I really can't agree with this, as a matter of fact I would argue like Jordan, bird, magic, and very, very, very few others, he brought every night.
His offense was extremely effective, but not effortless. He didn't have the natural scoring ability to move without the ball at times or somehow always be in the right place at the right time for an easy score or layup. He had to work to get almost all his points during the course of a game. He had several times the energy and stamina of his opponents, but he could have probably averaged 30+ PPG in a few of his seasons with a little less structure in his offense at certain junctures of each game.
On offense: the left side of the court. On defense: reaching in ("Don't reach, Dream!" -- Calvin Murphy)
Ouch! My most painful sports memory. I kind of wish you hadn't said this cause nobody else was going to bring it up. Way too painful.
very good insight, hakeem was not a master at feeding off of guard penetration or playmaking; about the closest thing to being a beneficiary for an easy bucket would be the occasional alley-oop from robert horry ... hakeem mainly scored on making his moves in the post with a few jumpers and putbacks here and there. you can contrast this with david robinson who was an expert at getting easy buckets; he would take off for a fast break dunk, break free for quick dunks if the defense collapsed, or hand around the paint so guards could feed him the ball for really short jumpers ... david knew how to get easy scores, whereas hakeem made the difficult look easy but never really tried to generate points from truly easy shots...
No way. Hakeem was a very good ballhandler for a Center. I seen him break ankles, D-Rob included. And by breaking ankles I mean he would pull out a sick crossover like he was a guard.
Top 5? How about just TOP! There's never been a centre better than Hakeem! The fact he was able to dominate on both the offense and defense for as long as he did with the players he had next to him makes him without the doubt the best centre of all time! I know a lot of people like to throw in Russell, but he had so many greats along side him who are now in the HOF, none of the players that Hakeem played with long term will ever be in the Hall! Clyde and Barkley do not count as long term team mates.
He was saying Eddie Johnson played for the Rockets. The shooter (SF/SG) who was our 6th man...the guy who hit the game winner in Game 4 of the 97 Western Conference Finals. "Eddie for 3!!! Yes!!!!!!!!!! Oh Mother!!!!!!!!" Because he replied to the guy who said the Rockets had Eddie Jones, which he probably meant Johnson.
Hakeem had moves like crossovers to get him free, but within reason. Watch him try to dribble forward more than 2 or 3 feet. It's painful to watch.
Why would you ask such a question? There is no weakness at all. Remember - Hakeem is, was, and always will be "Unbeatable".
