Shaq back on the sideline for Game 5
"Calf" is code word for foot. This is one of those things I was hoping to be wrong about. When Danny traded Perk his rationale was that we'd be fine at the center position, since we have Shaq. I was like, "Are you mad? You're going to pin our title hopes on a 39 year old, 7 foot, 400 pound man with bad feet?" See I'd seen this before in 1987 with Bill Walton. Old big men with bad feet just don't get better. Then add in all the extra weight. I've heard Tommy mention countless times that his career was over just like that because of a foot injury.
Unfortunately I was right and Shaq has given us a total of 2 points in the playoffs. Now there's no other choice, but to hope J.O. has it left in his high milage tank to up his minutes and help lead us to the conference finals. We're asking a ton of J.O. as he really was the 'Sheed replacement, and he's doing a fine job filling those minutes. I've never heard of a team trading a quality starting center, while in 1st place mind you, for a backup to an all-star wing. It simply blows my mind.