For guys that watched the Dream..... how did it feel?

Yeah, sure, nitpick. I explain what I thought in this post

http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=3712653&postcount=48

 

I remember the first game that Hakeem really stood out for UH; it was a televised game against Missouri if I recall correctly. He scored over twenty points and dominated the boards. A star was born. He just got better and better and better. In the NBA, he had three gears: regular season games = consistently outstanding, playoff games = fantastic, and division or league finals = unbelievable. His lateral movement was amazing. The speed with which he left the ground, mind boggling. His timing, strength, touch were simply phenomenal. Surprisingly, he declined faster than most players; he went south in a hurry. Nevertheless, he may go down as the most incredibly athletic "big man" in NBA history.

 

OP,

Imagine a player who basically had a lateral quickness gear that nobody else over 6'5", perhaps ever had.
Imagine a player who was never really off balance or out of control. Ever.
Imagine a player who seemed to never get tired or slow down (in his prime 8-9 years, this was absolutely true).
Imagine a player who wore a poker face the entire time he was gutting another team.

 

I've still got the Hakeem vs. Shaq head to head stats from the newspaper I'll have to dig them out.

One thing people seem to overlook is that when Shaq came into the league he was JUST under 300 lbs. Not the 350+ he has "blossomed" into. Add that size with how surprisingly quick he was and he really was a monster. A monster who Hakeem, or anyone else, didn't have a lot of experience playing against. Bottom line is Hakeem still outplayed him. He just didn't make Shaq look like a fool like he did to Robinson. Well except the series record.

On the original post: I don't think I can really add anything that hasn't been said. Hakeem is what got me into the game. I watched him play once and was hooked. Watch that highlight video and just keep in mind that he gave you those highlights every game.

 

He would still dominate when the Rockets had days games during Ramadan even though he could not have a sip of water.

The Dream was poetry in motion.

 

It was not Shaq's rookie year. Shaq would have had his under the basket...just like he did against Duncan. Shaq would not have been able to stop Hakeem on the other end...are you saying Shaq is better defensively than Ewing, Robinson, Mutombo? They were all no match...

 

Man do I miss the Dream. He was part of Houston basketball for as long as I can remember even watching basketball. When he shows up for games he still looks like he could go out there and get a double double, block a few shots, and dazzle us all again. He had such an amazing combination of skills and gifts. The quickness, the speed, the strength, the balance, the footwork, the timing, the defensive instincts, the desire... the wonder of it all in this graceful, whirling dervish of a basketball tornado causing havoc all over the floor.

I don't think I quite understood what it all meant when he was playing but I understand now that we're just never going to see anything like that again. There are great players and there are Hall of Famers and then there are an elite few unique players like Dream that blast through the league and change it forever. He was a once in a lifetime player and I'm so grateful to have had the pleasure of watching his career evolve and develop. I wish we could do it again!

 

You know how when dudes do turn around shots, the announcer says "Tough shot!!". Watching Hakeem, I never really knew that was a hard shot till he was gone. He made them every time, it seemed.

 

I remember when he first came, and he was second fiddle to Ralph Sampson. But when he came to the NBA, he looked even silkier then he did in college. But for me, the highlight has to be the 1995 title run. The way he played against Robinson.....man oh man, it was the prettiest basketball I had ever seen. The jukes he made I have never seen, not by anyone before or anyone since.

 

I miss Olajuwon's playing days i have the 93-94 championship series against the Knicks. It doesn't get old!

 

how do you feel when you watch greatness? well, just in awe. i only started watching hakeem a year before his first championship year and those were the years i cherished. he was easily to me one of the top 10 players to have ever played the game of basketball.

 

i saw hakeem at ihop last weekend

 

You should read what you're writing. In the span of 2 years, Dream took on and beat three Hall of Fame centers in Ewing, Robinson, and Shaq. Not only Hall of Famers but members of the top 50 Greatest NBA players. He outscored them all, held them all under their season scoring averages, and scored more than his own season average. He actually outscored Ewing and Robinson by 10 points a game which is completely ridiculous when you're talking about that stage of the playoffs.


94 Regular Season Averages

Olajuwon 27.3 pts/game
Ewing 24.5 pts/game

Dream vs Ewing (29.1 pts/game)
Ewing vs Dream (18.8 pts/game)


95 Regular Season Averages

Olajuwon 27.8 pts/game
Robinson 27.6 pts/game
Shaq 29.3 pts/game

Dream vs Robinson (35.3 pts/game)
Robinson vs Dream (23.8 pts/game)

Dream vs Shaq (32.8 pts/game)
Shaq vs Dream (28 pts/game)


I think really there are two reasons why Dream didn't outscore Shaq as badly and that's #1 because Robert Horry was the power forward so he couldn't guard Shaq and let Dream rest the way that Horace Grant could guard Hakeem and let Shaq rest (they had no size at all to throw at Shaq) and #2 the series only went 4 games. If you watch the series, Hakeem frequently let Shaq go to the rim without contesting so that he can stay out of foul trouble.

Anyways, what Dream did was legendary. Imagine something like Kevin Garnett not only defeating but outscoring Tim Duncan, Karl Malone, and Charles Barkley, all in their primes, by 5-10 points per game and holding them all under their season averages for an entire series in the NBA Finals and Conference Finals over 2 years. It just doesn't happen. Nobody dominates their position to that extent. Nobody matches up like that with the best of the best at that level but Hakeem did it, we all saw it, and we'll never forget it!

 

Akeem UNBEATABLE rap song

 

the best thing about watching Dream play that I miss now when i watch the rockets was that you had the utmost confidence that you'll win the game.

It didn't matter who you were going to play... we should win, we will win, and most importantly, WE DID WIN.

Nothing beats that feeling of confidence in your team's ability to kick the other team's ass no matter who the hell was on their team, even JORDAN.

 

I remember Hakeem would make numerous plays every game that would make me exclaim in awe. Not even Sportscenter-type highlights, either, but plays that he made look simple even though no one else in the game could do them. And his game had a flow to it - I see other centers play, even great ones like Shaq, and it's like watching a bulldozer digging through mud, while Hakeem was like water.

 

Exactly, you felt at ease because Dream was so composed and you know he'd make the plays down the stretch to get you the win. You didn't have to worry about choking, or missing a key free throw or losing the ball in crunch time.

 

Watching dream was great and in my opinion he is the best center of all time, but with that being said, watching dream didn't compare to watching Michael Jordan. I feel for those of you where were too young to enjoy the GOAT.

 

During Ramadan, he couldn't have any solid food, but he drank protein shakes and water.

 

Ah man... That's the best song I have ever heard. Thanks for that.