Why did the 94 Sonics choke to the Nuggets?

[StrongLurk]

The 94 Jazz also almost lost to the 8-seeded Nuggets in the next round (went 7 games).

[Kblaze8855]

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Not entirely that simple but....go look at how many shots he blocked in how many close games. He was legit blocking 7-8 shots in multiple close wins. He set the 5 game blocks record vs the Sonics. Guy takes away 6 layups you start to hesitate. He had a lot o people pump faking and cautious those days.

Nobody else on that team was special. Chris Jackson might have been playing today but then? It was Mutombo and some hard running role players with hustle. That said...I ****ed with Robert Pack pretty heavily for a while.

[Patrick Chewing]

I don't think that team had any shooters, and Mutombo took Shawn Kemp's game away with his inside presence.

[Haymaker]

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Not entirely that simple but....go look at how many shots he blocked in how many close games. He was legit blocking 7-8 shots in multiple close wins. He set the 5 game blocks record vs the Sonics. Guy takes away 6 layups you start to hesitate. He had a lot o people pump faking and cautious those days.

Nobody else on that team was special. Chris Jackson might have been playing today but then? It was Mutombo and some hard running role players with hustle. That said...I ****ed with Robert Pack pretty heavily for a while.

Robert Pack was one of my favorite dunkers, dude had mad hops. He also "Packed" a punch :oldlol: definitely not one to mess with.

[90sgoat]

Mutombo was basically Gobert only bigger and better in every aspect.

Not so strange that Gobert could deliver an upset

[Norcaliblunt]

Mount Mutombo

[Reggie43]

Deke was arguably the goat interior defender and was playing at his best in that series.

[StrongLurk]

So Mutumbo and Robert Pack were enough to beat the 1 seeded Sonics?

Lets be real, Sonics choked hard as hell.

[BigShotBob]

You only needed like two wins to advance to the second round during those days anyways.

But what people don't know is that the 94' Sonics team was probably their best team, even better than the 96' Finals iteration.

[JohnnySic]

You only needed like two wins to advance to the second round during those days anyways.

But what people don't know is that the 94' Sonics team was probably their best team, even better than the 96' Finals iteration.
Yep. That Sonics team peaked in '93 and '94, its just that Hakeem, Barkley, Mutombo, etc, were standing in the way.

Everyone remembers the '96 team; they got to the finals largely because the competition had faded.

[StrongLurk]

Yep. That Sonics team peaked in '93 and '94, its just that Hakeem, Barkley, Mutombo, etc, were standing in the way.

Everyone remembers the '96 team; they got to the finals largely because the competition had faded.

Same for the Jazz too, they had better teams than their 97/98 versions.

The NBA really did lack talent the most of the modern era between 94-2000.

[Smoke117]

Mutombo was basically Gobert only bigger and better in every aspect.

Not so strange that Gobert could deliver an upset

Not really. He couldn't switch on to perimeter players like Gobert can. He never had the foot speed, too. In fact, he didn't even guard guys like Hakeem and Robinson the majority of the time because of how much quicker they were than him. With the way defenses are now, Gobert is a better defensive player for this era.

[warriorfan]

Lebron struggles against legit rim protectors. Mutumbo would give him nightmares

[Doranku]

Dikembe had 31 blocks in 5 games. :bowdown:

[Kblaze8855]

Not really. He couldn't switch on to perimeter players like Gobert can. He never had the foot speed, too. In fact, he didn't even guard guys like Hakeem and Robinson the majority of the time because of how much quicker they were than him. With the way defenses are now, Gobert is a better defensive player for this era.


Its hard to say what Mutombos place would be at times. There are plenty of teams this would never happen against:





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Because they would have kicked it out to Stackhouse in the corner for the 3 after the first block.

[Smoke117]

Not really. He couldn't switch on to perimeter players like Gobert can. He never had the foot speed, too. In fact, he didn't even guard guys like Hakeem and Robinson the majority of the time because of how much quicker they were than him. With the way defenses are now, Gobert is a better defensive player for this era.

Oops. With the way offenses* are played now...

On that note, David Robinson is probably the Center from the 90s who would do the best in this era. He loved running up and down the floor and would be able to switch onto the perimeter like nothing with his agility. He even had some range on his jump shot that he could easily have extended to 3pt range in this era. (made 10/29 in the 94 season .345%)

[sdot_thadon]

Yep. That Sonics team peaked in '93 and '94, its just that Hakeem, Barkley, Mutombo, etc, were standing in the way.

Everyone remembers the '96 team; they got to the finals largely because the competition had faded.
Definitely was the other way around for us, the Sonics were in the Rockets way back in those days and we were lucky we didn't see them in 94. That's the 1st time I ever celebrated a series win for a team I wasn't a fan of.:lol

[Gotterdammerung]

Definitely was the other way around for us, the Sonics were in the Rockets way back in those days and we were lucky we didn't see them in 94. That's the 1st time I ever celebrated a series win for a team I wasn't a fan of.:lol

Correct. I watched both the 1993 and the 1996 playoff series between the Sonics and the Rockets. It was plain that the Sonics' scrambling defense totally discombobulated the Rockets' inside-out offense, because they could trap Hakeem and then jump on his passing angles. They also made it difficult for the Rockets' guards to properly pass the ball to Hakeem when he was in prime post-up position.

Once the Rockets got Barkley, they finally cracked the Sonics with his dribbling skills from the perimeter. They couldn't trap him that far out because he could swing the ball and find the open man.

As for the Nuggets' upset of the Sonics - they completely shut down the Sonics' halfcourt offense, thanks to Mt. Mutombo, but also they had a very athletic and deep team capable of scrambling with the Sonics' pressing defense. Pack, Ellis, Brian Williams, etc., were athletic live wire bodies.
:cheers:

[Stringer Bell]

Seattle had a reputation for being shaky and unstable before 96

[GimmeThat]

motion offense weren't as popular then due to the overall fitness level. limiting 2 for 1 executions

[StrongLurk]

[QUOTE=Stringer Bell]Seattle had a reputation for being shaky and unstable before 96

[Round Mound]

[B]I remeber that i couldn

[SouBeachTalents]

Gary is easily one of my least favorite players ever. He always thought he was WAY BETTER than he actually was.
He did put the clamps on Jordan in the Finals though

[Bawkish]

He did put the clamps on Jordan in the Finals though

not entirely true

just like saying Kawhi clamped down Giannis during ECF

it's more like a team effort, with GP leading the way

https://youtu.be/7WpkXlrJxtw

[Smoke117]

[QUOTE=Round Mound][B]I remeber that i couldn

[sportjames23]

So Mutumbo and Robert Pack were enough to beat the 1 seeded Sonics?

Lets be real, Sonics choked hard as hell.

No doubt Seattle choked hard. They were up 2-0 on the Nuggets and just needed one more win to move on, since the First Round was best of 5 back then. To this day, it's one of the biggest collapses in sports I've ever seen.

But the Rockets should be thanking the Nuggets forever for that upset. Seattle owned the shit outta Houston during Dream's years with the team. They most likely would've beat Houston had they met in the playoffs that year (and Seattle played like they did all season).

[sportjames23]

[QUOTE=Round Mound][B]I remeber that i couldn

[Gotterdammerung]

No doubt Seattle choked hard. They were up 2-0 on the Nuggets and just needed one more win to move on, since the First Round was best of 5 back then. To this day, it's one of the biggest collapses in sports I've ever seen.

But the Rockets should be thanking the Nuggets forever for that upset. Seattle owned the shit outta Houston during Dream's years with the team. They most likely would've beat Houston had they met in the playoffs that year (and Seattle played like they did all season).
They went seven games in the 1993 playoffs and Game 7 was decided on a bad call. :facepalm

[JBSptfn]

[QUOTE=Stringer Bell]Seattle had a reputation for being shaky and unstable before 96

[90sgoat]

Mutombo might be slower than Gobert, but he was also significantly bigger.

7'2'' and massive.

http://www.contactmusic.com/pics/lf/celebrating_world_malaria_day_240412/shaquille-oneal-and-dikembe-mutombo-attending-a_3843942.jpg

I guess he compares to Joel Embiid who is about the same size, but a little smaller.

Embiid also has these games where he is just shutting down the paint.

Mutombo was also serviceable on offense, particularly in his late career, in the weak east, where he suddenly began looking like a viable offensive player. Better than Gobert on that end for sure.

[NugzFan]

You only needed like two wins to advance to the second round during those days anyways.

But what people don't know is that the 94' Sonics team was probably their best team, even better than the 96' Finals iteration.

[Rico2016]

The Sonics are one of those terribad teams that found a way into a lucky Finals, outplayed Michael Jordan with Shawn Kemp at the helm, but the mighty Bulls STRENGTH IN NUMBERS prevailed by out mustering the mighty Supersonics.

Kemp > Jordan
Bulls > Sonics

And the rest is history, or say they say it is anyways. Here we are, 20 years later writing about the "great" or should I say "NOT great" Sonics.

Fun Fact: The 1996 Bulls played the Sonics in the Finals. Yep, the Sonics made a Finals some how some way.

[Rico2016]

[QUOTE=NugzFan]

[Stringer Bell]

[QUOTE=NugzFan]

[superduper]

For Big Shot Bob, everything requiring brain power in any capacity is far too difficult a task. Lest you task him with more easy-to-do challenges, such as spelling his first (but not last) name.

Why did this account start posting more with Corp, SpaceJam2 banned?

[sportjames23]

Why did this account start posting more with Corp, SpaceJam2 banned?

Right?