More proof today's era is soft and weak...

[thedangerouskitchen]

Kevin Durant before/after his (then) career-threatening Achilles injury:

Before: 27.7 / 7.3 / 4.3 on .499%/.386%/.883% (ages 20-30)
After: 28.3 / 6.9 / 5.5 on .532%/.419%/.891% (ages 32-35)

It's virtually impossible for a player to come back after such a devastating injury and perform BETTER (at the advanced ages of 32-35) than he did during his natural prime years BEFORE said devastating injury unless A) he's been abusing PEDs the past 4 years, or b) today's Era truly is weak and soft Defensively.

There can be no other explanation.

Discuss your thoughts...

[manchild98]

There are basically no career ending injuries any more except maybe too many concussions. Doctors and advanced medicine and surgical procedures reduce recovery times by a shit ton. Guys blow out their knees and fully recover now. This isn't the 80s. If the Jets had made the playoffs this year Rodgers would have come back from his Achilles injury.

[Havlicekstealsit]

Someone doesn't quite comprehend the advances of modern medicine over time.

[Uncontroversial]

Also stats don’t tell the story. Durants winning impact on the court is clearly much lower. He’s been getting bounced early with super teams. Lebron putting up the same stats as always is also an easy out in the playoffs.

Either the competition is so good now that Durant and Lebron are uncompetitive, or there’s more to winning impact than numbers. Either way, your argument has been destroyed

Prime MJ in 2024 is Andrew Wiggins

[thedangerouskitchen]

Someone doesn't quite comprehend the advances of modern medicine over time.

So modern ("natural") medicine causes a basketball player to perform BETTER at ages 32-35 than he did from ages 20-30, eh?

[thedangerouskitchen]

Either way, your argument has been destroyed

Kindly show me some examples of NBA players returning from a major injury (at ages 32-35) and producing BETTER than they did in their absolute primes before the injury.

I'll wait...

[kobeunderbite]

So I make sure I'm understanding, your argument that today's era is weaker is that the stars are better at recovering from serious injuries?

[Da Stars.]

Picture B.O. playing today with todays medical advancement.

[_Vcsgrizzfan_]

Picture B.O. playing today with todays medical advancement.

As close to a tragedy as you can get in sports.

[Bush4Ever.]

You obviously wouldn't use his entire career before injury, you would use the most recent years surrounding the injury as a comparative reference point, and weigh each season according to the distance from injury (so -1 and +1 his injury season would be weighed the same, -2 and +2 the same, -3 and +3, etc...).

2021 through 2024: PER = 24.2
2016 through 2019: PER = 26.4

There is an upward inflection of *volume* offense in recent years compared to his mid and certainly early career, but compared to peers he's definitely performed worse. You don't even need statistics to know that, it's obviously from tape and peer evaluation (or "talking head" evaluation) as well. Even at a TDK-casual level, in the 2016-2019 period, Durant vs. "the top guy in the league" discussions were seen as something that could be seriously discussed by talking heads, and nowadays Durant is basically an afterthought as a top player and miles behind the golden trio + Luka in literally everyone's eyes...literally no one would take Durant over *any* of those guys.

Funny enough though, Dominique Wilkins ruptured his Achilles in 1992, and in 1993 averaged *more* points per game than he had in either 1991 or 1992, AND a higher PER as well.

But you knew that, right?

[thedangerouskitchen]

So I make sure I'm understanding, your argument that today's era is weaker is that the stars are better at recovering from serious injuries?

Um, no simpleton... re-read the OP again and the point is clear: Kevin Durant suffered a major injury at the age of 30 (which at the time was feared that it could be career threatening), and not only did he return from the injury, but during the 4 years that have followed (at the advanced ages of 32-35) he actually performed better than he did during his absolute prime years before the injury.

Put another way: Nature says you're not supposed to be performing BETTER at ages 32-35 (and after a major injury too boot!) than you did at ages 20-30 before the major injury "unless" you're abusing PEDs "or" the league became soft and weak.

Clearly the answer is the latter, as there's no evidence KD is a roider.

Understand now?

[thedangerouskitchen]

You obviously wouldn't use his entire career before injury, you would use the most recent years surrounding the injury as a comparative reference point, and weigh each season according to the distance from injury (so -1 and +1 his injury season would be weighed the same, -2 and +2 the same, -3 and +3, etc...).

2021 through 2024: PER = 24.2
2016 through 2019: PER = 26.4

There is an upward inflection of *volume* offense in recent years compared to his mid and certainly early career, but compared to peers he's definitely performed worse. You don't even need statistics to know that, it's obviously from tape and peer evaluation (or "talking head" evaluation) as well. Even at a TDK-casual level, in the 2016-2019 period, Durant vs. "the top guy in the league" discussions were seen as something that could be seriously discussed by talking heads, and nowadays Durant is basically an afterthought as a top player and miles behind the golden trio + Luka in literally everyone's eyes...literally no one would take Durant over *any* of those guys.

Funny enough though, Dominique Wilkins ruptured his Achilles in 1992, and in 1993 averaged *more* points per game than he had in either 1991 or 1992, AND a higher PER as well.

But you knew that, right?

Actually, after reading your post above what I know is that you're a fool... ie; PER.



PER says Scottie Pippen is the 136th best player in NBA history... you know, the guy you claim carried Jordan to 6 Championships, and showed him how to win.



Anyway:

KD 4 years BEFORE the injury: 26.4 / 7.4 / 5.3 on .519%/.385%/.887% (ages 27-30, his ABSOLUTE prime)
KD 4 years AFTER the injury: 28.3 / 6.9 / 5.5 on .532%/.419%/.891% (ages 32-35, past his prime)

Again... KD has put up better numbers across the board (at the advanced, past his prime ages of 32-35 "after" a career-threatening injury) than he put up pre-injury in his ABSOLUTE prime.

PEDs "or" weak/soft era... there is no other explanation.

Next.

[manchild98]

Peyton Manning had neck fusion surgery in year 13. Everyone thought he should retire or he'd be a shell of himself. 2 years later he threw for career highs with almost 5500 yards and 55 tds.

[thedangerouskitchen]

Peyton Manning had neck fusion surgery in year 13. Everyone thought he should retire or he'd be a shell of himself. 2 years later he threw for career highs with almost 5500 yards and 55 tds.

Different sport.