I make not apologies for being a fan a Shaq. Behind Dream and Moses, he's probably my favorite center of all time. I think what makes me appreciates Shaq is he do what he do all the time. Many will say it was a mistake for Kerr to trade Marion for Shaq. I think Kerr was honest in the assesment of his team and made a move that made them tougher and more playoff ready than what they had. Watching him play again last night further strengthens my belief that big men can still impose their will despite the zones. People want to bring up zone defenses or whatever, but if you're a team trying to play thet psuedo zone, shaq will pin the man on rotation under the hoop for a easy catch and score. When he gets his hands on the ball, no one gets it from him. I was watching guards and forwards trying to strip him of the ball while he was gathering himself, but it wasn't happening. For a guy supposedly over the hill and out of shape, his footwork and quickness off the floor is still amazing. He doesn't run the floor like he used to and he's still a liability in the pick and roll, but he clogs the paint and has changed the identity of that team. Add in Richardson for the scraps they gave up and the suns are going to be a tough out. Shaq is kinda back and a force again. Don't know how long he will hold up, but he's a guy you have to account for because if not, he'll just go right under the hoop and dunk the ball all night. People keep saying centers are a dying breed, I don't think the game can ever phase out centers if they can really play.
I don't know why they traded Marion, he wasn't the problem. They should have traded Amare and extorted something more from the Heat. The Suns needed Post Offense and Post defense if they were ever going to win a championship. Amare is very talented but his style of offense doesn't create for anyone else. Shaq's does. When Shaq gets in the post everyone has to help his man on D or he'll score. I think, right now, Shaq has a bigger impact on the game than Stoudemire. I think if this team still had Johnson they would be on their way to a championship.
You know, when Shaq dominates the game, usually his team is leading by 20-30 points but when Yao dominates the game, his team is usually losing or still in a very close game.
Superstar- That's because shaq has more impact on the game than yao. Either you double strong with size or he's going to dunk on you and foul your big mn out. Shaq stays in his lane which is the lane. He's a good passer and aggrssive all the time. Last night they tried to put brandon bass on shaq. Shaq was getting so close to the basket, double teams couldn't get there by the time he caught and powered up. Pushing 36, its really incredible to see.
Yao will always be relatively soft, slow, unathletic and clumsy. If he wasn't a good shooter with good work ethic, he'd be a scrub and probably out of the league. He's a poor passer with low bball IQ who doesn't read the game well and doesn't know how to use his size to dominate, unlike Shaq. Yao isn't a good defensive player or rebounder, regardless of what stats someone tries to pull up. His only real effectiveness on defense is his size which, like on the offensive end, he doesn't take advantage of enough. He still makes countless fundamental mistakes game after game and is now in the second half of his pro career. Those mistakes include not being able to protect the ball from help defenders when he is posting up (something Duncan is outstanding at, for example), not boxing out properly or consistently when shots go up, not keeping his elbows out when he gets rebounds, not effectively sealing his man at times, not putting a hand up to contest shots, jumping too early for rebounds and on pump fakes, etc...
Haha. Remember what you said about Yao? So slow, such a liability? Not athletic enough? Well, Shaq is 8 years older and twice as worse.
BrooksBall, I've seen you hate on Yao many times, but this has to be the weakest of all. Just laughable.
I was thinking Leezbiggie. You think Shaq would still be the most dominate center in the league if he was in a half court offense type team like the Rockets and given more touches? I think don't think he suits the Suns very well since they are just a bunch of chuckers and yet he's still producing.
I agree we knew what he couldn't do when we drafted him. He is still a great scoring center, good shotblocker, and decent rebounder with solid post D. He's a 20-10 guy, borderline superstar who a lot of people will never be satisfied with because he is soft as Kleenex Cottonelle at times.
It doesn't matter what system he played in or plays in. He do what he do. Look how mny scoring threats the suns have vs houston. Houston have 3 guys that have ever scored over 15ppg in their nba career. Phoenix has Shaq,Nash,Amare,Barbosa,4 Richardson, and hill. Shaq playing half court and touching the ball as much as Yao, he would be even more effective than he is now. Its not a knock on Yao, but shaq doesn't have to have perfect position to score because with his footwork and quickness, he can get into good scoring position. When he runs the court, he runs down the middle right under the goal. Marisian- I hope he is, but I want to see if Yao will be as effective as shaq at 36 yrs old.
If shaq is twice as worse, that mean Yao should avg 34pts 18rebs 3 blks and shoot 80% from the field right? 2008-09 36 PHO NBA 27 27 29.8 6.4 10.9 .592 0.0 0.0 4.6 7.4 .618 2.6 6.4 9.0 1.7 0.4 1.5 2.0 3.4 17.4
For a 7' 1" 300+ pound guy with about a million hard miles on the odometer he is having an excellent season -- 17.4 - 9 - 1.7 -- not bad at all.
Think about how much better he could be if he developed mid-range game and decent shot mechanics. He'd be Kareem-like, putting up 20+ PPG seasons well into his late 30s.
Why would they take Tmac for Shaq when they only have one good center? Tmac for Jason Richardson and others maybe. Damm that would be a scary lineup for the Suns.
The only thing I wish shaq wouldve done better is shoot freebies. If he was 70% with the amout of times he gets fouled, he would be creeping up on kareem. You gotta love a guy that gets fouled 7 times a game in under 30 mins a night.
Shaq at 36 years of age is putting numbers that are very good. I love Yao but Shaq is an all time top center with no doubt. I would say top 5 is arguable with him.
Yeah, I fired up the hard drive and pulled some games from 96 of shaq and watched them, that dude was a monster. Then I watch him now and he still has some of the same moves and footwork.Thing is, back then, he would give it to the defense for 40mins strong. Now, he can only do it for about 30. Truly a special players. Very freakish in terms of talent and skill. There have been guys with his size like Stanley roberts and Diop, and even guys taller like priest lauderdale and thomas hamilton, but no one has ever had his footwork or atheleticism combined with strength and attitude. I knew he was a handful when in the finals against houston he was giving dream the business.
