Shaq's Injury Could Spell Trouble For Cavaliers
Friday, February 26, 2010 at 11:28AM 
By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season
It's been a long time since I thought Shaquille O'Neal was a key factor on a basketball team. I've never really been a big fan of his.
In my opinion, folks get their terms mixed up when describing Shaq as a great basketball player. He's certainly big and strong and physical, but far from great. Even in his prime, he was not great. Great to me means there's a certain amount of skill or talent involved, and though they are indeed assets, I hardly consider height, weight and strength among key skills for a basketball player.
Shaq is also a fairly insecure dude on a personal level. Think of the off-court drama he's created with others over the years. His rap song about Kobe Bryant in 2008? Are you serious? And now at age 37, he's crying that he deserves the "Superman" nickname more than Orlando's Dwight Howard? Ridiculous.
Shaq has never won an NBA title by himself. In Los Angeles, where the Lakers won three in a row, he had Kobe and they were coached by one of the greats, Phil Jackson. In Miami, he played alongside Dwyane Wade and together they were led by another great coach, Pat Riley.
Yet when Phoenix signed the aging bruiser in 2008, he said at his introductory press conference something to the effect of, "when people count me out, I have a habit of winning championships." Easy, big fella.
But with all that said, Shaq has been a nice addition to the Cleveland Cavaliers' lineup this season. I like that he's accepted his role as a lightly used starter. He seems comfortable with playing only 23 minutes per game, during which he's averaging 12 points and nearly seven rebounds, and is the Cavs' field-goal percentage leader (.566). I think coach Mike Brown is using him perfectly, not only with regard to Cleveland's individual game plans, but also in that he's keeping his legs fresh for a long season that Cavaliers' fans hope will take them into June.
That's why the thumb injury Shaq suffered at Boston Thursday night could be troublesome if he misses significant time. A couple weeks won't be a big deal, especially considering the way Cleveland rallied without him to not only beat Boston, but to blow the Celtics out. But if it's an extended period, that could affect Shaq's already suspect conditioning, and re-inserting him, say, a month from now, could disrupt any chemistry built with the acquisition of Antawn Jamison, who's still struggling with his new team.
Also, while General Manager Danny Ferry's move to get Jamison was considered a minor coup at the time, the Cavs could be in trouble as far as their bigs are concerned. Cleveland is expected to re-sign Zydrunas Ilgauskas on March 21, but I could very well see a team sign him before then, not out of need, but in a defensive attempt to keep the Cavs without a true big man who could bang with Howard in the playoffs, or even Andrew Bynum should the Cavs and Lakers reach the Finals.
Reader Comments (2)
Wow, Shaq not great? They must be getting better weed in Brooklyn, and you are on it. Perhaps only second to Wilt in all-time paint threat. Would have liked to see those two go at it, Wilt never saw a player like Shaq (or Tim Duncan or Patrick Ewing or the Dream, new Superman, on and friggin on). No skills? wtf?
You only like pretty ballers.
I'd never say Shaq couldn't dominate a game. But there's nothing unique about his skill or talent. I'd like to think if you or I were his size, we'd be able to enjoy some NBA success also. Well, at least I would. Dennis Rodman described his game accurately a decade ago when he said, "Shaq has two moves: dunk and dunk."