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  1. #1
    7-time NBA All-Star
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    Default Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    I hear a lot of people call him overrated and say that Grant Hill was much better, but if I had to choose one of them in their primes, I'd take Hardaway. Penny was one of the best 6'7" passers ever, could easily play either guard position and some small forward at either end, he was an excellent post up guard, he was great in the open court, he could hit 3's, he was excellent at penetrating and he was a very good defender.

    In his short prime, Hardaway made back to back all-nba teams and finished 3rd in MVP voting in 1996.

    Proving he wasn't just Shaq's sidekick.
    Shaq was injured to start the 1995-1996 season, but Penny led Orlando to a 17-5 record to start the season. He won the player of the month award for November by averaging 27 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 6.5 apg, 2.2 spg and 1 bpg on 51% shooting proving he could step up and carry a heavier load if needed. Orlando finished with 60 wins as Penny played all 82 games and led Orlando to a 20-8 record without Shaq.

    The next season, Shaq left for the Lakers and Penny struggled through an injury-plagued season, but Orlando was still 38-21 with Penny in the lineup. Shaq had been replaced by Rony Seikaly who was coming off back to back injury-plagued seasons where he averaged just 12 ppg and 7-8 rpg. At age 31, Seikaly averaged a career high 17.3 ppg playing alongside Penny Hardaway.

    The injuries also piled up for the Magic. Horace Grant missed 15 games, Nick Anderson missed 19 games and Dennis Scott missed 16 games. By that point, the missed free throws had affected Nick so much that he was a 40% free throw shooter(down from 70%) and he shot below 40% from the field(as did Dennis Scott). Somehow, Penny had this Magic team on pace for 53 wins in the games he played. Without Penny, they were just 7-16.

    In the 1995 finals, Penny averaged 25.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 8 apg on 50% shooting.

    The 1997 playoffs
    He averaged 31/6/3 in the playoffs and he took Pat Riley's Heat to the maximum 5 games. Down 0-2, Penny erupted for 42 points in game 3 and 41 points in game 4 to push the series to a decisive 5th game. Penny had 33/6/10 in game 5, but the Magic were overmatched. The Heat had won 61 games in the regular season led by the superstar duo of Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway and the Magic were without Rony Seikaly in game 5. Despite that, Orlando only lost by 8.

    In game 3, Penny carried Orlando to a win facing elimination despite Rony Seikaly, Dennis Scott and Nick Anderson combining for 4 points on 2 for 13 shooting. In game 4, Orlando won despite Rony Seikaly being out and Anderson and Scott combing for just 10 points on 4 for 13 shooting. Penny became the first player in NBA history to score 40 points in back to back playoff teams that his team scored less than 100 points in.

    Penny proved he was capable of being a franchise player in 1996 when he led the team without Shaq and finished 3rd in MVP voting as well as 1997 when he carried a severely undermanned and overmatched team vs a great Heat team. That team had no business taking Miami to a decisive 5th game. Look at what Penny's 3 best teammates from the regular season did in the series.

    Rony Seikaly- 6.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1 bpg, 0 apg, 31.8 FG%(played just 3 games)
    Nick Anderson- 5.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 0.8 apg, 33.3 FG%
    Dennis Scott- 3 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1 apg, 26.1 FG%

    We got some false hope of Penny returning to form in Phoenix. Penny averaged 16.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.3 apg and 1.6 spg on 47.4% shooting. Unfortunately, he and Jason Kidd only played together in 45 games(Phoenix was 33-12 in those games). That's a 60 win pace. Penny stepped up in Kidd's absence in the first round of the 2000 playoffs. With Kidd only playing 1 game, Penny averaged 19 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.8 apg, 1.8 spg and 1 bpg to lead Phoenix to a sweep over a Duncan-less Spurs team. He continued his strong play in round 2 vs the Lakers averaging 21.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.4 spg and 1 bpg on 49% shooting. He finished the 2000 playoffs with averages of 20.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 5.7 apg, 1.6 spg and 1 bpg on 46% shooting.

    After playing in just 4 games in 2001, Hardaway was finally healthy in 2002 and he played 80 games. He started off very strong averaging 19.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 4.6 apg in November. Unfortunately, Penny's playing time decreased as Phoenix tried to get Joe Johnson some more playing time.

    I have no doubt that Penny would have been a hall of famer had he not had that knee injury in the 1997-1998 season. He was skilled, versatile, unselfish, athletic and unlike many star perimeter players, a winner.

  2. #2
    Blu Ray
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    Define "very good defender". I've been under the impression that he was a below average defender who relied on passing lanes. Much like CP3.

  3. #3
    Value Ape.
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    Penny & Shaq splitting are as much a tragedy in my mind as KG & Starburry.
    You get the feeling that they are the next generation and could be golden and then they are just not.
    Last edited by momo; 02-21-2010 at 03:52 AM.

  4. #4
    15-1 zizozain's Avatar
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    appreciatiing


  5. #5
    high flyer AirJordan&Magic's Avatar
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by ShaqAttack3234
    I hear a lot of people call him overrated and say that Grant Hill was much better, but if I had to choose one of them in their primes, I'd take Hardaway. Penny was one of the best 6'7" passers ever, could easily play either guard position and some small forward at either end, he was an excellent post up guard, he was great in the open court, he could hit 3's, he was excellent at penetrating and he was a very good defender.

    In his short prime, Hardaway made back to back all-nba teams and finished 3rd in MVP voting in 1996.

    Proving he wasn't just Shaq's sidekick.
    Shaq was injured to start the 1995-1996 season, but Penny led Orlando to a 17-5 record to start the season. He won the player of the month award for November by averaging 27 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 6.5 apg, 2.2 spg and 1 bpg on 51% shooting proving he could step up and carry a heavier load if needed. Orlando finished with 60 wins as Penny played all 82 games and led Orlando to a 20-8 record without Shaq.

    The next season, Shaq left for the Lakers and Penny struggled through an injury-plagued season, but Orlando was still 38-21 with Penny in the lineup. Shaq had been replaced by Rony Seikaly who was coming off back to back injury-plagued seasons where he averaged just 12 ppg and 7-8 rpg. At age 31, Seikaly averaged a career high 17.3 ppg playing alongside Penny Hardaway.

    The injuries also piled up for the Magic. Horace Grant missed 15 games, Nick Anderson missed 19 games and Dennis Scott missed 16 games. By that point, the missed free throws had affected Nick so much that he was a 40% free throw shooter(down from 70%) and he shot below 40% from the field(as did Dennis Scott). Somehow, Penny had this Magic team on pace for 53 wins in the games he played. Without Penny, they were just 7-16.

    In the 1995 finals, Penny averaged 25.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg and 8 apg on 50% shooting.

    The 1997 playoffs
    He averaged 31/6/3 in the playoffs and he took Pat Riley's Heat to the maximum 5 games. Down 0-2, Penny erupted for 42 points in game 3 and 41 points in game 4 to push the series to a decisive 5th game. Penny had 33/6/10 in game 5, but the Magic were overmatched. The Heat had won 61 games in the regular season led by the superstar duo of Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway and the Magic were without Rony Seikaly in game 5. Despite that, Orlando only lost by 8.

    In game 3, Penny carried Orlando to a win facing elimination despite Rony Seikaly, Dennis Scott and Nick Anderson combining for 4 points on 2 for 13 shooting. In game 4, Orlando won despite Rony Seikaly being out and Anderson and Scott combing for just 10 points on 4 for 13 shooting. Penny became the first player in NBA history to score 40 points in back to back playoff teams that his team scored less than 100 points in.

    Penny proved he was capable of being a franchise player in 1996 when he led the team without Shaq and finished 3rd in MVP voting as well as 1997 when he carried a severely undermanned and overmatched team vs a great Heat team. That team had no business taking Miami to a decisive 5th game. Look at what Penny's 3 best teammates from the regular season did in the series.

    Rony Seikaly- 6.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1 bpg, 0 apg, 31.8 FG%(played just 3 games)
    Nick Anderson- 5.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 0.8 apg, 33.3 FG%
    Dennis Scott- 3 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1 apg, 26.1 FG%

    We got some false hope of Penny returning to form in Phoenix. Penny averaged 16.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.3 apg and 1.6 spg on 47.4% shooting. Unfortunately, he and Jason Kidd only played together in 45 games(Phoenix was 33-12 in those games). That's a 60 win pace. Penny stepped up in Kidd's absence in the first round of the 2000 playoffs. With Kidd only playing 1 game, Penny averaged 19 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.8 apg, 1.8 spg and 1 bpg to lead Phoenix to a sweep over a Duncan-less Spurs team. He continued his strong play in round 2 vs the Lakers averaging 21.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.4 spg and 1 bpg on 49% shooting. He finished the 2000 playoffs with averages of 20.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 5.7 apg, 1.6 spg and 1 bpg on 46% shooting.

    After playing in just 4 games in 2001, Hardaway was finally healthy in 2002 and he played 80 games. He started off very strong averaging 19.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 4.6 apg in November. Unfortunately, Penny's playing time decreased as Phoenix tried to get Joe Johnson some more playing time.

    I have no doubt that Penny would have been a hall of famer had he not had that knee injury in the 1997-1998 season. He was skilled, versatile, unselfish, athletic and unlike many star perimeter players, a winner.
    Penny was one of my favorite players back in the day...Good to see him being appreciated like this.

  6. #6
    Good High School Starter Rafael Delaget's Avatar
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by pete's montreux
    Define "very good defender". I've been under the impression that he was a below average defender who relied on passing lanes. Much like CP3.
    Not this sh!t again...

  7. #7
    7-time NBA All-Star
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by pete's montreux
    Define "very good defender". I've been under the impression that he was a below average defender who relied on passing lanes. Much like CP3.
    He use to play Jordan tough. he didn't shut him down, but he'd make him work. I think MJ even praised Penny's defense.

  8. #8
    Blu Ray
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by ShaqAttack3234
    He use to play Jordan tough. he didn't shut him down, but he'd make him work. I think MJ even praised Penny's defense.
    I think a lot of people tried to work extra hard when you're up against an elite player, but does that mean he was the same the other 80 games in a season? I don't know, you tell me.

  9. #9
    Very good NBA starter
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    Having been born in '85 and going through much of the NBA experience in the 90's, AH was probably my favorite player growing up, at least top-3. One of the only jerseys I ever owned, was a Hardaway Orlando Jersey. Still have a nice Penny poster rolled up somewhere from the Jam Session here in SA back in 1996... His skills and explosiveness, at his height and stature, were amazing. He was just a joy to watch... I haven't seen him overrated too much (lately at least), rather, injuries cost him and it's undeniable... Penny was the man though

  10. #10
    Not airballing my layups anymore D3vIrGiNiz3r's Avatar
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    He was a beast in his early Orlando career.

    It was when he stopped being a playmaker and decided he wanted to be a primary scorer that he started to decline.

    On a sidenote, if he hadn't wowed the Magic front office with his so called amazing work out, the Magic may have selected Webber with their pick instead of trading it to GS.

    Imagine Shaq and Webber (one of the best passing big men ever) playing next to eachother for a decade? I don't know if Shaq bolts to LA, but it would have been pretty awesome to watch that team with Dennis Scott and Nick Anderson.

  11. #11
    Local High School Star Alhazred's Avatar
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    Thumbs up Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    I gave your thread five stars, Shaqattack. I haven't seen anyone show Penny much love since the late 90s.

  12. #12
    2nd Greatest Player Lebron23's Avatar
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    Don't forget Lil Penny.



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK88MQWsYj8

    He was also one of my favorite NBA Players when I was growing up.

  13. #13
    Celtics for life west's Avatar
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    Penny and Shaq was a big part of my childhood.

  14. #14
    3-Point Champion
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    I don't appreciate any NBA player who only had a couple of allstar caliber seasons. Overrated.

  15. #15
    7-time NBA All-Star
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    Default Re: Penny Hardaway appreciation thread

    Quote Originally Posted by pete's montreux
    I think a lot of people tried to work extra hard when you're up against an elite player, but does that mean he was the same the other 80 games in a season? I don't know, you tell me.
    Yes, Penny's defense was always quite good. He wasn't lazy on his man defense and I remember him being better than Hill in that aspect.

    Quote Originally Posted by B-Diddy=2Easy
    I don't appreciate any NBA player who only had a couple of allstar caliber seasons. Overrated.
    You don't appreciate him because you're not old enough to have seen him. He was only healthy for a few seasons. Penny in his prime was not overrated.

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