Shaq: Rockets won in '95 because he was 'too nice'

His way of saying "Hakeem was too good to play straight up back then, should've tried to bully him". He's right too. But they still would've lost.

 

no, he said that was the reason they lost. like he controlled it, and if he didnt respect him too much, they would have won.

you were never anywhere near the player hakeem was, shaq. just because your ego is a million times larger than his doesn't make you better.

 

"It's okay, little boy."

 

Shaq is assuming Hakeem wouldn't react and release his inner beast mode. He would be wrong... and Shaq probably would've got the DRob treatment.

 

Hakeem worked everyone that year and many other years as well. Arguably the greatest center of all-time. And he's a pudman.

 

Clutchfan inferiority complex on full display in this thread. An objective person would have to look really hard to find a slight against Hakeem or the Rockets anywhere in what Shaq had to say there. The real travesty is Ewing's legs in that picture. What the hell is that guy thinking? I still can't believe he was employed by the Rockets at one point.

 

Maybe someone can answer this for me, as I didn't move to Houston and start following the Rockets until 2000.

I always see comments about how Hakeem dominated Shaq in the Finals and having not seen the games, it makes little sense to me. The obvious answer is, of course, "4-0," but to me, that's more the Rockets as a team dominating the Magic as a team. Just looking at the stats, it doesn't seem like either of them particularly outplayed each other (with a few exceptions).

Hakeem

FG% - .483 (56/116)
FT% - .692 (18/26)
PPG - 32.8
RPG - 11.5
APG - 5.5
SPG - 2.0
BPG - 2.0
TO - 2.8

Shaq

FG% - .594 (44/74)
FT% - .571 (24/42)
PPG - 28.0
RPG - 12.5
APG - 6.3
SPG - 0.3
BPG - 2.5
TO - 5.3

So Hakeem had a higher scoring average (4.8 PPG higher, but took an additional 10.5 shots per game to get it... not what I'd consider a stellar ratio), better free throw percentage, considerably more steals and fewer turnovers, and Shaq's had a markedly better field goal percentage along with slight edges in rebounds, assists, and blocks.

From this, it seems clear that Hakeem ultimately turned in a better performance, but not by the huge amount that I've heard he did. Can someone clarify why he's considered to have dominated Shaq in that series?

 

It's something I've challenged in the past. Shaq wasn't destroyed by Hakeem. He was outplayed slightly at most, but it wasn't like Hakeem was light-years beyond him as many would have you believe. Shaq always gives Hakeem props for that series.

 

The only 2 centers shaq gives high praise to are Hakeem and Yao, and both played in Houston. Shaq knows what he's talking about he's one of the top 5 centers to ever play the game and I think a top 10 player of all time. It would be one thing for Ewing to have said these things. While Ewing is a very good player and all time great at the center position he has no championships. Shaq has 4 and is one of the most respected players of all time. There's nothing to see here I'm sure magic thinks he coulda won one of those championships he lost and I'm sure Kobe thinks he should have won the first time against Boston but that's doesn't take away what the other team did. That's just great players being super competitive and that's what makes them great.

 

Statistics aren't everything. While I agree that Olajuwon did not dominate Shaq the way he did Robinson if you watched the finals, it was clear who the better player was at the time. Olajuwon was a much better scorer, passer, and defender. This is no knock on shaq but he was too young and had no real low post game at that time in his career. Olajuwon at that time was at the peak of his career and in my opinion was clearly the better player as evident by the 4-0 sweep.

 

thread over.

 

I wouldn't say Dream dominated Shaq. Dream takes more outside shots than Shaq. Shaq should always have a high FG% because it's mostly dunks or inside the paint shots.

The Rockets had a better overall team than the Magic, even though the Magic were muched more hyped because of their young stars.

The Rockets had much more balance and the Rockets bench.. Sam Cassell, was better.

Foul Dream and he'l make his free throws, foul Shaq.. you know..

Dream controled the offense and defense of the game better than Shaq.

 

I'm sorry - all i could read was Rocket's won in '95

nothing else computed

 

That cuz Shaq is a big immature crybaby while Chuck is just a lovable goofball

 

Someone else gets it.

 

I think your taking that out of context. I think as a competitor it lingers in his head because he thinks that he could have done more to help his team have a better chance at winning the series. They got swept, proof is right there, but as a competitor with a huge ego Im sure he still thinks that he could have done something more.

 

Shaq was legit, even then. The way I remember it, Dream played him soft in the first half, didn't challenge shots as much and got out of Shaq's way at times to keep from picking up early fouls. Dream was much more active defensively on Shaq and shutting down Penny drives in the 4th.

 

Dream was a center, Shaq was a dunker.

:grin:

 

Shaq..