Shaq is in the Roger Clemens phase of his career
Shaquille O’Neal (photo. Chenoa Maxwell)Even if Shaquille O’Neal stays healthy all year, don’t count on him playing a full 82-game slate. Suns coach Terry Porter says he’s considering having The Big Recliner either sit out or play limited minutes in the second of back-to-back games when they come up on the schedule.
“We may do a little bit of both. Of all the guys who have played that position, he’s probably been fouled the most and beaten on numerous times,” Porter told the East Valley Tribune. “We want to be proactive in giving him enough minutes to stay sharp, but looking at the big picture and giving him ample time to get rest. He might go 28-30 minutes, and then the second night he might be limited or not play.”
We’ll get a chance to see how that plays out right away, as the Suns open the season at San Antonio on Oct. 29, then play the Hornets at home the following night. And with Shaq recently backing off a bit on his previously-scheduled 2010 retirement date, how long before he’s doing the Roger Clemens thing and only playing home games?
Source: East Valley Tribune
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October 24th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
jimmhumm says:
Shaq can still be very effective for short bursts. He was the MDE from 1999-2006 but now he’s the SDS (Still dominant sometimes)! I expect to see him play as much as Ewing did in seatle. Consider this no back up center will ever be as good as shaq coming of the bench. But we all know for a fact that wont ever happen with shaq’s ego.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Sam I Am says:
It sucks to get old man…I keep seeing DIME do the “We Reminisce” bits and see young Shaq just kill the game of basketball.
now not so much
October 24th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
YOUNGFED says:
……..SMDH
October 24th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
dagwaller says:
I read somewhere (if not here earlier, then on Basketbawful’s preview of the Suns season) that Porter was thinking about giving Nash the same treatment.
So, just to recap, Porter is planning on not playing two of his best three players (on a team that really only has 6-8 players it can rely on – and 8 is stretching it) for a good portion of the season.
Right.
October 24th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Austin Burton says:
The goal is to have them fresh for the playoffs. But of course resting them too much means you might miss the playoffs. There’s your Catch-22.
October 24th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
gangsta of love says:
Shaq’s doing human growth hormone and boning 15 yr. old country singers?
October 24th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
GEE...I got a bounty on George Karl. says:
Retire PLEEEEEEEASE!
October 24th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
QQ says:
Holler GEE… Just please fucking retire, old man.
October 24th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
QuEsT??? says:
shaq still has a lot of basketball in him, hes like manny ramirez he just needs motivation
October 24th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
John says:
Let the big fella play another season ,,, He is the end of an era, like Mike 98. I dont think Shaq wants to eat properly and work hard, so play a couple of minutes, and if the team go to the playoffs , them play him 35 minutes,,,
October 24th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Ian says:
austin no way u can compare shaq to clemens who could still pitch like the best when he was doing all that crap in houston shaq cant play for shit
btw sds sounds like an std jimmhumm
October 24th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Austin Burton says:
When you don’t compare 2008 Shaq to 2001 Shaq, you’ll see that he’s still really good. He’s still Top-5 (no lower than Top-10) at his position currently.