Shaq vs Dream

Career #s
Hakeem - 22 PPG, 11 RPG, 51% FG, 71% FT, 3 BPG, 2.5 APG
Shaw - 24 PPG, 11 RPG, 58% FG, 53% FT, 2 BPG, 2.5 APG

Season Avg Highs
Hakeem - 25.3 PPG(95), 13.4 RPG(91), 53.8% FG(87), 78.7% FT(97), 4.3 BPG(90), 3.3 APG(96)
Shaq - 29.7 PPG(00), 13.9 RPG(93), 60.9% FG(09), 62.3% FT(03), 3.5 BPG(93), 3.8 APG(00)

Awards/Achievements
Hakeem - 93 DPOY, 94 DPOY, 94 MVP, 94 Finals MVP, 95 Finals MVP, 5 time 1st Team NBA D, 6 time NBA 1st Team, NBA All time block leader. (completed with Kareem-late in his career, Robinson, Ewing, Dike, Zo, Shaq-early in his career)
Shaq - 00 MVP, 00 Finals MVP, 01 Finals MVP, 02 Finals MVP, 8 time NBA 1st Team,. (completed with Dwight & Duncan in their prime plus Dream, Robinson, Ewing, Dike, & Zo late in their careers)

Shoes

i voted Dream just because an old Dream handled a young Shaq

nothing wrong with being under Hakeem

The Dream..

For as "dominant" as Shaq was offensivley..though help of a special set of rules where lowering your shoulder, elbowing the chest, hooking, and going over the back were perfectly acceptable...Shaq was not as good a rebounder and dominant defender as you figured he should have been. He was really good in his first couple years but even in his prime years and seemed to under achieve there. Like, somebody Shaq's size...that should anchor an incredibly dominant defense and while the Lakers were a strong defensive team mainly because all their players were solid to above average individual defenders...Shaq should have anchored a much more dominant defense like say Tim Duncan was able to for all those years.

Dream was a dominant AND dynamic offensive player. He can take you downlow and outside. Putting him at the line was not a great option. He was also arguably the best defender at his position for a number of years before Dikembe got a strangle hold on that title, and Dream got older.

Also, i think i remember Shaq saying Dream was the best player he ever played against.

Get into this later, both guys are two of the top I'd have to think about it more but I'll say 10 without thinking much to play the game, as is Kobe.

Olajuwon

I am shocked at the response. I absolutely think Dream is better(not by a large margin though), but I never thought he got the credit he deserved because he was in Houston, not LA.

I'll start with this

Reg. season: H2H

Shaq - 22.1 pts 12.4 rbs 3.6 asts 1.8 blks .544 fg% 14 wins

Hakeem - 18.4 pts 9.1 rbs 2.9 asts 2.4 blks .447 fg% 6 wins



Finals:

Shaq - 28.5 pts 12.5 rbs 6.3 asts 2.5 blks .595 fg%

Hakeem - 32.8 pts 11.5 rbs 5.5 asts 2.0 blks .483 fg%

This^ was Hakeem's greatest playoff run and moment, his team dominated the Magic, but Shaq held this own even then, remember this wasn't the Shaq he ended up becoming.

i think The Dreams 18 foot jumper and free throw shooting edge Shaq

both dominant defenders, offensive weapons, 1 just had a few more weapons

Shaq didn't need more weapons, and they played the game offensively completely different, but I won't bother trying to make much of a case for Shaq, not gonna convince anyone. Both all-time greats, leave it at that.

Birdofthad wrote:

i think The Dreams 18 foot jumper and free throw shooting edge Shaq

both dominant defenders, offensive weapons, 1 just had a few more weapons

Dream was a much better defender. This really sets him apart IMO.

Shaq's offense was probably better only because he could overpower & oversize everyone and was pretty dang good by the basket. Dream didn't have that luxury so he developed one of the most versatile and unstoppable offensive games.

I said that and team game, but was that the best Shaq he became? No and he held his own head to head vs the best Hakeem.

It's funny there was a poll asking best Centers all-time on ESPN today, Wilt, then Kareem, then Shaq close 3rd, all in whose voting.

Shaq. The most underrated player ever. Look what happened to hardaway, Scott and Anderson when he left. He dominated for a longer time than olojuwon also. I have shaq top 5 ever.

Dream- Too slick in the key he would have Shaq fooled.

Shaq early last decade was a BEAST.

94-95 baby you know it

It's close but, Dream takes it. Nothing controversial about that. Most pros and HoF'ers have Shaq around 3 or 4 all time. The top 5 are hard though for me. Wilt, Kareem, Dream, Russell and Shaq are all in a world of their own.

As much as I loved the Dream I vote Shaq. Shaq was absolutely a monster who dominated the paint for 15 years. He was a 4 time champion and the year they loss to the Rockets he was very young and inexperienced. Over there whole careers I take Shaq.

josh200612 wrote:

Dream- Too slick in the key he would have Shaq fooled.

They played against eachother, I posted their H2H stats.

As far as Shaq being top 5 all-time, not sure about that one, bottom top 10 seems about right, there's debate now on who goes down higher Shaq or Kobe.

LA wrote:

As far as Shaq being top 5 all-time, not sure about that one, bottom top 10 seems about right, there's debate now on who goes down higher Shaq or Kobe.

They should almost go down hand and hand!

Shaq isn't top 10 all time imo. Top 5 big man though.

But you'd at least have him top 15 right? I mean no one is right in that kind of rank, so hard to say. 8-15 or some shit who cares.

I'd say around 20 somewhere. 20 at worst.

Discussion for another day...