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

[Artillery]

I remember Shaq shitting on Duncan 1v1. Shaq only had trouble with the D-Rob/Duncan double team but 1v1 he easily scored on either of them.

Actually, you're wrong. Here's an analysis of the Spurs defense against Shaq in the early 2000s from another website:

I decided to go over the 01, 02, 03 Lakers/Spurs playoffs series to see who was primarily guarding Shaq and how effective they were in guarding him. I didn't go over every possession, but I decided to look at every FGA and turnovers forced that Shaq had in those games. I didn't get every game from that 01-03 span, but I did get a majority of the games.

vs. Duncan: 21-49 (.429), 8 TOV (5 of them charges/offensive fouls drawn)

vs. Robinson: 31-63 (.492), 5 TOV (1 offensive foul)

vs. Rose: 15-27 (.556), 2 TOV (2 offensive fouls)

vs. Other big men (Bryant, Willis, Walker): 6-12, 1 TOV (1 offensive foul)

vs. Guards: 0-3

vs. open shots with no one guarding Shaq: 11-13

I also kept track of double teams both before the shot and double teams during the shot (sometimes both happened). I didn't count double teams that had no effect on the shot or soft double teams.

vs. Duncan: 11 before shot, 14 after shot, 20 total double teams (35.1% double team%)

vs. Robinson: 10 before shot, 15 after shot, 23 total double teams (33.8% double team%)

vs. Rose: 4 before shot, 5 after shot (33.3% double team%)

vs. other big men: 2 before shot, 3 after shot, 3 total double teams (23.1 double team%)

In 2003, The Spurs made a concerted effort not to double Shaq. They even mentioned it in one of the broadcasts where Popovich told them that they didn't want anyone else to beat them. In the other years, Shaq got a decent amount of double teams and very few triple teams. Most of the double teams I saw were soft and had no effect. Shaq was making his move by the time the double came.


Now here are the stats for who was guarding Shaq in the games Duncan/Robinson played (Robinson missed 1 of the games). This is why I started the project. I wanted to see if Robinson was the sole Shaq defender or if the Spurs took turns defending him.

Duncan 31.0%
Robinson 46.9%
Rose 19.3%
Willis 2.1%
Walker 0.7%

I didn't include any wide open shots or times when guards defended him. Usually, Robinson started off the game vs. Shaq. Then Rose would come in and guard Shaq and take turns with Duncan. Usually in the middle of the game, Duncan and Robinson took turns guarding Shaq even in clutch situations.

Duncan looked slightly better vs. Shaq and the numbers back it up. There were plenty of instances where Shaq couldn't back down Duncan. But Shaq did dunk on him quite a bit. Shaq dunked on everyone from the Spurs.

That's why Popovich invented the hack a shaq, conventional methods didn't work.

Pop didn't invent the hack-a-shaq. Don Nelson did in the early 90s but the Blazers and Pacers were the earliest teams to use it on Shaq. Rick Adelman too.

[wally_world]

Kendrick Perkins all day every day

[Patrick Chewing]

How about Mark Eaton? I don't really know a lot about him so if anyone could elaborate?

[Ancient Legend]

Strength wise Wilt would hold his own against Shaq, maybe Nate Thurmond as well..

Skill wise, Hakeem owned Shaq. I would guess he wouldn't be able to stop Kareem's sky hook either.

[willds09]

A real prime Sabonis or Wilt would be the best. But if he was called for offensive fouls a lot more could make it competitive.



That's not the pic that's always posted, this is:

damn he look like a steroid alien

[RedMax]

If there's any center that can score on Shaq any day any time its Hakeem. Even Shaq admitted it. He couldn't guard Hakeem and he couldn't get in his head because of his composure. Prime Hakeem murdered Orlando Shaq in the Finals and I bet prime Hakeem would have done similar to Lakers Shaq.

As far as guarding Shaq successfully, I really can't come up with anyone. Shaq would murder Kareem and would bully Russell. Wilt didn't have the greatest lower body strength and that would be all Shaq would need to get his way down low.

And please don't mention Mutombo.

[MetsPackers]

Sabonis in his prime.

I'd also love to see how Shaq would fare against flat footed, immovable beast Aaron Gray. LOL...
Dude is as slow as they come, both in the head and with his feet, but he is immovable. Strong as an axe.

LOL @ Aaron Gray. Reminds me of this:

Glen Davis Tries To Eat Aaron Gray

[eliteballer]

David Robinson was as physically imposing as almost any player in NBA history and Shaq used to throw him around like a ragdoll.

[RedMax]

David Robinson was as physically imposing as almost any player in NBA history and Shaq used to throw him around like a ragdoll.

This.

[Artillery]

David Robinson was as physically imposing as almost any player in NBA history and Shaq used to throw him around like a ragdoll.

That's actually false. Robinson had muscles on top of muscle but he didn't play like a power player(more finesse actually). He was a face up guy that scored a lot in transition. Duncan, for example, was always a better post player than DRob despite looking smaller than him. Howard is definitely more of a power player than DRob was too(though nowhere near as quick, agile, or skilled).

[SwayDizzle]

A real prime Sabonis or Wilt would be the best. But if he was called for offensive fouls a lot more could make it competitive.



That's not the pic that's always posted, this is:

He looks like LeBron's dad

[iDunkOnFatKids]

Yao Ming, he got the height and gained size during the end of his career.

Too bad he couldn't stay healthy.

[Big#50]

Duncan. The greatest defensive player of all time.

[willds09]

Duncan. The greatest defensive player of all time.

[RedMax]

That's actually false. Robinson had muscles on top of muscle but he didn't play like a power player(more finesse actually). He was a face up guy that scored a lot in transition. Duncan, for example, was always a better post player than DRob despite looking smaller than him. Howard is definitely more of a power player than DRob was too(though nowhere near as quick, agile, or skilled).

He was talking about defensively. Not his offensive game.