Kenny Smith Says Houston Would Still Have Won 94' & 95' NBA Titles Even If MJ Played | ALL THE SMOKE
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- čas přidán 5. 06. 2022
- Kenny Smith discusses helping the Houston Rockets win back-to-back championships, plus his thoughts on if the Bulls could have beaten them had Michael Jordan not pursued baseball.
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I can hear Shaq now “Stop the tough talk, KENNETH!” 😂
😂😂😂
Chuck: Hey water boy get me some Gatorade 😂
"Always talking about yourself huh kenny?"
Shaq knows he'd be telling the truth right now. Rockets swept him and Penny's a** in the finals. lol
Actually shaq thinks Hakeem is the goat but can’t because of the nba hype trains he has to follow .
Kenny has said MJ is the goat and shaq said better then Hakeem ?
Kenny says yes and shaq says you have no idea what your talking about .
Shaq and many other players when you listen to them , think Hakeem was the best player ever with the undertone in the comments .
With things like if he didn’t play in Houston or if he won 1-2 more .
This is the finals I always wanted to see. Best player in the game, against the best center in the game. No one could STOP JORDAN OR THE DREAM. It would have been one helluva series
It could have been as big as the Lakers/Celtics of the 1980's.
I’ll be honest I rooted HEAVY against the Bulls during the 90’s. But the regular season and playoffs are completely different ANIMALS!! There is a reason Chicago went 6 and 0😳
I've never heard Jordan respect someone as much as he did Hakeem. He was drafted before Mike and you've never heard Mike say he shouldn't have. That speaks volumes about Hakeem's greatness
The Bulls usually struggled against the Rockets and the Spurs mainly because of their lack of a dominant presence in the paint/center position. Would’ve been interesting to see those matchups in the playoffs tho
Big time fan of Mike and the 90’s Bulls as many were, and I do remember Houston running them a lot. San Antonio was another team that they consistently struggled with. At the end of the day it’s a topic that can be debated forever because there’s really no way to “win” the argument.
The regular season is different then the playoffs
@@gordleyt Jordan said himself he didn’t want any part of the rockets
The Bulls beat the Spurs. It was only the Rockets in the early 90s that the Bulls had problems with.
@@Twkout Hakeem was an absolute monster. He would’ve posted everyone up. Which is why it pisses me off when people don’t put the Dream in their top 10
The likelihood of going 8 for 8 regarding championships would’ve been unlikely but I’d give Michael Jeffrey Jordan a 50/50 chance to split 1 of 2 against the Rockets.
Facts, he just can’t say they would’ve won, the Jordan fan in me wanna give him a 65-70% chance to win😂😂😂
facts me too... but you cant tell these jordanized cats they'll split. I'm feeling that tho
I have to agree in 94 they probably would have won but being a 6th seed in 95 no way after you beat Jordan in 94
Jordan left because he knew wtf was going on c'mon... He wouldn't have done anything and his ego could not take it lmao
@@grostoss4259 yeah his dad being murdered had nothing to do with it... nor did the front office bickering... he foresaw the future for the next 2 years then I guess he had an epiphany and said I'm going to come back and dominate the next 3
Even as a teenager I would have paid all my money to be able to watch Houston vs Chicago. Olajuwon is the 2nd greatest player I've ever seen, that series would have been unreal
👍 second best player in the league behind Larry and ahead of MJ from when he got drafted in 84 - 89. He rolled through Magic and Showtime in 86 and no one ever brings it up. He fell down to 4 or 5 in my opinion for a 3 stretch period when his teams was getting knocked out by the Lakers and not making the playoffs before he emerged revamped for 93 playoffs. Thank Shawn Kemp and his boys for keeping Dream and Rockets off of finals collision course in 93 and 96 which the Rockets surely would have won.
@@joespitzer977 Good point about 86. Not enough people see Olajuwon for what he truly was.
@@joespitzer977 so you gonna ignore all of the first and second round flameouts that dream was a part of in those prime years? If he wanted to meet Mike in the playoffs he got swept by Seattle, then couldn’t get past Utah.
@@andrewwebster7185 He had no help then. He's still the only player to win a ring without a second all star
@@joespitzer977 Kinda making the Jordan failing the to make it to the finals in the 80's relevant....
Even Mj said it would’ve been tough to stop Dream
And the sky is blue. You surprised by that too? Lol
I seen the Kevin McHale, Mark Eaton and Shawn Kemp do a great job.
@@JP-jd8wr no just was saying lol
@@BoosterGoldEarth6 not talking about them BIGS and team we talking about the bulls
@@JP-jd8wr Given the fact that Jordan is such a ego maniac and competitive yet he's never said a bad word about Hakeem who was drafted before him? It would have been a hell of series.
MJ gettin his no doubt, but no team the bulls beat in any finals had a center like dream
Let these delusional dudes know. Bulls had no one in those years to deal with Hakeem and when Clyde arrived the following year the Rockets would’ve been even better.
He beat Shaq...
@@Pcx901 MJ lost to Shaq in 1995 and that summer they signed Rodman because without him the Bulls had no chance against the dominant bigs of the 90s m, so if anything “Rodman beat Shaq.”
@@Pcx901 Baby Shaq
@@mobetta2092 Jordan has just come back from his retirement. Dude was not all the way in game shape
Jordan himself said he was physically and mentally spent after their third championship. It was also the year of his fathers murder and the gambling allegations. I don't think he would of been as determined to win another ring, he needed the break which lit his fire again for the second three peat. No way they win eight in a row
Real talk people in the NBA circles can't go in depth I don't even think the bulls beat the 99 lockout spurs with Duncan and robinson
@@deshawnhamer2431 People always talk about Houston, but imagine the aging Bulls against the Twin Towers
@@MrOctober44 frfr styles make fights Hakeem at his apex and the spurs with td and drob MJ never faced a dominant center in the finals
He know DAMN WELL HE DONT EVEN BELIEVE THAT
Mike wasn't losing in no Finals series. That man's competitive nature was NOT gonna let that fly
Word
@@charlesconner9044 y’all sound stupid
@joceja23 maybe them 6 finals wins no losses no game 7s told the story
I mean he’s not talking crazy. The way dream was playing it definitely was possible!
Facts but back then my money 💴 on M.J
Ain’t nobody stopping Jordan.
Jordan >>>> Olajuwon
If the Bulls Won, the new NBA idiots would be like: “tHe BuLlS pLaYeD nOboDy’S” and bitched about the Rockets not having talent.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤦🏾♂️
@@massdagod naw bro I’m the biggest Jordan basketball fan ever, but Houston was no joke. I think it woulda at least been a split.
@@squireboi318 chill out
those same Hakeem led Rockets didn’t win a single playoff series from 1987-88 to 1991-92, they were either getting swept or missing the playoffs altogether in that span
they just happened to capitalize on Jordan’s absence in what was already a watered down league in terms of talent concentration
@@giokarp glad y’all all think Jordan only played 6yrs!😂😂😂
i love talking about Dream Matchups like these, especially this one because it realistically could have happened... I was a big Rockets fan and Hakeem fan, also Clyde in '95 was a nice addition I'm glad he got to win a chip. Too bad Charles never got to win one though. I don't know who would've won in '94 and '95 though. Peak Jordan & Pippen vs peak Hakeem and several great role players on both sides, more so on the Rockets. I dunno man, I just wanna see it!!
The Rockets biggest struggle on the Hakeem era was always Seattle. They were Houston’s Achilles heel. All we can really base it off of is the regular season record and the Rockets came out on top way more often than not
@@BadMoonRising92 Yeah True, but Houston got Seattle in 1997.
I always like the way Kenny speaks.
Smart dude.
FIJI ISLANDER FAN 🇫🇯
Kenny has a point. They would have beaten the Bulls even with MJ in the 95 finals because there's no Horace Grant or Dennis Rodman. How can Luc Longley or Bill Wennington stop Hakeem when even Shaq can't handle him?
Uhhh.. Here's an old info for you, Horace wouldn't leave if MJ didn't retire.
@@lamefart8831 False, Horace Grant hated MJ, he's stated several times over the years hes never been cool with mj
@@lamefart8831 Horace left before mj retired
@@kcbyrd4002 Horace played an extra year after Jordan retired before he signed with the Magic
Common sense!
NO!!!!!! Not in 1994. The bulls were 1 Scottie pippen bogus foul away from beating the Knicks without Jordan. Same Knicks were up 3-2 on the 94 rockets in the finals. Maybe in 1995 when Horace grant left, and no paxson, no Cartwright. But definitely not in 1994.
That Knicks team had a big named Patrick Ewing who was able to go back at Hakeem…Bulls didn’t have Horace or Rodman in those years. Hakeem would’ve eaten like a fat cat.
But he just made the point that same bulls team almost beat the knicks who had Ewing without Jordan so they dealt with him just fine, Ewing is not as good as Hakeem but it’s not that big of a difference between the 2. No one on that team could stop Jordan he would have averaged 40 if he had to.
Playoff about matchups
Who’s guarding Jordan on there end, the previous run the bulls had Jordan avg 35 7 7 3, Hakeem Avg 28 11 3blk, the year he was gone in 1994 the bulls still had Horace grant and 7ft1 Bill Cartwright. You could have went with Mj guarding the 1 6ft6 Pip at 2 6ft8 Kukoc at 3 6ft10 Horace at 4 6ft10 Cartwright at C 7ft1 they would have been just fine, who’s guarding Jordan? Sam Cassel? Maxwell?
@@pristinefitness9268 you’re right Horace was there.
Bulls still had absolutely no answer for Hakeem in a series…Dream Shakes for everyone on the house. Plus Hakeem would’ve been able to rest on defense.
As for Jordan, he’d gotten his but his hands would’ve been full on defense so Hakeem would’ve been more of a headache for the Bulls than MJ would’ve been for the Rockets.
Here's the deal, there's a big difference between beating superstars in the regular season and playoffs. When it all comes down to it, beating Michael Jordan four times in the playoffs is a tall order. Just like going against LeBron, you gotta beat that man 4 times
Well, first of all LeBron has gotten beat so we know how that looks, M.J all day
Lebron probably not good example since he has six final lost as many as Jordan won . I'm no hater of LeBron but people also act like Jordan never lost. Sure he didn't lose in finals but he did lose other series, hell in 95 he lost to shaq and penny who Houston beat down in finals.
@@genaroflores939 🤣😂🤣
Been saying this for year, Rockets fans are blind and butt hurt about not beating the GOAT to get their rings.
@@melvino8926 I hope you know that jorbum played more than 6 years
The older he gets the better he was
-charles Barkley
He stating facts, I dont get where the hate coming from. He just sayin that his team can beat this team.
Charles Barkley is the one , who that saying really applies too
No way Michael Jordan's Bulls would've won 8 consecutive championships if Mike doesn't retire and give these other teams hope
Without Horace or Rodman in the paint to deal with Hakeem, Bulls would’ve had no response.
Then in 1995 with the addition of Drexler and still not Rodman the Bulls would have been mauled even worse.
@@mobetta2092 exactly, plus houston's role players are solid, bulls need a decent power forward to make it
Stop the hero worship hes not a god my guy chill lmao jordan got smoked in the finals a fair few times.
exactly , these guys just don't know mike man
@@paulmccarthy4277 i literally grew up watching him dude im 35. Just stop. Being the goat doesnt make you fucking unbeatable
great point about experience and anxiety
And going to 4 straight finals people on the Bulls team would break down in injuries. That's a given. It's so difficult to go 100 games in 4 straight NBA seasons. The Bulls would likely not have made it to the finals in their 4th straight.
They lost to the Knicks in 7 without MJ. They'd 100% be in the finals with MJ lol
Don't forget Jordan and pippen played on the dream team in 1992, they didn't even have that summer off.
@@mamaamaor Exactly
@@mamaamaor You completely ignored the point about the team being healthy, which I think is a very logical thought
@@silewis9396 well they were healthy, weren;t they? And they;d just add MJ.. of course they'd win 4 straight.
It would have been a great match up
MJ ain’t losing to no 6 seed Kenny
Houston was not a actual six seed. Since it has many injuries.
No disrespect, but in 94 the Bulls were a game away from the Finals and that's without Mike.
Kenny is entitled to his opinion, but I'd never bet against prime Jordan. He would have used the "Hakeem good" argument to go full psycho mode. We all know that, some choose to deny that.
Tf , the bulls only made it to the second round lol. But yea I feel u
In 94 the Bulls were a game away from the Eastern Conference Finals...not the Finals.
Bulls lost in the second round.
People keep discussing which team was better...but it is not about that when comparing these 2 teams.
No matter what the Bulls did, how they played, how they tried to change their strategy...they lost most of the time.
Sure you can bring up its the regular season or bring up a team Like Utah and say they had success against the Bulls in the regular season...but this is different, Nobody whipped the Bulls like Houston did.
Bulls simply didn't have the personnel to pull it off.
In 94
1. Jordan and Hakeem cancel each other
2. Horace Grant and Otis Thorpe cancel each other.
3. Pippen wasn't the scorer he was in the first 3peat.
4. And Luc Longley and Bill Cartwright couldn't do anything with Hakeem.
5.Houston could at least throw Vernon Maxwell, and Robert Horry and others at Jordan
6. And even if that didn't work..Jordan still became more of a Jump Shooter against the Rockets because he ain't coming into the paint as much to challenge the #1 Shot Blocker ever in Hakeem.
7. Houston had more 3 point shooters...so after trying to double team Hakeem....Bulls defense failed because Paxson and BJ Armstrong were too slow to get back to the perimeter 3 point shooters.
The examples of a better team losing but just didnt have the personnel for certain opponents are in 94 Supersonics went 63-19 and Dominated everyone but had problems with Denver.
Supersonics got Denver in the first round and lost.
Toronto beat Giannis and the Bucks because Toronto had the personnel to build a wall in the paint so Giannis couldn't drive.
Eventhough Toronto won, everyone knew Milwaukee was the better team.
This year when the Mavs beat Phoenix in the playoffs...everyone knew Phoenix was the better team.
Also when the Pistons beat the Shaq and Kobe Lakers...everyone had Lakers on paper winning
Bulls had great players but not the correct type of players to beat the Rockets play style or system...and Bulls greatest weakness was the Rockets biggest strength.
And on top of that Hakeem was the best center in that Era and to make it worse for the Bulls...Hakeem moved like a guard.
I agree but tbh the East after the 80s was pretty trash besides the Knicks and Bulls...Indiana was lowkey trash but could make it tough on people because of the greatness of Reggie Miller but I don't see the Bulls beating Houston twice especially with Horace leaving and no Rodman yet
Yea but you cant rely on one person Hakeem was a huge issue and Horace grant couldn't even stop him in the finals let alone shaq what you think if mj had to use luc and cart Wright mj prolly would've averaged his usual 35 plus but we seen when bron had to carry a load and put that much up then face a really good team he lost every time so one guy won't win you a game you still have to guard hakeem
But they weren’t. That lost in the Eastern Conference SEMI-Finals
1:58 Crew laughing in the background due to Kenny's confidence.
But yet Kenny is wearing Air Jordans!!!! 😁😂😂😂😂😂😁
And🤷🏾😂😂😂😂😂
Same reason people think Jordan would have won. Damn goofy a** shoes and notoriety! Smh I miss the days people would watch them game instead of going off a big name. Dream would have whipped Jordan and his no center having team silly.
@@doritosmix73 The Bulls would have beaten the Rockets two straight times.
Him and Jordan are friends and played in college together but that don’t mean he can’t have confidence in his own team with the Rockets. What was he supposed to say here that they would lose 😂.
I agree with Kenny. 94 Would be a close series but that 95 team had a lot of momentum during that run. The Bulls never played a center like the dream in their titles. MJ would of expended a lot of energy 1-on-1 with Clyde while Dream would been going crazy in the paint on offense and defense.
I could argue that the Bulls could not win 8 rings in a row...I think they would have lost the 94 finals and come back and won the 95 series because Mike would not lose two rings in a row.
I'd flip it. I think they win 94 with Horace and Kukoc plus Clyde Drexler still in Portland. After Horace leaves in 95 and Clyde joins Houston, Bulls lose imo.
@@mrskeyonetaylor thats exactly what i thought too. Clyde was still ballin on houston too
@@hippobreath3703 Drexler is not better than MJ. The Bulls would have won 8 straight!
@@themansince hakeem was the best player in 95 tho
@@hippobreath3703 He was the best player because MJ was rusty. When MJ played a full season, he was the best player every year in the 90s.
" kenny takling like he a legend after taking that shot " Shaq man aint lying dude think he the star player of the team but aint nothing more than a passenger on dreams bus
Bus rider @$$ 😂😂
🤣 🤣
Kenny carried Hakeem. If Kenny did not play I am sure the bulls would win. Kenny is the goat.
@@rambo2667 just say no buddy
Wrong. Kenny actually made a great point about that in the full episode. He said he takes issue with the bus metaphor. Because only the driver does stuff in a bus and the passengers do nothing. He said a ship is a better metaphor, or that if people would e.g. say Hakeem or MJ or KD are captains steering a ship he would have no problem with that. Because in a ship you have a bunch of other people with various roles. On point.
Respect 🙏 Kenny Smith 👏
I Agree with him they probably would have won 94-95 if he still was there at the time
If the Bulls won in 94, Horace is most likely staying put. They would've beaten the Rockets both years
I can hear Mike now saying to Kenny "I should make you take my shoes off". Bulls would have definitely won 8 in a row if MJ didn't leave.
😂
Houston was a bad match up for Chicago for those 2 years. Hakeem would've been the worst mismatch. MJ feared him. Kenny's right.
So why they didn't 3 peat. MJ won 3 more after that
That’s why it pisses me off when people don’t put Hakeem in the top 10. Hakeem was a bad dude. Give Hakeem his youth back and he’ll dominant everyone with them post moves today.
Mike would’ve won that first one for sure. Hell, the Knicks would’ve beat the rockets that first year if they didn’t have those injuries.
And Starks 0-11 from 3 in Game 7.
Stop it Hakeem help Ewing to sub 40% FG
What about that bogus pippen foul on Hubert Davis???
@@ryangillum115 or the no call on multiple Charles Smith pump fakes under the basket???
@@ericsnyder5427 those weren't no calls. Charles Smith just sucks!!!!!
That era of NBA basketball was so good. Some great teams in the league at that time. Hakeem never gets enough credit for how dominant he was. I definitely think it would have been immensely difficult for the Bulls to have won 4 in a row. It’s so hard physically and mentally to do that grind in the NBA. Because it’s not just the championship years but leading up to it is a grind too. Almost always in the NBA before a team wins a championship, they at least make it to the Finals once before so to win 4 in a row is so draining.
I truly believe the Bulls would’ve won 8 straight sans Jordan’s hiatus. That being said Dream was the best player in the league those two years.
Shaq was the best in the regular season that year .Dream was best in playoffs
Love Kenny…
…..
Fact: the Bulls rarely beat Houston. I tell people all the time the match up was definitely in Houston’s favor and they woulda won one or both of those titles anyway.
Or it could’ve been Jordan’s first game 7s. Honestly at the end of the day we’ll never know. We can debate this for hours. Also the regular season and playoffs games are not the same. Here’s another fun fact for you. The Bulls always struggled with the Jazz as well and lost to them many times throughout the years in the regular season? But what happened when they faced each other in the finals? Like I said we can debate this for hours
FACTS #ClutchCity 🤘🏽
I mean it's MJ, going 8 for 8 is plausible. But Kenny did made a good point. If Bulls wanted to defeat that Rockes team, they would have need to trade a few pieces.
Mike played in 95 and averaged 30 in the series they lost to Orlando. A year off for an athlete isn’t that long when they stay in shape, which he did. Orlando straight up beat them. They were too small just like Kenny.
I agree 💯 percent The Bulls wouldn't have won 8 in a row, the fatigue would have set in maybe even injuries. They would have lost to Houston in 95, because Horace would have left anyway.
I believe it 😅💪🏾💯
1995 Hakeem vs Mike and 2009 Kobe vs LeBron will forever be the two dream Finals matchups the world never got to witness
He’s not wrong, Hakeem beat MJ 13-10, the one problem those Bulls always had was a formidable big man, Hakeem was the most skilled big man in the early 90’s ain’t no way the bulls especially after not having that break in between the 3rd and 4th championship
Yes the rockets have the “head to head” matchup against the Bulls (dating back to 1984-1998) and that record would be 11-9 excluding their last 2 games vs each other with the wizards and the raptors, but what no one takes into account is that this is TWO games a season and months part from each other in each case, this is not a 7 game series with games being played every other day or every 2 days. No one on the rockets team was going to stop Michael, not Vernon in 94 and definitely not Clyde in 95, no one on that rockets team was going to stop Scottie, no one on that rockets bench was going to be able to deal with kukoc. Hakeem was going to get his so the only question there is do you put Horace or Cartwright on him in 94 and let the other focus on Otis fucking Thorpe and rebounding. And again this is assuming that Michael never leaves to go play baseball, he would still be in tip top basketball shape and the Bulls would’ve still been one of the top in the east or the top team in the league, ain’t no 6th place rockets beating a 1st place 90’s Bulls team I’m sorry to tell Kenny
MJ @100% swept Shaq(with Prime Penny)...it would be a 5 or 6 games series against Hakeem
@@tellall23 a young Shaq and a young penny, it’s his prime because of injuries, not to mention Jordan himself felt burned out they where not winning in 94 or 95 especially without a break
@@somregularguy all this is about "had he not retired for Baseball", the Bulls would have won 8 straight. It is just a bit strange that as soon as he got back to normal form he three-peated again(not one nor two BUT three!). Of course the Bulls would have won 8 straight, had MJ not retired for Baseball.
Regular season doesn't always translate properly to off season with regards to MJ and the Bulls. Well based on history. We're talking about MJ at his prime here not even the MJ in the 2nd three peat.
I kinda agree, because when Jordan came back he lost to the very team that the Rockets swept the Shaq and Penny Orlando Magic.
the thing is if he had not retired, he just came back
@CactusJack22 You're basing your opinion on MJ losing to the Magic after being away from the game for almost 2 years...really? LMAO
@@franklinterrell9392 exactly why he would’ve lost, he was away from the game
@@franklinterrell9392 he came back and played 17 games to finish the season then lost to some 23 year olds. No excuses mj was still playing basketball.
@@moneymoney3235 LMAO!!! The fact that you think playing 17 games after missing almost 2 seasons makes you ready for the playoffs shows your lack of knowledge. Continuing this conversation would be a waste of time.
Jordan is on record saying he feared a Dream led Rockets. This is a fact. Kenny ain't lying.
Fear doesn't mean the Bulls won't win and MJ would just stood there shaking and not doing anything.
BTW, who doesnt fear MJ on the other side?
@@andytan911 lol yea it does. Jordan can do all he wants. Rockets coulda let jordan go off for 50 a game but fact is Bulls had nobody to stop Hakeem and Clyde.
You wilding Kenny
Houston should have been worried about Seattle.. because that's who they couldn't beat. They got a solid from the Sonics losing to Denver and LA in 94 and 95
I just told a friend of mine from Houston this same shit last week, they got completely lucky with Denver upsetting the Sonics in the first round that year. People just wanna believe that rockets team was so invincible that year and they weren’t, they were not the best team in the league Seattle was
@@RyccoLamar I'm from Houston and a lifelong Rocket fan. As much as I love them.. it's just a fact. I watched a many Sonics vs Rockets games, no matter how great Hakeem played they just couldn't beat them in a series. Payton gave Maxwell and Kenny fits. Otis Thorpe could not match Kemp.. he was too athletic. They didn't beat them until Barkley got there in 97.. but that was the end of the Payton Kemp era
Talk about OG !! H tiiiiiineeee 🤘🏿
Maybe the first one, Horace probably would’ve left still and the Bulls were dead tired. Probably wouldn’t have grabbed Rodman 2 years later so in 95 who knows what the roster would’ve look like.
Nope Jordan in his prime smokes everyone
We all know who got traded to the that team. And we know how jordan feel about him so the bulls
@@BillySmith-np5zn Except Hakeem in his prime. 5-1 from '91-'93 against the Bulls.
What happened during those other 6 years though Kenny? He never talks about that. Y’all had plenty of opportunities to face them in the NBA Finals!
Facts
I mean hakeem was 36when Michael won his last ring lmao what u think ppl last in the nba forever???
@@archiveplug1819 MJ was 35 when he won his final ring dude, they came out of the same 1984 draft class. Stop capping for the Rockets! 😂😂😂😂😂
@@aarong3000 thats not my point lmao ur talking as if it was just hakeem and micheal lmao ion know ur take sounds more like something out of skip bayless's mouth
@@archiveplug1819 Fool, you are the one that mentioned Hakeem’s age. Acting like he was 10 years older than MJ during that time! 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
We don’t know if Horace departs for Orlando if MJ never retires. Horace probably thought what most of us did--MJ was gone for good and the Bulls weren’t going to reach the pinnacle again. And his Orlando tenure was a flop--swept in the Finals one year, swept in the conference finals--by DA BULLS-the next.
facts, only reason why Horace left the bulls.
He would definitely stay if he was honest in those interviews when he answered that issue.
@@rockowilliams7820 Horace left 5 months before mj announced his retirement
Horace left to get paid. Bulls were not gonna match the offer he got from the Magic lol. He was outta there.
Horace played for the Bulls in 93-94, when they were robbed against the Knicks (see the Phantom foul against Hubert Davis). That was the season before MJ decided to come back. Yeah, he may have went for the money also, but I’m sure Orlando’s roster and no MJ on the Bulls played a role in his decision.
Idea to limit load management and make the regular season more competitive. Fist 2 rounds of the playoffs, home court is 5 games instead of 4, and all teams who miss the playoffs have the same odds at the number 1 pick.
I put Kenny Smith highlights on CZcams and him running to the board on inside the nba
The reason why you beat Shaq was Shaq said they felt like they had won the championship because they beat the goat
Or they lost all morale after Nick Anderson choke four consecutive free throws
We’ll never know but it would have been great to see.
Hakeem wouldn’t have been able to do it all by himself. Rockets backcourt gets clamped by the bulls. Too small.
In 94 the Bulls were a game away from the Eastern Conference Finals...not the Finals.
Bulls lost in the second round.
People keep discussing which team was better...but it is not about that when comparing these 2 teams.
No matter what the Bulls did, how they played, how they tried to change their strategy...they lost most of the time.
Sure you can bring up its the regular season or bring up a team Like Utah and say they had success against the Bulls in the regular season...but this is different, Nobody whipped the Bulls like Houston did.
Bulls simply didn't have the personnel to pull it off.
In 94
1. Jordan and Hakeem cancel each other
2. Horace Grant and Otis Thorpe cancel each other.
3. Pippen wasn't the scorer he was in the first 3peat.
4. And Luc Longley and Bill Cartwright couldn't do anything with Hakeem.
5.Houston could at least throw Vernon Maxwell, and Robert Horry and others at Jordan
6. And even if that didn't work..Jordan still became more of a Jump Shooter against the Rockets because he ain't coming into the paint as much to challenge the #1 Shot Blocker ever in Hakeem.
7. Houston had more 3 point shooters...so after trying to double team Hakeem....Bulls defense failed because Paxson and BJ Armstrong were too slow to get back to the perimeter 3 point shooters.
The examples of a better team losing but just didnt have the personnel for certain opponents are in 94 Supersonics went 63-19 and Dominated everyone but had problems with Denver.
Supersonics got Denver in the first round and lost.
Toronto beat Giannis and the Bucks because Toronto had the personnel to build a wall in the paint so Giannis couldn't drive.
Eventhough Toronto won, everyone knew Milwaukee was the better team.
This year when the Mavs beat Phoenix in the playoffs...everyone knew Phoenix was the better team.
Also when the Pistons beat the Shaq and Kobe Lakers...everyone had Lakers on paper winning
Bulls had great players but not the correct type of players to beat the Rockets play style or system...and Bulls greatest weakness was the Rockets biggest strength.
And on top of that Hakeem was the best center in that Era and to make it worse for the Bulls...Hakeem moved like a guard.
@@peterguidry6084 jordan and Hakeem don’t cancel each other out cause Hakeem can’t outscore mj for one.
@@thelight3547 Hakeem scoring 30 to 35 points with 4 or 5 Blocks, 12 Rebs, 1 to 2 steals....to
MJ 35 to 40 points, 6 Assists, 1 steal, 4 rebs..
That's canceling each other out.
Look closely...Hakeem just like Jordan elevates his game in the post season.
Now top that with the fact Bulls have no answer for Hakeem.
At least with Jordan he would become mostly a jump shooter debating his drive to the basket with Hakeem waiting for him.
@@peterguidry6084 but it all starts in the backcourt. How Hakeem get the ball if scottie and Mj are hounding them? You make it seem like they just gonna walk it up and dump the entry pass lol. We know that’s not happening. That outweighs the damage Hakeem would or could do. And you act like mj couldn’t send you home with them jumpers you talk about. He clwouod get any shot he wanted against them.
@@thelight3547 Historically Jordan scored the least amount of points against the Rockets.
These are professional players, To effectively challenge Bulls defense or hounding...Rockets would set picks to clear up space to pass into the paint where Hakeem is.
Then once Bulls start double teaming Hakeem, the outlet pass would happen from Hakeem to the open 3 point shooter.
Then the cycle of passes and 3 point barrage happens.
And this is How the Bulls failed everytime.
If they didn't double Olajuwon, then Olajuwon crossed up or spun past Luc or Cartwright and started Dominating the paint.
Since Jordan didn't shoot that many 3s...Hakeem and Jordan's points canceled each other.
And since Hakeem was closer to the basket, it was easier for Hakeem FG% to be better.
Kenny Smith is 100% Correct.
it's debatable,Kenny does bring up some good points tho.
Kenny the cap Smiith!
I did see something on another thread that said Jordan and the bulls always had trouble on the road against the Texas teams. Makes you think tho 🤔
Kenny talking about the regular season they beat the bulls,but in the playoffs that's a different animal,am going with the bulls. They barely bear the Knicks to capture their first championship, the year after jordan retired,stop it.
@@stargellwilliams1311 exactly, the Jazz beat the Bulls twice in the the 97-98 regular season, and we know how it ended.
@@stargellwilliams1311 Jordan barely beat the Knicks too in his prime they took him to 7 games what’s your point
@B Bryant Most Eastern Conference teams had trouble on the road against Texas teams back in the day. They called it The Texas Three Step because you played those teams(Dallas, Houston and San Antonio) usually in 4 days.
Not a single doubt in my mind that Michael Jordan would have never lost in an NBA finals.. when the game matters most Michael Jordan shines brightest.
I want to see MJ’s reaction to this!!!
I think if Jordan was there in 1994 it's hard to say if the Rockets would have won, but I think the Rockets would have won in 1995 even if the Bulls made it to the finals that year. Also it should be noted that Hakeem at that the time was incredible and nearly unstoppable. So there is some truth to what Kenny is saying, but I think it is a bit of a coin flip in 1994, '95 Rockets in the playoffs would have dismantled the Bulls I think.
🤘🏾-Town… a great 2 years… 🚀🚀🚀
I am a truly Rockets lifetime Fan and I must have to say that Kenny was key for us to win those two chips, he was a killer instinct when shooting out the arc in critical moments, even though chuck and shaq try to demerit him, he was a very good player
OK KENNY
They just say he wasn’t a bus driver which isn’t a bad thing cause I bet chuck wishes he had a bud rider like Kenny on his team😭
The older he gets the better he was LOL
Houston got swept by Sonics in 96. That alone says Bulls would destroy Houston if MJ never retired. Bulls went up 3 0 vs Sonics 96.
Don't worry Uncle Kenny...as a Raptors fan I know how this talk feels lol🍻🍺
"Kenny bring me some water" -Hakeem Olajuwon
Lol. I remember Kenny Smith told Barkley at least I got a ring. Barkley told him not because of anything u did. 😆
So how come houston didnt go to the finals in 91-93, 96-98 if they were SO good? They had plenty of chances to go see the bulls.
Terrible argument😭😭
@@Raskolnikov713 lol if you think Hakeem was in his prime in 94-95 you weren’t watching .
Those were honestly his last healthy years , his best years were probably 89-92 but the team was a joke .
He was dropping 38-15 with 5 blocks in the playoffs and the team still had no shot of winning .
@@Raskolnikov713 LMFAO. A 30 year old is in its prime.
Not a Rockets fan but I do remember the Stockton shot in 97 that knocked them out whil Malone was wrestling his man disguised as a screen
@@aubhreypender3091 then counter it instead of cry about it.
The Houston Oilers won the first 2 AFL Championships in 1960 and 1961.
JET WAS A DARN GOOD PLAYER FOR REAL
Bro you talking all that smoke with Jordan’s on,🤣😂🤣😂🤣 know you don’t believe that.
The rockets were the nemesis of the bulls in the regular season in the 80s and 90s.
Under Pressure!!!!! Mike Was Out Of The League Kenny😂😂😂
What he saying is true as far as 95 but if 94 season Mike doesn’t retire they would have made any necessary moves or trades to contend Horace was there in 94 along with Cartwright
MJ probably laughing at Kenny and his stories while wearing his shoes
Damn, hope the boys can interview Mike while they're smoking cigar. This is one of the best basketball podcast ever.
Now, the real question is... Are you a bus driver Kenny ? LOL
The Bulls would have made trades to acquire the necessary pieces to make runs for those 2 years if Jordan was still playing. One of the “IFS” is if Jordan’s Father never passed away…
In 1993, Bulls sign Rodman instead of Jojo English and give Moses Malone a last run. Bulls could have even picked up Dominique Wilkins and tried for a run…
Starting Lineup:
Bj Armstrong, Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Cartwright
Bench:
PG- Steve Kerr and Paxton
SG- Dominique Wilkins, Meyers
SF- Toni Kukoc
PF- Stacey King, Blount, Wennington
C- Moses Malone, Will Perdue, Longely
I think Jordan’s got the 8 straight Kenny
First you let The Game talk crazy, now Kenny??? 🤦🏻♂️ Come on guys, you don’t need click bait. You guys are solid. BTW- I love how you checked Patrick B. On ESPN 💯
'94 Houston would not have beaten Chicago. The ‘95 playoffs A LOT of things bounced the Rockets’ way. Down 3-1 in multiple series & Orlando blowing 20pt lead & Nick Anderson missing 4 straight free throws(in the same game). '95 Rockets were definitely talented but had tremendous amount of luck that playoff run so perhaps they would’ve beaten Bulls if luck persisted
There’s no luck when you won it back to back no matter what.
Stop it.
@@yvans. spoken like a dude who never watched the 95 playoffs
@@MrStephenDriley You don’t win back to back champions by luck again.
That’s not possible.
@@yvans. any dude posing w/another man head on his profile pic & has a whole screen name dedicated to him I can't take serious
just say "I never watched the '95 NBA playoffs"
The only argument worth considering is Jordan wasn't driven to win in 94 and 95. That is why he quit. He knew himself. Unless something was motivating him to win
in 94 or 95, Jordan wasn't gonna play basketball professionally.
The question is if Jordan WAS MOTIVATED to win in 94 or 95 could he have beaten the Rockets? I think so. It's unfortunate that the Rockets didn't make to the finals from 91-93 or 96-98 so we could have gotten an idea if the Rockets at their peek were a match for Jordan and the Bulls.
All I keep seeing people saying is “Kenny’s right because Hakeem was unstoppable” and Jordan’s wasn’t? 😂🤣 and again the conversation is assuming he doesn’t retire, because there’s mention of 8 rings, can’t have 8 rings if he retires for a season and a half geniuses.
The Bulls would’ve won as many championships as Jordan wanted to earn.
And I love my Tar Heel, Kenny, but you never use conventional thinking with Jordan, because he was that special.
Dream was that dude, though. I’d pick prime dream over prime Shaq, and that’s saying a lot. Dream had it all, and Kenny was the consummate floor general.
Kenny’s type of player is almost as rare as Jordan is. A star that knows his role, realizes the team runs through a more gifted player, and deferring for the betterment of the team.
i dig that take for sure. like kenny saying sooooo definitively that they wouldve won is crazy with jordan in the picture cuz he defies common expetation. like if anything its dumb to think jordan couldnt lol. and good point about defering to a more alpha player. its takes crazy humility to do that!
Yeah right kenny
Hakeem Olajuwon was unstoppable though. I agree with Kenny, for once.
And so was Michael before retirement lol so if he never retires then what, we just gonna disregard him being unstoppable to make a point?
🧢🧢 Ive seen Mark Eaton an Shawn Kemp make him look average
@@BoosterGoldEarth6 I don't think so. I've seen Hakeem school them both.
playoffs and regular season are two different animals
I mean yeah Chicago had no answer for Hakeem, but Houston had no answer for Jordan or Pippen. And don't tell me Vernon Maxwell. He was a nuisance to MJ, not a threat! Horry ain't checking Pippen either. Bulls win in 6!
then you are basically playing against 2 Kawhi on defense in the playoffs. I am with you, 6 games max!
Naw 7 games....The Jazz went 6 games twice and Malone was no where near as good or most importantly clutch as Hakeem. The other thing is they didn't have Rodman at that time to guard/bother Hakeem a little. The reason the bulls were eliminated in '95 wasn't the Jordan rust factor EXCUSE it was because they didn't have Grant or Rodman at the PF position so taking that into consideration '94 w/Grant 7 games toss up, '95 wo/Grant and no Rodman yet the Bulls would lose
@@brownpapi2634 Malone and them were going against 35+years post baseball .that pre-baseball MJ was an extra-terrestrial..6 games MAX
@@tellall23 Naw 7 games..... Hakeem was the best most unstoppable player the bulls would've faced in the first run and Portland and Phoenix went 6 games
@@brownpapi2634 Hakeem was not going to average 100pts per game. in the first run,The Suns had the most talent by far and Mike dealt with that situation in 6. with all due respect to both the Jet and Sam, they were certainly not Kevin Johnson. in the 2nd run, the Glove and Kemp were something else too and Mike could have easily finished that thing in 5 games. 6 games MAX against the Rockets, MAX!
lol Kenny should get into standup comedy. If Jordan didn't leave, the team roster wouldn't have changed.
Up in the air. We will never know....Dream was great
I think that's fair. Rodman patched all of their inside problems in 96. But I don't know if the 95 team would beat Houston
People, myself included, forget how much depth Houston had.
Scottie wasn't Scottie??? MVP of the All-Star game.
Kenny is really capping. He's talking about hypothetically. Nobody knows what the roster would have been with MJ. Kenny wasn't even a factor.
No he not
You do realize he was the starting pg on a championship team. And he is the reason they won game 1 against the magic in the finals right?
Just because he isn’t Hakeem doesn’t mean he isn’t a factor. That’s basically saying everyone else on the rockets isn’t a factor
@@ehoang71 exactly Jordan fans kill me people who think Kenny was trash in his day is crazy
The host almost forgot about the Oilers for a sec
Pip, Grant and Armstrong reached their PEAK in 94.
MJ ain't losing to Rockets with those 3 in their PEAK.
I remember when Jordan scored 55 points in the garden that year so don't give me this shyt about Jordan not being a 110% when he came back. Everyone wants to make excuses and say that the Rockets only won because Jordan retired. And let's not forget Olajuwon was the lone superstar on his team in 94 when they won it all, name somebody else that's done that in recent years
Dirk 2011, Duncan 2003, Ben Wallace 2004, LeBron 2016