Shaq looking forward to "protecting" Kevin Garnett.

[Drucci]

 As written today in the herald. Great words from Shaq, and at this point in his career Kevin needs the protection. He is the greatest skinniest player ever.

 I think the Shaq KG combo will be a great fit for both guys.
 Can't wait to see them hit the court together.

  I'd like to see someone look forward to "protecting" Rondo when he takes a hard foul or runs into a hard pick.

Yeah, me too. It was hard to watch Rondo get shoved on a lot of picks and the opponent not getting punished for it (or getting a message to stop it or continue at his own risks).

Great story about Shaq, Doc and KG joking at the press conference by Chris Forsberg (you can see it on the video of the conference too, of course, but it's hard to hear what KG says). With the exact quotes from Shaq about his protection of KG :

If Shaquille O'Neal hadn't have pointed him out, Kevin Garnett  might have otherwise gone undetected during the Big Shamrock's introductory press conference Tuesday at the Sports Authority Training Center.

O'Neal acknowledged Garnett, who was laying low in a perch outside Danny Ainge's office high above the practice court, while noting that the Big Ticket, fresh from a weeklong visit to China, had jetted up from Hawaii to be at Tuesday's introduction.

O'Neal is actually hoping to draw some of the attention away from Garnett on the court next season. But in praising the Big Ticket, O'Neal might have shown off his advanced age.

"KG has always been one of my young favorite players," said O'Neal. "We’ve had many battles, many conversations, many times we’ve hung out and now for me to be here protecting him and playing with him, I think that’s going to give him a little more room to operate. He can go inside and outside, but with me down there keeping all the big guys off him, I would like to see him get a little bit more loose. He has one [championship], he should have three, so hopefully we can get this one together.”

The always-loose Doc Rivers had been smirking since O'Neal started talking about Garnett and quickly pounced.

"KG and young, those two words haven’t been said together in a long time," joked Rivers. "I’m sure you’re happy right now, KG.”

Garnett smiled and promptly fired back, "Doc's a hater, man."

Ignoring the formalities of the press conference, O'Neal then asked Garnett how old he was, guessing 31. Garnett shouted back that he was 34.

"Oh, 34," said the 38-year-old O'Neal. "That ain’t bad."

[j804]

Doc's a hater, man!!!!

LOL thats hilarious

[clover]

Imagine Shaq/JO/Perkins banging with Bynum and Odom.

Most important may be someone to put Artest in his place.

[Tr1boy]

Shaq is a circus show. The guy hops around team after team and provides no real impact for them.

He is hungry to win? How about also cutting the hunger for burger and fries and develop a hunger for running outside for a few miles a day?

To me he is no dedicated professional

I guess you can figure signing him can't really hurt the celtics team but lets not expect much from him

[Change]

Shaq is a circus show. The guy hops around team after team and provides no real impact for them.

He is hungry to win? How about also cutting the hunger for burger and fries and develop a hunger for running outside for a few miles a day?

To me he is no dedicated professional

I guess you can figure signing him can't really hurt the celtics team but lets not expect much from him

Playa Hater of the year

hate, hate, hate.

[Snakehead]

Shaq is a circus show. The guy hops around team after team and provides no real impact for them.

He is hungry to win? How about also cutting the hunger for burger and fries and develop a hunger for running outside for a few miles a day?

To me he is no dedicated professional

I guess you can figure signing him can't really hurt the celtics team but lets not expect much from him

Playa Hater of the year

hate, hate, hate.

There's nothing I can say Shaq's suit that hasn't already been said about Afghanistan... It looks bombed out and depleted.

[moiso]

 As written today in the herald. Great words from Shaq, and at this point in his career Kevin needs the protection. He is the greatest skinniest player ever.

 I think the Shaq KG combo will be a great fit for both guys.
 Can't wait to see them hit the court together.

  I'd like to see someone look forward to "protecting" Rondo when he takes a hard foul or runs into a hard pick.

Exactly.  Rondo is the one who needs protecting, not KG.  The 6'1 guy who attacks the rim and regularly get pummelled needs a lot more protection than the 7 ft jumpshooter with the instigating mouth.  Just sayin.

[Snakehead]

 As written today in the herald. Great words from Shaq, and at this point in his career Kevin needs the protection. He is the greatest skinniest player ever.

 I think the Shaq KG combo will be a great fit for both guys.
 Can't wait to see them hit the court together.

  I'd like to see someone look forward to "protecting" Rondo when he takes a hard foul or runs into a hard pick.

Exactly.  Rondo is the one who needs protecting, not KG.  The 6'1 guy who attacks the rim and regularly get pummelled needs a lot more protection than the 7 ft jumpshooter with the instigating mouth.  Just sayin.

Shaq also was complimentary of Rondo.  I think he and Rondo will play well together.  Rondo will find him with alley-oops and with dump off passes and Shaq will provide Rondo with the same sort of give and go passes he works with KG.

I agree though and think Shaq does too.  If Rondo takes a spill like he did against Orlando expect Shaq to respond against the Magic frontcourt.

[manl_lui]

 As written today in the herald. Great words from Shaq, and at this point in his career Kevin needs the protection. He is the greatest skinniest player ever.

 I think the Shaq KG combo will be a great fit for both guys.
 Can't wait to see them hit the court together.

  I'd like to see someone look forward to "protecting" Rondo when he takes a hard foul or runs into a hard pick.

Exactly.  Rondo is the one who needs protecting, not KG.  The 6'1 guy who attacks the rim and regularly get pummelled needs a lot more protection than the 7 ft jumpshooter with the instigating mouth.  Just sayin.

Shaq also was complimentary of Rondo.  I think he and Rondo will play well together.  Rondo will find him with alley-oops and with dump off passes and Shaq will provide Rondo with the same sort of give and go passes he works with KG.

I agree though and think Shaq does too.  If Rondo takes a spill like he did against Orlando expect Shaq to respond against the Magic frontcourt.

Shaq should protect both, Rondo is our best player now imho, and Garnett is our best defensive player...

talking about Orlando kinda miss Sheed now, he was a very good teammate, like when BBD got knocked out by Howard, Sheed was the first to rush to help him up...

Shaq should have no problem here...

yes hes old at 38, but with 20-25 minutes a game, he can still produce 12 and 6...exactly what we need off the bench that Sheed cannot produce on a regular basis (due to the fact he likes hanging out at the 3 point range too much)

[lon3lytoaster]

 And if anyone messes with Shaq, I got his back. 

[manl_lui]

And if anyone messes with Shaq, I got his back. 

and if anyone messes with you, the celtics fan will have your back

[moiso]

 As written today in the herald. Great words from Shaq, and at this point in his career Kevin needs the protection. He is the greatest skinniest player ever.

 I think the Shaq KG combo will be a great fit for both guys.
 Can't wait to see them hit the court together.

  I'd like to see someone look forward to "protecting" Rondo when he takes a hard foul or runs into a hard pick.

Exactly.  Rondo is the one who needs protecting, not KG.  The 6'1 guy who attacks the rim and regularly get pummelled needs a lot more protection than the 7 ft jumpshooter with the instigating mouth.  Just sayin.

Shaq also was complimentary of Rondo.  I think he and Rondo will play well together.  Rondo will find him with alley-oops and with dump off passes and Shaq will provide Rondo with the same sort of give and go passes he works with KG.

I agree though and think Shaq does too.  If Rondo takes a spill like he did against Orlando expect Shaq to respond against the Magic frontcourt.

Yeah, I'm excited about the Rondo to Shaq alley-oop combo also.  Shaq has slowed down but he's still huge and still able to finish very well above the rim.  He should be Rondo's best alley oop partner since KG two years ago.

[GreenFaith1819]

 As written today in the herald. Great words from Shaq, and at this point in his career Kevin needs the protection. He is the greatest skinniest player ever.

 I think the Shaq KG combo will be a great fit for both guys.
 Can't wait to see them hit the court together.

  I'd like to see someone look forward to "protecting" Rondo when he takes a hard foul or runs into a hard pick.

Exactly.  Rondo is the one who needs protecting, not KG.  The 6'1 guy who attacks the rim and regularly get pummelled needs a lot more protection than the 7 ft jumpshooter with the instigating mouth.  Just sayin.

Shaq also was complimentary of Rondo.  I think he and Rondo will play well together.  Rondo will find him with alley-oops and with dump off passes and Shaq will provide Rondo with the same sort of give and go passes he works with KG.

I agree though and think Shaq does too.  If Rondo takes a spill like he did against Orlando expect Shaq to respond against the Magic frontcourt.

Yeah, I'm excited about the Rondo to Shaq alley-oop combo also.  Shaq has slowed down but he's still huge and still able to finish very well above the rim.  He should be Rondo's best alley oop partner since KG two years ago.

Check out these youtube clips of Shaq just last Christmas getting some lobs in LA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvN0W-fjHUc

Look around the 1:09 and 1:50 portions of the game. Shaq will be very active in Doc's system for us.

[manl_lui]

 As written today in the herald. Great words from Shaq, and at this point in his career Kevin needs the protection. He is the greatest skinniest player ever.

 I think the Shaq KG combo will be a great fit for both guys.
 Can't wait to see them hit the court together.

  I'd like to see someone look forward to "protecting" Rondo when he takes a hard foul or runs into a hard pick.

Exactly.  Rondo is the one who needs protecting, not KG.  The 6'1 guy who attacks the rim and regularly get pummelled needs a lot more protection than the 7 ft jumpshooter with the instigating mouth.  Just sayin.

Shaq also was complimentary of Rondo.  I think he and Rondo will play well together.  Rondo will find him with alley-oops and with dump off passes and Shaq will provide Rondo with the same sort of give and go passes he works with KG.

I agree though and think Shaq does too.  If Rondo takes a spill like he did against Orlando expect Shaq to respond against the Magic frontcourt.

Yeah, I'm excited about the Rondo to Shaq alley-oop combo also.  Shaq has slowed down but he's still huge and still able to finish very well above the rim.  He should be Rondo's best alley oop partner since KG two years ago.

Shaq can still do it, he just camps near the paint as usual, it wont be hard, the dude is 7'1...

lets hope he loses a few lbs so he can jump a bit higher

[Snakehead]

 As written today in the herald. Great words from Shaq, and at this point in his career Kevin needs the protection. He is the greatest skinniest player ever.

 I think the Shaq KG combo will be a great fit for both guys.
 Can't wait to see them hit the court together.

  I'd like to see someone look forward to "protecting" Rondo when he takes a hard foul or runs into a hard pick.

Exactly.  Rondo is the one who needs protecting, not KG.  The 6'1 guy who attacks the rim and regularly get pummelled needs a lot more protection than the 7 ft jumpshooter with the instigating mouth.  Just sayin.

Shaq also was complimentary of Rondo.  I think he and Rondo will play well together.  Rondo will find him with alley-oops and with dump off passes and Shaq will provide Rondo with the same sort of give and go passes he works with KG.

I agree though and think Shaq does too.  If Rondo takes a spill like he did against Orlando expect Shaq to respond against the Magic frontcourt.

Yeah, I'm excited about the Rondo to Shaq alley-oop combo also.  Shaq has slowed down but he's still huge and still able to finish very well above the rim.  He should be Rondo's best alley oop partner since KG two years ago.

KG and Tony Allen have been our only "above the rim" players, so Rondo hasn't had much to work with for alleys but has done well with those two.  Shaq will be a huge dump off/lob target and so will Jermaine O'Neal.  I expect that to be a nice new dimension.