The Big Rental got his way, again. That no longer should come as a surprise.
In the end, Shaquille O'Neal has turned into the very man he mocked for a transient end of a career. Now, he is Patrick Ewing in a Sonics uniform and then a Magic uniform.
The Big Sidekick, of course, also gets to ride again.
But is Shaquille O'Neal now too much of The Big Liability?
Let's get this straight: the reason the Cavaliers saw their NBA-best record end in an Eastern Conference finals demise against the Orlando Magic was not because of Dwight Howard's interior dominance. Even with Howard's scoring, the Cavaliers were right there.
It was not about establishing a post-up game. Orlando was packing the paint against LeBron, so it's not as if there was plenty of room to maneuver in the lane, anyway.
It was about defending the pick-and-roll.
And, if you haven't noticed, it's not as if Shaq has deteriorated into one of the worst defenders in the league against the pick-and-roll. He was awful even when he was winning his three consecutive championships with the Lakers. It's just that there was enough talent available to mask that deficiency.
