1995 WCF - David Robinson vs. Hakeem Olajuwon

[Remix]

Rockets win series 4-2

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/nbacardDOTnet/zz%20NBA%20Photo%20Gallery/Hakeem%20Olajuwon/VS/David%20Robinson/EBA19CEBB988EC8AA8EB8C80_ED9598E-5.jpg

Two of the greatest centers of all-time went head to head in the middle of their respective primes. (D-Rob 29, Dream 32).

The no. 1 seed Spurs beat the 8th seeded Nuggets (3-0) and the 5th seeded Lakers (4-2) to reach the WCF. The 6th seeded Rockets upset the 3rd seeded Jazz (3-2) and the 2nd seeded Suns (4-3) to make it to the WCF.

Game 1:
Hakeem: 12/24 27pts, 8 rbs, 6ast, 5blks
D-Rob: 5/17 21pts, 9rbs, 2ast, 2blks

Drexler 10/21 25pts, 12rbs, 3ast
Sean Elliot 9/16 24pts, 7rbs
Avery Johnson 9/14 18pts, 9ast

Rockets win 94-93 with Robert Horry making his only shot to win the game.


Game 2
Hakeem: 18/31 41pts, 16rbs, 4ast, 3stl, 2blks
D-Rob: 10/18 32pts, 12 rbs, 2ast, 1blk

Drexler 9/16 23pts, 5rbs, 6ast, 2stl, 2blk
Horry 8/15 (5/9 3pt) 21pts, 6rbs, 3ast, 2blk
Rivers 7/17 16pts

Rockets win 106-96 with a showdown between Hakeem and D-Rob. Drexler and Horry both scored 20+ to chip in on offense for the Rockets, while the rest of the Spurs struggling. Rivers had 17 and Elliot added 12. No other Spurs were in double figures.

Game 3
Hakeem: 19/32 43pts, 11rbs, 4ast, 5blks
D-Rob 10/15 29pts, 9rbs, 4ast, 4stl, 1blk

Drexler 8/18 21pts, 9rbs, 6ast
Elliot 7/13 21 pts, 7rbs
Johnson 6/14 20pts, 13ast

Spurs win 107-102 while both Hakeem and D-Rob have huge games. This time, however, the Spurs got more help on offense to compliment Robinson. Elliot had 21, Johnson had 20, and Del Negro chipped in 19. Drexler got his 21, Horry had 17, and Kenny Smith chipped in 13.

Game 4
Hakeem: 9/24 20pts, 14rbs, 5ast, 3blks
D-Rob: 6/16 20pts, 16rbs, 3ast, 5blks

Rodman 5/10 12 pts, 19rbs

Spurs blowout the Rockets 103-81. 6 Spurs were in double figures (Robinson 20, Del Negro 19, Johnson 14, Elliot 13, Rivers 13, Rodman 12). Drexler went 3/11 and scored only 12 pts and Kenny Smith scored 13.

Game 5
Hakeem: 19/30 42 pts, 9rbs, 8ast, 5blks
D-Rob: 7/15 22 pts, 12 rbs, 3blks

Cassell 8/17 30 pts, 12ast
Drexler 7/15 19pts
Johnson 10/15 20pts, 7ast

Rockets win 111-90, with Hakeem having another big game. The bigger story though, Sam Cassell scoring 30pts. Johnson added 20 and Elliot scored 14 but it wasn't enough help to beat the Rockets, and the Rockets took a 3-2 lead.

Game 6
Hakeem: 16/25 39pts, 17rbs, 3ast, 2stl, 6blks
D-Rob: 6/17 19pts, 10rbs, 5ast, 4stl, 1blk

Drexler 6/16 16pts, 10rbs, 7ast
Horry 7/16 (6/11 3pt), 7rbs
Johnson 8/12 19pts, 10ast
Rodman 7/9 14pts, 17rbs
Elliot 6/15 18pts

Rockets win 100-95. Another dominating game from Dream as the Rockets close out the Spurs and move on to the NBA finals. Drexler chipped in his usual and Horry decided to have a big game. All of the Spurs starters scored double digits, but no one scored over 20.

Series statistics
Rockets
Hakeem: 35.3pts (56%), 12.5rbs, 5ast, 1.3stl, 4.2blks
Drexler: 19.3pts (44.3%), 7.3rbs, 4.5ast, 1.8stl
Horry: 14.5pts (42.5%), 7.2rbs, 2.7ast, 1.3stl
Cassell: 10.8pts (34.5%), 2.3rbs, 5.0ast

Spurs
Robinson: 23.8pts (44.9%), 11.3rbs, 2.7ast, 1.5stl. 2.2blks
Elliot: 17pts (46.3%), 5rbs, 2.3ast
Johnson: 16.2pts (54.4%), 1.7rbs, 7.5ast, 1stl
Del Negro: 11.3pts (44.1%), 2.7rbs, 2.8ast
Rodman: 6.7pts (43.2%), 15rbs, 1.7stl



This series to me really shows how dominant Hakeem was in his prime. Taking on a prime D-Rob and just owning him. Dream led his team in points (35.3), rebounds (12.5), blocks (4.2), and tied for assists (5.0).


:bowdown:

[Round Mound]

I Knew That Would Happen in the Play-Offs. My Friends Laughed at Me Since I Said "Hakeem Would Destroy Robinson in the Clutcher Play-Offs... Robinson Is Soft".

It Happened and I Got the Last Laugh :pimp:

[plowking]

Its funny how one series ruined a legacy pretty much. Go look back on their head to heads prior to this, and you'll see it was close, pretty much equal.

[scandisk_]

Its funny how one series ruined a legacy pretty much. Go look back on their head to heads prior to this, and you'll see it was close, pretty much equal.

That's how match-ups work :lol

[Remix]

That game 5 :bowdown:

[Freedom Kid7]

I Knew That Would Happen in the Play-Offs. My Friends Laughed at Me Since I Said "Hakeem Would Destroy Robinson in the Clutcher Play-Offs... Robinson Is Soft".

It Happened and I Got the Last Laugh :pimp:
:bowdown: :bowdown:

[Hands of Iron]

As if this wasn't the greatest playoff series by a player ever. :oldlol:

Robinson, HOF Center and that season's MVP and DPOY leading the #1 seeded Spurs... absolutely thrashed by the wizardry and skill of Hakeem Olajuwon. His numbers are absolutely ****ing outrageous considering the opposition. What he held Robinson to was outrageous. The whole thing is top to bottom legendary and unforgettable. (IMO) :oldlol: :D

I like it over any Jordan or Shaq or Bird series. It's beyond mere statistics. :eek:

[Round Mound]

The HYPE of the MVP Ruined It for D-Rob :facepalm :confusedshrug: .

See, People Inmedietly Think that MVP = Best Player :no: Its Just an Award for Individual and Team Contribution...It Should Never Be Seen as "Best Player".

Nash has 2 MVPs...Was He Better than Shaq, Barkley or D-Rob Himself? :no:

The Media Hypes It To Much.

I Knew What Hakeem Was About Long Time Ago. He Was Arguably the 2nd or 3rd Best Player Battling with Barkley and the Best MJ ofcourse from 87-93 as Individual Players. So When my Friends Where Hyped With D-Rob and the 73 Point Game ...I Was Just Like ...:rolleyes: :sleeping :coleman: and Then This Happened. I Just Laughed For The WHole Series. I ALWAYS KNEW D-ROB WAS SOFT IN THE PLAY-OFFS.

[Remix]

As if this wasn't the greatest playoff series by a player ever. :oldlol:

Robinson, HOF Center and that season's MVP and DPOY leading the #1 seeded Spurs... absolutely thrashed by the wizardry and skill of Hakeem Olajuwon. His numbers are absolutely ****ing outrageous considering the opposition. What he held Robinson to was outrageous. The whole thing is top to bottom legendary and unforgettable. (IMO) :oldlol: :D

I like it over any Jordan or Shaq or Bird series. It's beyond mere statistics. :eek:
And then the four straight 30+ games against Shaq in the sweep to win the finals

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[L.Kizzle]

This is the season my young ass started to follow basketball, and what a season.

In 1994-1995, I was all of 7 years old. I watched just about every Rocket game, save a few as we didn't have cable then. If they were cable, luckily my babysitter lives across the street and was a huge fan too. I don't know how I got into basketball so hardcore, it was weird really. Just a few months before the season started, I don't think I'd ever watched a game. One day in school some kid asked me if I wanted to play and I got hooked. Maybe it was my babysitter ...


I anticipated the season like I'd been a loyal fan for ten + seasons. I remember the pre-season our early lil slump we had. The Valentines Day trade for Drexler who instantly became my favorite player. He took us to the playoff's with Dream missing a few games down the stretch.


The playoff's started in Utah and we made quick work of Stock and Malone. This was the series Vernon Maxwell went AWOL. Next was Barkley and the Suns. I think it was game 5 or 6, scared the shit out of me. I thought it was over. I don't remember the end of that game because I was at my babysitter and it was late and had to go. The last play I remember was Drexler gettin' a fast break dunk blocked/fouled by Barkley. Then that "Kiss of Death" by Reggie Miller er I mean Mario Ellie.


This series right here, Olajuwon son'ed Robinson so bad. I remember the game one jumper by Horry his only bucket. And the famous play by Olajuwon, were he had the Admiral on skates ... We took it in 6 and on came, Shaq & Penny and the Magic ...

[noob cake]

Hakeem ruined DRob's legacy.

So much for his MVP DPOY that year.

[millwad]

Calling this the greatest playoffseries by a single player wouldn't be an overstatement.

He destroyed DROB in every way there was, he outscored him big time on way better FG%, he outrebounded DROB, he almost averaged twice as many blocks and assists.

http://gifsoup.com/webroot/animatedgifs/641423_o.gif

[Hands of Iron]

Calling this the greatest playoffseries by a single player wouldn't be an overstatement.

He destroyed DROB in every way there was, he outscored him big time on way better FG%, he outrebounded DROB, he almost averaged twice as many blocks and assists.

http://gifsoup.com/webroot/animatedgifs/641423_o.gif

It's only my opinion and I've already admitted I'm pretty slanted toward Post-Merger (just my flavor), but I honestly believe it to be. It's easy to dump on Robinson years after the fact (like how people now downplay how significant Jordan-Drexler was in 1992), but there is no doubt he was one of the very top tier defensive players of his generation (and all-time) and that continued well throughout the rest of his career after 1995. Perhaps he wasnt the guy to be a No. 1, but his production at the time suggested he couldn't be anything other than elite -- He could put the points up and do it at a high level of efficiency.

There's 35/13/5/4 on 56% which is phenomenal no matter who's guarding you.. Then there's 35/13/5/4 on 56% in the Conference Finals, against the #1 seed in the NBA, matched up against a fellow HOF Center, who also was the Defensive Player of the Year and happened to be NBA MVP. What Hakeem was just the previous season in addition to being a Champion and Finals MVP. He took it as a slight, and made it clear.

[millwad]

It's only my opinion and I've already admitted I'm pretty slanted toward Post-Merger (just my flavor), but I honestly believe it to be. It's easy to dump on Robinson years after the fact (like how people now downplay how significant Jordan-Drexler was in 1992), but there is no doubt he was one of the very top tier defensive players of his generation (and all-time) and that continued well throughout the rest of his career after 1995. Perhaps he wasnt the guy to be a No. 1, but his production at the time suggested he couldn't be anything other than elite -- He could put the points up and do it at a high level of efficiency.

There's 35/13/5/4 on 56% which is phenomenal no matter who's guarding you.. Then there's 35/13/5/4 on 56% in the Conference Finals, against the #1 seed in the NBA, matched up against a fellow HOF Center, who also was the Defensive Player of the Year and happened to be NBA MVP. What Hakeem was just the previous season in addition to being a Champion and Finals MVP. He took it as a slight, and made it clear.

I totally agree, I have collected the Rocket games from the back to backs and I don't have all of them but I have a good share of games on my computer back home in Sweden.

One of my favourite games is game 7 against Phoenix in the '94 playoffs were Hakeem just slaughtered them. He put up 37 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks.... in game 7.

The man had nerves of steel, probably the most clutch center ever and one of the most clutch player ever as well.

In his prime ('93-'95), he faced elimination 10 times and his record was 9-1 in those games and the one game he lost was in '93 in a highly controversial game.

This is what Hakeem did in those games;

31/21/7/3/3
23/17/9/3/2
37/17/5/3
25/10/7/3
40/8/3
33/10/4
31/16/3
30/8/10/5
29/11/4

[JohnnySic]

The David Robinson hype had been declining since Shaq had come into the league and took the spotlight as the premier young big. Any hype Robinson had left was driven into the ground by Hakeem during this series. It was just like how Jordan killed Drexler in the '92 Finals.

[bukowski81]

Watching this series made me cry

[Bigsmoke]

Hakeem: 16/25 39pts, 17rbs, 3ast, 2stl, 6blks
D-Rob: 6/17 19pts, 10rbs, 5ast, 4stl, 1blk

:lol

[Whoah10115]

David Robinson wasn't DPOTY in 1995.




It's a shame that Robinson gets killed for this series. Hakeem didn't even play as well in the Finals against Shaq but dominated Shaq. Shaq has his numbers tho, and dominated a weaker era, so everyone wants to throw everything under a blanket. Unfair to Robinson.



And unfair to Hakeem. That's as dominant as anyone has ever been. That was filthy.

[Money 23]

Hakeem destroying D-Rob (and then Shaq as dessert) is one of the best mono y mono beat downs by the two best players at their position, I've ever seen. Followed closely by MJ sodomizing his closest competitor on national television in the Finals.

[D.J.]

I almost felt bad for Admiral. Excllent player in his own right, likeable guy. But damn, Olajuwon owned him in every sense of the word. I watched that series. Olajuwon pulled post moves where I had to do a double take because 1)I had never seen them and 2)Didn't even think they were possible.

[Smoke117]

One series should not change anything. After Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson is himself the most dominant defensive player of the modern NBA. What's more revisionist history is all this Jazz bullshit. Malone did not "shut David Robinson down". The Jazz threw double and triple teams at him all throughout the series in 96. Not only that, but David Robinson was clearly the most dominant player not named Michael Jordan in that 1996 season and was the real Defensive Player of the Year not ****ing Gary Payton. A lot of David Robinson led Spurs teams overachieved during the regular season because of how dominate David Robinson was, but come playoff time shit becomes a lot tougher and you can game plan a lot easier and that is what teams did. Just because the Spurs had a better record than the Jazz in 96 that didn't mean they were the better team. The Jazz absolutely were the better team...the Spurs just had the most dominate player on the floor and through 82 games, but now the Jazz had a 7 game series to game plan for him and that is just what they did throwing double and triple teams at him that threw him off his gameplan.