Take that Shaq!

Well, until last night’s beat down of the Spurs, in which Boris Diaw nearly dropped a triple double and Amare Stoudemire was held to single digit points, Phoenix championship hopes looked about as bright as Flava Flav.

Now, staring a 3-1 deficit in the face while returning to San Antonio tomorrow night, the Suns chances look only slightly better. No team has ever come back from an 0-3 deficit. It goes without saying that Boris Diaw is far from a consistent player, and there is no way that yesterday’s performance will be repeated—by either team.

I’ve also not hidden my disdain for Shaq, in this blog, in my myspace blog and on the website I am trying to put up where he tops the list of players I’ve relegated to the SmushPot.

I always thought Shaq was way too immature. I never understood why so many people loved him. Sure, it was great when the Lakers were winning championships. Shaq waving to the crowd and screaming, “Can you dig it?” The Shaqisms, “One lucky shot deserves another!” And of course, his dominating numbers during the three-year title run (28 ppg, 2.4 bpg, 3.3 apg, 11.5 rpg on 57.5 percent shooting).

Of course, there’s always the movies and rap albums and police work to tarnish those summers of waving those banners. And, yeah, there was that little feud with Kobe. And, oh yes, can’t forget that 56.3 percent freethrow percentage to tarnish those numbers.

Kobe was a punk. No doubt. But he had that same fire, that same drive he has today. He worked to get better every year. He wasn’t satisfied with himself, his game or his team. And it rubbed his glory-now, limelight loving teammates the wrong way.

While they partied and got worse—Rick Fox, Robert Horry, Shaq—or got older and retired—Glen Rice, Ron Harper, Brian Shaw—Kobe kept refining his game. He got better. That last season they won, he had perhaps his best season as a player, averaging 30, 7 and 6. 

Shaq took home three finals MVP awards for his thrashing of the Sixers and the Nets twice. But it was Kobe’s clutch play that helped overcome the Spurs and Kings and Trailblazers. Kobe used to murder the Spurs while Shaq kind of disappeared. But nobody remembers that. Just Shaq’s 3 finals MVPs. And then of course, Kobe’s 03 offseason activity.

Bottom line. Shaq was never one of my favorites and I always knew that if for some reason he ever jumped ship to another team, I would absolutely hate him. 

Enter extension demand for $30 million plus for 3 more years. Enter hell no from Jerry Buss. Enter trade to Miami, $100 million dollar deal, and a newly motivated Shaq.

Well, Shaq lost motivation last season and for the beginning of this season, before completely quitting on his team. For his non-effort, he was rewarded by being traded to the Suns. He “refound” his motivation and, well, promised to bring Phoenix a title.

Unfortunately, his promises ring hollower and hollower as he gets older. He lucked into a weak path to the finals and an MJ-like performance from Dwayne Wade to fulfill his promise to Miami. But here and now with Phoenix, despite having more talent, there is no easy road to the finals. The West is too stacked.

Plus, his athleticism has departed him. And though blessed by surrounding elite talent, he no longer has that elite closer to close for him (sorry, Nash’s inability to get over the hump and his first game collapse prove that he doesn't qualify). His one post move, dribble, dribble, back down, right hand baby hook, works less than half the time, when, at his size and his strength, should work closer to 75 percent of the time. And his unwillingness or inability to at the very least show off the high pick and roll has transformed from annoying to downright deadly (notice Tony Parker’s 41 point game 3).

But I don’t want this to turn into anymore of a Shaq-bashing post than it already has. He’s been great for the league in terms of bringing popularity and excitement, despite his less-than-exciting game. He filled seats and became the perfect star to both love and hate due to his domination and charisma. He was the staple after Jordan, but unlike MJ, didn’t bring with him the wannabe imitators because, well, nobody can be like Shaq—he’s truly one of a kind.

And that is why I both bash him and root against him. He is one of a kind. But he had an everyman’s drive. He could have dominated this decade, won more rings than MJ, been crowned the greatest center, the greatest player of all time. But, instead, he relied on his naturally gifted abilities and focused his will power in other faucets.

That alone muddies his accomplishments in my book. But, add to that his innate ability to bash former teammates, his penchant to complain and quit when he feels a situation turn dour, and his oversized ego…

Let’s flip the script and compare his season with Kobe’s. Kobe never complained about the Lakers or even Shaq. But four years ago, he decided to test free agency. Which was his right. Jerry Buss made the decision to trade Shaq and to resign Kobe. And Kobe spent three years of his prime working with Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, and a bunch of rookies who seemed outclassed and out of their league.

This past summer, he complained and demanded out. He even threw his young teammates under the bus, namely Andrew Bynum. Yes, very baby-like, very immature, very unclassy. Very, dare I say it, Shaq-like.

But, despite that, he came to camp, worked his butt off like he always does, and began the season playing just as hard as he had in previous seasons. The Lakers started off hot, and Andrew Bynum emerged. And, if you watched those first 35 games with Bynum, who was forcing passes into the young center? Who was pulling him off to the side to school him on how to defend Jermaine O’neal? Who helped Bynum become a 13 and 10 and 2 guy? Mr. Bryant.

Bryant has heaped praise on the young Bynum, calling him a “phenomenal talent” and noting that he is an intricate part of the Lakers’ future. And, unlike the hollow words of Shaquille O’neal who once called Bryant the best player in the game, Kobe went out of his way to make Bynum a star. Kobe understands what he needs to win a championship. Shaq, having jumped from good situation to good situation, has never gone through a development period. He seems to think all he needs is himself, or at least, that's how his pattern has been over the course of his career.

All of this is to make one simple point. As much as I want to see Nash and Co. do the impossible and come back from 0-3 in the hole, as much as I want to see Nash hoist a Larry O’Brien, a huge part of me can’t help but wish the Suns to get blown out tomorrow night when visiting the Spurs.

An embarrassing first round defeat for Shaq, to the team Phoenix brought him in specifically to beat and by means of Popovich exposing all of Shaq's weaknesses and holes that he never bothered to work on…now that would be Karma.