Peaks - Shaq vs. Hakeem

[TheChosen618]

All this talk about Jordan, Lebron, and Shaq as the GOAT peak, what about Hakeem?

Is Peak Shaq even better than Peak Hakeem?

I personally would probably take peak Hakeem over Shaq due to his superior defensive ability, FT shooting, and ability to spread the floor. Shaq is obviously great in his own right, but I prefer Hakeem's skillset.

[BadWolf]

Peak Shaq has a case to be GOAT, peak Dream doesn't.

[Gregoire]

If we talk about playoffs peak, Hakeem have the case over Shaq. Offensive peak Hakeem was almost equal to Shaq and defensively he was clearly better.

[RayBan-Sematra]

I'd take Shaq.

He is a significantly more unstoppable scorer from the field and a significantly better overall offensive anchor.
He is also a much better rebounder.

In terms of defense the gap is small.
Like Kobe Hakeem Peaked defensively before his actual overall Peak.
Hakeem has a clear edge in help defense but Shaq is just as good if not better in terms of post defense & m2m defense.

Overall Peak Shaq was just a complete monster.
On offense he often destroyed double teams & even triple teams were at times ineffective at containing him.
On defense he would control the paint and frustrate guards and in 00 he was busting his ass and showing hard on picks even outside the paint.

Shaq has the GOAT Peak. He earned the title of MDE in 2000.
That year he was better then Jordan, Wilt or anyone else ever was in my book.
Just so dominant.

[LakerLegend]

Peak Shaq has a case to be GOAT, peak Dream doesn't.

Hakeem's peak is arguably as good as ANYONE who ever played. He was just completely dominant on both ends against all time elite competition.

[Gregoire]

My MDE peaks:
1. MJ 90 or 91
2.Wilt 67
3. Shaq 00 and Lebron 13
4 Hakeem 93

[jman23]

I chose Hakeem, because he's a better defender and shooter, also because his go to move the "shake" seemed unstoppable.... Shaq still had an amazing 2001 season though, but it mostly consisted of dunks and alley oops in my eyes(just my opinion)....

[Not Bias]

Numbers say Shaq, but honestly Hakeem faced WAY better competition, so it makes it that much harder to choose. And in 94' Hakeem didn't have a second option nearly as good as Kobe was.

[TheProfessor]

MJ,SHAQ, akeem the dream then LBJ in terms of peak.

[Mr MoJo Risin]

Hakeem fairly easy here.

He was just more polished with his game. He could score outside the paint and his defense is just on another level, where he can cover distance and the basket with blocking shots

[FuShengTHEGreat]

Shaq's peak is overrated. He had moments during his 3 year peak where he faltered big time in the playoffs. Back to back stinkers in Games 6 and 7 vs. Portland in '00. His subpar performance during the '02 WCSF vs. San Antonio. No such problem for peak Hakeem from 92-95. He had nothing remotely as poor as Shaq's '02 vs. SA. Nor anything remotely as poor as Shaq's '00 game 7 WCF performance with his season on the line facing elimination.

It should be noted in 94 and 95, Hakeem faced 3 HOF C's in Ewing, DRob and Shaq over the course of 17 games and was outscored in ZERO games.

Hakeem's runs in either '94 or '95 was superior to any of Shaq's. In '94 he became the only player in NBA history to lead a title team in every major statistical facets (ppg, rpg, bpg, asts, stls). Peak Shaq was never capable of performing all such facets for a playoff team. Nor leading such a unbalance playoff team, Hakeem was also the only player to more than double his 2nd best players' ppg average.

And in '95 which imho is the GOAT individual playoff run by a player to a title, the final HOFer he went through was Shaq himself.

[Mr MoJo Risin]

Shaq's peak is overrated. He had moments during his 3 year peak where he faltered big time in the playoffs. Back to back stinkers in Games 6 and 7 vs. Portland in '00. His subpar performance during the '02 WCSF vs. San Antonio. No such problem for peak Hakeem from 92-95. He had nothing remotely as poor as Shaq's '02 vs. SA. Nor anything remotely as poor as Shaq's '00 game 7 WCF performance with his season on the line facing elimination.

It should be noted in 94 and 95, Hakeem faced 3 HOF C's in Ewing, DRob and Shaq over the course of 17 games and was outscored in ZERO games.

Hakeem's runs in either '94 or '95 was superior to any of Shaq's. In '94 he became the only player in NBA history to lead a title team in every major statistical facets (ppg, rpg, bpg, asts, stls). Peak Shaq was never capable of performing all such facets for a playoff team. Nor leading such a unbalance playoff team, Hakeem was also the only player to more than double his 2nd best players' ppg average.

And in '95 which imho is the GOAT individual playoff run by a player to a title, the final HOFer he went through was Shaq himself.

well said , thank you

[JordansBulls]

Hakeem fairly easy here.

You gotta be kidding me here.

[Fobbie]

I give the slight edge to Dream because Shaq had more help than Dream.

[therealbig3]

Shaq clearly for me.

Shaq at his peak was actually reasonably close to Hakeem as a defensive anchor, and he was certainly much more intimidating. The 00 Lakers and the 01 PS Lakers were dominant defensive teams because of how good Shaq was when he was motivated to play defense.

And offensively, Shaq>Hakeem. Shaq is one of the 6 or 7 best offensive players of all time, I don't have Hakeem that high. Shaq was much more of a problem for opposing defenses than Hakeem imo because of how physicall dominant he was...and Shaq was a better and more willing passer than Hakeem as well.

IMO, there are only two players that have a case for GOAT peak: Jordan and Shaq. After that, you have LeBron, Magic, Hakeem, Duncan, Garnett, Bird, Kareem, Russell, and Wilt in whatever order you choose.

If I had to rank those 11 peaks, I'd probably go:

1. Jordan/Shaq
3. LeBron
4. Russell
5. Magic/Bird
7. Wilt
8. Kareem
9. Hakeem
10. Duncan
11. Garnett

[Mr MoJo Risin]

I give the slight edge to Dream because Shaq had more help than Dream.

Can you imagine a prime Hakeem in the 00s where he gets to face the stiffs that Shaq faced. Dream and Kobe would of own that decade

[Double Clutch]

I have 1993 Olajuwon slightly above 2000 Shaq but I wouldn't really get into a long-winded back and forth if somebody chose Shaq since there's definitely an argument for him depending on what you value. They are the second and third best peaks I've seen respectively.

[RayBan-Sematra]

Back to back stinkers in Games 6 and 7 vs. Portland in '00.

He was the MVP of G7. He played very well in that game.
Also the series should have ended in G5 if his entire cast didn't choke in that game.

His subpar performance during the '02 WCSF vs. San Antonio. No such problem for peak Hakeem from 92-95. He had nothing remotely as poor as Shaq's '02 vs. SA.

Well Hakeem did fail to even lead his team into the playoffs in 92 which imo is worse then having 1 sub-par series.

Can you imagine a prime Hakeem in the 00s where he gets to face the stiffs that Shaq faced. Dream and Kobe would of own that decade

Yeah. Stiffs like Peak Duncan, Peak KG, DPOY Mutombo & David Robinson.
That is way weaker competition then Prime Robinson & Ewing.


Lets also ignore that Shaq dominated Ewing in the 90's and significantly outplayed Hakeem in their overall h2h matchups from 93-97.

That stuff never happened. Shaq could only beat up on cupcakes!
Amazing how people twist things in their heads to suit their agendas.

[JordansBulls]

Shaq clearly for me.

Shaq at his peak was actually reasonably close to Hakeem as a defensive anchor, and he was certainly much more intimidating. The 00 Lakers and the 01 PS Lakers were dominant defensive teams because of how good Shaq was when he was motivated to play defense.

And offensively, Shaq>Hakeem. Shaq is one of the 6 or 7 best offensive players of all time, I don't have Hakeem that high. Shaq was much more of a problem for opposing defenses than Hakeem imo because of how physicall dominant he was...and Shaq was a better and more willing passer than Hakeem as well.

IMO, there are only two players that have a case for GOAT peak: Jordan and Shaq. After that, you have LeBron, Magic, Hakeem, Duncan, Garnett, Bird, Kareem, Russell, and Wilt in whatever order you choose.

If I had to rank those 11 peaks, I'd probably go:

1. Jordan/Shaq
3. LeBron
4. Russell
5. Magic/Bird
7. Wilt
8. Kareem
9. Hakeem
10. Duncan
11. Garnett

You think Magic or Bird peaks was greater than Kareem?

[therealbig3]

You think Magic or Bird peaks was greater than Kareem?

No...I just ranked them higher because I DON'T actually feel that way.