What made Shaq so dominant in his prime?

[Da Heroic One]

He threatened to send crips to every center he was going to face.

[Godzuki]

both? there was no way to stop him cause he just shoved you out of the way to get within a foot of the basket and then dunked or made a layup. I personally think a lot of this WAS offensive fouling.

i don't even remember anybody ever standing in there takiing Shaq's charges. i swear most people would just run out of the way once he got post and the ball lobbed in.

[Samurai Swoosh]

The fact that he was freakishly large ... and thats about it.

[bagelred]

Offensive fouls. Without that.....you get Michael Olowakandi.



close thread.

[Samurai Swoosh]

several very consistent post moves and counters for them

Please, dude ...

Give me a break.

Average at best.

Show me video displaying Shaq's ridiculous moves and counter moves.

Give you a hint, you won't find them. He was pure power. Sure he had decent athleticism and foot work for a man his size, but really the guy just elbowed people and bullied them close to the basket. Once that was done, he was done. As we could see from the 2005 playoffs onwards.

He also was in his prime at the start of the 2000s when, like now, the Center position was almost non-existent through out the league.

[cteach111]

the question is what made Shaq so dominant?

If you gave Shaq even 1/8 of his skill, he'd still command double teams. Skill is important, but it's not what made Shaq the monster he was. His presence on the floor pretty much changed how you had to play the game.

Dwight is the perfect example. He has a fairly good skill set and he's dominant to a point... yet teams are beating the Magic because Dwight doesn't command double teams in the sense Shaq could. Imagine even Dwight's limited skillset in Shaq's body. He could get in the paint any time he wanted to.

Someone should post a pic of how massive Shaq was compared to Dwight.

[bdreason]

A combination of speed, size, and strength that the NBA may never see again. Combined with a good skillset, and a solid understanding of the game, and you have Shaq; one of the top 10 players to ever play the game.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Please, dude ...

Give me a break.

Average at best.

Show me video displaying Shaq's ridiculous moves and counter moves.

Give you a hint, you won't find them. He was pure power. Sure he had decent athleticism and foot work for a man his size, but really the guy just elbowed people and bullied them close to the basket. Once that was done, he was done. As we could see from the 2005 playoffs onwards.

He also was in his prime at the start of the 2000s when, like now, the Center position was almost non-existent through out the league.

at you hating on Shaq again with some garbage.

I've made many posts highlighting Shaq's footwork and moves, go dig up one of my old posts where I did. Hell, watch game 1 of both the 2000 and 2001 finals for example.

Shaq's footwork is praised by many in basketball for a reason. Aside from Hakeem Olajuwon, what center in the last 20 years was clearly better than Shaq in terms of footwork and back to the basket moves?

[Force]

As a whole, Shaq was ripped off by refs his whole career. CONSTANTLY fouled even without the ball. 2 hands in the back was never called. Always hacked and hit. It didn't matter. Never in any sport has there been somebody his size with footwork, athleticism and speed like him. He also has a very high basketball IQ and was always a team player.

Did you hear Phil Jacksons comments on him retiring? He reiterated that he was so good the NBA had to change the rules because of him. That is the definition of domination...the sport of basketball changed it's rules. think about that.

[bdreason]

You people claiming Shaq dominated because of his size alone must be delusional. Shaq had a very solid skillset; a few nice post moves, fantastic footwork, and great vision and hands.

Here is Shaq 10 years past his prime making one of the top PF/C defenders in the league look like a chump;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxZQw-dEydU

[phoenix_bladen]

someone post a GIF of shaq dunking on chris dudley and we'll show you all why he was dominate

[Samurai Swoosh]

Shaq's footwork is praised by many in basketball for a reason. Aside from Hakeem Olajuwon, what center in the last 20 years was clearly better than Shaq in terms of footwork and back to the basket moves?

Hakeem, D. Rob, Ewing, Kareem, Wilt, Dwight (now)?

Yea they praise him for being able to move his feet at his size.

They don't say he had some of the best footwork and post moves of all-time for his position.

[Godzuki]

meh i don't think Shaq's footwork was anything special. it doesn't take that much footwork to get post, a lob iin, and dunk the ball. that was 95% of his baskets in his prime. i can do that on a little level against middle schoolers and its not like i need footwork practice to do it.

i'd think post moves requires a lot more foot work, like turning your foot in to set up a spin, and doing dream shake, or really any type of post moves. which Shaq didn't really develop or have until later in his career.

[Nastradamus]

his size. i swear 3/4's of his baskets in his prime were post throw in's and throw downs. i'm sure someone will come in and pretend it was his athletic ability, but when you're that big over most of the competition(talking height/weight/girth) its not that hard to be that dominant IMO.

its something i'll always take away from Shaq's greatness because imo the game was easier for him than someone like MJ, iin terms of ability to dominate.

Yah, MJ didn't have a size advantag or anything, uh.......

There are lots of big bodies in the NBA. Its not like you can dump it in to Perkins or something, who is much bigger and stronger than his counterparts, and get a dunk or easy basket. Shaq had very good quickness, athelticism and skill in that big body of his. That COMBINATION, is what makes him great. Shoot, use Dwight Howard if you don't like Perkins as an example. Dwight has never dominated on Shaq's level despite having a similar size/strength advantage over defenders and being more athletic.

[Godzuki]

You people claiming Shaq dominated because of his size alone must be delusional. Shaq had a very solid skillset; a few nice post moves, fantastic footwork, and great vision and hands.

Here is Shaq 10 years past his prime making one of the top PF/C defenders in the league look like a chump;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxZQw-dEydU

he had barely any skill set in his prime when they were winning championships. if anything it was still developing, but he mostly dominated based on size/strength alone. almost everything else people are citing he had took a big backseat to those features.

he's got post moves now, he had them in Miami, but he did not have those same post moves or as refined when he was winning championships with the Lakers.