Duncan's offensive rep >>> Hakeems.
Hakeem was a better defensive players.
But Duncan would also eat his lunch.
Btw.. Duncan would have busted the same moves on robinson.
Duncan vs. Olajuwon discussion is close. Back in 03, Duncan was really, really quick for his size. His post game was already complete and he was just as effective as Olajuwon at the defensive end. What's very clear is that a prime Jordan would rip apart a prime Kobe like a rag doll.
Duncan's offensive rep >>> Hakeems.
Hakeem was a better defensive players.
But Duncan would also eat his lunch.
Btw.. Duncan would have busted the same moves on robinson.
Any Spurs fan that says 94-95 Olajuwon isn't better than Duncan is lying, deluded, or a homer. Olajuwon torched three top 50 centers in back to back years in playoff series. He outscored Shaq all 4 games in the Finals en route to averaging 33 ppg in a sweep, he torched Ewing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_NB...uwon_vs._Ewing), and he torched D-Rob. 1994-95 Hakeem is the best big man I have ever seen, and unlike Shaq and Duncan he did it directly against top 50 guys who had like 30 combined All Defensive team selections. He averaged 33.0 points on .531 shooting from the field, 10.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.81 blocks per game in the 1995 NBA Playoffs against four 59+ win teams.
Oh yeah..
Duncan schooled a Prime Shaq.
Shaq of 99 and 03 > 95 shaq.
Shaq of 03 would have given Olajuwon a pink sock.
So Shaq was too slow to stay with Olajuwon when he was young but when he gained 40 lbs then he would have been quick enough?
Olajuwon could do what he did because he had perimeter help. A year later, he got his ass stuffed by Shawn ing Kemp.
Shawn f'in Kemp.
Oh . Is this like football or something. Shaq is only going to play DL while Olajuwon plays OL.
Lets get real. Any O Olajuwon had would have been negated by the tandem of Horry and Shaq.
.. Shaq would have made Olajuwon foul out, quick.
We're not talking about one year or even two. The original discussion was who was better in their prime. How long was Hakeem's prime even?
People forget that Hakeem and Snaq had similar numbers in the Finals. Hakeem had a better team.
Hardaway and Scott << Drexler and Thorpe.
Would it be a stretch to say a prime Duncan would be the best defender of the guys Hakeem faced? Tim would also be able to pull the Dream away from the paint with his range. Duncan probably has the best range and overall offensive skillset of the legends Hakeem faced against as well.
The legends Hakeem faced to get his ring, while a remarkable achievement to beat them, still put up pretty good numbers themselves albeit in a losing effort. Duncan can play face-up with range and back to the basket. TD doesn't seem to go for fakes and the stuff that Hakeem used to "bamboozle" the Admiral.
Still going with the Dream though since he won in the golden era of NBA bigs. But when it comes to the complete career ya gotta go with Duncan.
You're aware Otis Thorpe didn't even play in the 95 playoffs right?
Right because big, beefy muscle bound guys never pick up fouls when they're getting outquicked by guys 4x as fast as them. Shaq better pick up fouls because Hakeem will be blowing by him on the way to the rim for easy layups or nailing jumpers if Shaq plays off him. As for Shaq: Rick Smits, Mutombo, and whoever the Nets trotted out (I can't be bothered to check) versus Ewing, Robinson, and Shaq. Advantage: Hakeem x1 billion.
Duncan's '03 playoff run accounted for the most win shares in a playoffs of all-time.
Duncan has a higher regular season and playoff efficiency rating.
Duncan has accounted for more playoff and (he'll pass Olajuwon early next season) regular season win shares.
I'm telling you all, many have either forgotten or flat out don't know just how ridiculously dominant Duncan was.
Todd McCullough, Aaron Williams, one of the Collins brothers... ?
I don't even want to know what prime Dream would have done to that New Jersey backcourt.
I don't see why not, considering djohn2008 is about the same age but he "vividly remembers" the Rockets winning back to back. He even cited the OJ being chased in a Bronco as a reference!
No denying Duncan was dominant, but if you look at wins and rings, you also have to look at eras as well
Why does this thread get started every month? Prime Olajuwon was like a meld of Prime Duncan and Prime Robinson, and easily one of the most complete players all time. Olajuwon went kicking and screaming into his old age (watching him and Barkley play together at the end was sickening), but in his prime he was as complete a bigman as I have seen. Maybe Abdul-Jabbar in the 70s or 60s Wilt could have a word here too, but I'm going on what I have seen on ESPN Classic and not knowledge from seeing him day in and day out from the pre-Magic days.
Oh .. Horry.
Yeah, that's pretty sick. I don't think any other player went through the kind of gauntlet Hakeem had to face in 94-95. He beat Malone and Stockton, Barkley, Robinson (who had one of the best regular seasons in NBA history. We all Spurs fans thought the le was locked up for us that year, thinking no one was going to deny the Admiral), and Shaq. All the aforementioned players were considered the best in the league along with Hakeem himself.
Any Spurs fan claiming that peak Duncan is better than Hakeem is like Lakerfan saying peak Kobe is better than peak Jordan.
I remember plenty, and even if I didn't, I would rather not remember my team winning than see my team so close to the gold, only to lose
I saw my team win gold in the summer of 08, like any other red blooded American.
Ewing averaged 18.0 ppg on 36.4% shooting and was completely taken out of his game by Olajuwon. He was outscored in all 7 by Hakeem. Robinson suffered as well with three poor shooting games (combined 18-48 in those games). O'Neal was the only one who put up good numbers. He was still swept and outscored in every game.
Add Pippen to that Toxic mix of Barkley and Hakeem. Clyde retired because he hated Barkley, Barkley and Pippen hated each other, and the city of Houston ended up hating Pippen
Still hurtin?
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)