ronnymac2 wrote:Doctor MJ wrote:ronnymac2 wrote:I said this in the other Highest Peak thread...if you have a problem with the competition Shaq faced during the 2000 playoffs, use the 2001 playoffs to at least inform yourself about how Shaq reacts to different (or elite) defensive frontcourts. Smits and Longley were switched with Robinson/Duncan and Mutombo (Por and Sac stayed constant), yet Shaq's 2001 playoff numbers were remarkably similar to what they were in 2000.
The '00 vs '01 Shaq is interesting, and perhaps quite damaging to his candidacy given the single season criteria. First let's take a look at team offense and defense in the regular season of both seasons:
Offense:
'00 5th
'01 2nd
Defense:
'00 1st
'01 21st
This is an incredible defensive collapse, and it's hard to imagine any single player taking more of the blame than Shaq because we know how his attention waned.
Okay, now, same stats but in the playoffs:
Offense:
'00 1st
'01 1st
Defense:
'00 13th
'01 1st (by a huge margin)
So, just like before, the difference between the two seasons was huge defensive changes, except this time in the opposite direction. I wouldn't claim that difference was all Shaq focus by any stretch of the imagination, but I have a hard time believe that wasn't part of it.
This then means, that we never actually saw Shaq be full Shaq for any one season, which makes one ask if we really believe that any kind of partial Shaq could truly be the peak GOAT.
Of course there's a different perspective as well, if you are focused enough on the playoffs, then perhaps your peak GOAT is not '00 Shaq but rather '01 Shaq.
Based on what Elgee brought up in response to your post, I do believe we saw full-throttle Shaq in the year 2000. The defensive dip in the playoffs had little to do with Shaq's effort, and more to do with matchups. I remember the Pacers going absolutely ape **** for a few games in the NBA Finals, particularly from 3-point land. I also remember Portland being able to feast on isolation plays that took advantage of the weaker 1 vs. 1 defenders L.A. had.
Remember, Glen Rice and A.C. Green were getting minutes for this Laker team, so that meant Fox and Horry, two superior defenders, were not getting as many minutes as in 2001. Horace Grant, who was still strong defensively in 2001, wasn't on the team either. So Sheed, Wells, Pippen, and Smith went to work in post up isolations, and they worked. Shaq had to stay within arm's length of a jump-shooting Sabonis. I remember even Hakeem in '94 had to stay next to Felton freakin' Spencer and wait for Karl Malone to make an aggressive move against poor Otis Thorpe before coming down to try and help out. That's Hakeem, and he still struggled to get down to Malone in time.
Under those rules, it would have been incredibly difficult to slow that Portland squad down. They had more post options that any team I've ever watched.
Kobe also hadn't bulked up; amazing perimeter defender, but Smith and Wells and Pip picked him apart when they got him inside and put him in foul trouble a few games. Kobe locked up Mighty Mouse though.
Shaq was going full throttle in the 2000 playoffs on both ends. Game 5 against PHX was one of the most disgusting/beautiful games I've ever seen, and Shaq's defense basically won the Lakers the game. He was pretty damn good throughout the playoffs defensively.
I have to disagree with this assessment. AC Green was a really good defender in 2000, in fact, Everyone in the rotation was a good defender except for Rice.
Shaq's big problem in the 2000 postseason was his help defense. He simply stopped playing it, and it killed LA's defensive rotations. Now staying in the paint did help his rebound numbers bigtime, but it came at a cost. The 2 series that gave LA the most trouble(Sac & Por) had jump shooting big(Webber/Divac & Sheed/Sabonis). It's no accident that those came to elimination games.
Shaq was a great man2man defender throughout that year, but it would be overstating to say he carrried the defense by himself.
