Shaq Gets A Raw Deal: Agree or Disagree?

The Diesel · Post #1 » by **The Diesel** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 4:12 am

Hey guys,

Obviously the talk so far this season has been that "The Suns are back" even though they are only two games better than they were at this point last season when Amare went down injured for the rest of the season and Diaw was traded, leaving the team with no back-up while going through the horrendous Terry Porter experiment.

Am I the only one who thinks Shaq gets a raw deal from the media who continually blame him for the Suns' struggles last year?

- Last time I checked, his new team has the best record in the NBA, is on an 11-game winning streak and he's averaging 18 PPG on over 60% shooting (last season's numbers) during the winning streak.

- The Cavaliers are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA even though he's a bad pick and roll defender just like Z, and Cleveland won 66 games last season despite Z's poor pick and roll defense.

Yet this is all we keep hearing from the media:

"Shaq is to blame for the Suns missing the playoffs." Really? A guy who averaged 18/8 on 60% shooting in just 30 minutes a game is to blame?

A guy who was All-NBA 3rd team? Who led the league in FG%? Who was voted as an All-Star by opposing coaches? It's his fault Amare missed half the season? Or that Porter was hired? Or that Mike D was run out of town? Or that the Suns had no back-up for Amare after Boris was traded?

Even Gentry has said "Shaq gets a raw deal from the media and gets blamed for things he doesn't deserve the blame for."

"The Suns should have kept Marion?" Really? Marion has been a joke since he was traded and he was an idiot to think he was worth that 3 year $60,000,000 extension which led to his outrageous trade demand which resulted in him being traded. Why doesn't the media ever say that Shaq has outplayed him since the trade?

"Shaq slowed them down." Really? The Seven Seconds or Shaq offense was amazing. Averaged 118 PPG WITHOUT Amare which is more than they are averaging this season WITH Amare. The team scored over 140 points in both games under Gentry last season before Amare got hurt.

"He hurt Amare's production." Really? Averaging 28/10 under Mike D AFTER Shaq came to the team is hurting his production? Amare struggled because of Porter. Amare criticized management this summer for trading Shaq.

Anyone else agree with me? It annoys me when everybody blames him for everything.

MaryvalesFinest · Post #2 » by **MaryvalesFinest** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 4:19 am

Nash didn't like him and what Nash wants he gets, he wanted Shaq's ass shipped out of Phoenix this summer so management traded him. Nothing more to be said really...

Post #3 » by **lilfishi22** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 4:29 am

I know you are a fan of Shaq and all but can't you just leave it alone? Different fans have different opinion on Shaq's contribution to the Suns, some thinks it slowed us down, some thinks he created a better offense. Far as I'm concerned, Shaq is in our past and has been for some time and everything about Shaq has been discussed to every extent.

Post #4 » by **Miklo** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 4:38 am

The Cavs definitely are not good BECAUSE of Shaq.

Post #5 » by **Qwigglez** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 4:49 am

MaryvalesFinest wrote:Nash didn't like him and what Nash wants he gets, he wanted Shaq's ass shipped out of Phoenix this summer so management traded him. Nothing more to be said really...

Exactly.
I don't blame Shaq. I was happy the Suns got him, I thought the Suns would have finally passed the Spurs in the playoffs, and they probably could have if it wasn't for poor decision making by the coach in the final seconds of Game 1.
Also if Shaq came to Phoenix in top physical condition, it would have definitely changes the circumstances in the playoffs.

The Diesel · Post #6 » by **The Diesel** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 5:26 am

The Cavs definitely are not good BECAUSE of Shaq.

I never said he deserved all the credit. HOWEVER, he's starting to play EXTREMELY well during the 11 game winning streak and has really stepped up since Mo Williams got hurt.

Also, they are allowing the least amount of points in the paint this season.

LeBron is the main reason they have the best record, but Shaq is also a huge reason for this winning streak they are on.

The Diesel · Post #7 » by **The Diesel** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 5:35 am

Mods, please feel free to lock this thread if you want. I just wanted to get some peoples' opinion on this topic.

Thanks.

WTFsunsFTW · Post #8 » by **WTFsunsFTW** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 5:52 am

Hey Diesel is it still possible that the Shaq to Cleveland trade can get rescinded and he has to come back to Phoenix?

Post #9 » by **lilfishi22** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 5:55 am

Hey WTFsunsFTW, don't encourage him, he'll spend the next few days looking for a loophole for Kerr to bring Shaq back.

harshey1388 · Post #10 » by **harshey1388** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 6:14 am

is this dude serious? how many times have we had threads like this? how many times have most of us said that shaq wasnt the one we blamed.. it just want a good mix of things? how many times??

child please!

WTFsunsFTW wrote:Hey Diesel is it still possible that the Shaq to Cleveland trade can get rescinded and he has to come back to Phoenix?

i knew you would say that.. thats my whole point i think WTFsunsFTW has posted this same thing like 3-4 times and thats why this topic and thread is old school and pointless.

Post #11 » by **Qwigglez** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 6:07 pm

WTFsunsFTW wrote:Hey Diesel is it still possible that the Shaq to Cleveland trade can get rescinded and he has to come back to Phoenix?

hunterxaz · Post #12 » by **hunterxaz** » Mon Feb 8, 2010 6:33 pm

I never thought Shaq was the reason we missed the playoffs. Losing Amare and not having Diaw, that hurt us and is likely what cost us. Then it'd be Porter. Shaq I think was actually good for us, overall.