Shaq looks slow and fat

[liam]

He's better than Ben Wallace who can't score except on open dunks. He can also push Howard off the block. He can't run on defense, but he doesn't need to on offense.

But Ben Wallace knows his role. Shaq still thinks he's the man. I read something where he was calling the Cavs "His team.." He's just a role player now that doesn't know that.

[MMacOH]

You guys may be looking at this from the wrong viewpoint.  Who is Shaq replacing?  Z.  Z was not quick or much of a post presence.  Shaq is at least a post presence. 

Shaq improves the Cavs, but he is not the biggest piece here in Cleveland.  Last year the Cavs had a great starting 5 and a bench that crumbled in the playoffs.  It is hard to win with Ben Wallace, Wally, and Daniel Gibson coming off the bench.  This year the Cavs will have Delonte (hopefully), Moon, Hickson and Z coming off the bench.  Their bench is much improved.  Almost forgot about Powe when he comes back as well.

Glad to be back.  Looking forward to opening night.

[Check_My_Stats]

Sheed's shooting ability is going to cause Shaq a world of problems defensively.

'Sheed AND KG.  We'd be giving up some size, of course, but how's Cleveland going to defend against those two in the frontcourt?  Sideshow, maybe, but neither Shaq nor Big Z's going to be able to defend thise guys on the perimiter. 

I'm convinced that the Cavs' Achilles Heal this year is going to be defending against perimiter-shooting big men, and we've got three of them. 

Why couldn't Sheed take adavantage of Big Z guarding him in those 3 playoff series against the Cavs? He was playing next to a PF that is almost automatic from mid-range like KG. KG is much better than KG, but you get the idea. You aren't going to see one Cavs/Lebron fan ever give Sheed any credit though for the record. He always plays like crap against them.

[BrickJames]

Shaq is and has been slow and fat for a couple of years now

Fixed.

[RAcker]

You guys may be looking at this from the wrong viewpoint.  Who is Shaq replacing?  Z.  Z was not quick or much of a post presence.  Shaq is at least a post presence. 

Shaq improves the Cavs, but he is not the biggest piece here in Cleveland.  Last year the Cavs had a great starting 5 and a bench that crumbled in the playoffs.  It is hard to win with Ben Wallace, Wally, and Daniel Gibson coming off the bench.  This year the Cavs will have Delonte (hopefully), Moon, Hickson and Z coming off the bench.  Their bench is much improved.  Almost forgot about Powe when he comes back as well.

Glad to be back.  Looking forward to opening night.

Glad to have you back, Mac.  I think on this blog, there is an overwhelming confidence that Shaq's problem will be having to guard someone with a lineup of Sheed and KG in the front court.

There is no doubt that he is still a force in the post.  However, we all seem to feel that Cleveland overreacted to Dwight Howard, and in order to match up with the team that beat them in the playoffs, they got Shaq.  However, this hurts in the big picture because they forgot about the Celtics.  Ainge went and got somebody that Shaq cannot guard away from the basket.  I'm sure the thinking was that we can guard Shaq by committee (team defense) since his offensive game is within 5 to 8 feet of the basket.  It's harder to guard a 7 ft. 3 pt shooter by committee.

Anyway, I believe this is the general way of thinking here and is why you'll see optimism in abundance.

[guava_wrench]

Shaq looked pretty mobile last night. I'm not sure what kind of speed people are expecting from a 7'2" player, but he looked faster than Perk against Washington.

[MMacOH]

You guys may be looking at this from the wrong viewpoint.  Who is Shaq replacing?  Z.  Z was not quick or much of a post presence.  Shaq is at least a post presence. 

Shaq improves the Cavs, but he is not the biggest piece here in Cleveland.  Last year the Cavs had a great starting 5 and a bench that crumbled in the playoffs.  It is hard to win with Ben Wallace, Wally, and Daniel Gibson coming off the bench.  This year the Cavs will have Delonte (hopefully), Moon, Hickson and Z coming off the bench.  Their bench is much improved.  Almost forgot about Powe when he comes back as well.

Glad to be back.  Looking forward to opening night.

Glad to have you back, Mac.  I think on this blog, there is an overwhelming confidence that Shaq's problem will be having to guard someone with a lineup of Sheed and KG in the front court.

There is no doubt that he is still a force in the post.  However, we all seem to feel that Cleveland overreacted to Dwight Howard, and in order to match up with the team that beat them in the playoffs, they got Shaq.  However, this hurts in the big picture because they forgot about the Celtics.  Ainge went and got somebody that Shaq cannot guard away from the basket.  I'm sure the thinking was that we can guard Shaq by committee (team defense) since his offensive game is within 5 to 8 feet of the basket.  It's harder to guard a 7 ft. 3 pt shooter by committee.

Anyway, I believe this is the general way of thinking here and is why you'll see optimism in abundance.

Glad to be back.  I fully expect AV to be on KG at all times.  He plays solid against him and can guard on the perimeter.  As for Sheed, Z has actually done an excellent job on him in the past (it sounds crazy, but it's true).  You may also see Darnell Jackson and JJ Hickson on Sheed as well.  Crazy, but also true.  Hickson spent the entire offseason with Lebron.  Starting workouts at 6 AM and going all day.  Hickson has the talent, he just needed someone to push him.  Hopefully, for Cavs fans, the time with Lebron does the trick.  

Most likely though, you will just see rotation on defense with Shaq playing more of a zone.  Adding Carter and Moon gave the Cavs a lot of length on the perimtere to close out on a shooter like Sheed.  

How do you guys think the Celtics approach the Cavs on defense?  Do you double Lebron and leave Shaq one on one?  Double Shaq and leave Lebron one on one?  Do you rotate over on Lebron's drive and leave Shaq open for an oop?  Do you have to rotate and leave shooters like Mo and Carter open?  I think there are a lot of match up problems on the Cavs end as well.

[NextCeltic34]

If he was on the Celtics, you'd probably say he was in the best shape of his career.

[Neurotic Guy]

Shaq eschewed the Orlando Magic (where he could have won championships) to take less money to play for the Lakers (where he won 3).  He is therefore almost as low as it gets in my book.  He is 'Ron Artest low' and almost 'Kobe low'. I do not wish him injury or misery, but I'd be glad to see him slip out of shape and yank the Cavs down with him this year.