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2quik4u
Posts: 4,388
Aug 2, 2010 7:13pm
http://www.torontosun.com/sports/basketball/2010/07/31/14891236.html
how is he more dominant than jordan?
Shaquille O'Neal is still without a home for the 2010-11 season, but the legendary center still considers himself an iconic player.
"The biggest thing that will define my legacy is how I've done it, and what I've done, and who I am," O'Neal said. "I'm a weird big guy. Doing rapping, doing movies. Do a lot of stuff.
"But always do things the right way. Changed three different franchises around (Orlando, L.A. Lakers and Miami). This is a guy who they (league officials) would have secret meetings about to change the rules. So, that's going to be my legacy: The most dominant player ever."
how is he more dominant than jordan?
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gerb131
Posts: 9,932
Aug 2, 2010 7:14pm
Beginning not to like Shaq so much these days.
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wes_mantooth
Posts: 17,977
Aug 2, 2010 7:16pm
He is in the conversation as the "most dominant big man" of all time....not in Jordan's league though.
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Trueblue23
Posts: 7,463
Aug 2, 2010 7:20pm
You're not the most dominate ever if you can't make a free throw. Shaq was a liability at the end of ball games.
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trackandccrunner
Posts: 1,283
Aug 2, 2010 7:21pm
I don't even know if I'd call him the most dominant center ever.
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mallymal614
Posts: 3,746
Aug 2, 2010 7:21pm
How can he be the most dominant ever when he never led the league in rebounding at his size? I think Wilt Chamberlain has a better case than he does.
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From the Hills
Posts: 190
Aug 2, 2010 7:23pm
Dominant big man yes. But, not lately. Realistically, he should retire to save some of the dignity he still has left.
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wgh raider
Posts: 121
Aug 3, 2010 2:13am
shaq was pretty dominate offensively with his brute strenght but to me he never rebounded consistently for his size or was he much of a shot blocker. from the hills in the lakers championship season of 69-13 and like a 33 game winning streak wilt chamberlain averaged like 12 points or so a game and basically concentrated on rebounding and shot blocking.
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From the Hills
Posts: 190
Aug 3, 2010 5:46am
wgh raider;439929 wrote:shaq was pretty dominate offensively with his brute strenght but to me he never rebounded consistently for his size or was he much of a shot blocker. from the hills in the lakers championship season of 69-13 and like a 33 game winning streak wilt chamberlain averaged like 12 points or so a game and basically concentrated on rebounding and shot blocking.
You don't have to sell me on Wilt, he was the ultimate big man.
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killer_ewok
Posts: 11,379
Aug 3, 2010 7:14am
From the Hills;439938 wrote:You don't have to sell me on Wilt, he was the ultimate big man.
That's what she said.
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thedynasty1998
Posts: 6,844
Aug 3, 2010 9:08am
I am one who would agree with Shaq. I don't think he was the best ever, but I do think he was the most dominant. There really wasn't anyone in the NBA that could stop Shaq, except for himself due to his foul shooting. People are probably remembering him later in his career, but he was an absolute freak in his prime.
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Commander of Awesome
Posts: 23,151
Aug 3, 2010 9:36am
Shaq is most dominate player I have ever seen play. As for before him, I can not comment.
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gut
Posts: 15,058
Aug 3, 2010 10:28am
Most dominant physically? Yes. There has never been a more unstoppable, more prolific less-skilled scorer. I always hated how he would just back his way down to easy dunks - no one was strong enough to keep him out (should be charging, but that's another discussion).
lhslep134
Posts: 9,774
Aug 3, 2010 10:32am
He didn't say he was the best player. He said he was the most dominant. And I think, due to me never seeing Russell or Wilt play, that I would agree with him.
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thedynasty1998
Posts: 6,844
Aug 3, 2010 10:36am
lhslep134;440048 wrote:He didn't say he was the best player. He said he was the most dominant. And I think, due to me never seeing Russell or Wilt play, that I would agree with him.
I never really saw Wilt or Russell play either, other than highlights, but there is absolutely no way they could have matched up with Shaq in a physically point of view.
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gut
Posts: 15,058
Aug 3, 2010 10:40am
thedynasty1998;440056 wrote:I never really saw Wilt or Russell play either, other than highlights, but there is absolutely no way they could have matched up with Shaq in a physically point of view.
Such an ugly period for actual, REAL basketball....Watch ball go down to Shaq.....dribble, bang....dribble, bang....dribble, bang....dunk
Sage
Posts: 2,070
Aug 3, 2010 4:08pm
When Shaq was at the height of his powers, I'd have to agree.
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2quik4u
Posts: 4,388
Aug 3, 2010 4:55pm
killer_ewok;439943 wrote:That's what she said.
no homo?
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trep14
Posts: 842
Aug 3, 2010 5:15pm
You know what, I really don't have a problem with what Shaq said. When he was in his prime out in L.A. he could absolutely not be stopped (except for hack-a-shaq). Read the box scores from some of his playoff series with the Lakers. The guy was a beast. For anyone who has ever read the Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons, you know how he talks about Shaqs effect on fantasy basketball leagues, about how some fantasy leagues had the "Shaq rule", where if you selected Shaq in the first round, you lost your fifth round pick because Shaq was so dominant. Best ever? No, and its not close. But in those few years in his prime, Shaq was as dominant of a player as we've ever seen in the NBA (sans maybe Wilt, simply because he was a 7'0 center playing against a bunch of 6'5" guys [other than Bill Russell]). I think if you put Shaq in Wilts era, they would probably test Shaq to see if he was from outer space because he would be so much better than everyone else.
Speedofsand
Posts: 5,529
Aug 3, 2010 5:46pm
I went to a bunch of Magic games when he was there. He was dominant in the paint but not all around.
His remark was probably trying to stir publicity for his tv show starting tonite.
"Shaq vs." Dale Jr.
His remark was probably trying to stir publicity for his tv show starting tonite.
"Shaq vs." Dale Jr.
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Skyhook79
Posts: 5,739
Aug 3, 2010 6:50pm
"(sans maybe Wilt, simply because he was a 7'0 center playing against a bunch of 6'5" guys [other than Bill Russell])."
Wilt played against (Walt Bellamy 6'11" HOF'er) (Nate Thurmond 6'11" HOF'er) (Willis Reed 6'10" HOF'er) (Bob Lanier 6'11" HOF'er) (Wes Unseld 6'7" HOF'er) (Kareem Jabbar 7'2" HOF'er)
and they actually guarded each other and played each other about 8 times a year unlike the Centers of Shaq's time.
Wilt played against (Walt Bellamy 6'11" HOF'er) (Nate Thurmond 6'11" HOF'er) (Willis Reed 6'10" HOF'er) (Bob Lanier 6'11" HOF'er) (Wes Unseld 6'7" HOF'er) (Kareem Jabbar 7'2" HOF'er)
and they actually guarded each other and played each other about 8 times a year unlike the Centers of Shaq's time.
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trep14
Posts: 842
Aug 3, 2010 7:50pm
Skyhook79;440644 wrote:"(sans maybe Wilt, simply because he was a 7'0 center playing against a bunch of 6'5" guys [other than Bill Russell])."
Wilt played against (Walt Bellamy 6'11" HOF'er) (Nate Thurmond 6'11" HOF'er) (Willis Reed 6'10" HOF'er) (Bob Lanier 6'11" HOF'er) (Wes Unseld 6'7" HOF'er) (Kareem Jabbar 7'2" HOF'er)
and they actually guarded each other and played each other about 8 times a year unlike the Centers of Shaq's time.
Please. Half of those guys careers barely overlap with Wilt's. Kareem Abdul Jabbar? They probably played in the league together for like a year or two.
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2quik4u
Posts: 4,388
Aug 3, 2010 8:01pm
shaq did become pretty dominant after all the great centers became old
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Skyhook79
Posts: 5,739
Aug 3, 2010 11:20pm
trep14;440689 wrote:Please. Half of those guys careers barely overlap with Wilt's. Kareem Abdul Jabbar? They probably played in the league together for like a year or two.
Bellamy 12 years
Thurmond 11 years
Lanier 4 years
Unseld 6 years
Jabbar 4 years
Reed 10 years
Of course thats not counting Bill Russell.
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sjmvsfscs08
Posts: 2,963
Aug 4, 2010 1:07am
My initial thought to this was "If Shaq is the most dominant played ever, than I'm Margaret Thatcher!"
But the more I think about it, the more I might be Margaret Tatcher...I just don't think Wilt or Kareem would've have the power to stop Shaq.
Now I will say, "dominant" as in "unstoppable offensive game" doesn't necessarily mean a bulldozing center, or a center at all. Maybe it just comes down to "what guy is the hardest person to guard in the history of the league," and that would probably be Michael Jordan. You can double-team a center and have some success stopping the passes to him, but if a guy can shoot and slash and jump out of the fucking gym while beating your entire team down the court...good luck.
Michael Jordan takes this title, and maybe Magic Johnson in my opinion. Kareem Adubl-Jabber has a claim to the throne being the highest scorer. Lebron James will have his say before it's all said and done.
But the more I think about it, the more I might be Margaret Tatcher...I just don't think Wilt or Kareem would've have the power to stop Shaq.
Now I will say, "dominant" as in "unstoppable offensive game" doesn't necessarily mean a bulldozing center, or a center at all. Maybe it just comes down to "what guy is the hardest person to guard in the history of the league," and that would probably be Michael Jordan. You can double-team a center and have some success stopping the passes to him, but if a guy can shoot and slash and jump out of the fucking gym while beating your entire team down the court...good luck.
Michael Jordan takes this title, and maybe Magic Johnson in my opinion. Kareem Adubl-Jabber has a claim to the throne being the highest scorer. Lebron James will have his say before it's all said and done.