In case you don't remember, that did happen. Before becoming a Laker he (Shaq) tried to carry Orlando, remember? The only real trouble was some guy in Chicago and a squad of hapless performers known as the Bulls. Handed him lunch a few times if I remember correctly. I do remember...i think he took Orlando to the finals in his second or third year at a time when all he knew how to do was dunk the ball....and he beat Jordan's team....Jordan only played 20 games that year but he was still Jordan and still good enough to drop a 'double nickle' on my knicks Think about this thought: SHAQ IN ORLANDO: Penny hardaway was an al star and considered the best player in BB.....what happened when shaq left? NICK ANDERSON made the all star team playing along side him DENNIS SCOTT became a three point star,,What happened to them? SHAQ IN LA: Eddi Jones, nick van exle and Elden Campbell all got HUGE contracts playing along side shaq...and none of them is smelling all star anymore....Heck even Trevor Knight got a huge contract and Ty LUE as well......It is easy when you play along shaq...At lease Kobe has done it with out shaq in the line up
Shaq was an underachiever until Jackson came along....how much credit goes to the coach of MJ and Shaq?
I will give him no credit...you could have taken the bulls to the finals. Thats why he waited for the right team to come his way before stepping back into the coaching arena. I credit him for being one smart mo-fuck....
I don't think you understand the value of coaching. It was Jackson that helped shape MJ, just ask MJ if he could have done it without Jackson as coach. Where would the Lakers be without Shaq? Ask Del Harris.
Got to agree w/ opitonal here....I use to feel the same way about Phil until he took over the lakers..remember this : In haris' last season he had MORE TALENT by far then Phil...He had a quality back up center ( Knight) a Quality PF/CENTER ( elden campbel) EDDIE JONES, VAN EXEL, CEDRIC CEBALLOS AND OTHERS.....phil got rid of all of them and won with HORRY, GRANT and FOX????? Pluse he doesn't panick...when the fued happened, he did the best thing,,,,stay out and let them guys settle it...now kobe and shaq are in love
Yep, and Mike puinished them from then on. That was the year that EVERYONE took the Bulls lesson and learned how to expose the soft underbelly of the Shaq. He couldn't turn to his right (still really can't), only had a dunk (subsequently added the fade hook from Kareem's camp that summer), and couldn't (still can't) shoot a consistent free throw. As far as Orlando was concerned, he became an expendable liability. The additional tools that HIS game needed were not there. Good players, but not to compliment a Shaq. These are what I call the TV players. They show good on the television for fan viewing, but none of them had the carisma or talent to build a WINNING, DOMINANT team around. They were great roll players at best. But no one understood their roles and how to mesh them into a team correctly. So they stumble(d) around the league as quasi-stars with record setting stat abilities. But even with all those advantages, there is no one personality that the team fits around. Therefore, the team ebbs and flows and exists on the ability of the COACH to manage them along. When Shaq is out, it is the Kobe show. I remember the early Jordan days when I see this venue. Mike just dominated the teams, the opponent as well as his own. Stats through the roof, but no glory to go with it. But the rest of the cast kind of wanders in the dark hoping to get a shot in somewhere. When Kobe sits down, it's the Shaq show. A whole new game for the supporting cast who still can't find out what exactally they need to be doing. The reality is that there are two bench players there that make the whole thing work (so far) for both stars. Take them away and this squad sucks. You seem knowledgable, what two are they? What two bench/support players being removed from the Laker cast would decimate the team?
Managing the egos of superstar millionaire athletes is not as easy as you think. You really don't understand what an NBA coach does, do you? Haven't you ever been in a managment position?