The Memory of Shaquille O’Neal Hovers Over the L.A. Lakers

The spectre of Shaquille O’Neal looms over the Los Angeles Lakers. It probably will for many years. It is still a recent memory for many current Lakers fans. For example, they can recall Shaquille O’Neal grabbing offensive rebounds, being battered by defenders and powering up for a slam dunks to clean up any offensive mistakes.

That is what the Lakers fans expect from Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. It is a ‘tall order’ (no pun intended).

There are few athletes who have Shaquille O’Neal’s unique combination of sheer mass, girth, strength, athleticism, footwork, timing and yes, intimidation. Shaquille O’Neal went through a stage of destroying hoops and shattering backboards. It delivered a subtle message to defenders throughout the league.

In Game Five of the Lakers / Nugget playoff series, Lamar Odom rose up for a one handed dunk. Chris Andersen met the ball at the hoop, with one hand, and blocked the ball. It prevented the score. It is unlikely that there would have been similar success with Shaquille O’Neal dunking the ball. In his prime years, Shaq would power up with both hands on the ball and it would have been foolish (if not career ending) to imagine stopping that with a single hand. There might be a foul across the wrist, a hold of the arm or a grab of Shaquille O’Neal. However, there would not be a lone hand between the hoop and a Shaquille O’Neal dunk.

Nevertheless, this is the standard to which Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum are held. Pau Gasol plays a completely different game. While Shaquille O’Neal would power to the hoop, Pau Gasol is more a finesse player. Pau Gasol’s offense is the use of both hands and can extend away from the basket for jump shots. On defense, he uses position and angles instead of power and strength. Their games are totally different.

The expectations for the Lakers young center, Andrew Bynum, are exceedingly high. Andrew Bynum’s size and potential invite comparisons. However, Andrew Bynum is only twenty one and drafted directly from high school to the L.A. Lakers. Shaquille O’Neal had time at Louisiana State University to hone his game. At twenty one, Shaquille O’Neal was developing his game. At that age, he was not expected to help carry one of the premier franchises of the NBA to a professional championship.

Indeed this would be enormous pressure on any athlete. Andrew Bynum has the added burden of trying to recover fully from two serious knee injuries. There is a possibility that Andrew Bynum might not recover to the point where he showed such promise. Yet, the standard to which he is compared is far beyond that. The standard is Shaquille O’Neal and championships.

The Lakers organization has been patient with Andrew Bynum. Kareem Abdul Jabbar is on the Lakers coaching staff for the expressed purpose of developing Andrew Bynum skills. However, at this point, the Lakers are five wins away from a championship. The Lakers fans see that Andrew Bynum is in uniform and starting games. The wish is for the young center to be the missing element to complete a championship run. Andrew Bynum wants to play more. He has expressed this publicly, to the point of questioning coaching decisions.

Andrew Bynum’s playing time has been limited by Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who knows that playoff basketball has its own unique physical and emotional intensity. Phil Jackson has to maximize Andrew Bynum’s productivity and, at the same time, be protective. The playoffs can have long term impact on his young center’s confidence. And, if Andrew Bynum is showing signs of fatigue, he is more likely to be injured again. It is a delicate balance to maintain and there is no one more qualified to decide on Andrew Bynum’s playing time. Phil Jackson has won nine professional basketball championships - and three of those championships with Shaquille O’Neal.

The Lakers fans want a dominant center. Andrew Bynum wants to time on the court to prove himself and make people forget ‘you-know-who’. And Phil Jackson knows that the reputations can be made during the playoffs… and just as easily, championship hopes can vanish.

Catherine Forsythe