Oscar Robertson Takes Aim At Draymond Green’s Criticism

“One guy can say this. One guy can say that. The game is what it is. People either like the game or they don’t and I think people enjoy the game, especially if their team can win.”

“It might be boring to (Green) because if he’s not passing the ball to (Stephen Curry), what is he doing?,” he chides. “I mean not to single that out because I think he knows how to play basketball. But he passes the ball to Curry more than anyone I’ve ever seen in basketball… It might be boring to him at times because of what he’s doing…”

Personal Preference

Robertson’s comments came on the heels of the four-time NBA champion telling reporters that the today’s game is “very boring.

“It’s not smart basketball,” he explains. “It’s just who can run faster, who can hit more 3s; it’s no substance.”

For all of his shenanigans, Green is widely considered to be among the smartest players in the league. With that in mind, his viewpoint can’t just be cast aside because it’s one that someone disagrees with. The same goes for Robertson, who remains an avid fan of the game. Similarly, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has lamented today’s three-point proliferation while Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has defended it.

In many ways, it’s more of a matter of preference. To some, the way the game is being played now is smart. To others, it’s overly simplistic.

Who’s to say who’s right?

An Ever-Evolving League

The NBA tends to follow trends. The success that the Warriors have had while emphasizing small-ball and the three-ball has created a plethora of copycats.

However, teams are now returning to more traditional lineups. This could be influenced by the Boston Celtics, who are the reigning NBA championships. The fact that an elite low-post scorer in Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is now a three-time NBA MVP could be a factor in that as well.

Additionally, because of lackluster individual defense and rim-protection, teams have started to play zone defense regularly. This and the mastery of players like James has helped keep the midrange alive.

That being said, the dominant style of play is constantly in flux. For many, that’s entertaining in and of itself.