For those who will hate on KOBE

LMAO you had me cracking up fam. I had a flash back to where we gave it to everyone back in the day. I’ll never forget that oop I threw to Aki at the end of the game that bounced off the glass right into the other team’s hands for the game winner. I wanted to run out the gym. Were you on that squad? Blame Aki he called for it lol.

IT”S ALL AROUND player.

Not most dominant. Not most talented. Not most decorated. Kids learn more about the game from these type of players.

I’d take Moses Malone’s tenacity over any center on the list (didn’t see Russell play). That’s why he’s there. I was inspired by him.

Doc was a scorer and sometime block force in the league. That’s it. What else did he do? This is no slam on Doc. I’m not saying he couldn’t rebound or pass it’s just he didn’t have to.

He’s my favorite player of all time. Good gracious lol

Theoretically, you’re 100% right. “On paper,” the series should have been more closely contested. I believe that “talent” was only part of the issue. I think experience and the ability to execute in the clutch was also a big deal. The Rockets were defending champions. Hakeem and Clyde were veterans of wars with every “G” in the league. They battled the Lakers, Celtics and Bulls on the biggest stage. Shaq and Penny were fresh out of college, for all intents and purposes. So was Dennis Scott and Nick Anderson. They were “talented,” but they had yet to refine their games. Once you got past Shaq and Penny, the limitations of the offensive skill sets of the Magic became glaring.

Nick Anderson: streak shooter…powerful lane player; took and missed tough shots all series long after being guarded by experienced physical players like Mario Elie and Clyde Drexler.
Dennis Scott: dead-eye spot up shooter with little to NO ABILITY to handle the rock. took and missed tough shots all series long after being pushed out of his range and being unable to rely on collapsing defenses hustling off double teams of Shaq on the block.
Horace Grant: solid rebounder, better defender. modest offensive game.
Brian Shaw: STOP.
Donald Royal: DOUBLE STOP.
Jeff Turner: TRIPLE STOP.

The Magic didn’t have many guys who could do the things you need to do to rock out in the Finals.
1) Getting their own shot
2) Scoring consistently
3) Making big shots

The single greatest factor that Orlando never could remedy was the fact that Houston could single cover Shaq. That dug the coffin for every marginal player on their team. Houston went off.

Orlando’s “talent” was nervous and on the verge of getting exposed. (The only cats on that team we heard from after that followed Shaq.) Game 1: Houston was +7 in turnovers. Game 2: +6. Game 3: +3. Game 4: +9. When guys who are spot up shooters have to dribble — that’s what happens. When guys who used to overpowering college defenders and NBA regular-season effort face up to Clyde Drexler — that’s what happens.

The Rockets had Dream, Clyde, Big Shot Bob, Sam Cassell, Mario Elie and Kenny Smith. Not all of these guys were prolific scorers, but none of them needed to get their offense off of screens. They could all handle and get to a spot on the floor and score the ball — especially late.

Houston relied on a different crew in every game. In Game 1, Smith and Elie made 15 shots from the field and scored 41 points. Dennis Scott (one-dimensional Dennis) shot 3-10 and Penny (in his first championship game) shot 11-25. Talent is one thing — but in the Finals, experience and matchups can often mean a great deal more. All of Nick Anderson’s talent eluded him at the free throw line — when he needed it most. Perhaps he would have been better served by experience. Robert Horry had a poor shooting game, but had 8 boards and 5 blocks. Drexler didn’t shoot well either, but almost had a triple double — and the Rockets made their free throws.

Houston had a better team AND a more experienced team. They didn’t have to look to Brian Shaw and Donald Royal for offense! Yikes! Or Jeff Turner or Anthony Bowie.

Game 2 — Horry didn’t shoot so well in that game either. So, what did he do? He stuffed the stat sheet like he always does. 10 rebounds, 7 steals, 2 blocks.

And right when the Magic thought it was safe to go back in the water, Sam Cassell smoked their asses for 31. One-dimensional Dennis had another 3-10 game — trying to figure out how to adjust to the savvy play of these veteran Houston Rockets.

The games were close because Shaq did so much heavy lifting on both ends of the court…and so did Penny…but it wasn’t enough — not against a team with 2 of the greatest players of all time and one of the greatest post-season studs ever. Orlando had no one to match Cassell and Horry. Penny and Shaq did what they could to neutralize Hakeem and Clyde — but they were new to all of this. And that has to count for something.

By the time Game 3 rolled around, only Shaq and Ho Grant knew how to hit the broad side of a barn — and most of Horace’s work was off of misses by D. Scott (2-11), Penny (4-10) and Nick Anderson (4-14).

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By the way, I’m still pissed that the Rockets beat the Knicks. I just think this team doesn’t get enough respect.