Before I read this I actually hadn't really thought about the 1994 championship as Olajuwon carrying them to the promised land. I guess that's because of what he did in 1995 against the MVP and really won that series almost single handedly. But reading the bolded parts truly shocked me, how in the world did we win in 1994 when our second leading scorer only had 13 points. Guess it was really all DREAM - not just the amount of points he put up , but that defense baby. Gotta say, I appreciate Olajuwon even more now for what he did in the playoffs. Thank you Hakeem!
Seriously, that's how you interpret what I said?? Ok, this is pointless. Trying to be positive and getting shot down, please close this thread.
As it stands right now, other than the Detroit Pistons that year (who don't hav any) I don't think there is another Champioinship team with only 1 Hall of famer on the roster. I don't think Robert Horry makes it in and if anyone makes it from Detroit it will be Billups. Amazing considering all the other teams that have won championships have had immense talent around their star player. Really puts into perspective how good Hakeem really was and how much he carried this team during that era.
I understand your anger, but your beginning post does read as if you've never seen this Hakeem Olajuwon fella before, and now you're reading all about him and you're amazed.....
Well I honestly think that Ben Wallace has a shot to make it into the Hall...5 Time All-NBA, 5 Time All-Defense, and 4 time Defensive Player of the Year. It's Billups that IMO has no shot to make it.
Lol anger issues much? It's pretty easy to see how in your OP, it seems like you never got to watch Olajuwon. If you saw the whole thing, how are you amazed about that playoff run? He was an unstoppable force on both ends of the court.
It wasnt just that the team didnt really have a consistent second scoring option. What was more amazing was that he was really the only one on the team who could consistently create shots for others. Maxwell was erratic and Casell was a rookie at that point with Rudy limiting his minutes. Kenny Smith was spot up 3 point shooter and didnt really create for others. And he did this against Ewing and a brutal Knicks defense in the finals while holding Ewing to before 40% shooting for the series. Folks who have not watched the games back then are going to have a hard time fully appreciating this accomplishment.
I was just trying to say that reading the bolded parts, i.e. having no consistent second scorer, being the only one to ever do it in NBA history without one and holding Patrick to that low a percentage made me appreciate it even more. By watching all the games, I really thought Patrick did pretty good. Also I figured Max had more points and watching games, OT, Max, Sam all seemed to be pretty consistent and not so much relying on Hakeem to take over as he did in 1995. I guess the eye test was wrong. I thought 1994 was really more of a team effort than 1995, if you know what I'm saying
That's how I read it too, because that's how it comes off. Don't understand OP getting upset at this being pointed out.
I think before Detroit, the last time a championship team had only 1 HOF'er, it may have been the Blazers with Bill Walton back in the 70's?
If you look back at that team though it's much better than it appeared to be at the time. Horry [in his prime], Cassell, Otis, Vernon, Kenny.......etc.
OK, we get that you weren't following stats back then, and didn't realize some things that many of us did notice during the games (many of us being a huge number of members 35-40 years old, and older (like yours truly)), but reacting this way to a simple question by RV6, an understandable one, I might add, is not helping your reputation. Talk about your point, defend your point, if it needs it, revel in the knowledge you just discovered, which some here don't know, but reacting this way is, with all due respect, immature, or at least appears immature. Calm down and attempt to discuss your topic. It isn't a bad topic, considering that many here, with 47,000+ members now, don't have a clue about your OP, either. Digs and jokes just go hand in hand with these kinds of threads. Relax and continue to talk about what interested you about Dream and the '94 championship run. Being overly sensitive is never a good move. Just some friendly advice. - edit: just saw you post above. That's more like it!
Well to be fair, as far as I remember, the Knicks tried to leave Hakeem to Patrick because that's what the Knicks did at the time, the Knicks rarely double teamed. Besides, the Rockets shooting was so scary. Ewing was doubled quite a bit. It would be fun to watch those games, it's been a while. I haven't seen them on torrents. I saw some full games on youtube but crap quality. The Rockets 94-95 playoffs games are probably the hardest to find, compared to other old champions.
I love those guys, all of them. Really do. (OK, Kenny not so much - - gonad-free, abused by Harper and thus why the series went 7.) I don't hate on Kenny. I love the way he gave his dad the ring and his dad wore it so proudly. Great stuff. Game 1 v Magic? His brightest night (just ahead of the game he won v Lakers after sitting on bench for an aeon, but that was regular season late in his Rocket career). Horry was 'Big Shot Bob' because his big shots were onesies repeated every May and June series for years, so it seemed. The rest of the time? Just look at '95-'96 when he was about the last healthy Rock standing. I'd love to have Prime-of-Life Horry today, but as a 4th or 5th best player. Sammy, my all-time fav ex-Rocket. One of a kind. Legendary. But still a rook that year. And it was late when he replaced Scottie as KS30s caddy, the one who carried the load. OT was pretty good. Starter quality. Period. Not special, yet he had a nice enough career. I will also argue that he did his best Rocket work with Hakeem sitting or out. They did not synergize great. Mad Max, VernonVernonVernon. On a given night ... and from here everyone can write in something and be right. But dadgum, I had a place in my sports-lovin' heart for that guy. Could have been great and some nights he was. It could have been a great career but we settled for career nights. A roster of 'Unbelievable' Dream and role players who were OK rotational NBAers. Hakeem's greatness was on display for all in the Back2Back years, and believe it - - Hakeem The Dream Olajuwon was one of the all-time greatest basketball players on Planet Earth!
