Earlier in the season I never would have compared the current club and the 1995 world Champs, but with the recent roster moves, anyone else notice some of the similarities between 1995/2005 Rox? We've got great outside (3 point) threats mixed with a nice inside game. I'm certainly not saying that this team or particular players are better or worse that the 1995 team (obviously Yao is no Dream, but he is a dominant center), but some of our current players eerily resemble their counterparts. T-Mac ~ Drexler (clutch player, leadership, shooter, penetrator) Yao ~ Dream (inside force) Sura ~ Elie (heart and soul) James ~ Smith (3 point shooterw/ great accuracy) Barry ~ Cassell (great passer, shooter, off the bench) Juwon ~ Horry (not a dominant 4, but finds ways to get it done) Padgett ~ Chilcutt (outside threat off the bench) Deke ~ Herrera (defensive rebounder off the bench) even JJ ~ Maxwell (once he left, the team started to gell) - not that I don't love Max, as he helped us win the first one. Besides if we go 12-10 in the remaining games we'll finish with an identical record as the 1994-95 team (47-35). Most likely finish 3rd in our division ala 1995 and would likely be the 6th seed again. Even more, we'd probably see some of the same teams in the playoffs along the way - Phoenix, S.A. (and now with Denver in the 8th spot, maybe they could knock out the Sonics - LOL although it's unlikely they'd even play each other). # 6 Seed in 1995 = Championship # 6 Seed in 2005 = I'm pulling for us drawing the 6th seed.
the only thing i find a bit flawed in your comparisons is that I think a 47-35 record will not land a 6th seed this year you will have to have a better record than that imo
I think Padgett more like Horry instead and Barry more like Elie in terms of hitting couple big shot and energy wise.
this time we win by going through seattle in the first round, not avoiding them. unless, lets sub seattle '95 with phx '05......denver might shock the world again by upsetting the #1 seed. this time with former sonics coach carl. weird.
I'd like to see Deke "Lebron" about four guys between now and the playoffs. I don't want him to seriously hurt anyone, I'd just like to see him put the fear of "The Train"* into the hearts of the Rockets' future playoff opponents. * <cookie monster> "When you hear the train coming, don't run to the train, run AWAY from the train!!"</cookie monster> - Dikembe Mutombo Is it wrong to really like it when one of your own puts on the black hat sometimes? Especially when you're a team that refs allow to get regularly hammered on the offensive end? I liked it when OT or Kevin Willis would just level some fool to let him know that his weak-assed sh*t was not allowed in the paint. That may be old school, but there was a code in the NBA, and if you broke the code, some guy named Laimbeer or Rambis or Eaton was going to hand you your ass tied up in a big satin bow. P.S. Note that in his 1st ('83), 2nd ('84) and last ('93) seasons in Utah, Mark Eaton averaged 8.1, 6.8 and 6.2 fouls per 48 minutes played, respectively. His career average, spanning 11 seasons, is 5.6 fouls per game. He's, imho, one of the toughest bastards ever to put on a basketball uniform.
Not a horrible comparison, but, with all due respect to Yao, that was the year that Hakeem turned in one of the seminal performances in NBA playoff history absolutely dismantling that year's MVP, David Robinson. Hakeem was EASILY the best player in the game. We just don't have that either in Yao or T-Mac, but, hey, it's nice to dream!
one of the reasons for sam being traded was because hakeem thought sam was a black hole. and i think i agree with that somewhat. sam wasn't a great passer. i think sam is a lot like mike james. instant offense style. because when sam had that floater working he could really drive and get his basket.
I don't think this team is as good talent wise and we won't know heart wise until the playoffs but I think this team is working better as team than the 94-95 team. The offense flows better as has more dimensions than that team. Nothing though will displace in my heart that team which was discounted every step of the way up until they handed them trophy. I remember Bob Costas apologizing for not taking the Rox seriously.
that's OK - Clyde (in his Rocket years- NOT his Blazer's years) couldn't hold Tmac's jock - so its a wash !
Thus the disclaimer if you would have read my whole thread. BTW it's similarities not an exact replica. Two more notes; 1995 - Barkley runs his mouth off disrespecting the Rox "We're in the butt kicking business and business is good". 2005 - Barkley still doing it although this time on TNT. Should this team make it to the finals there is a great chance that they would play another team from Florida with a big man in the middle also named Shaq.
Hakeem was so unique. He was like Jordan, there really is no one like him. Hakeem had several gears, he could play at "regular season" level (at which he was better than anyone), then he could raise it to "playoff level," when he would utterly amaze you, and then he could take it to the "I have never seen anything like this before" level like he did against David Robinson. If you weren't there, or didn't see it with your own eyes, it is hard to understand. Hakeem at his peak was phenomenal, but, he declined faster than most. To see him in Toronto was sad, he was a mere shadow of his former self. The last year Jordan played was sad as well. It is hard for the great ones to quit. This team does have some of that "Clutch City" magic, but they are a real longshot to make it to the finals. If they beat the Suns and the Kings this week, I will be getting some of that "we've got a contender" feeling.
