There’s an instant rush to compare players from different eras the instant they come in. I remember a kid named Harold Miner in 1993 being called Baby Jordan…despite the fact that Jordan had just won his third straight championship. Greg Oden was supposed to be the next Patrick Ewing, Kobe was supposed to be the next Jordan, LeBron was supposed to be the next Jordan, and so on.

After watching game 3 of the finals, and watching the pure strength and athleticism of someone like Wade, or the explosiveness of Westbrook, followed by watching NBA TV’s special on the Dream Team, it’s pretty obvious that there isn’t a comparison. It’s not to say that one generation is different than the other, it’s just that things are different.

I watched game 3 with my dad (being that it was Father’s Day and all) and we had our normal discussion about the old NBA vs the new NBA. He’s of the opinion that the finesse of the game has disappeared and become a much more physical game. While it’s true to an extent, the game today is unlike any time in the past. Today’s athletes are unlike any others in history. They run like a cheetah, jump like a kangaroo, and are basically the closest thing we have to superheroes that we can have. There have been so many plays where LeBron will drive in full speed, stop on a dime, and somehow have enough strength to absorb the contact from the defender, leap into the air, regain his balance, and then still make a shot. If I hadn’t seen it happen so many times I wouldn’t believe it. Durant is just as equally amazing, but in a different way. I don’t think we’ve ever seen someone who is 6’11” and barely weighs 225 pounds soaking wet, yet can control his body like a man who is 6′ tall.

The point of my ramblings is: I didn’t watch the game as closely as I did the others, so I don’t have much analysis to give. However, I can make a statement that some people might find controversial. I think today’s players, talent wise, are far better than those of the past. I’m not saying that if we had a time machine and had the ’92 Dream Tream play the 2008 Redeem Team the winner would be easy to decide. However, if you look at the number of players today who have an inordinate amount of talent, today wins by a landslide.

It would be a hell of a game to watch though, wouldn’t it? Let’s get Doc Brown on the phone with the Delorian and make it happen. In fact, this might be a great idea for a future blog post. As always, Stay Tuned….