Bigger underdog: LeBron this year or '95 Hakeem?

[Dray n Klay]

Lebron facing the greatest dynasty the league has ever seen (73 wins), or Hakeem winning as the 6th seed in the West?

[kamil]

Lebron facing the greatest dynasty the league has ever seen (73 wins), or Hakeem winning as the 6th seed in the West?

Dynasty?

Do you know what a dynasty is?

[scuzzy]

First off i'll say this for Hakeem

Every spin and fake was perfect and continually fooled the defender.

His fadeaways and jumphooks were dead on

Hakeem is strikingly similar to LBJ's value

Defense was second to none

He made his teammates better by spinning into the lane

Drawing several defenders and kicking out to the 3 point shooters.

Look at what Olajuwon did to David Robinson in his prime in the WCF without homecourt.

Hakeem Olajuwon- 35.3 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 5.0 apg, 4.1 bpg, 56.0 FG%
David Robinson- 23.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.2 bpg, 44.7 FG%

The numbers he put up for the entire playoffs are simply off the charts as well. 33.0 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 4.5 apg, 2.8 bpg, 53.1 FG%

To tie it in

Clyde was still a fantastic player, Irving couldn't touch him

Literally the Kobe of the 90's

He was still so smooth

one of the best passing swingmen in the league

probably the top rebounding swingmen

Horry would roast Love

Maxwell was a much better role player than JR

and Cassel was coming up

Edge goes to Lebron

[SexSymbol]

Cavs were the favorite between fans

[Dragonyeuw]

The Rockets won every series on the road. Think about that for a moment...

[Dray n Klay]

The Rockets won every series on the road. Think about that for a moment...
And yet LeBron still faced a tougher team in every round, AND a much Tougher team in the Finals

[NBAGOAT]

And yet LeBron still faced a tougher team in every round, AND a much Tougher team in the Finals

:biggums: the fk. It's not even close for the playoffs. I'll agree GS is tougher than the Magic however.

[Wally450]

Cavs were the favorite between fans

Riiiiiiight. :rolleyes:

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Houston

That said, everybody wrote off LeBron & co. after Game 5, when Golden State pulled away 3-1. Including myself.

Definitely one of the biggest chokes (GS) and upsets (Cavs) in NBA history taking into account the context.

Bron going absolute GOD mode helped both cases. :lol

[K Xerxes]

Houston

That said, everybody wrote off LeBron & co. after Game 5, when Golden State pulled away 3-1. Including myself.

Definitely one of the biggest chokes (GS) and upsets (Cavs) in NBA history taking into account the context.

Bron going absolute GOD mode helped both cases. :lol

Problem is that overall Bron (and the Cavs) played like shit those first four games, essentially digging themselves into a hole they needed to crawl out of.

It's like saying what if the Rockets wet the bed first 3 finals games, got into a 3-0 hole and then played to their championship level and won 4-3. Would that be more impressive than coming out the gates and sweeping Shaq's Orlando? Well it makes for a better story but it's unnecessary.

It's a theme that embodies LeBron's career. Play passive, mediocre ball until his back is against the wall, and then all guns blazing in elimination games. He could avoid a lot of them if he came out with the intention to step on his opponent's throat from the get go.

Not hating. He's a 3 time champion, and he deserves respeck. But I feel like he does it the hard way.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Problem is that overall Bron (and the Cavs) played like shit those first four games, essentially digging themselves into a hole they needed to crawl out of.

It's like saying what if the Rockets wet the bed first 3 finals games, got into a 3-0 hole and then played to their championship level and won 4-3. Would that be more impressive than coming out the gates and sweeping Shaq's Orlando? Well it makes for a better story but it's unnecessary.

It's a theme that embodies LeBron's career. Play passive, mediocre ball until his back is against the wall, and then all guns blazing in elimination games. He could avoid a lot of them if he came out with the intention to step on his opponent's throat from the get go.

Not hating. He's a 3 time champion, and he deserves respeck. But I feel like he does it the hard way.

:cheers:

No qualms with this post. I agree with everything you said dude.

[Im Still Ballin]

In specific circumstance, after being down 3-1 to a 73 win team and having to win 3 in a row, 2 on the road... you'd peg LeBron as the bigger underdog.. Every other playoff round, goes to Hakeem

[tmacattack33]

Dynasty?

Do you know what a dynasty is?


2 championships in a row these days is good enough to be called a dynasty (forget about that Celtics dynasty with like 8 straight rings...there were only like 10 teams in the league back then) .

If the Cavs had lost, the Warriors, especially with the GOAT record, could be called a modern day dynasty. :confusedshrug:

[Im Still Ballin]

It just depends on your definition of underdog in this circumstance

By a series by series analysis, Hakeem is the bigger underdog

By a specific moment within the playoffs, involving certain context like being down 3-1 to a 73 win team in the finals.... LeBron is the bigger underdog

[Dragonyeuw]

And yet LeBron still faced a tougher team in every round, AND a much Tougher team in the Finals

So you think this years Pistons, Hawks and Raptors are better than the 95 Jazz, Suns, Spurs and Magic.

You're a fcuking idiot.

[Dragonyeuw]

It's a theme that embodies LeBron's career. Play passive, mediocre ball until his back is against the wall, and then all guns blazing in elimination games. He could avoid a lot of them if he came out with the intention to step on his opponent's throat from the get go.

.

This. For every post I see where Lebron is proclaimed 'the greatest elimination performer ever' I have to chuckle. Its like the notion that had he played like that earlier in the series that an elimination game may not even be needed, is completely lost. Imagine if Bron played with the same sense of urgency in games 1-4 that he played in 5-7.

[tpols]

Imagine if Bron played with the same sense of urgency in games 1-4 that he played in 5-7.

it's not just that though.. he was plenty urgent in those games, it's just green, and bogut were both healthy and roaming in the first 4 and no longer together there after. Iggy getting hurt as well.. everyone wants to attribute this stuff to heroics but there is usually a key piece of logic that falls underneath the narrative.

[Im Still Ballin]

This. For every post I see where Lebron is proclaimed 'the greatest elimination performer ever' I have to chuckle. Its like the notion that had he played like that earlier in the series that an elimination game may not even be needed, is completely lost. Imagine if Bron played with the same sense of urgency in games 1-4 that he played in 5-7.
https://photos.smugmug.com/Sports/Pro-Basketball/Cavs-return-home-to-champions/i-hD8VQV9/0/M/trophy%20coming%20home-M.jpg

[Im Still Ballin]

it's not just that though.. he was plenty urgent in those games, it's just green, and bogut were both healthy and roaming in the first 4 and no longer together there after. Iggy getting hurt as well.. everyone wants to attribute this stuff to heroics but there is usually a key piece of logic that falls underneath the narrative.
Since when did context ever matter to you

https://photos.smugmug.com/Sports/Pro-Basketball/Cavs-return-home-to-champions/i-hD8VQV9/0/M/trophy%20coming%20home-M.jpg

[NBAGOAT]

it's not just that though.. he was plenty urgent in those games, it's just green, and bogut were both healthy and roaming in the first 4 and no longer together there after. Iggy getting hurt as well.. everyone wants to attribute this stuff to heroics but there is usually a key piece of logic that falls underneath the narrative.

it's simpler than that, his jumpshot was good in games 5 and 6. No one for example says MJ didn't have a sense of urgency to finish the Suns or Jazz in 5 games. Ofc MJ had a killer instinct, he just didn't play as great those 2 games for whatever reason and it shouldn't mean too much overall. For the Rockets I'll just say them being defending champs and having a great 2nd option in Drexler should be considered.

[Dragonyeuw]

it's not just that though.. he was plenty urgent in those games, it's just green, and bogut were both healthy and roaming in the first 4 and no longer together there after. Iggy getting hurt as well.. everyone wants to attribute this stuff to heroics but there is usually a key piece of logic that falls underneath the narrative.

Combined with Lebron rediscovering the jumpshot he left in Miami.

[ClipperRevival]

:facepalm Need to check your facts and look up where the 1995 Rockets were ranked from 1st round to the finals against their opponents. Hakeem was on some next level sh't in those two playoff runs. Do some research.

[Im Still Ballin]

:facepalm Need to check your facts and look up where the 1995 Rockets were ranked from 1st round to the finals against their opponents. Hakeem was on some next level sh't in those two playoff runs. Do some research.
Down 3-1 in the finals against a 73 win GOAT team..

It took LeBron putting up 36.3 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 9.7 apg, 3.0 spg, 3.0 bpg, 50.6 FG% to will them back and win

Never been done before

Led every statistic in the finals

Cavs best scorer, rebounder, facilitator, perimeter defender, rim protector

GOD among men

[masonanddixon]

lmao weren't the Cavs the betting favourite by Vegas BEFORE the postseason even began???

It was the most unimpressive title ever, especially considering GS nearly got topped the previous series.

[masonanddixon]

:facepalm Need to check your facts and look up where the 1995 Rockets were ranked from 1st round to the finals against their opponents. Hakeem was on some next level sh't in those two playoff runs. Do some research.

Dude the OP wasn't even alive in 1995.

[Gougou]

Still Lebron.

3-1 Warrior with the lead, A lot of fans thought Warrior can take the series.

Except Lebron did the most unbelievable thing ever, to win a championship while trailing 3-1 and defeat the best regular season record team in NBA history.

Hakeem biggest opponent is just a Knick team lead my Ewing and Hakeem had homecourt advantage in game 7.

[masonanddixon]

Still Lebron.

3-1 Warrior with the lead, A lot of fans thought Warrior can take the series.

Except Lebron did the most unbelievable thing ever, to win a championship while trailing 3-1 and defeat the best regular season record team in NBA history.

Hakeem biggest opponent is just a Knick team lead my Ewing and Hakeem had homecourt advantage in game 7.

Except that Irving was basically lebron's equal and lebron was playing with TWO OTHER SUPERSTARS ALL IN THEIR PRIME plus the best supporting cast of all time, whereas Hakeem was playing with guys no one even remembers.

[KirbyPls]

it's not just that though.. he was plenty urgent in those games, it's just green, and bogut were both healthy and roaming in the first 4 and no longer together there after. Iggy getting hurt as well.. everyone wants to attribute this stuff to heroics but there is usually a key piece of logic that falls underneath the narrative.

How about KG and Perkins' injuries in 2009-2010? Is that a key piece of logic underlying 12thbe's runs?

[KirbyPls]

Except that Irving was basically lebron's equal and lebron was playing with TWO OTHER SUPERSTARS ALL IN THEIR PRIME plus the best supporting cast of all time, whereas Hakeem was playing with guys no one even remembers.

Go home 12thbe, you're drunk.

[scuzzy]

Despite the complete genocide of the Kobe Fam

My boy Dray n Klay still hooks the last of the flem to crawl out:lol

Never seize to disappoint :cheers:

[Im Still Ballin]

Despite the complete genocide of the Kobe Fam

My boy Dray n Klay still hooks the last of the flem to crawl out:lol

Never seize to disappoint :cheers:
:banana: :banana:

[Dray n Klay]

Despite the complete genocide of the Kobe Fam

My boy Dray n Klay still hooks the last of the flem to crawl out:lol

Never seize to disappoint :cheers:

:hammertime: :hammertime: :hammertime: :djparty