OT: 1996 Bulls vs. 2016 Warriors

[NYCorange]

You've gotta be kidding with this, right? I won't even bother defending Ruth because of his obvious impact in revolutionizing the game. But Gehrig hit .340 over a 17 year career and hit 49 homers twice, had a high of 185 RBI one year, and had two more years of 173 RBI. He led the league in OBP 5 times and got 400 total bases 5 times.

Of course, sarcasm directed at those who don't think Jeter was great. Overrated at times, sure, especially on defense. But you don't get to 3400 hits by being "above average."

 

[HRE Otto IV]

NBA rule changes have increased the possessions per game. If a foul is committed under 14 seconds in the NBA the shot clock isn't put back on 24 it just put to 14.
The elimination of hand-checking has increased fouls and more FTs.

From 2005-2006 onward the NBA has fixed a lot of rules that bogged the game down and made it slow. From 2006 till now the game is a lot higher.

In 1996 one thing that helped the Bulls was expansion. The NBA went from 27 teams in 95 to 29 teams in 96.

The NBA talent was thinned out in 1996 and that helped the Bulls.

What the Warriors did was amazing they went the whole year without losing back to back games. First time in NBA history.

PPG were higher 1992-1995 vs all but this year. Pace from 1992-1994 was higher than all but this year. Taking away FTs 1992-1994 was higher than all but the last 3 seasons. I agree that the game was bogged down but the game was higher scoring in the early 1990s vs the late 2000s and early 2010s despite brawl ball.

 

[cuseinseattle]

Maybe I'm old but I look at it and think Jordan checks Curry and Pippen checks Klay. Bulls in 5. I think Rodman could handle Green to some degree although Green is really good. Basically unless Barnes goes off they lose.

 

[Knicks411]

Maybe I'm old but I look at it and think Jordan checks Curry and Pippen checks Klay. Bulls in 5. I think Rodman could handle Green to some degree although Green is really good. Basically unless Barnes goes off they lose.

It took the Bulls 6 to knock off the Sonics in the finals; the Knicks won 47 games and took a game off the 96 Bulls. I struggle to think the Warriors would only take a game from them. (I know they swept the Magic)

 

[Alsacs]

Ron Harper would guard Curry.
Michael Jordan would guard Thompson.
Dennis Rodman would guard Green.
Scottie Pippen would start on Barnes
Luc Longley would guard Bogut.

Benches: Bulls have Kukoc, Kerr, Brown, Caffey, Simpkins, Buechler. This is the big weakness of those Bulls teams. Their bench was really thin.
Warriors could throw out Speights, Iguadola, Livingston, Barbosa, Elezi, Varajeo.

Golden State is deeper but Chciago had Michael Jordan. Give me the Bulls.

 

[Alsacs]

It took the Bulls 6 to knock off the Sonics in the finals; the Knicks won 47 games and took a game off the 96 Bulls. I struggle to think the Warriors would only take a game from them. (I know they swept the Magic)

1996 Finals were done after game 3. Sonics won 64 games as well. They were a worthy Finals opponent. All NBA Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp.

Bulls went sweep, 5 games, sweep, 6 games.

 

[Knicks411]

1996 Finals were done after game 3. Sonics won 64 games as well. They were a worthy Finals opponent. All NBA Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp.

Bulls went sweep, 5 games, sweep, 6 games.

Didn't Seattle move Payton onto Jordan in game 3 or 4? Changed the series a little. Game 2 was close (Bulls won by 4), and Seattle won 5 and 6 by a combined 32 points. Obviously the Bulls were better, but Seattle legit won 2 games off of them, I don't think the Bulls really mailed them in.

It just seems odd to give the 73 win warriors as many games as the 47 win Knicks. you know?

 

[Eric15]

Why can't NBC just take the NBA back and bring back it's legendary intro music which fired every single person up that heard it? Ugh.

 

[Knicks411]

Why can't NBC just take the NBA back and bring back it's legendary intro music which fired every single person up that heard it? Ugh.

Someone took one of Marv's old intros and the music and made an opening video for the finals last year. It was great

This should be it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts1T90fvrwE

 

[RF2044]

Why can't NBC just take the NBA back and bring back it's legendary intro music which fired every single person up that heard it? Ugh.

I prefer this version:

 

[MikeSU02]

Ron Harper would guard Curry.
Michael Jordan would guard Thompson.
Dennis Rodman would guard Green.
Scottie Pippen would start on Barnes
Luc Longley would guard Bogut.

Benches: Bulls have Kukoc, Kerr, Brown, Caffey, Simpkins, Buechler. This is the big weakness of those Bulls teams. Their bench was really thin.
Warriors could throw out Speights, Iguadola, Livingston, Barbosa, Elezi, Varajeo.

Golden State is deeper but Chciago had Michael Jordan. Give me the Bulls.

I'm sure someone mentioned this, but the Bulls had the perfect rotation to offset GSW's lineup of death. Move Rodman to center and put in Kukoc and take out Longley.

Also, while this GSW team is amazing, consider what it would be like if a team today had two Kawhi Leonards and one Draymond Green on defense. That was basically MJ, Pippen and Rodman. Length, athleticism and awesome defensive fundamentals.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Do players still talk as much trash as they did in the 1990s? And do the coaches play as many mind games? It felt like both were a big part of 1990s basketball. That and knowing that a fight could break out at any moment.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I'd be interested to see how hard it would be for Jordan and Pippen to get to the basket on Golden States current defense. I think with the current rules and Golden States ability to switch would give Chicago problems.

 

[Knicks411]

I'd be interested to see how hard it would be for Jordan and Pippen to get to the basket on Golden States current defense. I think with the current rules and Golden States ability to switch would give Chicago problems.

I probably said this already but I think this matchup comes down to era. If you dropped these Warriors in 96, I'd like the Bulls. (though steph with the shorter 3 point line...) But I think I'd like the Warriors in 2016. And not just because Steph was 8 years old in 1996.

 

[MikeSU02]

I probably said this already but I think this matchup comes down to era. If you dropped these Warriors in 96, I'd like the Bulls. (though steph with the shorter 3 point line...) But I think I'd like the Warriors in 2016. And not just because Steph was 8 years old in 1996.

The thing is, the Bulls could switch on almost everything and have the length to disrupt GSW. That is why Milwaukee gave GSW fits. If you can switch almost 1-5 without a huge defensive dip, you can beat this team if you can score.

And obviously, MJ would score.

Just my 0.02.

 

[Knicks411]

The thing is, the Bulls could switch on almost everything and have the length to disrupt GSW. That is why Milwaukee gave GSW fits. If you can switch almost 1-5 without a huge defensive dip, you can beat this team if you can score.

And obviously, MJ would score.

Just my 0.02.

Agreed, and I think I was the one who mentioned the Bulls could play Rodman at the 5 and have a matchup for the death lineup. I think the Bulls were slightly more versatile in that they'd do better in every era (Warriors are very reliant on 3 point shooting). The one thing that gives me pause is the Bulls had all big guards. I really don't think you want any of their guards chasing Steph around for 48 minutes in a 7 gamer.

 

[MikeSU02]

Agreed, and I think I was the one who mentioned the Bulls could play Rodman at the 5 and have a matchup for the death lineup. I think the Bulls were slightly more versatile in that they'd do better in every era (Warriors are very reliant on 3 point shooting). The one thing that gives me pause is the Bulls had all big guards. I really don't think you want any of their guards chasing Steph around for 48 minutes in a 7 gamer.

On the flip side, how does Steph defend any of the guards the Bulls have in the low post?

 

[Knicks411]

On the flip side, how does Steph defend any of the guards the Bulls have in the low post?

Totally fair point. I would put Steph on Harper and see if the Bulls would break their offense to try and exploit that matchup. I'd rather them try and force feed Harper at the expense of MJ and Scottie getting touches.

 

[Alsacs]

The Spurs in both games in San Antonio slowed the Warriors down.

Curry went crazy the 2nd game in San Antonio and they won but I think the Bulls could slow down the Warriors.

Michael Jordan wins.

I think the 80's Celtics and Lakers vs. Bulls are better matchups. Those teams were loaded as well.

This Warriors team is lucky Steph Curry took a discount contract and gave them cap space. Andre Iguadola makes more from the Warriors than Steph Curry. That is the reason the Warriors could sign Kevin Durant this offseason.

 

[Knicks411]

The Spurs in both games in San Antonio slowed the Warriors down.

Curry went crazy the 2nd game in San Antonio and they won but I think the Bulls could slow down the Warriors.

Michael Jordan wins.

I think the 80's Celtics and Lakers vs. Bulls are better matchups. Those teams were loaded as well.

This Warriors team is lucky Steph Curry took a discount contract and gave them cap space. Andre Iguadola makes more from the Warriors than Steph Curry. That is the reason the Warriors could sign Kevin Durant this offseason.

You also need to remember when Steph signed the deal. There was a lot of questions about his ankles. Also how much of a discount did he take? How much more could he have gotten at the time; it was a rookie extension.

 

[Alsacs]

You also need to remember when Steph signed the deal. There was a lot of questions about his ankles. Also how much of a discount did he take? How much more could he have gotten at the time; it was a rookie extension.

I get it but he signed a 4 year 44 million dollar deal. His MAX deal was 5 years 82.5 million.

That extra cap space along with the huge spike in the cap has been huge for the Warriors roster flexibility. The Warriors are lucky that Steph has made a lot in endorsements to make up for his cheap contract.

 

[Knicks411]

I get it but he signed a 4 year 44 million dollar deal. His MAX deal was 5 years 82.5 million.

That extra cap space along with the huge spike in the cap has been huge for the Warriors roster flexibility. The Warriors are lucky that Steph has made a lot in endorsements to make up for his cheap contract.

For some reason I figured the max was lower, but Harden basically signed for that and they were the same draft, so fair. But Steph was coming off a season where he played 26 games and averaged 15 per game. He had never made an all star team. It's easy to look at him now and see what he's become, but he was no one's idea of a max player at the time. He basically got a similar deal to Ty Lawson did, and at the time, you could probably argue Lawson was the better player and the better bet moving forward.

 

[Alsacs]

For some reason I figured the max was lower, but Harden basically signed for that and they were the same draft, so fair. But Steph was coming off a season where he played 26 games and averaged 15 per game. He had never made an all star team. It's easy to look at him now and see what he's become, but he was no one's idea of a max player at the time. He basically got a similar deal to Ty Lawson did, and at the time, you could probably argue Lawson was the better player and the better bet moving forward.

Steph took the guarantee instead of betting on himself. He signed before going thru restricted free agency. Now after next year he will sign a max contract probably in the 100 million dollar range but his first extension is going to cost him over 120 million dollars in max deals. Curry would have been eligible for Derrick Rose rule and a huge spike in his yearly salary if he waited.

Just like Anthony Davis will make 24 million dollars if the writers put on any all-NBA team. If I were the Pelicans I would bribe the writers to keep him off the luxury tax hit.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Agreed, and I think I was the one who mentioned the Bulls could play Rodman at the 5 and have a matchup for the death lineup. I think the Bulls were slightly more versatile in that they'd do better in every era (Warriors are very reliant on 3 point shooting). The one thing that gives me pause is the Bulls had all big guards. I really don't think you want any of their guards chasing Steph around for 48 minutes in a 7 gamer.

I think the one weakness of those Bulls teams was that Jordan was often the primary ball handler. With the speed in Golden State's lineup, I think I would press them full court, at least at certain times of the game when Jordan was playing PG.

 

[Knicks411]

Steph took the guarantee instead of betting on himself. He signed before going thru restricted free agency. Now after next year he will sign a max contract probably in the 100 million dollar range but his first extension is going to cost him over 120 million dollars in max deals. Curry would have been eligible for Derrick Rose rule and a huge spike in his yearly salary if he waited.

Just like Anthony Davis will make 24 million dollars if the writers put on any all-NBA team. If I were the Pelicans I would bribe the writers to keep him off the luxury tax hit.

Certainly in hindsight it cost him, I'm just saying at the time the contract wasn't seen as a ridiculous underpay or anything. If anything, maybe the opposite.

Just for some color
http://thebiglead.com/2015/12/03/stephen-curry-ankle-warriors/

Would Steph have been eligible for the Rose deal? Not on his first deal I don't think. And i don't think it applies to deals after that? Not sure

The Davis thing is so weird; the writers are basically going to decide if he gets an extra $25 million.