NBA 2013 Playoffs

[Rodster]

I forgot about DH back problems. That can screw up a players career. I remember Daryl Gardner a freak who's Dolphins career was cut short by back problems.

[Diablo25]

Looks like Shaq feels the same as DB...

http://m.espn.go.com/nba/story?storyId=9454960

[wco81]

Shaq had some help didn't he? Kobe and the refs?

He put up big numbers in Orlando and the first couple of years in LA too, without getting any rings.

It's easy to get gaudy rebounding numbers when you outweigh every player by at least 70 pounds and you're allowed to shove them out of the way or throw elbows and get foul calls against the ones hit by the elbows, as Scott Pollard, Brian Grant and others found out.

That is one thing that's strange, that they don't give Howard as much preferential treatment with the calls. He gets a lot of cheap calls against him. Oh he'll have big games against the weaker teams and get sent to the free throw line 15-20 times. But against the good teams? Not as much as you'd think for one of the bigger stars in the league.

[Inuyasha]

Lebron doesn't seem to get those NBA star calls either. Kobe still does.

[dbdynsty25]

It's easy to get gaudy rebounding numbers when you outweigh every player by at least 70 pounds and you're allowed to shove them out of the way or throw elbows and get foul calls against the ones hit by the elbows, as Scott Pollard, Brian Grant and others found out.

Wait, so what side of the argument are you on? Either there hasn't been a dominant center or there has. Who give's a s*** WHY they are dominant. Size helps him be dominant yes...and he was the best player on the floor for 3 years in LA, before it was really Kobe's team. And the numbers prove that. Yes, they were better than Kobe's.

No one gives Shaq enough credit for how damn quick that guy is for a 330lb'er. Ridiculously quick feet, with outstanding footwork that got him those boards. Just being a fatass doesn't equal rebounds.

[EZSnappin]

Shaq was good at 330 but even better athletically at the 300 or so he weighed when he came into the league. He was an unskilled monster in Orlando. What people forget is how much work he did to develop the post game when he got to Los Angeles. He should have won more than one mvp in those peak Laker years.

[wco81]

He did develop a good jump hook and turn around jumpers, to supplement his power moves.

Yes when he was motivated and kept his weight down, he was athletic for a guy his size. But a lot of his rebounds and points came from pushing his guy way under the basket and getting offensive rebounds and put backs.

Artest gets away with that too, when matched up against 2s and 3s, most of whom are of course smaller than him.

For all the big numbers Shaq put up, he might not have won any rings if not paired with Kobe (with Jackson) and Wade that one year.

Wilt didn't win many championships but he was dominant statistically, averaging like 50 points one year, triple-doubles another year.

What can be said is that no one position or player is dominant. Jordan doesn't win rings without Pippen, who's also one of the top 50 players in history.

But all these judgements are clouded by the fact that the officiating hasn't been level, especially since Stern has been in charge. So great players (and their teams) are given advantages over lesser players.

[Rodster]

Greg Oden said he's going to sign with El Heat. Hasn't played since '09 but he thinks he can contribute in a limited amout of play time.