[video] Twin Towers vs Kareem, 86 WCF Game 3

I may be sick but I'm going to give some rep to this man

 

awesome. thanks for posting! The Rockets looked like a dynasty in the making back then.

 

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I find it funny how people claim that Dream was raw coming into the league. This was his second year in the league and he was already more skilled than any center that has played in the last 5 years.

 

That was one of the most physically gifted teams in history. 6'8" Robert Reid at PG, 6'6" Lewis Lloyd as SG, 6'8" Rodney McCray as SF, 7'4" Ralph Sampson at PF and 7'0" Hakeem at Center. 6'11" Jim Peterson, 6'5" Mitchell Wiggens and 6'3" Allen Levell off the bench.

Reid wasn't a bad athlete but the other 4 starters were all exceptional athletes and everyone played both ends of the floor.

Oh what could have been.

 

Great post, and no kidding! Here's a good bookend to tinman's video. The Rockets against the Jazz at the Summit the year before. John Lucas at the point, most of the rest of the '85-'86 team, Sampson playing amazingly well, and Olajuwon as a rookie. Olajuwon is stunning, hitting shots from the outside, as well as inside, uncorking some early shake and bake moves, blocking shots, stealing the ball. Notice how much "smaller" his arms are in his rookie year, compared to his second season. He just kept getting stronger and stronger.

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80's basketball was the best. Guys that could shoot all over the court. Big men who played like big men.

 

We went from Sampson and Hakeem to Hayes and Scola

 

Great video! We need someone that can play like that

 

Every time I see Ralph Sampson clips, I always wonder just how was he perceived going up to the 1984 draft. Everyone knows that Portland was offering Drexler +#2 for him, and just going by their old stats, it seems like Houston would have been crazy to take that deal; Sampson put up Blake Griffin numbers in his Rookie year, except he also blocked 2 more shots per game, had no physical issues , and could play center, while Drexler started 3 games and averaged 8 points per game in 83-84.

Old timers who actually remember the Twin Towers; what would be the modern day equivalent of that deal without the benefit of hindsight? How "can't-miss" was Michael Jordan?

 

Jordan was more or less a surprise. The "Twin Towers" Was supposed to be like Bird and Magic ending up on the same NBA team after college...THAT good!

 

Those videos are great reminders of all of the small things those guys could do.

A 7'4" Sampson grabs a rebound and starts leading the fast break, gives it up a mid court and Olajuwon is out ahead of everyone running the wing to finish. I can't think of two other big men who could do that.

Sampson and Olajuwon playing volleyball on the offensive glass. Those two young guys were relentless on the glass.

Sampson grabbing rebounds and firing outlet passes to midcourt.

Of course with those two guys the shotblocking was ridiculous.

If they could have stayed together all they would have needed is a couple of outside shooters. Didn't even have to be 3pt shooters because the Towers down low forced opposing defense to collapse so much that the guards got plenty of open looks from 16 to 18 feet.

 

I always wonder how someone like sampson would do in the modern NBA. I wonder if he could get position.

 

I think this particular Rockets team and even all the ones up to the 96 team would destroy this years NBA champs in a 7 game series. What in the world happened to the low post game? Ralph may have been better than Dwight is now. The only players that I can think have remotely have skill in the post are Scola and Al Jefferson. The league today is weak.

 

Who was the Lakers PF at the time Jabber was winning w/ Magic? Sam Perkins? Kurt Rambis was a backup, Michael Thompson was a backup, James Worthy was a SF, A.C. Green?

a interesting thread would be the best PF/C combo versus Sampson/Olajuwon...
this makes me want to see a Sampson/Olajuwon vs. Duncan/Robinson at there prime.
I need to fire up NBA 2k11 and create some players and make some simulations... lol

 

"Houston Rockets unbeatable"