Shaq’s in a bad mood
At 4-14 and mired in last place in the Southeast Division through the first quarter of the year, the season isn’t technically over yet for the Miami Heat, but it’s getting close. To put it bluntly, they’ve been awful this year. They look slow, they have trouble scoring, they can’t stop other teams and it seems like they’re consistently on the wrong end of blowouts. Losers of four in a row, the Heat are in Golden State tonight – the odds of them getting cracked and run right out of the gym are pretty great.
Warranted or not, Shaq has been the focus of a lot of the blame for Miami’s struggles. Fans, writers and even Dwyane Wade have been critical of Shaq the past few months and it’s apparently put the Diesel in a pretty poor mood.
From today’s Miami Herald:
PORTLAND, Ore. –
If Heat center Shaquille O’Neal is on the decline, he’s not going down quietly.Upset with his team’s poor start, and with his teammate’s inability to get him the ball, O’Neal might have reached a breaking point.
O’Neal, 35, is averaging career lows in points (15.4), rebounds (7.4), minutes (28.4) and field-goal attempts (10.8). He also has an all-time low level of tolerance for teammates who can’t seem to get on the same page with him, and others who say his age is the biggest reason behind his decrease in production.
”If I’m taking 20 shots a game, and I’m only making two, then you can say my production is going down,” O’Neal said. “But I’m still shooting 60 or 65 percent from the field. So they’ve got to find better ways to get me the ball. It should be simple.”
Asked if he has expressed concerns with teammates or coach Pat Riley, O’Neal said, “I shouldn’t have to [expletive] communicate that.”
You cannot argue with the fact that Shaq is older and a step (or a few) slower, but to his credit, when given the opportunity, he can still take care of business. He gave Yao 20 and 14 in late November and put 20 points on Dwight Howard the next night, so you know he still has something. And he clearly thinks the problem with the Heat is much bigger than just getting him the ball:
There also was talk that O’Neal had stopped initiating conversation with some teammates out of frustration.
”I’m not a yeller — we already have enough yellers on this team,” O’Neal said. “I don’t want to sound like everybody else. I just try to keep a positive attitude with the guys. But it’s enough talking. We have to do.”
O’Neal believes that starts with better defense, going through him on offense and surrounding him with players capable of stepping up.
”You have to know what the makeup of the team is,” O’Neal said, hinting he needs more aggressive players on the court. ‘Guys should drive, they should cut. I’m a great passer from the post. Other guys have to take it personally if they’re fronting me and backing me. You have to say, `OK, they’re disrespecting me, so I’m going to get 40 on you tonight.’ ”
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December 7th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
flyp says:
That doesn’t sound like the happy-go-lucky/awesome-quote-machine Shaq that I’m used to. But then again, this isn’t the Heat that I’m used to either.
December 7th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Gee says:
Let the drama unfold. Perhaps life with Kobe wasn’t so bad after all. Maybe he should call in sick like Kidd. Naw just play dude and stop trippin. If it ain’t you then, don’t let it be you and get yo points. You suppose to lead then lead and teach guys what to do. Hmmm that is it, he is to old for that teaching stuff at this point he just wants to win.
Sorry Shaq, divorce and then this debacle wit your team. Just a bad year homey. Perhaps you will have a better time with the police squad.
1
December 7th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Myrie says:
Shaq cannot elevate. He has no lift. Can’t get off the ground. It’s almost painful to watch him. He can still be effective, but not consistently on a night-to-night, game-to-game basis.
He mentioned the make up of the team, that may not change, but HE may have to change his role. probably needs to take a David Robinson approach and just anchor the defense and rebounding.
Riles should just let his athletes play (Wade, Davis, Cook, Wright etc..). His team is 4-14; so going in this direction shouldn’t be any worse.
December 7th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
jz_smoove says:
Shaq needs to admit he is on the decline. Maybe not from age but for whatever reason, he is not the Most Dominant Ever anymore. Although, I say give him the chance to redeem hmself, pound him the rock and lets see what he been yapping bout. As for his teammates takin it personnally, is he talkin bout Wade? Then maybe D-Wade should try and come out to score 40-50 each game.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
girlybballluver says:
I’ve given up all hope of my team having a winning season (provided a trade…that hopefully won’t include Haslem). Shaq’s ego is causing him problems now that he has to adjust to a new role. But he is not the Heat’s only problem. They’ve really lost their mojo
The way this team is going, they’ll be lucky to make it to the playoffs. I wonder what will happen when Wade’s contract is up.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Jah says:
Shaq is physically older, but still capable of DOMINATING a game. He brought up excellent points pertaining to his percentages. If he gets more shots and touches, he can make things happen more. Why have Shaq on your team if you´re not going to use him as a focal point?
December 7th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Bust Jlaze says:
He sounds eerily similar to the end of the Lakers run…I KNEW he and DWade would start clashing at some point, he clashes with ALL his star guards!! First Penny, then Kobe, and now….maybe the start of clashing with DWade. And it’s always the same thing…”they’re not getting me the ball properly”. (Solja Boy voice) Sorry dawg, it’s YOUUUUUUU!!!!
December 8th, 2007 at 10:47 am
QQ says:
Yeah, yeah, whatever you say big fella. You used to dominate(now, that term is reserved to a kid named Dwight Howard), but these days, you’re just plain old.