NBA: Then And Now

You wanna know the difference between your NBA and your dad's NBA?



Then let me take you back in time... to the early 70's... and we can make one or two stops in the 80's too...



Here we go… The 70's vs. The Millennium...




TEAMS


Then: 17 teams

Now: 30 teams




INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS


Then: 0

Now: 83





UNIFORMS


Then: Short shorts

Now: Knee-length shorts




SHOES


Then: Dominant shoe brand was Converse

Now: Nike, Adidas




CAR OF CHOICE


Then: Cadillac Eldorado

Now: Cadillac Escalade




HIGHLIGHT PLAY


Then: Finger Roll Lay-Up and Break-Away Dunk

Now: Reverse Lay-Up and Alley-Oop Dunk




TRAVEL


Then: Commercial Flight

Now: Private Plane




ACCOMMODATIONS


Then: 2 players per room

Now: 1 player per suite




ENTERTAINMENT


Then: BoomBox

Now: X-Box




TECHNOLOGY


Then: Hi-Fi

Now: Wi-Fi




LOCKER EQUIPMENT


Then: BlackBoard and bench

Now: WhiteBoard and personal recliner seats




FILM SESSION


Then: Reel to Reel

Now: DVD




REFEREES


Then: 2

Now: 3




CONTROVERSIAL PLAY


Then: settled by referee

Now: settled by video replay




TV COVERAGE


Then: USA only

Now: 200 plus countries




VIDEO CAMERAS


Then: 4 per game

Now: at least 21 per game




SHOT CLOCK


Then: on the floor

Now: on top of backboard




SCORE DISPLAY


Then: 2 scoreboards on opposite ends

Now: 1 Jumbotron hanging on top center court. See photo below:

Photo by: Bari D at Flickr




RIMS


Then: Breakable

Now: Shaq-proof




LARRY O'BRIEN


Then: Name of NBA commissioner

Now: Name of NBA trophy




PHIL JACKSON

Then: champion as a player

Now: champion as a coach




LINDSEY HUNTER


Then: New born baby

Now: Oldest player in the league (Chicago Bulls)




5 MILLION DOLLARS


Then: Team payroll in the 1980's

Now: This year's salary of Derek Fisher (L.A. Lakers)




ROAD TRIP ALLOWANCE


Then: $ 30 a day in the 1980's

Now: $ 110 a day