NBA icon Julius “Dr. J” Erving recently joined Shaquille O’Neal on “The Big Podcast with Shaq” Presented by Playmaker HQ, where he delved into the league’s current scoring surge and its implications for the game.
Erving offered his perspective on the evolving landscape of professional basketball, noting the increased autonomy of players in dictating game flow and their own playing time.
According to Erving, the current era sees players exerting more control over their on-court involvement, with some even defying coaching decisions to remain in crucial moments.
Erving remarked, “Basketball right now, the players are running the show. They’re running the show. And so if a guy gets it going, coach go to take him out, he could say he could flip the bird, whatever. Say ‘nah, I ain’t coming out,’ and get away with it.”
Reflecting on his own experiences, Erving recounted instances where he found himself benched despite impressive scoring performances, highlighting the influence of coaching decisions on player participation. He noted that coaches with extensive playing careers may approach such situations differently, balancing individual accolades with long-term team goals.
“And then the other thing is it probably won’t happen if you have a coach who was a superstar in the league, he’s going to monitor that situation a little bit differently because I had that personal experience with my coach who was a superstar, who’s an all pro, who’s a hall of famer and whatever,” he said.
“And sometimes I had 35 after three quarters, I wouldn’t even play in the fourth quarter. He had the record in the building and I was like, ‘all right it is what is it’ and he would be like, ‘I want you to be rested for the playoffs.’”
As the NBA grapples with a historic uptick in scoring, league officials are reportedly exploring measures to restore equilibrium between offensive and defensive prowess.
The league’s plans to implement changes in the upcoming season aim to address concerns over the current imbalance, as evidenced by recent remarks from coaches like Tom Thibodeau.
The proliferation of high-scoring performances has become a defining feature of the contemporary NBA landscape, with elite players regularly eclipsing the 60 or 70-point mark in single games.
In a testament to the league’s offensive firepower, stars like Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Joel Embiid have all achieved remarkable scoring feats in recent matchups.
