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Scottie Pippen feels Steph Curry wouldn’t be the ‘same player’ in hypothetical battle with Chicago Bulls

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aikansh Chaudhary | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 6:18 PM ET

Under the leadership of Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors have experienced phenomenal success.

The most prominent example of Stephen Curry’s influence is the Golden State Warriors‘ four NBA Championships.

However, if there was one season where the Warriors missed out on the fairytale ending, it was the 2015-16 campaign. Yes, the same season when the Warriors had a 73-9 record, but lost the NBA Finals.

Prior to the Warriors, the record was held by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, who won 72 games in the regular season. Speaking of which, many have compared the two sides in a hypothetical matchup.

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Scottie Pippen says Steph Curry wouldn’t be the same player if he played with the 1990s rules

NBA legend Scottie Pippen was a member of the 1995-96 Bulls roster. In fact, he was a key contributor in the Bulls’ six NBA Championships during that era.

While Pippen has retired from the NBA, he often shares his honest opinion on hypothetical matchups against the Bulls. The 6x NBA champ did it once again during an interview with MARCA.

“The 90s rules? Steph Curry is not the same player. For us to play in their era? It would be like breaking out of jail. You got freedom. No one is knocking you to the floor,” Pippen said of the Bulls vs. Warriors battle.

There’s no doubt that in a hypothetical matchup, Curry would be the most important player for the Warriors. However, Pippen believes that’s only the case if the battle takes place in the modern era.

If it were the 1990s, when the game was a lot more physical, Curry’s brilliance wouldn’t have saved the Dubs from defeat.

Scottie Pippen says modern players are ‘stronger, faster,’ but not more ‘physical’ than his era

Pippen admitted that the Curry-led Warriors would come out on top if the Bulls were to face them in the modern era.

Adding more to it, Pippen then compared the two eras, and surprisingly, he praised the modern NBA stars.

“They’re bigger, they’re stronger, they’re faster. I don’t want to say it’s even more physical. I think basketball in the late 80s and early 90s was about as physical as it could get,” Pippen continued.

“I don’t see today’s game as physical as it was back then just because of the hard fouls that you were allowed to give,” Pippen stated.

Oftentimes, retired NBA players tend to label modern players as soft. However, Pippen praised both eras in a respectful manner, which is rare to see.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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