How would a prime Olajuwon fare against a prime Duncan?

[ezau]

Nobody could check Hakeem in his prime and he is not checking 2003 Timmy either.. Who's team would win is more relevant? Not many would pick Dreams teams over Timmy's..

5>2

Let us proceed.

[djohn2oo8]

Right. And somehow he had only 2 great seasons during his entire career.

But 5/10 tbh, solid effort but you could've tried harder to make this believable

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...olajuha01.html

[RsxPiimp]

Duncan: 5
OlajuRaptor: 2

An African center, with basically a four-year prime who won two les when Jordan left the league, should never be compared to Duncan. The only other big who is better career and talent-wise is Kareem. Which reminds me, the Rockets' last championship was 20 freaking years ago. Stay hungry, sons.

You give Olajuwon the stability of a franchise Duncan had and let's see how it works. Additionally, since you want to play that game. How about we put Duncan with an aging Clyde Drexler, Robert Horry and Kenny Smith as his supporting cast.

[djohn2oo8]

5>2

Let us proceed.

Dream was always the best player on his team during the Finals. Twice in the finals, Duncan has been outplayed by a teammate. Not knocking Tim. The teams he had around him were just better.

[ezau]

You give Olajuwon the stability of a franchise Duncan had and let's see how it works. Additionally, since you want to play that game. How about we put Duncan with an aging Clyde Drexler, Robert Horry and Kenny Smith as his supporting cast.

Duncan single-handedly carried a very young Spurs team with an aging Admiral and a very young Tony Parker and Manu in 2003. He also stopped the Lakers from winning their 4th straight le that same year.

Duncan: 5
lajuwon: 2

[wekko368]

Duncan: 5
OlajuRaptor: 2

How is that relevant? Duncan obviously had the better career, but the thread is about who was the better player in their prime.

An African center, with basically a four-year prime who won two les when Jordan left the league, should never be compared to Duncan. The only other big who is better career and talent-wise is Kareem. Which reminds me, the Rockets' last championship was 20 freaking years ago. Stay hungry, sons.

A 4 year prime? Check Olajuwon's stats.

Also, Jordan played in 1995. The Bulls just didn't make the finals. Regardless, look at the head-to-head comparisons between the Rockets/Bulls. The Bulls couldn't handle quick, elite centers. From 1991 to 1993, both the Rockets and Spurs had a 5-1 record against the Bulls.

[wekko368]

Duncan single-handedly carried a very young Spurs team with an aging Admiral and a very young Tony Parker and Manu in 2003. He also stopped the Lakers from winning their 4th straight le that same year.

And Olajuwon single-handedly carried the 1994 Rockets to a championship with an even worse supporting cast.

[ezau]

Dream was always the best player on his team during the Finals. Twice in the finals, Duncan has been outplayed by a teammate. Not knocking Tim. The teams he had around him were just better.

Who did the Rckets play in the Finals? A vastly inferior Knicks team that were the doormat of the Bulls for years and a very young Magic team with its two best players (Shaq and Anfernee) not even more than 25 years old.

[ezau]

And Olajuwon single-handedly carried the 1994 Rockets to a championship with an even worse supporting cast.

1994, same year that MJ retired. If anything, the Rockets should have two asterisks before their les because MJ was on a hiatus. Your rings should count as .5, tbh.

*1994
*1995

* MJ was on a vacation.

[djohn2oo8]

Who did the Rckets played in the Finals? A vastly inferior Knicks team that were the doormat of the Bulls for years and a very young Magic team with its two best players (Shaq and Anfernee) not even more than 25 years old.

Look who they beat to get there.

[ezau]

How is that relevant? Duncan obviously had the better career, but the thread is about who was the better player in their prime.



A 4 year prime? Check Olajuwon's stats.

Also, Jordan played in 1995. The Bulls just didn't make the finals. Regardless, look at the head-to-head comparisons between the Rockets/Bulls. The Bulls couldn't handle quick, elite centers. From 1991 to 1993, both the Rockets and Spurs had a 5-1 record against the Bulls.

But Hakeem didn't retire in 1996, right? He should have been able to drag the Rockets to the Finals and face the Bulls, but he allowed Gary ing Payton and Shawn ing Kemp to take his lunch. Olajuwon only won two les because Jordan said so.

[ezau]

Look who they beat to get there.

Olajuwon never defeated defending champions of the previous year while Duncan did so in 2005 (Pistons defending champs) and 2014 (Heat defending champs). And oh, where the was Olajuwon in 1999? He should have been good enough to take his team to the Finals that year. Can't believe it took the Rockets 7 games just to beat a vastly flawed Knicks team in 1994.

[wekko368]

Who did the Rckets played in the Finals? A vastly inferior Knicks team that were the doormat of the Bulls for years and a very young Magic team with its two best players (Shaq and Anfernee) not even more than 25 years old.

A doormat for the Bulls? Those Bulls teams featured Michael Jordan, the consensus GOAT. There's no shame in losing to the GOAT. Also, en route to his two les, Olajuwon went head-to-head against all his great contemporaries, Ewing, Robinson, and Shaq. You can't say the same thing about Duncan.

Who cares if Shaq and Hardaway were young? Shaq averaged 29 pgg and 11 rpg. He actually led the league in scoring. Hardaway averaged 21 ppg and 7 apg. You can't dismiss those guys just b/c they were young. They were still dominant. It's not Olajuwon's fault that Jordan's Bulls couldn't get past them.

[RsxPiimp]

Duncan single-handedly carried a very young Spurs team with an aging Admiral and a very young Tony Parker and Manu in 2003. He also stopped the Lakers from winning their 4th straight le that same year.

Duncan: 5
lajuwon: 2

TP and Manu> Kenny Smith and Mario Ellie FOH

[ezau]

A doormat for the Bulls? Those Bulls teams featured Michael Jordan, the consensus GOAT. There's no shame in losing to the GOAT. Also, en route to his two les, Olajuwon went head-to-head against all his great contemporaries, Ewing, Robinson, and Shaq. You can't say the same thing about Duncan.

Who cares if Shaq and Hardaway were young? Shaq averaged 29 pgg and 11 rpg. He actually led the league in scoring. Hardaway averaged 21 ppg and 7 apg. You can't dismiss those guys just b/c they were young. They were still dominant. It's not Olajuwon's fault that Jordan's Bulls couldn't get past them.

Duncan defeated a prime Shaq, Kobe, and Lebron. Three players who will go down as the top 15 players of all time. And oh, Ewing was perhaps the most dunked on center in the history of the game not named Shawn Bradley. Duncan defeated a prime Lebron at 37 freaking years old.

[ezau]

TP and Manu> Kenny Smith and Mario Ellie FOH

They had a young and spry Robert Horry. Never forget.

[wekko368]

But Hakeem didn't retire in 1996, right? He should have been able to drag the Rockets to the Finals and face the Bulls, but he allowed Gary ing Payton and Shawn ing Kemp to take his lunch. Olajuwon only won two les because Jordan said so.

Actually, the refs did. Seattle was notorious for continually using illegal defenses throughout games. They basically double teamed Olajuwon w/o the ball and dared the refs to call the illegal defense infractions throughout the game.

[ezau]

Actually, the refs did. Seattle was notorious for continually using illegal defenses throughout games. They basically double teamed Olajuwon w/o the ball and dared the refs to call the illegal defense infractions throughout the game.

Still, Duncan would have destroyed that Sonics team. How the do you lose to a team coached by George ing Karl in the playoffs?

[wekko368]

Duncan defeated a prime Shaq, Kobe, and Lebron. Three players who will go down as the top 15 players of all time. And oh, Ewing was perhaps the most dunked on center in the history of the game not named Shawn Bradley. Duncan defeated a prime Lebron at 37 freaking years old.

Incorrect. Duncan didn't defeat Shaq/Kobe/Lebron. The Spurs defeated the Lakers/Cavs/Heat. Duncan didn't guard any of them head-to-head. Even if it was by design, the fact that Duncan didn't guard Shaq hurts his legacy in discussions like these. If I say something like "Olajuwon could've defended Duncan well", that's a plausible statement because we saw Olajuwon guard Shaq/Ewing/Robinson and do a good job. Plus, you have guys like Elie and Horry saying that Olajuwon was the better player and a superior athlete. Conversely, look at the statement "Duncan could've guarded Olajuwon well". Can you make a good argument to support that statement?

[ezau]

Incorrect. Duncan didn't defeat Shaq/Kobe/Lebron. The Spurs defeated the Lakers/Cavs/Heat. Duncan didn't guard any of them head-to-head. Even if it was by design, the fact that Duncan didn't guard Shaq hurts his legacy in discussions like these. If I say something like "Olajuwon could've defended Duncan well", that's a plausible statement because we saw Olajuwon guard Shaq/Ewing/Robinson and do a good job. Plus, you have guys like Elie and Horry saying that Olajuwon was the better player and a superior athlete. Conversely, look at the statement "Duncan could've guarded Olajuwon well". Can you make a good argument to support that statement?

Duncan was the last line of defense of the Spurs in all those championship years, especially when Robinson retired. The fact that Duncan's defense resulted to 5 rings in the last 15 years shows how much better he is than lajuwon defensively. Meanwhile, I don't know what hurts Hakeem's legacy more:

A. Winning les without MJ
B. Losing to Shawn ing Kemp
C. Wearing that Raptors jersey
D. Traded for Bostchan ing Nachbar

[wekko368]

Duncan was the last line of defense of the Spurs in all those championship years, especially when Robinson retired. The fact that Duncan's defense resulted to 5 rings in the last 15 years shows how much better he is than lajuwon defensively.

Hah. Ok, you stick with that. I'll stick with Olajuwon's superior defensive stats as well as testimonials from players who played with both Olajuwon and Duncan (Horry/Elie). Who do you think has a more compelling argument?

[djohn2oo8]

Olajuwon never defeated defending champions of the previous year while Duncan did so in 2005 (Pistons defending champs) and 2014 (Heat defending champs). And oh, where the was Olajuwon in 1999? He should have been good enough to take his team to the Finals that year. Can't believe it took the Rockets 7 games just to beat a vastly flawed Knicks team in 1994.

1. "Olajuwon never defeated defending champions"
What does Hakeem making the finals have to do with a team in a different conference? Useless argument.

2. "2014"
Who was the best player that series? Wasn't Tim, who again had better teammates.

[ezau]

1. "Olajuwon never defeated defending champions"
What does Hakeem making the finals have to do with a team in a different conference? Useless argument.

2. "2014"
Who was the best player that series? Wasn't Tim, who again had better teammates.

Raptor Hakeem: 7.1 points and 6 rebounds per game

Robinson retired a champ while this guy left the league playing in Toronto.

[djohn2oo8]

Can't answer the questions I see. Not addressing the fact Tim had better teammates, stability, and a well run franchise.

[ezau]

Can't answer the questions I see. Not addressing the fact Tim had better teammates, stability, and a well run franchise.

It's been 20 years since Houston last won a ring. Stay thirsty, my friend. Meanwhile we sit with 5>2.