If you think Shaq was a great defender like Embiid is, i'll just stop this argument now and we'll move on because this is a lost cause. I'm honestly surprised to see your lack of basketball knowledge in this area, because you're showing how little you watched Shaq.

The fact that you think Shaq was a good defender is crazy bro, and bringing up his all-defense team selections? The man had THREE All-Defense 2nd team selections in a a 19 year career. Embiid already had two All-Defense 2nd team selections in his first 3 seasons and has already been a legit DPOY candidate 2 or 3 times in just 4 seasons.


Shaq was a good defender in the post 1 on 1 against post up plays, that's it. That's where his defense ended. He lacked the lateral quickness to ever be utilized anywhere else, he was a big body in the post and could rack up blocks as a result but he was NOT a good defender overall. He even admitted on many occasions how poor of a p&r defender he was, because he'd get targeted by teams and abused in that area. Shaq was an absolutely poor team defender, period.


Embiid has his moments of laziness no doubt, we've all seen it, but his ability to defend anywhere on the court is something Shaq could only dream about. Embiid can pick up at the 3pt line and hold his own against guards and does well in P&R situations too, and has crazy good lateral quickness for a guy his size (soccer background helped).

Silly argument, but Embiid is 100000% a better fit in todays modern space and pace NBA where big men are required to do more than just sit their fat asses in the paint and just be big lmao. Shaq would get exposed way worse than he already did in his prime for being so god damn slow laterally.


also LOL @ using DWS when comparing what big men did then versus what they have to do now. Shaq would be a liability and targeted like crazy defensively, and then it would be hack a shaq all day on him on offense because the man couldn't shoot a free throw to save his life.

This post was edited by Sixers on Oct 24 2020 01:53pm

Uwut

And then proceeds to write 4 more paragraphs of opinions.

& the player in the modern era is more suit to play... in the modern era... YOU DONT SAY?!?

This post was edited by Dominicano on Oct 24 2020 01:59pm

Find one logical person that follows the game that thinks Shaq was a great defender I dare you

I thought you knew about hoops than this, but my god. The man was dominant as shit in the post, zero doubt about that, but defense was NOT one area where he ever consistently thrived. He has said himself on MANY occasions that he didn't give a shit about defense because he wanted to make sure he was being fed appropriately on offense.

He sat his huge body under the rim and challenged people there (which he was good at because of his sheer size and strength), mainly in 1 on 1 post up plays (which the NBA rarely does anymore these days) but did little else. Once he steps out of that paint it's game over BBQ chicken as he would say.

Considering the NBA has gone away from the post-up play, Shaq's defense would be even worse now. Again, this is why I say todays game would not fit his style of play. He's everything the modern game is not on BOTH ends of the floor.

This post was edited by Sixers on Oct 24 2020 02:02pm

But did you actually play ball after touching the game ball???

Touched ur mums balls

Okay man, I just told you that in Orlando he was much better suit for today’s game, & showed you the defensive rating & win shares & defensive all teams he made during his early career and prime being better than Embiids. If you have a problem with defensive rating & want to continue ranting on your opinion of how a modern player is better suit for the spacing of the modern game, go ahead. But I’m not entertaining this stupid ass argument.

This post was edited by Dominicano on Oct 24 2020 02:14pm

You're trying to convince us that a big man who was awful defending outside of the paint and couldn't do anything offensively away from the rim, would somehow be great for todays space and pace game that has gone completely away from both of those things.

It makes no sense, but okay. The league is different now, more skill oriented and the spacing is the key no more just standing and anchoring the paint big men are as active as ever. Would Shaq adapt and change his game today? Absolutely, but if we're talking about how he played in his day it would never work.

This post was edited by Sixers on Oct 24 2020 07:04pm

Gotta disagree with you hardcore there. Imagine having Shaq on your team and how many open shooters it leaves you..