I get annoyed when I hear people bad mouth Ewing for this series. Yes he struggled shooting the ball....but Hakeem at this point in his career was just flat out dominate. He schooled Robinson in the 95 WCF and schooled Shaq in the Finals (even Shaq admits Hakeem dominated him). We're talking about 3 HOF centers that Hakeem outplayed. He was THAT good those two years. Ewing fought hard and definetly had his moments defensively. His best game was probably Game 5 when I believe he had 25/12 and 8 blocks. He was just going up against a player who was better then him. Keep in mind as great as Ewing still was at this point in his career, he was a bit past his prime as his knees were already shot (prime Ewing was really 1988-1992). IMO Hakeem is the best center of all-time. Shaq, Ewing and Robinson are in the Top 10.
dabomb2045 Well said...Despite Ewing was already at the beginning stage of his early twilight, but the man fought and showed heart and determination to play and move forward. His defense in the series was excellent. Sad that we will never see this type of B-Ball ever again.
Yeah, Ewing certainly didn't get dominated by Hakeem the way Robinson was dominated. Just got somewhat outplayed. But its not like he had a bad series or anything. He really shouldn't get a lot of crap for it. And Shaq didn't get dominated either. He actually stood his ground pretty well given it was only his third year. But Hakeem won the matchup.
dabomb2045 Olajuwon is my favorite player. I learned basketball watching him as I was also a Jordan fan. That spin move off the offensive rebound to me is just as good as Jordan’s (switch hands) layup vs the Lakers. However I can’t say Olajuwon is better than Kareem. He’s better than every center after Kareem. Kareem is too accomplished .
Im so sick and tired of people saying this was a bad finals. Give me a break. It went the full 7 games and no game was decided by more than 9 points. The series was every bit as competitive and physical as those Bulls - Knicks rivalries.
All this was just from game 3...amazing intensity at both ends. Those battles for post position between Ewing and Hakeem were epic. While its true that Hakeem played at a level above Ewing in those finals, Ewing still fought like a warrior, never giving up. Also, i think its worth mentioning that while this was prime Hakeem, this wasnt prime Ewing, Patrick had pretty bad knees at this point. Even though both were about the same age, injuries also play a factor on when players reach their prime
This clip brings back memories. These were 2 very good defensive teams - especially the Knicks at that time. This series was a tough, physical struggle from start to finish. Unfortunately we'll never see this kind of basketball again. Can you imagine how many whistles would be blowing, fouled outs, and ejections if players tried to play this physical in a game today?
Both of these players were warriors with great heart, and though not in their physical primes here, they were both in their basketball primes. Ewing competed with anyone. He would have won rings if he played with Magic, Kobe, or the Celtic teams. No center ever could best the Hakeem of the mid 90s though.
This was a pretty fun series. 7 games, while Hakeem did perform better overall compared to Ewing, it wasn't like Ewing was flat out useless, he was just not in the same level offensively, but honestly no center is in the same level as Hakeem offensively.
Shaq was a lil green in that series, he hadn't hit his peak yet...late 90's/early 2000's Shaq was every bit as dominant offensively as Hakeem was at his best (early to mid 90's) Hakeem was unquestionably better defensively though.
+KillaL0 I still think that Hakeem had a better offensive game. a big man that can shoot is more deadly and likely to win games rather than a huge body down low. Needless to say, Hakeem was also quicker than shaq which gives him a bigger edge
+KillaL0 don't kid yourself man, Shaq in his finest years and even in his most athletic years didn't do these things against another great big man. He was never as good a shooter as Ewing let alone Olajuwon and the only reason late 90's/early 00's looked better than Magic Shaq is because Ewing, Olajuwon and Robinson were all old and tired. He's lucky to only have to go up against Matt Geiger, old Rik Smits, Mutumbo, Ostertag, and Kenyon Martin. Even after the great centers were old and couldn't stop Shaq, Rodman, Duncan, Webber, and Pollard all held him very well. Where is everybody basing Shaq as the most dominant player talk from?! I still don't get it!
I am a Jazz fan but loved to watch Ewing. So great D. And that 94 team was pure hustle. Yet Ewing had really almost no help in offense. See shooters each one had Olajuwon: Kenny Smith, Horry, Ellie, Cassell, Maxwell Ewing: Starks, old Harper.
@@armandodelossantos736 the New York guards played out the Houston guards for the series, apart from game 7 and some moments in game 3 when a Rookie named Sam Cassell scored 15 points!!! Game 3 made all the difference...
For as much as people criticized Ewing for this series, he had some major moments on the defensive end. He also played better in the fourth quarter of the earlier games before Olajuwon dominated in Games 6 and 7.
Talent wise, Hakeem is the greatest C of all times. It is amazing how Ewing managed to fight almost toe to toe against this kind of overwhelming talent.
The Knicks would have won the series if the 3-shot foul was implemented. After Cassells 3pt shot, Starks was tackled by Olajuwon on a 3pt attempt. He went to the line for 2 shots. That forced the league to change the rule for next season.
I remember that like it was yesterday. 93'-94' Rockets came together just in time by 1 year, partly cause of the 2 free throw rule even on 3-pointers. Also their kryptonite Super Sonics getting upset in the 1st Round to me as much anything else, allowed the Rockets the golden opportunity to take the chip, which they capitalized on. The Super Sonics to me are the 1 team these Rockets could not have beaten. Also, the Knicks had no Doc Rivers in this series, which shortened their rotation a tad.
@@maryakopyan3224 This Rockets team had the size to match up against the Sonics bigs who stretched the floor. It was with Drexler they matched up poorly because they were more undersized.
@@ChrisM07 True. But the Super Sonics still would've had the home court advantage, were clearly more dominant during the regular season overall (defense a wash, but Seattle way more dynamic on offense). Houston's only advantage in that series would've been the center position, which plays right into the hands of George Karl's trapping defense, and Seattle's quick athletic guards. Houston was only slightly robbed in that overtime loss in Game 7 @ The Kingdom the previous year, but Seattle drastically improved the following season, while Houston stayed about the same. Yes, they matched up better against Seattle overall w/ Otis Thorpe, but the Sonics would've ran them out of the gym if not upset by Denver in the 1st Round. I think Houston could've found a way to have won 2 games on their home floor against the Sonics w/ their suffocating defense, but George Karl was not going to allow Hakeem Olajuwon to go 1-on-1 against Shawn Kemp, Ervin Johnson or Michael Cage, and be the hero. I could see 1 game in that series where the Rockets shooters would just get red hot from 3 @ The Summit at home, but the rest of that series, the Sonics' speed burners like Payton, McMillain, Vincent Askew, Kendall Gill, will just be running those 3-pt shooters off the line. Sonics would likely have won 4-2. Pick-&-role offenses like the Suns & Jazz gave the George Karl's Sonics more fits than center-oriented offenses.
A perfect example of the Rockets in comparing the 2 years was when they played the Jazz. The Jazz averaged only under 89 the first time where the following year with Drexler the Jazz averaged over 104, the Rockets just happened to end up winning again because the Jazz collapsed late in the 4th.
that knick frontline was ferocious. hakeem had to take those guys on almost single handed. when mason would guard hakeem and ewing would come with the double it was suffocating. i don't know who talked riley out of that game plan.
It was because when they double teamed him they were taking a risk because the Rockets had great shooters so when they double teamed him they were leaving one guy open from mid or long range, and there was a good chance the guy was going to hit his shot if Hakeem passed it to whoever was open.
Rockets front office... 1993-1997 Let Buck Johnson go to the wizards via free agency. Trade Otis Thorpe for an aged Clyde Drexler. Waived Mad Max, Vernon Maxwell. Let Kenny Smith go via free agency. Trade Robert Horry and Sam Cassell for an aged Charles Barkley. SMH facepalm
@@JustLikeHeaven77 I agree, but at least sending Thorpe for Drexler worked. It would have been great if we kept Horry and Cassell but have Barkley as another option. Other people have said in other videos that if Barkley had joined the Rockets during our championship reign or earlier, then we would have possibly won more than 2 titles. We would have played the Bulls in the Finals. Waiving Maxwell was really unfortunate because not only was he offensively great but he was a tough defender, that's the one thing that Drexler and other Rockets players lacked when facing Michael Jordan and the Bulls in later seasons. There's so many what could have been scenarios.
This NBA Finals looked like identically the NBA Finals in 2010 Lakers vs Celtics (7 games), where the Home Court Advantage had been HUGE ! At 5 : 00, Olajuwon had posterize Ewing… Olajuwon beated Malone, Ewing in 1994, Robinson, Shaq in 1995... !!!!!
Meanwhile, the O.J. Simpson fiasco is in its beginning stages with the white ford bronco and Bob Costas, covering this NBA finals series, is contacted.
5:30 I've always wondered. That kind of move is more often than not a travel yeah? He moved his pivot foot before bouncing. It's like a great casual ball move otherwise any ref will call you for travelling.
😂😂Olajuwon would've been DEAD had he "not eaten in 30 days" though you were partley right because Olajuwon had not eaten BEFORE SUNDOWN in a 30 day span, true.😂✌
look at the ball movement fast breaks ran textbook not chucking up threes looking for best shot. Yeaj todays NBA players can shoot better but something seem different since Kobe left
@@ChrisM07 no the difference was Olajuwon held Ewing from 24ppg regular season to 18ppg on 36% FG while also blocking 27 shots that series. Cassell and Kenny Smith combined averaged less points than just Derek Harper by himself and nobody on the Rockets avg more than 13ppg on 36% FG. Olajuwon is the only reason the Rockets won.
Dkouts57 nope! if you noticed, Ewing is pulling down on Olajuwon's arm trying to strip the ball but it's a blatant foul making Olajuwon take the extra step! If you call the travel, the foul comes first and that makes it another and 1 for Olajuwon!
Armando De Los Santos so now you're calling fouls based on your opinion maybe they call that foul today they definitely are not calling it back then and in that series you CANNOT take 2 steps fake then a 3rd step!
@@SeecretWeapon he didn't take a 3rd step, his pivot foot never lifted up off the ground! And if you look at the replay Olajuwon's arm is clearly pulled down by Ewing making his layup look less graceful but his right pivot foot never moved
@@jeremycoughtrees7831 what are you saying? he take 2 steps and does an up and under. thats a travel! he dribbles once 2 steps to set up a fade away, Ewing is right there he he must release instead he goes under thats a travel do you know what a pivot foot is? because the MAJORITY of people who reference it have no fukin idea what they are saying
@@SeecretWeapon right foot is planted, as if he's going into a fadeaway, he ducks underneath Ewing, right foot still planted, and jumps off two feet with Ewing pulling his right arm, that's not a travel. Do I know what a pivot foot is?! Little bitch, I've been hooping for over 20 years, I watched this series live, no way is some little chump from RU-vid comments going to teach me anything about basketball. Olajuwon used this move 3 or 4 times a game and it wasn't a travel.
Alvalanker EX game 4 olajuwon 32 points 5 blocks 8 rebounds ---Ewing 16 points 1 block 15 rebounds--- how in the hell was that dominating Hakeem?? Maybe game 5 because olajuwon only outscored him by 2, but Ewing definitely had the advantage in blocks and rebounds. Olajuwon was the best in the NBA in 93-94-95 look up his stats
I agree... Ewing owned Hakeem in game 4 and 5. Stats. Game 4 : Hakeem with 32 on 70fg% 70!! While Ewing had 16 points on 28.6 fg% 28.6!!!! Damn.... Game 5 : Hakeem with 27 points on 57.1 fg%. Ewing the GOAT.
@bry robs, Bullshit! Ewing offense< Olajuwon's defense. Ewing's just O.K. compared to Olajuwon's greatness. The Knicks tried to physically beat the quickness out of Olajuwon(with Mason-pushing &hacking, Oakley-hacking,Smith-slapping his back and Ewing-wrestling) and it didn't work. The Rockets tried to hold Ewing to under 20ppg by playing str8 up D and it worked.Olajuwon is the center in NBA history who could play any style of offense and defense.
