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Who Has a Better History of Big Men? LA Lakers or Houston Rockets

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by crash5179, Jun 17, 2013.

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Who Has a Better History of Big Men? LA Lakers or Houston Rockets

  1. Lakers

    66.7%
  2. Rockets

    33.3%
  1. crash5179

    crash5179 Contributing Member

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    kev
    what's your beef with Ralph? To say all of Yao's seasons were individually better than Ralph's rookie season is ridiculous. Seems like you are just searching for an argument with statements like that one. So you seriously want to go on record as claiming that 10 ppg and 5 rpg is better than 22 ppg and 11 rpg? Be careful or you will expose yourself.

    Ralphs rookie season is arguably better than any of Yao's seasons.
     
  2. kevC

    kevC Contributing Member

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    13.5 ppg and 8 rpg, actually. I did say "arguable". Actually the only arguable season would be Yao's rookie season because he didn't play a whole lot of minutes. Every one of Yao's non-rookie season blows Ralph's out of the water. Remember, Yao played for a snail-paced JVG team. PER tells a better story than any per game stats.

    I don't have any beef with Ralph. I think he's a nice "could have been" story and it's a shame that injuries derailed his career. But let's not pretend he actually achieved greatness in the NBA because he had some highlight moments over his two-year "good" stretch and insult Yao's career by saying Ralph's is better than his.
     
  3. Rip Van Rocket

    Rip Van Rocket Contributing Member

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    Those rankings are ridiculous. I'm old enough to have seen all those players play, except for George Mikan, and for you to have Kareem ranked that low is silly. No way Hakeem, Moses and Shaq were better than Kareem. And I'm a huge fan of Hakeem, Moses, and the Big E.

    Both teams have been incredibly blessed with great big men, no doubt about that. I think Wilt and Kareem were the best two Centers to have ever played. After that I have no problem if someone wants to say that Moses and Hakeem are in the next two spots. And I agree with those who have said that the Big E is underrated. I really would have a difficult time choosing between Hakeem, Moses, and Hayes. All three were tremendous players.
     
  4. Alvin Choo

    Alvin Choo Member

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    Ralph is just sad. Too many what if moments there that could change the NBA landscape now.
    But I would just say this, if Ralph never got injured or at least got proper treatment, Jordan's GOAT claim will be seriously in doubt as I just can't see Bulls winning the two 3 peat. ( note i'm NOT saying Ralph or Dream will be GOAT ).

    Having said that, as much as Magic, Kobe and West have a huge impact on the Championship won by Lakers, Ring count - 16 to 2. You just have to give a slight edge to Lakers.
     
  5. crash5179

    crash5179 Contributing Member

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    I watched Moses dominate... Kareem with the Rockets and with the 76ers in the post season. Not imagined. Don't tell me Kareem was better than Moses. I also watched Dream out play Kareem.

    BTW, I think Wilt is the best of all time but not during his time with the Lakers. He was at the end of his career. He was still great with LA but not what he was. Everyone sees pictures of him in Laker's gold with that headband and thinks that was the 100 point Wilt but he was much older then. Prime Wilt was with the Warriors and 76ers.

    Kareem was great but Oscar was the leader of that Bucks team that won the Championship and Magic was the leader of the Showtime Lakers. Kareem was second fiddle on those teams.

    I respect your opinion but I think its a great discussion. Kareem won a lot of MVP's but 4 were pre-merger. Back in those days just about everyone though Dr J was the best player not Kareem but he played in the ABA. After the merger Moses won just as many MVP's as Kareem and out played him head to head.
     
    #105 crash5179, Jun 17, 2013
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2013
  6. kevC

    kevC Contributing Member

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    Career win shares as a Rocket:

    Yao Ming - 65.9 in 486 regular season games, 3.2 in 28 playoff games
    Ralph Sampson - 19.1 in 305 regular season games, 3.2 in 35 playoff games

    Yao Ming is a greater Rocket both in quality and quantity.
     
  7. crash5179

    crash5179 Contributing Member

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    Dude just stop. Go make a Yao Ming is better than Ralph thread or something. Your polluting this thread trying to make it Ralph vs Yao. Don't knock one Rocket to try and prove another is great. That is not what this thread is about. BTW, in 486 games Yao never played with Dream.
     
  8. kevC

    kevC Contributing Member

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    So? Because Yao never played with Hakeem he's a worse player? :confused:

    I do apologize for derailing the thread, I just can't fathom why someone who played two good seasons is so highly revered.
     
  9. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    He hates rockets that actually make to the nba finals.
    Prefers rockets who lose in first rounds
     
  10. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    He got injured. Severely .

    I think you completely missed that point.

    You know how Yao was never the same after his foot injury ?
    Try a hip and 3 knee surgeries for someone that tall.
     
  11. kevC

    kevC Contributing Member

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    Yes, it's sad he got injured. I actually really do believe he would have been an all-time great if he wasn't injured and the Rockets would have won several more championships with that awesome core. It's probably the saddest story in Rockets history.

    But let's not confuse "would" with "did". You don't get credit for things you didn't actually do, no matter how sad the situation.
     
  12. Deckard

    Deckard Blade Runner
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    Because you obviously didn't see him play. He was College Player of the Year for three straight years as a center, a record that still stands, I believe. The #1 pick of the draft and then Rookie of the Year. He began his NBA career as a center, his natural position, in my opinion, and then had to move to the 4 spot because of Hakeem. The fellow was thought by every basketball mind of the time as destined for greatness. There was a reason the Rockets were seen as a dynasty in the making, and it wasn't simply because of Hakeem. It was because of Hakeem and Ralph. They were called the Twin Towers not because they were both tall, but because they were both considered great players, great big men. No one is disrespecting Yao. Far from it. This is about comparing great big men from the Lakers and the Rockets, and Yao is one of those great big men, and like Sampson, his career was cut short, if for far different reasons.
     
  13. jbasket

    jbasket Member

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    Law of domination: If Shaq dominated like never before, and Hakeem dominated Shaq, does that mean Hakeem dominated like never never before ever never?
     
  14. jbasket

    jbasket Member

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    He was a bruiser three, but cannot be considered a "big man". I am sure others clarified as well. It was similar to Oscar using his size to an advantage.
     
  15. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    Deck,

    You are an elder spokesman for the rockets. And I respect my elders cause they are witnesses. What you say is based on your experiences and your heart.

    You won't let some kid who can't rent a car yet tell you about Ralph sampson!

    It's like that Newb telling clutch that shaq is better than dream.

    It's about real.
     
  16. kevC

    kevC Contributing Member

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    Yes, I understand all that. I understand he's one of the greatest college basketball players ever and that he was truly a great talent, but just too briefly. You don't get credit for things you didn't do no matter how talented you were or how sad the story is. He had two good seasons in the NBA as a Rocket and that just isn't good enough to me to be considered a "ROCKET great".

    Let's put it this way. There's no way that he gets in the HOF with just his Rockets/NBA credentials right? So why do we have a different standard for "Rockets greats"? I believe our standard as a fan of such a storied and revered franchise like the Rockets should be at least on par with the HOF. We are ROCKETS fans who celebrate the achievements that actually happened, not celebrate "what could have been". We're better than that. Leave that to the Jazz fans.
     
  17. jbasket

    jbasket Member

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    Sorry for the triple post, but just showing evidence of moses vs kareem.

    <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qOxQ9dtYiLM?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

    This is part 1 of 13. I would think it is redundant to post all 13 when one can find them on Youtube through the first part.

    http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1983_finals.html

    The composite box score of the 1983 finals of the Philly Sweep (Moses) vs. LA (Kareem). Kareem was not that far over the hump and still can be considered in his prime (late). Moses is the clear alpha dog of Philly, while Kareem was the beneficiary of Magic and just could not hold his own on the boards.
     
  18. tinman

    tinman Contributing Member
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    So rockets fans don't celebrate the 86 team beating the lakers to go to the nba finals ? Yeah Ralph Sampson was the hero.


    Dude you hate Hakeem's MVP and you hate Sampson.

    Stop hating the rockets and pretend you are anywhere close to deckards level.
     
  19. kevC

    kevC Contributing Member

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    Sure celebrate it. Just celebrate that one season. Don't make it out like that lasted for years and insult Yao's career by comparing it to Sampson's.
     
  20. coffeelover665

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    well the question is vague. Are we defining "better history" as overall success or technical skills?

    On Shaq vs Dream

    Shaq wins the first one but Dream wins the latter
     

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