For a long time, the 1980s and ’90s have been considered the NBA’s “golden years,” first with the Lakers-Celtics rivalry and then with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

• Whatever its flaws, the NBA is one of the more functional institutions in American society.

• Talent so plentiful that even the middling teams are full of strong players. The broader lessons for the world economy are very optimistic.

• Viewed from the present, however, so many of those teams and players seem mediocre.

In general, today’s NBA talent is better coached, assessed & receives better medical care, making it easier to recover from injuries.

• The 3 top MVP candidates all come from outside the U.S. — Jokic is from Serbia, Embiid from Cameroon, and Antetokounmpo is from Greece and originally Nigerian.

• all about seven feet tall, and they are all capable of hitting shots from three-point range.

• That is a skill most tall stars did not have until recently, and it is a sign of better teaching and training.