Shaq Hates Dwight Howard

NEW YORK, NY - When asked last night if Dwight Howard would be the next closest thing to Shaq that he's seen, Shaquille O'neal responded with the arrogance and dry humor that's made him the funniest person over 7 feet tall on the planet year after year:

"No," he said. "Not at all. He's a good player. He can jump. But no. I was the type of player that they had to have secret meetings and change the rules and do all that. Probably never be another me. He's a good player, but everything he's done, I've invented. So I'm not impressed."

O'neal has had a way with words over the years, calling out nearly every competitor in the league. Who doesn't remember the Kobe rap, the Yao Ming comments, or even the haymaker that nearly ended Brad Miller's life.

The thing about this one is that he couldn't be more wrong if he tried. Dwight Howard is a carbon copy of a young O'Neal, well with more muscle definition, and can jump higher, and shoots a higher free throw percentage, and is faster, quicker and a better dunker. Anyhow, I for one am not that impressed with the Magic, or Dwight Howard's game. He's a beast, don't get me wrong, but he's only good because of his athletic ability at his size. He can't shoot (from more than 5 feet from the basket, including the free throw line), has average low post moves, and has been shut down in the playoffs his entire career. Yea, I know he is an animal on the glass and on defense, but how could you not be at this size?

Am I the only one who couldn't be less worried about this team in the playoffs? Take a look at the game film from the last two Detroit playoff series'....fact is that even with Howard in the middle, this is a jump shooting basketball team. We all know how well jump shooting teams do in the playoffs. On the other hand, Jameer Nelson is having a phenomenal year, Rashard Lewis is still terribly overrated, and Turkoglu is pretty solid and a go-to guy down the stretch in close games. The rest of this team is baaaad, you're not going anywhere in this league with a bench comprised of Mickael Pietrus, Brian Cook, Tony Battie, Anthony Johnson and Marcin Gortat. Sorry Orlando, Shaq's not impressed, and neither am I.