Dunno if this is old news, but just caught it. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2004/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&id=1795628 "The whole subject has become such an embarrassment to the defending champs that several of Pop's players can be heard dispensing their own self-deprecating quips, because they don't know what else to say. The latest gem comes from Spurs newcomer Robert Horry, who contends that it's actually rather easy to pick Hakeem Olajuwon as his best-ever teammate -- over Shaquille O'Neal and now Tim Duncan -- because "Dream shot his free throws a little bit better." "
Ha, thats pretty funny. I dont think Hakeem was all that great in free throws, but I know alot better than Shaq and Tim combined. My guess he averaged around 70%?
I think he hoverered around the low to mid 70s. Was in the 60s early in his career. However, I remember that during crunch time, Hakeem was above 80%. He would always knock them down when it counted most.
Horry has always maintained that Hakeem is the Best Center/forward he ever played with. I saw him on "the Hot seat" on ESPN while he with the Fakers and was asked who he thought was better: Shaq or Hakeem and he flat out said Hakeem.
The Hall of Fame should have a wing devoted to clutch shots, with giant video screens, and other fun stuff to tribute the dramatic shots of the past.
Hakeem was a better player in his prime than Duncan is in his prime when it comes to overall physical skills because Dream was just better defensively. The big advanage Duncan has over Hakeem is that he is maximizing his potential longer and earlier in his career. Hakeem maximized his potential from the years 1993 to 1997, Duncan has started doing this in 1999, his 2nd year in the league. Man if Hakeem had started maximizing his potential in say 1988 or 1989, the Rockets would probably have more than 2 titles.
I think he always wanted to stay a Rocket. Too bad we didn't persue him much this off season. But then again we had EG right?
Hakeem...Shaq...Duncan Chocolate...Vanilla...Strawberry All are good, some will like one more than the others, some will be devoted to one but IMO they are all equally good, just in differnt ways. *However, Hakeem might get the nod from me (although I think Tim Duncan will go down as the best of the 3) because he single handedly destroyed and changed the perception of one of the top 50 players in NBA history and one of the top 10 centers of all time.*
-You have to look at the eras. There were a lot of really great teams in the west during Hakeem's era. Right when he came to Houston, you had the mid 80's lakers, one of the best teams of all time to compete with in the west. In the 90's, you had Stockton and Malone in their primes, Barkley's Suns, some 60 plus win Sonic teams, and Robinson's Spurs. During the Duncan era, the entire East has been putrid and the only really strong team out west has been LA. Teams like the recent Mavs and Kings have been frauds IMO who don't play any D and are just not complete teams. You put Hakeem in this era on any team instead of in the 80's-90's and he'd have had more rings. Imagine Hakeem playing against the modern day Centers? He'd probably average 30 plus ppg. -Duncan may have started maximizing his potential sooner, but he will never reach the ceiling Hakeem did as an individual due to a big gap in athletic ability between the 2. IMO.
Sammy concurs. Super mario concurs. Hakeem, out of sight/out of the limelight, is out of mind. What a shame because he was the best basketball player in the world for a few years, even with that Jordan fella around. The rings were no fluke.
He's said this so many times. This is like the third time. Everyone asks him and he always says Dream. It's gotta be true. Case closed.
You know, Horry might be available this summer because San Antonio is trying to save enough cap room for Ginobli and Turkoglu. If he is available, we should consider signing him. Why? One, his skills are symbiotic with a dominant big man - clutch perimeter shooting, great passer into the post, good defense. Two, He's got a whole lot of of veteran playoff experience. Three, superstition. If he wins another ring this year, maybe bringing him back to Houston will give us luck.
That's what i was thinking. Horry has been pretty consistent about picking Dream. He's talking about changing the course of a game at both ends of the floor. Shaq never did that, and even Duncan isn't the defender that Dream was.
