What an NBA final: Shaq vs. Yao Ming in 2005

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What an NBA final: Shaq vs. Yao Ming




By BOB MATTHEWS
Democrat and Chronicle columnist

The Associated Press
If Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal is traded to Miami this week, he would immediately make the Heat a legitimate threat to win the NBA's Eastern Conference title next season. O'Neal, who wanted his contract extended, has been demanding a trade since the playoffs ended. [Day in Photos]


(July 12, 2004) ¡X Don't be surprised if Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming are the marquee attractions in the 2005 NBA Finals.
Assuming the O'Neal-to-Miami trade becomes official this week, Yao's Houston Rockets will become the team to beat in the Western Conference and Shaq's Heat will become a threat to win the Eastern Conference.

Yao and two-time NBA scoring champion Tracy McGrady probably are the league's best 1-2 punch at the moment, but Shaq and Dwyane Wade could be even better if O'Neal decided to get into top shape (he probably would considering how much he'd want to show up the Los Angeles Lakers) and Wade improved only slightly in his second NBA season.

Here's how the O'Neal trade would alter the balance of power in the NBA:

Eastern Conference ? There are two dominant big men in the NBA. The West (Yao) and East (Shaq) each would have one (Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy and Miami coach Stan Van Gundy couldn't have imagined this when the brothers were attending Nazareth and SUNY Brockport, respectively, two decades ago). Miami wouldn't be a cinch to win the East (defending champion Detroit and Indiana would be formidable foes) but it would become a genuine contender.

Western Conference ? The Lakers no longer would have two of the five-best players in the world, but they'd still be among a long list of legitimate conference title contenders, including Houston, Dallas, Minnesota, San Antonio and Sacramento.

Heat ? Key holdovers from last season are Wade (16.2 points per game) and Eddie Jones (team-leading 17.3 points per game). They'd join Shaq to form a solid three-man nucleus. It would be up to Pat Riley to surround them with complementary talent. Lamar Odom, Caron Butler and Brian Grant (the trio reportedly headed to the Lakers) and Rafer Alston (headed for Toronto) combined for 45 points per game last season.

But Shaq already has proved he can combine with one outstanding smaller player to take an Eastern Conference team to the NBA Finals. In 1995, O'Neal and Penny Hardaway posted an East-best 57-25 record (with a supporting cast featuring Nick Anderson, Dennis Scott, Horace Grant, Donald Royal, Brian Shaw and Anthony Bowie) before being swept by Houston in the Finals.

Lakers ? The starting five would be more athletic, but chemistry and rebounding would be big question marks. Assuming Kobe Bryant remains (how could he not after inspiring the departures of O'Neal and coach Phil Jackson?), it would be interesting to see how Odom and Butler would adjust to Bryant dominating the basketball. Brian Grant is breaking down, Karl Malone might retire and the Lakers probably wish Gary Payton would retire.

The bottom line ? The Lakers would get more for O'Neal than they gave up to acquire Wilt Chamberlain from Philadelphia or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from Milwaukee in past trades involving the NBA's most dominant big men, but they'd still get the short end of this deal ? at least for the next season or two. Odom and Butler figure to be useful NBA players after Shaq retires, but he'd have a better chance to add another championship to his resume than they would.

The next time the parent Minnesota Twins are looking for pitching help, they might consider giving Rochester Red Wings ace Dave Gassner a call. The classy left-hander leads the International League in victories (11-5 record) and ranks third with a 2.95 ERA.

The 25-year-old former 24th-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays isn't overpowering, but he knows how to pitch and makes opponents hit to reach base. In 109 2/3 innings he has allowed 103 hits with 56 strikeouts and only 17 walks. Think David Wells with a trimmer physique.

Gassner is the product of keen scouting by the Twins. He was acquired from Toronto last Dec. 16 as the “player to be named? in the July 16, 2003, trade sending outfielder Shannon Stewart from the Blue Jays to Minnesota for outfielder Bobby Kielty. Nice throw-in.

For the record, the last Red Wings to lead the IL in wins were Jimmy Haynes (12 in 1995), Anthony Telford (12 in 1991), Curt Schilling (13 in 1989) and Dennis Martinez (14 in 1976).

The projected horse to beat in Saturday's $150,000 New York Derby at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack ? Multiplication ? died of a massive heart attack after a workout at Belmont Park last Saturday morning.

The speedy Bob Baffert-trained 3-year-old colt collapsed on the track after working six furlongs in a brisk 1:11.56. The 3-year-old won the Mike Lee Stakes, the first leg of the Big Apple Triple, at Belmont June 26. The New York Derby is the second leg of the OTB Big Apple Triple, which carries a $250,000 bonus for a sweep.

Rock Hard Ten, second in the Preakness and fifth in the Belmont Stakes, won last Saturday's Swaps Breeders' Cup at Hollywood Park in California and could next start in the 135th Travers Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 28. Belmont Stakes winner Birdstone also is being pointed to the Travers. Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones will skip the Travers in favor of the Pennsylvania Derby at his home Philadelphia Park Sept. 6.

Lacrosse fans are in for a treat Saturday (7:30 p.m. at Bishop Kearney) when the Rochester Rattlers host the Boston Cannons in a Major Lacrosse League showdown. The Rattlers (4-3 record) are 3-1 since rookie goalie Tillman Johnson arrived (he has a league-best 12.50 goals-against average) and have the six-team league's best goal differential (+17). Boston has the league's best record (6-1). A key figures to be long-range two-point goals. The Rattlers have scored only four (tied for fewest in MLL) and allowed 14 (by far the most). Boston has scored 11 and allowed seven from outside the circle.

Have you noticed the number of American track stars who have been linked with performance-enhancing drugs and have performed below expectations in recent months? The distraction of defending themselves against the accusations probably is a factor. Another factor could be performing on even terms against “clean? competition.

Say it ain't so, Joe: State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno has thrown water on prospects for a full-fledged casino in downtown Rochester while leaving the door open for a possible mini-casino with VLTs. But greater Rochester already has VLTs at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack in Farmington, Ontario County. Opening a similar facility in downtown Rochester would negatively affect the Finger Lakes “racino?and might even eventually drive the racetrack out of business. The addition of VLTs to downtown (without gambling tables) and the subsequent subtraction of Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack would be a bad tradeoff.

Major League Soccer had two big crowds and two weak turnouts for last Saturday's four games. A season-high 26,233 in Kansas City saw the Wizards extend their unbeaten streak to seven games with a 1-0 win over D.C. United (Freddy Adu started in place of ill Dema Kovalenko and played 70 minutes) and 24,892 watched the host Los Angeles Galaxy beat Colorado 2-0. Only 7,223 fans saw the host Dallas Burn play a 0-0 tie against Columbus and a mere 13,174 at Giants Stadium saw the MetroStars beat San Jose and goalkeeper Pat Onstad 2-0.

Almost guaranteed to happen in tonight's Home Run Derby: The batting practice pitcher assigned to Barry Bonds will give the fans a chuckle by throwing the first pitch way out of the strike zone. ... Cheers to officials of the LPGA Canadian Open for allowing 21-year-old Natalie Gulbis to sell and autograph her tasteful swimsuit calendar in the main pro shop during the weekend's tournament outside Niagara Falls after the U.S. Women's Open wouldn't permit it anywhere on the course the week before.

MATTHEWS@DemocratandChronicle.com