Those Miami Heat, who are 9-37 and have lost nineteen of their last twenty made a bold aquisition today, Shawn Marion and a lesser-known guy for Shaq - I will now despise the Heat a lot less than I have in recent years...but now the question is do I still like Phoenix....I honestly don't know, I was big on the lightning-quick offense from Phoenix, but how will Shaq fit in being 36 years of age, on the brink of retirement with knee issues?
Posted by Salvy_Mic (Member # 13384) on :
I don't think he'll fit in very well, to be honest. The big advantage Phoenix had over the rest of their league was their speed, fast break, and transition game. With Shaq clogging up the middle, all that goes away and it forces the team to become a half court team. The Big Slowdown isn't anywhere near the post presence he used to be.
The better trade that's been made, has, of course, been the Pau Gasol to the Lakers trade for Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittendon, Aaron McKie, the rights to Marc Gasol, and 2 1st-round draft picks. Well, its better if you're a Laker fan anyway. Posted by A&F_FootDude_05 (Member # 2999) on :
The Lakers are gonna be unstoppable....and I can see why Phoenix was interested in O'Neal amid his age, injury and difference in the team tempo - for a few years now, Pheonix has been among the NBA elite but they simply haven't won a title.....they were open to mixing it up a bit and Shaq may be to Phoenix what Rasheed Wallace was to the Pistons back in 2004, the same year they captured the NBA Title following his aquisition.
Posted by Salvy_Mic (Member # 13384) on :
The Lakers'll be unstoppable once the injuries are all healed, including Bynum's knee, Ariza's ankle, and Kobe's dislocated finger on his shooting hand. I can't wait to see how good the Lakers can be once everyone's healthy. They are by far the deepest team in the league: Kobe, Fisher, Bynum, Odom, Gasol, Walton, Farmar, Turiaf, Ariza, Radmanovic, Vujacic, and even Mihm. And the best thing about it is that the Lakers are one of the youngest teams in the league. Kobe, at 29, is the oldest.
Posted by FtLckr26 (Member # 13998) on :
I think Phoenix getting Shaq was just a waste of money. He's constantly hurt and can't play like he used to. He'll probably play a couple of minutes each game while spending most of the time on the bench.
Posted by A&F_FootDude_05 (Member # 2999) on :
I cannot agree with you more on the status of the Lakers, Salvy MIc! They will certainly be an unstoppable force in the west. Should come down to Lakers and Suns (another Shaq vs. Kobe matchup haha) Hornets aren't gonna maintain their current success in the west. Everyone on the Phoenix side really thinks Shaq is going to be better real quick - including Steve Kerr & the Suns medical team - and I think they're being too optomistic. Phoenix will still have seven great talents in Hill, O'Neal, Barbosa, Nash, Diaw, Bell, Stoudemire - with a squad like that you can't think Phoenix doesn't have a chance and I'm betting a lot of people are putting their money on a Celtics-Suns final.
Posted by Salvy_Mic (Member # 13384) on :
David Stern, though, is absolutely salivating at the prospect of the Lakers and the Celtics hooking up in the Finals. Those would be their biggest Finals ratings since probably the 2000 Lakers/Pacers finals.
Posted by Elvzz (Member # 14178) on :
I agree that Shaq will show down the fast break style of the Sun's. Hopefully, Lakers and Sun's won't divide and get conquered by the Norris Division teams (Cavs, Bad-boys, etc.)
Posted by A&F_FootDude_05 (Member # 2999) on :
quote:Originally posted by Salvy_Mic: David Stern, though, is absolutely salivating at the prospect of the Lakers and the Celtics hooking up in the Finals. Those would be their biggest Finals ratings since probably the 2000 Lakers/Pacers finals.
Very, very true even though I'm a Pistons fan this would be one helluva series to watch!
Posted by booberry (Member # 29513) on :
shaq trade wasnt as bad as people make it. He will be the one to start all of those fast breaks. PHX also needed him to play D on big players like gasol, wallace, ming before injury and so on. I dont think the LAkers will go all the way. I see warriors, suns or hornets vs pistons or cavs. Neither the lakers or the celtics will make it.
Posted by stephm_ff (Member # 27001) on :
I think having Shaq at Phoenix should free up Stoudemire as I think he's better as a power forward, and while Shaq is old etc he's still big and will cause problems for alot of centers.
I would love to see Lakers-Celtics in the Finals.
Posted by Salvy_Mic (Member # 13384) on :
Yeah, Stoudamire is definitely better suited as a power forward, where he can use his athleticism and be more of a dynamic player. He was getting muscled around by Andrew Bynum every time they played this season, so Phoenix definitely needed to add size to complement him, particularly a true center.
Speaking of the Lakers, damn it!! Bynum and Ariza are already out, now Gasol!? Just as long as they come back close to 100% by the playoffs, but for right now, we're hurting pretty bad. I mean, damn, even Chris Mihm's corpse is hurt right now.
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