Shaq's Latest Victim

Congratulations, Cleveland. You have inherited "The Big Speed Bump In Your Offense". Cleveland fans who believe Shaq is going to help LeBron win a title this year are terribly mistaken. Just ask Phoenix. The Suns were the top team in the West in February of 2008. They were hands down the most exciting team to watch in the NBA. The problem was defense, and Steve Kerr believed the solution was trading away Shawn Marion (remember him?), who at the time was an all-around spectacular player, for Shaquille O'Neal. Don't get me wrong, Shaq had a great year in 2009, but the transition was slow, as are the Suns now. The once run-and-gun offense, was halted by "Shaqtus", who definitely slowed traffic for Steve Nash, who once was able to weave in and out of the paint, waiting to find a slashing Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire.
















Shaq and LeBron: America's best dance crew? Maybe. 2010 Champtions? No Chance.

Now I ask, what makes LeBron James so great? Aside from his size, strength, speed, and talent, the man needs room to work. He needs to take his defender off the dribble and drive to the un-occupied paint, to either posterize someone, dish it outside for a trey, or get to the foul line. The man is Steve Nash, except Nash won't embarass you with a thunderous dunk. Now that Shaq is in a Cleveland uniform, LeBron's game must change also. What good does Shaq do for a team if he's not posting up down low? Are you going to spread the offense out? It's not going to work. It was a desperate attempt by the Cavs to keep LeBron, and show him that they will do absolutely anything for him, but Shaq's not the answer. This season, expect to see a slower Cleveland offense, anchored by The Big Aristotle, and get ready to see LeBron's frustration at his limited space on the floor. Shaq is well past his prime, and not fit to help lead a team to a title. Now the 2010 Eastern Conference Champions were on hand at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland last night, wearing the white jerseys, but it was not the Cavs, it was the Boston Celtics.