Shaq and Kevin Garnett

[ManUp]

This blog would have you think KG can motivate people into walking on water.

He's just a man he's just a man.

If Shaq comes here and decides he's going to be lazy there's nothing KG can't change that. It's always up to the player. KG can't make anyone do anything. All he or any other can do is show the way it's up to the man to decide what he's going to do.

[JBcat]

I can't remember how many times I saw the other 4 Celts walking up the floor with their heads down after Kendrick Perkins tried 6 upfakes before then finally losing the ball off his foot. 

To have someone like the deisel who can actually finish the easy buckets will be huge. 

Not to mention someone to foul players like Lebron, Wade, and Kobe when they slash the lane. 

I call this a great signing.


TP for your first post!
As a side note, this is my first post, and have been reading your posts for a while.  You all are fantastic writers with very fresh ideas.  A nice break from sports radio.

[LarBrd33]

Rasheed Wallace disproves theory.  Next

[LooseCannon]

Bonuses for Shaq:
He can help deny Kobe
He can beocme perhpas the only player in NBA history to raise banners with the Celtics and the Lakers...has anyone else done that?

So alot of angles for motivation to be successful.         

wow i actually never thought about that, the only guy who got banners for both Celtics and Lakers...nice one =) TP

Hall of Famer Clyde Lovellette, who is so old-school that he played for the Lakers when they were in Minneapolis.

[ScoobyDoo]

Although, we all remember the article where Sheed said he and KG "got into it" in the showers and we all remember how Sheed starting playing more inspired after that.

I do agree that ulitmately it's up to the player, but I also hold that there is no way you can be around a guy like KG and not feel the pressure to put out, to try to match that effort.

Rasheed is a very, very, very rare bird in that he listens to no one's drum but his own. But he listened to KG's.

Rasheed never wanted to dominate, otherwise he would have been twice the player.
Shaq loves to dominate and he's also a limelight seeker, just like Big Baby. KG will get his him wound up more than he's been wound up in the past few years.

When you're around guys that are ultra focused vet pros, it rubs off on you.

Guys like KG do motivate players. The entire team has said many times he holds everyone accountable.

[17wasEZ]

Bonuses for Shaq:
He can help deny Kobe
He can beocme perhpas the only player in NBA history to raise banners with the Celtics and the Lakers...has anyone else done that?

So alot of angles for motivation to be successful.        

wow i actually never thought about that, the only guy who got banners for both Celtics and Lakers...nice one =) TP

Bill Sharman won titles with both the Celtics and Lakers.  Did Chris Mihm?  

[housecall]

Even though i don't think Shaq needs KG to motivate him,its nice to read something positive about him for a change...usually its something negative towards him.TP for effort.

[Jon]

Bonuses for Shaq:
He can help deny Kobe
He can beocme perhpas the only player in NBA history to raise banners with the Celtics and the Lakers...has anyone else done that?

So alot of angles for motivation to be successful.        

wow i actually never thought about that, the only guy who got banners for both Celtics and Lakers...nice one =) TP

Bill Sharman won titles with both the Celtics and Lakers.  Did Chris Mihm?  

Sharman was coach though. 

[Hila]

We might see a much more motivated Shaq than in the apst few years.

Bonuses for Shaq:
He can help deny Kobe
He can beocme perhpas the only player in NBA history to raise banners with the Celtics and the Lakers...has anyone else done that?

So alot of angles for motivation to be successful.         

There are lots of ways for Shaq to motivate himself! And only some of them are vaguely narcissistic.

Not only does he want to deny Kobe... he doesn't want Kobe having more rings than he does. (Though he wants as many rings as possible, period.)

One of the big in-conference rivals is Orlando, "the dried up pond" he left so many years ago... which now stars the dominant young center who "stole his nickname."

The other big in-conference rival is Miami, yet another team Shaq left on less-than-great terms.

He gets to play with Big Baby, who he calls his illegitimate son.

And yes, the chance to play with the other old guys is probably a draw. Shaq has an outsize personality, but so does half that locker room.

[scaryjerry]

Gotta be self-motivated... KG sets a good example in practice for young players, but to think he can motivate or change shaq is reaching a bit

[2short]

Gotta be self-motivated... KG sets a good example in practice for young players, but to think he can motivate or change shaq is reaching a bit

I think the new generation / young players are more scared of kg than anything, they really don't know what to make of him (see glenn davis crying)
I actually think playing with/against guys your own age group, kg, allen & pierce is going to push shaq to up his game.  We are not lebron and other guys, we have a team.  Nate was given the keys in playoffs last year when he was hot doc road him.  I think shaq will have faith in doc, if he is playing great he'll get the time.  The man can still dominate at times and should help our weak spot REBOUNDING.
I do worry about his foot speed at this point for our defensive schemes.

[GreenFaith1819]

Back in 2002, Shaq was disappointed that he wasn't a part of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry, when the Nets had advanced to the finals.

Now, he gets his chance. I suspect that he'd rather have played with Pierce on his side than Kobe all those years back.

And - Let's not forget that Shaq gave our Beloved Captain his nickname.....

[kg is king]

We are creating this thread on the basis that Shaq is not motivated himself. Proof? The man plays hard.

[greg_kite]

I can't wait to watch them play together.  I hope it's not like last year when Sheed and KG hardly ever seemed to play together.

KG's outside game should fit perfectly with Shaq's post game.  And J.O. should be a nice fit with Shaq too.

Are we jumping the gun here?  Any chance he backs out of this and signs with the Lakers and laughs at us?

[billysan]

I think shaq will have faith in doc, if he is playing great he'll get the time.  The man can still dominate at times and should help our weak spot REBOUNDING.

I do worry about his foot speed at this point for our defensive schemes.

The foot speed issue will be something to watch. I think other teams will try to run on us some, but if Shaq releases from the hi post or from the top of the pick and roll this should help some.

The bigger thing that I like is that we dont have to worry about him jumping so much just to score. He is just so powerful that no one will block his shot or keep him out of the lane. The fact that he has tremendous length doesnt hurt either.

The motivation issue will be different here that in LA or Miami in that he has a group of guys in KG, Ray, Pierce and Doc that he respects and that will not hesitate to call him out. I think he will be an animal next to KG or whomever he plays with on the front line.