I actually don't know the exact number. But Shaq is a career 54% FT shooter. If he hits more clutch FTs, it will bring the percentage to about 60%.
shaq is now clutch because (assuming the numbers are right*) he shoots slightly worse than his appallingly bad regular ft% at crunch time? i realize your implying that if you foul shaq every single time in the final minutes (which happens because he's so dominant, true, but also because he's so damn bad at ft's) it is like shooting 60%, however, that doesn't make him clutch or valuable in the final minutes. he got to the finals with a good guard who hit clutch shots and had a drive to win, penny hardaway. he didn't do anything except get swept repeatedly until he found another guard with an even greater drive to win and who was even more clutch and better in the fourth quarter, kobe bryant. shaq has never shown that drive to win. to suck it up and take a team on his back when the chips were down. once the chips got down, they stayed down and shaq got swept a lot. once kobe bryant came along and essentially wouldn't let the lakers lose, shaq got some rings. was shaq the more important of the two in terms of overall success? yes. does shaq get a ring without kobe bryant's amazing clutchness and drive? no. in fact, during the 01-02 playoffs when the lakers were playing the spurs and kings, there was an 8 game stretch where shaq averaged 3 points in the 4th quarter. the most important games of the season (WC semis and WCFs) and shaq does nothing. but the lakers still went 4-4 in those 8 games because kobe tore the spurs up in the 4th quarter and horry hit that huge shot in game 4. shaq basically did nothing in the 4th quarter and yet his team was marching through the two best teams in the rugged western conference. he needed kobe (or at least someone who actually put it all out there to win and wasn't a huge ft liability in the 4th quarter). *which apparently they aren't b/c apparently you just made them up
Actually I was talking about the original poster. I would be surprised if Shaq's winning percentage is that high without Kobe.
What ppl are forgetting when they say that Shaq only has a couple of more years is that he brings other great players to the team via his recruiting that will continue to play when he's gone. I'd take Shaq for the fact that he is and will be the best in the game for at least 2 or 3 more years and have him recruit players that will help the team's continued success once his superiority has waned.
Shaq's career playoff averages: 27.2 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.4 bpg Shaq's career regular season averages: 27.1 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.6 bpg Shaq's career playoff scoring average is 3rd all time behind Michael Jordan and Jerry West. His 33.7 career scoring average in the NBA finals is 2nd all time behind Rick Barry. He has 3 NBA Finals MVP trophies. I'd say Shaq's playoff numbers are every bit as good, if not better, than his regular season numbers. Is Shaq a "clutch" player? Probably not, although he does tend to hit free throws when they are needed, which is why the hack-a-Shaq philosophy never works. The trailing team never ends up catching up. Is Kobe Bryant more "clutch" than Shaq? Of course and by far. However, if Shaq wasn't there, would Kobe even be in a position to be clutch? The 4th quarter is Kobe Bryant's, but quarters 1-3 are Shaq's and those quarters are what allow Kobe to be in a position for his late game heroics. One other point. How many times in the 4th quarter have you seen teams collapse in on Shaq, giving the Fisher's, Fox's, Horry's, Shaw's, etc etc. those wide open 4th quarter 3 pointers that we all hate so much? He is still more important to the Lakers than Kobe Bryant, even in the playoffs. If you're talking about entering a 4th quarter tied with only one, sure, I'd take Kobe Bryant. But if you're talking about going through an entire playoffs, give me Shaquille O'Neal.
Correction: After the completion of this year's Finals, Shaq's career NBA Finals scoring average is now 32.6 which is 3rd all time behind Rick Barry and Michael Jordan.
Let's see him try to recruit quality players when his salary eats up most of the cap. The only reason he got GP and Malone to go to the Lakers is because they're already old and they haven't won a ring. Let's see Shaq get someone relatively young to play alongside him for peanuts. Ain't gonna happen 'cause right now, every decent to good player under 30 is trying to get their payday. Shaq is screwed in Miami. The Lakers would've committed franchise suicide if they extended his contract.
That's what Jerry Reinsdorf said in 1998 when he broke up the Bulls. What amazing success they've had since then. Now Buss is heading down the same pathway...
That's fine, but he still isn't winning in the playoffs without clutch preformances from his teammates.
The Bulls made the right decision to start all over, Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman weren't going to get them another ring at their advanced ages. The Bulls just made horrible player decisions after their run ended... Besides the Lakers aren't getting rid of everyone, they're just getting rid of Shaq.
He could only bring in over-the-hill players who want to win a ring before retirement. These players will wane before Shaq does.
Exactly. Besides, it's not like Shaq has the work ethic of a Michael Jordan. If he got that extension, he would've come into Lakers training camp at 500 lbs.
True. But Shaq made Kazaam. So I think overall their crimes against humanity are just about even. ...
