Jun 6, 2005
Shaq
If the Heat don't win tonight, does that diminish Shaq's legacy/reputation? Isn't this the reason that they got him? To have a legit arguement for league MVP, don't you have to be the MVP of your own team? Is he the MVP of the Heat? Or is it proving to be Wade? Shouldn't you be able to carry your team for a game when it counts? The playoffs are when legacies are made, and in my opinion Shaq needs to come up big tonight. Anything short of being an unstoppable force tarnishes his reputation to me--injury or no injury. How many did Jordan score when he had the flu in the playoffs and had to be helped (almost carried) off the court? Big players show up in big situations and this is a big situation.
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5 comments:
I agree he needs to come up big for them to win, but its hard to say his legacy will be tarnished with the outcome of tonight. We are talking about a 3 time NBA champion, a 3 time **FINALS MVP**, one of the 50 greatest of all time, 12 time all-star, 4 time first team all-NBA.
If they lose tonight, do you really think his historical legacy will be tarnished?????? He still has the heat in the ECF, one game away from the finals. IMO his legacy is fine win, lose or draw.
How many players have been Finals MVP 3 or more times? I don't know the answer, but my guess is its less than 5 or 6 other guys. Jordan, Magic, Bird, Russell (did Finals MVP exist back then?), Kareem would be my guesses...
Unstoppable force? When is the last time Shaq was an unstoppable force? 2003, unless you think 25 points and 10 rebounds is an unstoppable force. I don't think anyone thought going into the playoffs Shaq was going to be an unstoppable force.
What Shaq does (and what Jerry Buss found out the hard way) is provide a distraction so other players can thrive. Here is the funny thing about Shaq; You provide him enough attention on defense, he is only capable of putting up 20 points. But if you start to ignore him and stop double teaming him, he has the ability to put up 30 points. And since teams still double him almost everytime he touches the ball, it creates open shots, lanes, and penetration opportunities for Wade and company. That is how older Shaq who can only score 20 points can still get his team to the conference title game.
Tonight, Shaq will get his 20-10 line, and if he really tries hard he will put up 30, but the key is that he needs to draw the double team from Detroit so that it is easier for Wade and company to score. So far in the series I haven't seen a lot of double teams on Shaq since the Wallace boys have been playing tremendous D. I would of taken the Pistons tonight if it wasn't for the fact that the fix was already in and Miami will play the Spurs in the finals.
And as far as his legacy goes? Nothing will be diminished.
Well, one can make an argument that he never won any of those titles without Kobe.......
And I think this "MVP" stuff for the finals in any sport is overrated. Remember, Chad Ogea won the 1997 World Series MVP, and look where he is now.
Eric said:
Well, one can make an argument that he never won any of those titles without Kobe.......
This point is tired and terrible. Did Magic ever win anything without Worthy and Kareem? Did Jordan ever win anything without Pippen? Did Bird ever win anything without Mchale or Parrish? The great players always either a great sidekick (Shaq and Jordan) or had a great supporting cast (Magic and Bird). So to take something away from Shaq because of Kobe, then you should do the same with all the other great players.
And as far as championship MVPs go, I think they are valid. And how the hell was Chad Ogea WS MVP? I don't remember them winning? Why wasn't it Edgar R or Craig Counsel?
I don't think that Finals MVPs are overrated at all in the NBA. One guy usually does make the difference. The original post mentioned how the legacy would be tarnished since Shaq needed to "show up big in big situations". My point was he has already - three different times in the biggest situations possible. And it looks like the list of three timers is Magic, Jordan and Shaq. According to my quick research, thats it. Now if Duncan wins the finals MVP he'd join that list.
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