Rick Barry was one of the league’s best offensive players during the 1960s and 1970s. He was the premier scorer for multiple teams but was most known for his time with the Golden State Warriors.
Barry was a natural scorer, but he had an unorthodox free-throw routine, which was an underhanded shot. It was effective due to his 88% clip from the charity stripe. This effectiveness on the offensive end helped Barry learn that no matter how good the defender is, a better offensive player wins the matchup.
“Never would happen. Let me tell you this, if you hear this word, he’s a ‘defensive stopper,’ trust me, there is no such thing as a defensive stopper in basketball,” Barry said on The Rich Eisen Show. “The greatest defensive player cannot stop the greatest offensive player. Just ask Bill Russell if he stopped Wilt Chamberlain all the time. No, that doesn’t happen. You pray that the guy is having a bad game and you try to do as much as you can to get the points he’s going to get.”
Barry knows elite offense cannot be stopped
Barry brought that up because Eisen asked about a hypothetical matchup between the 1995/96 Chicago Bulls and the modern-day Golden State Warriors. They discussed a matchup for Stephen Curry , and then Eisen brought up Michael Jordan as a potential defensive stopper.
While MJ was an elite defender, no defender could stop Steph from scoring throughout an entire series. He is a talented player who earned his status as an all-time great because he always burned the guy in front of him. He might have some games where he struggled against certain defenders, but that is the case for most elite offensive players.
They are at their top form more often than not, so the defenders will get beaten no matter what. Barry knows that because, as an elite scorer, he defeated plenty of elite defenders during his time in the NBA.
Related: "Young fella, you alright. Go sit back down. You good" - Jayson Tatum shares what Michael Jordan told him after a wine accident
Other players subscribe to the idea that a better offense wins
Barry is not the only player who believes a better offense could lead to some of the best results. Carmelo Anthony feels playing better offense is much better than anyone who plays “lockdown defense.” Those defenders are vital to any team, but teams should know they are not the only players who could lead the team to victory.
They still need a top-tier scorer, which is seen in almost every championship won in the league. Melo might not have won a title in his career, but players like Barry, Jordan, and Kobe Bryant have won championships as the elite scorers.
Related: "I just don't see how you would get equal value" - Michael Jordan believed the Bulls could never get anybody as valuable as Scottie Pippen
Most Popular
Comments / 0