Author Topic: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?  (Read 13757 times)

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Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #45 on: August 24, 2019, 07:19:47 AM »

Offline Csfan1984

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I think he would be a top 5 center playing today. But his defense wouldn't be considered top notch due to his lack of effort and conditioning.

Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #46 on: August 24, 2019, 08:11:04 AM »

Online ChillyWilly

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Shaq would be best player in NBA today because literally no one has an answer for him. He was dominating bigs who were use to banging down low. Hed destroy a modern day 5.

Who would we throw at him Kanter and Theis?
ok fine

Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #47 on: August 24, 2019, 08:28:43 AM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

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Whos gonna defend him ?

Shaq gets anything he wants in the paint while opponents only feel the pain and reach for " Icey Hot " after the game  :)

Shaqs hand fits nicely around Dramond Greens neck as he reachs up with,the other arm and slam it though the basket.

Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #48 on: August 24, 2019, 10:42:40 AM »

Offline Erik

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Shaq would be best player in NBA today because literally no one has an answer for him. He was dominating bigs who were use to banging down low. Hed destroy a modern day 5.

Who would we throw at him Kanter and Theis?

This is the wrong take. The reason you can’t roll out a traditional big is because they lack the mobility to defend the 3, which now 5s are able to make. In his day, Shaq guarded other bigs in the paint. He didn’t have to run around to contain a 3 point shooter. This is exactly why Horford dominates Embiid. Embiid can get a 2 pointer on Horford with relative ease, but Horford can get a 3 with relative ease. 3>2.

Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #49 on: August 24, 2019, 10:59:29 AM »

Offline ImShakHeIsShaq

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Shaq would be best player in NBA today because literally no one has an answer for him. He was dominating bigs who were use to banging down low. Hed destroy a modern day 5.

Who would we throw at him Kanter and Theis?

This is the wrong take. The reason you can’t roll out a traditional big is because they lack the mobility to defend the 3, which now 5s are able to make. In his day, Shaq guarded other bigs in the paint. He didn’t have to run around to contain a 3 point shooter. This is exactly why Horford dominates Embiid. Embiid can get a 2 pointer on Horford with relative ease, but Horford can get a 3 with relative ease. 3>2.

Guess you only knew fat old man. Young Shaq would have been able to defend a stretch 5 just fine. Also, 35 or less % 3 vs Shaq 60%? Hell, against today's bigs he'd be looking at 80% lol it'd be comedy! Every big would foul out, can't stretch on the bench.
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Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #50 on: August 24, 2019, 11:04:55 AM »

Offline Somebody

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Shaq would be best player in NBA today because literally no one has an answer for him. He was dominating bigs who were use to banging down low. Hed destroy a modern day 5.

Who would we throw at him Kanter and Theis?

This is the wrong take. The reason you can’t roll out a traditional big is because they lack the mobility to defend the 3, which now 5s are able to make. In his day, Shaq guarded other bigs in the paint. He didn’t have to run around to contain a 3 point shooter. This is exactly why Horford dominates Embiid. Embiid can get a 2 pointer on Horford with relative ease, but Horford can get a 3 with relative ease. 3>2.

Guess you only knew fat old man. Young Shaq would have been able to defend a stretch 5 just fine. Also, 35 or less % 3 vs Shaq 60%? Hell, against today's bigs he'd be looking at 80% lol it'd be comedy! Every big would foul out, can't stretch on the bench.
Isn't it the other way round? They can stretch all they want on the bench ;)
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Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #51 on: August 24, 2019, 11:21:05 AM »

Offline Silky

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In this nba teams would make shaq irrelevant.

Yes he could score. Yes he could get rebounds.

But he wouldnt even be able to keep up with the speed of players. He would gas.

Imagine shaq trying to defend a pg on a switch? Teams didnt switch defensively in the past like they do today...and that is due to the importance and reliance on the 3pt shot.

Any team playing shaq would be substituting 3pter for 2pters

Look at all the big, truely big players in the last 10 years. Boban for example, is a strong as shaq, bigger than shaq, and is essentially useless except for bench minutes

Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #52 on: August 24, 2019, 11:22:23 AM »

Offline Silky

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Whos gonna defend him ?

Shaq gets anything he wants in the paint while opponents only feel the pain and reach for " Icey Hot " after the game  :)

Shaqs hand fits nicely around Dramond Greens neck as he reachs up with,the other arm and slam it though the basket.

Hakeem and wallace routinely shut shaq down.

Its not an impossible thing at all.

Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #53 on: August 24, 2019, 11:44:02 AM »

Offline KGs Knee

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Orlando and LA Shaq would terrorize this league.  He was definitely mobile enough to cover on switches well enough to not kill his team.  Meanwhile, on the other end he'd be fouling out these finesse bigs, or forcing teams to play a 2nd big to cover Shaq for stretches of the game.

People talk about spacing and shooting threes, but a guy that can bulldoze his way to the basket every time is still more efficient than anything else.  Wings like Giannis or LeBron still do it, but there aren't really any bigs that can.  Prime Shaq would average 35 ppg on 60% shooting easily.  Surround him with three-point shooters and slashers and he'd average 5 assists too.  Shaq was a very good passer out of the post.  Shaq was just a very unique and special player that would be even more unique an unguardable today.  Too big, too strong, too nimble, too skilled.

Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #54 on: August 24, 2019, 12:06:18 PM »

Offline Erik

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In this nba teams would make shaq irrelevant.

Yes he could score. Yes he could get rebounds.

But he wouldnt even be able to keep up with the speed of players. He would gas.

Imagine shaq trying to defend a pg on a switch? Teams didnt switch defensively in the past like they do today...and that is due to the importance and reliance on the 3pt shot.

Any team playing shaq would be substituting 3pter for 2pters

Look at all the big, truely big players in the last 10 years. Boban for example, is a strong as shaq, bigger than shaq, and is essentially useless except for bench minutes

Absolutely nailed it. The 3 point shot wasn’t the go to offense in Shaqs day. His largest weakness on defense was PnR switches. With the rise of 3s came more PnRs as the exploitative tactic to create a 3 (teams must either go under the pick and cede a 3 or go over the pick and either give up a drive or switch.) Shaq would have only been hindered in today’s league. I’m not saying he wouldn’t have been a great player (Embiid is able to survive) but he would have had a harder time.

Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #55 on: August 24, 2019, 02:20:45 PM »

Online ChillyWilly

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In this nba teams would make shaq irrelevant.

Yes he could score. Yes he could get rebounds.

But he wouldnt even be able to keep up with the speed of players. He would gas.

Imagine shaq trying to defend a pg on a switch? Teams didnt switch defensively in the past like they do today...and that is due to the importance and reliance on the 3pt shot.

Any team playing shaq would be substituting 3pter for 2pters

Look at all the big, truely big players in the last 10 years. Boban for example, is a strong as shaq, bigger than shaq, and is essentially useless except for bench minutes

Absolutely nailed it. The 3 point shot wasn’t the go to offense in Shaqs day. His largest weakness on defense was PnR switches. With the rise of 3s came more PnRs as the exploitative tactic to create a 3 (teams must either go under the pick and cede a 3 or go over the pick and either give up a drive or switch.) Shaq would have only been hindered in today’s league. I’m not saying he wouldn’t have been a great player (Embiid is able to survive) but he would have had a harder time.

I do not see a world where prime Shaq is abused on defense on a nightly basis. Yes I could see some teams some nights spin him in circles but he's getting that back and more on the other end.

Legit disrespect happening on Shaq in the softest NBA I've ever seen.

You 2 are trolling for the sake of argument in the off-season right?

Do we not remember prime Shaq?
ok fine

Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #56 on: August 24, 2019, 02:46:37 PM »

Offline Tr1boy

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In this nba teams would make shaq irrelevant.

Yes he could score. Yes he could get rebounds.

But he wouldnt even be able to keep up with the speed of players. He would gas.

Imagine shaq trying to defend a pg on a switch? Teams didnt switch defensively in the past like they do today...and that is due to the importance and reliance on the 3pt shot.

Any team playing shaq would be substituting 3pter for 2pters

Look at all the big, truely big players in the last 10 years. Boban for example, is a strong as shaq, bigger than shaq, and is essentially useless except for bench minutes

Interesting opposing view

Though Boban is not in the same league as Shaq. Cmon now

Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #57 on: August 24, 2019, 03:04:21 PM »

Offline Moranis

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Shaq would be best player in NBA today because literally no one has an answer for him. He was dominating bigs who were use to banging down low. Hed destroy a modern day 5.

Who would we throw at him Kanter and Theis?

This is the wrong take. The reason you can’t roll out a traditional big is because they lack the mobility to defend the 3, which now 5s are able to make. In his day, Shaq guarded other bigs in the paint. He didn’t have to run around to contain a 3 point shooter. This is exactly why Horford dominates Embiid. Embiid can get a 2 pointer on Horford with relative ease, but Horford can get a 3 with relative ease. 3>2.
Horford dominates Embiid?

I know they weren't matched up exclusively, but here are all of the games where their teams played and both played in the game.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&player_id1_hint=Al+Horford&player_id1_select=Al+Horford&player_id1=horfoal01&idx=players&player_id2_hint=Joel+Embiid&player_id2_select=Joel+Embiid&player_id2=embiijo01&idx=players

Even in the playoffs Embiid has much higher stats.  Embiid is less efficient, but he is always less efficient, and Horford does defend him well, but the actual results yield to the conclusion that Embiid gets the better of the match-up.
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Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #58 on: August 24, 2019, 03:13:40 PM »

Offline RPGenerate

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In this nba teams would make shaq irrelevant.

Yes he could score. Yes he could get rebounds.

But he wouldnt even be able to keep up with the speed of players. He would gas.

Imagine shaq trying to defend a pg on a switch? Teams didnt switch defensively in the past like they do today...and that is due to the importance and reliance on the 3pt shot.

Any team playing shaq would be substituting 3pter for 2pters

Look at all the big, truely big players in the last 10 years. Boban for example, is a strong as shaq, bigger than shaq, and is essentially useless except for bench minutes

Absolutely nailed it. The 3 point shot wasn’t the go to offense in Shaqs day. His largest weakness on defense was PnR switches. With the rise of 3s came more PnRs as the exploitative tactic to create a 3 (teams must either go under the pick and cede a 3 or go over the pick and either give up a drive or switch.) Shaq would have only been hindered in today’s league. I’m not saying he wouldn’t have been a great player (Embiid is able to survive) but he would have had a harder time.

I do not see a world where prime Shaq is abused on defense on a nightly basis. Yes I could see some teams some nights spin him in circles but he's getting that back and more on the other end.

Legit disrespect happening on Shaq in the softest NBA I've ever seen.

You 2 are trolling for the sake of argument in the off-season right?

Do we not remember prime Shaq?
Dude just said Ben Wallace and Hakeem routinely shut down Shaq. I doubt they were alive in his prime.
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Re: would a young Shaq be able to dominate in the modern nba?
« Reply #59 on: August 24, 2019, 05:36:25 PM »

Offline Moranis

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In this nba teams would make shaq irrelevant.

Yes he could score. Yes he could get rebounds.

But he wouldnt even be able to keep up with the speed of players. He would gas.

Imagine shaq trying to defend a pg on a switch? Teams didnt switch defensively in the past like they do today...and that is due to the importance and reliance on the 3pt shot.

Any team playing shaq would be substituting 3pter for 2pters

Look at all the big, truely big players in the last 10 years. Boban for example, is a strong as shaq, bigger than shaq, and is essentially useless except for bench minutes

Absolutely nailed it. The 3 point shot wasn’t the go to offense in Shaqs day. His largest weakness on defense was PnR switches. With the rise of 3s came more PnRs as the exploitative tactic to create a 3 (teams must either go under the pick and cede a 3 or go over the pick and either give up a drive or switch.) Shaq would have only been hindered in today’s league. I’m not saying he wouldn’t have been a great player (Embiid is able to survive) but he would have had a harder time.

I do not see a world where prime Shaq is abused on defense on a nightly basis. Yes I could see some teams some nights spin him in circles but he's getting that back and more on the other end.

Legit disrespect happening on Shaq in the softest NBA I've ever seen.

You 2 are trolling for the sake of argument in the off-season right?

Do we not remember prime Shaq?
Dude just said Ben Wallace and Hakeem routinely shut down Shaq. I doubt they were alive in his prime.
To be fair Hakeem did dominate Shaq until Hakeem got old.  Now obviously Shaq wasn't quite in his prime, but that 95 Finals Hakeem was the better player, which is why the Rockets swept the Magic. 
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