Snaq in 08-09

[Reality]

How has Snaq been looking in the preseason for the Suns?
I haven't seen him at all.  Conditioning?  Does he look like a Whopper or has he actually slimmed down?

Anyone other then Shaq Hating Lakers seen him?  How do you think he will do this season?

[Joe Vancil]

I think he'll shoot 60% from the field, average double figure points and 7 or so rebounds.

That's why I drafted him in our fantasy league.

[atom2030]

I think he'll play less than 50 games.

That's why i didn't ...
 

[westkoast]

He's been hustling pretty hard in the pre-season.  I've never seen him try so hard in the pre-season ever.  Which of course means he's going to burn out sometime in Feb and barely come back for the playoffs.

[rickortreat]

Shaq is no longer a big deal in the NBA.  It's not clear he's a top 10 center in the league anymore.  Phoenix is one of those teams that could go either way- figure out how to use their players to get more wins, or end up being squeezed out of the playoffs.

I don't think that Shaq has it in him to be a difference maker any longer, so this season is about proving that he can still play at a high level.

He may shoot at 60%, but he won't be able to put up that many shots over the course of the game.  I think his days of scoring over 30 are long-gone.

[jemagee]

He'll miss games, cause he's out of shape

He'll also make you concede FT% almost every week

[Reality]

He claims he is going to pace himself.  At this point i always thought he would make a great backup center, but his $20 million a year pricetag knocks that idea out.

Still flapping his gums about how great he is, claiming no center comes even near to him with the exception of Timmy Dunkar, who he does not consider a center.  Technically Fats is not that far off, as he did suck out that 4th title in 2006 and has 6 finals appearances to Dunkars 4.  4-0 

Sure wish Pop-a-Cement hadn't stood in the way of a repeat and/or #5 title for Dunkar.  That would partially shut Shaq up.

Phx is gonna feed him the ball.  Cant find the link but they are going inside out in the hopes that Sir Flabbo will find the open man.  He thinks he is still going to be doubled.  I doubt it.  But in a centerless NBA he still is in the top 10 easily.

[westkoast]

He claims he is going to pace himself.  At this point i always thought he would make a great backup center, but his $20 million a year pricetag knocks that idea out.

Still flapping his gums about how great he is, claiming no center comes even near to him with the exception of Timmy Dunkar, who he does not consider a center.  Technically Fats is not that far off, as he did suck out that 4th title in 2006 and has 6 finals appearances to Dunkars 4.  4-0 

Sure wish Pop-a-Cement hadn't stood in the way of a repeat and/or #5 title for Dunkar.  That would partially shut Shaq up.

Phx is gonna feed him the ball.  Cant find the link but they are going inside out in the hopes that Sir Flabbo will find the open man.  He thinks he is still going to be doubled.  I doubt it.  But in a centerless NBA he still is in the top 10 easily.

If you want to go strickly on players who play center, sure theres not really 10 true centers in the league.  True centers to me would be like Yao Ming, Andrew Bynum, Chris Kaman, Dwight Howard, and Marcus Camby.  All of which I would take before Shaq in a heart beat at this point in his career (obviously)

Now if you want to talk 'big men' he's not top 20....

[jemagee]

What exactly makes a 'true center' - i've always wondered cause Sam Dalembert ain't a 'true forward'

[westkoast]

What exactly makes a 'true center' - i've always wondered cause Sam Dalembert ain't a 'true forward'

Size for one.  You can't really be 6'10" and be considered a true center IMO.  The other of course being you actually play at the 5. 

Tim Duncan technically is a center but he doesn't ever play the position.  Pau Gasol would be a center as well but he doesn't play that position either.

[Joe Vancil]

Hold on a second:

Old and washed up veteran of wars long gone by, deluded, believes he's a leader, still thinks he's about to pull out a victory, out of Arizona...

...is this the Shaq thread, or the John McCain thread?

(Sorry.  It was a hanging curve-ball and I couldn't resist.)

[WayOutWest]

Size for one.  You can't really be 6'10" and be considered a true center IMO.  The other of course being you actually play at the 5. 

WHAT?  Jeeze dude, stick to talking about guards or something cause you don't seem to know shyte about the 5.   

Hakeem, Mourning, Moses, Wallace, and Russell, all 6'10 or shorter who were true centers.

Tim Duncan technically is a center but he doesn't ever play the position.  Pau Gasol would be a center as well but he doesn't play that position either.

Centers traditionally play and defend in the paint.  TD is a center, plain and simple.  Gasol is more of a PF but is also a "light" center.  Guys are just so much bigger at other positions, especially at the PF, that a traditional center like Gasol becomes a PF/C tweener.  Other PF/C tweeners IMO are guys like Memet Okur, JO, and Wallace.  They would definately be strait C's about a decade or two ago but with the new "mobile" big man, it seems the lines are getting blurred.

[jemagee]

Wait - are you telling me that our understanding of a sport might have changed in the last 10 years?

LIAR

[westkoast]

Size for one.  You can't really be 6'10" and be considered a true center IMO.  The other of course being you actually play at the 5. 

WHAT?  Jeeze dude, stick to talking about guards or something cause you don't seem to know shyte about the 5.   

Hakeem, Mourning, Moses, Wallace, and Russell, all 6'10 or shorter who were true centers.

Anytime you want to join the basketball discussion post 1995 let me know.   Though I should have thrown in there that they also need multiple back to the basket moves.  Hakeem may have been undersized but his back to the basket game was something serious.

Things have changed and most big men are hybrids now ala  Amare Stoudamire or Pau Gasol.  Seriously if you are taking a good amount of jump shots it's hard to say your a TRUE center.  I don't remember seeing many reels of Bill Russell 20 feet out like Rasheed Wallace taking a face up jumper.  Maybe someone can correct me if I am mistaken.

[Lurker]

Shaq will probably shoot around 60%, grab near 10 boards and give up just as many to his opponent.  If I am coaching against the Suns I pick and roll Shaq until he fouls out or is benched.