Hakeem Olajuwon on Small Ball and the future of the big man

Nah, I am sure Battier wrote it for him.

 

Must read.

Also like that there's a Robert horry article next.

 

Its easy to see how the Sonics were able to beat us. Its that 1-3-1 zone defense that Karl ran that they were able to beat the officials with the illegal defense rules somehow. They would double or triple Hakeem and were athletic enough to play the passing lanes when he tried to pass out of the double/triple teams.

 

Just like the Jerry Sloan Jazz loose ball fouled on 100% of the possessions, George Karl's teams played only passing lanes 100% of the time. It's what would have qualified as illegal D at the time, but in both instances they knew the refs would get fatigued, and the whistles would even out to what they were most other games.

Dirty tactics that bent the rules of the game at the time in both instances. And--just to show that there were basketball Gods existing at the time--fitting that neither strategy was good enough to take home a championship.

Very much unlike today's era, where Silver's glee at having a face of the NBA most fans can look at eye to eye (Curry) has overshadowed the fact that the Warriors have had to moving pic their way to get there. Down with the NBA. Make basketball great again.

 

They were very good exploiting the lack of a 4 the year they sweep us plus both Sam and drex were not healthy. The next year with Barkley it made all the difference in the world. It's too bad we didn't have Thorpe because they would not have been able to play hakeem the same way. Horry wasn't Thorpe as he played outside which allowed them to double from the weak side and leave it open. If you had a finisher there hakeem could have passed it for a dunk every time.

 

or you should strive to be skilled at basketball, regardless of height, and you'll be successful.

 

I feel like Dream has come around on this. He was always preaching 'dominance' but he's realised that his game is the best possible version of what a modern center is.

Seriously, how Fkn cool is he? GOAT.

 

Sam Perkins and the Sonics used to give Dream the blues. Natural instincts say stay in the paint,but Perkins would drop 3s

 

Thanks for beating Tinman to this. Most enjoyable read.

 

Hakeem would dominate in any era. Such a unique combination of strength, quickness, skill, and savvy. I would give a lot of $$ to see him as a rookie in today's game.

 

Don't forget detlef schrempf, dude went wild on us too

 

Great words from Hakeem. He should write a book

 

Yes and we are lucky to have share it

 

Good read