Olajuwon shuts down prime MJ in 1992

70sFan · Post #1 » by **70sFan** » Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:01 pm

Just enjoy one of the greatest defenders ever at work! 1988-93 Hakeem was just crazy on defensive end. I've never seen someone so active and athletic, yet so fundamentally sound (at least since prime Russell).

Lockdown504090 · Post #2 » by **Lockdown504090** » Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:04 pm

its the motor for me, i see todays stars rest on defense a LOT and play fewer minutes, but this guy and jordan too to his credit just were like energizer bunnies

picc · Post #3 » by **picc** » Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:11 pm

Best defensive player in history, easily, IMO. Elite top tier on rim protection *and* perimeter switching *and* one on one defense.

OkcSinceSGA · Post #4 » by **OkcSinceSGA** » Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:12 pm

I’ve had him up there with Bill Russell as the GOAT defender for years.

kenwood3333 · Post #5 » by **kenwood3333** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:10 am

Show this to 3 time defensive player of the year with a 200M+ contract and often disappear during the playoffs.

NoDopeOnSundays · Post #6 » by **NoDopeOnSundays** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:12 am

kenwood3333 wrote:Show this to 3 time defensive player of the year with a 200M+ contract and often disappear during the playoffs.

Rudy is in the wrong era, he'd be more dominant defensively if he didn't have to guard out on the perimeter, he's just too tall to be good out there. Hakeem is essentially the perfect size to be great on the interior and on the perimeter.

thamadkant · Post #7 » by **thamadkant** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:13 am

David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon are the two greatest big men I've seen... both ends. Would be interesting how much greater they would be if they were given the green light to dribble and attack the rim front on like most mobile bigs starting from the mid 2000s.
But hands down for me the best big men who played proper big I've seen ever.

ellobo · Post #8 » by **ellobo** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:22 am

70sFan wrote:

Watch on YouTube

Just enjoy one of the greatest defenders ever at work! 1988-93 Hakeem was just crazy on defensive end. I've never seen someone so active and athletic, yet so fundamentally sound (at least since prime Russell).

He John Starksed MJ before he John Starksed John Starks:

Watch on YouTube

srhcan · Post #9 » by **srhcan** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:28 am

picc wrote:Best defensive player in history, easily, IMO. Elite top tier on rim protection *and* perimeter switching *and* one on one defense.

like Mobley?

picc · Post #10 » by **picc** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:37 am

srhcan wrote:
picc wrote:Best defensive player in history, easily, IMO. Elite top tier on rim protection *and* perimeter switching *and* one on one defense.

like Mobley?

Maybe almost as good.

Mobley is obviously the gold standard though.

VanWest82 · Post #11 » by **VanWest82** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:43 am

Just curious but why not show the highlight video from earlier that week when MJ dropped 35 on him?

It's too bad Dream couldn't hack it in 93 playoffs vs. Sonics. MJ vs. Barkley was iconic but MJ vs. Hakeem would've been great too. Olajuwon was definitely one of the best to ever do it.

Post #12 » by **HMFFL** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 1:02 am

Lockdown504090 wrote:its the motor for me, i see todays stars rest on defense a LOT and play fewer minutes, but this guy and jordan too to his credit just were like energizer bunnies

While today's game is entertaining it's not a big mans game. Jokic and Embiid are doing a time job bringing it back to life and making it relevant.

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Post #13 » by **HMFFL** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 1:08 am

thamadkant wrote:David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon are the two greatest big men I've seen... both ends. Would be interesting how much greater they would be if they were given the green light to dribble and attack the rim front on like most mobile bigs starting from the mid 2000s.
But hands down for me the best big men who played proper big I've seen ever.

David Robinson certainly doesn't get the credit he deserves. Hakeem Olajuwon was the best defensive player I watched growing up during his early years and early 90's. So fluid with his movement and he brought it on both ends of the floor.

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BallerTalk · Post #14 » by **BallerTalk** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 1:54 am

VanWest82 wrote:
It's too bad Dream couldn't hack it in 93 playoffs vs. Sonics. MJ vs. Barkley was iconic but MJ vs. Hakeem would've been great too. Olajuwon was definitely one of the best to ever do it.

That's how many fans felt in '95 when Jordan couldn't get past the 2nd round and got bounced by that young Orland Magic squad. The same Magic squad that later got swept by Olajuwon and the Rockets.
Fans were really hoping for a Rockets vs Bulls Finals that year.

lakerz12 · Post #15 » by **lakerz12** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:01 am

Hakeem gave a lot of problems to Shaq as well.

He's probably one of the most underrated players of all time among casual fans.

FreeThrowLine · Post #16 » by **FreeThrowLine** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:11 am

BallerTalk wrote:
VanWest82 wrote:
It's too bad Dream couldn't hack it in 93 playoffs vs. Sonics. MJ vs. Barkley was iconic but MJ vs. Hakeem would've been great too. Olajuwon was definitely one of the best to ever do it.

That's how many fans felt in '95 when Jordan couldn't get past the 2nd round and got bounced by that you Orland Magic squad. The same Magic squad that later got swept by Olajuwon and the Rockets.
Fans were really hoping for a Rockets vs Bulls Finals that year.

Context is important, the Bulls also swept the Magic the following year when MJ was back to being MJ and not a guy that came back from almost 2 years off playing baseball, and played just the last 17 games of the season.

That's a big adjustment period both for the Bulls and Jordan and it was obvious that despite his moments of looking like the old MJ, he didn't have his rhythm or legs back in basketball shape

What would have been more enjoyable was seeing the Bulls face the Rockets the following season, with the Rockets attempting a 3peat and seeing Clyde get a 2nd chance against the Bulls. However the Sonics had other plans and swept Houston

Liam_Gallagher · Post #17 » by **Liam_Gallagher** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:21 am

Who was the better defender: Olajuwon or Mutumbo?

FreeThrowLine · Post #18 » by **FreeThrowLine** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 2:39 am

Liam_Gallagher wrote:Who was the better defender: Olajuwon or Mutumbo?

70sFan · Post #19 » by **70sFan** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 8:47 am

Liam_Gallagher wrote:Who was the better defender: Olajuwon or Mutumbo?

Hakeem due to his versatility. Mutombo was amazing though.

70sFan · Post #20 » by **70sFan** » Sat Jan 29, 2022 8:48 am

picc wrote:Best defensive player in history, easily, IMO. Elite top tier on rim protection *and* perimeter switching *and* one on one defense.

Bill Russell is up there with Hakeem in all these aspects. Unsurprisingly, they have very similar body types.