It's hard not to like Shaquille O'Neal, the most compelling NBA player of his era and arguably the best center in history. His love of the spotlight, his often-outrageous, sometimes-egotistical, always-entertaining behavior made him a must-see attraction since he entered the league with Orlando a long, long time ago.
It's why there will be some sadness in seeing him get destroyed on his former home court Wednesday night by Dwight Howard.
O'Neal's belief -- and insistence -- that he won't need any double-team help to manage Howard around the basket when his Cavs play Howard and the Magic on national television Wednesday, is a fantasy.
If Shaq could turn back the clock 10 years, even five years, it would be a matchup of Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell proportions, a true battle of the titans, a dream date for basketball fans.
Instead, this one could turn into a nightmare.
It's good for Shaq that the Cavs haven't played since Friday night, and the Magic were in Charlotte Tuesday playing the Bobcats, but no amount of rest will negate the 14-year advantage Howard has.
At age 23, Howard could play a double-header on the same day and still have more spring in his step and agility on the court than Shaq today. That's not to minimize the great career of O'Neal, but it's a fact of life.
This is a young man's game. And no one really likes seeing a once-great player struggle in his twilight years. Howard-Shaq might be a bigger mismatch than when the Cavs got swept by the Spurs in the 2007 Finals.
"We're not going to double (Howard)," O'Neal bragged to a group of reporters in Cleveland earlier this week. "I'm sure they (Magic) are going to double (me). We've just got to play hard."
The Cavs decided to acquire O'Neal this summer after they were rudely upset by the Magic in the Eastern Conference final, desperate to strengthen their interior defense after Howard did as he pleased, providing a wake-up call to LeBron James. He needed some help.Unfortunately, Shaq isn't the answer. O'Neal is the one who carried Penny Hardaway to the NBA Finals in 1995 with the Magic. He carried a young Kobe Bryant to three NBA titles earlier this decade with the Lakers. He enabled Dwyane Wade to win a championship in Miami in 2006.
LeBron will have to win his with someone else.
Shaq's return to Orlando, where he still makes his off-season home, will be scrutinized more than it ever has been since he left the Magic for LA in 1996. Last season when O'Neal played in Phoenix, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy criticized him for flopping against Howard. O'Neal responded by ripping Van Gundy.
The Shaq-Howard relationship, once respectful, has grown cold. O'Neal never liked Howard stealing his thunder in Orlando. Shaq didn't like Howard copying his Superman nickname, then making it more popular than it ever was with him.
Howard was smart enough to stay away from verbal exchange. Mostly, Shaq's resentment just puzzled him. After all, Howard is the first to admit that he is envious of O'Neal's four NBA titles. He wants one of his own, and if it comes this season, it will come by outplaying O'Neal."I've played against the best,'' O'Neal said. "He's pretty good, He's young, agile and accurate. But it's nothing I haven't seen before.''
Unfortunately for O'Neal, unless he gets some serious help, it won't be pretty Wednesday night.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Shag, it is time for you to walk away from basketball. Don't be a fool and stay longer than you have to, like Michael Jordan did. Yes, you were a great "center", but, you were also a "bully" that couldn't shoot foul shots to save his life. Much like other super stars, you were hardly ever called for a foul, which was very obvious. Your basketball career is OVER, accept it and walk away while people still remember you.
Shaq announced a couple of years ago he would play out his contract which ends this summer, then retire, but then promptly went out and earned an all star berth, which may have promted a wait and see attitude. Poor Tim, I don`t think he got a thing right, or pleased a soul today. Howard and O`Neal both played badly, but Mo Williams and James played well and blew out the Magic. Shaq is right up there with, but behind Wilt and Kareem among 7 footers, and Russ, in the vicinity of woefully under appreciated Artis Gilmore. Not quite the best, but pretty good. The aging Super-Man, still holding his own against the hopefully maturing Super-Boy, though I would prefer using a Captain Marvel vs. Captain Marvel Jr. comparison. It would make clearer, I think, I appreciate Howard too. The Nba season is a marathon, but I think both teams will win their division, and then we`ll see what happens in the playoffs. But both teams played badly tonight, I hope both play better.
Shaq who? It took me about 30 seconds to forget this egotistical idiot.
Really? Really? 64% of you think the Cavs will win . . in Orlando . . with Shaq. Sigh. I think people need to get a mind of their own, sometimes.
Look, I'm not saying it couldn't happen. But odds are it won't. The Magic have only lost two this year WITHOUT Lewis, Carter (for most of it), and Andersen for the last two. And, the only reason they lost those two was their VERY open looks weren't going in. No team has defended this team well besides the Pistons this year (and even that was nonsense. Refs were gross in both games). Let's face it, not many teams can defend the Magic, and that will show up tonight. Just as it did in the Eastern Conference Finals last year.
If the Magic end up losing, I'll eat my words, oh well. It's basketball. Things happen. But, c'mon people . . . LeBron will have his 40 points, 12 assists and 9 rebounds, while his team loses by 11. The Magic will take that.
How those words taste! Good call, expert!
start watching soccer
eat your words ....cavs won guess ya gonna cry about r lewis not playing typical
HEY POVTACK...............WHERE DO YOU GET OFF CALLING SHAQ THE GREATEST CENTER TO PLAY THE GAME..........POOSHAWWWWW AND GET A LIFE. NOT EVEN CLOSE. SO MANY BEFORE HIM. AND NO ONE I REPEAT, NO ONE CAN REPLACE BILL RUSSELL......LEST YOU FORGET...11 RINGS. PURE DOMINANCE.
Best center in history? Are you smoking dope? Guess you never heard of Bill, Wilt or Kareem.
Come on people...Shaq has to play as long as he can, Wifey is getting ready to take 1/2.
Another article by Magic Loving Tim P.
Tim I've went through your history of articles and anytime it warrants it you insult the cavs then talk about how the magic are gods gift to the NBA.
Start denoting any article you write about the magic/cavs with "I love the magic and I hate the cavs".
That way you don't pollute the rest of the fanhouse readers with your biased nonsense.
I am going to really enjoy this. Howard will foul out before the fourth period starts and will have to pick himself off the floor at least once.
Seems like Ryan got his shorts in a knot. Sometimes the truth hurts.
I'm wearing jeans.
The truth is for a sports website to remain unbiased you can't have writers who have historically been biased. Look up his article history. I'd say there is an Orlando Magic Article every 3 articles.
I would understand if he is an Orlando Magic beat writer, and if so he should denote that.
Ryan got it right 100%
Tim Povtak was employed by the Orlando sentinel as a beat writer for... you guessed it, the Magic. I am sure that he is naturally biased but his take on this seems correct to me. Several years ago, in his prime, Shaq could play Howard man to man but that was long ago. Howard is just too quick for Shaq.
What a horribly inaccurate and misleading headline. Dwight is just a more raw, less intimidating version of Shaq.
Who is this Povtak scrub anyway?
You do realize that Shaq played one game against Howard last year (in Orlando) and they played pretty much straight up. Howard had like one more point and Shaq had like 2 or 3 more rebounds. For you to say that Howard will "embarass" Shaq is just ridiculous.
Go get yourself raped by Kobe
Best Center in history??? Are you out of your freaking mind??? A center who couldn't defend - couldn't rebound - couldn't shoot - and you're saying best ever? Are you on Shaq's payroll?
Orl hates Shaq, Shaq hates Dwight, Dwight hates Shaq, Shaq hates SVG, SVG hates Shaq, Cavs hates Orl, Orl hates Cavs. OMG CANT WAIT!! lol
Glad to see Shaq and the Cavs got the best of Dwight "wonderboy" Howard and the Orlando Tragic.
Guess all the people who thought Howard would dominate get to eat crow!