Does the 2017 Spurs victory over the Rockets vindicate their 1995 loss?

[Phenomanul]

Battle of MVP Candidates... in both cases... different result.

Will James Harden's, "The Beard", legacy be forever tarnished - despite the fact that he is a media darling? Will he be given the same treatment as David Robinson??? Today's narrative is that Robinson wilted in the 1995 series... his numbers other than FG% were not that far off from what Leonard just averaged in the 2017 series. Harden looked deflated throughout. To me it comes down to this: Robinson just wasn't surrounded by the clutch shooters that Houston had... Olajuwon played out of his mind, no doubt, but that micro-reference in itself shouldn't be a sleight on Robinson. Elie knocked down the dagger in Game 1. Horry and Cassell in Game 5. The Spurs' shooters surrounding Robinson meanwhile were bricking free-throws in the clutch. To draw conclusions in the absence of context is wholly unfair - and Robinson has been the recipient of this derogatory backlash since that WCF exit.

[xellos88330]

Hell no it doesn't. It helps, but lost rings are lost rings especially when you are the favorite.

[Canyonero]

Irrelevant if Spurs don't ring

[spursistan]

We humiliated these faggots, tbh..

[rjv]

no. we could have won the 'ship that year. but it is nice to finally knock out the only western conference team we had never beaten in the playoffs.

[UZER]

Not sure, but I know this...

Next regular season is meaningless for Harden. All his "cool" highlights won't mean jack to anybody until the playoffs roll around. And he may never live it down if he doesn't win a ring.

He probably doesn't even give a shit but just sayin. :lol

[spurs1990]

Do you guys remember Harden's showboating during the 2012 WCF?

I hated his 3 finger salutes after made shots.
IIRC his dagger three nailed us in game 6.

So I take it as at least vindication for that series (which I think would've led to a ring in 2012).

[IronMexican]

:lol can't beat three inexperienced future stars who weren't ready for the limelight but you can beat two and a half stars.


OK, buddy.

[Poolboy5623]

1995 and 2017 have NOTHING to do with one another.. get over it.

[DarrinS]

No. That was an MVP season for DRob and Spurs were the #1 seed. Houston was 6th IIRC. Hakeem averaged almost 40 PPG.

[Jdspur20]

1995 and 2017 have NOTHING to do with one another.. get over it.

[davidbowie]

yeah sure why not

[Arcadian]

:lol Revenge...22 years later

[Horse]

Houston was a championship team that fucked off in the regular season they were no 6 seed. Besides hakeem had more help doubling, tripling david. Funny how easy everyone forget Davids dominance of hakeem outside of this series.

[Marcus Bryant]

Houston was a championship team that fucked off in the regular season they were no 6 seed. Besides hakeem had more help doubling, tripling david. Funny how easy everyone forget Davids dominance of hakeem outside of this series.

:tu

[Clipper Nation]

I just remembered that Doc Rivers was on the '95 Spurs. No wonder they lost!

[spurs1990]

1995 Houston also ran the proverbial gauntlet.

1st round knocking off Stockton/Malone in their prime (same squad that went to b2b Finals in 97 and 98.
2nd round Barkley's Suns winning the series after being down 3-1 (took a last 2nd shot in game 7 to win)
WCF - knock off the 62 win Spurs with a prime DRob and loaded roster
Finals - sweep the 'it' team Shaq/Nickel Magic who had just knocked off Jordan's Bulls and prime Reggie Miller's Pacers.

I honestly think round for round 1995 Houston was the best run you will find in a four round tournament.

[Phenomanul]

I disagree with the fact that DRob had "a loaded roster"

[Phenomanul]

I just remembered that Doc Rivers was on the '95 Spurs. No wonder they lost!

He kept getting outplayed by Cassell who then later played for Doc...

[ErnestLynch]

Battle of MVP Candidates... in both cases... different result.

Will James Harden's, "The Beard", legacy be forever tarnished - despite the fact that he is a media darling? Will he be given the same treatment as David Robinson??? Today's narrative is that Robinson wilted in the 1995 series... his numbers other than FG% were not that far off from what Leonard just averaged in the 2017 series. Harden looked deflated throughout. To me it comes down to this: Robinson just wasn't surrounded by the clutch shooters that Houston had... Olajuwon played out of his mind, no doubt, but that micro-reference in itself shouldn't be a sleight on Robinson. Elie knocked down the dagger in Game 1. Horry and Cassell in Game 5. The Spurs' shooters surrounding Robinson meanwhile were bricking free-throws in the clutch. To draw conclusions in the absence of context is wholly unfair - and Robinson has been the recipient of this derogatory backlash since that WCF exit.

This is a Gipper post. "Remember the Hornets...?'

[Thomas82]

no. we could have won the 'ship that year. but it is nice to finally knock out the only western conference team we had never beaten in the playoffs.

+1

[Seventyniner]

1995 Houston also ran the proverbial gauntlet.

1st round knocking off Stockton/Malone in their prime (same squad that went to b2b Finals in 97 and 98.
2nd round Barkley's Suns winning the series after being down 3-1 (took a last 2nd shot in game 7 to win)
WCF - knock off the 62 win Spurs with a prime DRob and loaded roster
Finals - sweep the 'it' team Shaq/Nickel Magic who had just knocked off Jordan's Bulls and prime Reggie Miller's Pacers.

I honestly think round for round 1995 Houston was the best run you will find in a four round tournament.

True, but it only happened because the Rockets were such a low seed. Title-winning teams are nearly always a top 3 seed so their first round opponent is almost never formidable.

[Proxy]

Rodman was pulling shenanigans too right?

[ErnestLynch]

Rodman was pulling shenanigans too right?

Well he would always, or ....sometimes..take his shoes off when he went to the bench. I just saw it as a way of saying..'I don't want to be here ..' He'd get called up and had to put his shoes on....lol..

[baseline bum]

Elie knocked down the dagger in Game 1.

It was Horry who hit that game-winner. Elie's dagger was in Game 7 against Phoenix. Of course Horry was Rodman's man and Rodman had gone to the rim to try to stat pad another rebound like he always did. I guess Rodman was pissed at being blamed for leaving his man wide open for the game-winner, because in Game 2 he jacked up three bad three point shots in the first quarter to force Bob Hill's hand in benching him. Then of course there was Rodman pulling his crap again by showing up late to practice before Game 5 after the Spurs had gone into Houston and won two games to even the series. Even with Olajuwon in god mode that was still a winnable series had Rodman shown up at all.

[Phenomanul]

It was Horry who hit that game-winner. Elie's dagger was in Game 7 against Phoenix. Of course Horry was Rodman's man and Rodman had gone to the rim to try to stat pad another rebound like he always did. I guess Rodman was pissed at being blamed for leaving his man wide open for the game-winner, because in Game 2 he jacked up three bad three point shots in the first quarter to force Bob Hill's hand in benching him. Then of course there was Rodman pulling his crap again by showing up late to practice before Game 5 after the Spurs had gone into Houston and won two games to even the series. Even with Olajuwon in god mode that was still a winnable series had Rodman shown up at all.

That's right...

Game 6 was also really close... I thought Elie hit a big shot in that game to kind of seal the game... could've been Cassell...

[daslicer]

It doesn't make up for the '95 series considering the Spurs would have won it all had they won that series. With that being said for the last 20 some years whenever I have run into rocket fans they always bring up the series about how Dream schooled Drob. I feel now I can bring up the Harden choke job to counter them when it comes to them ragging on Drob for getting outplayed by Dream.