Closers/The ability to look for blood/Dominant at games end

[RebusRankin]

So Jim Rome was talking about how D.Rose has that closer, stomp on you when you're down, attack when you smell blood mentality. He mentioned others who had this Bird, Magic, Jordan and Kobe. My question is why does nobody put Shaq here? Those first 3 titles were because of Shaq as he was MVP all three finals and dude was rocking the 30/15 train.

[mgent]

I don't think he's nearly as clutch as any of those guys.  He's good at closing games because he's one of the two best players in the league at taking it to the rim and finishing or drawing the contact.  And unlike LeBron he'll settle for the jump shot less.

[Chris]

So Jim Rome was talking about how D.Rose has that closer, stomp on you when you're down, attack when you smell blood mentality. He mentioned others who had this Bird, Magic, Jordan and Kobe. My question is why does nobody put Shaq here? Those first 3 titles were because of Shaq as he was MVP all three finals and dude was rocking the 30/15 train.

Eh, Shaq wasn't really a closer.  Big men are almost never closers, that is why they generally need a Kobe/Wade/Pierce type.

At the end of games in the playoffs, the paint tightens up, and the whistled get swallowed, making it really tough to run the offense through the big men down the stretch.  

That doesn't take anything away from Shaqs performances, it is just part of the game.  

The only big men I can think of (at least in the modern era) who were still the go-to scorers down the stretch were Hakeem and at times Duncan...and that was mostly because of their versatility to be able to score in so many different ways.  

[OsirusCeltics]

Well, ESPN makes its money over sensationalism, no surprise there

The 3 people in recent years come to mind that were the ultimate closer and made think the boogeyman was behind me

-Dwyane Wade in the 2006 Finals
-Chris Paul in the first two rounds of the 2008 playoffs
-Paul Pierce in the 2008 Finals

Their performances were so good...it was scary

[Marcus13]

I don't even consider Rode to be that clutch, honestly.

I really like his game, but that isn't an aspect of it I'd brag on.  I've seen him miss a few game winners this season including leaving a free throw about half a foot short against the Clippers.

He had a terrible look at the basket the other night against Indiana, he got bailed out with the whistle and then he went down and committed a foul on Granger that should have put Indiana on the line...but he received the star treatment on both ends.

[BballTim]

So Jim Rome was talking about how D.Rose has that closer, stomp on you when you're down, attack when you smell blood mentality. He mentioned others who had this Bird, Magic, Jordan and Kobe. My question is why does nobody put Shaq here? Those first 3 titles were because of Shaq as he was MVP all three finals and dude was rocking the 30/15 train.

Eh, Shaq wasn't really a closer.  Big men are almost never closers, that is why they generally need a Kobe/Wade/Pierce type.

At the end of games in the playoffs, the paint tightens up, and the whistled get swallowed, making it really tough to run the offense through the big men down the stretch.  

That doesn't take anything away from Shaqs performances, it is just part of the game.  

The only big men I can think of (at least in the modern era) who were still the go-to scorers down the stretch were Hakeem and at times Duncan...and that was mostly because of their versatility to be able to score in so many different ways.  

  Depending on when you start the modern era you have to put Kareem and his skyhook near the top of the list.

[Kane3387]

Simple Shaq couldn't hit Free Throws

[Prof. Clutch]

Simple Shaq couldn't hit Free Throws

This, TP.  He wasn't the ideal end of game option for that reason.

[mgent]

So Jim Rome was talking about how D.Rose has that closer, stomp on you when you're down, attack when you smell blood mentality. He mentioned others who had this Bird, Magic, Jordan and Kobe. My question is why does nobody put Shaq here? Those first 3 titles were because of Shaq as he was MVP all three finals and dude was rocking the 30/15 train.

Eh, Shaq wasn't really a closer.  Big men are almost never closers, that is why they generally need a Kobe/Wade/Pierce type.

At the end of games in the playoffs, the paint tightens up, and the whistled get swallowed, making it really tough to run the offense through the big men down the stretch.  

That doesn't take anything away from Shaqs performances, it is just part of the game.  

The only big men I can think of (at least in the modern era) who were still the go-to scorers down the stretch were Hakeem and at times Duncan...and that was mostly because of their versatility to be able to score in so many different ways.  

  Depending on when you start the modern era you have to put Kareem and his skyhook near the top of the list.

I'd throw Dirk up there too.