Shaq With Modern Rules: Less Dominant?

[jefe]

The real question is could he even play in the NBA in modern times. Way back in 2011 Shaq was going against non-athletic scrubs of bigmen - if you search long enough, you find grainy non-HD footage on youtube that proves it.

[Torres]

[Ettorefm]

Shaq is amazing. He had some awesome moments in Boston, and he was what, 39?

[Doctor MJ]

I'm probably going to get a lot of flack for saying this, since it's pretty much unanimously accepted that Shaq is one of the most dominant, if not the most dominant, player in history. How do you think he would do in modern rules?

There's no doubt that there are more charges taken in today's game than any time in the past (I don't know where I'd get access to those kinds of numbers). I feel like a lot of that has to do with the way it's called, in that the defensive player is given the call moreso than in the past, and as a result, players are willing to "sacrifice their bodies" for the win. One also has to consider the flop factor. I'm not referring to the cases where players completely fake contact, but rather how much more "selling" is done these days. When a player gets hit, they make sure that the refs see it by exaggerating the contact, whether dramatically or not.

Shaq's dominance came from a combination of his strength, size and footwork. I feel like he'd get in foul trouble quite a bit in the modern NBA from charges alone. He wouldn't be able to "bulldoze" his way through defenders, not only because of how he plays, but moreso due to how defenders guard him.

Everyone always talks about how soft the NBA is in today's game... why do you think that is? It's naiive to think the sole reason is the players, they're playing the way the refs and league dictate the game. It's a lot less physical. I'm not suggesting that he would not be incredible, what I am suggesting, however, is that the way the game is called in today's game would make him that much less dominant.

Bottom line: Shaq played with modern rules. The stories you've heard about how dramatic things have changed are exaggerations. EVERY era of NBA basketball is called soft compared to the previous eras because that's how people get when they get old.

When you talk of Shaq bulldozing his way through defender, I wonder what you're imagining in your head somehow similar to guys driving rapidly to the hoop. In the case of a drive, the thing to remember is that the contact is often so destructive that the refs feel they have to make a call and so rapid that that call is often an unreasonable one.

Down in the interior what we see is more methodical and less dramatic movement. It makes it so that refs long ago realized they couldn't stop the contact, and with that contact comes situations where both guys are fouling each other which leads to the refs just swallowing their whistle. There's also the matter that a full on defensive flop in response to a guy moving 2 inches looks disingenuous, and thus the refs are more immune to its lure.

[NO-KG-AI]

People overestimate how much of his off Shaq got from catching, backing down for a bunch of steps and then going up. He got his points like that too, but he got a LOT of looks off catches with deep position, pinning guys behind him in transition, offensive rebounds, alley oops etc.

Dipper13 I believe it was, did a breakdown of Shaq's scoring in the playoffs, and his amount of actual postups wasn't as high as people seem to remember, and neither was the shooting % from there.

Shaq used his power, but a bigger impact on the game was just the threat of his power, that's why guys leaned in way too much and got destroyed by his spin move, it's why they fouled him before he'd even make his move a lot, and it was why they were looking defeated before he walked out there.

Shaq might be blockhead off the court, but he was a smart basketball player, and he'd adapt if he were getting called a little more harshly.

[jwpark23]

I think he'd be even more dominant.

[Gregoire]

Less dominant. because:

1. Increasing of 3pt shot game, a lot of shooting centers ( he became liability in D and in offense less usage)
2. Zone rules
3. Officiating of offensive fouls and flopping
3. Most important; its pnr league now and we all know how Shaq defended pnr.

[HEAT33]

I think he would be considered GOAT if he played today in his prime.

There isnt a single center that could stop him, old Shaq made Dwight look like a school girl.
The other centers today would have no hope in stopping him.

I would hate to see what he would do with my Heat team. Bosh would get killed in there

[Xerxes_Tetra]

Shaq was definitely one of the most dominant but he was nowhere near the most dominant. Wilt was the most dominant player of all time. Other players won more championships because they had better teams surrounding them but no player can match Wilt's dominance as a player.

Wilt averaged 30.1 ppg for his entire career.

Wilt averaged 22.9 rpg for his entire career.

While blocks weren't tracked when Wilt played, Harvey Pollack, a legendary stats guy (who is still alive in kicking!), asked his statisticians to keep track of Chamberlain blocks in big games and in one game they tracked 25 blocks.

Wilt dominated even against other greats. Wilt faced Bill Russell 142 times head to head and averaged 28.7 ppg and 28.7 rpg during those match-ups.

Less known is Wilt was an adroit passer. He averaged 7.8 apg during the 1966-67 season.

Wilt was a crazy athlete. His vertical leap was legendary (some reports have it at 48") and he was a high jump champion.

I could go on. Other players had greatest success as members of teams but as an individual player, Wilt was the most dominant hands down.

[Side beard]

MOre dominant.

Instead of having to go up against Robinson, Hakeem, Ewing, Zoe, he would be up against McGee, Bosh, D12, etc.

He would go off for 60/40 and then he would be arrested for manslaughter after he snaps Bosh into 3 pieces.

Well you cherry picked nice. McGee havent played this year. And did not start that many games last year. Bosh is more of a lightweight PF. How about Noah? Drummond? Hibbert? DeAndre? Timmy? Marc Gasol? Chandler? Boogie? Even freaking Perkins that allows 36% FG around the rim. All those guys suddenly disappear or you just want praise 90s/00s Cs success?

[Dr Aki]

he'd have more offensive impact, but at the same time less defensive impact due to state of perimeter players being protected

a minor collision with shaq might send quite a few players flying and result in a few more flagrants and techs

[azuresou1]

Shaq would destroy today's league.

I mean, how many centers today could prevent Shaq from establishing whatever position he chooses? Dwight, Marc, Hibbert, and Perk? Maybe Pek? You're looking at the specter of Shaq getting easy catches right under the basket because many modern Cs simply aren't built for a bully game inside (and I'm not just talking about the post).

[Gregoire]

Shaq would destroy today's league.

I mean, how many centers today could prevent Shaq from establishing whatever position he chooses? Dwight, Marc, Hibbert, and Perk? Maybe Pek? You're looking at the specter of Shaq getting easy catches right under the basket because many modern Cs simply aren't built for a bully game inside (and I'm not just talking about the post).

Lets compare todays centers pool vs Shaqs peak/prime pool, when he established his legacy (00-04 I think)

00-04: old Sabonis, old Divac, old Mutombo (no ofensive game), old Robinson, old Smits, young Ben Wallace (no offensive game), Longley, Nesterovic, Bradley, young Yao, prime Duncan* - not center

Today: prime Dwight, prime Hibbert, prime Pekovic, young Drummond, Davis, Cousins, prime Lopez, Chandler, Noah, Nene, Deandre, old Duncan, prime Marc ect...

Where the centers poools is better?

[choppermagic]

MORE DOMINANT

The NBA has shifted its rules and reffing to favour its current stars like Lebron, Durant. If a 22 year old Shaq was in the draft, you would see a huge marketing push as the next GOAT candidate player and the rules all of a sudden would favour dominant centers as the NBA would try to market the "next big thing". And dont forget how marketable Shaq was when he was younger, full of life, and goofiness, having commercials, pin ball machines, etc. endorsed by his likeness.

I know people like to say Lebron can guard all five positions but it would be hilarious to watch him get switched onto Shaq down low. No question he resorts to Hack a Shaq ha ha

[Heat3]

shaq was consantly in foul trouble when he was with the heat. the refs would always get him for some tickytack stuff just backing his man down that he would never be called for before.

he would still be dominant though.

[KyletheDingbat]

Those "bully moves" Shaq was pulling weren't fouls then and aren't fouls now. You're allowed to back your man down. If they started calling that it would be a travesty to the game and the true death of post play.

[GameTime_3]

Still gets his 30 points and 10 rebounds. Wouldn't be unstoppable down low. Where Shaq becomes a monster is the vertical rule! Try and run into that? DPOY a few years with these rules.

[Mapelgleaf]

This question is almost impossible to answer even hypothetically since many of the modern rules are in place BECAUSE of Shaq.

A true superstar big man of Shaq's caliber would dominate in any era.

[Official]

Shaq would be less dominant individually than he was in the 90s and early 00s. We are all aware of the changing defense-Teams are more effective at selling offensive fouls, denying entry passes, and doubling than they ever were in the 90's. But The biggest contributor is offensive play style. Over time the NBA has discovered isolation/posting up is an inefficient play relative to other options. One example of that other option is the 3 point shot. Shooting the 3 is a more effective shot than a post play. I dont have synergys 2014 post up stats. But only one player in 2012 scored in the post at a better rate than the current 3P% average of 36%. It was Lebron. But he only posted up 4 times a game. The best rate for anyone with over 8 post ups per game was 50%, which is the equivalent to shooting around 33% from three. lets say Shaq converts at a rate of 53% in the post but that is worse than shooting 36% from three. And 36% is just the league average. Shaq would be used more to create 3 point opportunities than to isolate in the post. There is a reason teams like the spurs and blazers don't pound the ball into Aldridge and Duncan when they can shoot 40% from three. In summary, Shaq would get less scoring opportunities thus he would score less and appear less dominant.

[duppyy]

He'd still dominate. Other teams centres will foul out trying to guard him.