This NBA season has brought a lot of changes to the landscape of the NBA. A lot of marquee players have ended up on new teams including Shaq O'Neal to Miami, Tracy McGrady to the Rockets, Steve Nash to the Suns, and Vince Carter to the Nets. Tracy McGrady is starting to pay dividends for the Rockets, and they are the hottest team heading into the All Star break with 8 straight wins. Vince Carter has revamped his career playing alongside Jason Kidd and is getting New Jersey back in the playoff hunt. However, the acquisitions of Shaq and Nash have the Heat and Suns competing for a shot at the NBA title. So who was the better acquisition? Shaq or Nash?
One way of consider who's had the bigger impact on the team is to compare point differential when they're on the floor versus when they're off the floor. With Shaq on the court the Heat are +8.7 pts per 100 possessions (113.9 to 105.2). With Shaq off the court the Heat are +2.5 pts per 100 possessions (108.3 to 105.8). So, net impact of Shaq on the Heat is +6.2 pts per 100 possessions. Pretty good. With Nash on the court the Suns are +13.3 pts per 100 possessions (121.4 to 108.1). With Nash off the court the Suns are -1.8 pts per 100 possessions (104.1 to 105.8). Net impact of Nash on the Suns has been +15.1 pts per 100 possessions. VERY good. Observations: Even when Shaq isn't on the floor the Heat have been a good team and still outscore there opponents. But when Nash isn't on the floor, they are on average worse than their opponents. So, who's leading the league in this particular stat, you may ask? Dirk Nowitzki, who's impact on the Mavs this year has been absolutely stellar: +18.9 pts per 100 possessions. Props to Manu Ginobili who has also given the Spurs a huge boost this year with his play: +17.6 pts per 100 possessions. I got all these numbers from 82games.com, btw. To answer the question, I think the aquisition of Shaq will be more significant. The Heat are the favorites to come out of the East, whereas the Suns will likely have a hard time getting past the Spurs. Clearly, Nash is having a bigger impact on the Suns and the improvement is much more evident with that team, but the Heat are a more legitimate championship contender. In a way, I think the Suns (and to a lesser degree, the Sonics) play a gimicky brand of basketball. It works great in the regular season when teams don't have much time to shift gears and prepare for their style, but it simply won't work as well against well-coached, experienced teams in the playoffs over a 7-game series. However, building a team around the Big Fella is a proven strategy for getting deep into the playoffs and competing for the championship.
In my humble opinion, Shaq's impact on the Heat is greater than Nash's impact on the Suns. Look at it this way: - When Nash signed with Phoenix, the young core of the Suns (Joe, Amare, Marion, and Barbosa) was already in place, so Nash was an addition without subtraction, add to that the fact that they signed Quentin Richardson and acquired Jim Jackson as well. Phoenix Line-Up without Nash: Joe Johnson Q Jim Jackson Marion Amare Bench: Hunter, Barbosa, Maccarthy. This line up would make the playoffs in the East!! - When Shaq got traded to Miami, the Heat gave up a lot of depth. They gave up two of their best three players at that time (Odom and Butler) and their starting centre and a valuble piece of their team (Grant) and in return they only got one player in Shaq. Miami's Line-Up without Shaq: Damon Jones Dwyane Wade Eddie Jones Udonis Haslem Michael Doleac Bench: Dooling, Leatner, and Butler. This is a lottery team in my opinion! ... So now you might come and say look at Phoenix' record without Nash and how bad they played. Well, true, but this is anindication that he didn't make his teammates THAT much better and they can't play without him. On the Miami side, Shaq affected the game at both ends unlike Nash. He made the game so much easier for every one in attracting double and triple teams. And we're all seeing the career years Wade, Butler, Damon Jones are having (EVEN WITHOUT SHAQ!!). Hell, even Eddie Jones is playing like his old self. So to sum up, I really think the impact Shaq had on the Heat given the circumenstances is bigger than what Nash had on the Suns. ..
During the regular season, Nash's impact will be greater. Getting to the playoffs out West is a bigger accomplishment, with the Suns playing a harder schedule, basically because of conference. During the playoffs, I think Shaq's impact will undoubtedly become a bigger impact for his team than Nash's. People are probably going to try and crucify me for this opinion, but I don't believe the Suns are going to get to the Western Conference Finals. I firmly believe the Heat will make the Eastern Conference Finals and potentially make the Finals as well. I don't like the Suns defensive efforts on a night to night basis and believe that issue will be exposed in the playoffs when defense becomes the #1 commodity. Add to that, Shaq knows how to win Championships and that's another premium come playoff time. What Nash and the Suns accomplish during the regular season will undoubtedly be not only impressive, but entertaining as well. However, like the Kings and Mavs of recent years, I think they're going to come up short in the playoffs.
I would also have to go with Shaq with a bigger impact because not only does he help you out offensively, he has an undeniable impact on defense. When Shaq is putting out effort on defensive, it allows the perimeter defenders to play more agressively. Not to mention his great shotblocking and rebounding. Nash can only help you on offense while being a liability on defense.
I believe that Shaq makes an impact, but when you are 7'1 you would expect that. He has made Miami a lot tougher mentally, physically and on both ends of the basketball. It is no doubt that his impact has been huge. Steve Nash on the other hand is not as physically dominant. He is not imposing or anything like that. What he is though is a great ball player an excellent leader and the glue that keeps the suns ticking along. Phoenix lost too many games with Nash on the sidelines. Games that they should have won, but this just shows the presence of Nash on that team. I would say that trades have helped both teams, but Nash has had a bigger impact on the Suns especially with their record and considering how tough the west is, than Shaq has with Miami. It's a very close call though and a good argumnet could be made for both.
the better acquistion is Shaq to Miami but Nash had the most impact coming to his new team. if Shaq is injured, Dwayne is able to carry the load but if Nash is injured, the Suns just fall apart which is sad because there is so much talent on their team and they let close games slip away.
Bigger impact: Nash Better accquistion: Shaq Nash has a HUGE impact on his team, without him, the Phoenix players look lost and consfused, mostly settling for ineffective isolation plays and hoisting up ill-advised jumpers. Steve Nash is indeed the heart that keeps the offensive jaggernuat of the Suns ticking. However Shaq is a proven dominator, possibly the best in the history of the league, and the way he impacts not only his teamates, but the opposition, on both sides of the court is virtually unstoppable. Honestly, come the playoffs, there can be no better person to take the team to the trophy than Shaq.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">During the regular season, Nash's impact will be greater. Getting to the playoffs out West is a bigger accomplishment, with the Suns playing a harder schedule, basically because of conference. During the playoffs, I think Shaq's impact will undoubtedly become a bigger impact for his team than Nash's. </div> you took the words out of my mouth, EXCELLENT opinion and post. thats the correct answer, Nash for regular season and Shaq for playoffs. We all know that Shaq just doesn't get fired up for regular season games anymore, but when the playoffs roll around, the Diesel goes to work and shows why hes the most dominate player since Wilt. Nash can win you a ton of regular season games (which he has done for the past 4 or 5 years) but when the playoffs come Nash never does anything. Its Shaqs world in the playoffs.
nash gotta be nash. Last year Miami was good now they are great. Last year pheonix was bad and now with the addition of nash they are better than miami.
Shaq will dominate playoffs that is true, he does it every year. But, this year with a better supporting cast around him, i think Nash will really step up and show how much of a leader he has become. I think the Suns will go all the way in the West and probably all they way overall. That in my opinion makes Nash the bigger impact. For interests sake, i think Phoenix will play Miami in this years finals. What better way to end this debate!!!!
Well just look at what phoenix has become when nash was iinjured. THey lost pretty much 5/5 when nash was injured. Nash is the centerpiece and the reason why Suns are doing so well.
I know some will laugh when I make this comparison, but I believe it kinda fits. Imagine the bulls without Michael Jordan. Imagine the Suns without Steve Nash. Both teams would be mediocre at best without their key man. The heat were good last year and they did decently in the playoffs. Obviously, shaq will make a huge impact in the playoffs for them. Nash's playoff impact is really the X factor for the Suns. If he can average 12+ assist a game during the playoffs then the suns opponents are in serious trouble.
