Ha..is this a serious question? If you can't stop Hakeem, then you can't beat Houston...at least not then because of all of the shooters. Bynum/Gasol can't keep Howard out the paint. If he had some actual moves...ala Hakeem...then he could have had 30+ last night. I'm supposed to believe that Hakeem could drop 35+ (on 50% shooting) on Robinson/Rodman and Shaq/Grant, but not on a lightweight Gasol and foulprone Bynum? Kobe can't even give you 35+ on 50%. I'm supposed to believe that LA can struggle with Carmelo, but not Drexler? I'm supposed to believe that Horry...in his best season...could check Malone and Barkley decently, but not Gasol or Odom? I'm suposed to believe that Kobe won't work against Elie/Drexler? I'm supposed to believe that Cassell can't give a team that struggles with quick PG's problems? Is this a joke?? Is it April fools?
Besides having no answer for Hakeem, this Lakers team is not mentally strong enough to go up against one of the most clutch teams in the history. Other than Kobe and possible Ariza, the Lakers team consist of a bunch of mental midgets.
We had no perimeter defender!! who could gard Kobe?: Smith? cassel? Drexler? Elie?Horry? they all suck in defense apart from Drexler! Our strength was in center: we had the best center by far, and surrounded by three point shooters that can close the game. Lakers 2009 would have won against 1995 Rockets
You sir, are a hero. The Robert Horry dunk on Kobe would have sealed game 1 to set the tone in the series.
Dream's statline in this series: 35.6 ppg, 15 rebs, 4.5 blks, and 62% FG. Bynum's line: 4.3 ppg, 2.3 rebs, 1.2 blks, 5.4 PF, and 41% FG Gasol's line: 14.6 ppg, 6.7 rebs, 0.8 blks, 4.9 PF, and 44% FG
I call you out on never watching the 90s Rockets. Mario Elie was a hard nose defender, A young Horry was a stellar defender. You know who holds the record for steals in an NBA Finals game? Jordan? Magic? Kobe? NO.
anyone who feels that the lakers have chance against the 95 Rockets need to get DDTed by Jake the Snake or dropped kicked by the Rock N Roll Express. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ysOVxMwamJQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ysOVxMwamJQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Amen to that! Young Horry was sick...he was the ultimate team defender. So athletic, he was great at being a weakside defender and getting those swats
Horry wouldn't shut down Kobe Bryant but he sure as hell would have contained him better than anyone in this year's playoffs. Who would guard Drexler? Kobe? Ariza? Cassell would have murdered The Three Stooges known as the Laker PG rotation And Hakeem? He would have Gasol and Bynum fouled out faster than you can say "Joe Kleine" Heck, even that Shaq/Penny team could beat this year's Lakers.
I know Dream was amazing during that series but holy **** those are some ridiculous stats. He'd be averaging over 40 against the Lakers.
The series would look like this: <!-- LIFE IMAGE 354123 --><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.life.com/embed/index/js"></script><script type="text/javascript">LIFEembedDrawImage(354123);</script> <!-- LIFE IMAGE 241760 --><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.life.com/embed/index/js"></script><script type="text/javascript">LIFEembedDrawImage(241760);</script>
Yup, those '95 Rockets would take these '09 Lakers, maybe in 6 games. The Lakers would simply have no answer for Hakeem. Kobe could put up 35 a game but it wouldn't be enough. These Lakers are good but they're not as tough and battle-tested as those Rox. These Lakers teams wouldn't even be able to beat the Duncan Spurs of the mid-00's. Someone mentioned those '95 Rockets against the '96 Bulls? Come on, that's not fair. Those Bulls would have murdered us. Jordan was so competitive, he would've put up 100 shots if it got to Game 7 and willed those guys to victory. But it probably wouldn't have even gone to 7 games. We're talking about the greatest team ever (though it's odd the Sonics beat them twice in the Finals). Of course, if the dirty Jazz hadn't held Barkley on that final in-bounds play in Game 6 of the WC Finals, we might've had our dream Jordan vs. Hakeem matchup in '97.
jesus take the homer glasses off. horry would have contained bryant better than battier this playoffs? and ariza would be an ok matchup with drexler. but yea cassell and hakeem would have had their way.
27.4 ppg 5 rpg and 3.7 apg on 45% shooting against the Rockets in the conf. semis. I am pretty sure Horry would have done just as "well" as Battier/Artest if not better. Battier is, of course, a more cerebral player than Horry but you cannot deny the 6'10" and speed/athleticism of a young Robert Horry.
you cant just say horry would have done just as well when theres no way of proving it. most likely kobe would have drove around him whenever he had a chance. thats like saying horry would have contained jordan. i mean hate on kobe all you want but his offensive skill set is pretty much on par with jordan.
Horry would not have guarded Kobe except on switches. The main task would have gone to Drexler and Elie.
take your Kobe sneakers off. That 95 team went through, Shaq, DRobinson, Barkley, Karl Malone. This years Laker's team is the weakest Laker's team in a long time. Dream beat down that 86 Laker teams which is SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER than this Laker Team. Ask your mom or dad about that. Also don't insult Jesus like that. He witnessed the 95 Rockets unlike you. He didn't need glasses either to see that there's nothing the Lakers could do to Dream.
what are you talking about? where did i say the lakers would beat the 95 rockets? reading comprehension is lacking on your part. i was making a point about certain matchups. and i witness the 95 rockets as well so spare me with the patronization.
Again, I'm not even sure these Lakers could beat some of the teams that Rockets beat in the playoffs, like the Jazz, Suns, Knicks, or Spurs. Who on the Lakers could possibly stop, such people, like Ewing, Robinson, Barkley, KJ, and etc.
if you did witness the 95 Rockets then you know the team defense was awesome. the help defense, the switching, the steals http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199506090ORL.html Robert Horry - 7 STEALS and let's not forget, Dream can steal the ball and so can Drexler. There's 2 of the top 50 greatest players EVER. compared to only 1 for the Lakers. Lamar and Pau aren't going to make that list. Let's talk about shooting and PG play. You think Fisher and Farmar can shoot like Kenny? Game 2 vs Utah. http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199504290UTA.html Kenny Smith 32 points FG% 77% 3pt FG% 88% 9 assists 6 rebounds How do you like them apples?
