Tag: Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Olajuwon on Rockets, Bulls debate: ‘In 1995, Jordan was back’

“In 1995, Jordan was back,” the Rockets legend said. “The great Orlando team [which later lost to Houston] beat them in Game 6.”

Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon says he didn’t watch “The Last Dance” documentary on Michael Jordan and the 1990s Bulls, but he does have opinions on the comparisons between those six championship Chicago teams and Olajuwon’s two title teams in Houston.

The Bulls and Rockets were the NBA’s only two champions from 1991 through 1998, and Houston’s two titles in 1994 and 1995 immediately followed Jordan’s temporary mid-career retirement in October 1993. Neither team ever faced the other in those eight NBA Finals.

Given Jordan’s status as arguably the best player in league history, many fans have wondered whether his Bulls might have won eight straight titles, had that odd 18-month retirement never happened.

The reality, however, is that Jordan was back and playing by the 1995 playoffs. His Bulls lost in the Eastern Conference playoffs to Shaquille O’Neal and the Orlando Magic, who were later swept in the 1995 NBA Finals by the Rockets. Olajuwon elaborated on that dynamic in a Monday radio appearance on SportsTalk 790 in Houston:

In 1995, Jordan was back. The great Orlando team beat them in Game 6.

It seems like everybody forgot the big steal against Michael Jordan… by Nick Anderson. It cost Chicago the series.

“You don’t make excuses for a champion, to discredit anything,” Olajuwon went on to say in the interview. “We didn’t play Chicago in the finals, but that doesn’t discredit our accomplishments as a champion. That was the only six seed in NBA history to have ever won!”

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One popular theory is that Jordan was “rusty” in the 1995 playoffs after only playing in 17 regular-season games. But that’s not evident in the data. Jordan averaged more points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game in the 1995 playoffs than he did in the 1996 playoffs (when the Bulls won the title), all on superior shooting from the field.

Olajuwon’s Rockets also seemed to have a matchup edge against Jordan’s Bulls. In six meetings between 1991 and 1993, all prior to Jordan’s retirement, Houston went 5-1. Olajuwon clearly earned Jordan’s respect, as evidenced by Jordan selecting “The Dream” for his all-time NBA team.

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While they never met in the playoffs, Chicago’s nondescript centers such as Bill Cartwright and Luc Longley offered little resistance to Olajuwon in the regular season. By contrast, many of the teams Chicago defeated in the NBA Finals — such as Charles Barkley’s Phoenix Suns, Karl Malone’s Utah Jazz, and Shawn Kemp’s Seattle Sonics — lacked the offensive production at center to challenge the Bulls at their weakest position.

Ultimately, the Rockets and Bulls peaked at different times in the 1990s, and NBA fans never got to see the hypothetical play out in a playoff setting. As it is, though, the Rockets are happy with their two titles — and a Hall of Famer like Olajuwon will understandably push back against anyone trying to diminish his and the team’s accomplishments.

During their 1995 championship run, Houston won four playoff series against opponents that all won 57 or more games, which has never been done by any other team in NBA history. That included the Magic, who defeated Jordan’s Bulls in six games in the second round of the playoffs.

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Hakeem Olajuwon compares James Harden to Jordan, Chamberlain

“Look at all his statistics,” Olajuwon said. “You’re talking about a player at the level of Michael Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain.”

Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon knows greatness, and he’s convinced that Houston Rockets star James Harden is at that level.

Harden’s 2019-20 season is just the third time in over 30 years that an NBA player has averaged at least 34 points per game. (The other two were Harden’s 36.1 last season and Kobe Bryant’s 35.4 in 2005-06.) Now 30 years old, “The Beard” is on the verge of a third straight scoring title.

Over his eight seasons to date in Houston, Harden has earned All-Star honors in all of them while leading his Rockets to the playoffs. The future Hall of Famer was the NBA’s 2017-18 MVP and a three-time MVP runner-up, and he appears poised for another top-three MVP finish this season.

Last summer, Rockets GM Daryl Morey said it was “just factual” that Harden is a better scorer than NBA legend Michael Jordan.

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The primary blemish to Harden’s career, of course, is that he has yet to win an NBA championship. But Olajuwon was 31 years old before he won his first of multiple titles, and he seems convinced that Harden’s career trajectory could be similar.

In an appearance Monday on SportsTalk 790 in Houston, Olajuwon was asked whether Harden was a championship caliber player. He replied:

There’s no question about that. It’s very, very difficult to carry a team from that position, and he’s proven that comfortably, reaching new heights. Look at all his statistics. You’re talking about a player at the level of Michael Jordan or Wilt Chamberlain. He’s something unbelievable in this era. There’s no question about James’ ability as a champion. It’s just a matter of time.

James is such a complete player. He’s a winner. I think, with [Russell] Westbrook… [Harden] needs some reinforcements when he’s going deep in the playoffs. When the battle gets tough, he just needs that reinforcement to recharge. I think Westbrook has brought that to this team.

Harden is averaging 34.4 points, 7.4 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game this season. Assuming he keeps his scoring average above 34 following the eight regular-season games of the NBA’s July restart, Harden will become just the third player in league history to average at least 34 points in two different seasons. The other two — fittingly, given Olajuwon’s comparison — were Jordan and Chamberlain.

Harden also looks to have lost weight during the NBA’s unexpected COVID-19 hiatus, which could put him in even better physical condition for a deep playoff run this year. (Houston has already clinched its spot.)

Though the statistical comparison is already there, Harden probably needs to become a champion in order for many NBA fans to widely accept him as an all-time great. This year could be a prime opportunity to do so.

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Today in 1995: Rockets complete historic march to second NBA title

“Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion!” Rudy Tomjanovich and Hakeem Olajuwon’s Rockets clinched a second title on June 14, 1995.

On this day 25 years ago, the 1994-95 Rockets finished off what could be the toughest path to a championship in NBA history.

NBA Finals MVP Hakeem Olajuwon led Houston in Game 4 versus Orlando with 35 points and 15 rebounds, sending “Clutch City” to a 113-101 home victory (box score) on June 14, 1995 and securing a series sweep.

Mario Elie chipped in with 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting (81.8%) from the field, including 4-of-6 on 3-pointers (66.7%). All-Stars Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway each scored 25 for the Magic.

HoopsHype has more on the historic journey by the sixth-seeded Rockets to a second consecutive NBA crown.

“According to research in which we looked at every team’s path to their eventual championship wins, the 1994-95 Rockets had the toughest road ever to winning a title,” they write. “The worst team they beat had a 57-25 record, and that was their Finals opponent, the Orlando Magic, who boasted a lineup featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, amongst many valuable role players.” The HoopsHype story adds:

On top of that, the Rockets won four series without having home-court advantage, an almost impossible feat to even fathom, let alone pull off. Houston’s road was made that tough due to the fact that they went 47-35 that regular season, a disappointing campaign prior to the playoffs. The Rockets beat two teams in the Utah Jazz (60-22) and the San Antonio Spurs (62-20) that won at least 60 games, and a third, the Phoenix Suns (59-23) that came within one win of reaching that benchmark.

HoopsHype concludes:

A road that featured the aforementioned Shaq-and-Penny duo, along with Charles Barkley and Kevin Johnson, that year’s regular-season MVP in David Robinson, who Olajuwon made look very foolish during their matchup, and John Stockton and Karl Malone, there’s no questioning just how tough the Rockets had it during their second title run, and how well-earned their championship was.

It also served as the long awaited championship for future Hall of Fame guard Clyde Drexler, who had 15 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in the decisive Game 4. Drexler was acquired by the Rockets in a bold move at the February 1995 trade deadline in exchange for power forward Otis Thorpe, who had played a key role in Houston’s 1993-94 title.

In all, the 1995 run can be summed up perfectly by the postgame quote that night from legendary head coach Rudy Tomjanovich.

“Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion!”

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Today in 1995: Horry, Elie lead Rockets to brink of second title

Robert Horry and Mario Elie combined for 37 points on 60% shooting in Game 3 versus Orlando, headlined by Horry’s dagger 3-pointer late.

The underrated story of the 1995 NBA Finals between the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets was the difference in role players.

Superstars Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler did their part for the Rockets, while Shaquille O’Neal and Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway carried the Magic. But Houston often had key role players step up — such as Kenny Smith’s record seven 3-pointers in Game 1, and Sam Cassell’s 31 points off the bench in Game 2 — to supplement the star performances.

Meanwhile, the most noteworthy contribution from Orlando’s supporting cast was the four missed free throws late in Game 1 by Nick Anderson.

All of those trends continued in Houston’s 106-103 victory (box score) on June 11, 1995, which gave the Rockets a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. They went on to win the title three days later.

After the two point guards stole the show in the first two games, it was a pair of young forwards who stepped up in Game 3 at The Summit in Houston. Robert Horry (20) and Mario Elie (17) combined for 37 points on 60% shooting, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range (55.6%).

Those 3-pointers included one of the renowned daggers by “Big Shot Bob,” which extended Houston’s lead from one point to four with just over 10 seconds left and sent the “Clutch City” crowd into a frenzy.

Meanwhile, as Horry and Elie stepped up, their counterparts on the young Magic struggled. Anderson and Dennis Scott combined for 20 points on just 6-of-25 shooting (24.0%) from the field.

Generally speaking, the stars were all brilliant. Olajuwon had 31 points and 14 rebounds while Drexler added 25 points and 13 rebounds. Each had seven assists, headlined by Olajuwon’s pass to Horry for the clinching shot. For the Magic, O’Neal scored 28 points (64.7% FG) and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Hardaway added 19 points and 14 assists.

Yet again, it was the role players who gave the biggest comparative advantage to the Rockets. This time, it put them just one game away from a second consecutive NBA championship.

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Today in 1995: Sam Cassell scores 31 as Rockets take control of Finals

One game after Kenny Smith hit a record seven 3-pointers, his understudy had 31 points as Houston took Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Orlando.

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In Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals, perhaps the biggest Houston storyline was the record (at the time) seven 3-pointers by veteran point guard Kenny Smith, leading to a road victory in overtime by the Rockets.

In Game 2, it was his understudy’s time to shine. Second-year point guard Sam Cassell scored 31 points in 30 minutes off the bench, which helped lift “Clutch City” to a 117-106 victory (box score) on June 9, 1995. That scoring total also tied Cassell’s career high at the time.

The win gave the Rockets a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Magic, with both wins coming in Orlando. Houston went on to sweep the Finals and secure its second consecutive NBA championship.

Cassell, who was selected No. 24 in the first round of the 1993 NBA Draft, shot 8-of-12 from the field (66.7%) and got to the free-throw line 12 times, making 11. He also had three assists and three steals.

Hakeem Olajuwon had with 34 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocked shots, while Clyde Drexler added 23 points and five assists. But those numbers were largely expected from a pair of future Hall of Famers.

The biggest story in Houston’s two underdog wins in Orlando was that the All-Star duo had their contributions supplemented by role players taking on bigger roles than usual. It was Smith’s turn in Game 1, which limited Cassell to just 11 minutes. Then, Cassell — who is now an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers — stepped up in Game 2.

Those two were inherently battling for the same minutes at point guard, yet the competition seemed to bring out the best in each player. In comments to reporters after Game 2, Cassell said:

It’s like this: If Kenny’s on, he’s going to play. If I’m on, I’m going to play. We’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders.

Smith, a 30-year-old veteran, averaged 10.4 points and 4.0 assists in 25.1 minutes per game as the starter. He was the superior shooter, at 42.9% on 3-pointers during the regular season and 44.2% in the playoffs.

But Cassell nearly matched him in playing time with 23.0 minutes off the bench. The 25-year-old averaged 9.5 points and 4.9 assists, and his ability to attack the paint with athleticism ⁠— shown in his 12 free throws in Game 2 ⁠— was a useful changeup in style for the Rockets, who had four starters (Smith, Olajuwon, Drexler, and Mario Elie) at 30 years or older.

Magic star Penny Hardaway said this after Game 2:

What can you do? Kenny doesn’t have a good night, Sam comes in and turns it on. Seems like you can’t keep both down.

Cassell scored 16 of his 31 points in the second quarter, which helped the Rockets build a commanding 63-41 halftime lead.

The Magic were understandably in a desperate situation and made several runs in the second half. But Cassell, who become known at a very young NBA age for his poise under pressure and clutch shotmaking, often had the answers as the Rockets raced home with a 2-0 series lead.

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Today in 1995: Kenny Smith sets NBA Finals record in comeback win

“The Jet” set an NBA Finals record with seven made 3-pointers, helping the Rockets overcome a 20-point deficit in Game 1 at Orlando.

The game is remembered most for the four missed free throws late in regulation by Orlando’s Nick Anderson. But if not for a historic night from Kenny Smith, history would likely tell a very different story.

On June 7, 1995, Smith set an NBA Finals record (at the time) with seven made 3-pointers, leading the way as the Rockets overcame a 20-point deficit to win a dramatic Game 1 in Orlando, 120-118 (box score).

Those seven treys by the current NBA on TNT analyst came on just 11 attempts, which made for an incredible 63.6% clip from behind the arc.

By the 1994-95 season, Smith was beginning to enter the journeyman phase of his career. Then 30 years old, he averaged 10.4 points and 4.0 assists in 25.1 minutes per game. Emerging second-year talent Sam Cassell often closed games at point guard, with Smith left on the bench.

But “The Jet” did connect on a blistering 42.9% of his 3-pointers that season, and he lifted that figure to 44.2% in the playoffs. That long-range accuracy proved critical in Houston’s comeback bid in Game 1, which set the table for their second consecutive NBA championship.

Smith’s final 3-pointer was most important. Even though Anderson had missed four straight free throws in the final 10.6 seconds with a chance to extend the Magic lead to multiple possessions, the Rockets still trailed by three points with only seconds left to play.

But Smith created separation from Orlando’s Penny Hardaway with a pump fake, and he buried the tying 3-pointer with just over a second left in regulation. From there, Houston went on to win in overtime.

Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler also carried a heavy load, of course. “The Dream” scored 31 points and dished out seven assists, while Drexler had 23 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists. But those types of contributions from a pair of future Hall of Famers were largely expected. On the other hand, seven treys from someone viewed as a journeyman role player? That’s what the Magic were unable to overcome.

After that game, Orlando was never the same. They trailed by 22 points at halftime in a home Game 2, and they lost two of the next three games by double digits in what became a sweep by the Rockets.

The effects of Orlando’s Game 1 collapse lingered well after that series, too. Anderson’s free-throw percentage, which was at 69.6% over the first six seasons of his NBA career (through 1994-95), plunged to 60.5% in his final seven seasons — including a career-low 40.4% in 1996-97.

Just over a year after the 1995 Finals, All-Star center and future MVP Shaquille O’Neal left the Magic to join the Lakers in free agency.

In hindsight, the four missed free throws by Anderson stand out as the most memorable turning point. But without a career performance from Smith, those misses probably wouldn’t have mattered.

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Research: LeBron has been the top player in more playoff series than anybody else in NBA history

We recently looked up playoff GameScore ratings from the indispensable Basketball-Reference, an advanced stat created by former Grizzlies front-office member John Hollinger which gives “a rough measure of a player’s productivity for a single game.” …

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We recently looked up playoff GameScore ratings from the indispensable Basketball-Reference, an advanced stat created by former Grizzlies front-office member John Hollinger which gives “a rough measure of a player’s productivity for a single game.”

According to GameScore, LeBron James has been the No. 1 player in more playoff series than anyone else, which speaks to the four-time league MVP’s sustained level of excellence and longevity. James has been the top statistical player 38 times out of the 45 playoff series he’s taken part in, per GameScore, good for a percentage of 84.4 percent.

Not to be outdone, however, Michael Jordan owns the best percentage of series in which he was the best player. Only twice out of the 37 playoff series he competed in was he not the top player, giving him a strong percentage of 94.6 percent.

James and Jordan finish as runaway No. 1 and No. 2 on our rankings here respectively, James with 38 playoff series as the No. 1 player per GameScore and Jordan with 35.

Other eye-opening entries on these rankings: Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Durant and Reggie Miller rank higher than you might expect based on how they are typically ranked in GOAT lists. Olajuwon was the No. 1 statistical player in 19 playoff series (as many as Shaquille O’Neal), Durant in 15 series (three more than Kobe Bryant) and Miller in 11 series (as many as Wade).

There is one important caveat to consider here: These numbers are only dating back to 1983-84. If not for that, legends like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird would rank higher, and others like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would make the list, though they still wouldn’t beat LeBron or Jordan based on the number of series they played in.

For the full ranking of the Top 22 players with the most playoff series as the top player, just click through the gallery above.

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Research: When LeBron lost, he did it against stronger opposition than any other NBA legend

Last week, we looked up 25 NBA superstars to determine the combined winning percentages of the opponents they defeated in the playoffs. This week, we’re taking a peek at those same superstars, but this time, looking at the winning percentages of the …

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Last week, we looked up 25 NBA superstars to determine the combined winning percentages of the opponents they defeated in the playoffs.

This week, we’re taking a peek at those same superstars, but this time, looking at the winning percentages of the opponents that they lost to in the postseason.

The first thing that jumps out is that although LeBron James beat weaker competition than most legends on average, he also lost to stronger squads than anybody else, mostly due to all of those Finals series against juggernaut Golden State Warriors teams.

The teams who defeated LeBron James in the playoffs combined for a whopping 608-212 regular-season record, good for a winning percentage of 74.1 percent.

One player who isn’t far off from LeBron on our list is Kevin Durant. If you ever wondered why the Oklahoma City Thunder came up painfully short so many times leading to Durant’s controversial departure, just look at the brutal competition they had to face, including the Warriors and San Antonio Spurs in the West, and the Miami Heat in the East during the 2012 Finals.

Overall, it’s clear that it took a lot to beat these guys. Out of the 25 superstars we examined, 21 only lost to opponents who had greater than a 66 percent win percentage, meaning they could only be taken down by the best of the very best.

For more info on the caliber of opponents the 23 other superstars lost to who we didn’t go in-depth on, just check out the gallery above.

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Mario Elie on hypothetical series vs. Jordan’s Bulls: ‘Rockets in 7’

“We had a group of guys who weren’t scared,” Elie said of the 1990s Rockets. “A lot of these players were scared of Michael Jordan.”

Of the nine NBA championships awarded from 1991 through 1999, six were won by legendary guard Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

The other three champions of that era — the 1994 and 1995 Houston Rockets, and the 1999 San Antonio Spurs — shared a common thread in the form of defensive minded swingman Mario Elie.

Known as the “Junkyard Dog,” Elie’s combination of perimeter defense, toughness, and clutch shotmaking made him an essential role player for those title teams. While he admires the Bulls for their accomplishments, which have been featured in recent weeks thanks to “The Last Dance” documentary release, he understandably is partial to his own teams.

In an interview with Rockets broadcaster Craig Ackerman, Elie was asked about those Houston teams not being brought up in the film.

“I don’t really care if they didn’t mention us,” said Elie, whose teams never faced Jordan’s Bulls in the playoffs. “We still got those championships, first of all. “Second of all, we’d have matched up great against them.”

“We had Vernon [Maxwell] and myself,” he said. You’re not going to stop Michael Jordan, we all know that know that, but we’re two guys who can make him work. And Jordan really didn’t face a big man at the caliber of Hakeem Olajuwon. If Michael Jordan would have beat me and Vernon, he would’ve had to meet No. 34 at the rim.”

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Elie said the Rockets’ title teams were mentally tough, which he believes was in contrast to many other contenders in that era. He explained:

We had a group of guys who weren’t scared. A lot of these players were scared of Michael Jordan. It was like that Mike Tyson effect. When Mike Tyson was first on the scene and you walked in the ring, he’d have those guys beat by the staredown.

I thought we had guys that weren’t scared. We weren’t scared of nothing. Especially the two years we won, being down [in series]. We had adversity we had to deal with. We just had some tough, gritty guys.

In terms of the Xs and Os of a hypothetical matchup, Elie said he would have been fascinated by the potential of a young Robert Horry going against Scottie Pippen, as well as Otis Thorpe at power forward versus Dennis Rodman. Coaching strategies may also have played a key role.

“Robert would tell me that Phil Jackson didn’t like to double team,” Elie said. Years later, Jackson coached Horry with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I played with Hakeem Olajuwon for five years,” Elie explained. “This man sees double and triple teams on a nightly basis and still gets 30 and 40 points. So imagine if Phil Jackson doesn’t double. He would kill them and get them all in foul trouble, etc.”

There’s certainly reason to question whether Chicago’s nondescript centers like Bill Cartwright and Luc Longley could have held up against Olajuwon’s Rockets, who were 5-1 against Jordan’s Bulls in six regular-season games from 1990-91 through 1992-93.

By comparison, many teams Chicago defeated in the NBA Finals in their title runs — such as Charles Barkley’s Phoenix Suns, Karl Malone’s Utah Jazz, and Shawn Kemp’s Seattle Sonics — lacked the offensive production at center to challenge the Bulls at their weakest position.

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But in the end, Elie believes it’s the role players that would have given the “Clutch City” Rockets an advantage versus Chicago. He said:

I would take us in seven [games]. It would have been a great series. Jordan would have got his for sure, and Olajuwon would get his. … Both guys were on top of their games at the time.

I think it’d have been up to the role players, and I sort of like our role players a little better than theirs, you know. It’d have been interesting, but I would like our chances, especially with that ’94 team. We had size, we had athleticism, and we had toughness.

The 1994 team featured Otis Thorpe starting at power forward. Before the 1995 title run, Houston traded Thorpe in a deal for star shooting guard Clyde Drexler, which led to Horry sliding to power forward.

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Jordan didn’t play in the 1993-94 season after an abrupt mid-career retirement in October 1993, which lasted until March 1995. Stylistically, the 1993-94 Rockets with Thorpe had the most in common with the group that went 5-1 versus Chicago in the previous three seasons. Olajuwon was also regular-season MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in 1993-94.

Jordan returned the next season and played well in the 1995 playoffs, but his Bulls lost in the second round to the Orlando. The Magic were later swept by Elie’s Rockets in the 1995 NBA Finals.

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The Bulls regrouped in the subsequent 1995 offseason and signed Rodman as their next power forward, filling Grant’s old role. From there, Chicago took the next three championships from 1996 through 1998, which was when the Olajuwon-era Rockets were aging out of contention.

In the end, Olajuwon’s Rockets and Jordan’s Bulls peaked at different times in the 1990s, and NBA fans never saw the playoff matchup they craved between the two MVPs and Hall of Famers. But even decades later, it’s a debate that still lives on in NBA lore. Understandably, Elie is partial to “The Dream” and his teammates from that golden era in Houston.

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Scott Brooks: 1990s Bulls had ‘no answer’ for Hakeem Olajuwon

Scott Brooks: “It’s easy for me to say this now because it’s all hypothetical, but I don’t think they would have beat us in ’94.”

Long before his days as an NBA head coach, Scott Brooks played as a reserve guard with the Houston Rockets over parts of three seasons.

One of those years was 1993-94, when Houston won its first NBA title in team history. With ESPN’s “The Last Dance” film airing in recent weeks, the debate has been reignited over whether the 1993-94 and 1994-95 Rockets would have won those titles, had Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan not abruptly retired for 18 months in the middle of his career.

But Brooks, who now coaches the Washington Wizards, isn’t buying it. On the Wizards Talk podcast, here’s what he said:

[The Bulls] had no answer for [Olajuwon]. It’s easy for me to say this now because it’s all hypothetical, but I don’t think they would have beat us in ’94.

Now, the next year, it could have been a different story. But that ’94 team, ‘Dream’ was, it was like destiny. He was locked in. I’ve never seen a guy up close every fourth quarter, I don’t even think he missed a shot, let alone make a mistake. He had both ends just covered.

Brooks wasn’t a part of Houston’s second championship team in 1994-95, following a midseason trade to Dallas.

The “what if Jordan hadn’t retired?” question about the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons is understandable on a superficial level, since Jordan’s Bulls won the three NBA titles before and after those two seasons.

But they also never defeated the Rockets in any of their championship runs, and there’s certainly reason to question whether Chicago’s nondescript centers like Bill Cartwright and Luc Longley could have held up against the Rockets — led by an MVP big man in Hakeem Olajuwon.

By comparison, many of the teams the Bulls defeated in the NBA Finals — such as Charles Barkley’s Phoenix Suns, Karl Malone’s Utah Jazz, and Shawn Kemp’s Seattle Sonics — lacked the offensive production at center to challenge the Bulls at their weakest position.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that Olajuwon’s Rockets were 5-1 against Jordan’s Bulls in the three regular seasons (1990-91 through 1992-93) prior to his unexpected October 1993 retirement. It should also be noted that Jordan did play in the 1995 playoffs, but his Bulls lost in the second round to Orlando. That Magic team was later swept by the Rockets.

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One popular theory is that Jordan was “rusty” in the 1995 playoffs after only playing in 17 regular-season games. But that’s not shown in the data. Jordan averaged more points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game in the 1995 playoffs than he did in the 1996 playoffs (when Chicago won the title), all on superior shooting from the field.

Ultimately, the Rockets and Bulls peaked at different times in the 1990s, and NBA fans never saw the matchup in the playoffs. But it’s a debate that has lived on for decades in NBA lore, and former players like Brooks are understandably ready to jump in and defend their accomplishments.

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