Do you think the Rockets would have won both of them championships if MJ never left?

We'll never know but maxwell would've at least done a decent job on mj one of the years

 

Young Bob Horry would have taken Pip.

As for those Riding on Jordon's jock . . . . pul lease . . . make room for his current wife or girlfriend . . .

Rocket River
this whole thread offense me

 

Bill Russell won 8 in a row.

Look, Jordan never won ANYTHING without
1. Scottie Pippen in his prime, and
2. An all-star caliber power forward.

The "court-rust" argument regarding Jordan's comeback in '95 is ridiculous. The only reason they didn't win anything was because Ho Grant was in Orlando, not because Jordan was "rusty." The Bulls never had a prayer in 1995. Not a prayer.

They might have been able to win it in '93-'94, but I have a tough time seeing it with how well we matched up with them. We had pretty good counters to Jordan/Pippen (Maxwell, Horry, Elie). The Bulls had no one who had a prayer of stopping Dream at his best.

Dream was so good in '93-'94 that he won the title without another superstar by his side. How many players can say that? Rick Barry in '74-'75, maybe?


"To say Jordan is overrated is crazy?" Yeah, right. Somehow, ESPN rates Jordan as not only the #1 athlete of the century in any sport (*cough* WiltChamberlain *cough* JimThorpe *cough*), but the #1 COLLEGE basketball player ever. Even though it was James Worthy who carried NC to its only title. What about, I dunno... JABBAR? MARAVICH?

"Not overrated." Right.

 

What a question is that?

Of course, the rockets had won those years, because the only weak point on the Bulls was the center, but in all the finals, the played aganist a bad or average center, maybe the lakers was the only team (if Kareem still played that season, i dont remember) so Hakeem would have destroyed them.

Also in 1994 season they lose: Horace Grant, John Paxon, Carthwright and they still didnt have Rodman or Kukoc, so it was a weak team.

 

You guys realize how much more respect Houston would have had if we played MJ those 2 yrs? Looking back, I really wish MJ never tried at baseball. In my opinion, I think our matchup against the Bulls is enough for us to win. I'd like to think a drexler vs Jordan matchup or maxwell vs Jordan matchup is much better than an Olajuwon vs ... ? matchup. Like a lot of you have said, they had no big men whatsoever.

Man if only it woulda happened that way, then we wouldn't constantly be looked at as the city who won 2 championships only b/c michael left ... I mean even if we lost both series (which i doubt woulda happened), those games would rank really high on the best finals games ever.

And ya, I agree with that 95 bulls failed attempt at the finals b/c of MJ's rust argument. That's just bs to me. If you're going to make the argument that MJ's bulls > 94 and 95 Rockets, just b/c MJ is MJ and he somehow always finds the way to win, then why didnt he do it against the team that eliminated his? If his will to win is legendary and is in itself enough to win a title, what kind of excuse is rust? I'm in no way downplaying MJ's accomplishments. I do believe he was the best to play the game BUT, his team and his MJ stature wasn't enough to take down the Rockets. No way.

 

Oh let me think, how about Bill Russell, he won 8 in a row, thats more than three in a row twice right?. Bill won the NCAA championship and the next year he won an NBA chamiponship, and he won 11 of 13 championships. And versus one of the most offensive players: Wilt Chamberlain.

 

I read that book! that's pretty good. Did you note how he talks about shooting shotguns in his place? what irony.

you need to read "Keepin It Real" it will tell you more good stories.

 

if MJ never left, i would say Rox will win at least 1 of the championships, and may even win more down the road. As barkley would not have been traded and robert horry will be shooting those last sec 3p for Rox.

 

Would I have gotten a speeding ticket if I didnt take the 249? Who gives a ****.

We were the best in the NBA those two years, that's all that matters. The NBA is all about matchups, and if you want to play the what if game, I'm sure you could find a team that would have beaten the Bulls every year they won a ring. What if they met? Would Jordan still be considered the greatest?

 

Will do! I love those kinds of books, they really give you a different perspective on life in the NBA. I especially liked the part where Jayson Williams talked about Dream wanting his "change"...hilarious!

 

lol, again?

 

Was there anything funnier than seeing Rodman messing with and shutting down our boy Karl?

In all seriousness though, I voted 'yes' to both championships. As great as MJ was it's not like he was going to win EVERY year. He may have been the greatest player of all time but that certainly doesn't mean a group of say.....another top 10 player of all time and a solid supporting cast couldn't have beaten even the greatest.

Everybody likes to pretend like MJ didn't play at all during our second title run. Great. Whatever floats your boat.

....and of course, the 97 Rockets/Bulls fantasy NBA Finals matchup that never happened will continue to be one of the biggest "What If's" of all time in my book.

 

FALSE.... LOOK UP THE STATS.

He shot 48% and averaged 31.5 a game in the playoffs that year....both of those were better than he would put up the next season.

I've never understood the logic that he was out of shape. He was a pro athlete. He played the last quarter of the season. He had more in the tank than anyone.

 

It's like what would happen back then.

We don't know, maybe MJ would be dead, Hakeem or something else.

It's like, the more you discuss it means more less important, even if you prove you're right you have nothing to do do with it since it has never and it will never happen again.

 

Yeah everyone gives this guy this excuse. Bottom line the bulls with Michael Jordan in 1995 could not handle the Rockets in 1995 period.

 

Honestly, I would have enjoyed seeing Hakeem and MJ battle it out for the championships.

The Bull's first 3-peat were achieved against WC teams not known for their defence. The Bull's 2nd 3-peat were achieved against WC teams whose big men didn't get the job done.

The Rockets double were achieved against two EC teams with contrasting styles of play, grind it out half-court and high scoring, inside-out.

Sure MJ averaged 40+ against the Suns in 93, but D-Wade, T-mac, LeBron, AI would have done the same. In comparison, Hakeem averaged 35+ against the guy who was league "MVP" and a DPoY calibre defender.

 

Wow, I can't believe guys are actually trying to discredit MJ for his second three peat. You guys do realize how hard that is to do right? Thats three straight championships on two different occasions. Consider that he was retired for a season and the majority of the next. Sure he was in the NBA during the Rockets 2nd title run, but MJ came back in APRIL. He played in only 17 games before the playoffs started.

I'm also sick of hearing all the "He wouldn't had won crap without Pippen...blahblahblah." You can say that about any team that won a title. That's like saying Hakeem doesn't win in 93 without Cassel & Co and probably doesn't win in 94 without Drexler, Spurs don't win their first without D-rob, ect. ect. Seriously though, what the hell did Pippen do without MJ? Exactly.

Regardless of all the situations that happened during Jordan's 2nd three peat, he still won three straight. You can't take that away from him. Just like you can't take anything away from the Rockets for winning their titles after MJ retired.....for the first time.

 

Fixed.

 

Yeah, he quit like a baby because his father died. How classless can you be?