Top 45 Players of '94

[eminence]

Shaq.

I'm not at all surprised by you or anyone else having him over Mutombo, there is a very clear case to be made (and it's a good one). Malone/Ewing are the two I was surprised he was over (I think I'd put Barkley higher as well, but that's a tricky one). I think it comes down to how we view star young players in their first couple of playoff runs. For me I kind of expect them to 'fail' for the first run or two and treat that as their true level until they show otherwise in the playoffs. And Shaq got tripped up in that IND series.

Agreed on even early Shaq being more valuable defensively than Mutombo ever was offensively.

[JoeMalburg]

Hakeem should wake up every morning and thank Dikembe for the greatest defensive series since Russell.

Hakeem should thank a lot of folks: he should thank John Starks every day for choosing G7 of the '94 Finals to have one of the worst shooting nights of his entire career (because if he doesn't, realistically, it's most likely Patrick Ewing who goes home with a title that night).
He should perhaps thank Dennis Rodman for imploding in the '95 WCF, too.

Hakeem was great in these years, but he wasn't invincible. He had more than his share of good luck to walk away with two rings.

And on that note, Mutombo way too low.

Make the case. Personally, I could see moving him ahead of Grant and maybe Price, but that's about as far as I can see going with him, unless I'm missing something.

The Rockets biggest break in 1994 and 1995 came in the form of Charles Barkley's back injuries. If he is healthy or even close to it, the Suns beat them both years. They probably should have won at least one of those two series anyway, but the Rockets got the better of them by the slimmest of margins both times.

In 1994 Barkley's injury was so bad he was openly contemplating retirement. There was an article written before game seven wondering if it would be Charles' last game.

In 1995 Barkley essentially couldn't jump or bend over and yet he almost went 20/20 as the Rockets escaped with a one-point win on the strength of a clutch shot by Mario Elie.

It's not a popular opinion, but if not for the two Championships, I have Barkley firmly ahead of Hakeem on my all-time list.