Otsego Mar
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Huh??
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Zydrunas Ilgauskas - Looking into the slump
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Huh??
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Shaq is likely going to miss a lot of games this year because Shaq misses a lot of games. Look at his history.
Shaq's already missed 1 out of the 10 games this season. The odds of Shaq playing in over 65 games this season are pretty slim. If he plays close to his averages, he'll mis one out of 5 games.
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SanduskyCav
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Shaq played 75 games last year....
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Shaq's career average is 59 games a season. It's unrealistically optimistic to expect more than 65 games from him this year. That means you have to plan for him to miss 1 out of 5 games. This is why Z has an important role with the team this year.
rabman_gold
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What he said ^.
But seriously, we already knew that Shaq would miss some games, right?
Here's the thing: You rest Shaq early on when the schedule is tight. You give him 4-6 games somewhere between now and January.
Then you hope that the rest will allow Shaq to be more prepared for the playoffs as a result. Also, you hope that he can manage to only miss 10-12 games as a result because there was less mileage coming from the 320 pound, 7 foot 1 center. In fact, that also keeps Z fresh but also able to have his own games of production to stay in rhythm. Z won't need to play 27 minutes a game this year (2000+ total minutes). Neither will Shaq, though he'll play closer to that. In fact, neither may even need to push 1600 total minutes during the regular season. Clearly look better in the playoffs, but help each other.
We should have already knew this. A win-win. Z's slump won't last if he looks anything like last year at all sooner or later.
But seriously, we already knew that Shaq would miss some games, right?
Here's the thing: You rest Shaq early on when the schedule is tight. You give him 4-6 games somewhere between now and January.
Then you hope that the rest will allow Shaq to be more prepared for the playoffs as a result. Also, you hope that he can manage to only miss 10-12 games as a result because there was less mileage coming from the 320 pound, 7 foot 1 center. In fact, that also keeps Z fresh but also able to have his own games of production to stay in rhythm. Z won't need to play 27 minutes a game this year (2000+ total minutes). Neither will Shaq, though he'll play closer to that. In fact, neither may even need to push 1600 total minutes during the regular season. Clearly look better in the playoffs, but help each other.
We should have already knew this. A win-win. Z's slump won't last if he looks anything like last year at all sooner or later.
samtheman67
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shaq will miss games but who cares because in the playoffs he will be ready like he is every year..
Zog
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Our team is good enough with AV at the center to beat quite a few teams. Not saying Z isn't important, but losing Z wouldn't be the end of the world.
Looking at our schedule and picking around 1 out of every 5 games for Shaq to rest (and never stretching it past 7 games in a row, also resting before Orlando games as much as possible), he could miss:
Warriors (would he play much anyways?)
Bobcats
Phoenix (same reasoning as Warriors)
Phoenix again
Bobcats again
Warriors again
Clippers
Clippers again
Knicks
Bobcats again
Knicks again
Hornets
Kings
That would put Shaq at 68 games played.
Looking at our schedule and picking around 1 out of every 5 games for Shaq to rest (and never stretching it past 7 games in a row, also resting before Orlando games as much as possible), he could miss:
Warriors (would he play much anyways?)
Bobcats
Phoenix (same reasoning as Warriors)
Phoenix again
Bobcats again
Warriors again
Clippers
Clippers again
Knicks
Bobcats again
Knicks again
Hornets
Kings
That would put Shaq at 68 games played.
If only we could predict when Shaq's body was feeling good or off and we could rest him in advance to protect him from any extensive layoff. But let's be real here. To assume he will be healthy for 70 odd games is as risky as relying on Delonte West. You just don't know what a 38 year old body will wake up feeling like, particulary at his size. Having a legitimate center there full time to ease that load is a huge plus. Not just for the games missed , but equally important is keeping his minutes down when Shaq is playing. Yeah Andy can do that at times, but that is putting more pressure on Hickson to be a bigger contributor at both ends of the floor.
No matter how you want to paint the picture, Anderson and JJ dont have the presence of Shaq and Ilgauskas. So taking one of those bigs is a big drop off. We should be lapping up the fact we are able to keep Shaq fresh both in games and by resting him. Subtracting Ilgauskas nullifies that roster flexibility.
And please let's not bring Darnell Jackson into this as an actual option.
If only we could predict when Shaq's body was feeling good or off and we could rest him in advance to protect him from any extensive layoff. But let's be real here. To assume he will be healthy for 70 odd games is as risky as relying on Delonte West. You just don't know what a 38 year old body will wake up feeling like, particulary at his size. Having a legitimate center there full time to ease that load is a huge plus. Not just for the games missed , but equally important is keeping his minutes down when Shaq is playing. Yeah Andy can do that at times, but that is putting more pressure on Hickson to be a bigger contributor at both ends of the floor.
No matter how you want to paint the picture, Anderson and JJ dont have the presence of Shaq and Ilgauskas. So taking one of those bigs is a big drop off. We should be lapping up the fact we are able to keep Shaq fresh both in games and by resting him. Subtracting Ilgauskas nullifies that roster flexibility.
And please let's not bring Darnell Jackson into this as an actual option.
No matter how you want to paint the picture, Anderson and JJ dont have the presence of Shaq and Ilgauskas. So taking one of those bigs is a big drop off. We should be lapping up the fact we are able to keep Shaq fresh both in games and by resting him. Subtracting Ilgauskas nullifies that roster flexibility.
And please let's not bring Darnell Jackson into this as an actual option.
If only we could predict when Shaq's body was feeling good or off and we could rest him in advance to protect him from any extensive layoff. But let's be real here. To assume he will be healthy for 70 odd games is as risky as relying on Delonte West. You just don't know what a 38 year old body will wake up feeling like, particulary at his size. Having a legitimate center there full time to ease that load is a huge plus. Not just for the games missed , but equally important is keeping his minutes down when Shaq is playing. Yeah Andy can do that at times, but that is putting more pressure on Hickson to be a bigger contributor at both ends of the floor.
No matter how you want to paint the picture, Anderson and JJ dont have the presence of Shaq and Ilgauskas. So taking one of those bigs is a big drop off. We should be lapping up the fact we are able to keep Shaq fresh both in games and by resting him. Subtracting Ilgauskas nullifies that roster flexibility.
And please let's not bring Darnell Jackson into this as an actual option.
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