Better Player.....Shaq or Hakeem??

[I.AM.PIFF]

Shaq was more "dominant" but Hakeem might be the GOAT defender and is the most skilled big man OAT.

Hard choice but I might take Dream

EDIT: I'll have Shaq overall. His three-peat stretch was just god-like but you could argue about the lack of elite centers during that time.

 

[GetInTheTruck]

Shaq was more dominant but Hakeem is my favorite player of all time. I consider him the best center of my generation.

 

[KingJay]

Hakeem was more skilled, but Shaq was so physically dominant that I'd have to pick him.

 

[Professor Emeritus]

He copped his fair share of wacks that were never called though.

That's true, but Lakers never lost a title because Shaq fouls weren't getting called.

Blazers lost the 2000 WCF because of mystery fouls on Sabonis/Grant, half the time when Shaq was the one swinging his arms/elbows around. 37 to 16 free throw advantage and Sabonis fouled out plus Grant nearly fouled out.





Sixers lost the 2001 Finals in part because Mutombo wasn't allowed to guard Shaq straight-up. Shaq would commit straight offensive fouls on him because he couldn't get around him legitimately, and MUTOMBO would get called for those fouls. This pissed me off because Dikembe was the one guy in the NBA good enough to guard Shaq one-on-one, and the refs just let Shaq offensive foul his way to the basket over and over again. The plays where Dikembe would have perfect position, not moving, and Shaq would just run straight into him and knock him backwards like a battering ram are just stupid....HOW IS IT NOT A FOUL TO RAM INTO A GUY WHO IS JUST STANDING THERE???





Kings lost the 2002 WCF because of mystery fouls on Divac when Shaq couldn't put the ball in the basket in the fourth. There was one call where Shaq came up short on a hook shot late in the fourth, they whistled the foul even though Divac was a good arm's length from him. 27 to 7 free throw advantage in the fourth when Kings were clutch as hell while Lakers couldn't make a shot to save their life.

 

[BigTyme Records]

Eh...Hakeem was an elite player and possibly the most skilled to ever play but...

Dude was having a lot of trouble getting to the finals. After his 2nd year, dude was lucky to reach the conference finals because he was usually get waxed in the first round until his 30s.

Is that more his fault or his team?

 

[William F. Russell]

Shaq was more "dominant" but Hakeem might be the GOAT defender and is the most skilled big man OAT.

Hard choice but I might take Dream

EDIT: I'll have Shaq overall. His three-peat stretch was just god-like but you could argue about the lack of elite centers during that time.

Bill Russell and it's not even close :billrusselloldheadstare:

 

[ezrathegreat]

Dream by a longshot.

 

[intruder]

Best C's I've seen

1. Hakeem
2. Duncan
3. Shaq

Yes I know Duncan was always listed as a PF but he's a Center in my book.

 

[BigTyme Records]

Im glad " rangzzzz" dont matter as much to yall i hate that line of thinking

 

[BigTyme Records]

Best C's I've seen

1. Hakeem
2. Duncan
3. Shaq

Yes I know Duncan was always listed as a PF but he's a Center in my book.

Idk if i can put Duncan over shaq tho son

 

[nieman]

Shaq was skilled too. Young Shaq was quick and could handle the ball and pass. However, he didn't master footwork until he became a Laker...which is also when he got very lazy. Dream was probably the most skilled big...even moreso than Wilt. Dream had a j, post, defense, footwork, passing, rebounding, quickness....

I love me some hakeem, but he is easily one of the most overrated players in nba history.

Shaq had a full career, wasn't shyt for the last 4/5years of his career. But was THE shyt for the first 12 or Sohh years.

Hakeem, really only had two years worth talking about. At his peak, he's as good as advertised. But during that Jordan era? He was relevant ONLY during the years Jordan was on vacay. Before and after he was just another talented big man (which was normal in those days)

Mi 2 pesos


Tell me my good man, name one person in today's NBA who could guard Shaq

You must have forgotten

How? He was like 26 & 13 for 4 straight years...while Jordan was there. He was like 23 & 12 with 3-4 blocks since his 2nd year in the league...which he made the finals (OG Twin Towers).

 

[I.AM.PIFF]

Bill Russell and it's not even close :billrusselloldheadstare:

Weak era

 

[William F. Russell]

Weak era

The same era as Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West? I don't think so.

 

[intruder]

Shaq was more "dominant" but Hakeem might be the GOAT defender and is the most skilled big man OAT.

Hard choice but I might take Dream

EDIT: I'll have Shaq overall. His three-peat stretch was just god-like but you could argue about the lack of elite centers during that time.

Idk if i can put Duncan over shaq tho son

It's MY list
To me it's not always about the most dominant player but the player that is better over all and can be successful in various scenarios.

Shaq, despite his dominance was very limited in terms of overall skill set. He didnt have a lot of great moves but his footwork and agility were great. But it's his power that allowed him to dominate

Duncan, can beat you both with physical play and finesse. You want to dump it into him down low about 10 feet from the basket wih his back to the basket and let him back his man down? He got you. You wanna set him up for a soft J at the FT line. He got you. You wanna give it to him on the wing for a mid-range bank shot? He got you. You wanna feed it to him underneath the basket to overpower his man and either dunk it or hook it? He got you. Wanna Give it to him 20 feet from the basket and let him decide wether to hit a J or drive past his man? He got you.

Dont get me wrong I am not taking Shaq's dominance for granted. Hakeem nor Duncan can do what Shaq does. BUt in basketball my favorite players have (for the most part) always been the players that were most versatile. That can hurt you in many ways. David Robinson. Scottie Pippen. Jamal Mashburn. Chris Webber. Rasheed Wallace. Dirk Nowitzky. Arvydas Sabonis. Jordan. List goes on and on. That is just MY perception of basketball. I love the art of basketball. Not just the Ws and Ls and stats.

 

[BigTyme Records]

It's MY list
To me it's not always about the most dominant player but the player that is better over all and can be successful in various scenarios.

Shaq, despite his dominance was very limited in terms of overall skill set. He didnt have a lot of great moves but his footwork and agility were great. But it's his power that allowed him to dominate

Duncan, can beat you both with physical play and finesse. You want to dump it into him down low about 10 feet from the basket wih his back to the basket and let him back his man down? He got you. You wanna set him up for a soft J at the FT line. He got you. You wanna give it to him on the wing for a mid-range bank shot? He got you. You wanna feed it to him underneath the basket to overpower his man and either dunk it or hook it? He got you. Wanna Give it to him 20 feet from the basket and let him decide wether to hit a J or drive past his man? He got you.

Dont get me wrong I am not taking Shaq's dominance for granted. Hakeem nor Duncan can do what Shaq does. BUt in basketball my favorite players have (for the most part) always been the players that were most versatile. That can hurt you in many ways. David Robinson. Scottie Pippen. Jamal Mashburn. Chris Webber. Rasheed Wallace. Dirk Nowitzky. Arvydas Sabonis. Jordan. List goes on and on. That is just MY perception of basketball. I love the art of basketball. Not just the Ws and Ls and stats.

Fair Enough