The NBA is starting to get boring, especially compared to the glory days of the 1990s.

Without iconic players like Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon, the NBA has lost all its spirit. The enthusiasm in the players nowadays is just nowhere to be seen.

Physical playstyle

From elbows, jabs, pushes to pulls, all sorts of physical contact was common, but only personal fouls were called in the 90s. The playstyle was more aggressive.

John Stockton was a point guard in the 90s. Stockton was titled all time steal leader because he played hard on defense, reading the opponents play and reaching in for the ball.

On the other hand, point guard Stephen Curry holds the most three-pointers in a season. Curry hardly drives to the rim, nor puts on lockdown defense, but merely just shoots three-pointers without physical contact.

The rules changed

The rules of basketball have shifted heavily towards a more boring playstyle. For example, hand checking means that a defender may not place and keep his hands on an opponent unless he is in the area near the basket with his back to the basket.

Hand checking was applied in 2004. Players are no longer physical, because a slight touch or a jab results in a foul.

Abusing this rule, players tend to ‘flop.’ A flop is when a player fakes getting fouled, pretending to get hurt and injured like weak soccer players.

Due to playstyles, drafting has also changed

The drafting strategies of the 90’s were not the same as they are today. Teams mostly drafted centers and power forwards as their top picks.

Centers were drafted in the 90’s because the plays revolved around them. It was the most exciting and physical way to score for the audience.

The modern NBA, on the other hand, has drafted small forwards and point guards as top picks since 2008.

What it is like now

In the modern NBA, strategies are based on point guards and shooters. This means that centers are forced to play outside the paint for screens and rebounds.

This caused the playstyle of centers to evolve. Without plays for them in the paint, they are forced to shoot mid range shots. This created fewer opportunities for centers to score and made them useless.

Why that is boring

The pace of the game is much slower in the modern NBA. It is hard to see highlights with shooters doing all the offense. With the hand checking rule, it also made the game less physical as
well as slower with referees constantly calling fouls.

NBA will lose fans and money

With the slow pace of the game and plays only revolving around point guards, The NBA is getting boring and it will gradually lose its fans and money.

How to fix

Coaches need to draft centers and power forwards and actually use them for offense. It is also important for the NBA to remove the hand checking rule to change the playstyle to a more physical and engaging game.

Games now are not as interesting as in the 90s, and the playstyle is not as enjoyable. But new centers like Zion and Mohammed Bamba are rising. We can only hope for a change in the NBA.