<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI ? It all could have paid off. Game 7. Eastern Conference finals. The game essentially in Shaquille O'Neal's hands. The Heat's $30 million man reentered with 8:29 to play and Miami leading by three. He was able to provide a brief spurt that pushed the lead to six but, in the end, O'Neal's nine fourth-quarter points were not enough. "We had a lot of opportunities, but they're just a more experienced team than us,'' O'Neal said. He was limited throughout the playoffs by the thigh bruise he suffered in mid-April. Even as O'Neal improved, he wasn't himself. His best two games of the post-season were his last two. He followed a 24-point, 13-rebound effort in the Pistons' Game 6 blowout with a game-high 27 points and nine rebounds Monday. "Shaq was unstoppable, as he always is,'' the Pistons' Chauncey Billups said. But he committed a big turnover and missed a shot in which he was pushed out of his comfort zone with the Heat on the verge of breaking open the game. "I'm not making excuses, we just let this one slip away,'' O'Neal said.</div> Source
Its not his fault, its Van Gundys. Why did he throw in Damon Jones when Jones just left for a twisted ankle??..He shouldnt of just thrown him in there, he should of kept the same line up that had the lead for them.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"He gutted it out, he played through a lot of pain and adversity,'' guard Damon Jones said. "I'm disappointed that I didn't get him the ball down the stretch. I take the blame, it's my fault, I'm the point guard.'' O'Neal was asked about the team's inability to get him the ball down the stretch. "I'm not making the decisions,'' he said. "You'll have to talk to the guy who's making decisions out there.''</div> You never want your players pointing fingers and putting the blame entirely on one person. I don't think you can blame one person because it was a team effort and the Heat were battling against many injuries. Everyone on our starting lineup was dealing with some sort of ailment or nursing an injury so after playing such a long series I just think we were weak and exhausted by Game 7. I hope that players don't continue to point fingers because that's how teams split up and I think if we are healthy next year, we will have a good shot at the Championship.
Although I don't belive that teammates should not point fingers, Damon pointed the finger at himself, and I think that is very big of him to step up like that. I mean it was his fault, that play where he forced that crazy pass rather then getting it to a reposting Shaq, that play turned the whole game around.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Sebastian P:</div><div class="quote_post">Although I don't belive that teammates should not point fingers, Damon pointed the finger at himself, and I think that is very big of him to step up like that. I mean it was his fault, that play where he forced that crazy pass rather then getting it to a reposting Shaq, that play turned the whole game around.</div> Well I'm talking about Shaq's comments about how he wasn't the one who was handling the ball. It's alright that Jones said those statements but when Shaq starts blaming Damon too, I think that's wrong.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Swish15:</div><div class="quote_post">Well I'm talking about Shaq's comments about how he wasn't the one who was handling the ball. It's alright that Jones said those statements but when Shaq starts blaming Damon too, I think that's wrong.</div> I totally agree with you. However, this was right after the loss, and you are bound to say some things after losing a game 7. With that being said, he still should not have said it.
Turnovers happen from time to time, but that missed free throw is unacceptable. The Pistons made theirs, and they won the game.
