I just looked these two teams up for the 1949/50 season. Of the 11 teams in the league, they were exactly in the middle of the year end standings (5th and 6th best records). So what we’re looking at in this video is two average (not good, not bad) professional teams from that era, in case anyone was wondering. Thanks for the video.
It’s understandable how people now look at this and laugh. But there would be no modern NBA without these guys. They rode trains and buses when they were on the road. They were tough guys as well, who played for the love of the game. They grew up in the depression, fought in World War 2, and had jobs in the off season just to make ends meet. They played in Converse Chuck Taylors, played exhibition games and literally played double headers. If you had a small cartilage tear that you would get scoped today, you played on it. No faking injuries like LeBron does now or whining. I know, my late father played in the league in the early 50’s. By the time he turned 60 he had two artificial knees, two artificial hips and could not raise his arms over his shoulders. The team he played for, who just got knocked out of the eastern conference finals didn’t even have a full time trainer. They taped their own ankles and took out their own stitches after a gash was healed. These guys were obviously inferior players to the NBA players of today. But their heart and toughness was superior.
Just found out my grandfather played on this team, played and scored against Wilt Chamberlain. Not something you hear everyday. So proud of my lineage. Lets go Gary Bergen.
To undermine this era is nonsense. Of course the game has evolved to what it is right kow. And it sure is going to continue evolving. Without these guys there will be no mjs or lebrons or kobes. As far as im concerned these guys are legends!
@@JohnWick-qr4yc And? Like this is some big accomplishment? Todays player has 70 years worth of basketball knowledge and technology that the ogs never had.
The game did change dramatically within 2,3,4 years, there’s enough footage from the early and mid fifties demonstrating how swiftly the play improved. By the time Russell entered the league, the competition had definitely improved.
I find the ridicule & disrespect towards the ability and athleticism of white guys very saddening despite the fact an All-White Lithuanian Team recently defeated Team USA.
@@mr.sinjin-smyth... actually once the NBA integrated, white players became more familiar with the game played in black communities and began adopting some of those skills that benefited them. It's not about race. It's about skill and athlecism.
@@blairnesbitt8252 And still.... a team of all white guys knocked off Team USA with all of their "black community" skill and "superior" black athletes.
I used to think I just wasn't a sports guy, never have been. But i really like history, and especially this era through like the 70's. The past couple of nights I've been watching different games of different sports from the past, and I'm really hooked, especially football and racing. You're doing a really good service with this channel. I think it might just make me find what sport I'm really into yet.
The guy Mr. Voice Over was laughing at with the Statue of Liberty Free Throw was Carl Braun. He was the Knicks' Leading Scorer for 3 straight seasons. Then he was called into Military Service for 2 years. When he came back after missing 2 full seasons he picked up where he left off and led the Knicks in scoring for another 4 Seasons. He is a 5-Time All-Star and is in the Hall of Fame.
That's interesting. But it also highlights just how horrendous the talent pool was back then. I understand that basketball theory, rules and training has come a long way. But I'm convinced these teams would lose to most reasonable modern highscool teams, even if they played to the 1950s rule restrictions.
Carl Braun’s wiki page states he may have been the first one to say “swish” in regards to a made shot. A radio guy sometimes credited for saying it first says he got it from Braun
@@alaric1170 People really underestimate the ball movement restrictions. There is no way a high school team beats either of these teams if you take away the ability to carryover. The dribbling, passing and shooting look so chaotic because the rules make it impossible for them to get control of the ball coming off the dribble. It feels like playing with an extremely inflated ball.
The play at 16:25 almost gave me an aneurysm from laughing so hard. I will never be the same after watching that man. I was keeled over near literal death for I don’t know how long.
although there are many things about this period of basketball that i dislike, such as the strictness of dribbling, i got to say that i truly do appreciate the unselfishness of these players. it's true that in today's nba passing is (for the most part) more crisp and well-taught, in these games there is a substantial amount of ball movement compared to the average professional team.
Russell didn't come into the NBA until 1956.He played until 1969 and he did the same job rebounding,shot blocking,scoring and winning titles throughout his entire career.Kareem came into the League the year after Russell retired and played against many of the same opponents that Russell did.
@@tgj42495 they were actually better shooters when positioned, better passers and even dribblers back then. They struggled at catching passes because the passes were so quick and random and the game plan was all over the place. So it was chaotic. They were bad at driving it in also. They didn't really practice much for it. The video is also slowed down, put it at 1.25 and it's more realistic. If there was a 1.2 or 1.15 it would be better.
Plus don't forget how different the game was called/taught back then. Notice how when they dribble their hands are touching the top of the ball? They had to because if they tried touching the ball the way players do today there would be a whistle.
Very true. It’s really crazy how different the game changed. They are playing like today’s high school teams. But like you said different calls and taught different as well. Plus they are wearing shoes with virtually no support and bad traction. You can see how much they slide around. Very cool though.
For me that's why I'm so interested in 70s basketball. It still had the similar rules to dribbling but they allowed a little more control over the ball by then. To me it's the best era of basketball fundamental wise. There was finally a lot more athleticism and it's when Pistol Pete and Dr.J came in! Which their style of play completely changed the trajectory of basketball period.
I have total respect for these players. They were the best of their time. Basketball was invented about 59 years before this game was played and had been continuously evolving during that time. Now, with an additional 73 years of change and experimentation (and sports medicine, nutrition, etc.) it is easy to declare yourself a superior athlete and ball player. It’s like thinking you would have dominated the game if you played college football in the early 1900’s, when the forward pass was illegal and when tens of players died each year from their injuries. Or hit a lot of home runs in the dead ball era. I appreciate the legacy the real OGs left us.
Exactly. Casuals who played by today's rules with the exponentiallly easier to handle ball truly believe they would role over these guys when they have zero idea how to play against full zones.
@@justinlevy274 your high school team plays in 2023. If we take your team to that era they would look exponentially worse than what you see for obvious reason. Appreciate the sport
The biggest difference I see between yesteryear's basketball and today is the ball handling. Now, players dribble the ball effectively with both hands and they have more grace/style running down the court.
The ball itself is different, too. The leather ball in those days would feel like it had no grip at all compared to the modern ball with its sticky, pebbled surface. You couldn't get a quick shot off against a nearby defender; thus all the hook shots.
They were actually amazing shooters and passers, better than today. They just sucked at catching the passrs lol If they had the 3 pointer back then their 3 point percentage would be amazing.
#4, #11 and #15 in the white, Carl Braun, Harry Gallatin and Dick McGuire respectively, are all in the HOF. One good thing... I did not see a flop. If a guy could remain on his feet rather than sprawl across the floor, he remained on his feet.
Back then it was just about the fundamentals. No dunks, no behind the back passes. Nowadays it would just be "boring." I think this is great. And you have to remember, this is before the shot clock was invented. A team would get a little lead at the end of the game and would hold the ball. All the other team could do was foul or try to swipe at the ball.
Russell came into the league 6 years later and played in his prime almost a decade later. The game evolved quit a bit in that time. But it’s true, each decade to its own. Lots of players MJ played against would probably not make the NBA today, either.
@@JimmyButlersdreads His skill would be base level today. I'm not saying that is a bad thing it's just that everyone today can drive to the basket, change their layup and score. The mid range is nothing compared to the 3 and every good player has a fade away. So the things that made him and Dominique special a lot of players can do now. That's not a bad thing. That's just how the game has evolved.
The Farragut High team I saw in '94 with Kevin Garnett, Ronnie Fields, and Michael Wright (RIP) would've demolished either team here by seventy points.
The coaches back then were teaching some crazy fundamentals. Try to dribble into double teams with your head down and shoot off balance if you can. The jump shot was still on the drawing board and the only thing dunked was doughnuts.
You can have all the respect in the world for these guys but let’s not act keep acting like they are more skillful or just as athletic as todays players. Not even close, it barely looks organized outside of matching jerseys. I am thankful that they kept the game alive so we can experience it today.
@@arnieoppenheim7324 there’s been a handful since Barry just no one that’s been very relevant in the league. Last guy I can think of was Chinanu Onuaku who played for the rockets back in 2017
I would pay for year round tickets if they made modern players play an entire season with old school rules, no threes, and no fucking gathering and carrying and jiving with the ball, give me THIS style of game
The Knicks had two players who were 6' 6" or taller. The Pistons had six players who were 6' 6" or taller. The tallest man on either roster was 6' 9" Bill Henry of the Pistons.
The two highlights are the underhand free throws and hook shots-two lost arts that are very high-percentage. Sad that no one uses them if they clearly worked, even way back then when the defense was more dominant than the offense. This was cool to watch, honestly.
Obviously we have the benefit of 70 years of basketball development, so we sit here in a privileged position judging these guys. But you watch it and you have to wonder whether there was any strategy to anything they were doing on the court. Was the coach just like "alright guys, for 40 straight minutes I want you to do whatever the hell you feel like. GOOOOO KNICKERBOCKERS!"
My recollection is that Bill Russell was playing against Jerry West, Elgin Bayor, Walt Hazzard, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and numerous other all time great players.
Not possible. NO shot clock. The opposing team could pass the ball around for minutes if they wanted too. NO 3 point line Rules made it easier for tall guys to score. But no flagrent fouls so you could foul very hard and you could injury a player on purpose and you would still be allowed to play. Down low was clogged too.
False. Its Jan 1950. The first black player was drafted in 1950. Chuck Cooper of the Boston Celtics. The NBA was dominated by White guys even When Bill Russell was drafted in 1956. He was the dominate Black guy that led the NBA in Rebounds. But White guys led the NBA in Points until Wilt Chamberlin. Also led in Assists until Oscar Robertson. Sure there was ex. Globetrotters that were among the best dribblers in the NBA but it did not give them a big advantage. The dribbled like players ahead of their time.
You keep saying Detroit it was Ft. Wayne at that time. This game was also before the shot clock and before they widen the lane. Thanks for sharing, have any more from the early. Was Joe Lapchick the Knick coach?
Yes, indeed. Joe Lapchick coached the Knicks in 1949-50. They finished 2nd in the Eastern Division with a 40-28 WL-Record. Then eliminating the later defunct Washington Capitols 2-0 in a best-of-three first round. Finally losing 2 Games to 1 in the Eastern Division finals to the Syracuse Nationals (relocated 1964 to Philadelphia to become the 76ers).
The reason I was interested in the NBA early years is that my Dad coached the Pistons starting in 52. He also played with Lapchick on the Original NY Celtics in the late 30;s when Kate Smith owned them.
There's a couple really good players in this game actually.. Carl Braun #4 of the Knicks is one of the best players of the 50's. Vince Boryla was not playing in this game, he was a good Knick player too. Fred Schaus of the Pistons #8 was a good player as well. They're not that bad. Braun is one of my all time favorite players even. This is actually great footage to me cuz it's my favorite era haha 😁😉
Comparing talent across generations isn’t always as easy as watching one video. Context builds appreciation. It’s like comparing a Model T Ford to a 2023 Mustang or F150. Kind of like early MLB, these weren’t career athletes. Maybe a few months out of the year they had normal jobs. They didn’t have salaries that supported living in a gym full-time. Raw talent can do a lot, but it also requires years of training to be formed into skill. Someone with a lot of talent can still get beat by someone who’s been trained with fundamentals. You can find footage of boring old guys whooping younger players who think they’re good because they’re flashy. It happened then and it happens now. Then you have spectators who think they know what’s what because they’re fans of whoever and watch a lot of games. A whole culture of professional development also morphed.
Excellent commentary! You hit the nail on the head with the illustration of the model t which I use also because a Tesla from today could not exist back then it wasn't even a concept and the Tesla had to developed from the foundation set from those early model cars same thing with players plays today had to learn the ropes from the generation that came before them and before them thus improving with the help of the early generations
Rick shot over 90% during seven of his last eight NBA seasons and 89.9% during that one season. In his second to last season, he shot 94.7% while playing 80 games and still average over 32 minutes per game despite being near the end of his career.
#4, the guy shooting the crazy one footed FTs for the Knicks, is Carl Braun. He is in the Hall of Fame. BTW, he shot 76% FTs this season, good for 21st in the league.
All of the misses means these guys are actually playing at a phrenetic pace. They also don't seem to realize how important it is to get you legs under you and behind a shot. They literally take "set shots" where they just plant their feet and flick the ball toward the rim.
Bill Russell was 15 years old at the time of this game. He won his first Championship in the NBA as a rookie at 22 years old. None of these guys were in the League. George Mikan was only in his 2nd year. The Lakers were the Basketball Dynasty of this ERA.
I disagree when you say the league didn’t change much by the mid 50s. This was before possibly the biggest rule change in professional basketball, the shot clock! Add that to the fact they widened the land and more black players... just think how much basketball changed from 2010 to 2015, and it would be much more so when the game was evolving so much back then
Also: the competition Russell faced was much better. This was 6 years before he entered the league, and in that time, the bad teams folded which meant that only the best players at that time would get roster spots. The amount of talent at the center position in the 60s was insane because of this, as Russell and Chamberlain had to face another hall of famer in like 70 percent of their games.
@@Lolander14 Competition was better than 50's but still nothing like today. Only 8 teams in the league and still Russell and Chamberlain surrounded by many sub par players by todays standards. Better training, tech, and better PED's have transformed the game in insane levels. They would still be great today, Chamberlain and Russell's numbers are super inflated let's get real.
@@griffinbrothers4401 like I said in my comment, I was strictly talking about the depth of talent at the Center position. Outside of the 5, I agree that there's a larger talent pool today. Also: their numbers were "inflated" because coaches didn't run half-court sets with much regularity, which means that the vast majority of scoring was done by fast breaks. It would be rare if a possession made it past the first 10 seconds of the shot clock. Wilt definitely wouldn't put up the numbers he did today, but he had really good post moves. Also: Russell's defensive versatility would make him incredible valuable in today's switch-happy NBA. However, I don't think most of the guards or wings from the 60s would translate to this era well because they weren't concerned with being able to shoot at long distances.
![SHOOTING EVOLUTION in BASKETBALL VIDEO GAMES [1974 - 2024]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/80vCIQTMRhY/mqdefault.jpg)
I died laughing at the guy who shoots freethrow while jumping one handed😂😂
Same
What about the one who grandpa shots?
But its effective unlike dwight howards do 😂
He had the crane technique way before Karate Kid.
me too 😂
This is simultaneously the greatest and worst basketball footage ive ever seen
The rules were different...
nom prenom Has nothing to do with the rules....
worst then WNBA?
Just acknowledge the fact that game existed even after the world went through lot of wars. People back then we're built different for sure
Ashtavakra Aum definitely harder to watch than WNBA
I'm actually impressed by all these consistent hook shots
For real they are beautiful
Idk why the modern nba players stop using it. Nobody can block the hook shot that’s why Kareem abdul jabar is the number 1 scorer of all time
@@estebanzamora4045 one person defending can't block the hook but it can be done
@@estebanzamora4045 hook shot means attacking the paint..no one backs down a player to the post anymore anyways
@@estebanzamora4045 this aged well lol
Just know that without these guys there probably would be no nba today, respect to them
Not sure that's a good thing tbh
I wouldn't say all that cuz this goofy shit wouldn't have lasted long if other players wouldn't have come along and made it exciting
no without magic and bird there will be no NBA today. bruh knows nothing about his basketball
@@fckthaname facts games like this was the reason why the NBA was dead before magic and bird arrived.
“Without these white guys” corrected for you
I just looked these two teams up for the 1949/50 season. Of the 11 teams in the league, they were exactly in the middle of the year end standings (5th and 6th best records). So what we’re looking at in this video is two average (not good, not bad) professional teams from that era, in case anyone was wondering. Thanks for the video.
32:55 play of the game.
It’s understandable how people now look at this and laugh. But there would be no modern NBA without these guys. They rode trains and buses when they were on the road. They were tough guys as well, who played for the love of the game. They grew up in the depression, fought in World War 2, and had jobs in the off season just to make ends meet. They played in Converse Chuck Taylors, played exhibition games and literally played double headers. If you had a small cartilage tear that you would get scoped today, you played on it. No faking injuries like LeBron does now or whining. I know, my late father played in the league in the early 50’s. By the time he turned 60 he had two artificial knees, two artificial hips and could not raise his arms over his shoulders. The team he played for, who just got knocked out of the eastern conference finals didn’t even have a full time trainer. They taped their own ankles and took out their own stitches after a gash was healed. These guys were obviously inferior players to the NBA players of today. But their heart and toughness was superior.
1:30
The Way he shot that tho
Sweep the leg
Just found out my grandfather played on this team, played and scored against Wilt Chamberlain. Not something you hear everyday. So proud of my lineage. Lets go Gary Bergen.
Wilt didn't join the NBA until the 1959/60 season. The game evolved a lot by 1959, and even more by his last season in 1973.
why you lying because wilt didn’t get drafted til 1959 and around this time wilt was in middle school
@@patek9789 if his dad played from 1050-1959/60, then he could have played both in this game in 1950, then played against Wilt in 1959.
@@patek9789 You do realized that players could play for more than 1 season right?
@@patek9789 wilt was definitely in high school 🤣
Og: I used to be killin these cats on the court back in the day.
The cats back in the day :
@Haro19 OG It's all in the time tho. "Knowing how to play" was different because the game was young and people were still figuring out what worked
To undermine this era is nonsense. Of course the game has evolved to what it is right kow. And it sure is going to continue evolving. Without these guys there will be no mjs or lebrons or kobes. As far as im concerned these guys are legends!
Nobody cares bum go back to school loser
@@raymondarsedale3879 any superstar in today’s league would average 50 to 60 with a trip dub on these bums even decent players would average 30 a game
@@JohnWick-qr4yc And? Like this is some big accomplishment? Todays player has 70 years worth of basketball knowledge and technology that the ogs never had.
17:18 is what really got me.
He made it tho
And the super obvious no look pass right after
The game did change dramatically within 2,3,4 years, there’s enough footage from the early and mid fifties demonstrating how swiftly the play improved. By the time Russell entered the league, the competition had definitely improved.
No the league just got more black which means it got better
Bob cousy would soon enter basketball and change the way e look at dribbling and passing forever
I find the ridicule & disrespect towards the ability and athleticism of white guys very saddening despite the fact an All-White Lithuanian Team recently defeated Team USA.
@@mr.sinjin-smyth... actually once the NBA integrated, white players became more familiar with the game played in black communities and began adopting some of those skills that benefited them. It's not about race. It's about skill and athlecism.
@@blairnesbitt8252 And still.... a team of all white guys knocked off Team USA with all of their "black community" skill and "superior" black athletes.
the amount of travels in this video is amazing.
AdamS2499 James Harden has entered the chat.
Dude the rules not the same in today’s Basketball
Adam gamer Bruh we all know 😂💀
Traveling was not bad at all when you compare it to today.
The rules have changed to be fair
I used to think I just wasn't a sports guy, never have been. But i really like history, and especially this era through like the 70's. The past couple of nights I've been watching different games of different sports from the past, and I'm really hooked, especially football and racing. You're doing a really good service with this channel. I think it might just make me find what sport I'm really into yet.
That hook shot at 5:44
Pandemic P 🤣🤣🤣
@@KBGJAY912 lmao
Very epic
“KAREEM!”
The guy Mr. Voice Over was laughing at with the Statue of Liberty Free Throw was Carl Braun. He was the Knicks' Leading Scorer for 3 straight seasons. Then he was called into Military Service for 2 years. When he came back after missing 2 full seasons he picked up where he left off and led the Knicks in scoring for another 4 Seasons. He is a 5-Time All-Star and is in the Hall of Fame.
That's interesting. But it also highlights just how horrendous the talent pool was back then. I understand that basketball theory, rules and training has come a long way. But I'm convinced these teams would lose to most reasonable modern highscool teams, even if they played to the 1950s rule restrictions.
Carl Braun’s wiki page states he may have been the first one to say “swish” in regards to a made shot. A radio guy sometimes credited for saying it first says he got it from Braun
@@alaric1170 but also these players are tough as shit and play dirty
@@alaric1170 It wouldn't even be close man come on.. I'm betting my house on the high schoolers, not trying to disrespect these men though
@@alaric1170 People really underestimate the ball movement restrictions. There is no way a high school team beats either of these teams if you take away the ability to carryover. The dribbling, passing and shooting look so chaotic because the rules make it impossible for them to get control of the ball coming off the dribble. It feels like playing with an extremely inflated ball.
The play at 16:25 almost gave me an aneurysm from laughing so hard. I will never be the same after watching that man. I was keeled over near literal death for I don’t know how long.
Rip through!
11:16 no look pass was pretty badass
🤣🤣pretty awkward
No matter what the era, I've always enjoyed a totally unnecessary no-look pass to a guy who is wide-opened.
Sassy pass is more suitable for this one.
3:06 that's an NBA 3 today
Amal Jurabaev it was on the 3 line
Lots of passing and some decent hook shots. Thanks for sharing!
LMAOOOO I know it was different back then but these shots got me crying of laughter
Ah yes back when you called a time out so the team could have a quick smoke
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Imagine a basketball Fan from 1950 watching a modern Game.
Or imagine a modern team play against a Team from 1950.
The game just changed so much
Thanks to Black people.
They transformed the game
@@Emsyaz lol on god
We wuz kangs
@@Emsyaz -- Cultural appropriation.
@@Emsyazthank you black people 🤗
although there are many things about this period of basketball that i dislike, such as the strictness of dribbling, i got to say that i truly do appreciate the unselfishness of these players. it's true that in today's nba passing is (for the most part) more crisp and well-taught, in these games there is a substantial amount of ball movement compared to the average professional team.
They weren’t unselfish- they just didn’t know what to do! 🤣
Totally lost
Ball movement but no one really has an open shot the point of ball movement is for someone to get open which I haven't seen
They sucks. I'm willing to bet the best middle school team now will even beat these guys.
I mean their is shot clock nowadays. Without it teams would take like 2 minutes to score
They could barely dribble, of course they had to pass
NBA2K needs to add these animations
I actually love how much passing there is. 💯
Russell didn't come into the NBA until 1956.He played until 1969 and he did the same job rebounding,shot blocking,scoring and winning titles throughout his entire career.Kareem came into the League the year after Russell retired and played against many of the same opponents that Russell did.
Agreed. A lot happened to the game between 1950 and 1956.
im dead when he shoot the freethrow 😂😂😂
👍🏻
17:18
@@jackjeffy6604 ewwww yuck that looks so gay
That's how I used to play in 3rd grade
@Yandel Tzompantzi 😂 why’s it so hard for people to accept that they just sucked a lot more back then?
@@tgj42495 they didn't though. The rules were a lot different. Traveling was called more strictly, and modern dribbling would be called a carry.
Throwing hook shots all day?
@@tgj42495 they were actually better shooters when positioned, better passers and even dribblers back then. They struggled at catching passes because the passes were so quick and random and the game plan was all over the place. So it was chaotic. They were bad at driving it in also. They didn't really practice much for it.
The video is also slowed down, put it at 1.25 and it's more realistic. If there was a 1.2 or 1.15 it would be better.
@@samuelbach1631 nigga they were slippin and sliding the whole video did you watch the tape. It’s like 50 non called travels
Thanks for uploading.
Plus don't forget how different the game was called/taught back then. Notice how when they dribble their hands are touching the top of the ball? They had to because if they tried touching the ball the way players do today there would be a whistle.
Very true. It’s really crazy how different the game changed. They are playing like today’s high school teams. But like you said different calls and taught different as well. Plus they are wearing shoes with virtually no support and bad traction. You can see how much they slide around. Very cool though.
Still better than 2021 Knicks.
exactly
For me that's why I'm so interested in 70s basketball. It still had the similar rules to dribbling but they allowed a little more control over the ball by then. To me it's the best era of basketball fundamental wise. There was finally a lot more athleticism and it's when Pistol Pete and Dr.J came in! Which their style of play completely changed the trajectory of basketball period.
@Clan leader Predator I’m sure a lot of those players used to smoke like chimneys too.
I have total respect for these players. They were the best of their time. Basketball was invented about 59 years before this game was played and had been continuously evolving during that time. Now, with an additional 73 years of change and experimentation (and sports medicine, nutrition, etc.) it is easy to declare yourself a superior athlete and ball player. It’s like thinking you would have dominated the game if you played college football in the early 1900’s, when the forward pass was illegal and when tens of players died each year from their injuries. Or hit a lot of home runs in the dead ball era. I appreciate the legacy the real OGs left us.
24:48 that step back tho 🔥🔥
Thar was a legit steb back fr
Step back... pass... 🤣
James harden’s grandfather…. Hahahahhahaha
thats a travel
9:34 yo that no look pass was clean
And the tip in to top it all off
the game was so much better back then
I watched the whole thing and found it to be a jolly good show!
4:57 That photographer timed that perfectly
1:11 shaqtin a fool is already existed back in 50s
😂
Rick Barry’s free throw percentage was 89% in the NBA with the same under throw technique, don’t bash it.
4:22 Not in my house!!! LOL
lol bro in the front row got spooked by the ball coming at him
If any of us played bball during this time these guys would have shredded us. Crazy as that may seem.
That what ppl don’t understand
If my high school team showed up looking like that I would think we are likely to lose every game that year.
Exactly. Casuals who played by today's rules with the exponentiallly easier to handle ball truly believe they would role over these guys when they have zero idea how to play against full zones.
@@justinlevy274 your high school team plays in 2023. If we take your team to that era they would look exponentially worse than what you see for obvious reason.
Appreciate the sport
@@joweydelanota7421 High school teams have better motor skills than these guys and the decent ones dont play nearly as wild.
The biggest difference I see between yesteryear's basketball and today is the ball handling. Now, players dribble the ball effectively with both hands and they have more grace/style running down the court.
Well the rules were very different, carrying rules were much more strict back then, hence why they’re so rigid
@@jacobherrera8735 yeah but you can’t lie there ball handling still sucked
@@ethancxfan2349 You try ball handling with those rules. They were absurdly restricting
@@jordandwiggins1026 which is why nobody could dribble with there opposite hand?
The ball itself is different, too. The leather ball in those days would feel like it had no grip at all compared to the modern ball with its sticky, pebbled surface. You couldn't get a quick shot off against a nearby defender; thus all the hook shots.
People are like; look at the amount of travels, yeah and it still happens in the NBA today.
all due respect to these guys for paving the way and helping start the sport but jesus christ they are horrible lmao
Lol right
They were actually amazing shooters and passers, better than today. They just sucked at catching the passrs lol If they had the 3 pointer back then their 3 point percentage would be amazing.
@@thecensoredmuscle563 what are you serious 🧐
@@thecensoredmuscle563 you call someone shooting a free throw one handed great shooter man you’ve got a lot to learn
@@Easymoneygoatf what does a one handed free throw have to do with my comment? Lol
0:38 They had range!
Everybody talking about the 1 handed guy but look at this dude. 1:36. That's how I made my first 10-foot hoop shot in 2nd grade.
The game was so much cleaner and fun to watch at this point
Yes if you’re a Dementia patient
I've seen some crazy free throw styles but that one takes the cake
In modern times this game looks like an intramural gym class contest, but these were the pros back in the day!
The amount of travels I spotted is mind blowing.
4:03 that’s a goaltending 😭😭😭
It wasn't going in anyway lmao
Wilt Chamberlain got that rule changed... this was before Wilt therefore, that was legal
@@reodagreo7637 Mikan is accually the reason goaltending became a rule
#4, #11 and #15 in the white, Carl Braun, Harry Gallatin and Dick McGuire respectively, are all in the HOF. One good thing... I did not see a flop. If a guy could remain on his feet rather than sprawl across the floor, he remained on his feet.
Back then it was just about the fundamentals. No dunks, no behind the back passes. Nowadays it would just be "boring." I think this is great.
And you have to remember, this is before the shot clock was invented. A team would get a little lead at the end of the game and would hold the ball. All the other team could do was foul or try to swipe at the ball.
their fundamentals are trash, the play is best described as spastic and random
There were like 6 flashy passes in this video. And why the hell were they chucking up 40 foot heaves with no 3 point line? Very fundamental to me 💀💀
@@JimmyButlersdreads flashy isn't fundamental. And for this era, this was fundamental.
@@JimmyButlersdreads fr bro they were shooting BOMBS without a 3 pt line
@@YJL186It’s too deep for you young one, it’s fundamentals lmao.
I lot of these guys...heck even some football and baseball major leagers which were older pro sports, had 'real jobs' in the off season.
Russell came into the league 6 years later and played in his prime almost a decade later. The game evolved quit a bit in that time. But it’s true, each decade to its own. Lots of players MJ played against would probably not make the NBA today, either.
Yea ur right bro but I think micheal jordancould survive in today’s league
@@TheMain_Character-c2t Survive? He would dominate today lmao
Like who?
@@JimmyButlersdreads His skill would be base level today. I'm not saying that is a bad thing it's just that everyone today can drive to the basket, change their layup and score. The mid range is nothing compared to the 3 and every good player has a fade away. So the things that made him and Dominique special a lot of players can do now. That's not a bad thing. That's just how the game has evolved.
@@Luvmysippibut a michael Jordan today would adapt to today's game. As great an athlete as he was he would still be the greatest today too
Thanks for uploading i recorded that 70 years ago and forgot to watch
Heck of a hustle save AFTER taking 5 steps out of bounds at 12:26
Back then their was no out of bounce
The Farragut High team I saw in '94 with Kevin Garnett, Ronnie Fields, and Michael Wright (RIP) would've demolished either team here by seventy points.
Their team work is 100 times better than nowadays
Why is this quality even better than 2020 quality
The coaches back then were teaching some crazy fundamentals. Try to dribble into double teams with your head down and shoot off balance if you can. The jump shot was still on the drawing board and the only thing dunked was doughnuts.
I see what you did there on those last few words
POV: you weren’t looking for this and just scrolling through RUclips and randomly found it
Don't mock their moves. This is the foundation of the what we're seeing right now at basketball
You can have all the respect in the world for these guys but let’s not act keep acting like they are more skillful or just as athletic as todays players. Not even close, it barely looks organized outside of matching jerseys. I am thankful that they kept the game alive so we can experience it today.
1:30 What kinda freethrow is that?
Gay
WORLD T are u talkin to ur self
unexpectedly amazing
Can someone explain why people stopped shooting underhand free throws? These guys got the roll every time.
nowadays style is more important than points apparently
@@xXSTOLENxXxCULTXx not really, there were players back then who didn't shoot underhanded because it didnt look cool
Rick Barry might have been the last underhanded free throw shooter in the NBA.
@@arnieoppenheim7324 there’s been a handful since Barry just no one that’s been very relevant in the league. Last guy I can think of was Chinanu Onuaku who played for the rockets back in 2017
@@chasevandriel9720 George Johnson
Their team ball movements on that era crazy tho.
this is what people make it seem like MJ was playing against lmaoo
That's how MJ Oldhead fans describe Wilt's Era
I would pay for year round tickets if they made modern players play an entire season with old school rules, no threes, and no fucking gathering and carrying and jiving with the ball, give me THIS style of game
3:09 That fade away. SMH LOL
lmaooo dawg 💀
He was trying to draw the foul 😂
His commentary is unintentionally hilarious 😂😂😂
The Knicks had two players who were 6' 6" or taller. The Pistons had six players who were 6' 6" or taller. The tallest man on either roster was 6' 9" Bill Henry of the Pistons.
The two highlights are the underhand free throws and hook shots-two lost arts that are very high-percentage. Sad that no one uses them if they clearly worked, even way back then when the defense was more dominant than the offense. This was cool to watch, honestly.
Obviously we have the benefit of 70 years of basketball development, so we sit here in a privileged position judging these guys. But you watch it and you have to wonder whether there was any strategy to anything they were doing on the court. Was the coach just like "alright guys, for 40 straight minutes I want you to do whatever the hell you feel like. GOOOOO KNICKERBOCKERS!"
Lmao
My recollection is that Bill Russell was playing against Jerry West, Elgin Bayor, Walt Hazzard, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and numerous other all time great players.
Shaq would average 300 if he played in this Era. Good footage tho
Not possible.
NO shot clock. The opposing team could pass the ball around for minutes if they wanted too.
NO 3 point line
Rules made it easier for tall guys to score.
But no flagrent fouls so you could foul very hard and you could injury a player on purpose and you would still be allowed to play.
Down low was clogged too.
Also the basketball was different and not as good as todays NBA basketballs.
Also its Jan 1950.
Therefore there is 0 Black players.
j k Black people were allowed to play..... they just weren’t being drafted
False.
Its Jan 1950.
The first black player was drafted in 1950.
Chuck Cooper of the Boston Celtics.
The NBA was dominated by White guys even When Bill Russell was drafted in 1956.
He was the dominate Black guy that led the NBA in Rebounds.
But White guys led the NBA in Points until Wilt Chamberlin.
Also led in Assists until Oscar Robertson.
Sure there was ex. Globetrotters that were among the best dribblers in the NBA but it did not give them a big advantage. The dribbled like players ahead of their time.
That guy can shoot a one legged free throw better than my 2 legged one. 😅
You keep saying Detroit it was Ft. Wayne at that time. This game was also before the shot clock and before they widen the lane. Thanks for sharing, have any more from the early. Was Joe Lapchick the Knick coach?
Yes, indeed. Joe Lapchick coached the Knicks in 1949-50. They finished 2nd in the Eastern Division with a 40-28 WL-Record. Then eliminating the later defunct Washington Capitols 2-0 in a best-of-three first round. Finally losing 2 Games to 1 in the Eastern Division finals to the Syracuse Nationals (relocated 1964 to Philadelphia to become the 76ers).
The reason I was interested in the NBA early years is that my Dad coached the Pistons starting in 52. He also played with Lapchick on the Original NY Celtics in the late 30;s when Kate Smith owned them.
@@rickbrick3774 wow cool
I could have been an NBA legend if only I was born in the 30’s.
Your white ass wouldn't
how do they look so unathletic and athletic at the same time? 😂😂
Modern shooting form would've blown their minds
This shit had me falling off my couch laughing 😂
can you just commentate over games, best i've seen. youre hilarious bro
THANK YOU !
I love this!!!
There's a couple really good players in this game actually.. Carl Braun #4 of the Knicks is one of the best players of the 50's. Vince Boryla was not playing in this game, he was a good Knick player too. Fred Schaus of the Pistons #8 was a good player as well. They're not that bad. Braun is one of my all time favorite players even. This is actually great footage to me cuz it's my favorite era haha 😁😉
back when plumbers, firemen, and carpenters played in the nba.
Comparing talent across generations isn’t always as easy as watching one video. Context builds appreciation. It’s like comparing a Model T Ford to a 2023 Mustang or F150.
Kind of like early MLB, these weren’t career athletes. Maybe a few months out of the year they had normal jobs. They didn’t have salaries that supported living in a gym full-time. Raw talent can do a lot, but it also requires years of training to be formed into skill. Someone with a lot of talent can still get beat by someone who’s been trained with fundamentals. You can find footage of boring old guys whooping younger players who think they’re good because they’re flashy. It happened then and it happens now. Then you have spectators who think they know what’s what because they’re fans of whoever and watch a lot of games.
A whole culture of professional development also morphed.
Excellent commentary! You hit the nail on the head with the illustration of the model t which I use also because a Tesla from today could not exist back then it wasn't even a concept and the Tesla had to developed from the foundation set from those early model cars same thing with players plays today had to learn the ropes from the generation that came before them and before them thus improving with the help of the early generations
1:37 im dying he is doing the granny for a free throw 😂🤣🤣🤣
So did hall of famer Rick Barry
Rick shot over 90% during seven of his last eight NBA seasons and 89.9% during that one season. In his second to last season, he shot 94.7% while playing 80 games and still average over 32 minutes per game despite being near the end of his career.
#4, the guy shooting the crazy one footed FTs for the Knicks, is Carl Braun. He is in the Hall of Fame. BTW, he shot 76% FTs this season, good for 21st in the league.
4:22 lebron is real XDXD
All of the misses means these guys are actually playing at a phrenetic pace. They also don't seem to realize how important it is to get you legs under you and behind a shot. They literally take "set shots" where they just plant their feet and flick the ball toward the rim.
I've never seen so many air balls in my life
Bill Russell was 15 years old at the time of this game. He won his first Championship in the NBA as a rookie at 22 years old. None of these guys were in the League. George Mikan was only in his 2nd year. The Lakers were the Basketball Dynasty of this ERA.
This was before Russell, it was George Mikan era.
Thanks for posting. Is anyone coaching these teams?
1:30 🤣🤣🤣🤣
How did they use converse to play? I use them just to walk and those things hurt my feets
I disagree when you say the league didn’t change much by the mid 50s. This was before possibly the biggest rule change in professional basketball, the shot clock! Add that to the fact they widened the land and more black players... just think how much basketball changed from 2010 to 2015, and it would be much more so when the game was evolving so much back then
Also: the competition Russell faced was much better. This was 6 years before he entered the league, and in that time, the bad teams folded which meant that only the best players at that time would get roster spots. The amount of talent at the center position in the 60s was insane because of this, as Russell and Chamberlain had to face another hall of famer in like 70 percent of their games.
@@Lolander14 Competition was better than 50's but still nothing like today. Only 8 teams in the league and still Russell and Chamberlain surrounded by many sub par players by todays standards. Better training, tech, and better PED's have transformed the game in insane levels. They would still be great today, Chamberlain and Russell's numbers are super inflated let's get real.
@@griffinbrothers4401 like I said in my comment, I was strictly talking about the depth of talent at the Center position. Outside of the 5, I agree that there's a larger talent pool today.
Also: their numbers were "inflated" because coaches didn't run half-court sets with much regularity, which means that the vast majority of scoring was done by fast breaks. It would be rare if a possession made it past the first 10 seconds of the shot clock.
Wilt definitely wouldn't put up the numbers he did today, but he had really good post moves.
Also: Russell's defensive versatility would make him incredible valuable in today's switch-happy NBA.
However, I don't think most of the guards or wings from the 60s would translate to this era well because they weren't concerned with being able to shoot at long distances.
@@Lolander14 Obviously they would adapt.