Marko Mondays: Shaq For NBA All-Star Game?
O’Neal came into this season fit and healthy and extremely motivated. He has been an all star calibre center putting up numbers and impacting the game as well as anyone. Only Yao and Timmy Duncan in the West and Dwight in the East are having better seasons and since the Spurs insist on calling Duncan a power forward he's not in the mix. For the Phoenix Suns, Shaq has been the best player by far. He's played with the most consistency and intensity night in and night out. Shaq leads the Suns in blocks, rebounds per 48min and is second in points. His defence in the lane has been active and his feet are allowing him to control the paint without getting into foul trouble. The big fella is still a liability on pick and rolls and while he has tried at times to trap guards or cover out on the perimeter, the Suns are best when he hangs back and makes teams shoot over him. Much is made about Shaq's skipping games, but so far he's only missed 5. That's far fewer then Carolos Boozer and Tony Parker and only a couple less then Dwight. Resting Shaq makes sense. Shaq will never get more votes than Yao (nor should he) but he also should be a lock to be selected as an all star reserve for 2008-09 season and he doesn't need a video campaign to do it. Only Biedrins of the Golden State Warriors is close and his numbers are inflated by being the only big man on a small team with a losing record. Al Jefferson is a power forward listed as center and plays on an even worse team but even so deserves to be an all star as well.
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