You guys are nuts. For the record, Yao has never scored 45 in his entire career. Shaq did it at his age....on 20/25. I don't think Shaq is a better player than Yao right now. But get real guys. Shaq dropped 45, who cares who it was against? He's what? 36?
So many people kept saying Shaq was done last year. This year, he has proved he is still a Top 3 Center in the NBA. I'd put him at #2 ahead of Dwight. He may be old but still can't be guarded one on one.
I've said this ever since Yao came into this league and it still hasn't changed: Don't ever put Shaq and Yao in the same sentence.
PHOENIX (AP)—Toronto’s Chris Bosh had an explanation for how Shaquille O’Neal scored 45 points: He cheated. “He was just camping down in the lane,” Bosh said Friday night, after O’Neal’s biggest scoring night in six years led Phoenix to a 133-113 victory over the Raptors. “I mean, if they’re not calling three seconds—I thought it was a rule, but I guess not.” http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-raptors-suns-rdp&prov=ap&type=lgns
LOL! Bosh is a soft pansy ass loser. If there was ever a 'stats guy' it is him. It will be fun watching which team will be suckered into offering him max money next year in hopes of him becoming that 'franchise' player they need. The paint is not for the weak of heart, Mr. Bosh, it's a man's game down there, so just get out of the way and let Shaq (at the ripe age of 37) show you how it is done.
Stats? Dream was a FAR superior defender in every aspect... Steals, Blocks, Rebounds. No contest. While Shaq has more rings, he has Kobe and Wade. Dream took a motley bunch or roleplayers to a title.... Dream vs Shaq=Sweep.
Charlie V has scored 50 in a game, so that makes him soo much better than Yao. I'd take Yao at this stage of the game, Yao still shoots a high percentage from the field and from the line while rebounding better.
People who equated the two were and still are idiots. Idiots in that if they seriously expected Yao to be Shaq, then they were definitely mistaken. As Yao's shown though, its not the worst thing in the world though to not be Shaq. There truly is no other physical force like Shaq. He's all alone in that department.
Did you even read what I said? I said Dream was clearly the better all around big man, but there is no arguing the FACT that Shaq's body of work is much more impressive. Even without winning rings, Shaq on any roster meant a higher winning percentage/deeper playoff advances than Dream on any roster. I fully acknowledge the fact that Dream did not get to play with a Kobe or a Wade for most of his career, but all that considered and Shaq will still definitely be remembered as a top 4 center. It is not a knock on Dream, he was all-world but never had a Shaq-like team for much of his career. It is a fun argument, but I think at the end of the day, because people like to quantify things, winning statistics will put Shaq over Dream in the "Big Man Pecking Order". But it is very, very, very close with all of the top 5 centers of all time. A reasonable argument could be made for any of them. Me personally, I think Wilt was the best individual center of all time, but Kareem being the most impressive. And Dream being the best all around big man to have ever played in the league..by a MILE!
Look, that's obviously not my point. My point is that some of you guys are acting like its easy to drop 45 on another NBA team, and its obviously not easy, considering Yao has never done it once. I also said in my original post that I don't think Shaq is better than Yao at this stage in their careers.
Rockets offence is way different that Suns offence...he shot 13/15....give him 10 more shot attempts and he'll score 35. Yao is very unselfish.
Okay, I don't know if you're being sarcastic or what. But again, you're missing my point. It doesn't matter what type of offense is run, a 36 year old center dropping 45 points on an NBA team is impressive. I'm not saying he's better than Yao.
Point Taken, he will go down as one of the greatest centers. But Yao is special in his own right, and I like him as a Rockets fan.
Agreed. I don't get why people are impressed with this guy. Someone is going to be very disappointed if they think they can win a title with him as a 1st or even 2nd option. Great game by Shaq but he should try to show a little sense of modesty. He looks foolish when he says he would do that every night when he gets enough touches. For all of you who think Barkley is a hater just wait until Shaq retires.
