'95 Orlando Magic vs '13 Heat

[Malta]

i said he'd average 50 if they attempted to defend him with single coverage

it's never happened before, but there has never been a bigger mismatch than shaq vs bosh with on one on one coverage. bosh couldnt do anything against shaq except foul him 6 times

Shaq vs. The Dream - 1995 NBA Finals Game 3 - Magic@Rockets - YouTube

this is against hakeem olajuwon...one of the best defenders in nba history

bosh would enjoy that rape

i dont see the heat sticking with bosh, lebron and 3 shooters against the magic so the 3 ball is not as much of a threat

You're talking strictly about offense, it's been pointed out that they wouldn't stop or contain Shaq, but at the same time who on their roster even has any hope of slowing LeBron down? That team was BAD defensively, and it's not a matter of schemes either, Scott, Penny and Anderson weren't good defenders on the perimeter. I mean, who was the best defender on that team?

To put in perspective how bad they were defensively, they play at the same pace as the Rockets/Nuggets, yet managed to give up more PPG at a higher percentage and defended the 3 worse than the Nuggets. They gave up a shytload of points per possession because they just couldn't defend the 3, at all.

 

[R=G]

Nah... did you watch Hakeem though?

He willed that team especially in 1995 when they were the 6th seed and probably had one of the toughest roads ever to get to the finals. They beat a 60 win team with the MVP in the conference finals and Hakeem just was making everyone look stupid. Hakeem was averaging 33 and 11 breh

I really do not think the Bulls beat that Rockets team two out of two times. Maybe they split, sure... but Hakeem was also cookin at that time.

I wouldn't bet against a Jordan team..I did that before with the Trailblazers. Never again. Hakeem was cooking but he didn't win those titles over a Jordan team. He was able to take advantage and push his teams through after he was gone. Even went through a Shaq team for a title but then again..Shaq's team pretty much abandoned him in the Finals. So that was shaky as fukk too.

 

[FAH1223]

I wouldn't bet against a Jordan team..I did that before with the Trailblazers. Never again. Hakeem was cooking but he didn't win those titles over a Jordan team. He was able to take advantage and push his teams through after he was gone. Even went through a Shaq team for a title but then again..Shaq's team pretty much abandoned him in the Finals. So that was shaky as fukk too.

Its not even just the finals though

the runs to the finals is what I'm talking about

and Houston had depth to play vs. Chicago... I think they could have beaten em but we'll never know.

I do know that HOU did beat CHI four of their last five games before Jordan retired in 1993. Weird sample obviously as that didn't include guys they had in 1994 and 1995.

 

[Reggie]

95 Shaq was not in his prime. Let's remember that Shaq got his first ring in 2000, 5 years later.

Guarding Penny would be like guarding a 6'-7" player. Very different from trying to stay in front of a smaller, lightning quick TP. Your argument holds no water because the element that would tire LeBron out like you're saying, Penny didn't have.

Miami is much better on D, way more experienced, they would have the best player and home court (66-16 vs 57-25).

I used to love that Magic team but you guys are overrating them something awful in this thread.

He might not have been in his prime per se but he was still 27 and 12. Which would have been 40 and 15 against the Heat with Bosh or Birdman guarding him. We can go back and forth all day but I have little to no doubt that that Magic squad would have been the Heat. And you believe the opposite and since their is no way to really find out then im through debating this with you.

 

[Houston911]

You're talking strictly about offense, it's been pointed out that they wouldn't stop or contain Shaq, but at the same time who on their roster even has any hope of slowing LeBron down? That team was BAD defensively, and it's not a matter of schemes either, Scott, Penny and Anderson weren't good defenders on the perimeter. I mean, who was the best defender on that team?

To put in perspective how bad they were defensively, they play at the same pace as the Rockets/Nuggets, yet managed to give up more PPG at a higher percentage and defended the 3 worse than the Nuggets. They gave up a shytload of points per possession because they just couldn't defend the 3, at all.

everybody is friends know....coaches contact each other behind the scenes to give tips on stopping lebron...i think rick carlisle did that

theyd have a much easier time stopping lebron than miami would stopping shaq

YALL SAW THAT 25 PTS OLD DUNCAN DROPPED IN THE 1ST HALF OF GAME 6?
THIS WHOLE SERIES WOULD PLAY OUT LIKE THAT HALF.



​

easily

and thats a damn near crippled immobile duncan

imagine how many points duncan woulda scored if he could catch and elevate

shaq would break records

 

[MooseMouthMthafuga]

Sure, they had Hakeem creating open looks and the Heat have LeBron doing the same, the point still stands that the Magic were easy to spread out with a shortened 3 point line, yet they're supposed to beat a team that thrives on spreading teams out and knocking down 3s from a longer line? The Magic couldn't defend the shortened 3, they wouldn't be able to defend the 3 point line today.

The NBA wasn't better in 1994-1995, it had better centers but that's about it. The defenses as a whole were trash, you don't make it to the NBA finals today without a top 10 defense, in the 90s you could. The Heat don't have it mentally, yet they've come back from 3-2 two years in a row? Come on fam, they have it mentally at this point, that Magic team crumbled after they lost to the Rockets. You're using a lot of hyperbole, the Heat beat that "wily ole vet" team 2 years in a row (Celtics).

Yeah, the Heat play D, but I question the strength of their moral.When you're dealing with dominant centers like Shaq and Dream, they devastate a teams moral.It can throw your whole game off.Especially from a mental standpoint.It slows the game down and knocks perimeter oriented teams out of their rhythm.


And those Celtic teams don't have a dominant inside presence.They're wily, but they're beyond veteran, they're over the hill.

 

[Malta]

everybody is friends know....coaches contact each other behind the scenes to give tips on stopping lebron...i think rick carlisle did that

theyd have a much easier time stopping lebron than miami would stopping shaq

The thing is, the pace then and now is nearly identical, but the defense today is much better.

Pace
1994-1995 - 92.9
2012-2013 - 92.0

You need the personnel to slow Bron down, the Magic didn't have 1 single person on their roster that you could put on LeBron, just like the Heat don't have anyone you can put on Shaq. Not being able to cover Shaq results in 2 points, not being able to stop LeBron's dribble drive leads to an open 3 that has a 40% chance of going in.

The Magic gave up almost 6 threes a game, the Heat make almost 9 a game, you put those two things together and it's raining 3 pointers. A team like the Knicks or Hornets would have been a better argument, they both had modern defenses that could limit the 3.

 

[Houston911]

The thing is, the pace then and now is nearly identical, but the defense today is much better.

Pace
1994-1995 - 92.9
2012-2013 - 92.0

You need the personnel to slow Bron down, the Magic didn't have 1 single person on their roster that you could put on LeBron, just like the Heat don't have anyone you can put on Shaq. Not being able to cover Shaq results in 2 points, not being able to stop LeBron's dribble drive leads to an open 3 that has a 40% chance of going in.

The Magic gave up almost 6 threes a game, the Heat make almost 9 a game, you put those two things together and it's raining 3 pointers. A team like the Knicks or Hornets would have been a better argument, they both had modern defenses that could limit the 3.

the spurs just contained lebron james with boris diaw for multiple games

strategy is just as important as personnel

in this new day and age of everybody wanting to be friends instead of competitors, somebody woulda gave the magic a strategy to stop lebron

 

[Malta]

the spurs just contained lebron james with boris diaw for multiple games

strategy is just as important as personnel

in this new day and age of everybody wanting to be friends instead of competitors, somebody woulda gave the magic a strategy to stop lebron

Boris played off him and had the size to bump him when he tried to drive, the Magic didn't even have that on their roster.

Brian Hill wasn't employing any winning strategies, he's just telling them "Score more!". I'd put my money on the 90s Knicks against the Heat long before that Magic team, you gotta play defense at a high level to beat them.

 

[Woodrow]

Heat in 6 shaq would of got his but Lebron would of took penny out and still go off on his own

nikkas forget what a beast young, healthy penny was.

only dude i ever personally saw that could take mike's best effort on defense and still get his regardless.

i'm not calling the series. but lebron aint stopping penny.

 

[Houston911]

Boris played off him and had the size to bump him when he tried to drive, the Magic didn't even have that on their roster.

Brian Hill wasn't employing any winning strategies, he's just telling them "Score more!". I'd put my money on the 90s Knicks against the Heat long before that Magic team, you gotta play defense at a high level to beat them.

 

[Malta]

Top 5 dead or alive poster.

 

[Woodrow]

i said he'd average 50 if they attempted to defend him with single coverage

it's never happened before, but there has never been a bigger mismatch than shaq vs bosh with on one on one coverage. bosh couldnt do anything against shaq except foul him 6 times

Shaq vs. The Dream - 1995 NBA Finals Game 3 - Magic@Rockets - YouTube

this is against hakeem olajuwon...one of the best defenders in nba history

bosh would enjoy that rape

i dont see the heat sticking with bosh, lebron and 3 shooters against the magic so the 3 ball is not as much of a threat

christ. look at shaq's footwork. and that's keem in his prime no less.

to think... dudes used to say (legitimately) he lacked skill/touch around the basket. think how much better he looks than every other 5 in the game right now.

can u imagine what he would do in the post nowadays!?!

 

[MooseMouthMthafuga]

christ. look at shaq's footwork. and that's keem in his prime no less.

to think... dudes used to say (legitimately) he lacked skill/touch around the basket. think how much better he looks than every other 5 in the game right now.

can u imagine what he would do in the post nowadays!?!

We've forgotten how thorough them dudes were back then.Had the athleticism and the technical/fundamental skills to go with it

 

[Absolut da poet ®]

why am i arguing with guys who didnt even watch the 95 magic?

thats my bad

Bingo !


It's like trying to explain good p.ussy to a virgin.