Heat3 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
Again, why does Shaq have to play like other centers? Is 15 years of dominance not enough? Want him shooting threes like Manute? Maybe if he played 25 years and dominated then you wouldn't call him lazy. It is ridiculous to expect any player to even last 15 years in the league, much less expect him to do the same thing he did when he was young. Take a look at Ewing's and Hakeem's stats in their 15th season. What did their skills do to help them? Shaq still has better stats. How much of his decline is due to rules changes? Same can't be said for those two. As for Kareem, it's no great insult to say player x isn't as good as Kareem. Kareem was a once in a lifetime player and he's better than most.
Wilt Chamberlain sure adjusted his game later in his career and led the league in assists even one year and Kareem like I said changed as he got older to be able to contribute. Shaq is supposed to be in their class and says he is in their class himself.
If he wants to be like them, then he needs to show his leadership and ability to adjust to his older age. Dikembe Mutombo came in and blocked 4 shots a game this last week after not even barely playing for months and he is probably 42-44.
He wants to be known as the best Center ever, so that is why I hold him to high standards.
Moses Malone had 15pts and 9reb a game at age 36.
Ewing has 20.8pts and 10.2rebs at age 36.
Hakeem had 18.9pts and 9.6rebs at age 36.
Shaq is not even that good this year, 13.6pts and 8.2reb. So, see what I mean.
I didn't say Shaq should have developed new moves when he was able to dunk every play. But now that he can't dunk so much anymore, he needs to find a new move or 2. Use his brain for once and not just his size.
And he has been lazy, he even has said it, that he cruises through seasons and then "turns it on" when it matters. That is laziness and relying on pure natural talent and size instead of working hard all the time as well.
People keep bringing up Shaq's past. This is about Shaq's Phoenix run. And how he is playing, how he is impacting that team, and how the team is responding.
