I would of gave up a lot for Shaq 3-4 years ago but now I wouldn't go after, he is a real dominating force but I wouldn't ruin my team for 1,2, maybe 3 good years.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting wtwalker77:</div><div class="quote_post">I've taken the liberty of putting the key phrase in this whole thread in bold type. If Shaq wanted to be, he'd be the MVP of the league every year. He should have been the league MVP every year the Lakers won a championship. The problem is that somewhere along the way he got bored, and I don't think he'll ever be inspired again, at least not for a whole season and post season. </div> In Shaq's defense, he would have been able to score 40 a night and rack up MVPs if he wasn't unselfish and if Kobe wasn't on that team. I have never seen a player so dominant. The problem with Shaq was Kobe. Kobe wanted to "get his" and constantly took fading jumpers when Shaq was dominating down low. Shaq got tired of fighting for position and getting tripled team and his teamates not getting him the ball. If Shaq were a Warrior I would promise you that he would get the ball everytime down court and he would be able to dominate the way he has always wanted to.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">In Shaq's defense, he would have been able to score 40 a night and rack up MVPs if he wasn't unselfish and if Kobe wasn't on that team. I have never seen a player so dominant. The problem with Shaq was Kobe. Kobe wanted to "get his" and constantly took fading jumpers when Shaq was dominating down low. Shaq got tired of fighting for position and getting tripled team and his teamates not getting him the ball. If Shaq were a Warrior I would promise you that he would get the ball everytime down court and he would be able to dominate the way he has always wanted to.</div> I dont think you watched enough Laker games man...no way Shaq would've been able to drop 40 per night....he is not in that type of physical condition. At times when they asked Phil Jackson why Shaq wasn't getting the ball more, he would often say tha Shaq was tired or he stopped running the floor. The days of Shaq dominating an entire game is over. A good double team is enough to slow him down tremendously these days.
Well I think there is a reason why he stopped running the floor and gaining good position. I understand that some of it had to do with poor conditioning but when you are working your ass off and your teamates are not rewarding you with the ball, you get frustrated. Look at Kobe, he gave up at times when his teamates failed to get him the ball.
Beyond conditioning issues, I don't think Shaq could/would want to put up with the punishment he'd take during the regular season if he were getting 30-40 touches a night and taking 20-25 shots (or trips to the line) a game. It sounds funny to say Shaq being on the receiving end of punishment, but its true. No one in the league, except maybe AI, takes more abuse to his body than Shaq. His body is already breaking down and I can't think of a single center in the last 15-20 years (except mayber Kareem) who has been able to remain productive after he turned 36. At 30-35 mil a year, I definately wouldn't take that risk.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Well I think there is a reason why he stopped running the floor and gaining good position. I understand that some of it had to do with poor conditioning but when you are working your ass off and your teamates are not rewarding you with the ball, you get frustrated. Look at Kobe, he gave up at times when his teamates failed to get him the ball.</div> Trust me Rudeezy, if that's him working his ass off, then he has real issues.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">In Shaq's defense, he would have been able to score 40 a night and rack up MVPs if he wasn't unselfish and if Kobe wasn't on that team. I have never seen a player so dominant. The problem with Shaq was Kobe. Kobe wanted to "get his" and constantly took fading jumpers when Shaq was dominating down low. Shaq got tired of fighting for position and getting tripled team and his teamates not getting him the ball. If Shaq were a Warrior I would promise you that he would get the ball everytime down court and he would be able to dominate the way he has always wanted to.</div>Yup its like why Dampier stopped trying when we had guys like Gilbert Arenas running offense. Being a big guy in the paint is not easy especially when you're running up and down the court and using up all your strength to lean and push for a spot in the paint. It wears down your legs and back down. You just get frustrated that everyone else is taking shot and not giving you a touch at least.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">Trust me Rudeezy, if that's him working his ass off, then he has real issues.</div>He was dominating maybe the best defensive player in the NBA in Game 1 of the finals. He was playing amazing and than the Lakers quit going to him. That was great laker basketball.
That's why a team packed with allstars can't get the job done unless they understand who the team's main scoring option is first and foremost. I mean you got Payton who thinks he's the star of the Lakers, Medvedenko the same, and a bunch of other guys like Kobe Bryant constantly shooting the ball either too early or getting the ball too late because some other lakers keep deferring to him when the shotclock runs out.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">He was dominating maybe the best defensive player in the NBA in Game 1 of the finals. He was playing amazing and than the Lakers quit going to him. That was great laker basketball.</div> You're basing his work ethic on one game...in addition, he was played straight up for the most part by the Pistons so the numbers will be there...I agree that they didn't get him the ball enough during the finals, but you have to realize that out of the 4 HOFers on the Lakers, Shaq would be the last person you would associate "working their ass off" ....that includes the whole season, not just a couple of games
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">You're basing his work ethic on one game...</div>You want me to name every single game that he was dominant in? There is a reason why he is mentioned as one of the most dominating Center/player to ever play the game.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">You want me to name every single game that he was dominant in? There is a reason why he is mentioned as one of the most dominating Center/player to ever play the game.</div> Lets just put it this way....Shaq has had a great career and could very well be the MDE... However, over the last 2-3 seasons, Shaq's work ethic (or lackthereof) has caught up with him. Yes, he still dominates people, because he's bigger, stronger, and more talented than any big man in the league...not because he works harder than them... If Shaq's work ethic was good, he wouldn't come into every season overweight, he wouldn't be so prone to small nagging injuries, and his foul shooting wouldn't be sub 50% .... Shaq indeed is a great asset, and the Lakers would not have won any titles without him. But I feel Shaq's slow decline has as much to do with his poor work ethic as father time.
