Starks or Ewing for Finals MVP in '94?

[D.J.]

Starks gets all the flack for game 7, but he was money in game 6 while Ewing went 6/20 from the field in a 2 point loss. Let's assume Ewing goes 8/20 and they win in 6. Here's their stat lines:

Starks- 19.3 PPG/3.3 RPG/6.5 APG/1.8 SPG on 42.0%/41.0%/74.3%

Ewing- 19.2 PPG/12.8 RPG/1.8 APG/1.3 SPG/4.7 BPG on 35.7%


Ewing set the Finals record for blocks, but his offense consisted almost entirely on shot jacking and very few trips to the line. If the Knicks win in 6, who's the Finals MVP?

[Smoke117]

Easily Ewing. He was complete garbage offensively, but he was still a top 5 defensive player in 94 and the best defensive player on the best defensive team in the league that season...Starks would have ZERO case for FMVP over him. Considering what a defensive series this was...there's no way Ewing doesn't get it.

[bigkingsfan]

Ewing on name recognition.

[SamuraiSWISH]

From what I remember Starks played great defense as well on Maxwell.

[imdaman99]

I'm a Starks fan so I'm gonna go with Starks. He had his ups and downs, but he was mostly up that series. Starks dominated his matchup against another headcase, Maxwell. Unfortunately Mad Max outplayed him in game 7 hitting some dagger 3s, as Starks was miserable that game. He was the heart and soul for them. Ewing was their best player, but Olajuwon outplayed him easily, that they had to put Mason on Hakeem. No hall of fame center should ever shoot 36% in a series, even if he is playing against a fellow all time great.

[Smoke117]

From what I remember Starks played great defense as well on Maxwell.

Maxwell went from 13.6ppg on .483%ts in the regular season to 13.4ppg on .445%ts vs the Knicks in the finals...not exactly an earth shattering drop...he sucked at scoring anyway. Besides, starks wasn't a top 3 defensive player on this 94 knicks team as far as impact, and what he did defensively means squat compared to a defensive anchor like Ewing.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Maxwell went from 13.6ppg on .483%ts in the regular season to 13.4ppg on .445%ts vs the Knicks in the finals...not exactly an earth shattering drop...he sucked at scoring anyway. Besides, starks wasn't a top 3 defensive player on this 94 knicks team as far as impact, and what he did defensively means squat compared to a defensive anchor like Ewing.
What exactly are you even attempting to argue now?

Like I said, he played good defense. Being their best perimeter defender and all.

Had more impact than Ewing offensively. And didn't get outplayed in his positional matchup the way Patrick did. If he didn't have the stinker in game 7, I think he was definitely MVP caliber.

Ewing probably would've gotten it though on reputation alone, it being his team and all.

[PHILA]

Derek Harper

[GrapeApe]

IMR, the general opinion at the time was that Ewing would have won FMVP. It's crazy how his normally reliable short to midrange jumper completely abandoned him in the finals. Hakeem gets credit for shutting him down, but in reality Ewing went ice cold. He was missing shots that he made with regularity for much of his career. I remember thinking to myself "he NEVER misses those shots against the Heat".

[jlip]

Derek Harper

Came in here to say this.

[Stringer Bell]

Came in here to say this.

Yeah, Harper had a pretty solid series. He was dominating Kenny Smith.

Tough to say who would have won FMVP if the Knicks won game 6. Ewing had the name recognition and was the anchor defensively (in a defensive series), but Starks was better offensively and played good defense himself.

Since the hypothetical is that the Knicks win game 6, it would be on a game winning 3 by Starks, right? The Knicks sliced the Rockets lead and cut it down to 2. The way Starks was playing in that 4th quarter, I would guess he would have made that 3 pointer at the end if Hakeem didn't block it.

The series ending on a buzzer-beating 3 pointer by Starks, in a game in which he would finish with 30 points, 19 points in the 4th quarter? If the series ended like that, I see Starks getting FMVP. How often does a finals end on a shot like that? It wouldn't have just been a game winner, it would have been a buzzer-beater to win it. It would be considered maybe the greatest shot in NBA history, and also one of the greatest 4th quarter performances ever, if Hakeem doesn't block it and Starks makes it.

You can say Ewing's defense made him more valuable than Starks throughout the series, but we've seen guys gets FVMP before based on the last game of the series, when others have been more valuable throughout the series. Starks's finish in game 6 probably would have stayed in the minds of voters.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Stinger,

How well you think Starks could guard Curry?

[D.J.]

Stinger,

How well you think Starks could guard Curry?


Starks was ferocious on D. Easily their best perimeter defender. He was a little taller than Curry and stronger. Curry has unlimited range, but he's also not unguardable. He doesn't respond well to physicality.

[Straight_Ballin]

Easily Ewing. He was complete garbage offensively, but he was still a top 5 defensive player in 94 and the best defensive player on the best defensive team in the league that season...Starks would have ZERO case for FMVP over him. Considering what a defensive series this was...there's no way Ewing doesn't get it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srl2Bwh6A3I

Ewing was never anything but Pippen's bitch. Ringless.

[Stringer Bell]

Starks would do pretty well. Curry would still get his points (less than his average of 30 though), although his FG% would decrease.

I usually think the best you can do with elite scorers who put up 30 a game is just lower them a few points and lower their FG%, make them work harder. You're not gonna shut them down.

There may be some exceptions, but it's rare.

[feyki]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srl2Bwh6A3I

Ewing was never anything but Pippen's bitch. Ringless.


Ewing >>>> Second round Pippen