Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant has taken a shot at former NBA stars who claim their era is more physical than the modern game.
According to numerous ex players and legends from the 1980s and 1990s, the NBA was a combat sport. Former stars point to how perimeter defenders could hand-check as they pleased amid a tougher and more physical era of basketball.
Durant is an outspoken NBA superstar and recently challenged the view that the older eras were more physical. Aside from some uncalled flagrant fouls, the former MVP has been studying old game film and doesn’t really agree with the viewpoint.
On the most recent episode of his podcast ‘The ETCs’, Durant said: “I go back and watch a lot of that 90s film, 80s stuff, and they play physical but I just think they got away with a lot of flagrant fouls. And I think that's why they call their era more physical than ours.
“There's more space, but guys play physical, we got strong, athletic guys here, too."
The notion that the NBA was more physical in the past is pushed by the existence of the likes of the Detroit Pistons’ ‘Bad Boys’ as well as the particularly rough clashes in the NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics that defined the 1980s. Durant is adamant the game remains as physical today, adding: “Guys, we play physical here, too.
“There's more space, but guys play physical, we got strong, athletic guys here, too. But you did get a lot of flagrant fouls that didn't result in fines or getting kicked out of the game, so it just seemed like it was a little tougher.”
Durant suggested the NBA have altered rules for the sake of player welfare, and it means stars are less inclined to commit to heavy fouls. He added: “A lot of those fouls Bill Laimbeer would pull off, how he would foul guys would result in a suspension nowadays. Guys are more cautious of being extra physical based off of that.”
Since Durant entered the NBA in 2007, the league has evolved and changed significantly. The former Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets forward has benefited from better spacing while the embrace of the ‘gather step’ and Eurostep moves have elevated offensive players while on-ball defenders are given less room within the rules to grab and impede ball handlers from getting to the basket.
Durant was traded to the Suns in February and Phoenix are yet to lose when the 13-time All-Star is in the starting line-up. The 34-year-old’s Suns take on the Los Angeles Lakers in their next contest on Friday before wrapping up their regular season against the LA Clippers on Sunday.
