Jordan Bulls vs Olajuwon Rockets in Finals during their team prime years. Who's gonna win?

Question

That the match I want to watch in the 90's but it never happen cause of the East and West division. Which team is the best in the prime?

Answer 1

Hakeem's Rockets beat teams in the playoff by a thin margin and usually took all 5 - 7 games to win. MJ's Bulls would slaughter teams in the playoffs and very rarely, have the victories took 6 games, which was the most the Bulls have ever allowed. Hakeem was great in destroying opposing centers but Chicago has a system for shutting down the post and centers. New York (Patrick Ewing), Orlando (Shaq), Miami (Alonzo Mourning), and Indiana (Rik Smits) all have great centers but they too, have fell victim to the Bulls tenacious defense. Granted, Hakeem was the most dominating center during his playing days but I doubt he would be able to score all of the team's points, especially if they shut down the Dream's teammate's point production. It should be a close series but I'd still say Chicago should come out with the "W" in no more than 6 games.

Answer 2

No disrespcet to Houston, but the 93-94 team only won because of John Starks complete choke in Game 7. The 94-95 Rockets, however, were a very solid team - don't forget how Hakeem utterly destroyed a still young and learning Shaq. Still Clyde Drexler couldn't handle M.J. in the '92 finals, and he wasn't any better in '95.

I think the 95-96 Bulls were the best of their many good teams. The combination of Jordan, Pippen and Rodman was incredible, and they had one of the deepest benches in NBA history. My prediction is that this Bulls team would have won against the 94-95 Rockets, but it probably would have gone 7 games. Afterall, even that great Bulls team needed 6 games to beat the Sonics.

Answer 3

I say it's the Bulls who'll emerged victorious.
Bulls got the deeper bench and they have one of the best 1-2 punch (if not the best) in NBA history in Jordan & Pippen.
Houston depended mainly on Hakeem and their are few frontcourt player of the Bulls who can guard him like Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant or Brian Williams. And the Bulls won their 6 NBA titles without the help of a fairly reliable/good center (a player that can give them at least a 15 ppg, 8 rpg a night).

Answer 4

It never happened because there would have been no Olajuwon rockets if Jordan doesn't retire after 93 season. If Jordan stays the Bulls win that coveted 8 in a row.

The rockets won in a talentless NBA for 2 years. Jordan came back and wow the bulls won 3 more.

Answer 5

Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Kukoc, Longley, Harper, etc....
No contest. It would have been an exciting finals but Jordan would handle Drexler. Drexler couldn't keep up with MJ in their earlier finals match up, he wouldn't be able to do it a few years older.
Bulls in 6 games. Houston would make it exciting as Olajuwon would have a few good games as our centers wouldn't be able to contain him.

A better question would be, Bulls in their prime vs. the Kobe-Shaw Lakers.

Answer 6

This is an oustanding question. Rockets won back to back titles while Jordan was playing baseball. The matchups would have been interesting.

PGSteve Kerr vs Kenny Smith
SG Michael Jordan vs Vernon Maxwell
SF Scottie Pippen vs Clyde Drexler
PF Dennis Rodman vs Otis Thorpe
C Luc Longley vs Hakeem Olajuwon

Some of these matchups are very lopsided however the interesting thing would have been at 6'8" would Rodman guarded Hakeem who was 6'10". Because he was the only one athletic enough to stay with him. Drexler would have had to guard Jordan but Pippen would have eaten up the other guards.

In the long run I would have given this matchup to the Bulls in a tough 7 game series 4-2.

Answer 7

I'm a Knick fan who hated the bulls in the 90's. However the bulls had the greatest team ever essembled, I dont think that there's a team out there that could've beat the bulls in a 7 game series.

Answer 8

Jordan's bulls easily. Jordan Pippen Rodman they got everything covered.

Answer 9

It would be close because the Bulls would have trouble stopping the twin towers (Dennis Rodman's great, but isn't all that big), but the Bulls had too much dominance on the perimeter, so the Bulls in seven games.

Answer 10

Jordan