Easily the 95 Rockets would beat the crap out of this planet. Lakers just look awful on paper but their softness in the paint won't keep their prime very long, even if they can win the championship this year. Dream would dominate the paint if his opponent were soft lakers rather than Ewing or Robinson, even in comparison to Ewing and D-Rob, Dream still was the best one in paint in the 90s.
Yes, but you forget that was before defensive 3 seconds also. Net-net, the rule changes favored guards and would have meant less post-ups for Hakeem but more opportunities for Sam and Clyde. Hakeem would have gotten a lot of open mid-range shots. And we all know he is probably the best shooting mid-range big man in the history of the game.
Kobe would have gotten rejected so many times that he would have cried for fouls... and eventually get ejected in every single game.
I would have loved to see Kobe play Clyde. I seriously think Clyde would have done Kobe and Odem wrong.
no match at all. 95 Rockets are one of the most amazing Champion ever, full heart of champion pride. These lakers are fakers. Right now the NBA league is largely weaken by injures and ages. The top three team are spurs/celtics/rockets this years, all are suffered from heavy injures. lakers/cals/magic are fakers, they had no match with other 3.
i think that if/when the lakers win it (dammit), they may be considered one of the "worst" champions in recent memory. They are good, but you compare them to past championship teams and they just don't stack up well, imo.
The 95 team was on fire in the playoffs so there was no stopping them. But lets not forget what happened to that same squad the next year against the Sonics. Chemistry, Chemistry, Chemistry... Matchups, Matchups, Matchups...
I believe it will be better serise than this year! It's going to be long serise since Center is no long as big as 90s.
i dont know about that. the celtics last year arent necessarily better than the lakers this year and i think the heat shouldnt have won if the refs didnt give wade every call.
so true, It will be a totally different team after this season. Too much useless trash on the Lakers team. You will forget half the team has rings by 2011
http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1995_1281020 Paper: HOUSTON CHRONICLE Date: SAT 06/17/1995 Section: Special Page: 7 Edition: 2 STAR Report Card/Eddie Sefko grades the Rockets By EDDIE SEFKO Staff It's report-card time, and the Rockets can believe it. Not only did everybody pass, but when a team wins the NBA championship, nobody gets lower than an A-plus. It's an NBA rule. Look it up. Here is a rundown of each Rockets player, with preseason expectations and why that player got his grade: HAKEEM OLAJUWON A+ Was expected to continue his MVP-caliber play and lead the Rockets both physically and emotionally. ... Has only one vice: enjoys kicking regular-season MVP tail. He now is regarded as the planet's best player. CLYDE DREXLER A+ Midseason acquisition had to prove he could not only be Hakeem Olajuwon's sidekick but also dominate when called on to do so. ... He broke down defenses, then played defense. Prediction: He'll be an All-Star again next season. ROBERT HORRY A+ Motivation being his only drawback, all anybody wanted to see from him was a spark, a sign that he is improving. ... After so-so regular season, Horry became a star in the playoffs. He played two positions well. KENNY SMITH A+ With the 3-point line moved in and no hand-checking, he was expected to hit the long bomb and create more offensively. ... He won two games in the playoffs single-handedly (Game 2 vs. Utah and Game 1 vs. Orlando). Enough said. MARIO ELIE A+ Toughness at both ends is his strength, and the Rockets really had no reason to expect the veteran's talents to change. ... Elie showed better offense in the playoffs than ever before and guts of steel. SAM CASSELL A+ In his second season, avoiding the sophomore jinx was crucial. He also was seeking greater consistency. ... The regular season was jinxed on occasion, but his playoff run against San Antonio and Orlando was vintage Cassell. CARL HERRERA A+ Everyone was hoping his fourth NBA season would be his best after he came of age in the '94 Finals. ... Hamstring and shoulder problems curtailed his year. Played well at times, averaging 6.8 points and 4.6 rebounds in 61 games. CHUCKY BROWN A+ The Rockets didn't exactly know what they were getting in midseason, but they knew he was a quality person. ... They found out he was a quality spark off the bench and a capable part-time starter. Can do a little of everything. PETE CHILCUTT A+ Picked up after the first month of the season to shore up the front line. They knew his shooting was sharp. ... He hit 39 percent from long range and was a valuable asset playing both forward positions. CHARLES JONES A+ Hakeem Olajuwon said the Rockets needed to add a big body late in the season for the playoffs. Jones was the answer. ... With veteran savvy, Jones spelled Olajuwon often against David Robinson and Shaquille O'Neal, which makes him the backup MVP. ZAN TABAK A+ Rookie from Croatia was viewed as a project for the future. His skills are good enough to give him a chance to grow. ... He will benefit from a summer of intense work. The key is for him not to grow impatient. TRACY MURRAY A+ Part two of the Drexler trade, he is regarded as one of the greatest shooters in the league, although the Rockets knew his body needs weight work. ... Scored big points by not rocking the boat when he wasn't placed on the playoff roster. TIM BREAUX A+ Rookie has natural ability to slash to the basket, although his outside shooting needs work. ... He started twice, and the Rockets won both games. If he's willing to work, there are enough signs that he could stick in the league for years. VERNON MAXWELL A+ Mad Max needed to stay under control and try to be a positive asset to the team. ... OK, so he did neither. At least he and the Rockets had the good sense to part ways in time to let the glorious playoff run begin. RUDY TOMJANOVICH A+ We've learned that his touch with players is golden -- both in choosing them and then in getting the most from them. ... He had to stomp out a whole lot of smoldering ashes before they grew into forest fires this season.
celtics are/were pretty good with a full unit. miami was a pretty dang good team when shaq played. But even iff the Mavs won, that team is better than this laker team, imo. Kobe is a monster, gasol is a very good player but after that it drops off a lot. Odom is an enigma...can be great can be pathetic. After that you have fisher? bynum? walton? ariza?
the lakers beat the celtics twice this season and were a game 4 choke job away from taking them to a game 7 last year. youd have to say the lakers are a better team this year than last so i would say that it could go either way esp since they have a heathly ariza that could play pierce who burned them in the finals. miami was a good team but you cant say theyre better than the lakers. it was shaq and wade and bunch of ok supporting players. odom even with his inconsistency is better than anyone miami had after those 2. and youre severely underrating ariza. the guy does all the intangibles that you need to win. which is play defense and hit shots.
so how will it be different? i think the only players they have contracts expiring are odom and ariza and they have odoms bird rights.
I think even the 95 Magic would beat the 09 Lakers easily. That was a damn good team, they just happened to have bad luck and face an unbeatable Rockets team.
