허벅지 부상으로 동부 파이널 1차전 출전이 불투명했던 샤크가 드디어 팀 연습에 복귀했다는 소식입니다.
스탠 밴 건디와 에디 존스의 말로는 상당히 좋아보였다고 합니다. 1차전부터 출전할 수 있을 거라고 합니다.
샤크는 자신이 없는 동안 잘 해준 팀 동료들에게 감사하다고 말했습니다.
O'Neal back at practice, hopeful for start of East finals
By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer
May 21, 2005
MIAMI (AP) -- Shaquille O'Neal's availability for the start of the Eastern Conference finals was shrouded in mystery Saturday, his bruised right thigh still a source of concern.
The Detroit Pistons aren't necessarily believing the story, however.
O'Neal practiced with the Miami Heat on Saturday, participating in some 5-on-5, full-contact, full-court basketball for the first time in 11 days. He was held out of some later portions of the workout, a move designed so that he wouldn't overtax the sore muscle that has bothered him for five weeks.
Still, he was noncommittal about being ready for Monday's Game 1 with the Pistons, saying he ``hopefully'' would be in the Heat starting lineup against the defending NBA champions.
``We just have to keep playing well,'' said O'Neal, who hasn't played since Game 2 of the East semis with Washington. ``I don't want this to be about me. I haven't been out there for a couple games, and the team has been playing well. If I play, we're going to do the same thing. If I don't, we're going to do the same thing.''
Odds are that O'Neal will play Monday. The Heat will practice lightly Sunday, and O'Neal is expected to participate again -- unless he wakes up to find the injury has worsened.
``We'll anxiously await (Sunday) and see how he feels,'' Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said.
Meanwhile, the Pistons -- who ended Shaq's quest for a fourth NBA title last season, beating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games for the league championship -- steadfastly believe the 7-foot-1, 327-pound force will be raring to go when the series opens.
``That's what Shaq wants y'all to think, that he's hurting,'' Pistons forward Ben Wallace said. ``Shaq is going to be ready to play. Don't keep feeding into that. There's nothing wrong with Shaq.''
Added Detroit forward Rasheed Wallace: ``It doesn't matter if he's 100 percent, 55 percent, he's still going to demand that double team and special attention. To me, he's the greatest player on earth.''
O'Neal was injured April 17 when he was inadvertently kneed by Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal while defending a drive to the basket. He hasn't been the same since, yet still averaged 18 points and 8.2 rebounds in Miami's first six playoff games.
The two games he missed against Washington were the first playoff contests he sat out in his career, and being a spectator left him feeling a bit depressed -- even though Miami won both games to remain the lone unbeaten team in this year's NBA playoffs.
``This is the time when I try to raise my game a little and I've been limited because of a freak injury,'' said O'Neal, who has career playoff averages of 26.8 points and 12.7 rebounds. ``I've been kind of down because this is new to me.''
Teammates gave his return to the practice floor solid marks, saying he looked rested and ready.
``He looks fine. He did everything that we did out there,'' Heat forward Eddie Jones said. ``He looks good. ... This is one of those series where you've got to have your dominant player against a great defensive team.''
The series is one of those clash-of-styles matchups, with Detroit excelling on the defensive end and Miami finding success turning Dwyane Wade loose and outscoring opponents.
Miami is averaging 106.5 points on 51.1 percent shooting so far in the playoffs, with Wade averaging 28.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 8.4 assists in the eight games. Detroit yielded its first two playoff opponents, Philadelphia and Indiana, just 84.4 points per game on 41.5 percent shooting.
If O'Neal isn't healthy and on the floor, then all of Detroit's defensive energies will be focused on Wade. And on April 10, with O'Neal sidelined by a stomach virus, the Pistons held Wade to five points in 21 frustration-filled minutes and beat the host Heat, 80-72.
That Pistons win -- Miami's lone home defeat in its last 25 games -- proves how critical having O'Neal on the floor is to Miami's championship chances.
``The true test will be how I feel tomorrow,'' O'Neal said. ``But today was a good day. Guys were playing hard. Guys were focused. And we'll be ready, one way or another.''
첫댓글 디트로이트 클 났다 이제 -_-;; 과연 지난 파이널의 복수를 할 수 있을까.. 샼샼샼샼샼
샼 너의 그 아무도 막지 못하는 폭발력을 보여줘!!
샤킬 오닐 더이상 말이 필요없는 선수 고고!
안돼
개인적으로 샤크는 밴형제에겐 좀 약한거 같은데...물론 제 생각 ^ ^; 변수는 웨이드라고 생각합니다..
뭐 아무리 샤크라고해도 더블포스트에게 그 위력이 감소되는것이죠^^... R&B, 던컨&네스탈로비치,제독... 그러나 작년 결승전에선 좀 다른 작전을 썼었죠... 샥의 위력은 대단했지만 나머지전원 침묵;;;
전에 오닐이 없었을 때 경기 한 거 보니까.. 마이애미..오닐이 없어도 상당히 저력있는 팀입니다... 오닐이 만약 나오지 못하더라도 디트로이트와 접전을 벌일 수 있습니다..
작년에 샼 월러스형제 상대로 골밑 초토화 시킨걸로아는데.. 샼을 막기는 불가능할듯.. 웨이드라도 막아준다면..
샼 !!! 부활 로딩중 ...
작년 파이널때 월러스 형제 샼한테 진짜 초토화 됬었죠 ㅡㅡ;;; 이번 시리즈는 웨이드가 관건일듯...
이제 샤크의 어택이 시작된다ㅋ
샤크 작년 파이널 때 기록 엄청 좋았던 걸로 기억 합니다. 30득점 까진 못했어도 20득점 이하로 내려간 경기는 별로 없었죠.
디트가 황당하게도 과감히 샼을 풀고 코비를 잡는 경기를 했으니 스탯은 당연히 좋았고 활약 역시 엄청났죠
그래봤자, 거의 LAL의 포스트는 샥 외엔 믿을 만한 선수가 없었기에 샥 vs 월러스 브라더스 + 오쿠어, 등의 포스트진 대결은 역시나 볼만했습니다.. 일찍 승부가 나버린 경기 말고는 35점이상도 두어번 찍었던걸로 기억합니다만..
샼은 스탯도 좋았고 활약 역시 엄청났다고 말했는데 '35점 이상도 두어번 찍었다'라고 꼬릿말을 다시는 건 무슨 의도신가요ㅎㅎ 물론 풀어줬다는 게 '그냥 냅뒀다'가 아닌 건 아실텐데^^;; 물론 그들의 매치업은 당연히 재밌었죠~!
드디어 그날이 왔다 작년파이널의 복수를 샤크형님 이번에도 한번 대박부탁드립니다. 마이애미 ㄱㄱ
샤크를 막을 수 있는 대안이 캠블, 오쿠어등을 적극 활용한 물량공세 이외에 대안이 없었기 때문이었던 거지 그게 황당한 건지는 잘 몰겠군요..
웨이드가 모든것을 끝냈거라는 생각이....