Seriously, did you know Shaq was going to be this good?

[JHTruth]

OK, I have to admit I was very lukewarm on the pick-up this summer. I felt he might be washed up and interfere with team chemistry. But this guy is vying for team MVP along with KG and Rondo. He has almost single-handedly solved our rebounding woes, has gives us our first real paint presence in the new Big-3 era, and has exceeded all expectations? How did this happen and honestly, did you anticipate it?

[indeedproceed]

I don't think Shaq is vying for MVP, but he wins 'most unexpected difference maker' in a kinda close contest with Big Baby.

I knew there would be games where he played above our expectations, because he's been doing that for the last 2-3 years, where people count him out then suddenly he hits you with a 20 and 12 night. I knew he still had some juice left in the tank (but very little I guessed), but I had no idea he would be this great a fit, and be this consistent.

I am very surprised by how the Shaq acquisition has worked out. You could argue right now that at 1.2 million (I believe) Shaq is the best bargain in the league.

[drza44]

Yes!  A chance to blow my own horn!  My stuff is always right, sometimes!  From my August 11th post...

If Shaq actually starts?  If he actually is able and willing to fit into his role on the starting unit and Doc decides to put him there?  If they enjoy a modicum of health in the season, and actually go into the postseason having had time to mesh as a unit?

Danger.

Because Shaq and Garnett are still, currently, two of the top-5 best passing bigs in the NBA (Gasol, maybe Duncan, maybe 1 or 2 others I'm forgetting are their only peers on that front).

Garnett is still the best defensive power forward in the league, with the defensive range to help minimize Shaq's relative immobility.  While Shaq is still huge, which makes him still one of the better 1-on-1 post defenders in the league and able to clog the lane when the ball goes up.

And when the ball is thrown down to them on the blocks, Shaq and Garnett are still among the most difficult 1-on-1 covers at their position in the league.

Put that together and you're looking at one of the dominant team-defenses in the league now combined with an offense with incredible potential.  No more playing 3.5 against 5 as opposing defenses play off of Perk and sag off of Rondo's jumper.  No more Dwight Howard roaming the lane with impunity to help out his weaker defensive counterparts.  No, now you're looking at a team that really has extremely difficult-to-stop 1-on-1 matchups at every position...all of which can pass at a high level to find the open man...driven by a point guard that can drive at will and either get-to-the-rim or drop-a-dime to an excellent finisher at each position...with 2 of the best shooting wings in the NBA...with two of the best finishing bigs in the league up front...

Danger.

...

I don't think many, even among Celtics fans, realize what we might have here. 

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=41032.0

[PosImpos]

Let's see if he can stay healthy throughout the season before we all get really excited and start jumping up and down.  Doesn't really matter how great a fit he is right now if he's injured for the playoffs.

Also, the great bargain of Shaq's deal merely offsets the great waste of money that Jermaine has been so far.  Between the two of them, we're getting about what I expected from the O'Neals...I just didn't expect almost all of it to come from one of them.

[Rondo9dunx]

Yes I did. He played incredibly well during the playoffs last year. I never once listened to the haters who said he made cleveland worse. He mad that team ALOT better. Just like he did for us. <3 Shaq

[ballin]

yes yes yes. I actually thought he had been playing really well in Cleveland, they were just refusing to give him minutes!

I couldn't see any reason for an unexpected drop in productivity. so yeah, I expected him to play like this.

On the other hand, I called it from Day 1 that Jermaine O'Neal was going to be terrible. He just looked so washed up all last year. And for what it's worth, I called it with Rasheed as well (although he sorta/kinda proved me wrong by playing above himself in the playoffs).

/sorry for the gloating, but the thread called for it
//and for what it's worth, I'm more than willing to eat crow on my Glen Davis statements. if he continues to play the rest of the year like he's started off, well, color me shocked. oh well, can't win em all.

[Bahku]

Yup, mee, too! In fact I posted many times about how I thought he was a better fit on this team and would experience a renaissance in his career when he came here. He's at a place in his career where he doesn't need to be selfish or worry about his own stats, and that "relaxed fit" is perfect preparation for what Ubuntu is all about. He's having fun, loves the guys on the team, has been embraced by the fans of New England, and his one goal is to do whatever it takes for this team to win a title, and make Kobe eat his "One more than Shaq" words!

[blaq]

Yes!  A chance to blow my own horn!  My stuff is always right, sometimes!  From my August 11th post...

If Shaq actually starts?  If he actually is able and willing to fit into his role on the starting unit and Doc decides to put him there?  If they enjoy a modicum of health in the season, and actually go into the postseason having had time to mesh as a unit?

Danger.

Because Shaq and Garnett are still, currently, two of the top-5 best passing bigs in the NBA (Gasol, maybe Duncan, maybe 1 or 2 others I'm forgetting are their only peers on that front).

Garnett is still the best defensive power forward in the league, with the defensive range to help minimize Shaq's relative immobility.  While Shaq is still huge, which makes him still one of the better 1-on-1 post defenders in the league and able to clog the lane when the ball goes up.

And when the ball is thrown down to them on the blocks, Shaq and Garnett are still among the most difficult 1-on-1 covers at their position in the league.

Put that together and you're looking at one of the dominant team-defenses in the league now combined with an offense with incredible potential.  No more playing 3.5 against 5 as opposing defenses play off of Perk and sag off of Rondo's jumper.  No more Dwight Howard roaming the lane with impunity to help out his weaker defensive counterparts.  No, now you're looking at a team that really has extremely difficult-to-stop 1-on-1 matchups at every position...all of which can pass at a high level to find the open man...driven by a point guard that can drive at will and either get-to-the-rim or drop-a-dime to an excellent finisher at each position...with 2 of the best shooting wings in the NBA...with two of the best finishing bigs in the league up front...

Danger.

...

I don't think many, even among Celtics fans, realize what we might have here. 

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=41032.0

I remember reading that when you originally posted it. I was originally a skeptic of Shaq until your post and his play convinced me otherwise. Always a pleasure reading your posts, they're always convincing, interesting, and so optimistic. TP4U

now back to my essay...

[kenmaine]

No.
I didn't expect him to be such a contributor. Very pleasantly surprised.
To be honest, I wasn't wild about any of the moves this summer(don't jump on me yet, the season ain't over) but Shaq has been great, Marquis looks ten times better than last year, Delonte was OK in his brief stint, and JO has been his usual unproductive self.
Of course, I still expect Shaq to be injured, or at least worn down, come playoff time but that's just my Boston sports fan negativity. If he's OK for the playoffs and/or Perk comes back, it looks like another C's vs. Lakers finals.

[2short]

Agree that shaq isn't in our team mvp running.  He'd actually be the 5th guy on list out of starters but ....
I'm very happy with his production.  I never thought his attitutde / team chemistry would be an issue.  I thought he and jermaine would give us a usable center until perk was able to rehab.  Jermaine so far hasn't given us anything but pollard minutes (or less?)
Shaq (and to his credit semih) have filled in nicely with the big guy adding a different "wrinkle"  to our offense.  While perk can be left alone, no team can let shaq on the post and not pay really close attention to him.  Maybe he isn't going to be doubled but there aren't many centers in the league who can handle him.  And yes his passing is very good.  Shaq is a guy who came into the nba as a child monster who could dunk, rebound and block shots.  He worked on his game and developed nicely.  I always said he should have stayed in college to hone his all around game.

[Birdbrain]

It's always interesting to see posts from the pasts and get a feel for how people presume things will play out.  I think I may have posted a similar thing about Shaq being a dominant force at least on offense.  Not in this thread though which I do remember you posting and getting fired up thinking about all the possibilities with you way you laid it out.  I didn't think he was still this agile though.  He's been a GREAT addition.  Let's hope for continued health and for him to be ready in June.

Andy V. as the best defensive PF in the league and KG washed up...
OUCH.

[Bankshot]

Yes.  Always thought he would be a perfect fit with the Big 3 and thought he was a poor fit with Cleveland.

[Birdbrain]

yes yes yes. I actually thought he had been playing really well in Cleveland, they were just refusing to give him minutes!

I couldn't see any reason for an unexpected drop in productivity. so yeah, I expected him to play like this.

On the other hand, I called it from Day 1 that Jermaine O'Neal was going to be terrible. He just looked so washed up all last year. And for what it's worth, I called it with Rasheed as well (although he sorta/kinda proved me wrong by playing above himself in the playoffs).

/sorry for the gloating, but the thread called for it
//and for what it's worth, I'm more than willing to eat crow on my Glen Davis statements. if he continues to play the rest of the year like he's started off, well, color me shocked. oh well, can't win em all.

I would hold off on him being terrible since it's only December because like the post above sometimes your comments can come back to haunt you.  What were your comments on Glen Davis so I can put the JO comments in perspective?

[Fafnir]

I didn't expect him and Rondo to work together as well as they have. I also didn't think they'd be able to cover up his defensive liabilities as well as they have.

He's always been able to produce with his own numbers, he just hasn't done so in a productive way in his last two stops.

[hwangjini_1]

Yes.  Always thought he would be a perfect fit with the Big 3 and thought he was a poor fit with Cleveland.

Yep, I agree. Shaq is one of the best centers in the history of basketball. I expected him to be better than perk at scoring and rebounding. My worries were about defense and durability. as Robert parish said near the end of his career, he could still do the things He always could do, just not for entire games. Same with shaq it seems.

As long as doc plays him an average of 20 minutes a game or so during the season it looks as if he will hold up.

His passing is, to me, surprisingly good. I guess playing on a team with four other all-stars helps.

My only real complaint is that he is poor at pick and role defense, but folks said this would be a limitation. Still, his interior defense seems fine.

Ainge did a great job in signing shaq. When perk and Jermaine are back, the celtics will have the best and deepest front court in the league.

Life is good.