Basketball has come a long way since the good-old-days. The league has changed, the rules have changed, and even the way NBA players get ready has changed. Maybe there’s no point in trying to compare modern-day hoops with old-school basketball.
Then again, there are still several things that have stayed the same. I mean, fundamentals are fundamentals, regardless of we’re talking about 1950 and 2020. And one of basketball’s biggest fundamentals is motion.
That’s why Charles Barkley went at today’s game – yes, again – to discuss the way some players are approaching their role, claiming that they’re stationary shooters and therefore quite easy to guard:
“One thing I think is really hurting the NBA is we got many guys who are stationary shooters. They just stand there. Get the ball, put your head down & make a move. If you just stand there, you’re easy to guard. Man, work on your game, learn to dribble. Don’t just stand out there like a dummy,” Barkley said on NBA on TNT.
While Barkley is a bonafide critic of today’s hoops, he’s got a point this time. Maybe, the Golden State Warriors made everybody fall in love with the three-pointer, and analytics have also changed the approach coaches and players take towards the game.
Then again, not every player is suited to be a spot-up shooter and therefore they shouldn’t try to emulate a formula instead of putting together an offense that actually fits their roster.
The NBA is getting too three-point friendly and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I, personally, enjoy watching a good shootout. The thing is that most teams are trying to do the same and it seems like some of them have lost their identity.
As for the players, they’re more complete nowadays to how they were during Barkley’s era, but they also must work on other aspects of their game.
