J.J. Redick: The NBA is more physical than in the 80s, 90s

[Roy H.]

"When I watch, let’s say Steph Curry, for example," Redick said during an ESPN segment. "When I watch Steph Curry off the ball in a playoff game getting grabbed and held by Marcus Smart, they’re attached to him at all times. But then when I watch Larry Bird come off a pin-down and no one's within five feet of him and they’re shooting the gap, you’re telling me one is more physical than the other? You’re telling me that’s more physical than Steph Curry being grabbed and held for 48 minutes?”

... to which Dominique Wilkins replied:

Redick doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. What basketball was you watching? To say something as idiotic as that is ridiculous. When you can put your hand on a guy's hip and make him go a certain way... how many guys can deal with that kind of pressure? And for JJ Redick, who has played this game, I'm very disappointed that he said something so stupid.

... and Eddie Johnson stated:

JJ arguing it’s more physical now. He has no clue at all. JJ that jumper that players can get off clean now. How would like Alvin Robertson hitting your elbow , poking u in the stomach or a player standing under you where you would come down on his foot. No foul! Stop man

Guys have bigger muscles now, but I don't see it as being close to the same physically.

[boscel33]

Did JJ even have an NBA career?  If so, it was so non-descript that no one recalls.

There were no "free" layups in the 80's.  Go into the paint and you paid a price.

[Birdman]

Haha JJ wouldn’t last in the 80s..he be afraid to drive in for a layup..back then, the bigs would flatten u

[CelticsWhat35]

Haha JJ wouldn’t last in the 80s..he be afraid to drive in for a layup..back then, the bigs would flatten u

It was a completely ridiculous statement by Redick, but probably born out of his DM’s constantly being flooded with people saying he’d never make it in the 80s or 90s.  I believe that he wouldn’t have had as much success.  Probably a slightly better Tim Legler.  But let’s also not pretend like players from all eras don’t make similarly ridiculous statements.  Wilt thought he’d average 60-70 ppg in the 90s.  Isiah Thomas said Steph Curry would only average 18 ppg in the 80s.  We could go on and on.  Every player tends to think their era was the best

[Donoghus]

Looks like Reddick is taking the "look at me" approach to trying to separate himself as an analyst.

[liam]

Just click bait...

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Reddick doesn't just say stuff. He strikes me as a genuine guy.

I've thought something somewhat similar actually. Parts of the game in the 80s and 90s were way more physical - hand-checking, for example. I also think it was much more acceptable to give hard fouls going to the rim, even though that didn't happen as often as we think it did.

But the modern game is physical in different ways. Players might not be getting leveled going to the rim, or getting pushed off their spots, but cutting off-ball is very different. Every little bump off-ball today is at full speed. If you watch the game in the 80s and 90s, the defense is a bit more passive and finesse off-ball, especially on screens. I also think the modern NBA does a really good job at contending at the rim, which means that players have to bounce off players at the rim and absorb contact. They aren't getting leveled, but they are absorbing a lot of contact.

They really are very different games. Parts were more physical and parts were less physical. Parts were harder and parts were easier.

[liam]

Reddick doesn't just say stuff. He strikes me as a genuine guy.

I've thought something somewhat similar actually. Parts of the game in the 80s and 90s were way more physical - hand-checking, for example. I also think it was much more acceptable to give hard fouls going to the rim, even though that didn't happen as often as we think it did.

But the modern game is physical in different ways. Players might not be getting leveled going to the rim, or getting pushed off their spots, but cutting off-ball is very different. Every little bump off-ball today is at full speed. If you watch the game in the 80s and 90s, the defense is a bit more passive and finesse off-ball, especially on screens. I also think the modern NBA does a really good job at contending at the rim, which means that players have to bounce off players at the rim and absorb contact. They aren't getting leveled, but they are absorbing a lot of contact.

They really are very different games. Parts were more physical and parts were less physical. Parts were harder and parts were easier.

The Pistons say "Hi"...

[angryguy77]

JJ is Colin cowherd if Cowherd had a career in the NBA.

[ozgod]

Given JJ wasn't even born when Larry Legend was in his pomp I would take his opinion with a grain of salt 

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Reddick doesn't just say stuff. He strikes me as a genuine guy.

I've thought something somewhat similar actually. Parts of the game in the 80s and 90s were way more physical - hand-checking, for example. I also think it was much more acceptable to give hard fouls going to the rim, even though that didn't happen as often as we think it did.

But the modern game is physical in different ways. Players might not be getting leveled going to the rim, or getting pushed off their spots, but cutting off-ball is very different. Every little bump off-ball today is at full speed. If you watch the game in the 80s and 90s, the defense is a bit more passive and finesse off-ball, especially on screens. I also think the modern NBA does a really good job at contending at the rim, which means that players have to bounce off players at the rim and absorb contact. They aren't getting leveled, but they are absorbing a lot of contact.

They really are very different games. Parts were more physical and parts were less physical. Parts were harder and parts were easier.

The Pistons say "Hi"...

I'm not saying there weren't teams that were more physical than others, but even watching Piston games, you can see that parts of the game are a bit more finesse than today's game, while parts are more physical than today's game.

[Roy H.]

Reddick doesn't just say stuff. He strikes me as a genuine guy.

I've thought something somewhat similar actually. Parts of the game in the 80s and 90s were way more physical - hand-checking, for example. I also think it was much more acceptable to give hard fouls going to the rim, even though that didn't happen as often as we think it did.

But the modern game is physical in different ways. Players might not be getting leveled going to the rim, or getting pushed off their spots, but cutting off-ball is very different. Every little bump off-ball today is at full speed. If you watch the game in the 80s and 90s, the defense is a bit more passive and finesse off-ball, especially on screens. I also think the modern NBA does a really good job at contending at the rim, which means that players have to bounce off players at the rim and absorb contact. They aren't getting leveled, but they are absorbing a lot of contact.

They really are very different games. Parts were more physical and parts were less physical. Parts were harder and parts were easier.

I think that in the 1980s, there were less sophisticated defenses overall.  By the 1990s, though, you had physical defense plus sophisticated defenses. 

In 1986, the league average for scoring was 110.2 points per game.  By 1999 it was down to 91.6 ppg.  Since the removal of hand-checking in 2005, the average scoring has progressively increased from 97.2 points to 2021's 112.1.

[bdm860]

JJ is Colin cowherd if Cowherd had a career in the NBA.

I once worked with a guy who played D3 college basketball.  Couldn't have any discussion about basketball with the guy though because he would just shut down any opinion that differed from his own.  "You don't know what you're talking about, you never played college basketball like me.  I know the game better than you." 

Even though I've never heard JJ play that trump card ("I played so I know") he comes off exactly like that guy.  So I do like when guys who have actually played the game call him out.



It's kind of funny thinking about it.  JJ during college and going into the NBA was one of the most hated players in the game, had that "I'm better than you in every way" super prick image.  But over the years he shed that image, and I think was seen by most as a good role playing teammate that anybody (fan/player/coach) would be happy to have on their team.  His podcast helped too, came off like a normal, personable guy there.  But JJ the analyst, he falls right back into that image he had at Duke, "I'm smarter and better than you."

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Redick is so wrong. He needs to go watch video of Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals games from the '80s.

[Phantom255x]

Reddick is a good analyst and I'm glad he's on ESPN's NBA team, but I have to say his takes when comparing eras have been awful.