POLL: Scottie Durant vs. peak Hakeem

[Jim Naismith]

Scottie Durant combines the best qualities of Scottie Pippen and Kevin Durant.

Would you take Scottie Durant or peak Hakeem Olajuwon?

[Jim Naismith]

Scottie Durant combines the best qualities of Scottie Pippen and Kevin Durant.

Would you take Scottie Durant or peak Hakeem Olajuwon?

I voted for Hakeem.

I consider Hakeem's offense to be roughly equal to Durant's.

Hakeem is an excellent post defender, whereas Pippen is an excellent perimeter defender. Thus Hakeem has a clear edge in defensive impact.

[ushvinder88]

Durant is far more efficient offensively than hakeem ever was.

[rich316]

Scottie Durant is comfortably the GOAT talent-wise IMO, so him easily. Pip was a better facilitator than Durant has been up to this point in his career and a better defender, although Durant has taken strides in those areas this year I don't think he's on Pippen's level there yet.

[rich316]

Pippen was also probably a little more athletically explosive. Durant is a phenomenal athlete and can do everything he needs to do, but it's mostly because of his length and coordination/quickness. I don't think he has quite the same run/jump/endurance package as Pip.

[colts18]

Scottie Durant is better than any player in history.

[Laimbeer]

Scottie Durant is better than any player in history.

Jordan is better offensively and has far greater intangibles.

[colts18]

Scottie Durant is better than any player in history.

Jordan is better offensively and has far greater intangibles.

Durant is already close to MJ offensively. If you gave Durant, Pippen's passing, ballhandling, and post play, he is probably better on offense. Pippen is also more athletic so that adds to Durant's game. On defense, Pippen's D with Durant's 6' 11 frame and long arms is by far the best non-center defender.

[Jim Naismith]

Scottie Durant is better than any player in history.

Jordan is better offensively and has far greater intangibles.

Durant is already close to MJ offensively. If you gave Durant, Pippen's passing, ballhandling, and post play, he is probably better on offense. Pippen is also more athletic so that adds to Durant's game. On defense, Pippen's D with Durant's 6' 11 frame and long arms is by far the best non-center defender.

But the comparison here is against Hakeem, who is a center.

Defensively, Hakeem is superior.

[CousinOfDeath]

Scottie Durant combines the best qualities of Scottie Pippen and Kevin Durant.

Would you take Scottie Durant or peak Hakeem Olajuwon?

I voted for Hakeem.

I consider Hakeem's offense to be roughly equal to Durant's.

Hakeem is an excellent post defender, whereas Pippen is an excellent perimeter defender. Thus Hakeem has a clear edge in defensive impact.

It's not even close to Durant's.

[Jim Naismith]

Scottie Durant combines the best qualities of Scottie Pippen and Kevin Durant.

Would you take Scottie Durant or peak Hakeem Olajuwon?

I voted for Hakeem.

I consider Hakeem's offense to be roughly equal to Durant's.

Hakeem is an excellent post defender, whereas Pippen is an excellent perimeter defender. Thus Hakeem has a clear edge in defensive impact.

It's not even close to Durant's.

Actually, peak Hakeem beats Durant in the playoff PER, even if you discount Hakeem's astronomical 39.0 PER in 1988.

Top playoff PERs for Hakeem
39.0, 28.5, 27.7, 26.7, 26.7

Top playoff PERs for Durant
27.5, 26.0, 24.1

[ushvinder88]

I thought we are talking peak hakeem, now you are going to bring in his entire career against a 25 year old durant? Durant is the better offensive player, period.

[nikomCH]

I think you need to do some more research on Hakeem if you think his offense was anywhere near as good as Durant's is right now. He would have been the undisputed GOAT if he was on Durant's level offensively

[Jim Naismith]

I thought we are talking peak hakeem, now you are going to bring in his entire career against a 25 year old durant? Durant is the better offensive player, period.

Hakeem's playoff PERs in his peak (1993-95) were: 26.7, 27.7, 26.7

Durant's highest playoff PER (2013) is 27.5.

It's not clear that Durant is better offensively, especially in the playoffs.

[sixerswillrule]

I thought we are talking peak hakeem, now you are going to bring in his entire career against a 25 year old durant? Durant is the better offensive player, period.

Hakeem's playoff PERs in his peak (1993-95) were: 26.7, 27.7, 26.7

Durant's highest playoff PER (2013) is 27.5.

It's not clear that Durant is better offensively, especially in the playoffs.

Fixed: It's not clear that Durant is better in terms of PER, especially in the playoffs.

PER includes rebounds, blocks, etc.

2012-13 Durant ORTG: 122, 2013-14 Durant ORTG: 124

Hakeem 92-95 RS ORTG: 111

2011 Durant Playoffs ORTG: 119, 2012 Durant Playoffs ORTG: 119

Hakeem 93-95 Playoffs ORTG: 111

It is clear that Durant is better offensively.

[Jim Naismith]

Hakeem's playoff PERs in his peak (1993-95) were: 26.7, 27.7, 26.7

Durant's highest playoff PER (2013) is 27.5.

It's not clear that Durant is better offensively, especially in the playoffs.

Fixed: It's not clear that Durant is better in terms of PER, especially in the playoffs.

PER includes rebounds, blocks, etc.

2012-13 Durant ORTG: 122, 2013-14 Durant ORTG: 124

Hakeem 92-95 RS ORTG: 111

2011 Durant Playoffs ORTG: 119, 2012 Durant Playoffs ORTG: 119

Hakeem 93-95 Playoffs ORTG: 111

It is clear that Durant is better offensively.

ORtg is not the best measure of offensive prowess.

Tyson Chandler is #1, #4, and #7 on the list of best ORtg seasons.

The highest position Jordan reached on the same list was #36. By your logic, Chandler >>> Jordan.

[sixerswillrule]

Hakeem's playoff PERs in his peak (1993-95) were: 26.7, 27.7, 26.7

Durant's highest playoff PER (2013) is 27.5.

It's not clear that Durant is better offensively, especially in the playoffs.

Fixed: It's not clear that Durant is better in terms of PER, especially in the playoffs.

PER includes rebounds, blocks, etc.

2012-13 Durant ORTG: 122, 2013-14 Durant ORTG: 124

Hakeem 92-95 RS ORTG: 111

2011 Durant Playoffs ORTG: 119, 2012 Durant Playoffs ORTG: 119

Hakeem 93-95 Playoffs ORTG: 111

It is clear that Durant is better offensively.

ORtg is not the best measure of offensive prowess.

Tyson Chandler is #1, #4, and #7 on the list of best ORtg seasons.

The highest position Jordan reached on the same list was #36. By your logic, Chandler >>> Jordan.

There's this thing called volume that's also taken into consideration. You can also compare Durant's to Hakeem's.

[Jim Naismith]

There's this thing called volume that's also taken into consideration. You can also compare Durant's to Hakeem's.

Picking years with nearly the same USG%:

Again not clear that Durant separates himself from Olajuwon in playoffs.

2013 Durant USG% = 31.9%, ORtg = 112
1994 Hakeem USG% = 31.4%, ORtg = 109

I do grant that, in RS, Durant is clearly better:

2013 Durant USG% = 29.8%, ORtg = 122
1994 Hakeem USG% = 29.8%, ORtg = 109

[sixerswillrule]

There's this thing called volume that's also taken into consideration. You can also compare Durant's to Hakeem's.

Picking years with nearly the same USG%:

Again not clear that Durant separates himself from Olajuwon in playoffs.

2013 Durant USG% = 31.9%, ORtg = 112
1994 Hakeem USG% = 31.4%, ORtg = 109

I do grant that, in RS, Durant is clearly better:

2013 Durant USG% = 29.8%, ORtg = 122
1994 Hakeem USG% = 29.8%, ORtg = 109

That's one playoffs. Durant has had multiple playoffs with significantly higher ortg like I already posted, and multiple seasons with significantly higher ortg. 1 playoffs that is close (and for a 25 year old who still has several prime years ahead like someone mentioned) does not change the fact that he is clearly a better offensive player than Hakeem.

[Jim Naismith]

There's this thing called volume that's also taken into consideration. You can also compare Durant's to Hakeem's.

Picking years with nearly the same USG%:

Again not clear that Durant separates himself from Olajuwon in playoffs.

2013 Durant USG% = 31.9%, ORtg = 112
1994 Hakeem USG% = 31.4%, ORtg = 109

I do grant that, in RS, Durant is clearly better:

2013 Durant USG% = 29.8%, ORtg = 122
1994 Hakeem USG% = 29.8%, ORtg = 109

That's one playoffs. Durant has had multiple playoffs with significantly higher ortg like I already posted, and multiple seasons with significantly higher ortg. 1 playoffs that is close (and for a 25 year old who still has several prime years ahead like someone mentioned) does not change the fact that he is clearly a better offensive player than Hakeem.

Since you brought up age, at ages 23 and 24, in the playoffs:

Hakeem 1986 ORtg = 119
Hakeem 1987 ORtg = 123

Durant 2012 ORtg = 119
Durant 2013 ORtg = 112

In the regular season, Durant has the edge. I don't think it's a clear edge to Durant in the playoffs.