I need to address 2 specific talking points about HAKEEM OLAJUWON...

[NYC Rebel]

Moses, albeit a great player, was not the force offensively or defensively that Hakeem was and thats saying something because he was a force in his day. But when you compare the two, Hakeem is clearly better. Moses, to me was the better overall rebounder, but thats all he has on Hakeem really. As for Kareem, its a toss up. I was merely explaining why I have Olajuwon over Jabbar on my top 10 list. Jabbar played with Magic and Worthy and even Oscar Robertson when he was a Buck. Hakeem did much more with way less in my opinion.

He was offensively the force Hakeem was. That niqqa was a brute

 

[Tha_Mac]

• "In his prime, hakeem...."
  
  lets talk about Hakeem's prime. I'll call his prime 87-97. That should HELP him because it negates his biggest fall off seasons and his earliest as he honed his game. This man:
  • Was not elected to the all star game in 91 to kevin duckworth
    
  • Lost in the 1st round 4 years in a row [i'll discuss the health of those teams shortly]
  • was basically .500 until he got don cheney fired, and...
  • missed the playoffs in 92 [the afformentioned blazers with duckworth went to the finals btw]
    
  • won 1 mvp
  • was a perennial defensive 1st teamer and 2x DPOY [definitely deserved]
    
    these are not world beater accolades. these are not wilt chaimberlain, shaq, baylor status achievements.
• Hakeem had no help
  
  sounds good. But lets look at his actual team.
  • The 91 rockets had 3 players that averaged 17ppg [maxwell, thorpe, kenny smith, hakeem] AND a 6th man who averaged 12. And they all were subservient to hakeem's game. They get swept in the 1st rd.
  • 93 rockets have the same team virtually and add horry, lose to seattle who would lose to phoenix
  • the 94 rockets have the same crew, and are still taken to 7 games twice including in the finals to the knicks....the knicks.
  • 95 rockets, a borderline .500 team until they get glide. In the playoffs they go 5, 7, 6 games before facing the 'in over their head' magic. Nobody remembers that, and just waxes poetic about the dream shake.
  • The 96-97 rockets had 3 hall of famers; 33, 33, and 34 years old respectively [this is the same age bracket as the 08-10 celtics, btw]. Barkley averaged 19-13-4 that year. Clyde averaged 18-6-4. Dream 23-9-2blk. Taken to the distance by seattle, and got that work by a jazz team with way less depth, led by a malone and stockton just as old. So, don't talk to me about him being some martyr. He had support.

I fully expect to get gifs and YT videos of hakeem shakin fools; and understandably, he was a phenomenal talent on both ends, but this love affair with hakeem as a top 5 player all time is just ridiculous. He is outstanding but barkley, malone, the sonics, the spurs, used to not just give him a challenge, they beat him...then they'd go and get worked by eastern conference champs...

I'm a little late on this one but Barkley, Malone, the Sonics and David Robinson's Spurs didn't win no Championship facing some insurmountable odds and what seemed like non winnable situations. Yea Olajuwon lost series to them but for 2 years no one could fukk with him and he was without a doubt the best player on the planet. None of those guys you listed and you can include Kemp and Payton were never THAT good.

People don't have a love affair with Olajuwon they just know when they are seeing greatness and that's what you saw from Hakeem Olajuwon.

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

I'm a little late on this one but Barkley, Malone, the Sonics and David Robinson's Spurs didn't win no Championship facing some insurmountable odds and what seemed like non winnable situations. Yea Olajuwon lost series to them but for 2 years no one could fukk with him and he was without a doubt the best player on the planet. None of those guys you listed and you can include Kemp and Payton were never THAT good.

People don't have a love affair with Olajuwon they just know when they are seeing greatness and that's what you saw from Hakeem Olajuwon.

but they could fukk with him and took him to 7 games like every other series

 

[Ed MOTHEREFFING G]

Moses, albeit a great player, was not the force offensively or defensively that Hakeem was and thats saying something because he was a force in his day. But when you compare the two, Hakeem is clearly better. Moses, to me was the better overall rebounder, but thats all he has on Hakeem really. As for Kareem, its a toss up. I was merely explaining why I have Olajuwon over Jabbar on my top 10 list. Jabbar played with Magic and Worthy and even Oscar Robertson when he was a Buck. Hakeem did much more with way less in my opinion.

no disrespect man but those are pretty flimsy arguments...you're basically saying he's better because you think he's better

 

[malbaker86]

Still ain't better than Duncan either

This is accurate

 

[OG Talk]

They said prime duncan is better than prine hakeem

Oh I can't cosign that..

 

[Frump]

You were born in 84 then so in Hakeem's prime you were 5-12 surely old enough to break him down

 

[MJ Truth]

He was out of the league for a year and a half. Stop the nonsense

No, YOU stop the nonsense. Nobody told him to retire. MJ's gotta be the only athlete who not only gets a pass for quitting but gets it added to his legacy. He played in 1995, his team was in the playoffs, and he choked games away in the clutch. He could have played against the Rockets but the Magic got rid of him early.

 

[Houston911]

Hakeem was left off some all nba 1st teams cuz of the nba's agenda

 

[Tha_Mac]

but they could fukk with him and took him to 7 games like every other series

So you giving credit for losing series that went 7 games now. Are the Spurs to be commended for the 2013 Finals in which they lost in 7 games? You think Jordan took solace in losing to the Pistons in 7 games in the ECF before his dominance? Do you think the Sacrament Kings of '02 feel better becuz they lost Game 7 to their hated rivals the Lakers at home?

Whether it was 7 or a sweep those 2 years no one was eliminating Olajuwon and the Rockets.

 

[AlbertPullhoez]

They said prime duncan is better than prine hakeem

Prime Duncan was putting up quadruple doubles in the Finals

Duncan>>>>>>Hakeem

 

[Houston911]

Prime Duncan was putting up quadruple doubles in the Finals

Duncan>>>>>>Hakeem

Hakeem would never be emasculated by a white woman like timmy was

 

[AlbertPullhoez]

Hakeem would never be emasculated by a white woman like timmy was

Timmy cut that skank off though and got himself a bad Latin bytch.

 

[Tha_Mac]

Prime Duncan was putting up quadruple doubles in the Finals

Duncan>>>>>>Hakeem

Why would you think Duncan is better than Hakeem when Duncan hasn't faced any great big men that is equal or better than him when Hakeem schooled every great big man of his era in the playoffs and Finals. Ewing, David Robinson and Shaq. All HOFer's, all considered to be Olajuwon's equal or better. And don't say Duncan has no equal becuz he's that good. We all know it's becuz there are no big men of that level in this day and age.

 

[Techniec]

Why would you think Duncan is better than Hakeem when Duncan hasn't faced any great big men that is equal or better than him when Hakeem schooled every great big man of his era in the playoffs and Finals. Ewing, David Robinson and Shaq. All HOFer's, all considered to be Olajuwon's equal or better. And don't say Duncan has no equal becuz he's that good. We all know it's becuz there are no big men of that level in this day and age.

Got mad respect for Duncan but this right here seals the olajuwon is better argument