NBA On NBC - Hakeem Olajuwon vs Patrick Ewing 1994 NBA Finals Highlights
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- For The Series:
HO: 26.9p/9.1r/3.9b/3.6a/1.6s 50% FG 86% FT
PE: 18.9p/12.4r/4.3b/1.7a/1.3s 36% FG 71% FT
www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1994-nba-finals-knicks-vs-rockets.html
What an era this was. Two big men going at it. And good role players on both sides. Hakeem clearly the best player on the floor!!!
90s NBA, best ever.
Thank you.
These two centers would cook today's players
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For sure. 2days NBA soft af
You got a point.
nope todays centers are very skilled
@aristamas4196 they'd get dominated. Physicality is skill that's embodied. Skill without Physicality is patty cake disco Foo Foo ish
That Game 7 could've defined Ewing's legacy
Olajuwon doing his thing, and I think he's perhaps the best all-around center of all time, certainly better than Kareem, but I'm also very impressed with Patrick Ewings play throughout this series, he was quite the competitor. I saw him win the state championship twice in high school when his Cambridge Rindge & Latin team beat our Holy Name and North High teams back in '80 and '81.
Man, this is how Basketball should be played.
Uggh. These teams can barley crack 80 points. This is not fantastic.
@@keenannorris3309 read more history, young blood
@@keenannorris3309 You don't get it. It's ok.
@@JD-jc8gp Oh, I get it. I watched it at the time. I remember it all. Everybody was bitching about how low the scores were, how nobody could hit an open J, etc. Y'all romanticize terrible basketball.
I'm 41 so saw a lot of 90s basketball and while it has a special nostalgic place in my heart i also see a lot of iso basketball (due to illegal defence rule) and ill advices long 2s. Todays basketball obviously also has its shortcomings, mainly how a lot of rules are not called properly (carrying, defense on drives) but i feel neither era shows basketball as it should be played.
Thank you! ❤❤ I love this era of basketball
Hell yeah me 2 !!!
Me too.Never missed too many regular season games either. LOL.Had-nba on: TNT,TBS and WGN ( a Chicago station,showed mostly Bulls games. )
@@powerbadpowerbad NBA on NBC...
Hakeem is so skilled. I miss this era of the NBA
Battle of the Big Love this series 💯
This series and the Bulls vs. Sonics 1996 finals were the best of the 90s.
At this point, Olajuwan was the best player I ever saw at any given time, in 40+ years of following basketball.
all things considered.. ewing played hakeem as well as he you could on defense. i think it exhausted ewing to be missing his shots on offense
Hakeem was guarded.by Oakley and Mason as well. On the contrary Hakeem guarded Ewing 99% of the time.
What a series !! with my 80s - 90s Knicks team. Hakeem just lived up to his name and deservedly. For me it was the last great Big Man Battle !! Shaq would dominate later with the Lakers. Although my Knicks would get another shot late in the 90s.along side a bearded Larry Johnson .If I recall Ewing was older and injured for the series .thankfully we have folks like this that let us all enjoy these series again ..xoxox
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This series was a big man battle for sure. The battle of the frontcourts was maybe the best in history. Knicks fans had to be salivating at the thought of that amount of muscle. But, there’s a reason it didn’t work. Coach Riley made this same exact mistake in the ‘86 Rockets vs Lakers Western Conference Finals. Riley loaded up on big men to try and stop Olajuwon and Sampson. It didn’t work then, and it hurt the Knick’s here. At this point, Hakeem was unstoppable. Coach should have focused on the backcourt. Harper mostly, and Starks somewhat, could give the Rockets fits. Harper had a history of torching the Rockets going back to his days in Dallas. If the Knicks could have brought in another shooter in anticipation of facing Hakeem, maybe they could have taken this series.
Yes I agree - I was flipping away and this came up. Thank God - I quit watching bb 2023 - 3pt. YAWN fest. I always liked Akeem as my number 1 center of all time. Ewing would be his backup - what a defensive work horse and good shooter and a true leader.
Shaq's career would look like Ewing had he stayed in the East/ not gone hollywood / no Phil or kobe.
It still hurts to this day and I will take this to my grave that the Knicks let this one slip through their hands … congrats to the Rockets.
Yes🥲
It was one of those series where we could have gotten that Ring NYC in the 90’s.
The shot of Ewing, Riley & Starks walking through the tunnel as the toilet paper falls down is iconic
I hated that
@@csa212 why
0:00 game 1
16:07 game 2
32:57 game 3
1:09:00 game 4
so classic, so beautiful
this is true basketball❤
Hakeem just soaking it all in after the G7 win. A testament to the type of unique character he is.
Great video/editing, man! I was only 5 years old remembering very little of this series however, I recall my mom not wanting to leave the house out here in LA amidst the OJ Simpson chase in Game 5
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Man, I was seriously engaged again as a fan!! This is when the game was extremely exciting!!! The game has not been the same!
Try to find the spurs vs. Bulls when Robinson & Duncan tried to stay with the bulls but bulls had too many weapons.
I will try to find pistons vs. Knicks - those were defensive gems.
Totally agree. Could not wait for the game to start. These days with the 3 point shooting the game is boring!!!
This is incredible - thank you for posting this! If you have the Indiana and Chicago series' please post them as well!😊
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It was so much more intense and competitive back then. What happened?
The NBA was so freaked out that Jordan had left the league they were almost apologetic about this series, which is what they get for over-marketing a single player. This was a big man’s dream series, and one for the ages. For my money, the best ever. Olajuwon, Thorpe and Horry vs Ewing, Mason, Smith and Oakley. We’ll never see the likes of that again. The NBA should have focused on that, bringing Bill Russel and Wilt Chamberlain in to add commentary. Now that would have been fascinating IMO.
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Put Walton In there as well.
If Jordan did not leave for baseball, Jordan would've beaten the Knicks, but not the rockets.
@@hectorlopez1069 say it again, theyre not beating Houston
Yes they are
This was crazy, i knew how it ended, but Game 6 was so exciting!
Everyone panicking
a great video, thank you!
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Im "all fired up" great basketball great music great times.
Great life
The 1993-1994 NBA Finals is The Greatest Finals Ever
Houston Rocket's vs New York Knicks
Both teams where evenly match up
both teams where the top 2 best teams of that year
Every game was super close each game was won less then ten points the series went back and fourth no other finals has had this kind of level and energy and excitement.
Both teams giving it their best.
I’d say the 1993 NBA Finals between the Bulls/Suns was the best Finals. The 2nd best would have to be 1994.
@kao8well maybe .....but what's NOT AN OPINION....is that the '94 playoffs was the best ever.....SEVEN.....SEVEN.!!!...series went to the limit(remember back then the first round only went ta 5)....56
This was better than 93 finals that one went to six this one by six in game seven
No doubt. The best Final Ever!
Hakeem top most skilled big all time..all centers he played against admitted he was their toughest test..
Who was the most gifted small?
Bob Costas promos are *chefs kiss*
He's a Lefty moron, just another contributor to the downfall of the US
This series was a battle for sure. The battle of the frontcourts was maybe the best in history. Olajuwon, Thorpe and Horry vs Ewing, Mason, Smith and Oakley. That’s a serious big man’s game. Knicks fans had to be salivating at the thought of that amount of muscle. But, there’s a reason it didn’t work. Coach Riley made this same exact mistake in the ‘86 Rockets vs Lakers Western Conference Finals. Riley loaded up on big men to try and stop Olajuwon and Sampson. It didn’t work then, and it hurt the Knick’s here. At this point Hakeem was unstoppable. Coach should have focused on the backcourt. Harper mostly, and Starks somewhat, gave the Rockets fits, despite the Rockets deep, 3-point shooting backcourt, other than Vernon Maxwell and Mario Ellie, they weren’t great defenders of tall shooting guards. Especially Harper who had a history of torching the Rockets. If the Knicks could have brought in another shooter in anticipation of facing Hakeem, maybe they could have taken this series.
They had a Rocket killer sitting on the bench with Rolando Blackman, and being I'm a Rockets fan, I'm thankful Pat Riley didn't use him.
@@elbertbass9259 Yes, you’re right! They had Blackmon on that team? I forgot about that. Yeah, Rolando Blackman and Harper could have caused serious problems for the Rockets assuming their health and age hadn’t caught up with them. Riley made the same mistake twice. He was scared of Hakeem, but for good reason.
@TheSteveSteele yea Blackman would kill the Rockets when he was a Maverick, and I thought he was hurt during the finals but later found out Riley was punishing him for arguing about wanting their wives to travel with them on the road.
Starks was a great player but in game 7, he was Houston's MVP.
@@elbertbass9259 Ha. Starks. Yeah he was.
Ewing couldn’t get going, end of story.
Rockets have always been my team so I was excited about this big man battle.
The Knicks frontcourt was so tough and Ewing defensively was a beast the whole series, but Olajuwon was simply the best at this point in his career and wasn't going to be denied.
Knicks backcourt really outclassed Houston's backcourt for 90% of this series, and had me worried after game 5, but thank God Hakeem Olajuwon was so athletic to block Starks shot in game 6.
That starks shot was going to give the knicks the title.
Olajuwon was never denied in the Finals vs the Knicks and magic.
Thats spin akeem put on ewing was stone cold.
Knicks blew it~! up 3-2, Thanks Starks!
Its not consider blowing it if the next 2 games were road games.
But yes, if Starks had a solid game 6 offensively, then they do win game 6. Or if he had made the final jumper that Olajwon blocked.
Different era. Every basket had to be earned
It was so hard to make every basket in the NBA at the time.
The NBA was officially over after Kobe got injured for me. Now we have all of the 80's and 90's to rewatch!
Game 5 was the day of the legendary OJ Simpson Bronco chase
Bob Costas was so sad about his friend OJ Simpson, back when people loved him.
Man Marv Albert yelling "REEE-JECTED BY OLAJUWON" is so fucking gold
Having a 3-2 lead come Game 6 is a make-or-break thing.
It is hard to close a series, and more so if the trailed team forced Game 7.
Patrick Ewing missed joining "a hat trick" club winning in elite hoop levels (won 1984 NCAA title and Olympic Gold), although he's not alone (e.g., Sam Perkins, Grant Hill, Christian Laettner).
New York is currently on a 50-year drought (upon this comment) with 1994 as the closest win-it-all opportunity.
Second-closest is the magical 1999 run, which don't mean a thing.
If they ceded in ECF, Phil Jackson was the reported waiting replacement and could bring the Knicks to its glory years entering the new millennium until early 2000s at least.
Glad having this review almost 30 years later. Now time to move forward anew.
Thank you for sharing, as always.
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The Knicks don't have glory years:
1. If Havlicek hadn't separated his right shoulder in the '73 Finals, the Knicks would NOT have won that series. Proof is in the pudding - Hondo 1974 Finals MVP as Celtics beat Jabbar and the Bucks.
2. If Russell and Sam Jones hadn't retired, the Knicks would NOT have won in 1970 either. Still waiting for our thank you card Knick fans.
3. Oh, and while we're at it, it took a miracle to beat the 2007 Patriots, good for you, you did it, and you did it again 4 years later, but you disappeared after that while the Pats continued to contend for another 12 years and another 3 Super Bowl wins.
4. Don't worry, I won't mention the 2004 ALCS
@@jamespenny9482
As if "breaks of the game" and key Celtics players retiring or getting injured tainted those Knicks titles.
Regardless of backstories, Knickerbockers took these opportunities by getting the job done at least in 1970 and 1973.
Man Hakeem was just too good.He dominated both ends of the floor.
Ewing played better on the defensive end and out-rebounded Hakeem!
@@YuriyKhasidov-ee8zd Ewing got a good bit of those blocks and rebounds matched up with Thorpe or Herrera.
@@YuriyKhasidov-ee8zdThe fact is, Pat Riley tried to control Hakeem with Mason, Oakley, Smith and Ewing but it didn’t work. He made the same mistake in ‘86 with the Lakers when he brought in Maurice Lucas and Mitch Kupchak to go along with Kurt Rambis and Kareem in the hopes they would intimidate Olajuwon and Sampson. Instead it slowed down the Showtime Lakers, and the Rockets won the Western Conference Finals. The Celtics tried the same thing with Parish, Kevin McHale and Bill Walton. That was a little more successful because they didn’t get away from their game and let Larry Bird and the backcourt overwhelm the depleted Rocket’s backcourt, who had lost their PG before the playoffs started.
@@YuriyKhasidov-ee8zdno he did not, it was Olajuwon who played better on the defensive end.
Hakeem 5 notches above Ewing..both sides of the ball..Ewing had 2 moves Hakeem at 30..plus Hakeem had way better footwork..
so intense, miss that intensity and defense now
A CUPCAKE like LeBron definitely wouldn't last 21 seasons playing in that era of the NBA.
you can add every other major star nowadays in that mix
Nope he wouldn't hack it .that's why int understand ppl wanna put him ahead Jordan he b called for traveling each drive to basketball n he be sent to floor
The game was so physical. Its really hard to win a championship.
Especially in the 90s.
Lmao dude im not a hater. But there's been some years where there was zero obstacles and no physicality on the way to certain chips.
But only work done as a Man sticks on earth. Propaganda is for tha fakes
Dream is easily the best C in the league and 2nd best of that era. Such a beast
45:30 may be the cleanest face up spin move i ever seen, also i dont think iv seen a nba series with as many contests of shots in and around the paint, hakeem and ewing were going for every block they could on eachother and others
Game 6 was so goddamn heartbreaking as a knick fan
Oh yeah, if Olajuwon didn't block it, the Knicks are world champions. That ball was going in 100%.
@@hectorlopez1069DEF was going in.....starks was on fire in that fourth......but even with the block the Knicks still could've won game 7.....even with starks having a horrible game they lost by a measly 6 point.....and they gave away game 3 in the garden if u ask me
While they won many, the knicks and Jazz lost several very tough series in the 90's.
This is awesome! Are you going to start doing this for many series, or this is a rare highlight package?
👍 I'm not too sure, this did take me some time to make. Hopefully we'll see...
@@MDBBall when will the next video be uploaded
@@tylerriley2587 Soon Tyler!
@MaalDweb2 I'm new to this but if your making videos of 80's/90's - you have my unwavering support and gratitude. I hate watching 2023 bb - it's a 3 pt. yawn fest devoid of strategy and DEFENSE !!!!
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Wonderful video! Could you post again the Larry Johnson vs Anthony Mason again? That video was fire!
👍 will look into reposting it, in the meantime you can still watch it here: odysee.com/@MaalDweb:32 and odysee.com/@MaalDweb:3
Bob Costas introduction were the best ever!
The closest finals ever. Neither team did had a win with a double digit margin.... and so close. Hakeem better then Ewing but the Backcourt of the Knicks was eliminating that for 6 games....in the end it was one guy who made the difference- a rookie called Sam Cassell in Game 3
He was not better, just had that dream shake. Ewing played him better than spin cycle Robinson.
45:25!!!!@@@
Epic war
Epic basketball
There was tornado warning news flash at 8:03…..tornado Olajuwon😂
Mason is 6'8" 250 pounds ,look at the size of his arms damn... 30:38
most physical the Game most skilled you need to be....Golden Age
This indeed is the battle of Titans
2:49 The first move by Hakeem called a travel is today's step thru.
2:12 I feel not young knowing this intro, alas luckily I was a teenager so into 90's nba
Scottie Brooks was standing on the court for every key defensive possession in Game 6, acting like a 6th defender. He did it again in Game 7. I can't believe the refs let that happen. And he was front and center on the podium for the trophy presentation. He sure thought he was the main character.
You salty about it.
we had the series.. so close....man it hurts still to this day how close to the title we were...
Yeah when the Knicks won game 5, Knicks thought they had it won.
Knicks game plan: Mostly feed it to Ewing where he takes jump shots. I wish I had applied to be head coach. An easy few $ million.
no one can defend hakeem if todays era
43:12 the heart of Patrick Ewing, that's what I miss from 90s basketball
Yeah, I was never a fan of his because his high school team beat our 2 high school teams in consecutive years and he was also a Hoya and a Knick, but I got to give it up for him he played great in this series and with a lot of heart. I'd take him over Abdul-Jabbar every time.
0:23-0:30 Little did they know he would return and do it again.
Jordan gushing aside, this is goodstuff, MDBBall 👍
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man, hearing bob costas on the intro is so nostalgic
AGREED.LOVED his commentary too.Unigue voice.
Maybe so, but politically he's a jackass woke-a-joke
Hakeem and Patrick both decided to just put on the lid on that basket in the 2nd half of Game 3
Although I recognize todays game is "superior", so no hate from an old guy; I love watching the era where we had 8 feet in the paint.
Ah, man, I miss those days. The intensity and REAL physics were every move and action made sense to the eye because people were not flopping on every single touch. Sometimes you just don't know what's real anymore with way the game is being played.
2:12:44 Outfield - Winning it All. NBA on NBC knew how to present and make the NBA games seem like a theatrical moment. I didn't know they kept using that for their ending Finals credits though... I always thought that was a Bulls thing.
No, it was NBA Finals thing
Thank you
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45:25 my favorite move by Hakeem smooth operator
Patrick didn’t know what to do
Sick move
The big men today wouldn't know how to handle him.
@@bvicgvegas5781 not even Joel Embiid
@@tylerriley2587 maybe. Name 5 centers today that u believe could guard him. The centers today don't play in the post. Pathetic
@@bvicgvegas5781 Gobert wouldn’t be enough
I have to say that this title was bittersweet regardless of who won because there was no Jordan. I do not think Knicks make the finals if Jordan was playing
As a newyorker i always felt bad for Patrick Ewing...like he was really good but not great like olajuwon or Shaq
Shaq had at least 1 HOFer on the teams he was on for most of his career (Penny's injuries prevented him from being one) so he had it easier compared to the other 2.
No, he was better than Shaq, but not like Olajuwon and Jordan.
Agreed
I'd take all 3 of these guys over Abdul-Jabbar
As great and as big hearted as Ewing was, Hakeem Olajuwon was just a class above
I never thought I had REALLY small hands, until I saw Otis Thorpe WHEEL a basketball with just one hand in a kind of fake-throw - CRAZY!
Knicks with it or without it... to me we're hell of the champions... eastern conference champion 🏆 as well
That tornado watch was Hakeem spinning
Good times seeing big men battle it out
Out did yourself with this one 🙏🏾
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The game is so physical compared to today it's ridiculous. Jokic wouldn't have a chance.
Yeeeah right je would have killed these guys he's actually skilled.
they also have loads of skill. Jokic is tough enough for the 90's b-ball
I think Jokic would do well. He's pretty strong but he would get battered in the 80s. If Jordan had to go through, Joker would be no different
Jokic would be fine. He's strong and he likes to post guys and throw his shoulder on their chest just like in the 90s. He's also really talented. American players of this generation are soft and couldn't play in the 90s. Jokic would be fine.
I grew watching 90s basketball. It was a man’s game and brutal. But say Joker would not be a factor is foolishness.
That would of been so awesome if the rockets celebrated their NBA championship trophy in the locker room.
Nice upload!!!! 90s my fav time of bball.....and fuckN Knicks should've won this series.. in FIVE games.....(gave game 3 away)
It is sad Knicks didn't surround Ewing with 3pt shooters
That's why he actually shot the ball a lot for a center.
Shooters never won until they changed nba basketball so shooters can win.
3:10... Wow, Patrick Ewing.
This is a really good upload my guy.....ima download it while its here b4 fuckN utube police take it down kike they do with all kinds of other good shit
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thank you
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just imagine, if Jordan played and if #1 seed Seattle made it to the Finals that year.. this legendary matchup wouldn't have happened!
You mean the matchup that happened during the 96' finals?
Upload More And More Chicago Bulls Basketball
Olajuwon was so skilled
I can not watch this. I was traumatized by this series. Will always be a Knick fan.
Yes Hakeem was the most dominant center BUT the knicks shouldve won......the knicks had 3 players who scored over 100 pts and the rockets had 1......patrick ewing led the whole series in reb and blocks and Harper led the whole series in steals and assist.....the knicks gave away game 3 and starks was on fire in the 4th qrt of game 6 so we know that last 3 was going in had haleem not got a piece of it.....and imagine if starks only made a few J's in game 7
The Rockets won because the MVP made the big plays when it mattered most. G3 the assist to Cassell for 3, G6 2 defensive stops on Starks who wasn't missing in the 4th, and G7 the assist to Maxwell for 3.
I won't go as far as saying the Knicks should've won but they definitely got screwed by that awful old rule at the end of game 3 where you only got 2 FT's for a foul on a shot behind the 3 point line, that game probably would've gone to OT if that ridiculously outdated rule wasn't still in existence.
@@coreyrowe4119it's not really an opinion. It's a fact that the Knicks should've won.....I mean they lost by a measly 6 point even with starks playing terrible in game 7. The Knicks were FAR more balanced.....re-read my initial comment......and imagine if Hakeem had shorter fingernails lol ... .the 3 in game 6 was going in.....
Derek Harper would've ben finals MVP......fact
@@brianwilliams6167 Starks also was 3-18 in G1, that's just the kind of player he was. What gets overlooked is Ewing not scoring a single point in the 4th quarter of G6, as good as Starks and Harper were throughout most of the series the Knicks chances of winning the championship still depended on how Ewing performed overall.
People NBA media this respect Hakeem he was bouth end good the Dream
What, no OJ?
All that was missing for the Ewing Knicks was to lose to the Mavericks in the Finals to complete the Texas Triple Attack
Gracias Bball, cuántos recuerdos,para mí esos Knicks merecían ser campeones, aún forzando al séptimo partido la derrota de ny se debió al mal juego de Starks en el juego 7. Pero imposible reprocharselo porque absolutamente toda la temporada fue electrizante para el y para todo NY, y casi estoy seguro que ése año fueron al All Star game, : Big Patrick,Starks y Oakley.
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@@MDBBall gracias y saludos
It's still makes me sick that people still say Ewing played better than Olajuwon in this series. Olajuwon put Ewing down.
I've noticed a lot of history is being rewritten lately.
I saw a post yesterday about how David Robinson was better than Hakeem Olajuwon.
In my opinion, Robinson was great and the 2nd best 90 center, but he wasn't Hakeem the Dream.
Riley refused to sit Starks as the entire world saw Starks torpedo the Knicks🤦♂️🙅♂️
I remember Robinson won MVP and the next season Hakeem smoked Robinson - he wasn't happy about that selection !!!
Who TF ever said Ewing played better than hakeem??????
No Olajuwon got the better of him, but I was very impressed with Ewing in this series, hat's off to him.
Back when players actually laid it on the line unlike todays NBA where plays like a bunch of pansies
Man both Dream and Ewing were hungry for this championship and their respective teams followed suit. Made for a classic NBA Finals.
Is this the series o j. Simpson took the spot light from?
yeah....game 5
That last shot that Starks missed and Hakeem blocked, Ewing was standing too close to Starks which is what made Hakeem helping out on him a little easier. Had Ewing been closer to the basket if Hakeem double teamed, Starks could have passed it to Ewing for a game tying shot. Or Starks probably would have made the game winning shot. Good gamble by Hakeem in that situation.
The Knicks were screwed, either way around in that last shot.