Shaq is barely a top 5 center?

[Jplaya2023]

Shaq was 1-1 in one in the playoffs against Jordan. It was the likes of Indiana, Houston, Utah, SA, Detroit, Chicago (07) that stood in his way, not Mike. And many of those series he had the edge in talent and in many of those series he got swept. So there are no pleas to cop for the most dominant ever only winning 2 scoring titles or only winning 4 rings with the likes of Penny, Kobe, and Wade by his side.

yes there is, let's take a look at his playoff series that he lost while being a top 5-10 player.

1994 - swept by indiana- Shaq's first playoff appearance with a rookie penny, and incomplete supporting case agaisnt a veteran laden bunch . Result = Pass
1995 - swept by Houston - Orlando's first finals appearance ever with a young squad with the exception of horace grant against the defending champs who added drex only 3 years removed from his prime. They should have won 2 games at least. Result = no pass, but we understand why they loss
1996 - swept by best team in league history. Horace grant messes shoulder up in game 1. Result = pass
1997 -& 1998 - Lost to Utah who was a bad matchup for LA. Result = Pass
1999 - swept by spurs who went on the win a ring. = Pass
2003 - lost in 6 to eventual champ spurs. Was a horry shot away from being up 3-2 and closing it in LA = Pass
2004 - lost NBA finals to detroit after him and kobe hated eachother. Result = no pass Lakers were still favored, Kobe shot them out of the series
2005 - Lost ECF to detroit - Shaq was injured getting blood drained from his leg every game. Wade injured his rib i think and they still were up 3-2. Result = pass

2007-retire = not a top 5-10 player

 

[Vado]

Two of the NBA's greatest players, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, are often criticized for playing in a "weak" era. This is far from the truth, as the 1960s were a very good time for basketball. A much smaller league meant more competition for fewer spots. The fact that only the 121 best basketball players in the world could play in the NBA condensed the talent pool to nine teams. In the modern NBA, over half of the teams don't even have one all star player, nevertheless hall of famers. Examining the teams in the mid 1960s, all nine of them had Hall of Fame talents:

Boston Celtics: Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, Tommy Heinsolm
Cincinnati Royals: Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas
Philadelphia 76ers: Hal Greer
New York Knicks: Willis Reed
San Francisco Warriors: Wilt Chamberlain, Nate Thurmond
St. Louis Hawks: Bob Pettit
Los Angeles Lakers: Jerry West, Elgin Baylor
Detroit Pistons: David Bing, Dave Debusschere
Baltimore Bullets: Walt Bellamy

Russell and Chamberlain faced various legends on a nightly basis, yet still were known as the best players of their generation. Throughout the decade, the two were subject to strong competition Some of the great players Russell and Chamberlain faced included:

1960-1964:
Dolph Schayes
Bob Pettit
Walt Bellamy
Jerry Lucas

1965-1968:
Willis Reed
Elvin Hayes
Wes Unseld
Nate Thurmond

1969-1972:
Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Bob Lanier
Artis Gilmore
Billy Cunningham
Dave Cowens

Another common misperception is that Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain played against only 6'6" white centers. That is completely false. Here are the NBA players from 1960-1972 6'11" or taller who played at least 3 years in the NBA: (list does not include Wilt Chamberlain)

Kareem Abdul Jabbar: 7'2"
Dennis Awtrey: 6'11"
Walt Bellamy: 6'11"
Tom Boerwinkle: 7'0"
Nate Bowmen: 6'11"
Mel Counts: 7'0"
Walter Dukes: 7'0"
Jim Eakins: 6'11"
Ray Felix: 6'11"
Hank Finkel: 7'0"
Artis Gilmore: 7'2"
Swede Halbrook: 7'3"
Reggie Harding: 7'0"
Bob Lanier: 6'11"
Jim McDaniels: 6'11"
Otto Moore: 6'11"
Dave Newmark: 7'0"
Rich Niemann: 7'0"
Billy Paultz: 6'11"
Craig Raymond: 6'11"
Elmore Smith: 7'0"
Chuck Share: 6'11"
Ronald Taylor: 7'1"
Nate Thurmond: 6'11"
Walt Wesley: 6'11"


Can't wait to hear your rebuttal once you choke on some actual facts breh....

You copy and pasting an article means nothing

That's how the internet works

You can interpret facts or stats any way

You can even manipulate stats to work in your favor

Smarten up Nas

If bill Russell was in today's game he would be Ben Wallace

Nothing more

 

[mastermind]

Kareem
Bill Russell
Olajuwon
Wilt
Sabonis/Anthony Davis/Divac

are all much better than Shaq fat ass, Kobe coulda won at least 3 rings without him. Can't say the same for Mr oneill tho

Russell
Kareem
Wilt
Hakeem
Malone

This homosexual poster may have a point.

 

[Brozay]

I watched Shaq throughout his entire career and NOBODY can tell me he wasnt a ridiculously dominant force

 

[dem bath salts]

Shaq is def a top 5 center and was a fukking monster but I dont think he would dominate those other guys. Shaq really wasn't that skilled or a great defensive player. Kareem and Hakeem would straight get buckets, Hakeem's skill and speed and Kareem's unstoppable sky hook. Wilt was just as much as a physical freak as shaq in his time, I would to see them two going at it... While Russell is the goat defensive player I don't know if he could stop shaq in the post but Bill got those intangibles so who knows. I know Bill's team dominated Wilt, but individually, Wilt is that dude. I'm not a big Kareem fan so I might be underselling him, but my list is :

Wilt
Hakeem
Shaq
Russell
Kareem

 

[NatiboyB]

And why not? Hakeem, Duncan, Ewing, Zo, D. Rob, Yao managed to be who they were against Shaq. People forget/ignore/revise the fact that Shaq didn't take over and start dominating the league until MJ retired and all the great big men of his day got . and he was never dominant defensively AND he always had a top tier perimeter teammate. That said Kareem, Russell, Dream, and Wilt are probably the only 4 I would take over him all-time (assuming Duncan is being counted as a PF).

Shaq walked in the door putting up 23pt and 12rb

 

[Big Blue]

The five is the deepest position when it comes to GOATs. It's really not a diss saying that Shaq is a borderline Top 5

 

[Mandizi]

Would've loved to seen Wilt, a legit 7'1" 275 lbs. center in his prime vs. Shaq in his prime.

I don't think Shaq would've given him the business as some of you believe.

 

[Oroko Saki]

Shaq is

Kobe carried his fat ass after the first ring. Lets not act like Snaq didnt play mostly during the weakest era of centers. It was a feast almost every night for his soft fat ass

 

[FTBS]

TD insists he's a PF. Check the thread title.

A big man is a big man IMO. And if a PF or whatever is giving it to you and matching or outplaying you I gotta call your dominance and "highest peak ever" into question.

 

[FTBS]

yes there is, let's take a look at his playoff series that he lost while being a top 5-10 player.

1994 - swept by indiana- Shaq's first playoff appearance with a rookie penny, and incomplete supporting case agaisnt a veteran laden bunch . Result = Pass
1995 - swept by Houston - Orlando's first finals appearance ever with a young squad with the exception of horace grant against the defending champs who added drex only 3 years removed from his prime. They should have won 2 games at least. Result = no pass, but we understand why they loss
1996 - swept by best team in league history. Horace grant messes shoulder up in game 1. Result = pass
1997 -& 1998 - Lost to Utah who was a bad matchup for LA. Result = Pass
1999 - swept by spurs who went on the win a ring. = Pass
2003 - lost in 6 to eventual champ spurs. Was a horry shot away from being up 3-2 and closing it in LA = Pass
2004 - lost NBA finals to detroit after him and kobe hated eachother. Result = no pass Lakers were still favored, Kobe shot them out of the series
2005 - Lost ECF to detroit - Shaq was injured getting blood drained from his leg every game. Wade injured his rib i think and they still were up 3-2. Result = pass

2007-retire = not a top 5-10 player

That's a whole lotta plea coppin for the MDE with the "highest peak ever" GOAT Center breh. You can't call him those things AND cop this many pleas breh. I could see if he was playing with scrubs his whole career but this nikka played with more talent than anybody else in his era AND had obviously had the most physical talent. No excuses breh.

 

[FTBS]

Shaq walked in the door putting up 23pt and 12rb

Your point?

 

[FTBS]

People need to stop comparing Shaq and Hakeem's scoring without comparing their efficiency or even context for Shaq's stats.

Shaq, in his prime, broke the rules and was getting his numbers through double and triple teams that Hakeem wasn't seeing back.

30 PPG but attracting double and triple teams is better than 30 PPG and single coverage. Shaq was probably the most offensively dominant player to ever play.

Based upon? You can' say shyt like this AND cop pleas for his 2 scoring titles, never actually putting up 30 ppg, being behind guards and fowards on all the all-times lists. Shaq was indeed a more efficient scorer (we do have to take FTs and the liability that he could be especially late in games into account) however Dream did manage comparable scoring numbers while being miles better on D.

 

[Jplaya2023]

That's a whole lotta plea coppin for the MDE with the "highest peak ever" GOAT Center breh. You can't call him those things AND cop this many pleas breh. I could see if he was playing with scrubs his whole career but this nikka played with more talent than anybody else in his era AND had obviously had the most physical talent. No excuses breh.

Shaq was a victim of bad luck and bad timing.

 

[FTBS]

Shaq was a victim of bad luck and bad timing.

You are trolling right? Please tell me you are?

Bad luck as in playing with Penny, Kobe, and D. Wade? As in playing for Phil Jackson and Pat Riley? As in not being able to sit on his fat ass and eat cheeseburgers and stay in shape/healthy?

Bad timing as in playing in the same era as inferior Cs and a 6'6 shooting guard? Bad timing as in being 27 when all those guys were done and still only winning 4 rings thereafter in great part becuase he acted like a bytch and in part because a PF with less natural ability and less talent around him gave him the business and in part because his body that he didn't take care of broke down?

It's hilarious to me how people want to give people a certain status and turn around and cop pleas for that person and not hold them accountable for the status that they have bestowed upon them.