]

I remember being at the gahen for a playoff game vs the Buffalo Braves....Cowens played the whole fourth quarter with five fould and score something like 20points to will the C's a big win

[hpantazo]

Anyone who says the players back then were plumbers and carpenters who would never play in the modern NBA, you better watch this video of 67 year old Dave Cowens doing his own version of Luka warm ups

https://twitter.com/dee4three84/status/1403223562031448065?s=21

All the great players could play at any time. No one played harder than Cowens.

They wouldn't necessarily be great though.  The rules differences would be a big deal for some players and not much of a deal for others.

They have made the game easier not harder especially on offense.

Exactly. Players from the past would love to play under today's NBA rules.

Not if you were a defensive focused player.  Not if your game was dependent on physicality.  A lot of the centers and power forwards would be unplayable today.

not really.  imagine today's players actually having to play by the rules the older players had to abide by.  does anyone really think Kyrie would have such a 'magical handle' if he actually had to dribble with his hand on top of the ball, and ONLY ON TOP OF THE BALL, like Bob Cousy?

Or if players actually had to adhere to the basic rules of traveling? Back when things like 3 step drives and the 'eurostep' were illegal?

Or when opponents were allowed to actually play defense instead of getting called for a foul if  they get anywhere near a shooter?

[slamtheking]

Anyone who says the players back then were plumbers and carpenters who would never play in the modern NBA, you better watch this video of 67 year old Dave Cowens doing his own version of Luka warm ups

https://twitter.com/dee4three84/status/1403223562031448065?s=21

All the great players could play at any time. No one played harder than Cowens.

They wouldn't necessarily be great though.  The rules differences would be a big deal for some players and not much of a deal for others.

They have made the game easier not harder especially on offense.

Exactly. Players from the past would love to play under today's NBA rules.

Not if you were a defensive focused player.  Not if your game was dependent on physicality.  A lot of the centers and power forwards would be unplayable today.

not really.  imagine today's players actually having to play by the rules the older players had to abide by.  does anyone really think Kyrie would have such a 'magical handle' if he actually had to dribble with his hand on top of the ball, and ONLY ON TOP OF THE BALL, like Bob Cousy?

Or if players actually had to adhere to the basic rules of traveling? Back when things like 3 step drives and the 'eurostep' were illegal?

Or when opponents were allowed to actually play defense instead of getting called for a foul if  they get anywhere near a shooter?

yeah, I miss that version of the NBA.   so much more enjoyable and watchable.