Gobert should start

[fishonjazz]

Not that I disagree but what makes you say that? I was too young to remember when Eaton played.

Too slow and one dimensional.

At least guys like deandre jordan and drummond, though being one dimensional, can still move well enough.

Eaton was kinda like a roy hibbert with less offense. (roy hibbert would have probably been pretty effective back in the days of mark eaton)

Edit: also fesenko

 

[Stifle Tower]

Too slow and one dimensional.

At least guys like deandre jordan and drummond, though being one dimensional, can still move well enough.

Eaton was kinda like a roy hibbert with less offense. (roy hibbert would have probably been pretty effective back in the days of mark eaton)

Edit: also fesenko

Agree. The rules have completely changed. By the same token, some of the elite offensive players we see today would have been much less effective in the 80's. Not saying they wouldn't be great, but you even breathe on someone like Durant, James, Kobe (or Wade a few years ago) and the whistle blows. Back in the 80's/90's, players could actually play defense and make a little contact. That was the philosophy of Sloan's defense: funnel the play to the inside where Mountain Man Eaton would be waiting to impede the play or block the shot. Certainly players becoming more efficient shooting 3's has made that strategy obsolete, but so too have the many rule changes which have favored the offense in every single instance. NBA WANTS scoring, not defensive battles.

 

[GVC]

but so too have the many rule changes which have favored the offense in every single instance. NBA WANTS scoring, not defensive battles.

How did changing the illegal defense rule and moving the 3-point line back favor the offense?

 

[infection]

Eaton would be a scrub in today's NBA.

I'm not even certain how to respond to this. Do you care to elaborate in any way that would attempt to validate this assertion?

 

[fishonjazz]

I'm not even certain how to respond to this. Do you care to elaborate in any way that would attempt to validate this assertion?

I think in eatons day there were a lot more big white stiffs...... will purdue, luke longley, bill wenington......And also a fair amount of big black stiffs.

Today's nba it's based more on speed and athleticism than on size.
Back in eatons day being big was enough...... not the case so much today

Also a lot of today's big guys are better shooters and would pull eaton away from the hoop making him less effective

 

[infection]

I think in eatons day there were a lot more big white stiffs...... will purdue, luke longley, bill wenington......And also a fair amount of big black stiffs.

Today's nba it's based more on speed and athleticism than on size.
Back in eatons day being big was enough...... not the case so much today

Also a lot of today's big guys are better shooters and would pull eaton away from the hoop making him less effective

So this would make him a scrub in today's NBA?

 

[fishonjazz]

So this would make him a scrub in today's NBA?

A little harsh I guess

 

[GVC]

I'm not even certain how to respond to this. Do you care to elaborate in any way that would attempt to validate this assertion?

On the defensive end, bigs have to be a lot more mobile with the changes to the hand checking rules. Guards need a lot more help on pick and rolls.

On the offensive end, with changes to illegal defense rules, and the way teams load up on the strong side and pack the paint, it's a lot harder to hide a player who can't consistently hit a jump shot.

FWIW, I think college teams today would be pretty competitive in the NBA of the 1980s.

 

[JAZZGASM]

I think in eatons day there were a lot more big white stiffs...... will purdue, luke longley, bill wenington......And also a fair amount of big black stiffs.

Today's nba it's based more on speed and athleticism than on size.
Back in eatons day being big was enough...... not the case so much today

Also a lot of today's big guys are better shooters and would pull eaton away from the hoop making him less effective

The league has changed, but I think Eaton would still dominate today. People don't remember what a defensive force he was. I encourage you to check out old footage of him. He had some amazing blocks on very athletic players. Not to mention the 1000s of shots he altered.

Many on this board were probably too young to ever see him play.

 

[JAZZGASM]

On the defensive end, bigs have to be a lot more mobile with the changes to the hand checking rules. Guards need a lot more help on pick and rolls.

On the offensive end, with changes to illegal defense rules, and the way teams load up on the strong side and pack the paint, it's a lot harder to hide a player who can't consistently hit a jump shot.

FWIW, I think college teams today would be pretty competitive in the NBA of the 1980s.

A well executed pick and roll would be effective hand check or not.

On the flip side, on D, the defensive 3 seconds vs illegal defense gives the big center more flexibility in the paint. I think the current rules would affect Eaton, but I still think he would do really well.

 

[GVC]

A well executed pick and roll would be effective hand check or not.

On the flip side, on D, the defensive 3 seconds vs illegal defense gives the big center more flexibility in the paint. I think the current rules would affect Eaton, but I still think he would do really well.

1. Then where have all the lumbering giants gone? The only player anything like Eaton in today's NBA is Roy Hibbert, but he's still a much better athlete than Eaton ever was.

2. A well executed pick and roll, sure, but what I was trying to get at is that today's guards and wings are able to consistently create better separation from their defenders. Bigs are required to help AND recover a lot more quickly now than they were in the 1980s. That today's guards and wings are a lot stronger and quicker doesn't help.

 

[JAZZGASM]

1. Then where have all the lumbering giants gone? The only player anything like Eaton in today's NBA is Roy Hibbert, but he's still a much better athlete than Eaton ever was.

2. A well executed pick and roll, sure, but what I was trying to get at is that today's guards and wings are able to consistently create better separation from their defenders. Bigs are required to help AND recover a lot more quickly now than they were in the 1980s. That today's guards and wings are a lot stronger and quicker doesn't help.

I am not disagreeing with your comments regarding the change in rules, I just think Eaton could still do well in today's game. I remember plenty of times when he helped with small guys on pick and rolls and did great.

As much as guards need help on picks, Eaton was a FORCE inside. The mid range game is the least effective in the NBA. I think the net effective of Eaton would be very positive. I'd give up more open mid-range shots off the pick than easy points in the paint any day. On the flip side, centers have become smaller (and worse defenders). I think Eaton's limited offensive game would look better against todays big's.

Fess could have done well if he had any desire. And he didn't have Eaton's length. Less effective in today's game, no doubt, but he could have still been a defensive force.

Hell, there were plenty of white stiffs back then, but most couldn't hold a candle to Eaton.