On Kevin Durant’s most recent episode of his podcast, "The ETCs”, he addressed the belief that the NBA of the 1980s and 90s was simply a more physical brand of basketball.
During the episode, which aired on Wednesday, Durant laid out that he’s been watching old game film and isn’t in the camp of those who hold the assumption that that the NBA was more physical back in the day. “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,” Durant said.
In an era, which featured the Pistons “Bad Boys” as well as rugged Knicks teams led by Anthony Mason and Charles Oakley, he argues that it’s simply because players were allowed to play that style because flagrant fouls didn’t result in harsh punishment.
