In response to heirplain's comment:

In response to Gasthoerer's comment:

We have nothing, NOTHING, in common with the '94 rockets. They had the best player in the game at that time (arguably on both ends on the floor) and a phyisical banger like Otis Thorpe at the 4. They had 2 old school PGs, we have (after Rondo went down) no PG at all.

Hack, we have more in common (that doesn't mean a lot in common) with the '95 rockets. At least they had that year houston had an over the hill Drexler at the 2-3 spot like we have in PP and they played a shooter on the 4 (Horry). But still had Hakeem who destroyed the reigning MVP (or was that the year before) one on one.

And the most important: BB is no socker, it is all about matchups not about the average skill of the team. They had Hakeem in the post and played inside out, we play only only from the outside. They had tons of open looks from outside, we have, well just look at the stats.

Yes Clyde was on  the 95 team not 93/94 . That old 32 year over the hill Drexler lit up Orlando for 20.5pts/5a and 7rbs in 22 games. Hope Paul can do the same for the Celtics.

Just caught your whole post.

I thought it was a 4 game sweep? They played 22 against Orlando?

Mentioned Drexler's age comapred to Pierce and playoff #'s above... I feel Paul can still bring a 20/7/5 this year though, Drexler aged fast, he was about the same as PP is now by 1995.

Comparing players of different eras is fun but unlikely to yield reliable results. The Dream has always been one of my favorites.  

As far as KG is concerned, last year, the Celtics came within one half of game seven of winning against the Heat. The whole team ran of gas without a bench. Bradley went down, so that he could not guard Wade. and we did not have Green to guard Lebron.

KG plays limited minutes in the reguar season so his regular season game to, but when he plays extended minutes in the play-offs, he still looks pretty good, and puts up good stats. Yes, he can no longer guard ones and twos anymore, and there are even a few threes he has trouble guarding; however he is great against fours and fives. 

For his time, there was no quicker 5 than the Dream. However, I doubt that he would score in the high twenties against KG.  KG is one of the few players ever to really play all five positions, and guard all five positiions. it is also unlikely that the Dream could use his size to out muscle KG. Hakeem was listed at 7'0" and 255 lbs.. KG is 7'1" with greater length, and he now weighs 253 lbs, not 220 like he did as a rookie.

There was no player like the Dream when he played. Shaq and Ewing were traditional centers. KG is not. My view is that the Dream would have a much tougher time againist KG, The Dream was very quick, but KG is also still very quick. While KG is a pass first player and the Drean was the focus of the Rockets offense, KG's abiltiy to draw the Dream out of the paint would open the game for others. 

The Celts defense and wide open offense would have made for an intersteing game between the two teams I am not sure who would win, but I would have enjoyed the game..

In response to KG-LB-KM's comment:

Comparing players of different eras is fun but unlikely to yield reliable results. The Dream has always been one of my favorites.  

As far as KG is concerned, last year, the Celtics came within one half of game seven of winning against the Heat. The whole team ran of gas without a bench. Bradley went down, so that he could not guard Wade. and we did not have Green to guard Lebron.

KG plays limited minutes in the reguar season so his regular season game to, but when he plays extended minutes in the play-offs, he still looks pretty good, and puts up good stats. Yes, he can no longer guard ones and twos anymore, and there are even a few threes he has trouble guarding; however he is great against fours and fives. 

For his time, there was no quicker 5 than the Dream. However, I doubt that he would score in the high twenties against KG.  KG is one of the few players ever to really play all five positions, and guard all five positiions. it is also unlikely that the Dream could use his size to out muscle KG. Hakeem was listed at 7'0" and 255 lbs.. KG is 7'1" with greater length, and he now weighs 253 lbs, not 220 like he did as a rookie.

There was no player like the Dream when he played. Shaq and Ewing were traditional centers. KG is not. My view is that the Dream would have a much tougher time againist KG, The Dream was very quick, but KG is also still very quick. While KG is a pass first player and the Drean was the focus of the Rockets offense, KG's abiltiy to draw the Dream out of the paint would open the game for others. 

The Celts defense and wide open offense would have made for an intersteing game between the two teams I am not sure who would win, but I would have enjoyed the game..

Nice post about KG! In addition our 1 through 4 players are way quicker and would prevent the "Dream" from getting the ball and would be sometimes stripped. Not like the guards back then. He is one of the all time greats but the latest teams are different.

KG, while still a great help defender, is not a great 1-1 defender anymore. And he is no great post defender anyway. Hakeem pulverized David Robinson, the reigning league MVP and one of the most athletic centers in the history of the game in a playoff series. With his (relativ) short legs and low center of gravity, he had no problems to defend Shaq in the post. I doubt that KG (at his current age) would cause the Dream (in his prime) any problems. On top the Rockets had Horry to defend KG on the perimeter (with a smiliar body like Bosh today). Are our guards are so much faster than a young Casell and Vernon Maxwell, well, I don't know.

If I remember the games of this season: When the opponent has a scorer in the paint most of the time he can score at will against the Cs.

Since this is all conjecture and make believe anyway, lets put the 2004 KG on the 2008 Celtics, and the 1994 Rockets have no chance. The Dream gets his 30 points but shoots 30%, KG gets his 25 points and shoots 50% gets 10 rebounds and 5 assists. At that time KG was quick enought to guard almost anyone at any position.

KG is a nine time first team all NBA defensive player, and he was league MVP that year.

Never a great one on one defender? Did you guys miss 2008? Did you miss 2004?

Hakeem used quickness that allowed him to beat the traditional Big men of his day. The Dream may have had 33/ 11 but is unlikely that he would shoot over 40% KG is the perfect foil for Hakeem, as one of the few  big men  that is quicker than the Dream.

In response to Gasthoerer's comment:

KG, while still a great help defender, is not a great 1-1 defender anymore. And he is no great post defender anyway. Hakeem pulverized David Robinson, the reigning league MVP and one of the most athletic centers in the history of the game in a playoff series. With his (relativ) short legs and low center of gravity, he had no problems to defend Shaq in the post. I doubt that KG (at his current age) would cause the Dream (in his prime) any problems. On top the Rockets had Horry to defend KG on the perimeter (with a smiliar body like Bosh today). Are our guards are so much faster than a young Casell and Vernon Maxwell, well, I don't know.

If I remember the games of this season: When the opponent has a scorer in the paint most of the time he can score at will against the Cs.

In the postseason that Hakeem destroyed Robinson/Shaq Maxwell was out o it for all but 1 game. I agree that a 32 year old Dream would rip KG, but not for anymore than the 33/11 he already averaged that postseason. Robinson was always known to be soft and not have the killer alpha dog mentality KG has and Shaq was 23 and in his first finals. KG wasn't isn't close to as skilled as them anymore, but his D on Olajuwan would still be credible.

Horry would never really play KG, unless they stuck Hakeem on Bass or Wilcox (both of who Houston didn't have as good depth at in the frontcourt). Horry would be in a matchup with Green that Jeff would barely win out. Clyde and Pierce would be even. The Rockets guards were not going to beat our guys as they went Cassell, Elie, Chucky Brown and Kenny Smith for like 34 points a game. We'd go Avery, Williams, Lee, Crawford and Terry for like 45-50.

In response to rameakap's comment:

In response to Gasthoerer's comment:

KG, while still a great help defender, is not a great 1-1 defender anymore. And he is no great post defender anyway. Hakeem pulverized David Robinson, the reigning league MVP and one of the most athletic centers in the history of the game in a playoff series. With his (relativ) short legs and low center of gravity, he had no problems to defend Shaq in the post. I doubt that KG (at his current age) would cause the Dream (in his prime) any problems. On top the Rockets had Horry to defend KG on the perimeter (with a smiliar body like Bosh today). Are our guards are so much faster than a young Casell and Vernon Maxwell, well, I don't know.

If I remember the games of this season: When the opponent has a scorer in the paint most of the time he can score at will against the Cs.

In the postseason that Hakeem destroyed Robinson/Shaq Maxwell was out o it for all but 1 game. I agree that a 32 year old Dream would rip KG, but not for anymore than the 33/11 he already averaged that postseason. Robinson was always known to be soft and not have the killer alpha dog mentality KG has and Shaq was 23 and in his first finals. KG wasn't isn't close to as skilled as them anymore, but his D on Olajuwan would still be credible.

Horry would never really play KG, unless they stuck Hakeem on Bass or Wilcox (both of who Houston didn't have as good depth at in the frontcourt). Horry would be in a matchup with Green that Jeff would barely win out. Clyde and Pierce would be even. The Rockets guards were not going to beat our guys as they went Cassell, Elie, Chucky Brown and Kenny Smith for like 34 points a game. We'd go Avery, Williams, Lee, Crawford and Terry for like 45-50.

The general comparison of the Celtics to the Rockets that won two world titles is a good one.  The Rockets lucked out with Jordan not being around.  We have better young players than the Rockets and probably have no one to rival Akeem the Dream.  But we have three playoff savvy veteran, two of which are hall of famers so who knows. We don't until it happens.  Based on last year we have a very legitimate chance and at this point it should not be diminished.

Fierce keeps talking about Indiana and the Knicks which I have no fear at all about, if we as a team are in the right place in two months.   Even if Indiana beats us by twenty tonight I still am confident we can beat them in a playoff series.  The Heat look unbeatable but they did last year and we had them beat.  If we ever get them down 3 to 2 we will never let them beat us again.   REmember game 2 was stolen from us last year. Wade fouled Rondo and there was no call. Wade kicked Garnett and got a three point play.  The refs unfortunately could it make so the Heat cannot be beat.  And that is something to worry about as it was with the Lakers in 2010.

In response to concord27's comment:

In response to rameakap's comment:

In response to Gasthoerer's comment:

KG, while still a great help defender, is not a great 1-1 defender anymore. And he is no great post defender anyway. Hakeem pulverized David Robinson, the reigning league MVP and one of the most athletic centers in the history of the game in a playoff series. With his (relativ) short legs and low center of gravity, he had no problems to defend Shaq in the post. I doubt that KG (at his current age) would cause the Dream (in his prime) any problems. On top the Rockets had Horry to defend KG on the perimeter (with a smiliar body like Bosh today). Are our guards are so much faster than a young Casell and Vernon Maxwell, well, I don't know.

If I remember the games of this season: When the opponent has a scorer in the paint most of the time he can score at will against the Cs.

In the postseason that Hakeem destroyed Robinson/Shaq Maxwell was out o it for all but 1 game. I agree that a 32 year old Dream would rip KG, but not for anymore than the 33/11 he already averaged that postseason. Robinson was always known to be soft and not have the killer alpha dog mentality KG has and Shaq was 23 and in his first finals. KG wasn't isn't close to as skilled as them anymore, but his D on Olajuwan would still be credible.

Horry would never really play KG, unless they stuck Hakeem on Bass or Wilcox (both of who Houston didn't have as good depth at in the frontcourt). Horry would be in a matchup with Green that Jeff would barely win out. Clyde and Pierce would be even. The Rockets guards were not going to beat our guys as they went Cassell, Elie, Chucky Brown and Kenny Smith for like 34 points a game. We'd go Avery, Williams, Lee, Crawford and Terry for like 45-50.

The general comparison of the Celtics to the Rockets that won two world titles is a good one.  The Rockets lucked out with Jordan not being around.  We have better young players than the Rockets and probably have no one to rival Akeem the Dream.  But we have three playoff savvy veteran, two of which are hall of famers so who knows. We don't until it happens.  Based on last year we have a very legitimate chance and at this point it should not be diminished.

Fierce keeps talking about Indiana and the Knicks which I have no fear at all about, if we as a team are in the right place in two months.   Even if Indiana beats us by twenty tonight I still am confident we can beat them in a playoff series.  The Heat look unbeatable but they did last year and we had them beat.  If we ever get them down 3 to 2 we will never let them beat us again.   REmember game 2 was stolen from us last year. Wade fouled Rondo and there was no call. Wade kicked Garnett and got a three point play.  The refs unfortunately could it make so the Heat cannot be beat.  And that is something to worry about as it was with the Lakers in 2010.

+1000

great post, all true, although I worry about Indy with homecourt a little bit 

The general comparison of the Celtics to the Rockets that won two world titles is a good one.  The Rockets lucked out with Jordan not being around.  

In football (soccer) the best teams normally wins a title. In BB it is all about matchups.

Of course it is possible that the Bulls would have defeated the Rockets, but it is by far not as clear as you make it.

Let us look at the RS records of the bulls and the Rockets until 95:

1984 Houston 2 - 0 Chicago
1985 Houston 2 - 0 Chicago
1986 Houston 1 - 1 Chicago
1987 Houston 2 - 0 Chicago
1988 Houston 0 - 2 Chicago
1989 Houston 1 - 1 Chicago
1990 Houston 1 - 1 Chicago
1991 Houston 2 - 0 Chicago
1992 Houston 1 - 1 Chicago
1993 Houston 2 - 0 Chicago
1994 Houston 1 - 1 Chicago
1995 Houston 1 - 1 Chicago

Like I mentioned, the Rockets always gave MJ fits (5-1 in the era ot the first threepeat). Interesting articel is here:

http://voices.yahoo.com/if-michael-jordan-didnt-retire-1993-would-chicago-3538951.html

Even more interesing an interview of Jordan:

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/One-on-One-with-Michael-Jordan_6189/p/5

Jordan Picks a center for his "Dream Team": "It's going to be somewhat biased because I didn't play back in the days of Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, some of the great stars prior to me. And it's very tough because I'm friends with a lot of players today.

But if I had to pick a center, I would take Olajuwon. That leaves out Shaq, Patrick Ewing. It leaves out Wilt Chamberlain. It leaves out a lot of people. And the reason I would take Olajuwon is very simple: he is so versatile because of what he can give you from that position. It's not just his scoring, not just his rebounding or not just his blocked shots. People don't realize he was in the top seven in steals. He always made great decisions on the court. For all facets of the game, I have to give it to him."

Somewhere else I have read that Jordan called "The Dream" the best player in the league (during his baseball break).