Post moves - McHale, Duncan, or Olajuwon

[Gaichon]

Who would you take in their silky smooth prime between the 3? Topic came up today and led to much debate.

[OldPat]

Originally Posted by Gaichon

Who would you take in their silky smooth prime between the 3? Topic came up today and led to much debate.

Depends on the position I needed to fill.

[Gaichon]

Originally Posted by OldPat

Depends on the position I needed to fill.

Fair point, and normally I'd say PF, but just think of it purely from a post-moves perspective. McHale had his up and under thing, Olajuwon had the Dream Shake, etc.

If I were building a roster, I'd actually have McHale as my 6th man.

[OldPat]

Originally Posted by Gaichon

Fair point, and normally I'd say PF, but just think of it purely from a post-moves perspective. McHale had his up and under thing, Olajuwon had the Dream Shake, etc.

If I were building a roster, I'd actually have McHale as my 6th man.

Post-moves perspective? OK. One game - McHale because of his competitiveness. Long haul - Olajuwon for his durability.

But remember, K Mc could only work his magic 'cause Parrish would clear out and shoot that mid-range jumper from outside. Add Bird's passing skills and you had one of the best frontcourts of all time.

LOL. Just remembered one of McHale's teammates nicknamed him 'The Black Hole' because once you passed the ball in to him, it never came back out.

Gotta consider the source tho. Danny Ainge never met a shot he didn't like either. He was just pissed 'cause he couldn't hit 54-55% like McHale.

For the long haul, I'd pick Hakeem for his strength, durability and rebounding prowess. Gotta remember you have defensive post-moves as well as offensive. And it seems like I remember McHale and Duncan having more injury issues than Hakeem.

[Gaichon]

Originally Posted by OldPat

Post-moves perspective? OK. One game - McHale because of his competitiveness. Long haul - Olajuwon for his durability.

But remember, K Mc could only work his magic 'cause Parrish would clear out and shoot that mid-range jumper from outside. Add Bird's passing skills and you had one of the best frontcourts of all time.

LOL. Just remembered one of McHale's teammates nicknamed him 'The Black Hole' because once you passed the ball in to him, it never came back out.

Gotta consider the source tho. Danny Ainge never met a shot he didn't like either. He was just pissed 'cause he couldn't hit 54-55% like McHale.

For the long haul, I'd pick Hakeem for his strength, durability and rebounding prowess. Gotta remember you have defensive post-moves as well as offensive. And it seems like I remember McHale and Duncan having more injury issues than Hakeem.

Good points. Thanks for giving in to the question, too.


Barkley said McHale was the toughest defender he ever played against, but I'd attribute that to Mc's length and Barkley's lack thereof.

Also, as far as durability, you obviously have to take McHale down a few. He did drop in 30 over Zo Mourning his last game on one leg, though.

[Coulwoodwarlord]

I'm probably biased, but I'll take the big whitey ! McHale got it done. He may not be the right choice, but in his day he was the perfect Celtic.............

[Next Year]

I'd take Hakeem and the dream shake.

[ConwayGamecock]

[Coulwoodwarlord]

Originally Posted by ConwayGamecock

McHale killed them with the same exact move..........every time.

[ConwayGamecock]

Originally Posted by Coulwoodwarlord

McHale killed them with the same exact move..........every time.

Yep, McHale essentially used one move for the most part in this video although he had many different moves, but he was deathly effective with it in two ways that made it impossible to defend. This particular move involved setting in a post position, pivoting towards the basket and showing the ball, which influences the defender to jump up or step forward to block/defend the ball. But it's a fake, and once the defender is committed, McHale maintains his pivot, steps under and through/past the committed defender, and lunges forward towards the basket, extending his freakishly long arms and the ball to the basket, laying the ball through and scoring.

What sells this move is shown better later on in his video...not so much at the start of it. McHale had a great little turn-around jump-shot and fall-away shot. When he was on his game, he could hit that little jumper with ease. THAT'S what sells the move: the defender can't stay conservative, or he'll get burned on that little jumper for 30 points, so he HAS to treat it with serious-ness. He's probably already been lit up with 4-5 of those jumpers or fall-aways. So when he starts committing, THEN McHale does the tuck, pivot, and lunge-through to the basket...

The only thing that could stop this move was the Celtics not giving McHale the ball, or McHale missing his shots from his little jumper. The defender - even several defenders at times - wouldn't do anything. McHale was already a tall power-forward - around 6-10, a tad taller than the "small forward" 6-9 Bird - and he was used as a center at times when Parrish was hurt or got into foul trouble. But his arm-span made him way too long for most other PFs to do much in way of defending his post moves....he was longer than many opposing true centers who ended up defending him...

[GH]

Originally Posted by ConwayGamecock

Yep, McHale essentially used one move for the most part in this video although he had many different moves, but he was deathly effective with it in two ways that made it impossible to defend. This particular move involved setting in a post position, pivoting towards the basket and showing the ball, which influences the defender to jump up or step forward to block/defend the ball. But it's a fake, and once the defender is committed, McHale maintains his pivot, steps under and through/past the committed defender, and lunges forward towards the basket, extending his freakishly long arms and the ball to the basket, laying the ball through and scoring.

What sells this move is shown better later on in his video...not so much at the start of it. McHale had a great little turn-around jump-shot and fall-away shot. When he was on his game, he could hit that little jumper with ease. THAT'S what sells the move: the defender can't stay conservative, or he'll get burned on that little jumper for 30 points, so he HAS to treat it with serious-ness. He's probably already been lit up with 4-5 of those jumpers or fall-aways. So when he starts committing, THEN McHale does the tuck, pivot, and lunge-through to the basket...

The only thing that could stop this move was the Celtics not giving McHale the ball, or McHale missing his shots from his little jumper. The defender - even several defenders at times - wouldn't do anything. McHale was already a tall power-forward - around 6-10, a tad taller than the "small forward" 6-9 Bird - and he was used as a center at times when Parrish was hurt or got into foul trouble. But his arm-span made him way too long for most other PFs to do much in way of defending his post moves....he was longer than many opposing true centers who ended up defending him...

When I was in school in the 90's, the Kevin McHale Post Pivot ball fake was a part of every practice. Then again, we also had to work on banking shots in from 15 ft out using the inner square. of the backboard.

[TheMule]

Gotta go with McHale this close to St. Patrick's Day.

[Gaichon]

Originally Posted by TheMule

Gotta go with McHale this close to St. Patrick's Day.

Didn't even think of that - good point.

[Gyle41386]

Dream, then Duncan.

[OldPat]

These 3 were so good at what they did, who I picked would depend on the situation.
If I needed a good center - Hakeem.
If I had a so-so center and needed a player who could swing from F-C - Duncan.
If I had a good center and wanted a forward who could run and post-up - McHale.

[FLgamecockJAX]

Originally Posted by OldPat

These 3 were so good at what they did, who I picked would depend on the situation.
If I needed a good center - Hakeem.
If I had a so-so center and needed a player who could swing from F-C - Duncan.
If I had a good center and wanted a forward who could run and post-up - McHale.

My thinking exactly!

[scfanohio]

Gotta take McHale. When the ball went to him in the low post hew had a thousand moves to beat you with and he was a demon on the boards.

He also had a mean streak on defense that you don't see in the game today. Ask Kurt Rambis about it.

[Next Year]

Prime McHale was just before my time.

Prime Olajuwan was a beautiful sight.

Prime Duncan was the model of consistency.

[Cocknfire55]

Duncan is always underrated. He should probably go down as one of the best of all time.

[b381l]

They played different positions.