1995 Shaq vs 1986 Hakeem

[rand]

Without knowing anything about the era or teammates, which player would you rather have to build your team around for one season?

[wafflzgod]

Pretty comfortable in 95 Shaq here.

[rk2023]

Might be seen as more of a hot-take, but I'm going with 86 Hakeem here.

viewtopic.php?p=107691402#p107691402

From the T-100 project where Hakeem was voted in at #6 ^^ AEnigma provided a good WOWY shift breakdown from ElGee where Hakeem's 86 grades out very respectable (more of the improvement seems to be on the defensive side, at-least from what I'm getting extrapolating ElGee's estimations with StatMuse queries). Pragmatically, Hakeem not even at his full form is the leading scorer on a solid offense while ceiling raising them and being Houston's best defender. This doesn't even get into the PS where Hakeem averaged 30/12/2.3/2.2/3.7 with a 27.1!! GameScore across 11 games inn R2/3 to take Houston to the finals while upsetting the 85/87/88 Champion Lakers. Sure, Houston lost to the 86 Celtics and their absolutely loaded front-court.. but Hakeem and co. put up a good fight I'd say.

[FuShengTHEGreat]

Hakeem. 95 Shaq let Orlando go out like chumps when they shouldn't have.

[OhayoKD]

Pretty comfortable in 95 Shaq here.

For your consideration
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=2312865

[homecourtloss]

Pretty comfortable in 95 Shaq here.

For your consideration
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=2312865

Really good thread here.

Additionally, that Lakers team was actually a lot better than its SRS shows— in games in which Magic played, that would be a title favorite in most years but 1986 had the 86 Celtics. Winning four in a row vs. that team while being the best defensive player on the court that limited two GOAT level offensive players even though KAJ was older…it’s just incredibly impressive.

Winning 6 out of 11 games vs. essentially an +8 SRS team and a +9 SRS GoAT team…It’s more impressive than taking the 1990 Detroit team that’s not as good as either the 86 Lakers or 86 Celtics to 7 games and having a good series vs. a good Sixers team.

Beating that Lakers team in five games, winning Four in a Row, and handling the peak Lakers Dynasty better than any team ever did is super impressive.

Here’s what the ‘85—‘87 Lakers did in the playoffs:

1985 Lakers vs.Suns: +18.7 NRtg, 124.6 ORtg
1985 Lakers vs. Blazers: +10.2 NRtg, 117.9 ORtg
1985 Lakers vs. Nuggets: +10.8 NRtg, 117.4 ORtg
1985 Lakers vs. Celtics: +2.5 NRtg, 112.3 ORtg

1986 Lakers vs. Spurs: +31.4 NRtg, 122.7 ORtg
1986 Lakers vs. Mavs: +5.1 NRtg, 119.7 ORtg
1986 Lakers vs. Rockets: -3.6 NRtg, 107.4 ORtg

1987 Lakers vs. Nuggets: +25.2 NRtg, 125.1 ORtg
1987 Lakers vs. Warriors: +10.5 NRtg, 121.7 ORtg
1987 Lakers vs. Sonics: +11.4 NRtg, 117.2 ORtg
1987 Lakers vs. Celtics: +4.3 NRtg, 118.4 ORtg

NOBODY could stop that Lakers offense—the 1985 Celtics slowed them a little, but the Rockets did something pretty extraordinary in 1986 that really doesn’t get celebrated enough

[Harry Palmer]

Said it before, I’ll say it again; Hakeem had the most complete, relentless end to end 3 dimensional impact on the games he played of any player I have ever seen. Probably the greatest defender ever, coupled with freak athleticism (if your memories are all of his post-30’s ‘prime’ do yourself a favour and watch his earlier games/highlights, he was playing above the rim maybe more than any player ever) and an unparalleled skill set on offence, the numbers he put up in playoff series he lost with the worst supporting cast of anyone who even sniffs the top 10 are just as astounding as the numbers he put up winning. He was the guy Jordan said he feared, he was the only guy Shaq said he couldn’t break, he was the guy as a teenager Moses Malone said was the strongest man he’d ever faced, he was the guy beating prime Showtime Lakers and being a Sampson injury and ejection away from beating what many consider the greatest Celtics team/or just greatest period in the Finals just 4 years after picking up a basketball for the first time.

[ShaqAttac]

Pretty comfortable in 95 Shaq here.

For your consideration
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=2312865

Really good thread here.

Additionally, that Lakers team was actually a lot better than its SRS shows— in games in which Magic played, that would be a title favorite in most years but 1986 had the 86 Celtics. Winning four in a row vs. that team while being the best defensive player on the court that limited two GOAT level offensive players even though KAJ was older…it’s just incredibly impressive.

Winning 6 out of 11 games vs. essentially an +8 SRS team and a +9 SRS GoAT team…It’s more impressive than taking the 1990 Detroit team that’s not as good as either the 86 Lakers or 86 Celtics to 7 games and having a good series vs. a good Sixers team.

Beating that Lakers team in five games, winning Four in a Row, and handling the peak Lakers Dynasty better than any team ever did is super impressive.

Here’s what the ‘85—‘87 Lakers did in the playoffs:

1985 Lakers vs.Suns: +18.7 NRtg, 124.6 ORtg
1985 Lakers vs. Blazers: +10.2 NRtg, 117.9 ORtg
1985 Lakers vs. Nuggets: +10.8 NRtg, 117.4 ORtg
1985 Lakers vs. Celtics: +2.5 NRtg, 112.3 ORtg

1986 Lakers vs. Spurs: +31.4 NRtg, 122.7 ORtg
1986 Lakers vs. Mavs: +5.1 NRtg, 119.7 ORtg
1986 Lakers vs. Rockets: -3.6 NRtg, 107.4 ORtg

1987 Lakers vs. Nuggets: +25.2 NRtg, 125.1 ORtg
1987 Lakers vs. Warriors: +10.5 NRtg, 121.7 ORtg
1987 Lakers vs. Sonics: +11.4 NRtg, 117.2 ORtg
1987 Lakers vs. Celtics: +4.3 NRtg, 118.4 ORtg

NOBODY could stop that Lakers offense—the 1985 Celtics slowed them a little, but the Rockets did something pretty extraordinary in 1986 that really doesn’t get celebrated enough

dream n bron. sittin in a tree. bein better than mj by age 23!