Top Tweets for #NBAAlumni

Hakeem Olajuwon wore goggles for the first time in his career during a game at Orlando in late December of 1990. His decision to wear them was a response to the exceedingly physical nature of post play in those days. The goggles, however, lasted just one quarter before they were discarded by the Dream, who didn’t like the way they felt. One week later, Hakeem, goggleless, caught a sharp elbow from notoriously sharp-elbowed Bill Cartwright while challenging for a rebound. He suffered a fractured eye socket and a swollen right eye. He underwent surgery and missed 25 games. When he returned he was wearing the goggles, and he wore them for the rest of the 1990-91 season. In 29 games without goggles that season Hakeem averaged 24.2 PPG. In 27 games wearing them he averaged 18.0 PPG. It would be easy to chalk this discrepancy up to the eyewear, especially since Hakeem had previously expressed his dislike for the specs. But in fact it had far more to do with a change in style of play on the part of the Rockets. After losing seven of their first 10 games in Olajuwon’s absence, they won 12 of the next 15 with their superstar sidelined. The offense became filled with ball movement and outside shooting. It was balanced, egalitarian, and beautiful to watch. Otis Thorpe thrived in a larger role, guards like Kenny Smith and Vernon Maxwell became significantly more involved as Houston’s three-point volume increased by 20% during that span. The team was playing so well that some radio hosts and fans began calling for Hakeem to be traded. “‘’Trade Akeem’ is all we heard," said head coach Don Chaney. Hakeem weighed in: “Sure they could always trade me. You know how long it would take the Rockets to trade me? About one day. The Rockets would get two or three players and probably some money. And I know that I'd get more money. So I guess everybody could be happy. I could be happy with more money if that's what everybody wants." The Dream, who had offered to come off the bench initially so as not to disturb the team chemistry, returned on February 28th for a game against the Clippers. The Rockets lost. I can only imagine the takes. But all such lunacy was silenced as they proceeded to win 12 straight and 16 of their next 17. They had stuck with what was working – the ball movement, the balance, the outside shooting – and the offense now relied less heavily upon its best player, who had, it’s worth noting, de-anglicized his first name by adding an ‘H’ during that stretch of games. “I’m not changing the spelling of my name; I’m correcting it.” Houston’s three-point volume rose even higher with Olajuwon back, and they finished second in the NBA in three-point attempts, up from 18th the season before. They would remain in the top three for the next six seasons. They finished 52-30 – at the time the best record in franchise history – before falling to the Lakers in the first round. It could be said that from Hakeem’s absence that season emerged the distinctly modern style of play that won the Rockets back-to-back titles a few years later. It could be seen as a turning point for a franchise which had been mired in relative mediocrity since the ‘86 Finals. As for the goggles, Hakeem took his chances and never wore them again.