It's getting harder and harder to say Hakeem was better than Shaq

Very true Almu, but you are talking about Hakeem in the all around sense, which he is tons better than Shaq. But there is valid argument in saying that Shaq right now was better than Hakeem, because Shaq is so dominant and powerful that he doesn't need to be very skilled. I mean, if he carries the Lakers to 5 more championships, who cares how skilled he was?
But face it, if anyone thinks that Shaq is a very skilled player, that is a joke. If Shaq had the same skills in a 6'11" 225 body like Kevin Garnett, he would probably be flipping burgers or something for a living.
He does have a few notable skills though. He has impressive leaping ability and quickness for a man of his size. His passing ability is phenomenal. His hook shot, when he puts his soft touch on it, isn't bad either. Again if Hakeem in his prime and Shaq of now played against each other, they wouldn't be able to stop each other. It would probably be a standstill.

------------------
"I look kind of dumpy. Look at my butt. And what kind of shoes do they have me wearing? At least they got the chinstrap beard right."
-Kevin Garnett on the KG bobblehead dolls during KG bobblehead doll night at the Target Center

 

I also thought of this...

At Dreams absolute best and Shaq now at his best, who has more weaknesses in their game?

I don't remember Dream having any and I always argue to this day and until my 12th life afterwards that during 1992-1996, you can put Jordan and Dream in the same gym and I can argue Dream had just as good if not better game than Jordan. And is Jordan not considered the greatest?

Everyone thought that Tysons power would beat Holyfields quickness too but hey, people make mistakes. I know I did.

I continue to vote for Dream.

------------------
Sleepless in the Bronx

 

A lot of this Shaq hype comes from the NBA's marketing machine. It's been going on since Shaq first entered the league when they immediately compared him with Wilt Chamberlain, and when they voted him as one of the 50 Greatest Players of All Time when he had no business being on there when deserving people like Bob McAdoo were left out in the cold (He'd played what, 3-4 years at the time??? How does a third or fourth year player get to be one of the 50 best ever?). They attempt to manufacture stars instead of letting them develop on their own merit.

Olajuwon had a more varied offensive game, more range than Shaq, was a better defensive player than Shaq, led the league in blocked shots three times while Shaq's never led the league once, had better footwork, was quicker, and he also led the league in rebounding twice, and was on his way to a third in a row if he wasn't injured by Bill Cartwright--Shaq, who's supposed to be so big, so dominant, "the most dominant player ever" never led the league in rebounding once. And Olajuwon did not have the free throw weakness which plagued Shaq. You feel confident with Olajuwon at the line with the game on the line, while Shaq's free throw weakness makes him a liability in the fourth quarter. Olajuwon was also one of the greatest playoff performers in NBA history. All of his numbers went up from the regular season to the postseason. And who is Shaq currently playing now? What competition is Shaq dominating? It's not getting harder to say Hakeem was better than Shaq, it's fairly easy to say. I'll take Olajuwon with no hesistation...

------------------
THE REGULATOR
"I'm not the showstopper, I'm _RUNNING_ the show!"



[This message has been edited by ThaRegul8r (edited June 20, 2001).]

 

The topic title is all wrong.

I just said it ten times in row. It wasn't hard at all.

------------------
Some days you eat the bear. Some days the bear eats you.

 

I don't think it is getting any harder to say Hakeem was better than Shaq.

Let me try:

Hakeem was better than Shaq.

Yep just as easy as ever

------------------

 

Hey do you guys remember several years back, i think after the 95 Finals, when Hakeem and Shaq were supposed to go 1 on 1 at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. It was supposed to be Paperview and everything, there was even that soft/crunchy Taco Bell commercial with the two that prommoted the event. The event was cancelled, though, when Hakeem sustained a small injury, i can't remember what, though. Anyways, I wish that event could have happened. It would have been interesting to see Hakeem in his prime go 1 on 1 against an already dominating Shaq. 1 on 1 truly brings out certain skills in players that 5 on 5 doesn't. Maybe that would have been a good benchmark in deciding which one was truly better. Oh well



------------------
"And i'm spent!"

 

I think shaq will be great and is already, but Dream is the better all around player in my book. He set the standard for shaq. If the two would play against each other in their primes with the games on the line Dream would outplay shaq. A standstill at the center position is the worst case scenario.

Just some raindrops from my brainstorm.

------------------

I have seen much of the rest of the web. It is brutal and cruel and dark. CC.net is the light.

 

I think Dream was better than Shaq is.

We won a title with Hakeem and 6 or 7 role players.

Shaq had the 3rd best player in the league playing with him.

I think this year's draft class with Curry, Chandler, Woods, Brown, etc... will produce at least two players who will pose as equals(Well maybe not equals, but close) to Shaq.

Also, as far as "D", Dream is twice the player Shaq is.

Blocks don't tell the whole story...As an unofficial stat during the 96 playoffs, changed shots by Hakeem were counted. I believe the count reached something like 15-20.
------------------
The title will come to ClutchCity once again.

[This message has been edited by vj23k (edited June 30, 2001).]