Why was Hakeem getting beat in Rd 1 or missing the playoffs for so much of his prime

[3ba11]

Narrative be hakeem took the leap from just an all time great to one of the best peaks of all time and his team got better. That was narrative back then and now.

But why did Hakeem all of a sudden go to another level in 94' and 95'?

What changed?

The king lion was gone... that's what changed... one day Hakeem woke up and looked around.... It dawned on him that he was now the king lion - that's when his game and confidence went to another level...

That's when he had the confidence to let his full bag out and the "dream shake" was born (a version of the Jordan windshield wiper move)... Hakeem was like "I'm MJ now"... lol

[SouBeachTalents]

But why did Hakeem all of a sudden go to another level in 94' and 95'?

What changed?

The king lion was gone... that's what changed... one day Hakeem woke up and looked around.... It dawned on him that he was now the king lion - that's when his game and confidence went to another level... That's when he had the confidence to let his full bag out and the "dream shake" was born (a version of the Jordan windshield wiper move).

The king lion was back in '95 but Nick Anderson threw him off a cliff like Mufasa. Hakeem then went on to SWEEP the team that kicked Jordan's ass to the curb.

[NBAGOAT]

My point is if you ask someone today to critique those players... they're going to include every failure and caveat under the sun. People yesterday were saying Jokic was eliminated from the top 10 because he had a mediocre second half to last night's game.

I have NEVER heard anyone mention Hakeem's four year playoff drought in his prime. He won two playoff GAMES in four years of his prime.

Now, is there context to that? Sure. But people dont use context when they talk about Lebron's finals record. Or they'll use context negatively when talking about KD's Golden State run.

But nobody ever says "Man, Hakeem won two playoff GAMES in four years, what's up with that." People just dont bring it up. They'll bring up how Curry's 73 win team called MVP KD from the parking lot of a finals loss to beg for help and that's how they got two more championships. But they dont talk about prime Hakeem getting swept in round 1.

You just never ever hear this aspect of Hakeem's career mentioned the way you hear every modern player's career get picked apart game by game.

people who say jokic cant be top 10 because of 1 half shouldnt be taken seriously.

[tontoz]

But why did Hakeem all of a sudden go to another level in 94' and 95'?

What changed?

The king lion was gone... that's what changed... one day Hakeem woke up and looked around.... It dawned on him that he was now the king lion - that's when his game and confidence went to another level...

That's when he had the confidence to let his full bag out and the "dream shake" was born (a version of the Jordan windshield wiper move).

Jordan not playing was completely irrelevant to Houston making the finals. Do you not realize Houston is in the West?

[3ba11]

The king lion was back in '95 but Nick Anderson threw him off a cliff like Mufasa. Hakeem then went on to SWEEP the team that kicked Jordan's ass to the curb.

1st options that led their team to Finals in the 1990's

Shaq
Hakeem
Drexler
Ewing
Malone
Barkley
MJ
Robinson
Payton

^^^ these are the best players of the 90's and the 95' Rockets are the only team that had 2 of these guys on 1 team.

I've always said that if MJ had not played baseball, the 95' Rockets were the team that would've ended the Bulls reign by stopping the 5-peat.. Horry had higher gamescore in the 95' Finals than any of Pippen's Finals.

Of course, the 96' Sonics destroyed Hakeem and Drexler in 96' - an obliteration - and then MJ killed them in the Finals with 36 points in Game 3 to cinch the series - it's actually a very underrated game by him and it was one of those "textbook triangle" games where he scores in the system like a role player but ends up with 36 - he could dominate with any style, even the role player style of scoring... Overall, Jordan averaged 31 on 46% to get 3-0 lead before relaxing.

And of course no one cared about MJ losing in 95' because everyone knew there would be an adjustment period.. Check out his advanced stats in 95' - they're Wizards' level.

[3ba11]

Jordan not playing was completely irrelevant to Houston making the finals. Do you not realize Houston is in the West?

You missed the point - apparently you've never done anything competitive.

There's a special confidence that comes with knowing that you're the best player on the floor - or in this case, in the league... You can basically f*ck around and do whatever you want - no one can say anything to you because you're the best... As the non-competitor that I suspect you to be, you might think that you can just speak up or question the top guy, but you can't.. This knowledge gives the top guy a special confidence and swagger - we clearly saw this in 94' from Hakeem - he was a different player because the king lion was gone and he realized that HE'S the king lion now..

Hakeem busted out the full dream-shake bag in 94', which was a version of Jordan's windshield wiper move.. Hakeem was like "I'm MJ now"

[SATAN]

I know what you're up to, OP.

[tontoz]

You missed the point - apparently you've never done anything competitive.

There's a special confidence that comes with knowing that you're the best player on the floor - or in this case, in the league... You can basically f*ck around and do whatever you want - no one can say anything to you because you're the best... As the non-competitor that I suspect you to be, you might think that you can just speak up or question the top guy, but you can't.. This knowledge gives the top guy a special confidence and swagger - we clearly saw this in 94' from Hakeem - he was a different player because the king lion was gone and he realized that HE'S the king lion now..

Hakeem busted out the full dream-shake bag in 94', which was a version of Jordan's windshield wiper move.. Hakeem was like "I'm MJ now"

So Jordan's presence in the east is why Houston couldn't even make it to the WCF?

[3ba11]

So Jordan's presence in the east is why Houston couldn't even make it to the WCF?

No, Jordan's absence in 94' gave Hakeem the confidence to bust out his full bag... By 96', Hakeem couldn't maintain the dominance at just 33 years old - part of that is he knows MJ is fully-back now.. He isn't the king lion anymore.. It's all part and parcel

[tontoz]

No, Jordan's absence in 94' gave Hakeem the confidence to bust out his full bag... By 96', Hakeem couldn't maintain the dominance at just 33 years old - part of that is he knows MJ is fully-back now.. He isn't the king lion anymore.. It's all part and parcel

[3ba11]

Pick up a ball son

[1987_Lakers]

I remember reading Bill Simmons book years back and he mentioned there were Reggie Lewis for Hakeem trade rumors back in the early 90's and that most Celtics fans were against that.

[Kblaze8855]

No, Jordan's absence in 94' gave Hakeem the confidence to bust out his full bag... By 96', Hakeem couldn't maintain the dominance at just 33 years old - part of that is he knows MJ is fully-back now.. He isn't the king lion anymore.. It's all part and parcel

[3ba11]

I'm using Hakeem's own association - he thinks in terms of the king lion depiction that I used earlier:

When MJ retired, Hakeem realized that he was now the lion on the rock that no one could disturb - the best in the league, and the confidence took his game to another level.. He busted out his full bag of dream shakes, which was a version of Jordan's windshield wiper move, so it's almost as if Hakeem was like "I'm MJ now"

[Norcaliblunt]

After Jordan Hakeem might just be the best two way player ever.

What’s crazy is his D is better than his offense. And his offense is all time great. lol.