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Shaq "I'm still in the class of Hakeem and David Robinson"

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by Jonhty, Jan 27, 2005.

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  1. Jonhty

    Jonhty Member

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    TORONTO (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal was off-target again from the free throw line, and this time he was upset about it.

    O'Neal had 33 points and 18 rebounds and Eddie Jones added 23 points to lead the Miami Heat past the Toronto Raptors 111-96 Wednesday night.

    ``I'm upset at myself. I should have had 50,'' said O'Neal, who made just seven of his 20 attempts from the line. ``I missed 13 free throws. That's unacceptable. If I want to be accepted by Wilt and Kareem and Russell I've got to start playing better than that. Right now I'm still in the class of Hakeem and David Robinson and that's not good enough for me. I want to be out there with the immortals.''

    O'Neal is shooting a career-worst 46 percent from the line this season.

    ``I've got to start hitting my throws. It will be there playoff time, but I've got to start hitting them now so people know,'' O'Neal said.

    Jones went 8-for-11 from the field for the Heat, who have won just six of their last 12 games. O'Neal suggested Jones needed to make more shots after Jones went 3-for-12 from the field in Monday's loss to Philadelphia.


    ``As a general, and as a leader of this team, whatever I've got to do get my guys going I'll do it every time. If I have to be the bad guy sometime, I'll guess I'll take that,'' O'Neal said. ``That's what a leader and a general and a chief of police does. Everybody is not going to like it, but I don't care if they like or not. I'm Bush, so if they don't like it resign.''

    O'Neal tied a season-high with 15 defensive rebounds for the Heat, who outrebounded the Raptors 51-40. Miami also outscored Toronto 48-26 in the paint, and shot 53 percent compared to 38 percent for Toronto.

    ``We pretty much had our way,'' O'Neal said. ``If we do what were supposed to do as a team we'll get the win most of the time. Tonight we definitely did what were supposed to do.''

    Dwyane Wade had 16 points and 10 assists despite playing with a sore left knee and ankle.

    Former Heat point guard Rafer Alston had a career-high 29 points and Chris Bosh added a career-high 27 for the Raptors, who had won their previous five home games. Bosh had 15 points in the first quarter, but played just one minute in the second quarter after picking up his third foul.

    Miami started to pull away in the second quarter after Toronto put rail-thin Loren Woods on O'Neal, who scored seven straight points to give the Heat an 11-point lead with 2:52 left in the half. Jones' 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Miami a 15-point lead at halftime.

    Toronto narrowed the lead to 10 points in the third quarter as Alston capped a 10-1 run by converting a three-point play, but Jones followed with consecutive jumpers and O'Neal dunked after he missed a free throw to give Miami a 15-point lead.


    ``He was just too good for us,'' Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said.

    Wade's steal and layup made it a 20-point game with 9:57 remaining.

    Both teams struggled from the line. Miami went 29-for-49, while Toronto went 31-for-45.

    O'Neal had an assortment of police patches with him after the game.

    ``I was walking with my big fur coat and they pulled their guns out on me because they thought I was sasquatch, so I told them if they give me a couple of patches I won't press charges,'' O'Neal said.


    http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap;_...k1ODYxOTQ4BHNlYwN0aA--?gid=2005012628&prov=ap
     
    #1 Jonhty, Jan 27, 2005
  2. arno_ed

    arno_ed Contributing Member

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    strange normally shaq has alot of respect for Hakeem. He always said hakeem was one of the greates ever. Hakeem was a class better then robinson.

    Shaq should hit a free throw, it is very amusing that he is that bad in free throws:D
     
    #2 arno_ed, Jan 27, 2005
  3. giddyup

    giddyup Contributing Member

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    I'd take Hakeem over Wilt or Russell anyday.

    Depending on the refereeing, I might even take Hakeem over Shaq!
     
    #3 giddyup, Jan 27, 2005
  4. Lionheart

    Lionheart Member

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    pass the crack pipe my way.
     
    #4 Lionheart, Jan 27, 2005
  5. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

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    I am not sure what's more of a slap in the face... 1) The fact that Shaq says he is on par with Olajuwon and that he wants to elevate his game to immortal status, a status that according to Shaq Olajuwon is not at. Or 2) the the fact that Shaq just lumped Hakeem in at the same level with Robinson.
     
    #5 Deuce, Jan 27, 2005
  6. count_dough-ku

    count_dough-ku Contributing Member

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    He could be referring to the number of championships they won. Dream and the Sadmiral each got 2 rings(although Robinson didn't exactly lead his team to the title). Russell and Kareem won 11 and 6 rings respectively. Shaq might've meant that he wanted to be in the class of the centers who'd won the most championships.

    And yes, I realize Wilt only won 2 rings, but his other achievements in the game more than make up for that. I mean, dude scored 100 points in a game for God's sake.
     
    #6 count_dough-ku, Jan 27, 2005
  7. dreday

    dreday Contributing Member

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    I feel exactly the same way...
     
    #7 dreday, Jan 27, 2005
  8. PhiSlammaJamma

    PhiSlammaJamma Member

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    When did shaq overtake Hakeem.
     
    #8 PhiSlammaJamma, Jan 27, 2005
  9. Chilly_Pete

    Chilly_Pete Contributing Member

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    Hakeem vs Bill Russell

    Who would win?
     
    #9 Chilly_Pete, Jan 27, 2005
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2005
  10. Drexlerfan22

    Drexlerfan22 Contributing Member

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    ...
    ...
    You're funny. :)
     
    #10 Drexlerfan22, Jan 27, 2005
  11. SamCassell

    SamCassell Contributing Member

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    Oh yea, hilarious. I'd take Hakeem over Russell too. Wilt is still in a class by himself.
     
    #11 SamCassell, Jan 27, 2005
  12. rrj_gamz

    rrj_gamz Contributing Member

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    Shaq is no where near Hakeem, period...

    Once he becomes a complete player, then maybe...

    Wilt is the best, period...
     
    #12 rrj_gamz, Jan 27, 2005
  13. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Contributing Member

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    33 points + 13 missed free throws = 46 coulda-been points < 50. His math is as bad as his free throw shooting.

    On the subject, I think people make too big a deal of the centers of yesteryear. If you took all the "immortals" and put them in 1990 with Hakeem, I don't think they'd fair as well as they did in their own times.
     
    #13 JuanValdez, Jan 27, 2005
  14. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    those are "Vick yards!" :D
     
    #14 MadMax, Jan 27, 2005
  15. SamCassell

    SamCassell Contributing Member

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    I'm no math major, but I did stay at a holiday inn express last night.

    33 points + 13 missed FTs + 6 missed FGs = 58 points, which is > 50.

    Math aside, Shaq played hard, played well, and carried his team to an easy win over an inferior opponent. I didn't appreciate his dig at Hakeem, but you have to like a superstar who's not satisfied with statistics like 33 and 18.
     
    #15 SamCassell, Jan 27, 2005
  16. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    I know we're all big Rockets fans here, but I don't know how you could consider 1 a "slap in the face". Considering that he has led his team to more titles, has more finals mvps, and scores a lot more points, regardless of how aesthetically pleasing it might be, it's not insulting to say that he's on par with Olajuwon. Of course he is not as skilled, but you can't argue with results.
     
    #16 SamFisher, Jan 27, 2005
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2005
  17. munco

    munco Member

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    i think hakeem is one of the best players ever and the best player other than mj in the last 20 years. with that said i think people look at russell and wilt as "immortal" more so than hakeem. it could be because they played in another era and for wilt his #s were insane and russell won so many titles. in terms of pure playing ability, i think hakeem was the best big man ever. however, i don't know if he's regarded as "immortal" although he should be. perhaps he'll get that status in time though.
     
    #17 munco, Jan 27, 2005
  18. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    If I want to be accepted by Wilt and Kareem and Russell I've got to start playing better than that. Right now I'm still in the class of Hakeem and David Robinson and that's not good enough for me. I want to be out there with the immortals.''

    the only did is including robinson

    Other than that
    Wilt, Kareem Russell, Hakeem, Shaq, Robinson/MOSES

    Those maybe the top 7 centers of all time
    definately top 10

    only thing that has Russel over Hakeem is RINGS

    Rocket River
     
    #18 Rocket River, Jan 27, 2005
  19. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    It's not a slap (but debatable) to say that Shaq is on par with Hakeem. It's a slap to say that Hakeem is not on par with Wilt and Bill. The argument for Hakeem against Shaq, Wilt and Bill is in the relative strength of competition. Hakeem played in the "Golden era" of the NBA (i.e. the 80's and early 90's) where big men dominated. Yet, he was still head and shoulder better than anybody else. Wilt and Bill only had each other to compete with. And Shaq only had. . . uh. . . Robinson.

    Oh, yeah, lumping Hakeem with Robinson is a slap.
     
    #19 Easy, Jan 27, 2005
  20. dharocks

    dharocks Contributing Member

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    Shaq will never be on par with Hakeem until he can be trusted with the ball in the fourth quarter... Hakeem was somewhere in the neighborhood of 80% from the stripe in the 4th, and he hit more than one game winning shots in his career.

    How many clutch/game-winning shots has Shaq hit in his career?
     
    #20 dharocks, Jan 27, 2005
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