Breaking Down the Bench... Shaq

I have to admit that when rumors first started surfacing about Shaq joining the Celtics, I was horrified. Like many other long time Celtics fans, I've always poked fun at Shaq for how big and slow he is, and his trademark free throws. However, the idea of him as the backup center for the C's has grown on me more and more, as his size and power will almost certainly plug the gap in the Celtics' rebounding department. Also, despite the things he says in interviews and in front of reporters that give him his reputation as a funny guy, he has a very high basketball IQ. He has gained a lot of knowledge about the game and the players over his long career, and may even be able to give the Celtics some tips on how to stop Kobe in the playoffs... or at least aggravate him.

This season will be the first in O'Neal's 20 year career that he will be coming off the bench. Although there are a handful of reasons that I'd rather see him starting instead of Jermaine O'Neal, I think Shaq's transition to the bench will be a smooth one. He knows what his role will be, and I trust that Doc will know when to put the big guy in... for example, when KG isn't pulling down boards or when the Celtics are getting badly beat near the hoop. Huge and slow as they may be, I can't wait to watch the two LSU big men Shaq and Baby Davis outmuscling other backup forwards in the paint. As a backup for the first time, Shaq will definitely get some attention as a sixth man of the year candidate since his combination of blocks, rebounds, and personality is unmatched by any other backup player in the NBA. Hopefully he'll be able to contribute some points as well.

I think Shaq will fit right in with the veterans on this team, and will be able to teach Big Baby and the younger guys a thing or two also. His style of play fits well with Boston, as Rondo will love having Shaq sitting in the middle ready for his quick passes, and KG will love having another Hall of Fame big man helping him pull down rebounds. Though it's possible that he could slow down the Celtics at times, which is the major concern for many Celtics' fans, it is unlikely that he could slow them down so much that it would actually be a detriment to the team. It's not like Perkins is much more agile than O'Neal, and neither one of them would really be playing a role on the fast-break anyway. His free throws won't be fun to watch, but hey that's expected, the Hack-a-Shaq strategy was named after the guy. Hopefully Ray can take him and Rondo aside at some point and show them the masterful art of the foul shot.

Nevertheless, I think the pros in Shaq's game will definitely make up for the cons, and while he isn't a lock for sixth man of the year, don't be surprised if his contributions off the bench next season cause him to get some award worthy attention. As far as backup big men go, I don't think it gets much better than Shaquille O'Neal. The guy helps his team get to the playoffs almost every year, and with championships on a cluster of teams that will hopefully include Boston someday soon, he is a lock for the Hall of Fame. Honestly, I have a harder time visualizing him as a bench player than I do as a Celtic... but he's a great fit for the Celtics' second unit, and brings a lot to the table.

Next up for Breaking Down the Bench... the potential future face of the Celtics who was only two years old during Shaq's rookie season.