Which center in NBA history would be the biggest defensive challenge for Shaq?

[julizaver]

Wilt Chamberlain.

Shaq played good in the 95 Finals against Hakeem. It is popular belief that Hakeem killed him, BUT the reality was something else. The Orlando team lacked the experience of Houston team. '95 Magics were young and talented team at the time.

[LAZERUSS]

hakeem was too much for shaq tho

Hakeem's teammates were too much for Shaq's. They outshot Shaq's teammates by huge margins from both the field, and the arc, and they outscored them by 50 points from the FT line. Given the fact that Houston won three very close games in that series, those FTs made were the difference.

Hakeem outscored Shaq in that series, by about 5 ppg (33 to 28 ppg), but took 10 more FGA per game to do it. Shaq outshot Hakeem by a staggering .595 to .483 margin. And in the process, he outrebounded Hakeem, outscored him from the FT line, outblocked him, and outassisted him (and if his teammates hadn't missed so many open looks, that disparity would have been much greater.)

And one more time...

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...1&p2=onealsh01


Take a look at all 28 h2h games (20 regular seaon, and 8 post-season),ad you tell me who the more dominant player was. And, as I noted previously, even a prime Hakeem, going up against a 20-23 year old Shaq, struggled.

[LAZERUSS]

And I get so tired of the Hakeem fans pointing to the four game '95 Finals, as some kind of example that Olajuwon was the greater player. Shaq was 22 at the time, while Hakeem was supposedly in his prime, at age 32. Granted, O'Neal was near his athletic peak in '95, but he became an overpowering force shortly thereafter. And, of course, in their '99 playoff series, Shaq just destroyed a 36 year old Hakeem. Say what you want about Hakeem being past his prime at age 36, why don't the Olajuwon fans acknowledge that Shaq was not in his prime in '95, either?

[ShaqAttack3234]

And I get so tired of the Hakeem fans pointing to the four game '95 Finals, as some kind of example that Olajuwon was the greater player. Shaq was 22 at the time, while Hakeem was supposedly in his prime, at age 32. Granted, O'Neal was near his athletic peak in '95, but he became an overpowering force shortly thereafter. And, of course, in their '99 playoff series, Shaq just destroyed a 36 year old Hakeem. Say what you want about Hakeem being past his prime at age 36, why don't the Olajuwon fans acknowledge that Shaq was not in his prime in '95, either?

I thought you were jlauber before this post, and now I really think you're jlauber. I'm not positive, so correct me if I'm wrong, but you make the same arguments he did.

[LAZERUSS]

shaq was still amazing in 95 tho

He was amazing immediately in his NBA career. In some respects, he was probably more skilled, and certainly more athletic, early in his career, than by the middle of it. But, from the late 90's to the early 00's, he was just so phyically overpowering, that one-on-one, he was nearly unstoppable (and in some cases, such as his series against Mutombo, it was almost criminal.)

Look, a prime Hakeem was a great player. He was a more rounded player than O'Neal, as well. But he was never as dominant, and even at his peak, and going up against a young Shaq, I wouldn't concede that he outplayed Shaq. But even if were to do so, there is absolutely no shred of evidence that exists that Hakeem just dominated Shaq in that series.

And once again, that was not a prime Shaq, either. IMHO, a peak Shaq was a considerably greater player than a peak Hakeem. And even over the course of their long careers, Hakeem's resume pales in comparison to Shaq's.

[LAZERUSS]

As for the OP, once again, players like Cowens, McAdoo, Kareem, and Chamberlain would have given Shaq all he could handle defensively.

But, what about at the other end of the floor? Of those four, only Wilt could have stood toe-to-toe with Shaq. And I'm reasonably positive that Shaq would have done his share of damage against him, as well. In fact, given the fact that Wilt was generally a "gentle giant" (and, given the nature of the rules that were enacted which were aimed strictly at him, I'm sure the NBA would not have allowed him tor have been anything more), it would have been interesting to see how he would have responded against an equally imposing physical force.

[LAZERUSS]

As a sidenote, am I among the few here who are perplexed by how Shaq's career is now perceived? In the early 00's, most all the "experts" were calling him one of the most dominant players in the history of the game. Now, in the last couple of years, his role in the three-peat has somehow been diminished by the Kobe fans. Not only that, but his resume is largely overlooked in these "all-time" discussions. True, he only one MVP, but the truth was, he was regarded as the best player in the game for a span of at least five seasons. He won four rings, and he was certainly the key figure in three of them. And his performances in the "three-peat" Finals were quite possibly the three greatest ever played.

[VeeCee15]

Lets be serious. No one can defend SHAQ...there would not be much of a difference between Aaron Gray defending Shaq or Wilt defending Shaq. Obviously Wilt would be better but the difference is negligable.

SHAQ can dominate 2 players defending him (Duncan AND DROB)...think about it.

[DatAsh]

I thought you were jlauber before this post, and now I really think you're jlauber. I'm not positive, so correct me if I'm wrong, but you make the same arguments he did.

He is.

[La Frescobaldi]

As for the OP, once again, players like Cowens, McAdoo, Kareem, and Chamberlain would have given Shaq all he could handle defensively.

But, what about at the other end of the floor? Of those four, only Wilt could have stood toe-to-toe with Shaq. And I'm reasonably positive that Shaq would have done his share of damage against him, as well. In fact, given the fact that Wilt was generally a "gentle giant" (and, given the nature of the rules that were enacted which were aimed strictly at him, I'm sure the NBA would not have allowed him tor have been anything more), it would have been interesting to see how he would have responded against an equally imposing physical force.

But none of those guys played Shaq's game. They were all deeply skilled in offense and avoided the full contact offense that was Shaq's claim to fame.

Dave Cowens would not have lost his fierce high tempo mid-range game just because Shaq was defending him. He shot over far greater defensive Centers than O'Neal ever was.

[LAZERUSS]

But none of those guys played Shaq's game. They were all deeply skilled in offense and avoided the full contact offense that was Shaq's claim to fame.

Dave Cowens would not have lost his fierce high tempo mid-range game just because Shaq was defending him. He shot over far greater defensive Centers than O'Neal ever was.

You are echoing my point. Cowens and McAdoo could shoot lights out from 18-20 ft. And I doubt Shaq could contain either KAJ's, or Wilt's, offensive skills.

I was just commenting that, at the other end of the floor, of that group, only Wilt would be able to physically match up with Shaq, and even then, I suspect Shaq would still get his share. And the only other center that I think might have given Shaq a physical battle, would have been Gilmore.

Now, as you indicated in an earlier post, if Shaq would have played in the rules of the 60's, where a charge was a charge, and a travel was a travel, I suspect that his offense would have suffered some. Still, as great an athlete as Shaq was, he would have adapted.

But, once again, players like Reed, Lanier, KAJ, Bellamy, Lucas (when he played center), Cowens, and McAdoo, would have given him fits with their ofensive skills and range.

[JMT]

Whichever one that had enough respect from the refs that he would have been rewarded for taking the charge when Shaq used his "move" (read: lowering your shoulder to go through a defensive players chest).

[secund2nun]

No one could stop or even slow Shaq down 1 on 1 on defense. He is the NBA's version of the Juggernaut.

Hakeem is arguably the best defensive player of all time and in his prime a young 22 year old Shaq tore up his vaunted defense.