"I love Steph Curry, you think he could take that beating that Michael got against the 'Bad Boys' Pistons?" - Charles Barkley responds to Draymond Green's comments about 2017 Warriors and 1990s Bulls
Draymond Green is one of the most amazing players to ever play in the NBA. While his stats may not show, the truth is that his impact goes way beyond the numbers.
The Golden State Warriors forward recently watched the 1998 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz. Michael Jordan hit a midrange jumper with five seconds to go, beating the Jazz in six games.
Green claimed that his Warriors would've beaten both the Bulls and the Jazz. However, Charles Barkley didn't like what he heard from the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year.
Barkley claimed that Steph Curry wouldn't have been able to take the beating that Jordan got against the Detroit Pistons.
"The Warriors, I love what they do, but the little bodies they got, they wouldn't last in the '70s, in the '80s. No disrespect," the Hall of Famer said. "Think about this. Let's be realistic. You know how much I love Steph Curry. You think he could take that beating that Michael got against the Bad Boys Pistons?"
The NBA was more physical a few decades ago, which is not something Green took into account. While Barkley may be wrong, too, one has to wonder how good Curry would be against a very physical defense.
Charles Barkley disagrees with Draymond Green
The Golden State Warriors are one of the best teams in NBA history. However, it's questionable how good they would be in an era of basketball that was much more physical.
Barkley knows what it takes to play against extremely tough teams such as the Bad Boys Pistons. He also knows what it's like to play against Michael Jordan.
The 1993 NBA MVP talked about how physical the Pistons were and how they tried to intentionally hurt other players:
"I played during that generation," Barkley said. "I tell people, when you played against those Bad Boys Pistons, you had to call your family and say, 'Just in case I never see you again, I want y'all to know we're good. I love y'all.' Because those boys are out there trying to hurt people, so that's the thing you can't compare."
Green may have missed this important element when he compared his Warriors to the Bulls or the Jazz. While the Warriors are amazing, they are definitely not as physical as some teams from a few decades ago.
Michael Jordan would be even better in today's NBA
Barkley also implied that Jordan would be even better in today's NBA. The Hall of Famer believes that the GOAT would shoot even more free throws in the modern league.
Green and the Warriors could dominate the league for a few more years. They are incredible and have successfully built a dynasty.
I’m watching the 98 Bulls vs Utah in the Finals… I can’t help but notice our 2017 team would’ve beaten these Bulls by a dub and these Jazz by 40 if they’re going to play these brands of basketball. And that’s why it’s dumb to compare Era’s
However, Draymond made an outrageous claim, saying that the Warriors would beat the Jazz by 40 points. The eras were different, and making such a statement is quite outrageous.