[chron]No Bull? Rockets say they still would have won like Mike

Huh...so an era with guys like Russell, Chamberlain, Reed, Bellamy, and a young Alcindor is one that "lacked great centers"? You've gotta be kidding me.

You might just be too young to realize this, but those guys almost routinely got into double digit blocks or steals. If blocks/steals were kept on the stat sheet in those days, I can guarantee that both Chamberlan and Russell would've had at least one (if not more) quadruple double. Moreover, they'd definitely be ahead of Hakeem in the blocks category.

That one year Wilt decided to lead the league in assists (I think it was 1968), I'm willing to bet he would've had a quintuple double in there somewhere, or at least come close several times.

It's good to hear that someone is such a huge fan of Hakeem. He's my favorite player of all time as well, but to downplay the things that Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell accomplished as mere "dominance against midgets in an era without any great centers" is absolutely ridiculous.

Sorry, but it's really difficult to compare eras the way you're doing it. Put Hakeem on the teams back then, and he'd probably get called for travelling every time he attempted a Dream Shake. It doesn't matter that he technically isn't travelling. Referees were a lot more stringent with the rules back then.

 

well, you are right, I am too young and I started watching basketball in the prime years of Dream (around 95 & 96).. but I am in love with the game and I love old school basketball more than anything else.. I've watched some Wilt games on NBA TV and other sources but those games were in Wilt's last years ... and I also spent a good time researching about Wilt and Russell and I was amazed with things they could do... you are right, I could've made a mistake in saying that their stats weren't good.. but my point is that Hakeem has a greater effect on a game than any of them.. and I also believe that Russell and Chamberlain had some really good players with them.. but all Dream had is a bunch of average "role players" that could hit their open jumper ( and dont get me wrong, I am talking about the 94 championship.. he had clyde and more in 95.. and I am not saying that Otis, kenny, Robert, Maxwell are not good.. I am just saying that it's not like Shaq and Kobe, Jordan and Pippen, it's Hakeem and "others").....

 

one more thing, I think rimrocker made a great comparison and I think it's valid because the level of atleticism and Defense peeked in Hakeem's era..so I think that life would've been a little harder for Wilt and Bill if they played in Hakeem's era.. and please correct me if I am wrong, because I am pretty sure your experience is much better and longer than mine..

 

Oh I agree with rimrocker as far as the fact that Russell and Chamberlain wouldn't have been quite as effective in today's game...but only if you go back in a time machine, pick them up, and drop them off here.

I think they'd still be dominant players (especially Chamberlain, who at 7'1" and 260 lbs would still a powerful big man by today's standards), but naturally they'd never average 20+ rebounds a game or 50 points a game etc.

However, that's exactly why I'm not a big fan of comparing eras in general. Given the same amount of exposure to higher nutritional and fitness levels, the technological strides, and heightened level of play, wouldn't someone born with the same genetic makeup of guys like Russell/Chamberlain also be dominant in today's game? I'd imagine so...

 

I have said this before and Ill say it again...
IMO Michael Jordan is the most underrated player ever.

 

underrated ?? huh ??

 

Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one and yours stinks.

 

I guess having the global media declare him the greatest basketball player ever really doesn't do him justice.

Granted there are facets of his game that people don't talk about enough. For example, I think a lot of average people forget how great a defender he was.

Whatever, its a moot issue, we can't really give him any more props then he already has.

 

wow this is not right.

say this on a rocket board, not anywhere else.

 

Here here