Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Shaquille O'Neal - Jerome Solomon says it all

by UofTOrange on Jun 17, 2009 9:54 AM CDT in Blogging stuff

I was thinking about writing something on this, as Shaq's loquaciousness has made some believe that he was the better player than Hakeem was. That's absolutely absurd in my opinion and apparently in Jerome Solomon's as well.

Here is where Shaq is so much less a basketball player than Olajuwon, that we should never talk about it again.

Shaq was swept out of the playoffs six times. SIX times. Swept. And three other times his team won just one game in a series.

I know some around here don't like Mr. Solomon. I, for one, think he and Feigan are the two best writers at the Houston Chronicle. I don't have to agree with everything the man says. He says it with gusto and actually backs up his words. Yes, sometimes it is with opinion, but that's the only thing you have in a lot of cases. If I couldn't write or talk without opinion backing up my points this blog wouldn't exist.

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Solomon is a tool, but he hit a homerun with this one…

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by Mike Kerns on Jun 17, 2009 10:29 AM CDT reply actions

Why Advanced stats suck

I get what Hollinger and Berri and the like are trying to do, but Hakeem is the perfect example of why their systems are flawed. In their systems, Shaq is the “better” player. Anybody whoever watched the two play (including when Hakeem absolutely dismantled Shaq in the finals) knows that the Dream was by far and away, the more dominant player. not only that, but he won his first title without a HOF by his side. Best center ever (well, Wilt was, but he didn’t play against any other great centers).

by Dodgerblue15 on Jun 17, 2009 11:20 AM CDT reply actions

ummm

Not to distract from your point, but Hakeem had a HOFer on his side in 1994.
Robert Horry to be specific.

by grungedave on Jun 17, 2009 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Tru,

True, due to this forum’s rules, but he hadn’t become a HOF yet…=)

by Dodgerblue15 on Jun 17, 2009 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions

Shaq held his own

In the finals matchup, one center averaged 28ppg, 59.5% FG%, 12.5 rpg, 6.25 apg, and 2.5 bpg. The other averaged 33 ppg, 48% FG%, 11.5 rpg, 5.5 apg and 2.0 bpg.

One team dismantled the other team, but neither center dominated the other. And Shaq was just in his third year and still hadn’t reached his prime. I love Dream and would take him on my team over Shaq every day of the week and twice on Sunday, but to say that he was “far and away the more dominant player” is pretty silly.

by forshizzzle on Jun 17, 2009 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions

this I mostly agree with

Sadly for fans of basketball, after the 1999-2000 season, the Fat Ass stopped working on his game. If only he cared like Hakeem did.

by grungedave on Jun 17, 2009 4:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Hakeem> Kazzam

by mutombo4life on Jun 17, 2009 1:13 PM CDT reply actions

This is just a dumb argument.

Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.

by Only_A_Lad on Jun 17, 2009 1:14 PM CDT reply actions

In the future

can we all refrain from using the incredibly bad “Player X’s team did Y” argument?

Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.

by Only_A_Lad on Jun 17, 2009 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions

It's all good though

Shaq has a first round knockout comming his way soon

by mutombo4life on Jun 17, 2009 1:47 PM CDT reply actions

kinda like two years ago eh?

i love san antonio. that series made it sweeter. timmeh!

13 points in 39 seconds. Enough said.

by Duhoh on Jun 17, 2009 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions

you realize

that this is like rooting for the Taliban on the side, right?

Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.

by Only_A_Lad on Jun 17, 2009 5:37 PM CDT up reply actions

haha i dig it. but the spurs did ruin the phoenix franchise possibly for a good LONG time

13 points in 39 seconds. Enough said.

by Duhoh on Jun 17, 2009 8:52 PM CDT up reply actions

nope

I was refering to Shaq’s brainless attempt at MMA

by mutombo4life on Jun 19, 2009 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Hakeem was the better overall player. He is the all-time shot blocker, better defender.

Shaq had better statistics as a a scorere, but Shaq benefitted from a crop of mediocre centers in his prime. An old David Robinson, whoever the Nets had, an old Sabonis, an old Divac, and an old Ewing do not count as great competition. Shaq was the old great center of his time. Duncan, Garnett, and other then young players were PF.

Hakeem had to compete against an MVP David Robinson, young Shaq, and Ewing in his prime and led his team to a championship twice.

by Killer Bee on Jun 20, 2009 10:07 AM CDT reply actions

Just a Reply

I will not begin to compare the two, but for one thing Hakeem is one of only four players in NBA history to record a quadruple-double. He is the only player in NBA history to be the leagues MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and NBA Finals MVP in the same year. He has the Most shot blocks in NBA history. He does have more career assists than Shaq. Hakeem went up against alot of great centers. When he had a chance to play against Kareem, Hakeem just flat outplayed him. Outscoring him, blocking him and so on. He was on the only team to really win in the Jordan era. Should I go on…. Shaq is great bui I would like to think that if one has some co-ordination with his size then they should dominate as well. Hakeem would have run circles around any of the great centers. ANY OF THEM!!!! NO QUESTION!!! Not even Arguable!!!

by trophic on Jun 20, 2009 12:05 PM CDT reply actions