'93 Suns/'95 Rockets/'96 Sonics/'97 Jazz

[ShaqAttack3234]

I'm not exactly sure how you chose the Rockets. IMO

Just summed it up. Plus never underestimate the heart of a champion and Dream was one bad mother****er.

Those Utah teams didn't really have a 2nd scorer, or championsip-caliber second scorer, and that always put an amount of pressure on Malone that I don't think he could handle in the playoffs.

The Suns didn't have good size and they weren't a great defensive team, plus KJ wasn't really KJ that year due to injuries.

The Rockets beat similar Utah and Phoenix teams back to back years in 1994 and 1995.

The Sonics did have the defense, and an excellent duo(though I don't really like Payton or Kemp as my number 1 option on a championship team) and provided match up problems for Houston, though Dream nearly carried his team past Seattle in '93(though Payton and Kemp were better in
'96).

[Samurai Swoosh]

The 1995 Rockets were not the best team out of these mentioned.



'93 Suns and '96 Sonics specifically are much better.

[Rose]

Just summed it up. Plus never underestimate the heart of a champion and Dream was one bad mother****er.

Those Utah teams didn't really have a 2nd scorer, or championsip-caliber second scorer, and that always put an amount of pressure on Malone that I don't think he could handle in the playoffs.

The Suns didn't have good size and they weren't a great defensive team, plus KJ wasn't really KJ that year due to injuries.

The Rockets beat similar Utah and Phoenix teams back to back years in 1994 and 1995.

The Sonics did have the defense, and an excellent duo(though I don't really like Payton or Kemp as my number 1 option on a championship team) and provided match up problems for Houston, though Dream nearly carried his team past Seattle in '93(though Payton and Kemp were better in
'96).

I think that no matter what those Sonics are the best team because of that defense. And in a game of 93 suns vs 95 rockets they win obviously because of the size advantage in Hakeem, but I just feel like those Suns are better. Plus they're highly entertaining to watch.

And then I think the bottom two you can decide between the Rockets and Jazz. I think either one's acceptable as the worst because the Jazz didn't have a truly good clutch player. Don't get me wrong Stockton's fine and all. But you knew what he was going to do.

With the Rockets I just feel they were deeper and more clutch with Cassell and specifically Horry. So I can see the Rockets being the third, and maybe arguably the second best. But I just can't see them being the best. And I'm a HUUUUGE Hakeem fan.

[Samurai Swoosh]

How was KJ not "KJ" in 1993?

Dude averaged 16 ppg and 8 apg, was one of the best PGs in the league, and was the QB of a championship caliber team?

[Rose]

How was KJ not "KJ" in 1993?

Dude averaged 16 ppg and 8 apg, was one of the best PGs in the league, and was the QB of a championship caliber team?

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...johnske02.html

Games missed?

And those were both below his average.

[ShaqAttack3234]

How was KJ not "KJ" in 1993?

Dude averaged 16 ppg and 8 apg, was one of the best PGs in the league, and was the QB of a championship caliber team?

16/8? Every other year from '89-'94 he was pretty much a 20/10 player.

[magnax1]

Just summed it up. Plus never underestimate the heart of a champion and Dream was one bad mother****er.

Those Utah teams didn't really have a 2nd scorer, or championsip-caliber second scorer, and that always put an amount of pressure on Malone that I don't think he could handle in the playoffs.

The Suns didn't have good size and they weren't a great defensive team, plus KJ wasn't really KJ that year due to injuries.

The Rockets beat similar Utah and Phoenix teams back to back years in 1994 and 1995.

The Sonics did have the defense, and an excellent duo(though I don't really like Payton or Kemp as my number 1 option on a championship team) and provided match up problems for Houston, though Dream nearly carried his team past Seattle in '93(though Payton and Kemp were better in
'96).

Utah made some really really big improvements from 95 to 97. Karl Malone Antoine Carr, and James Donaldson were splitting center minutes three way in that series, and that's a huge reason why they lost. Really I don't see how you can say Houston is better then 97 Utah when they're ever so slightly better then 95 Utah, and mostly because of massive matchup problems. Both Hakeem and Drexler just murdered Utah, and with a real center, and one of the best defenders in Bryon Russell, that wouldn't have happened. Well Hakeem would've, but not as badly as against Antoine Carr and Donaldson.

[Samurai Swoosh]

16/8? Every other year from '89-'94 he was pretty much a 20/10 player.

In the playoffs he was 18 / 8 ... that's still elite.

C'mon bro ... the 1995 Rockets aren't better than the 1993 Suns and 1996 Sonics.

They have a case against 1997 Jazz.

[xxxSuperStar]

The 1995 Rockets were not the best team out of these mentioned.



'93 Suns and '96 Sonics specifically are much better.

The Rockets strength was every other teams' weakness. Again, Dream and Drexler are cause match-up nightmares against every other team.

They are the only team that causes disruption...hence their two titles in the decade, which is two more than any of the other teams combined.

Disruption means championships. Hakeem can't be guarded by any of the other team...any of the other team can be guarded (and DOMINATED) by Rockets/Hakeem.

GP/Kemp, Stockton/Malone, KJ/Barkley all match-up (it's a toss-up)...PG vs. PF.

Hakeem/Glide are the only one that doesn't fit and that causes completely different gameplans...SG/C that have size, scoring and defense.

[Samurai Swoosh]

The Rockets strength was every other teams' weakness. Again, Dream and Drexler are cause match-up nightmares against every other team.

1995 Drexler?

No.

Suns and Sonics have advantages at guard and wing positions.

Drexler isn't busting a 1996 GP's ass.

Kenny Smith / Sam Cassell aren't holding KJ down.

[ShaqAttack3234]

In the playoffs he was 18 / 8 ... that's still elite.

C'mon bro ... the 1995 Rockets aren't better than the 1993 Suns and 1996 Sonics.

They have a case against 1997 Jazz.

Rockets had these guys in the playoffs.

Dream- 33/10/5/3, 53 FG%, 56 TS%
Clyde- 21/7/5, 48 FG%, 59 TS%
Horry- 13/7/4, 45 FG%, 59 TS%
Cassell- 11/2/4, 45 FG%, 59 TS%
Smith- 11/2/5, 44 FG%, 61 TS%
Elie- 9/3/3, 50 FG%, 64 TS%

Come on man, with Dream playing at that level outplaying Shaq, absolutely destroying peak David Robinson and drawing so much attention inside to go along with their prolific 3 point shooting.

[Samurai Swoosh]

Come on man, with Dream playing at that level outplaying Shaq, absolutely destroying peak David Robinson and drawing so much attention inside to go along with their prolific 3 point shooting.

Magic's exterior defense isn't what the Sonics were ... the Sonics would limit those numbers a lot. They would let Hakeem do his thing, but outside of him ... it would get lonely for them. And I just feel the 1993 Suns have more fire power all around.

[xxxSuperStar]

1995 Drexler?

No.

Suns and Sonics have advantages at guard and wing positions.

Drexler isn't busting a 1996 GP's ass.

Kenny Smith / Sam Cassell aren't holding KJ down.

You're being silly.

Who is guarding Hakeem again? The guy who causes triple teams to kick out to Horry, Smith, Cassell, Elie etc.

I'm fine with anyone on the Rockets guarding the Sonics/Suns players (they were just tougher and grittier...you know this).

KJ was great (soft) as was Barkley.

Give me an answer for Hakeem. I'll give you a much better answer for any of the players on the other teams (staring with Thorpe, Elie, Cassel, etc.)

[Dream34]

I have been a Rockets fan since Dream's Etonic days, and I just can't put them above the 96 Sonics. That swarming defense was just so tough; unfortunately, it gets overshadowed by the stiffing defense of 96 Bulls and their tandem of Jordan, Pippen, Harper, and Rodman.

93 Suns though? I'll take my Rockets over those guys. Better first option, better defense (Dream anchoring the paint versus that fatass Oliver Miller?), more clutch, and KJ was a little off so Drexler was the better second option. Plus, Houston took out 94 and 95 Suns teams that were near the same level of the 1993 team.

[Dream34]

From the beggining of the 1995 season to the end of their second round match-up in 1996, the Sonics rattled off TWELVE consecutive wins against the Rockets...