O'Neal Is Set To Be Best Since Jordan

[redzero]

Why do Cleveland bandwagoners believe that they are destined for a championship? No one team is the clear cut favorite.

[VivaPopovich]

jordan was also a defensive stopper

shaq isnt known for offensive rebounds and help-side D

i'd love to see him man up on the likes of blake and yao

[sonic21]

imo it's a tie beetween timmy and shaq, Kobe doesn't belong in the conversation (yet?).

Shaq was better in his prime. He was unstoppable but timmy has more consistently maintained a high level of play and was clearly a better defender.

[Tully365]

Although he is unquestionably one of the greats of this era, Shaq is a hard one to judge. On the one hand there was a 5+ year period when he was the single most unstoppable player in the league. On the other hand, his accomplishments seem to fall a little short of what they should've been, considering his dominance and the amount of talent he had around him. Shaq grew organically as a player, but he didn't specifically and willfully address his shortcomings-- free-throw shooting, conditioning-- and often was too busy in the off-season making movies, cutting CDs, etc. In the second half of his career, it almost became a given that Shaq would begin the season out of shape and "play his way" back into it. Looking back at the Detroit/Laker finals of '04 it still strikes me as incredible that the Piston won, and in only 5 games. Shaq's accomplishments are undeniable, but if he'd had the dedication and focus of a Bill Russell or a Magic Johnson, he probably would've won at least two or three more les.

[lefty]

at this point, shaq could ride lebron to 3 more bags of chips and i'd still say duncan and kobe over him

fify

[IronMexican]

Kobe did not ride Shaq to 3 les like Shaq gravy trained Wade in 2006. Was Shaq the number 1 option during crunch time in 2006? Was he Miami's best defender? Thought so.

like this is re ed. Kobe didn't ride Shaq in 2000,2001,2002. Shaq didn't ride Wade in 2006. Riding is the type of Mitch Richmond did for a ring.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

^or Robert Parish w/ the Bulls

[ambchang]

Which championship was Duncan not considered the "main man"? I know Parker won Finals MVP one year, but come on.

I was just erring on the conservative side on that one in case people brought up the MVP argument.

But I also should have thought of the awesome comeback of "Shaq didn't get the ball in the 4th quarter, therefore Kobe was actually the man" crap. But that one was so utterly stupid, I can't really come up with anything to counter.

It's like saying Ginobili > Duncan, because Ginobili gets the ball in the 4th to create.

[BUMP]

Shaq deserves credit for what he did in Miami. Yeah Wade stepped it up big in the Finals, but before he came to the Heat, they were first round fodder.

[ambchang]

Shaq isthe overrated one my misinformed friend! Come on, Shaq to the Cavs = chamionship? HOw is that not overrating him? The ESPN guys were sucking his nutz except Mark Jackson ...

As for Kobe how is he overrated when MANY here in the media were saying he could not win withjout SHAQ and that he rode Shaq to the Finals BOTH are falsshoods ...Shaq has not won a le as the main superstar in the way Hakeem, Duncan or to some extent Jordan has. Yes Pippen was a HOF'er but he was OVERRATED not Kobe ...as is SHAQ ...as the primary main man Shaq has led his team to many a playoff sweep. Check the history books. 2000 he was the most dominant force in the world and he had 3 or 4 more dominant playoff runs but outside of that itz all hype cuz many in the media and on this board love his wack ass jokes and his juvenile freestyles or because he punked your team during his glory years ...

Who is saying the Cavs will win with Shaq? And since when was ESPN anykind of objective medium?

Kobe couldn't win without Shaq before this season. That was a fact. It's no longer true.
Kobe did ride Shaq to 3 championships. You mentioned Shaq was the most dominant in 2000, so why was he overrated?
I actually hate Shaq, I think he is an attention , but you cannot deny the fact that he was dominant in the early century.
And Pippen overrated? Are you kidding me? That man was one of the best perimeter the league has ever seen. And he was a great facilitator on offense.

[scottspurs]

I think you have to say Duncan because he was the only post jordan player loyal to his original team. Tim decided to play his entire career for the San Antonio Spurs. Kobe has played his entire career for the Lakers but he was drafted by the hornets, ed about it and was traded because he gave the hornets no choice. Shaq went for the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and left to LA. then cried about Kobe and demanded a trade to Miam. then cried again when Miami went downhill and got traded to the suns then again to the Cavs. Since they are tied in championship I believe you have to give Duncan the upperhand for actually being loyal to his team, truly one of the best qualities a player can have in sports.

[IronMexican]

Shaq deserves credit for what he did in Miami. Yeah Wade stepped it up big in the Finals, but before he came to the Heat, they were first round fodder.

Eh, not sure about that. I think they beat the Hornets in the first round with Wade as a rookie.

Williams, Wade, Butler, Odom, Mourning(I think?) is a pretty good starting 5.

[James David Manning]

Eh, not sure about that. I think they beat the Hornets in the first round with Wade as a rookie.

Williams, Wade, Butler, Odom, Mourning(I think?) is a pretty good starting 5.

Sons it's good to see I've got so much support.

[cobbler]

I guess based on the logic of this article hHorry with his eight rings is GOAT. Shaw will basically be a role player to get past Howard. Kobe was second banana for three of his rings.

Actually by that logic the GOAT is Russell. 10 > 8

[Phenomanul]

The fact that two of the three players considered for that distinction had the benefit of playing alongside each other as teammates (Shaq & Kobe) automatically makes the third player's accomplishments (Duncan) all the more significant...

Again... this is a mathematical proof...

/Thread

[crc21209]

Shaq has been traded too many damn times to be considered on "Jordan level".

[IronMexican]

Shaq is kind of like Dennis Erickson. You want loyalty, get a dog. If you want to win, get Shaq.

[ambchang]

Actually by that logic the GOAT is Russell. 10 > 8

11 and 7