Shaq is the biggest player in the league but he is surely not the most skilled player in the league. What does it take to measure who is the best player in the league?
by the way i do feel that Tim Duncan is a way better player than Shaq. Maybe that is why he was the MVP.
Compared to people his size, Shaq is very skilled. It's kind of asinine to expect a 7 ft 1, 350 lb guy to try and be a jump shooter. Ask Chris Webber or KG how far their "skills" have taken them. Also, Shaq is the best passing center from the low block in the league. People really don't appreciate how well he can make double teams pay.
ok, look at it this way: who is the first player you would select to build a franchise around (assuming they are 100% healthy) for 1 year. the answer is a no brainer. it's shaq.
oh, and there is absolutely NO WAY tim duncan is better than shaq. tim's too scared to even cover shaq. seriously. notice who the spurs put on shaq: malik rose...david robinson...anyone but timmy.
I think it's pretty obvious who is the best player in the league and I think most people would agree that it is Shaq. Despite what everyone else thinks Shaq is the best player in the league
I disagree. First off, Robinson is the one that SHOULD guard Shaq, since he IS the center. Also, Duncan clearly does the best job on Shaq. Him not guarding Shaq has nothing to do with fear. I'm betting it's a coach's decision. Shaq rarely guards Duncan -- is he afraid? I agree with your best player formula. Were you at the SBC last Wednesday verse? I was!
verse, I love your qualifier "for 1 year." Other than that, I'd take Duncan over Shaq any day of the week. They didn't put Duncan on Shaq because they didn't want him to get into foul trouble. Same reason why they didn't put Shaq on Duncan much. Duncan is a better all around player. Duncan was great right from his rookie year. How long did it take Shaq to be an MVP caliber player? And most importantly, Duncan has a lot more "class" than Shaq.
as i remember Shaq's team never won a championship without kobe. If you put Tim on that team instead of kazaam the Lakers would still have 3 championship maybe even 6 or 7. Shaq the only he has going for him is the size of his body and his mouth.
welcome natb40, hopefully you are just a lakerhater or antishaqqer and not another lonely wandering Spurs fan in search of windmills to tilt at on unfriendly BBS's . That being said, Duncan is of course more skilled and versatile than Shaq and is a better basketball "player"; but Shaq is far and away the most dominant force in the game's recent history, punishing his opponents into futility in a way that nobody has since Wilt. In the recent past, most dominant has overcome more skilled, maybe because of his team, maybe not. All I know is he scores more points, gets more rebounds, and wins more titles, and all the hypothetical "if blah blah played for the Lakers"is just pure speculation and of little value.
Shaq is the most dominating, but not the best. His all-around game is still a bit short of Duncan's (i.e. defense, FT%, range). Put Kobe on TD's team, and he would have had 4 rings by now.
I am a Spurs fan and i have recently moved to houston and i enjoy watching the Rockets and root for them except for a select few games. This thread came from my coworker saying that Francis is going to win the MVP i said he is a a year or two away from it and Mr Crunch Bar came up as being one of the all time greatest players and i disagreed. My position is that Shaq is a freak of Nature that lacks any talent except spitting into a mic and calling it a song.
He's certainly the most dominant. If that is the main criteria for being the "best," then yes, he is.
Depends on the refs. If Shaq is getting the calls (or more to the point non-calls) he has been, there is no better guy to have on your team. Of course, if someone was allowed to run with the ball without dribbling or shoot their opponents, they would be good to have too. If the game is properly officiated, I would much rather have Duncan. Shaq is uncomfortable outside of dunking range, and would be easy to stop if he was not allowed to dislodge.
Have you ever thought that maybe the Spurs do that so their best player doesn't get into foul trouble? Shaq doesn't guard Duncan either, except for a few sporadic minutes here and there. It's rare. Hoop-T said it best. If being the most dominant makes you the best, then he is. IMO, it doesn't. I'd still take Duncan before Shaq, because I like having my star as a go-to option in the final minutes of a close game, instead of having to go away from him or even bench him so that he won't be fouled. And I'd sacrifice a few points in the first three quarters to have that. If Shaq can shoot free throws like he did in the NBA Finals, that opinion will change, but I want more evidence than five games...
Of course if you put Duncan on the Lakers they still win....they'll still have 2 of the top 5 players in the league. Shaq is the most dominate player out there....simple. If you're talking about the most skilled, then you bring up names like Tmac, Kobe, Duncan, etc.
I think that shaq is the most overrated player out there. He is dominant but he also fouls on every play. Shaq is on my most favorite list next to mailman that doesnt deliver. Outside of dunk range Shaq is a fish out of water. If they made the dunk illegal again shaq would be a like CATO
Besides Shaq, has there ever been a 350 lb player that can shoot, rebound, let alone dribble. Heck, I bet you can't even find one that can even jump 12" inches off the ground. Shaq is one of a kind and unstoppable. Now lets look at Duncan, how many players in the history of the league can do what he can do. Dream, Ewing, Robinson, Karl Malone, and Barkley. Duncan is a great player but he can be stopped. The only person that can stop Shaq is Shaq. Even Dream who is arguably the best defensive player ever during his prime couldn't stop Shaq in his second season. I'm tired of people discounting Shaq because of his size. There are plenty of Offensive lineman in NFL that are his size and none them can play basketball. Shaq is a freak of nature and the best player in the NBA right now.
