Byron Scott’s first reaction was an expletive. Some NBA folks are skeptical that an aging caboose can keep up with a locomotive offense. But the Hornets coach said he believes center Shaquille O’Neal can, indeed, fit in with the Suns’ offense.
Scott was there the last time it happened.
“It reminds me a lot of the way we played,” Scott, a Lakers guard in the 1980s, said. “With Shaq, they’ll still be able to run. And it does make a lot of sense, because deep in playoffs, you need post presence, someone who demands a double team.”
During those glistening days in Los Angeles, the “Showtime” Lakers won three titles and numerous playoff rounds with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at center. Those Lakers, like these Suns, had a fast- paced offense with an MVP point guard. Sometimes, the slow- footed Abdul-Jabbar would have as much effect on a play as Dyan Cannon. But, when the game slowed down, like it sometimes does in the postseason, the Lakers suddenly had a fierce, albeit aging, weapon.
“The greatest thing about Kareem, which I feel is the same with Shaq, is they’re very unselfish,” Scott said. “He’d let the other guys shine, but we also knew when we needed that basket, he was the go-to guy.”
From point guard Magic Johnson’s first season, in 1979-80, to 1985-86, Abdul-Jabbar never averaged less than 21.5 points per game. Then in 1986-87, a title season, he averaged 17.5, and in 1987-88, also a title season, he averaged 14.6.
O’Neal is 35, the same age as Abdul-Jabbar in 1982-83. O’Neal is having his worst season of his career — while playing for Miami, the worst team of his career. His 14.2 points and 7.2 rebounds kept the perennial all-star out of the All-Star Game.
But, Shaq is still Shaq, even if it’s only in spurts.
“Shaq is still the most dominant force on this planet, so I would never doubt him,” Nuggets center Marcus Camby said. “Every organization he’s gone to, he’s had success.”
Offensively, he will help the Suns just by showing up to work. Yes, there might be moments where the fastbreak offense loses its strength in numbers. But in the half-court set, teams will have to double-team O’Neal, at least for some portions of the game.
Coach George Karl, whose Nuggets play Phoenix three more times in the regular season, is well aware of this sobering reality: “One of the reasons Phoenix was excited is because they have a team that — if you double-team, they’re going to get what they want. And they like the 3-ball, they love the 3-ball, they live with the 3-ball. I still think Shaq is awful powerful. If you’re going to play him straight-up, you better have three or four centers.”
Phoenix, it seems, feels it can make a playoff run with O’Neal, just as it did in previous years. But the Suns often had trouble defending big men, notably San Antonio’s Tim Duncan, whose Spurs beat the Suns last season. O’Neal will join Amare Stoudemire in the paint, giving the dynamic Stoudemire more freedom in his new power forward spot.
And now, if the Suns are matched up against, say, the Lakers, they have two beasts to counter Andrew Bynum and the recently acquired Pau Gasol.
Come the playoffs, it’s showtime.
Deadline looms.
It makes sense for the Nuggets to trade their 2008 first-round pick for a player who can help them right now. The high-priced, star-studded team paying that pesky luxury tax is gunning to make a playoff run this season. If they keep the pick, the player they draft probably won’t help Denver for a couple of seasons. Denver can likely trade the pick for a backup point guard or a sturdy defender off the bench — in other words, a player who can help them this spring, not spring 2010.
The trading deadline is Feb. 21.
Spotlight on …
LeBron James, F, Cavaliers
Sometimes, his brilliance is taken for granted. But consider — and celebrate — that James is averaging career highs in all three major categories. His 30.2 points per game, entering this weekend, lead the NBA. His 7.3 assists are good for eighth. And his 7.9 rebounds also includes 1.7 offensive boards per game, a career best.
And, just like last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers are contenders. Cleveland entered the weekend winners of seven of its past 10 games. In the watered-down Eastern Conference, the Cavaliers are right in the playoff hunt.
But James is greedy. He knows how good the top Eastern teams are, be it Boston or Detroit. He is surrounded by some talented role players, but he doesn’t have that complementing scorer. In fact, the No. 2 scorer on Cleveland is Zydrunas Ilgauskas, with 13.9 points per game. When Shaquille O’Neal was traded to the Phoenix Suns in the past week, James was shocked and outspoken. He wants help. Jason Kidd, the all-star New Jersey guard, is at the top of his wish list. But, even if the Cavaliers don’t make a deal, they have a similar crew that went to the NBA Finals last season, thanks to their all-star, having arguably his best season.
