Comments on: What’s Left in Shaq’s Tank?

By: Inversion table

Inversion table — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:29:32 +0000

I think Shaq can do well. Trying to play him more than 25 MPG is too much of gamble.

By: Greg Skaljac

Greg Skaljac — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:28:19 +0000

Regarding the Shaq pickup--that's a no brainer even if he only plays 60 games and puts up 12/6--they got him for Wallace and Sasha (who combined wouldn't play 60 games or avg 12/6) and there is no hit to the 2010-11 salary cap. They had no bigs with any bulk, now they most certainly do. It moves Z to the bench where he will make the 2nd team much more formidable. Bottom line, the Cavs are a better team with Shaq than they were at the end of the season with Wallace & Sasha. Not to mention wing upgrades of Moon and Parker over Wally and Gibson's minutes. Whether it helps them against Orlando or LAL remains to be seen. The PnR of Orlando hurt them more when it was Turk (now gone) and Lewis or Turk and Pietrus. Howard really didn't score coming off the PnR--he scored by beating everyone down the court and camping near the hoop where he could face up Z and Varejao and either beat Z off the dribble or muscle thru Varejao. Plus, for whatever reason, Mike Brown kept insisting that our bigs try to chase the dribbler all over the court to double and then have to sprint back to catch up with Howard--not a good plan. Then, once Howard gets his position down low, the helpside guards pinched down from the wings or corners to double DH and he would kick out to Pietrus, Lewis or Lee in the corner for wide open 3's which they knocked down all series. The problem the Cavs had was defending DH mano y mano in the low post--hopefully, Shaq's bulk will affect DH much like Perkins did the series before.

By: Jason J

Jason J — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:01:07 +0000

Good point, Johnny. He has always performed well on the court despite all the distracting side ventures he gets into - I do wonder if a certain lack of dedication may have precipitated his fall from dominance though. I was watching an old LA game a while back, and I had forgotten the type of touch he used to have on his moves. That one-handed baseline turnaround used to have great snap and surprising range (not like Patrick Ewing range, but at least twice what Shaq's got now), and he trusted it. His up and under and jump hook both had much better spin as well. I don't see any of that anymore. He's most effective from the right block now and powering up the baby hook Tim Duncan style.

By: Walter

Walter — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:27:57 +0000

I think one of the most interesting things about the Lebron/Shaq duo that NO ONE is talking about is the final minutes of games. Often times games are decided in the final minutes with free throws... the Cavs big two of Lebron and Shaq are not great free throw shooters by any stretch. Will this cost them? I don't know... Shaq didn't have to worry about it in L.A. because Kobe was always the go-to guy in the clutch because he could hit free throws if they team fouled him.

By: McCoy

McCoy — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:19:22 +0000

Illguaskas lack of foot speed was only one of three issues we had with the pick and roll against ORL. The other two problems were: 2. Delonte West gave up too much size to be able to effectively prevent Turk from creating opportunities off the screen. Whether it was Howard rolling or Shard slipping, Turk could pretty easily make plays for both over West's head. 2. Not being able to trap the ballhandler coming off the screens...IMO due to overzealous makeup calls. In the Mike Brown era, the Cavs bigs have been coached to put some contact on the ballhandler coming off a pick, making him go wide before he could look to facilitate. As long as they moved their feet and didn't impede the dribbler too much, it's usually allowed. It really gives the screened defender time to get under, and it makes the quick lob to the cutter a difficult pass to complete. It's the staple of our PnR D. With LeBron getting a whistle on nearly every foray to the basket (since Howard is literally ALWAYS standing in the paint)the refs were giving those fouls back to the Magic with a plethora of non-shooting calls, largely in the PnR game. In one game a struggling Hedo went to the stripe several times on slight contact coming off screens, even though he usually wards defenders with the off arm. It decimated what we could do to slow their screen game down. Outside of Howard and Lebron, the FT disparity for the supporting players was pretty lopsided, especially when you consider how rarely the Magic actually attacked the basket off the dribble. While Shaq won't help the PnR defense, Moon and Parker...6'8" and 6'6" respectively ...certainly will.

By: Kaveh

Kaveh — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:49:46 +0000

Bryan, wow, you must be hoping that LO goes to Miami right? Otherwise there is no way you would be predicting a Mavs even going to the finals...and also how will the mavs win in the finals against Celtics/Cavs/Magic? The Mavs window has opened and SHUT. It is over. J Kidd is a grandpa now, and grandpa's don't play basketball. Josh Howard / Jason Terry are not the players they were a few years ago, and niether is Dirk for that matter. Also, the Gortat deal fell through and you guys lost Bass. It's going to take more than an old Marion to help the Mavs --they couldn't even give the Nuggets any problems last year.

By: Kaveh

Kaveh — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:43:38 +0000

I think the best power forward of all time (or one of them) and one of the best PGs of all time, both in the top 35 players of all time, would have a gripe with you leaving out their names on that all-shaq list. Albeith Karl Malone and Gary Payton were a bit washed up by the time they played with Shaq.

By: Bryan Wright

Bryan Wright — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:26:39 +0000

i think Cleveland made a good move here.
if shaq works they can keep him for the other two years.
if he doesn't.... they can always release him for no money out of their pockets

i don't believe they will win a ring for the king this year though...
they might make it to the finals.
but this year is the year of the Maverick. Shaq's fellow all-decade player Dirk Nowitzki will finally get that ring over shaq that shaq got over him in Miami

By: Daniel Bui

Daniel Bui — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:26:11 +0000

@ Reg

Neil Paine is the writer of this article and he's also a writer/ sport analyst for Basketball-reference.com

By: Neil Paine

Neil Paine — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:25:57 +0000

Now folks, don't mistake my questions about how much Shaq has left in the tank for a criticism of the trade Cleveland made to acquire him -- they truly picked him up for next to nothing. But, unfortunately, sometimes you end up getting what you pay for.