Michael Jordan played during one of the toughest eras of basketball and still came out victorious, and that’s why many people consider him the greatest ever. But as time has changed, the NBA has changed its rules and the way the game is played.

Jamal Crawford played in the NBA for 21 seasons. During his time, he faced different eras of basketball and experienced the rule changes himself. He recently joined the Come And Talk 2 Me podcast as a special guest. A few days ago, during a match between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors, a technical foul was issued by the referees for starting at an opponent. This has raised concerns among fans that the NBA has strayed too far away from how it used to be. The former sixth man, with all his experience, gave his thoughts on the matter.

Jamal Crawford is not happy with the current state of the NBA

During their conversation, Jamal Crawford was asked if the NBA has become ‘soft’ compared to how it used to be, based on the rules that are implemented. As he has seen Michael Jordan go up against the toughest players in his prime, Crawford is not a fan of this. He said, “It’s a tech for staring at somebody. That’s kinda weak to me, to be honest with you.“

It’s always a talking point when players act friendly on the court, and people say that they should be more invested in the game. But when a player shows his emotions on the court, they are given a technical foul.

There has to be a balance somewhere. Crawford understood why the referees did what they did. A taunt left unchecked can escalate to something more after a while. But it is a disservice to the game and its history.

Crawford said, “For me, that’s what we grew up on. We grew up on Magic and Bird battling. Then Jordan and the Knicks battling… There was no backdown. It made us proud to say we like that particular team or that particular player because they left it all on the floor.“

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The league should be better at deciding when to give players technical fouls. If a player is passionate about the game, then they will surely show their emotions on the court. So it is unfair for the league to expect athletes to give it their all while also being devoid of emotions.

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The NBA has changed so much

A few years ago, hand-checking was legal. Hard fouls were considered just fouls. Michael Jordan, during his time, had to play against the Bad Boys Pistons, who were notorious for being extremely physical on the floor. But letting the game be played, even with the intensity of everything going on, gave more meaning when a team achieved victory. It gave the players a sense of satisfaction for having given it their all.

Three days ago, Anthony Edwards drove through the lane, finished with a dunk, and stared at the player who guarded him, and he was assessed with a technical foul. There was a lot of talk in the media regarding whether the call was warranted. Although the outcome of the game was not decided by this, it was still a cause for concern.

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The Warriors and Timberwolves faced each other yet again, and within the first two minutes of the match, three players were ejected. But this time, it actually made sense, as two players were pulling on each other’s jerseys. But should they have been ejected from the game for this?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!