Damn near. Definitely the best player since Jordan.
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Damn near. Definitely the best player since Jordan.
A peak Shaq certainly has a case.
Personally I would rank Wilt's '65-66 and '66-67 seasons as slightly higher, because he was better defensively, and a better rebounder, and he dominated his peers more than Shaq did his (although Shaq's Finals was perhaps the greatest ever.)
Then a peak KAJ, covering his 70-71 season, and playoffs, thru his 71-72 regular season (he was dramatically reduced in the playoffs that year.)
[QUOTE=TonyMontana]Shaq is the GOAT.
If he had Phil Jackson for the entirety of his prime you would have seen him play at that level for even longer. Phil ALWAYS knew how to get the most out of his stars and take their games to another level. The triangle utilized all of Shaqs strengths.
Shaqs huge frame just couldn't go through 82 games + playoffs year after year. That's why he always missed regular season time in LA which people hold against him(and its part of why he only has 1 regular season MVP). But when it was the playoffs he always stepped up and played better than anyone ever has. And thats what matters in the end.
All you have to do is watch him play. The game was effortless and there was NOTHING defenses could do. This isn't like Kobe or Jordan making contested fadaway jumpshots with a hand in their face. You can't do anything about that, but how often are they going to make that? With a guy like Shaq he could just get inside and overpower anyone and there is NOTHING defenses could do. When a guy is dunking it down your throat and you are powerless to stop him you are looking at the greatest player ever. And if he wanted to change it up, he had a beautiful touch around the rim, he had a feel for the offense and could always find the open man when help came, and caught cutters all the time.
7'1
7'7 wingspan
350+ pounds
Athletic enough to get his head at rim level despite pushing 400 pounds
You will never see an athlete like that ever again.[/QUOTE]
+1
The GOAT he is. The Shaq attack was as close to unstoppable as anything in NBA history!
[QUOTE=TonyMontana]Shaq is the GOAT.
If he had Phil Jackson for the entirety of his prime you would have seen him play at that level for even longer. Phil ALWAYS knew how to get the most out of his stars and take their games to another level. The triangle utilized all of Shaqs strengths.
Shaqs huge frame just couldn't go through 82 games + playoffs year after year. That's why he always missed regular season time in LA which people hold against him(and its part of why he only has 1 regular season MVP). But when it was the playoffs he always stepped up and played better than anyone ever has. And thats what matters in the end.
All you have to do is watch him play. The game was effortless and there was NOTHING defenses could do. This isn't like Kobe or Jordan making contested fadaway jumpshots with a hand in their face. You can't do anything about that, but how often are they going to make that? With a guy like Shaq he could just get inside and overpower anyone and there is NOTHING defenses could do. When a guy is dunking it down your throat and you are powerless to stop him you are looking at the greatest player ever. And if he wanted to change it up, he had a beautiful touch around the rim, he had a feel for the offense and could always find the open man when help came, and caught cutters all the time.
[B]7'1
7'7 wingspan
350+ pounds
Athletic enough to get his head at rim level despite pushing 400 pounds
You will never see an athlete like that ever again[/B].[/QUOTE]
Wilt
7-1+
7-8 wingspan
300+ lbs.
High-jump champion, sprinter on his college track team, and probably the strongest man to have ever played in the NBA. And likely capable of touching the top of the backboard (eye-witness accounts...as well as video footage which would indicate he was capable of it.)
IMO, the top 5 peaks goes like:
Jordan
Shaq
Wilt
Kareem
Hakeem
With some interchangeability.
All in all, I think peak big men have a larger impact on the game than guards, with the exception being peak Jordan of course.
I think peak Shaq has a case for sure. He was as dominant as dominant can be offensively and was very underrated defensively back then too, particularly in the 00 season where he was a superb defensive anchor.
From what I've seen of the two, it's so so difficult between Jordan and Shaq. Shaq was more dominant offensively, obviously on the boards, but Jordan made FTs at a better rate and could not be exploited for that weakness in late game situations.
Uhhhmm....no
Even Kobe is better than Shaq, and Kobe is a legit top 6 GOAT.
If Shaq could've shot 75/80% on free-throws he would've been the undisputable GOAT
Yes, Shaq was better than Wilt ever was.
[QUOTE=Living Being]Yes, Shaq was better than Wilt ever was.[/QUOTE]
Yep....the Record Book has Shaq's name plastered all over it. Oh wait....
[QUOTE=LAZERUSS]Yep....the Record Book has Shaq's name plastered all over it. Oh wait....[/QUOTE]
Shaq crushed the competition during the Lakers 3-peat, he absolutely destroyed the league and lead his Laker team in scoring and was the man.
Wilt was the tied 2nd and 4th option during his title runs..
And record books, please... Wilt didn't win shit during his statistical prime and his records are due the fact that he played selfish basketball in an extremely high-paced era.
[QUOTE=LAZERUSS]Yep....the Record Book has Shaq's name plastered all over it. Oh wait....[/QUOTE]
Every time I have posted something about Wilt in a thread where you have posted = trolling. In truth, I actually appreciate your posts and walls of text.
[QUOTE=millwad]Shaq crushed the competition during the Lakers 3-peat, he absolutely destroyed the league and lead his Laker team in scoring and was the man.
Wilt was the tied 2nd and 4th option during his title runs..
And record books, please... Wilt didn't win shit during his statistical prime and his records are due the fact that he played selfish basketball in an extremely high-paced era.[/QUOTE]
[IMG]http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130525032206/adventuretimewithfinnandjake/images/f/f0/Dis_gon_b_gud.gif[/IMG]
[QUOTE=SwayDizzle]Uhhhmm....no
Even Kobe is better than Shaq, and Kobe is a legit top 6 GOAT.[/QUOTE]
:facepalm :facepalm :facepalm
It's too bad Shaq peaked when every all time great center else was either old or retired.
I would take peak Dream over any other center.