[dime]Remembering Hakeem Olajuwon’s Unstoppable ’95 Playoffs, From The Players Who Were There

Vinny still won't admit that Hakeem was just a flat out better player. Hakeem schooled David Robinson. People who saw that match up live knew there wasn't even a battle. It was just an @ss wooping to every degree. Robinson took it in his hole like a champ.

 

Benching Rodman. Well that was stupid.

 

They had no choice. Rodman cratered that series. Went to the bench, took his shoes off, and started acting the fool. That's one reason he's not a Top 50 player and a big reason I don't think he belongs in the HOF. He never was the #1 or #2 option on any team and the only time he was asked to be something close to #2 was this year with the Spurs and the pressure got to him.

 

Arguably the GOAT run

 

I mean, honestly has any great player significantly destroyed his MVP opponent SO BADLY ever before?

Just imagine if Harden did this to Curry and went on to the Finals. Guarding Curry, and being guarded by Curry, and just straight up demolishing him in the head to head.

One day.

 

I often read comments from Smith, Horry, and others..

but where is David Robinson comment for that series?

 

Del Negro is right. Robinson played hard, and played well. Dream was just better. Robinson even famously said at a press conference, after just getting destroyed by Olajuwan, something to the effect of: 'y,all are probably going to laugh at this, but I thought I played pretty good defense.' Olajuwan was unstoppable.

I never get tired of reliving the greatness of Dream. Rep to tinman for being the resident Clutch City historian. :grin:

 

One quote I remember vividly, watching David Robinson at the press conference.

"He can't score 40 EVERY night". Dream put up 40+ 3 times that series, and 39 once. Up until that series, David Robinson was considered pretty much Hakeem's equal. After that series, nobody ever made that comparison again.

 

Quote is at 1:30

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Dream, the heart of a champion.The consumate cerebral eviscerator.

 

Clyde Drexler likely commented that it was like clubbing Navy Sailors.

 

It was actually sad watching David Robinson in that press conference. I'm glad he won his rings later, because he earned it. One of my favourite NBA personas, just an all-round great guy who was humble and just worked his but off. Underrated in a lot of ways! That MVP was well deserved and no way did Olajuwon deserve it that year. Still, I cannot deny I enjoyed the whooping Olajuwon gave him. Interesting point about Rodman before game 5, did not know that. Who knows what would've happened had he shown his good side then.

 

Yep..... and arguably duplicated it B2B seasons.

The poster Don Grahmleon (sp) said "arguably the GOAT playoff performer" and I agree.

 

great read 5 stars people who didnt vote this 5 stars deserve permaban

 

You know, in David Robinson's defense here....

...I think it bears pointing out that, from my perspective, The Admiral was never a "classic" center...at least offensively...and that matchup against Hakeem that playoff sort of cemented that argument, for me.

David was a GREAT defensive center, much the same way Hakeem was, with his range, athleticism, and instincts. To make the comparisons between the two of them from that viewpoint was always understandable. The problems arose, in my view, when you start to compare Robinson and Olajuwon as offensive players, and as evidenced in that '95 postseason matchup, they were very different players.

Notwithstanding the "extra motivation" Hakeem may have found from a personal standpoint...Hakeem was always the more "polished" or "developed" post-center offensively between the two, to me.

I've long ago concluded that, if Sean Elliot (who played alongside David Robinson for may years, and was a very good player in his own right) and David Robinson were both the same height--6'7''--Elliot would have been the better player, certainly offensively.

David Robinson played offensively much the way a wing player would---high-post...facing the basket...because he routinely enjoyed an decided speed and quickness advantage against most other centers and/or big forwards.

Not that there's anything at all wrong with that--you do what works for you--and The Admiral did lead the league in scoring one season....

...but the Dream's offensive approach was always more "inside-out" than Robinson's was...and I think that had to do with the way Olajuwon was introduced to and learned the game.

...the great disadvantage Robinson ultimately suffered from in facing Hakeem in that series was arguably one of his greatest assets--his own speed and quickness and athleticism.

The Admiral...and his coaching staff and teammates, it seems...were under the impression that David's own superior athletic ability and defensive prowess would cancel out, at the very least, Olajuwon's. But because Olajuwon could play from a post-up (back-to-the-basket) position so effectively, Robinson's natural instincts to react and anticipate were routinely compromised by Olajuwon's skill at having a counter for any move he would show you.

Hakeem's jump-hook wasn't as unstoppable as, say, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's "sky-hook", for example...but you had to honor it, because Hakeem could make that shot routinely. Hakeem, from the same position (back-to-basket, left-block), could also turn to the baseline and take his fade-away jumpshot...technically not the most ideal shot, but again, a shot you had to honor because the Dream could make it regularly.

Those two fundamentally basic post shots built the array of moves that Hakeem had...and in this instance, routinely baited Robinson into attempting to stop the first move (as Robinson's own quickness would allow him to do against practically anybody else)...leaving him vulnerable to anything subsequent Hakeem would do.

It eventually looked like a mismatch because, as amazing as Hakeem's performance was, it was grounded in some very basic offense from a post player that had an answer for any individual defense that Olajuwon would face.

Ironically enough, when the Spurs finally did concede (rarely) to sending two or three defenders at Olajuwon, they were able to meet with some success...but they were not accustomed to playing defense that way, and even with Dennis Rodman being Dennis Rodman, they were ultimately going to allow their MVP center to go one-on-one with The Dream....

...and the rest, as they say...is history...

 

^^ no wonder that guy's rep/post ratio

Hakeem basically had 2 shots; a jump hook and a fadeaway.

He incorporated spins and crossovers and finished shooting one or the other.

Arguably the most unique player in history, best playoff performer, best all-around player, and best player.

DREAM