Who defended prime Shaq the best ?

[ShaqAttack3234]

Ostertag...big dumb guys who would just stand there with their hands up. Shaq only had a few go to moves and if you took those away it was hard for him to adjust. Shaq is overrated when it came to skill set. Forgot about Big Ben wallets-him.

How many centers had better footwork or passing skills than Shaq? As far as low post skills, he was great.

[Sakkreth]

How many centers had better footwork or passing skills than Shaq? As far as low post skills, he was great.

Bolded this for a reason, for such a giant his footwork was unbelievable.

[dirkdiggler41]

Sabonis was big enough to guard shaq. The big differense between Sabo and other defenders was that he made Shaq work on defense. Shaq never liked to go outside to guard big shooters or defend anyone for that matter. Sabonis was huge and at the same time had a good 3 point shoot and amazing passing skills. Usally the centers Shaq played against would not effect the game on the offense and on defense was just a big body.

[Laimbeer_Rodman]

Derick Coleman

[Harison]

Nobody could stop Shaq, but he himself said Sabonis defended him the best.

[Toizumi]

Sabonis was big enough to guard shaq. The big differense between Sabo and other defenders was that he made Shaq work on defense. Shaq never liked to go outside to guard big shooters or defend anyone for that matter. Sabonis was huge and at the same time had a good 3 point shoot and amazing passing skills. Usally the centers Shaq played against would not effect the game on the offense and on defense was just a big body.

That is also true. It was mentioned in this thread before, but Shaq was doubled pretty much everytime he got the ball. The Blazers played solid team defense (2000 WCF) and I remember Pippen especially providing help every time Shaq got the ball down low.

I don't know how well Olajuwon defended a young Shaq (still haven't watched those finals games) and what he could've possible done against prime Shaq.
In those prime days of Shaq... if I had too, I'd probably pick Mutombo to guard him.. eventhough Shaq destroyed him, it looked like he at least somewhat bothered him one on one

[Laimbeer_Rodman]

Nobody could stop Shaq, but he himself said Sabonis defended him the best.

I don't think that Shaq even know who Sabonis is

[madmax]

I remember smaller and smart PF's like Rodman doing a pretty nice job against him in his younger days (usually they would just let him bully his way into the paint and then he would stumble or travel when they backed down off him). As for prime Shaq, nobody could guard him 1 on 1 for obvious reasons (one of them being ref treatment, which allowed him to elbow and push his opponents in the paint). Overall he was a beast at a center position, just like Lebron is a beast SF.

[Harison]

I don't think that Shaq even know who Sabonis is

More like you dont know who Sabonis is.

[Laimbeer_Rodman]

More like you dont know who Sabonis is.

Arvidas Sabonis,thorn ligaments guy?
Arvidas against 6-6 white guy way before his 'clashes' with Diesel

[Harison]

Arvidas Sabonis,thorn ligaments guy?
Arvidas against 6-6 white guy way before his 'clashes' with Diesel

What that dunk has to do with Shaq and Sabonis? Shaq said in interview Sabonis defended him the best, yet you say Shaq didnt knew who Sabonis is?

[Laimbeer_Rodman]

What that dunk has to do with Shaq and Sabonis? Shaq said in interview Sabonis defended him the best, yet you say Shaq didnt knew who Sabonis is?

Sabonis couldn't guard European players ,he was heavily injured since beginning of '90.So how he could defend most dominant center in the game?
Where did you red that interview ?In 'Oregon Fantasy Tribune'?

[Sakkreth]

Sabonis couldn't guard European players ,he was heavily injured since beginning of '90.So how he could defend most dominant center in the game?
Where did you red that interview ?In 'Oregon Fantasy Tribune'?

That's what I call real trolling

[aj242]

What that dunk has to do with Shaq and Sabonis? Shaq said in interview Sabonis defended him the best, yet you say Shaq didnt knew who Sabonis is?

No Disrespect but I know for damn sure Shaq didn't say that about Sabonis. He constantly ridiculed Sabonis about needing a double team in 2000 especially!

For the hip hop heads who remember this episode of Rap City where Shaq said Anthony Mason guarded him the best. He said had no problems with any centers offensively. He said short squatty guys i.e. (Mason) gave him problems.

My personal opinion is David Robinson. He gave Dave some super facials but Dave held him under 30 more then Dream,Mourning,Ewing or any of the rest.

That's why I think he liked to needle Dave the most.

[Harison]

Sabonis couldn't guard European players ,he was heavily injured since beginning of '90.So how he could defend most dominant center in the game?
Where did you red that interview ?In 'Oregon Fantasy Tribune'?

I can find poster dunks on all elite defenders, does that show they cant guard? Sabonis was solid though not elite defender, but even old and broken down Sabas was 7-3, huge and smart player, therefore Shaq had to work harder than vs smaller players. And that interview was when Shaq was facing Blazers, its a common knowledge. Maybe you're too young to remember, and yet to claim Shaq doesnt even know who Sabonis is... you seem like a troll.