JVG picked Dream over Ewing because of accomplishment, rings Took Ewing to win one game but because he had more experiance with him as a player, Barry took Hakeem
jvg with his first error. we had 58 wins in '94 not 55. he just now blamed losing the '94 title to us on patrick missing one game to concede the homecourt. wrong.
JVG said he would take Ewing over Hakeem in one game, only because he knew Ewing better JB gladly took Hakeem
It was clearly out of obligation, debt, and respect though. For those who didnt hear it live and in context.
He has the best nationally-syndicated show in the business. He ALWAYS has tons of NBA talk, because he's a big fan. He's the best interviewer there is and everyone wants to come on his show to do it because he's friends or worked with lots of those guys (connections, basically). He had a string of three days during that whole Suns-Spurs controversy in the second round where Barkley and Reggie Miller would call in to the show to chime in. It's the only show I can't miss on any given day...
Completely agree. You had to listen in and JVG's hesitation and 'body language' (whatever I could discern from the radio) pretty much gave away the fact that he knows Dream was better, but felt compelled to go with Ewing.
I bought the Clutch City box set this weekend and have been watching the games, only at game 2 right now, and they were very close match ups that could have gone either way throughout
JVG knows his numbers. I never doubt him. But yeah, he said Ewing as lip-service. You ask Rudy who's better, Drexler or Kobe, he'd probably say Drexler. You ask him who he'd take, Parker or Francis, he'd probably say Francis. I'd be ticked if one of my favorite coaches said that some other random guy who he never had from 10 years ago was better than me.
5th year: Olajuwon 24.8 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.6 spg, 3.4 bpg Yao 25.0 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.4 spg, 2.0 bpg Yao is technically better in scoring and assists. But Hakeem is way better in rebounding, steals, and blocked shots. What's interesting is that Hakeem had been a 20+ ppg scorer right from the rookie year and did not have a huge improvement since, until his peak years in the mid-90s. Yao improved significantly every year.
one thing i forgot to add: talking about reggie miller's 25 point fourth quarter against the knicks, dan patrick said that pat riley blames jvg for that because it was his assignment to draw up the defense against reggie. jeff responded to this by saying something like "well, it wasnt the only time ive been blamed for something. that just happened in houston."
Keep in mind that by his 5th year, (H)Akeem was the definite first option on this team. Except during T-Mac injury time, Yao has never been the first option for the Rox.
As Yao is allowed to stay in the paint more this season, I think you will see his Rebounds and Blocks go up provided RAD doesn't have him gaurding the perimeter. He will never have the steals numbers of Dream. Quickest hands and feet ever to play the position
i actually love this. i hope some reporter bring it up to him that a former teammate said that. that's as big a diss in the face as it can be.
