What he said about the team’s D didn’t make Sportscenter, Truehoop, nothing. It wasn’t even in Coro’s article that had quotes from the same interview. Probably because it wasn’t that big a deal.

I agree that the Duncan thing was more frustration than anything and to me the guard talk seemed to be more about being on the same page. Even if he was chastising Nash for not switching and guards for not staying in front of their men it’s no worse than anything Nash or Amare has said.

He has praised everybody on the Sun’s roster, maybe it’s not such a bad thing that they take some blame for their mistakes. Hopefully it’ll have the same effect as Bird calling his team sissies did and we’ll play some defense this year instead of losing a first round series to 3 guys.

I’ve been a big fan of Nash’s offense for years, since his Dallas days, and overrated shooters like Stojakovic are easily bested by Nash’s incredibly pure stroke, but I can’t remember a single f***-ing game, out of the 300+ games I’ve watched him play, not one single f***-ing game in which Steve Nash’s defense could be regarded as anything better than “incredibly and unreasonably piss-poor beyond logical belief”.

If Nash wants to be a leader he needs to stop burdening his team either with defensive mismatches due to the 3-man needing to cover Nash’s guy for him, or simply Nash pretending to guard his man and just getting burned for 60% and 30ppg.

Tony Parker is bloody overrated. Monstrously overrated. He’s not that quick, and he’s not that good. He only looks like a superstar because every year in the playoffs he matches up against Steve Nash and gets 25 uncontested shots/drives per game as a result. Seen him play against CP3, or D-Will, or TJ Ford, and about half the PGs in the league? Tony Parker isn’t even a top 5 PG in the West.

Let me begin by saying that I’m a diehard Knick fan, so you can take what I’m about to say with a grain of salt if need be.

What’s lost in all of the “Hack-a-Shaq” talk is the actual reason why it became necessary. And that reason is because the game is not called properly.

Sure, you want to talk about superstars getting calls, fine. But in all of my years of watching the NBA, Shaq has by FAR been given the most leeway. Look at his game and even how it has evolved over his prime years. He’s NEVER even added a face-the-basket little 10-foot set shot! And why should he since he’s been allowed to barge his way to the basket on a nightly basis. Other power forwards and centers have been whistled for charges trying to do what Shaq does each and every possession of his career. If his “moves” don’t result in a dunk or layup, it still provides the necessary separation for him to release his patented ugly jump hook or spin baseline for his off-the-window 8 footer.

Since he is STILL less than a 50% shooter from the line- which is an utter disgrace- what was left for teams to do to defend him? Are they going to let him brutalize their front line and still have the call go against the guy laying flat on the floor? What a joke!

The bottom line is that Shaq is a lazy individual. He has very little skill, other than the skill of being big and mobile for someone his size, and having hands that are well above average. He can’t shoot free throws, can’t shoot a simple set shot while square to the basket, can’t use both hands, plays zero defense, unless you count his endless attempts to reach and swipe and block shots while never moving his feet or defending the pick-and-roll, while in the days of the illegal defense NEVER coming out to guard his man on the perimeter. Plus, he routinely played his way into shape as the season went along because he never worked out hard during the summer. Lazy.

And the media over the years has made it worse. I’ll always remember the lack of respect I found for Bob Costas when he said during the Laker/Indiana FInals that if Shaq was 6’1" 185 that he’d still be in the league. What an insult to everyone. The guy would be watching the guy bagging groceries if he was that size.

Furthermore, the audacity announcers have had in saying that Shaq takes more of a beating than anyone in the league. You think? The guy is 330 lbs- in his prime years- and is permitted to create contact against defensive players that have established position, then is allowed to camp out in the three-second lane for as long as he wants. What are opponents supposed to do? Let him dunk? And maybe there’s the answer. The league loved him bending basket stanchions and shattering backboards- all a fix- and in return let the guy play football in what is supposed to be the National Basketball Association. What a joke Shaq is. I like the Suns, but I think it was a bad move in getting him. Just retire already…your game is a fraud, and I’ve known it since day one.

even though nash’s defense was minimal in dallas, wasn’t it the strategy under mike D to funnel to the paint? it’s seems rediculous to fault him for it if so.

as far as shaq is concerned, is it really untrue? is it something unexpected?

it’s a new year, and i have FAITH that under a proper defensive scheme, shaq and amare, even with nash on the perimeter, can have an effective defensive presence in the paint.

lastly, timmy’s three…i fault no one for. manu, parker, bowen and every other player on the spur bench was covered. in that situation i’d let timmy take that shot all freakin’ day long!

SteveS, I’m with you. Never liked the Big Diesel and I’m a lifelong Lakers fan. I mean, I was happy when the team won three straight, but never appreciated anything about Shaq and knew, the second he left L.A. he’d be my least favorite player in the league.

He spent his off seasons in Los Angeles making movies (Steel, Shizaam, etc.) or making rap albums (I like playing on the Westside..), or, more recently, trying to get a sheriff’s badge. But like Iverson…practice? Never. Unlike Iverson however, he never gave his heart and soul in each and every game.

One key element to Shaq’s game that you didn’t mention is the fact that he travels on nearly every play. My cousin and I used to laugh about the “Shaq Hop” that he would do. Getting the ball in the post. Using one pivot foot, then hopping to another spot, before dunking it home.

And for being the biggest and baddest dude the NBA has ever seen, he’s never led the league in rebounds or blocked shots.

The saddest part is that Shaq had all the tools (size, speed, agility) to be the most dominating player ever, MJ included. Unfortunately, he lacked any sort of will power to get better. He never pushed himself, never tried, and that, ultimately is what drove Kobe nuts. Kobe’s a gym rat. He tried to improve his game every year, while Shaq simply got lazier and more self-satisfied every year. No wonder there was no respect.

I’d be pissed too.

Good luck Suns fans. If the Suns don’t win it this year (actually, it goes even more so if they somehow do), look for Shaq to have a horrible next season, piss everyone off for not living up to his $20 million per, and then find a way to get out of town.

The pessimist in me somehow sees a reunion in Los Angeles down the road so he can get that 5th ring. lol. We’ll hear the same spiel about wanting to bring Kobe a ring, and help mentor the best young big (this time, Bynum), etc. etc.

That’s what I’ve been blasting Shaq for since he was leaving the Lakers. I don’t think there’s been any player in the NBA quite the ridiculously dominant physical size of Shaq. Having a sense of humour doesn’t excuse the complete lack of work ethic. He’s taken 10,000++ career free throws, and he’s been in the league 16 seasons.

He doesn’t defend well himself either, although he did a pretty solid job of containing Duncan man-to-man in the post, but that’s about all. His rotations were almost always a couple steps slow, he doesn’t show on the pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop, and his offensive game, even after 16 years in the league, consists of nothing but dunking or laying the ball in from 5 feet away. His ugly hook shot is just a random toss into the air and towards the basket.

Hawk42, how about this bit of Shaq hatred then? I’ve got a lot of Boris Diaw hatred as well.

I don’t hate Nash. I just wish he would defend tougher than wet toilet paper. Nash is sensationally quick for his age, and his reactions are anything but slow. Yet on defense he makes slow and old guards like Sam Cassell look blistering quick. It just doesn’t tally that someone who has quick feet and reactions on offense suddenly becomes lumbering and clumsy when defending.