NBA: Top 7 dream 1-on-1 Matchups 

#4 Hakeem Olajuwon vs Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan and Hakeem Olajuwon

These two "big men" changed the common perception of "bigs" relying just on muscle to score. Relying not only on their size but also their finesse, Hakeem Olajuwon and Tim Duncan dominated their opponents day in and day out. Both were cornerstones of their franchises and pivotal to their team winning the NBA championship. Both of these giants of the game feature amongst the best players of all time and a 1-on-1 matchup between the two would be a treat for the eyes.

Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon had the strength of an ox and the agility of a fox. Combining that quickness with his skill, Olajuwon was a force to be reckoned with. Considered to be one of the best post-players of all time, Hakeem had a staggering number of moves in his offensive arsenal. The 2-time NBA champion graced us with one of the most beautiful, unstoppable moves of all time: The Dream Shake

Not just that, Hakeem was a mammoth on the defensive end too. Here's a staggering stat to put across the point: Hakeem is the only NBA player to retire being Top-10 all-time in blocks, scoring, rebounding (currently, 11th) and steals! The man possessed such a flawless footwork on the court that NBA players like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard and others took private lessons from the "Dream". Oh, the versatility. Oh, the skill.

They say you beat fire with fire. Maybe we can conjure a nightmare (albeit a "boring one") here for the Dream in the Spur(now retired) behemoth Tim Duncan. Some would say the "Spurs way" of team-centric basketball diminished Tim's stats. While that may be true, the "Big Fundamental" put up decent numbers while leading his team to five NBA championships. Duncan was the defensive anchor, a wall, who guarded the likes of Shaquille O'Neal (in his hay-day with the Lakers) 1-on-1 despite Shaq's imposing physical prowess.

While Hakeem had the dream shake, Duncan had the perennial bank shot. It helps to be almost 7 feet tall, and it helps to have a feather touch. Take a look:

While it's hard to describe exactly just how efficiently-beautiful Tim Duncan's game was, here's a quote from former NBA big-man, Greg Oden to put things in perspective:

“Everyone’s been telling me that as a big man, no matter how much I prepare myself, you learn your toughest lesson when you go down to San Antonio. The other day [former NBA player and Blazers assistant coach] Monty Williams pulled me aside and told me: “That guy down there” — meaning Tim Duncan — “has had surgery on his left knee. He can only jump about this high [holds his fingers about an inch apart]. He won’t say a word to you, and he will Bust. Your. A–.”

Enough Said.

So who takes this battle of 1 on 1? Another close one, while Tim Duncan undoubtedly had a more consistent and distinguished career, in their primes, Hakeem was just unstoppable. Prime Hakeem has a killer dream shake and overpowering athleticism (something that Duncan lacks), that makes him a 2-way force.

Verdict: Duncan will give Hakeem a good fight but "The Dream" will probably win the series 4 to 3. But you know what? Tim Duncan wouldn't care. 1 on 1 isn't the Spur-way anyway.