With the Rockets at the forefront of the NBA headlines lately, let’s take a look back at the greatest Rocket of all-time, Hakeem Olajuwon. Back in ‘95, Hakeem went up against League MVP David Robinson in the Western Conference Finals and DESTROYED The Admiral after watching Robinson accept the MVP trophy on the court before Game 1. Dream averaged 35 points per game in the series.
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March 11th, 2008 at 8:25 am
E$ says:
I have this in my favorites on YouTube, it’s priceless! Thanks for showing the HOF some love. If you ever read Dennis Rodman’s book, it’s a chapter where he talks about the this series & asking David “Can you hold him?!” & David says “I think so.”
He could only hold Dream (best nickname for a Center) under a 40 avg. for the series.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:29 am
YOUNGFED says:
David is better than the dream. Austin just hatin’ if you gonna find video’s of the Dream getting the best of David you should do the same for David.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:46 am
Dave says:
David Robinson better than Hakeem??? Sorry, but no. DRob is one of the all-time greats, but not on the Dreams level. If you had watched that series live, you would have had no questions at all about that.
I can’t think of another time when someone that good was undressed the way DRob was.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:49 am
gary says:
that video is the defintion of “torture chamber!”
March 11th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Prof. TX says:
There’s no way Robinson is better than Olajuwon. Check the stats on points, rebounds, blocks, steals and assists and see how many categories there are where Robinson has more. There wasn’t a center during that time, or any time since, with that strong of a defense AND that wide array of offensive moves. You have to reach back to Wilt or Kareem for offense or Russell for defense if you want to look for centers that draw a respectable comparison.
March 11th, 2008 at 9:03 am
E$ says:
why doesn’t Hakeem get credit for the “Dream Shake” I’ve seen everyone from K.G. to Yao do the move & none of the annoucers (except in Houston) will say “The Dream Shake” or say who made it famous.
March 11th, 2008 at 9:07 am
the_don_mega says:
i agree…
there’s been nobody who can touch the Dream in his prime…
go ask shaq…
btw…
ain’t no move cooler than the DREAM SHAKE…
March 11th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Prof. TX says:
I have occasionally heard announcers say that Garnett moves like Hakeem (i.e. both 6′11″ guys with agility and some spin moves). I lost alot of confidence in Yao after Olajuwon trained with him for a while. After the sessions, Yao just said “The only thing I learned is that I will never be as good as he was.” That’s a seriously poor attitude.
March 11th, 2008 at 9:51 am
SWAT says:
Youngfed you must have smoked yourself retarded if you think robinson was ever better than Hakeem. I am fortunate enough to be from houston and was able to see some of his games firsthand and it was amazing. One of the top 10 players to ever play in the NBA, easy. Now robinson was a beast in his hey day but Hakeem was a special kind of player that comes along once in a while, a center who could move, dribble, steal, drive all like a guard. Sometimes i just have to watch their championship run dvd just to remember what it was like. When we swept orlando and everyone in h-town was in the streets with brooms in hand it was great. Getting teary eyed just thinking about it…lol!
March 11th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Dennis Castro says:
David Robinson better than Hakeem?!?!? WTF?
Hakeem is a top 5 C of all time. He was the most mobile center ever and had range out to 18ft. There’s never been another center like him. Total offensive and defensive game.
Those moves were crazy, he destroyed Robinson.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:00 am
doc says:
He got him that year and was better but yall disrespecting D-Rob he had all that shit in his game. What was the averages for they careers against eachother because I can show you a clip of Starks scoring on Mike all crazy that doesent mean shit. Anyway the league didnt count for them 2 years because the best player wasnt playing or Keem would have the same rings as Ewing.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Prof. TX says:
It’s just ignorant to say that titles during Jordan’s first retirement don’t count. Nobody knows what would have happened during a Rockets vs. Bulls finals. Maybe Jordan’s Bulls would have kept winning, but you don’t know that and nobody can be certain either way. Drexler would guard Jordan alot better than Chicago’s centers could have guarded Hakeem. It’s not clear either way.
It sounds alot like ‘my team didn’t win titles those years so those years don’t count.’
March 11th, 2008 at 10:32 am
fallinup says:
Akeem was one of the 5 best centers of all time. He had offense and defense. Don’t get me wrong, Robinson was great as well…but he couldn’t touch Akeem in his prime. Look at Houston’s team during those championship wins…Akeem had an awesome supporting cast, but no one that compared to Tim Duncan when David Robinson got his championships.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:34 am
DaPro says:
The Admiral was nice but I’m old enough 2 remember when the Dream was the nicest big I’ve ever seen. My old man has seen every center come thru the league, he likes Kareem but says The Dream is a close second.
The Dream destroyed every center he faced, Shaq, Patrick, The Admiral, etc…..
Don’t just go off you tube, I saw it…..Dude was official.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Jim says:
Oh Austin…this is one of my least favorite sports memories. I think it’s funny that as a kid, we could depend on our Cowboys but always knew the Spurs would choke…how times have changed.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:37 am
E$ says:
It’s not our fault Jordan wasn’t focused…..We did our part while jordan was losing the ball & letting Nick Anderson pick his pocket. Look @ Jordan record vs the Rockets, Dream didn’t let him come in that lane!
Props to Moses Malone for taking Hakeem under his wing in those hot summers in Houston @ Fonde Rec. center! It’s our own little Rucker down here.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:54 am
K Dizzle says:
Prof Tx
I don’t think Yao got a bad attitude; I think he just smart enough to know that he really couldn’t do what Dream did. The footwork, the fakes,the blocks, I have a hard time rememberin Keem gettin dunked on. Growin up playin soccer gave him such sick footwork that no center since has done what Dream could do offensively and defensively
What the heck is “the rings don’t count cuz Mike wasn’t playin” c’mon, doc
D-Rob was a great player, probably top 10 centers all time, but it’s like they said early on: They shoulda never, ever, ever gave him the MVP right before the game…
March 11th, 2008 at 10:56 am
GEE...Yeaaaaaaaaa....just like GEE says:
Dream but Mr. Robinson through cruel and unusual punishment.
E$ you absolutely right on 16!
Houston up!
March 11th, 2008 at 11:02 am
SWAT says:
E$ I’ve made that same case before that the rockets owned the bulls during the reg season. Doc you need to pull your head out of your ass and get real. No one knows what would have happened had we played them in the finals so stop hating. If Shaq would have won the 95 chip i bet yall boys would be all on his nuts but because them H-town boys beat everyone’s ass you wanna put an asterik on our chips. Kiss the rings bitch!
March 11th, 2008 at 11:04 am
doc says:
I remember KJ shitting on his cranium.And my team didnt win but Mike aint called the GOAT for nothing.And I bet u would say Clyde would have guarded him better just like he did in 92 when Mike average 37 for the series and hit him with the shrug.Where is Drexler highlights in that series by the way.Keem didnt let Mike come down the lane where is that footage. I call it how I see it and Keem could kill D-Rob soft ass all he want but he aint want no parts of the GOAT.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:08 am
doc says:
By the way Shaq got 3 straight and was still a youngpunk when Keem baked him.Only reason he was there was because Mike was chewing tobacco and striking out all season until a couple weeks before the playoffs.Everybody who is not from Houston know what woulda went down you see yall the only ones saying something.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Nick Barnes says:
Don’t act like it was guaranteed MJ and the Bulls would’ve won chips in 94 and 95 if he was still playing. It’s NEVER guaranteed. The Lakers from 3 straight with Shaq and Kob and lost the year after that to Detroit. I’m not gonna put an asterisk on Hakeem’s championships because Mike wasn’t playing. When Duncan retires are you gonna put an asterisk on whoever wins the next championship?
March 11th, 2008 at 11:25 am
SWAT says:
Doc your logic makes no sense…that’s like saying ” Man if Len Bias hadn’t gone to that party we would have won more chips, bird’s body wouldn’t have broke down so quickly…etc etc. That’s a fantasy world you live in where what if’s occur and those are the reality.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:52 am
YOUNGFED says:
Lets Settle this Cause I’m sick of everyone acting like Hakeem was that much better than Dave win their careers are almost mirror images. So here we go Career stats for both DAMMIT!…
p a r b s mpg asg
Admiral 21.1 2.5 10.6 2.99 1.41 34.7 10
Dream 21.8 2.5 11.1 2.96 1.75 35.7 12
p=points mpg=minutes per game
a=assist asg=all star games
r=rebounds
b=blocks
s=steal
If you don’t see that both had tremedous careers than you’re an idiot. So if I like Dave more I Fukin’ Can!
March 11th, 2008 at 11:54 am
YOUNGFED says:
Admiral 21.1/ 2.5/ 10.6/ 2.99/ 1.41/ 34.7/ 10
Dream 21.8/ 2.5/ 11.1/ 2.96/ 1.75/ 35.7/ 12
again just to be redundant
March 11th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
dagwaller says:
Good point, YOUNGFED.
I’m just waiting for control, ian, and Gee to have it out over this…
March 11th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
YOUNGFED says:
lol
March 11th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Jim says:
David is my favorite player ever, I live and die with San Antonio…but here are the career playoff splits:
Hakeem
25.9/11.2/.528/3.26/3.2
David
18.1/10.6/.479/2.54/2.3
March 11th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Jim says:
…and yes, I know that David wasn’t the focal point of their offense in the later years, but still.
But everyone knows the stats aren’t the story. Hakeem killed David in the playoffs, like he killed everyone else. Best center in the best time for centers in the NBA’s history.
March 11th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Myrie says:
Need a laugh here today…
Patrick Ewing, tha Hoya Destroya, was better than both of them.
Hahaha….
March 11th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Myrie says:
Hakeem killed the entor league in 94-95. He took out all the best centers along the way too (David Robinson, Patrick Ewing and Shaquille O’Neal).
But as good as Deram was, the only defender who didn’t get completely punked by Hakeem was Anthony Mason.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
tealish says:
Ok. Let’s be realistic, people. Hakeem was better than Robinson, but it wasn’t as huge a difference as showed in that video.
The Admiral was a class act throughout his career and I’m not saying Hakeem wasn’t, but I respect DRob far more than probably anybody else who ever played game(MJ and his brilliance included).
March 11th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
dh says:
dang! hakeem has foot work like kobe! how come no bigs today try to mimic his game more? i mean, the dude had lightning fast shakes. is kg is the closest to him?
March 11th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
GEE...Yeaaaaaaaaa....just like GEE says:
Tealish I don’t think they come any classier than Dream.
Dag it’s nothing to have out. Dream was better across the board and going against David. Not to say David was a scrub by no means. Dream was just better. Whether it’s slightly better or way better is up to you, but …he was better.
Think on this, you give David Dream’s squad and Houston probably still wouldn’t have no rings. You give Dream Duncan, and you got 4 easy back to back to back to back.
Yea I said it!
March 11th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
AY says:
sorry if i was never impressed by david robinson, the 7-1 rip hamilton. I’d take Akeem over drob, over patrick, but not over shaq. He whooped shaq in the finals, but this wasn’t the 400lb shaq.
And I think it would’ve been great to see Rockets vs. Bulls; those rockets weren’t scrubs: akeem, drexler, horry, mad max, the jet, cassell, eddie johnson. They were stacked.
March 11th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
djKianoosh says:
I’ll take Shaq 2001 as the MDE over any center of any other year. That Shaq killed my sixers so maybe I am biased with the MDE…. but the Dream was definitely better than the Admiral. And I’ll have to take the Admiral over Ewing, cause if you can’t win a ring as a dominant center like all the other ones, then you just didn’t come through. i know i know, mj, sure, but there were great players in every era.
and every time we bring up these guys with these great nicknames from just 10-15 years ago it reminds me that we just don’t have as many great nicknames in the NBA anymore. shame. even players’ first names were cool, Moses, World, Julius
philly bias i know…
March 11th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Dave says:
First of all its “Hakeem” not Akeem. He changed his name.
One of the dumbest things to do in the Dream vs. DRob argument is to trot out career stats. Sometimes stats tell the story, but in this case they do not. You would have to watch the two players and their head to head matchups to determine who was best.
DRob was a fine player and a classy individual, but was not on the Dream’s level. Anyone who says that he was doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
March 11th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Prof. TX says:
It looks like Dwight Howard could be the next Shaq. Both had similar games in the early years of their career: putting up 20-20 nights, good for blocks but trouble with free throws and shots away from the basket.
But, it’s disappointing that nobody today looks like the next Olajuwon. More young centers need to be studying his footage instead of trying to make highlights with dunks but no other shots, or blocks and no other defense.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
dagwaller says:
Not comparing the two I’m about to talk about to the two in the article, but…
Kind of reminds me of the Yao vs. Dwight comparisons I made (that a lot of people argued against) at the beginning of the season. Physical specimen vs. well rounded scorer/passer? Granted, Yao’s not the shot blocker that he could/should be, but it’s similar. Too bad injuries seem to be ruining his career…
March 12th, 2008 at 5:17 am
YOUNGFED says:
Jim you’re wrong go to nba.com for their real career stats.