No one was more dominant than Peak Shaq

[2legit]

Lost in all of the MJ vs LeBron threads is the fact that no one was more dominant than Shaq at his peak. No player had opponents shook like Shaq. He had Western Conference teams signing every 7 foot stiff they could find to provide 6 fouls vs Shaq. There was no way to stop Peak Shaq other than fouling him.

He dominated the NBA finals in a way no one has ever done before

2000: 38/17

2001: 33/16 vs the DPOY Dikembe Mutombo

2002: 36/12 vs the #1 defense

 

[Bryan Danielson]

NO ONE!!!!

 

[Juggalo Fred]

Draymond would shut him down easily

 

[Big Blue]

That dominance. Shaq would have averaged 50 in Wilt's era. I'm ready for the negs

 

[Professor Emeritus]

He was maddeningly inconsistent sometimes though. In the 2000 WCF, when he was supposed to be at his peak, he averaged just 26ppg on 53% shooting despite the Blazers guarding him with 35yo barely mobile Sabonis backed up by 6'9" 240lb Brian Grant. In the decisive Game 7 he scored just 18 points on 5-9 shooting with 4 turnovers and would have lost the game if the refs hadn't fouled out Sabonis on bullshyt calls.





I'm not just singling out one series either - before 2000 he had plenty of underwhelming playoff performances despite stacked teams around him, and it's not like you can blame youth because in 1999 he was 27yo and was in his 7th straight All-Star season. Was often less than he could be in the regular season too.

And yet....those 3 straight Finals performances were among the most dominant of all time.

 

[DaKidFromNoWhere]

The only issue I will always have with Shaq is that he didnt take shyt serious.
Dude really could have had a claim for the G.O.A.T.

 

[bucks3115]

what about wilt tho

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

Nah, his injured big toe being rehabbed on company time could stop that dominance. As could him being totally out of shape. Or how if the “big dog” didn’t get fed then he ain’t wanna rebound or play defense. Don’t get me wrong, Shaq was definitely laying down law but he prevented himself from truly being dominant.

Put it this way, he did what he did in his peak and acted like a lazy ass fukkboy a lot of that time which is why him and Kobe clashed to begin with. If he really was bout his shyt, he really would be the MDE and might’ve gone down as the GOAT.

 

[broller]

He was maddeningly inconsistent sometimes though. In the 2000 WCF, when he was supposed to be at his peak, he averaged just 26ppg on 53% shooting despite the Blazers guarding him with 35yo barely mobile Sabonis backed up by 6'9" 240lb Brian Grant. In the decisive Game 7 he scored just 18 points on 5-9 shooting with 4 turnovers and would have lost the game if the refs hadn't fouled out Sabonis on bullshyt calls.





I'm not just singling out one series either - before 2000 he had plenty of underwhelming playoff performances despite stacked teams around him, and it's not like you can blame youth because in 1999 he was 27yo and was in his 7th straight All-Star season. Was often less than he could be in the regular season too.

And yet....those 3 straight Finals performances were among the most dominant of all time.

That 2000 WCF Game 7 is one of the most sickening sports memories for me of all time. I told mans the Blazers were gonna win even down 3-1 and was all for much of the game

 

[UpAndComing]

The answer is Wilt Chamberlain

Easily

 

[BaggerofTea]

Teams that had to hack a shaq just to keep the ball put of his hands

 

[murksiderock]

Shaq was not more dominant than LeBron peak-for-peak, and I have good cause to doubt he was more dominant than Mike, Kareem, or Wilt peak-for-peak, but I didnt see those guys to feel 100% confident in my assessment. I saw him and LeBron, get outta here...

I can definitely question whether he was more dominant than Giannis too...

Calling Shaq the most dominant player ever was a branding and marketing mantra that worked for both him and the NBA at large, but was never true. The only way that could be phrased to be true is you could say he was the most dominant player in The League at his peak...

That other shyt is bull...

 

[010101]

cardio=kryptonite*

 

[Professor Emeritus]

That 2000 WCF Game 7 is one of the most sickening sports memories for me of all time. I told mans the Blazers were gonna win even down 3-1 and was all for much of the game

I was 100% certain Blazers were going to win the Finals if they won the WCF and at the beginning of the 4th quarter I got up to rush to my friend's crib who was a huge Blazer fan and we were going to have a preemptive Finals victory party. But I didn't go out the door cause the Lakers started coming back. I spent literally the entire 4th quarter standing in front of the door, not being able to leave but also not being able to sit back down, watching the disaster unfold before me.

 

[HabitualChiller]

LeBron 2016-2018?