would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?

[GreenFaith1819]

I watched a video on youtube last night where Hakeem obliterated none other than David Robinson to the tune of 39 points, 17 rebounds and like 6 blocks - blocking David like twice....

The Dream scored in a VARIETY of ways, too...free throw line J's...several 15 footers...a variety of post moves...spin moves...dude was EXTREMELY fast and athletic...

David Robinson is NO slouch, either...a HOFer and got San Antonio deep in the playoffs several times...his head-head matchups with Hakeem were actually quite close overall...

ANY adjustments to the pansy NBA of today for THESE Titans would be minimal to say the least.

[Somebody]

See, it's threads like this one that made me EXTREMELY hesitant to play in our All-Time Fantasy Draft, LOL...

Players like Shaq, Hakeem, Kareem - would dominate in TODAY's NBA, TOMORROW's NBA, the NBA in the year 4000....

This generational nonsense is simply crazy.

I don't think anyone disagrees with that lol, not even me. What I was saying is that some players would likely be less great, but still remain as great players.

[GreenFaith1819]

Check it out for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8KycyU47rs

Hakeem (and Shaq, Patrick, David, Kareem,  Duncan, KG, and a few others I'm sure I'm forgetting) would dominate easily, with minimal adjustments.

[Somebody]

I watched a video on youtube last night where Hakeem obliterated none other than David Robinson to the tune of 39 points, 17 rebounds and like 6 blocks - blocking David like twice....

The Dream scored in a VARIETY of ways, too...free throw line J's...several 15 footers...a variety of post moves...spin moves...dude was EXTREMELY fast and athletic...

David Robinson is NO slouch, either...a HOFer and got San Antonio deep in the playoffs several times...his head-head matchups with Hakeem were actually quite close overall...

ANY adjustments to the pansy NBA of today for THESE Titans would be minimal to say the least.

Where David had to guard him one on one while Hakeem had double and triple teams helping him to guard David. The Hakeem love is insane, no one's saying he's not a top 5 center of all time lol, he's just not head and shoulders above the best great centers of all time, and in some cases is a good step or two below.
FWIW my top 5 Cs are Kareem, Russell, Shaq, Wilt and Hakeem.

[Somebody]

Check it out for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8KycyU47rs

Hakeem (and Shaq, Patrick, David, Kareem,  Duncan, KG, and a few others I'm sure I'm forgetting) would dominate easily, with minimal adjustments.

Yeah you're arguing with yourself here, no one said they wouldn't dominate.

[GreenFaith1819]

See, it's threads like this one that made me EXTREMELY hesitant to play in our All-Time Fantasy Draft, LOL...

Players like Shaq, Hakeem, Kareem - would dominate in TODAY's NBA, TOMORROW's NBA, the NBA in the year 4000....

This generational nonsense is simply crazy.

I don't think anyone disagrees with that lol, not even me. What I was saying is that some players would likely be less great, but still remain as great players.

I think they would still be dominant...

Hakeem would be like Greek Freak but twice as better defensively...but with an elite passing game, better post moves and a reliable J....he'd be faster than Greek Freak, too...quicker...

Imagine Greek Freak on overdrive = Hakeem Olajuwon.

I personally blame none other than Shaquille O'Neal (pointing fingers at YOU, Shaq) - dude was so great he practically SCARED upcoming Bigs out of the post, LOL..............NBA is still suffering from his after shocks 10 years later....still feeling 3.0, 4.0 aftershocks....Bigs nowadays want to shoot threes......

LOOK - nothing wrong with expanding your game but post play is nearly non-existent in the NBA today...God Bless Joel Embiid I hope he holds it down.

I absolutely LOVE Joel Embiid's game AND his personality. Truly old-school Big.

[GreenFaith1819]

I watched a video on youtube last night where Hakeem obliterated none other than David Robinson to the tune of 39 points, 17 rebounds and like 6 blocks - blocking David like twice....

The Dream scored in a VARIETY of ways, too...free throw line J's...several 15 footers...a variety of post moves...spin moves...dude was EXTREMELY fast and athletic...

David Robinson is NO slouch, either...a HOFer and got San Antonio deep in the playoffs several times...his head-head matchups with Hakeem were actually quite close overall...

ANY adjustments to the pansy NBA of today for THESE Titans would be minimal to say the least.

Where David had to guard him one on one while Hakeem had double and triple teams helping him to guard David. The Hakeem love is insane, no one's saying he's not a top 5 center of all time lol, he's just not head and shoulders above the best great centers of all time, and in some cases is a good step or two below.
FWIW my top 5 Cs are Kareem, Russell, Shaq, Wilt and Hakeem.

Not a bad list at all - some would critique Shaq and Wilt's FT issues but they dominated to the point where their FT issues seemed to be moot points...I can't even recall any games where Shaq's FTs lost it for them - especially in the playoffs.

Those two just physically dominated their opponents.

You're right about David - Hakeem had PLENTY of help guarding him...that's why I said that with the exception of the video I posted their head-head matchups were actually quite close..

I wouldn't forget Moses, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing and Artis Gilmore, either...Bill Walton..Bill was known for his injuries but if one were to look at his healthy seasons he dominated, easily.

[action781]

I believe Steve Kerr was asked about this the other year and his reply was essentially that the league would have to adjust to guarding Shaq, not the other way around.

This.  Especially for GSW as their strategy recently has been to get rookie or min salary centers because that position doesn't matter a ton since there are no dominant centers that player has to guard 1-1.  Kerr knows very well that he ain't getting away with playing his Death Lineup with Draymond or Durant at the 5 against Shaq.  Even imagining 6'9" 220 lb Kevon Looney trying to guard Shaq is laughable.

[Tr1boy]

I believe Steve Kerr was asked about this the other year and his reply was essentially that the league would have to adjust to guarding Shaq, not the other way around.

This.  Especially for GSW as their strategy recently has been to get rookie or min salary centers because that position doesn't matter a ton since there are no dominant centers that player has to guard 1-1.  Kerr knows very well that he ain't getting away with playing his Death Lineup with Draymond or Durant at the 5 against Shaq.  Even imagining 6'9" 220 lb Kevon Looney trying to guard Shaq is laughable.

Yes... but Marc Gasol and Ibaka rocked GSW in the playoffs

It didnt payoff not to have a legit big man this time

[GreenFaith1819]

I'd also argue that Shaquille O'Neal would not only dominate the NBA today PHYSICALLY but also PSYCHOLOGICALLY...

I recall him on NBATV stating that at times - during the National Anthem - he'd quickly survey his opponents while standing quietly giving respect to the Flag...if he could make eye contact with any of them he'd wink at them LOL...........

I recall him stating that one of his eye contact victims being none other than Vlade Divac...Shaq said he winked at Vlade and dude turned away his gaze LOL.......

Imagine that...you already knew you were going to get dunked on, physically beat up...but to have Shaq wink at you during the National Anthem?

PSYCHE OPS at its BEST..

Yeah Shaq (and quite a few other old-school Bigs) would dominate in today's NBA. These HOFers brought more than just physicality but they'd bring SKILL and TALENT in a 7 foot frame.

[Donoghus]

Orlando Shaq was a helluva an athlete.  There were times he'd bring the ball up full court & you'd be amazed at how athletic & agile someone his size was.  His handle wasn't half bad at all.

[mmmmm]

I believe Steve Kerr was asked about this the other year and his reply was essentially that the league would have to adjust to guarding Shaq, not the other way around.

This.  Especially for GSW as their strategy recently has been to get rookie or min salary centers because that position doesn't matter a ton since there are no dominant centers that player has to guard 1-1.  Kerr knows very well that he ain't getting away with playing his Death Lineup with Draymond or Durant at the 5 against Shaq.  Even imagining 6'9" 220 lb Kevon Looney trying to guard Shaq is laughable.

While the have made a point of getting by with several 'journeyman' centers, I don't think Kerr believes that position "doesn't matter a ton".   If you go back and add up the total minutes that they have played a 'conventional 5' (i.e., a big man who doesn't shoot 3s) over the last half-dozen years, you find that he heavily depends on manning that position.   There are just under 4000 minutes available at each position for the season and Looney, Bell, Jones & Bogut covered almost 2900 of them without shooting threes.  Add Cousins in and you get to 91% of the time they played with a 'true big' at center (Draymond covered most of the remaining 9%).    Their small-ball 'death lineup' got all the fame and coverage, but in truth, Kerr plays with a conventional big far, far more often than people realize.    Prior to this year with Cousins (who shot all of 95 total threes all season), they didn't even have a true big who really shot threes other than when they had Speights.   They've gone a couple seasons with NO big man on roster shooting threes.  But every year, Kerr still has put a 'true big' out on the floor for over 90% of the time.

I think the reason why Kerr has used all these bargain 'journeyman' bigs to fill that slot has been just the realities of the market and the budget.  Golden State has spent all their capital on other positions because that's where they've been able to do so.

[Celtics17]

These threads crack me up! I wonder if MJ could lead the league in scoring now? I dont know, the league is so much better then it use to be and yeah Jordan could shoot the three but could he still do it under today's rules? Wilt and Russ could rebound but could they do it as well today with this new generation of 'super athletes'?

Let's get this straight, the league has not changed so much as there is a total lack of quality big men who play that way. You read it all the time, so and so wants to play power forward not center (Big Al, Davis) and it's mainly because they dont want to take the pounding down low. What would a guy like Shaq do in today's game? The same thing he did 25 years ago, that's what! He would destroy todays big men.

Oh yeah, and if you weren't sure Jordan would also lead the league in scoring and steals, still be all defensive first team too. Wilt or Russ would also lead today's league in rebounding although I will say if both Wilt and Jordan played in todays league it might be Chamberlain who would lead in scoring instread of MJ.

[Fafnir]

Embiid dominates, so I have a feeling Shaq would do just fine.

Especially Shaq before he bulked up. (I think Shaq in the modern era wouldn't try to bulk up fwiw)

[wdleehi]

Dominate, yes. 


Plus in today's modern game, the PF would likely be a outside three point threat that is harder to double off of instead of the PF of yesterday (who may shoot from the top of the key range)


They would either have more room or better kick outs and swings.   


Finally, teams had to play more minutes of space eating bigs against Shaq.   How long are the smaller C a lot of team use going to last in a 7 game series?