Penny Hardaway 1996 Playoffs: 38 Points 70% Shooting vs Jordan/Pippen

[zORi]

Not you. I said...

Who's really insecure? He couldn't find another great game against the boys that was at least within 20 points?

My mistake, you were responding to my post in which I called someone insecure, so I thought you were talking about me.

Anyway, why would a Laker fan be insecure about the Magic losing by 40?

[Da_Realist]

My mistake, you were responding to my post in which I called someone insecure, so I thought you were talking about me.

Anyway, why would a Laker fan be insecure about the Magic losing by 40?

This actually made me laugh. Sorry about that. Look at the title and see if he actually cared about the game. In fact, do you really even think he cares about Penny Hardaway?

[zORi]

This actually made me laugh. Sorry about that. Look at the title and see if he actually cared about the game. In fact, do you really even think he cares about Penny Hardaway?

I don't know, but if he was looking to embarrass or demean Jordan/Pippen, he surely would've picked a game where they lost. Or at least won by a smaller margin, obviously.

This really actually is being insecure.

[NugzHeat3]

Insecure about what? The Magic damn near lost by 40 points! Who's really insecure? He couldn't find another great game against the boys that was at least within 20 points?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHdvNXek3nY

^Penny leads the Magic to the W against the 72-10 Bulls. Did it without Shaq and owned Jordan in the process.

Funny as hell watching Jordan try to guard PGs early in that 72-10 season.

[Da_Realist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHdvNXek3nY

^Penny leads the Magic to the W against the 72-10 Bulls. Did it without Shaq and owned Jordan in the process.

Funny as hell watching Jordan try to guard PGs early in that 72-10 season.

It happens I like Penny. He's from my way (I grew up near Memphis) so I was on to Penny way before the NBA caught up. Saw him destroy my Hogs year after year after year before I finally became a fan. Gotta recognize game. I still don't think the Magic made a mistake taking him instead of Webber. Sick of people saying that. Penny was the truth before his injuries.

Penny at his best was a better player than Paul Pierce. I don't think I'm too biased in saying that.

[nnn123]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHdvNXek3nY

^Penny leads the Magic to the W against the 72-10 Bulls. Did it without Shaq and owned Jordan in the process.

Funny as hell watching Jordan try to guard PGs early in that 72-10 season.

Penny was *****n sick during the 96 season. Seemed like the second coming of Jordan. I don't remember the game you posted, but I recall Penny destroying Pippen during the playoffs. He just went mad downhill after that

[NugzHeat3]

It happens I like Penny. He's from my way (I grew up near Memphis) so I was on to Penny way before the NBA caught up. Saw him destroy my Hogs year after year after year before I finally became a fan. Gotta recognize game. I still don't think the Magic made a mistake taking him instead of Webber. Sick of people saying that. Penny was the truth before his injuries.

Penny at his best was a better player than Paul Pierce. I don't think I'm too biased in saying that.

Couldn't agree more.

Webber and Shaq had a lot of hype for about 30 minutes, then the trade happened. I still think they could have done well since Webber could operate from the high post and shoot till 15 feet out but that team would be playing hot potato in crunch time with Anderson and Scott. No ball handling and they would succumb against full court pressure.

I think Penny was better than Pierce and better than Grant Hill too, someone who he gets compared to a lot. Hill never impressed me as much as Penny did. People say Penny gets overrated because his stats weren't great but he was never someone who cared that much about stats.

He could have done 25+ easy if he cared. He did it was Shaq out and led Orlando to a great record in that stretch. One of the few guys I've seen who played the game such effortlessly and gracefully.

[NugzHeat3]

Penny was *****n sick during the 96 season. Seemed like the second coming of Jordan. I don't remember the game you posted, but I recall Penny destroying Pippen during the playoffs. He just went mad downhill after that

I disagree. Some Shaquille fans I know use that excuse but its really not true. Not saying you said it because I think you're thinking he got injured after 1996. Penny was great in 1997 and his impact is shown in the games he played. 38-21 with him and 7-16 without him.

He killed the HEAT in the playoffs too.

Lenard
Majerle
Timmy
Askins
Mashburn

^All spent some time on him and looked dumbfounded trying to guard him. I still say Orlando could have won that series if Grant was healthy and Seikaly didn't go down in game 3. Scott and Anderson played like trash too and yet game 5 was still close until Timmy hit one of his trademark dagger 3s.

Penny singlehandedly destroyed that team. I still enjoyed his performance because he had such a likeable game.

Injuries ruined his career but he was great for a short 3 year stretch.

[Da_Realist]

Couldn't agree more.

Webber and Shaq had a lot of hype for about 30 minutes, then the trade happened. I still think they could have done well since Webber could operate from the high post and shoot till 15 feet out but that team would be playing hot potato in crunch time with Anderson and Scott. No ball handling and they would succumb against full court pressure.

I think Penny was better than Pierce and better than Grant Hill too, someone who he gets compared to a lot. Hill never impressed me as much as Penny did. People say Penny gets overrated because his stats weren't great but he was never someone who cared that much about stats.

He could have done 25+ easy if he cared. He did it was Shaq out and led Orlando to a great record in that stretch. One of the few guys I've seen who played the game such effortlessly and gracefully.

Total agreement here. I think Penny was a better player than Grant Hill, Paul Pierce and Tracy McGrady. Penny just didn't put his mind to dominating games like those 3 did. I don't want to say "wasted potential" because he did what he was supposed to do -- acclimate his game to the team -- but he had the all around game to dominate. He just didn't. It came out if he had no other choice but he didn't really seek that sort of thing. It was frustrating to watch cause I knew he had the ability. Then he gets hurt, Shaq leaves (or vice versa), Orlando falls off the map and he's never the same afterward. Now I gotta hear all about how overrated he was. That was a different guy in Phoenix and Miami.

[NugzHeat3]

Total agreement here. I think Penny was a better player than Grant Hill, Paul Pierce and Tracy McGrady. Penny just didn't put his mind to dominating games like those 3 did. I don't want to say "wasted potential" because he did what he was supposed to do -- acclimate his game to the team -- but he had the all around game to dominate. He just didn't. It came out if he had no other choice but he didn't really seek that sort of thing. It was frustrating to watch cause I knew he had the ability. Then he gets hurt, Shaq leaves (or vice versa), Orlando falls off the map and he's never the same afterward. Now I gotta hear all about how overrated he was. That was a different guy in Phoenix and Miami.

I don't think it was frustrating to watch when he was just doing what was best for the team. Brian Hill was never really that good of a coach but I think having Shaq as the focal point was the way to go since he put so much pressure on the defense.

But like you said, Penny always had the ability to take over games. Penny would explode for a huge game all of a sudden but people would never really be shocked because they knew he always had the goods to do so.

[Lebron23]

Prime Penny would have been a monster combo guard in today's NBA. It sucks that we never see his full potential. I collected a bunch of Penny Hardaway NBA Cards back in the day.

[Lebron23]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rqy1...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsEwfI2-QlM

The NBA deleted the video. Here's Hardaway 38 points game againts the Chicago Bulls.

[Lebron23]

Penny was so very fun to watch. He was like a Poor Man's LeBron.

Some of Penny's high scoring performance in the playoffs

41 points vs. Miami Heat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1vefSacsik

39 points vs. Chicago Bulls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg_gnDLIEHo

[Smoke117]

How impressive...he scored the same amount of points his team lost by this game...

...aka who gives a ****? The Magic were embarrassed in this game and his stats mean nothing. Penny is probably the most overrated 90s star when it comes to nostalgia...he would have never put the stats he did if not for playing with Shaq.

[feyki]

Penny was poor mans T Mac