Patrick Ewing Retires....

[jod23]

Must just give my good wishes to one of the greatest players of all time. Was desperately unlucky to never win a championship but he did have to go through MJ....

Absolute champion player and he will be missed, good to see he has already picked up a job as an assistant coach at the Wizards. His experience and guidance will no doubt help guys like Haywood and White to become better players.

Was always one of my favourite players...good luck Patrick.

 

[CURVE]

Originally posted by jod23
Must just give my good wishes to one of the greatest players of all time. Was desperately unlucky to never win a championship but he did have to go through MJ....

Absolute champion player and he will be missed, good to see he has already picked up a job as an assistant coach at the Wizards. His experience and guidance will no doubt help guys like Haywood and White to become better players.

Was always one of my favourite players...good luck Patrick.

Very Sad News. One of the all-time great centres (and there have been a few of those) and one of the nicest players on and off the court. Probably should have won a ring in the early nineties when New York had a very good side, but like so many champions, never quite reached the pinnacle in their chosen sport.

Shame he went to Wizards. I wonder how Jordan will feel having an Assistant coach young enough to be his son on the team.

 

[coxon]

what a man... what a player.. what a career ~~

a shame to see him go out without a ring...


Voted one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History"
Named an NBA All-Star 11 times, including a span of 10 straight seasons from 1988-97
Earned All-NBA First or Second Team honors seven times
Named to the All-NBA First Team in 1989-90 and All-NBA Second Team in 1987-88, 1988-89, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1996-97
Earned NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors in 1987-88, 1988-89 and 1991-92
Named NBA Rookie of the Year in 1985-86 and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team
Two-time Olympic gold medal winner with 1984 (Los Angeles) and 1992 (Barcelona) U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Teams
Entered the 2001-02 season as the 13th leading scorer in league history (24,425 points)
Stands as the all-time leader in New York Knicks' history in games (1,039), points (23,665), minutes (37,586), field goals made (9,260), field goals attempted (18,224), free throws made (5,126), free throws attempted (6,904), rebounds (10,759), steals (1,061), blocks (2,758) and 40+ scoring games (30)
Led the Knicks in scoring and blocked shots in every season from 1985-86 to 1996-97 and led the team in rebounds in 1985-86 to 1987-88, 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1994-95 to 1996-97
Inducted into the Madison Square Garden Walk of Fame on 10/29/96
Recorded his first career triple-double, with 28 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, against the Charlotte Hornets on 4/19/96
Appeared in the 1994 NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets, establishing an NBA Finals single-series record for most blocked shots with 30
Matched the NBA Finals single-game record for most blocked shots with eight against Houston in Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals
Finished fourth in 1992-93 NBA MVP voting after leading the Knicks to a 60-win season
Scored a Knicks' franchise record 2,347 points during the 1989-90 season and was the only player to rank in the top six in the NBA in 1989-90 in scoring (career-high 28.6 ppg), rebounding (10.9 rpg), blocked shots (3.99 bpg) and field-goal shooting (.551)
A member of the 1984 NCAA Champion Georgetown Hoyas


one of my fav. images of him in action...

 

[mattyc2422]

Sad to see one of the trio of centers in Robinson, Hakeem, Ewing bow out.

Great player. Should be remembered as a Knick, not a Sonic, or Magic player for the rest of his life. A pillar of the NY franchise.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by mattyc2422
Sad to see one of the trio of centers in Robinson, Hakeem, Ewing bow out.

Great player. Should be remembered as a Knick, not a Sonic, or Magic player for the rest of his life. A pillar of the NY franchise.

Hakeem and Robinson will both probably go after this season aswell....

Ewing though IMO although both the other 2 got rings was the better player.

 

[Squeak]

Originally posted by jod23


Hakeem and Robinson will both probably go after this season aswell....

Ewing though IMO although both the other 2 got rings was the better player.

Hard to split the 3 but I'd probably go Akeem for the numbers.

 

[CURVE]

I'd go for Hakeem as well.

 

[coxon]

yes... akeem & hakeem is my pick..

hakeem was better than akeem !

 

[Squeak]

Originally posted by coxon
yes... akeem & hakeem is my pick..

hakeem was better than akeem !

I do believe Akeem has it over Hakeem in that Eddie Murphy's character in Coming to America shares his name.

Hakeem never appeared on a poster with Kiki Vandeweghe either.

 

[mattyc2422]

Originally posted by jod23
Hakeem and Robinson will both probably go after this season aswell....

Yeah, Dave has already announced this is his final season, and Hakeem would more than likely hang em up, with his injuries.

 

[thehardaway]

Hakeem won two more titles than Akeem

 

[Squeak]

Akeem versus Hakeem

Akeem Olajuwon career stats

• 524 games
• 23.0 points per game
• 12.6 rebounds per game
• 2.2 assists per game
• 1.99 steals per game
• 3.44 blocks per game

Hakeem Olajuwon career stats

• 714 games
• 20.8 points per game
• 10.0 rebounds per game
• 2.7 assists per game
• 1.56 steals per game
• 2.85 blocks per game

Akeem wins on the stats. Of course his career never had the opportunity to go into decline!

 

[jod23]

Olajuwon was a great player but IMO Ewing in the early 90's with his Knicks was just awesome. Robinson is a distant third, never really dominated like the other 2.

 

[mattyc2422]

Originally posted by jod23
Robinson is a distant third, never really dominated like the other 2.

He has one more ring than Ewing though.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by mattyc2422

He has one more ring than Ewing though.

Olajuwons and Robinsons rings were jaded. They were both AJ (after Jordan) had Jordan never retired they never would have won rings. Add to that the Spurs got there's in the bull**** lockout season.

 

[thehardaway]

Originally posted by jod23
Olajuwons and Robinsons rings were jaded.

Nonsense.
The second title for Olajuwon, they swept a heavilly fancied Magic team, that defeated a Bulls team which included Jordan. Hakeem played at an extremely high level, doing everything his team wanted, demanding double teams, whilst containing a young Shaq. Definitely worthy of a ring, and he earned it. You can only play against whoever is in front of you.

 

[coxon]

Originally posted by jod23


Olajuwons and Robinsons rings were jaded. They were both AJ (after Jordan) had Jordan never retired they never would have won rings. Add to that the Spurs got there's in the bull**** lockout season.

true..

but ewing (with a better supporting cast) did have his chance in that great '94 finals series against hakeem..

but we know who took the title and the playoffs mvp trophy ~

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by thehardaway


Nonsense.
The second title for Olajuwon, they swept a heavilly fancied Magic team, that defeated a Bulls team which included Jordan. Hakeem played at an extremely high level, doing everything his team wanted, demanding double teams, whilst containing a young Shaq. Definitely worthy of a ring, and he earned it. You can only play against whoever is in front of you.

Orlando beat an out of sorts Bulls team who were coming to grips with playing with MJ again and Jordan was also rusty as all hell and was playing at half speed. The following year was the result of why Olajuwons rings were jaded.....

72-10!

Anyone who follows basketball, whether they are a Jordan hater or not should know that Michael Jordan was too good to lose and had he not retired would of spanked Olajuwons Rockets into next week.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by coxon


true..

but ewing (with a better supporting cast) did have his chance in that great '94 finals series against hakeem..

but we know who took the title and the playoffs mvp trophy ~

Yeah but it was oh so close and could have gone either way. IIRC didnt Ewing miss a short layup/jumper in the key on the buzzer in Game 7 that would have given them the championship?

Really feel for Ewing, he was a fantastic player who loved the game not the money that came with it. Unlike players of today.

 

[thehardaway]

Originally posted by jod23


Orlando beat an out of sorts Bulls team who were coming to grips with playing with MJ again and Jordan was also rusty as all hell and was playing at half speed. The following year was the result of why Olajuwons rings were jaded.....

72-10!

I find it unlikely that should Jordan have played on, that they would have ever come up with a 72-10 record. Jordan needed the break and came back with a vengeance, but in the time he was out they replaced the supporting cattle around him.The East was alot tougher then, with the Knicks, Heat and Pacers.

Houston were never expected to win their second title (not their first for that matter) but they played a good team game and beat much fancied rivals.

By your assumption, if Shaq sat this year out and the Kings won the title, that would mean their rings are jaded? Don't be ignorant, Hakeem was a great player, and utterly deserved his rings.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by thehardaway


I find it unlikely that should Jordan have played on, that they would have ever come up with a 72-10 record. Jordan needed the break and came back with a vengeance, but in the time he was out they replaced the supporting cattle around him.The East was alot tougher then, with the Knicks, Heat and Pacers.

Houston were never expected to win their second title (not their first for that matter) but they played a good team game and beat much fancied rivals.

By your assumption, if Shaq sat this year out and the Kings won the title, that would mean their rings are jaded? Don't be ignorant, Hakeem was a great player, and utterly deserved his rings.

Olajuwon definitely deserved his titles...he can only beat who is in front of him. But had Jordan opted not to retire the Rockets would never have beaten Jordan's Bulls. Simple as that.

 

[thehardaway]

Not impossible though, especially with Jordan losing his passion for the game at the time. I don't think they would have won 8 titles straight, no matter how competitive MJ is, I don't think he would have been able to maintain such a high level of desire.
Still, I'm glad Dream got his ring. Would have been nice if Ewing got one too, but unfortunately, not all the greats walk home with a title.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by thehardaway
Not impossible though, especially with Jordan losing his passion for the game at the time. I don't think they would have won 8 titles straight, no matter how competitive MJ is, I don't think he would have been able to maintain such a high level of desire.
Still, I'm glad Dream got his ring. Would have been nice if Ewing got one too, but unfortunately, not all the greats walk home with a title.

You can only look back and see that he won 3 straight twice and only had a weak Rockets team to make 8 straight but thats all you can do is look back. Say he went on to beat the Rockets twice and won 5 straight then retired....or anything, you can add any equation when your talking, coulda, woulda, shoulda

There is no doubt in my mind that the only 2 records in basketball history that seem safe are the 100 point game and 8 straight. I believe MJ couldve got the latter had his dad not being murdered and had he kept the passion for the game.

Jordan thrived on challenges, after he won 3 straight he was happy because that was a challenge that only a few teams had accomplished and Bird and Magic couldnt do it. Had his dad not tragically being murdered perhaps he would have gone on and found that 4 in a row was a big challenge...5 in a row... etc..

We'll never know....what we do know though is that he is and was the greatest basketball player who has ever lived!

 

[CURVE]

Originally posted by jod23
There is no doubt in my mind that the only 2 records in basketball history that seem safe are the 100 point game and 8 straight. I believe MJ couldve got the latter had his dad not being murdered and had he kept the passion for the game.

I've stayed out of this debate, for obvious reasons, but I can't any longer. I think Wilts record of 55 rebounds in a game is pretty safe as well.

 

[thehardaway]

Originally posted by jod23
I believe MJ couldve got the latter had his dad not being murdered and had he kept the passion for the game.

Had his dad not tragically being murdered perhaps he would have gone on and found that 4 in a row was a big challenge...5 in a row... etc..

We'll never know....what we do know though is that he is and was the greatest basketball player who has ever lived!

The problem though, was Jordan was ALREADY contemplating leaving the game, before the tragic loss of his father. He had said in many interviews after, that he lacked the desire and the challenges to continue, and was discussing leaving basketball with his dad.

He may have come back for a fourth or maybe even fifth, but IMO he wouldn't have been able to sustain any desire remaining for a further 5 straight years, after winning the first threepeat. But then, anything can happen.

As for the last line, well can't disagree there.