The Steve Kerr-Splash Brothers era of Golden State Warriors basketball will go down as one of the most dominant dynasties in NBA history. They set the standard for a modern offense and won four rings in six tries, reaching the NBA Finals every year they were healthy.
But as great as they've been, old-school basketball fans don't seem to like them that much. Their jump shot-happy offense, the pace-and-space, and the small-ball are utterly different from what they were used to.
That's why fans, analysts, and even players often debate whether they'd be as good if they'd played back in the day. For one, Charles Barkley doesn't seem to be thriving against his era's physical teams.
NBA News: Charles Barkley Says Warriors Would Struggle With The 80s Physical Basketball
"I don't get into those discussions because I think when guys get on radio and TV and say who's better LeBron or Michael, that's just lazy journalism," Barkley said on The Dan Patrick Show. "They're just trying to get stroke fires out there to get idiots and fools to call on your radio show."
"The Warriors, I love what they do but them little bodies they got, they wouldn't last in the 70s and the 80s. No disrespect. Let's be realistic. You know how much I love Steph Curry, you think he can take that beating Michael got against the Bad Boys Pistons? Please stop it. The game was just so much more physical," Chuck explained.
There's no way of knowing whether that's true or not. Yeah, the Dubs would have to endure a beating down low, but the Pistons would never be able to keep up with them scoring-wise, either.
All eras have their appeal. Basketball has changed and will continue to evolve as the years go by. So, whatever the fans or even the players say is nothing but wishful thinking. We'll never know for real, and that's it.
