Why do the 96-97 Rockets get a pass?

[TheMarkMadsen]

A team with 2 top 15 players of all time, not to mention Clyde Drexler, Kevin Wills & Mario Elie missing the finals?

Hakeem was one year removed from b2b FMVPS, Barkely was coming off a 23 & 12 year in Phoenix..

Barkley's playoff stats: 18 & 12 on 43%

Hakeems playoff stats: 23 & 11 on 59%

Drexler playoff stats: 18 6 & 5 on 44%

they lost in the WCF to the Jazz with Hakeem putting up 27ppg on 59% shooting, while Barkley's production dipped to 16 & 11 on 43% shooting.

Barkley had enough help to make the finals and potentially win..

what happened?

[jzek]

Because it's Jordan's league again and everyone gets a pass.

Hakeem was so lucky Jordan retired TBH. He would have suffered the same fate as Barkley, Ewing, Malone, Reggie, etc.

[millwad]

Because it's Jordan's league again and everyone gets a pass.

Hakeem was so lucky Jordan retired TBH. He would have suffered the same fate as Barkley, Ewing, Malone, Reggie, etc.

Hakeem had a winning record against Jordan, educate yourself.

[Legends66NBA7]

They don't get a pass, at all. Neither does the Hakeem/Barkley/Pippen experiment, even though that team was a little older.

Plus, the final nail to that team was a big time shot by John Stockton.

[millwad]

A team with 2 top 15 players of all time, not to mention Clyde Drexler, Kevin Wills & Mario Elie missing the finals?

Hakeem was one year removed from b2b FMVPS, Barkely was coming off a 23 & 12 year in Phoenix..

Barkley's playoff stats: 18 & 12 on 43%

Hakeems playoff stats: 23 & 11 on 59%

Drexler playoff stats: 18 6 & 5 on 44%

they lost in the WCF to the Jazz with Hakeem putting up 27ppg on 59% shooting, while Barkley's production dipped to 16 & 11 on 43% shooting.

Barkley had enough help to make the finals and potentially win..

what happened?

Matt Maloney happened, the worst point guard of all-time and Barkley wasn't healthy. Age was a factor as well, Olajuwon and Drexler were 34 years old.

[HomieWeMajor]

Charles Barkley is the most 'skilled' Power Forward EVER and if any of you say a bad word against him there will be a paragraph of bold text heading your way !

[Marchesk]

Charles Barkley is the most 'skilled' Power Forward EVER and if any of you say a bad word against him there will be a paragraph of bold text heading your way !

One wall of text is all you got? Weak sauce.

[Poetry]

Matt Maloney happened.

Glad to see people around here actually remember

[SilkkTheShocker]

Sedale Theratt was absolutely carved up by Stockton at the end of game 6.

[TheMarkMadsen]

If TD, KG & Paul Pierce join forces at 33 & 34 YO are we talking a championnship?

[Legends66NBA7]

If TD, KG & Paul Pierce join forces at 33 & 34 YO are we talking a championnship?

Definitely.

That's like... one of the best front court combinations, maybe ever ? Off course, it depends on how they handle the 82 game regular season stretch and all 3 players are healthy. Plus, in the playoff neither of the 3 getting banged up even more.

Chemistry shouldn't be a problem with this team, both Duncan and Garnett are pretty unselfish, me-first type players. Pierce also has no problem in dividing his offensive load.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Pierce is close to done IMO. He looked really slow out there last year

[fpliii]

Pierce is close to done IMO. He looked really slow out there last year

Agreed, I think he'll be best served as a spot up shooter in limited minutes off the bench.

[sportjames23]

Hakeem had a winning record against Jordan, educate yourself.

What's that got to do with this? Regular season records don't mean shit in the playoffs.

[Poetry]

Sedale Theratt was absolutely carved up by Stockton at the end of game 6.

I have a lot of fond memories of basketball during the 90s and Stock's performance in the 4th is still one of the most memorable for me (he was great the entire series).

He came alive for something like 11 points down the stretch and absolutely willed them to win.

I hated seeing Barkley lose that game, but i liked Stock just as much. It's a bittersweet memory for me.