hakeem olajuwon

NBA Playoffs 2025-26 Quick Thoughts

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The playoffs are here again, and it’s time to examine some of the key questions that stand out—FAQ style…. Yes, the Oklahoma City Thunder are favorites, but are they prohibitive favorites? OKC lapped the field again, going 64–18 despite some key injuries and a general sense that they eased up after their amazing start. Their 2024–25 squad had the best SRS ever.  This team ranks “only” sixth best in NBA history. For a little context, here are the top ten SRS teams and how they fared in the … [Read more...] about NBA Playoffs 2025-26 Quick Thoughts

Q&A with Paul Knepper on his new book: Moses Malone, The Life of a Basketball Prophet

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For a change of pace, we did an in-depth via podcast instead of words.  We had a great time getting into with the weeds with Paul Knepper about Moses Malone and his cool new book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuFBhAQ8i9g&t=16s … [Read more...] about Q&A with Paul Knepper on his new book: Moses Malone, The Life of a Basketball Prophet

Revisiting The Barkley Rockets: Was He Worth It?

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As we are in the depths of the NBA off-season and waiting for a couple of big names to (maybe) be traded, I thought this would be a good time to review an old controversial big trade: The Rockets’ trade of Charles Barkley in the summer of 1996.  Houston traded two key young players (Sam Cassell and Robert Horry) for a 33-year old Barkley in a bid to squeeze another title out of the Hakeem Olajuwon/Clyde Drexler core.  The trade didn’t win Houston a title but was it a bad deal?  … [Read more...] about Revisiting The Barkley Rockets: Was He Worth It?

Revisiting Magic’s Comeback

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I’ve been reading Jeff Pearlman’s great new book “Three Ring Circus,” which examines the Kobe-Shaq Era in Los Angeles from 1996-2004.  The book is fascinating in its subject but also touches on the pre-Kobe-Shaq times.  There is a short prologue on the 1995-96 Lakers, who were a decent team that happened to feature the return of a 36-year old Magic Johnson.  Magic’s comeback is a fascinating blip in NBA history.  The return is viewed as mostly forgettable because Magic did not get along with … [Read more...] about Revisiting Magic’s Comeback

Would Anyone Have Beaten Jordan In 1993-94?

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With indefinite malaise upon us, we turn back in time again and ask a hypothetical question: Would anyone have beaten the 1993-94 Bulls if Michael Jordan had not retired? As a brief recap, the Bulls had two separate three-peats, from 1990-91 to 1992-93 and, again, from 1995-96 to 1997-98.  In each case, the Bulls were not as strong by the third year of the three-peat, which suggests that the task of a four-peat (or more) would have been unlikely.  To demonstrate the diminishing returns, … [Read more...] about Would Anyone Have Beaten Jordan In 1993-94?

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