Sam Cassell entered the NBA in 1993 and had a 15-year career that saw him win three championships with the Houston Rockets and the Boston Celtics. A 6-foot-3, 180-pound guard during his heyday, Cassell was no pushover. However, he relayed he had a difficult time maneuvering around the court in the 1990s when physical play was not only allowed but encouraged.
In an interview with Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson on the "Knuckleheads Podcast," Cassell shared his experience playing against larger guards like fellow NBA coach Doc Rivers and Derek Harper while having to navigate screens set by the massive Karl Malone .
Bringing the ball up the floor was a chore
NBA basketball in the 1990s played out differently than the game we see today. With more physicality, including hand-checking, players had to rely on their strength and toughness to compete. For guards like Sam, it was a challenge.
"The game was so hard back then because, like, Derek Harper was a guy who put his hand on you, man, and just strong as sh*t," Cassell said , citing the savvy 6-foot-4 guard who earned two berths to the league's All-Defensive team.
Another player Sam said he had trouble getting around was Glenn "Doc" Rivers, who, ironically, became his head coach when he won an NBA title with the Celtics in 2008.
"Doc Rivers was like 220, and I'm like 180, and he's directing me all around the court. He was a big man, so the game has changed so much, man, in terms of physicality," Sam added.
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Getting hurt on screens
As tough as it sometimes was to bring the ball past halfcourt, that task paled in comparison to getting around screens during that hard knocks era. Back in the day, players had a lot more leeway when setting screens, and at times, they were set with malicious intent to take players out of the game.
"I know y'all remember this when you used to set a cross-screen, and you could chuck the big, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, and them guys have no clue about how that felt. You come across that thing, and you got Karl Malone coming across that thing," Cassell stated, referring to the 6-foot-9 man-mountain who was chiseled out of stone.
"Now, you got a decision to make: do I stand in front of this motherf****r tractor-trailer, or do I just get out the way?" Sam disclosed, the memory clearly still vivid in his mind.
The game has flipped from that rough-and-tumble era, with the NBA focusing more on offense and ensuring games are played with more flow and rhythm. But old-school players like Cassell, D-Miles, and Q will always remember all the bruises and cuts they got while battling for every inch on the court.
Related: "Homeboy, fight on the screen. I'm going be here to protect you" – Sam Cassell on how Kevin Garnett boosted his confidence on defense
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